The company behind some of the largest cruise lines operating today has announced that fuel supplements for 2010 departures will be eliminated for bookings made after October 31st.The Carnival Corporation & plc is behind some of the biggest names in the cruise industry including Carnival Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard Cruises, Holland America, Princess Cruises and The Yachts of Seabourn. As fuel supplements are abandoned, the group will instead immediately introduce a price increase on 2010 cruise holidays.
A set of guidelines also details specific examples of how customers may have fuel supplements reimbursed for voyages undertaken in 2008 and 2009. For example, if oil prices drop below $70 per barrel as reported by Reuters on the 25 trading days leading up to the customers cruise departure date, the fuel supplement will be refunded in the form of a shipboard credit. Bill Harber, the director of marketing for Carnival Corporation & plc, said the new scheme was being introduced due to the recent trends in declining fuel prices and to avoid charging a separate fuel supplement:
"If fuel prices stabilize below $70 a barrel, we will be able to effectively eliminate a separate fuel supplement."
Mr. Harper went on to add: "These industry-leading initiatives demonstrate our commitment to our guests and travel agents to make our brands the most attractive cruise vacations available.”
