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Cruise Lines announce Fuel Surcharges
With oil prices reaching $98/barrel, cruise lines are tacking on fuel
surcharges for 2008 sailings.
Carnival Corp. announced that they will implement a $5 per
person - per day fuel supplement on all bookings for voyages
departing on or after Feb. 1, 2008. The surcharge applies for all of
Carnival Corp.'s North American brands.
The Carnival Corp. supplement applies only to the first and
second guest in a stateroom and will not exceed $70 per person per
voyage. "Earlier this year, we implemented a supplement for our
European brands, " said Carnival Corp. Chairman/CEO Micky
Arison. "We had hoped to avoid a similar supplement for our
North American brands, but with the price of oil approaching $100 a
barrel, it is no longer possible."
Regent Seven Seas Cruises has announced a $7.50 per person per
day fuel surcharge for its 2008 sailings.
NCL Corp. announced that effective on all new NCL
and NCL America bookings made on or after Dec. 1, the supplement will
be $7 per person/per day for the first and second guests in a
stateroom and $3 per person/per day for any additional guests in the
same stateroom.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced the implementation of a
fuel supplement of $5 per guest per day for the first two occupants
of a stateroom, max $70pp - for sailings that depart on or after
February 1, 2008. The supplement will assist the company in
offsetting the widespread increases in fuel prices, which have more
than doubled in recent years. RCCI’s supplement will not
be applied to any bookings where the guest has already paid the full
cost of the cruise. In addition, guests who were booked before
Nov. 16, and who do not agree to pay the supplement, may cancel their
reservation prior to Dec. 7 for a full refund of all monies they have
paid, and they will not be subject to any cancellation charges that
would normally apply.
RCI guests who do not cancel their reservation and pay in full
will receive one logo item per stateroom, onboard their cruise.
Finally, the supplement will apply only to the first and second
guests in each stateroom and will not exceed $70 per person, per
sailing. RCI stated that the supplement will be
periodically reviewed, with the intent of being temporary, and may be
adjusted as fuel prices fluctuate.
Crystal Cruises is implementing a fuel surcharge of $7.00 per
guest per day for all 2008 reservations that are not paid in full by
January 1, 2008. Crystal is protecting any 2008 bookings that are
made and paid in full prior to Jan. 12, 2008, and the current fare,
without the fuel surcharge. There will be no change to the fuel
surcharge of $5.00 per day that is currently in effect for all 2007 voyages.
In addition, two lines, part of the Ambassadors Cruise Group,
reported new surcharges. Windstar Cruises will charge
$8.50 per person/per day, applicable to published sailings through
March 2009 that have not been paid in full by Dec. 15.
Majestic America Line set a surcharge of $8.50 per person/per
day, applicable to new bookings made after Dec. 15 and existing
bookings that are not paid in full by the same date.
HAL Unveils New Tour Programs
Onboard Oosterdam -- Holland America will expand its
Signature Class with a second ship to enter service in the fall of
2010, the line's executives told top producing agents on the
Centurion Cruise aboard the Oosterdam.
HAL's first Signature Class ship, the Eurodam, will enter
service in July 2008.
Holland America executive vice president of marketing, sales and
guest programs Rick Meadows announced that the two Signature Class
ships represent an investment of $450 million each.
HAL vice president of sales Paul Allen announced a new series of
shore tours to be called Medallion Collection, Encore Collection,
World Wonders Collection and Signature Collection.
The tours are aimed at offering unique behind-the-scenes experiences,
ranging up to the high-end Personally Yours tours in which guests can
suggest their own ideas in advance that Holland America will attempt
to custom design for them.
The line next year celebrates several anniversaries: the 135th
anniversary of the company, the 50th anniversary of its World Grand
Voyage program and 10th anniversary of its Half Moon Cay private
island resort.
Meadows also announced that the 2008 Centurion Cruise will be held
aboard the Eurodam from Southampton to Copenhagen.
Spirit From Boston, Dawn From NYC
Norwegian Cruise Line and the Bermuda Government announced
today a comprehensive, long-term agreement that calls for two of
NCL's newest and largest ships to be deployed to Bermuda from 2009
through 2018. These ships will predominantly depart from New York
(Norwegian Dawn) and Boston (Norwegian Spirit) and will each sail at
least 22 cruises per season, making extended calls at St. George's, Bermuda.
The combined itineraries of the two vessels will provide for
overnights in Bermuda Sunday through Friday. NCL also will be the
exclusive line to sail from Boston to Bermuda.
The 2008 Bermuda itineraries include: Norwegian Dawn from New
York, on 7-day cruises to Bermuda; Norwegian Dream replacing
Norwegian Majesty from Boston; and Norwegian Majesty sailing to
Bermuda from three cities: Philadelphia, Baltimore and Charleston.
In 2009, Norwegian Spirit, with a double occupancy capacity of
2,000 guests, will sail from Boston to Bermuda, on Fridays, calling
in Bermuda Sunday through Wednesday. Norwegian Dawn, with
capacity of more than 2,200, will sail from New York on Sundays,
calling in Bermuda Wednesday through Friday.
Also in 2009, Norwegian Majesty (the ship which has served
NCL's Boston-Bermuda business for 15 years) will sail to St.
George's, Bermuda from Charleston, Philadelphia and Baltimore.
That Special Hallway
Probably when Queen Victoria was first being designed, it was
just a hallway on Deck 2. But when Queen Victoria debuts next month,
it will take on special significance for Cunard fans the world over.
At some point along the way, someone realized it would be the perfect
place for a new feature the line had in mind for Cunardia, a museum
of Cunard memorabilia that would be more than just a collection of
artifacts. Cunard plans for Cunardia to tell stories. So the hallway
was widened and shaped, and soon thousands of passengers each year
will have a chance to learn (first) about Cunard's Queens.
Do Islands Have Birthday's?
Mark your calendar and run out to buy a birthday card. Half Moon Cay
is turning the big one-oh.
HMC is Holland America's private Bahamian island featured on
the line's Caribbean itineraries, and is the highest-rated port on
Caribbean itineraries, according to HAL passenger surveys.
Third New Ship Ordered for Seabourn
Carnival Corp exercised the option it held for a third new
ship for their Seabourn brand. The third ship, which is
scheduled for delivery in the summer of 2011, will be a sister to Seabourn
Odyssey which was ordered last year from T. Marotti.
Passenger Missing from Costa Atlantica
Proving that American-based lines haven't cornered the market on
missing passengers, a German woman was reported missing from Costa Alantica
last week in Greek waters.
The woman was reported missing by her husband in the early morning
hours of October 30 as the ship was sailing from Marmaris to
Santorini. He apparently had awakened and realized she was not in the cabin.
Cunard Line Awarded "Best World Cruise Itineraries" for
Fifth Straight Year by Porthole Cruise Magazine
Renowned liner company also awarded "Best Onboard Educational Programs"
Confirming Cunard Line's dominance in the world cruising
category, the well-traveled readers of Porthole Cruise magazine have
named Cunard operator of the "Best World Cruise Itineraries"
for the fifth consecutive year. The Line was also awarded "Best
Onboard Educational Programs" in the magazine's annual Readers'
Choice Survey, which appears in the December 2007 issue.
"Few awards are as gratifying as those that come from seasoned
travellers," said Carol Marlow, president of Cunard Line.
"To be recognized as offering the best world cruise itineraries
and most meaningful educational programmes confirms that we are
delivering compelling experiences that exceed the expectations of our
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