Do folks who have paid in full have to pay Celebrity fuel surcharge?

[jmcs]

I see on the Celebrity website that they are now charging the fuel surcharge too. I have paid in full - does this mean that I will not have to pay? Neither Celebrity or have travel agent have contacted me.

[Dave]

The surcharge has to be paid regardless if you have already paid for the cruise in full. But only for cruises that commence on or after 2/1/08...at least for now.

[jmcs]

My cruise is march 31, 2008. Should someone not have contacted me?

[Dave]

It was just announced today for Royal Caribbean and Celebrity.

[jmcs]

How can it be legal for them to charge you more once you have signed a contract agreeing to a price?

[Dave]

I was just looking at the press release and RCCL is not going to assess the surcharge to anyone who has paid for their cruise in full prior to the surcharge implementation date. So it looks like you are okay.

It is legal because it is a surcharge and not an increase in the cruise fare. Same thing would happen if you were going to Bermuda on your cruise and suddenly Bermuda decided to charge $100 per cruise passenger in order for the ship to stop there. That cost would be passed on to the consumer.

[Dave]

Here is the press release

[jmcs]

Thanks Dave. If that is correct, I am doubly glad that I paid off my cruise last week when the Can $ was at it's peak.

[Dave]

I am going to pay off my cruise for next June before 2/1/08 too.

[Dave]

UPDATE: My agent just e-mailed me the following: "We got the announcement today from Royal Caribbean, but it said all bookings had to be paid 'yesterday' the 15th, in order to avoid the fuel charge. "

So it appears I am screwed but you aren't.