I don't know if anyone has posted this new price increase, but here it is 11 dollars a day for the first two passengers and $5 dollars a day for the 3rd and 4th.....I hope this will be the last one..FOR AWHILE....This took effect on June 20th according to Cruise Critics.
I think the cruiselines have been getting a little carried away with the fuel surcharges. I know fuel is on the rise but they have always contracted long term for fuel in the past which would eliminate the need to keep increasing these charges if they have contracts in place for fuel as has always been the practice. Perhaps the suppliers have not allowed long term pricing contracts since pricing has been volitile lately or perhaps the cruiseline speculated that it would come down and have been buying at market rates each month. If so, they gambled the wrong direction for the short term and we're all paying the price for it. If this is the case, I hope they can lock in some long term pricing soon to prevent this cycle from climbing ever higher.
As oil prices have continued to rise since NCL's earlier announcement of a fuel supplement, the company announced today an increase to its current fuel supplement. The new fuel supplement will be $11 per person per day for the first and second guests in a stateroom and $5 per person per day for any additional guests in the same stateroom, based on the guidelines below.
Individual reservations The increased fuel supplement applies only to new individual reservations made on or after June 20, 2008.
Group reservations The increased fuel supplement applies to any group reservation booked on or after June 20, 2008. The increased fuel supplement will also apply to group space held prior to June 20, 2008 without specific names and full confirming deposit by June 19, 2008.
To summarize all such releases:
Reservations made on or after June 20: $11 pppd for pax 1 & 2/$5 pppd for pax 3 & 4 in same stateroom
Reservations made between May 1 and June 19: $9/$4
Reservations made between Dec 1, 2007 and April 30, 2008: $7/$3
Unlike some other lines, NCL is not placing a cap on the amount assessed.
LisaP
<Edited for clarity>
This message has been edited. Last edited by: LisaP,
Posts: 2658 | Location: Massachusetts, USA | Registered: December 17, 2005
With the steady increases in fuel surcharges,which seem to be occurring on a monthly basis, it would be wise if NCL would put a "cap" upon the cost per cruise as done by the other lines.Failure to do so is beginning to make NCL look unattractive to many potential NCL customers!
I do tend to agree, we book well over a year in advance, and we just booked a Panama Canal for November 2009, just before NCL announced the $11.00 surcharge. It is difficult to know what to do in the future. We live on the west coast so even the air fare for a Caribbean cruise is becoming an issue.
NCL is basing the fuel surcharge on the day the booking was made... I just edited my post above as I now realize I wasn't clear. Sorry for that.
We took an NCL cruise on May 9, booked in December. Our fuel supplement was $17 per day ($7 for me, $7 for DH, $3 for our son), even though the surcharges had risen for new bookings just prior to our departure date.
LisaP
Posts: 2658 | Location: Massachusetts, USA | Registered: December 17, 2005
The cruise lines, like the air lines do contract their fuel. I think the problem is when the contract comes up for renewal, they will be hit with the over inflated prices as the rest of us are. I would imagine they're trying to predict what those prices will be and build up a reserve so they can sign a new contract. If the greedy little weasels have their way, oil will be over $300/bbl. before long. So, industries using a lot of fuel will have to be able to pay dearly for it, and pass it on to their customers.
Penny- It may just be that there will be an extreme excess of cruiseships with empty cabins- which will set cruising back to where it once was-for the elite only! A very scary economic future lies ahead for the entire tourism industry. The overall picture for the world economy is likewise bleak!
My sister lives in England and they have a house in Spain (nice), I spoke with her yesterday and they got caught up in the gas price protests while they were over in Spain last week. They are wondering if they should drive the next time they go over or fly due to the airfare.
I realize I am a little off topic bringing airfare into the equation however I too have to wonder if in a couple of years how many of us will be cruising as often as we do now.
Originally posted by billybuzzy: Penny- It may just be that there will be an extreme excess of cruiseships with empty cabins- which will set cruising back to where it once was-for the elite only! A very scary economic future lies ahead for the entire tourism industry. The overall picture for the world economy is likewise bleak!
BillyBuzzy
Cruising is actually not down in bookings even with all the extra cost for air, fuel fees and other factors. North American bookings are down for international flights and some cruise markets but Europeans are traveling in record numbers. I read an article the other day that said sales of high end clothing, especially Itallian leather goods (shoes and purses) are way up in the NYC shops. Seems Italian women no longer shop for Gucci and other items in Italy. They fly to NYC and shop with the advantage of the weak dollar. Seems odd to me that someone can fly to the US and buy goods imported from their home country and get better values! Something is wrong with this equasion. But I can tell you for a fact that I now get more calls from international clients booking cruises, both cruises originating there and here. I've been seeing record numbers of clients all over the world booking flights and cruises to the Caribbean, Alaska and other markets that once were pretty rare except for North American passenger bookings.
I think the weakening of the dollar is actually a far greater concern long term than the cost of gas and corn. The strength of the dollar has always driven our our economy and ability to recover from economic slow downs. When your money goes a long way, you book vacations, buy new cars, invest and just go to the movies more. When your income has to go to the cost of living the engine that causes prosperity, pay increases and more jobs slows to a crawl.
I'm actually optomistic that things will turn around. I expect fuel pricing this high to be adjusted by market forces in the not too distant future, it has been artificially inflated by the comodities speculators. When it begins to fall it should fall fast. I hope and pray that we can eventually get government spending under control and the dollar will rebound. We'll see what the future holds, based on whats happening now, the travel industry is in no danger. It's just changing to being fueled by different segments. I just don't buy all the doom and gloom expectations. I just can't help but see the silver lining when I look at the clouds. Makes life more enjoyable to live that way.
I just got a cruise quote and the Gas surcharge total for both the ship and the plane was $113 per person....Holy Moly...but I will bite the bullet and GO:-).....
The fuel surcharges are not unreasonable. Both CCL and RCL earnings projections have been trimmed dispite higher bookings for the their cruises. NCL's move to raise the fuel surcharge in not out of line. Any person visiting this site can refer to Bloomberg or Yahoo Finance, insert the stock symbol of CCL and RCL and read how market analysts are trimming earnings guidence all due to higher fuel charges. Should the bubble in the commodities pits and for oil futures specifically continue to go higher, than expect even higher fuel charges from the cruise line companies, & airlines. Food prices at the local grocery store and other consumer prices are all trending higher due to fuel surcharges that the trucking industry must pass on to the consumer to cover added costs. Get used to it, this situation may become a way of life for the American consumer and cruise line customer. Diesel fuel is over $4.89 per gallon here in the southwest USA already.
While I don't like the fuel surcharges also, if I want to cruise, I have to pay for it. We just booked our 13 day Panama Canal cruise on NCL for 2009, and if the trends continue we will have to pay more for the cruise. As Berick 123 stated, cruising is still a good value.
Bob....you are right, it's only money. Amazing how many people complain about a few extra bucks, and throw the money away elsewhere in day to day life. Can't take it with us when we die, so enjoy everyday you can.
Our next NCL cruise is back on the Star for a Mexican Riveria cruise with friends that we met on the Pearl a few years ago. That is scheduled for Novemeber 2008. Sure is nice to meet strangers who then become friends and then cruise together again.
After that we booked a 13 day Panama Canal cruise on NCL of course for late 2009. Hopefully we can get another cruise in sometime in between.
I am busy with my racing schedule in the fall, but the cruising is always fun and a break from the job.
We booked a short Mexican Riviera cruise on the Star in November 2008,- never been on the Star, same ship in November 2009 a 13 day Panama canal ending up in Miami. I agree NCL is fair value for money and present a good product
Small world.......Mary and I are booked on the same two cruises, on the Star both Nov 8th to 15th,2008 (Mexican Riveria) and Panama Canal, L.A. to Miami (Star)on Nov 23rd to Dec 6th, 2009. We were on the Star in 2005 and had a great time. We are looking forward to Freestyle 2.0
Close, we sail November 11th - 15th 2008 and Nov 23rd - Dec 6th 2009. We have booked a holiday in England for mid March 2009, will be cold but we have family over there.
