Fuel surcharge - check to see if they owe you a credit
Jan 5, 2009, 8:39 am
#1
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Fuel surcharge - check to see if they owe you a credit
In another thread it was mentioned that some lines have a fuel surcharge. If you have a cruise booked, check with the line to see if that is still in place. We are booked in a couple of weeks (though not sure if we paid a surcharge or not at booking) and noticed this on HAL's website:
FUEL SUPPLEMENT UPDATE
December 4, 2008
As fuel prices continue to decline, Holland America Line has announced that it will suspend fuel supplements effective for all voyages departing on or after December 17, 2008.
A refund of the fuel supplement will be made in the form of a shipboard credit for all bookings within the final payment period for departures on or after December 17, 2008. All bookings outside of the final payment period for departures on or after December 17, 2008 will be adjusted to remove the fuel supplement and guests will be provided with a revised final payment amount.
As the price of oil has dropped to $46 per barrel, it has now reached a level where we are able to suspend the fuel supplement.
We reserve the right to re-instate the fuel supplement for all guests at up to $9 per person per day should the price of light sweet crude oil according to the NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange Index) increase above $70 per barrel.
It is our hope that fuel prices have stabilized and will remain at a more rational level. The complete suspension of the fuel supplement makes the inherent value of a cruise even greater and that is increasingly important in the selection of a vacation in the current economic climate.
And of course, as always, check the cabin rates, some dates coming up have dropped pretty dramatically as they try to fill the ships, you may get a credit for that too. We won't, the ship is totally sold out in a couple weeks.
FUEL SUPPLEMENT UPDATE
December 4, 2008
As fuel prices continue to decline, Holland America Line has announced that it will suspend fuel supplements effective for all voyages departing on or after December 17, 2008.
A refund of the fuel supplement will be made in the form of a shipboard credit for all bookings within the final payment period for departures on or after December 17, 2008. All bookings outside of the final payment period for departures on or after December 17, 2008 will be adjusted to remove the fuel supplement and guests will be provided with a revised final payment amount.
As the price of oil has dropped to $46 per barrel, it has now reached a level where we are able to suspend the fuel supplement.
We reserve the right to re-instate the fuel supplement for all guests at up to $9 per person per day should the price of light sweet crude oil according to the NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange Index) increase above $70 per barrel.
It is our hope that fuel prices have stabilized and will remain at a more rational level. The complete suspension of the fuel supplement makes the inherent value of a cruise even greater and that is increasingly important in the selection of a vacation in the current economic climate.
And of course, as always, check the cabin rates, some dates coming up have dropped pretty dramatically as they try to fill the ships, you may get a credit for that too. We won't, the ship is totally sold out in a couple weeks.
Jan 5, 2009, 10:18 am
#2
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: YEG
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Posts: 56,449
Good advice Mike. I can only add the policies regarding the refunding of paid fuel surcharges are the same for all the various Carnival cruise brands, including Holland America sister cruise lines Princess, Carnival, Costa and Cunard. 
Jan 12, 2009, 4:43 am
#3
Join Date: Jul 2006
Programs: QFF
Posts: 95
Departed AKL on HAL's ms Volendam on Dec 19. True to their word, we had a letter in our cabin shortly after boarding advising of the refund of the fuel surcharge. This was the first we knew about it and greatly appreciated it. Thought this was quite honourable of HAL. Our first cruise and it was great. Cruise was quoted as one figure, not broken up so getting the fuel surcharge back was a pleasant surprise.
Jan 14, 2009, 4:17 pm
#4
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Was on RCCL Serenade of the Seas on 1/3. We got back $210 in fuel surcharge fees ($70 each for me and Mrs. Swede, $35 for Miss Swede and Baby Swede).
