Fuel supplement charge?!

[Dave]

They'd get it one way or another--this is just more direct, and in a way, easier to understand.

Right. It could have been more subtle such as drink prices being bumped up 25 cents here, 50 cents there, and people wouldn't have said anything.

[Cruise Fanatic]

Originally posted by Dave Beers:

quote:

They'd get it one way or another--this is just more direct, and in a way, easier to understand.

Right. It could have been more subtle such as drink prices being bumped up 25 cents here, 50 cents there, and people wouldn't have said anything.

[Gabbie247]

Wow...I just show that on Carnivals website yesterday. I booked my first cruise last week, and paid in full, the guy did not mention it. Maybe I should give him a call back. The man at Carnival was super nice, and sure he would not have a problem expalining it to me.

[Dave]

Which would just encourage more booze smuggling which is why the prices are already what they are.

Yep. Cause and effect.

[TrvlPro]

Right, Which would just encourage more booze smuggling which is why the prices are already what they are.

Cruise Fanatic, I couldn't agree more with this sentiment. If everyone would stop trying to find ways around gratuities, drink costs and other normal vacation expenses the overall costs for cruising and such services may not have to be as high as they are. The cruiselines have designated revenue expectations for each ship. Thus the pricing is always being adjusted to meet those expectations. A little over half of a ships total revenue is generated from the actual booking rates. The balance is from onboard revenue. Things like the pictures you buy, the drinks you consume, excursions, casinos, etc. If you'd like cruise pricing to climb, find a way of not allowing the lines to generate onboard revenue. Remember the old TV commercial, "You can pay me now or pay me later"? That was a car repair company but it applies to the free market in general.

Cheers, Neil

[fredo]

TrvlPro,
somehow I agree with you, somehow I don't.

I understand that lines expect a certain revenue from the service(s) they offer.
Neither I'm surprised by their thinking of material gain (that's what we all do in our job).

On the other hand, I don't fully agree on the selling strategies: "the main service costs x (low), the additonal services cost y (high)".
We all know pictures, booze and all the other stuff cost much more on board: you should say, "of course they do, due to expensive delivering, loading, and so on".
But what about food and all that's included in a cruise fare? Don't all these things need to be delivered, loaded, etc. on the same ship? They do, but their cost is "low".

So, seems to me e.g. like buying a cell phone for some Eurocents (sure this happens in Italy and Germany) finding then themselves tied in expensive calling fares.

But ... the cruise fare is in any case "low" , and even if they hope you'll spend many bucks in additional services you're not forced to waste money.

Don't get me wrong, I mean "waste".
Indeed, cruising with a locked wallet isn't a vacation.
It's a punishment.

[gdjoslin]

Really the fuel charge is no surprise. It is also just one of the cost to go up. Has anyone bought a gallon of milk lately? On our last trip to Washington we noticed the motels had gone up a good 25%.
We may not like any of this but that is the way it is.
I would like to add that I think they could have waived the fee for those who had paid in full, or evened book.

[yankeeso]

I got my notice about the fuel surcharge today. Nothing any of us can do about it. It did light a fire under me to make my plane reservations from Honolulu to home for our cruise next April from Ensenada to Honolulu. The flight we were going to reserve for our trip to San Diego has already doubled.

[Casanova frankenstein]

ok I can understand the situation because here in PR you cannot live without a car so the gas prices are broken everyone down and for worst Cruises like Carnival Destiny has fto buy most of the food, gas ect. from here and with the new sale tax they have on PR now the gas prices I can understand why they are doing this, But why have to charge you over?
Why they cannot just put this so it can reflect on their prices well the answer;
Because then cruiser will think they are paying less money for the cruise and then when they hve them the just stab them on the back!!! I can only say:

"Que Cabrones!!!"

Sorry carnival but thats true

[Gabbie247]

yea..i got mine to also..it would be 50.00 for the two of us.