Mon 13 Oct 2008, 11:10 GMT

Carnival plans to scrap fuel supplement


Cruise operator also issues guidelines for fuel surcharge refunds.



Six brands of Carnival Corporation & plc - Carnival Cruise Lines, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and The Yachts of Seabourn - have announced that effective October 31st, 2008, the existing fuel supplement will be eliminated for all new bookings on 2010 departures.

At that same time, a price increase on 2010 sailings will become effective. Additionally, the company has established specific guidelines under which the current fuel supplement may be reimbursed to consumers for 2008 and 2009 voyages.

For 2008 and 2009 departures, if the price of light sweet crude oil according to the NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange Index) is $70 per barrel or less at the close of business on each of the 25 consecutive trading days ending five trading days prior to the guest's cruise departure date, the fuel supplement will be refunded in the form of a shipboard credit.

Guests who book a 2010 cruise prior to October 31st, 2008, will be charged the current fuel supplement but will also be eligible for a refund of the fuel supplement in accordance with the same fuel price conditions that are being implemented for the 2008 and 2009 departures.

Bill Harber, director of marketing for Carnival Corporation & plc, said the company was implementing these initiatives due to the recent trends in declining fuel prices in an effort to migrate away from charging a separate fuel supplement.

"If fuel prices stabilize below $70 a barrel, we will be able to effectively eliminate a separate fuel supplement."

However, he cautioned that there is still a risk that fuel prices could move higher "which would require us to maintain or reinstate a fuel supplement but the company is hopeful that the goal of eliminating the fuel supplement can be achieved."

Harber added that "these industry-leading initiatives demonstrate our commitment to our guests and travel agents to make our brands the most attractive cruise vacations available."

The fuel supplement for five of the six Carnival Corporation & plc brands is currently $9 per person per day for the first and second guest (not to exceed $126 per person per voyage) and $4 per person per day for third, fourth and fifth guests (not to exceed $56 per person per voyage).

Seabourn's fuel supplement is $15 per person per day for the first and second guest (not to exceed $210 per person per voyage) and $4 per person per day for third and fourth guests (not to exceed $56 per person per voyage).

Carnival Corporation & plc is the largest cruise vacation group in the world, with a portfolio of cruise brands in North America, Europe and Australia, comprised of Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, The Yachts of Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Ibero Cruises, Ocean Village, P&O Cruises and P&O Cruises Australia.

Together, these brands operate 88 ships totaling more than 167,000 lower berths with 18 new ships scheduled to be delivered between October 2008 and June 2012.

Carnival Corporation & plc also operates Holland America Tours and Princess Tours, the leading tour companies in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon.


RINA employee on board vessel. RINA unveils Mermaid propulsion concept to navigate uncertain decarbonisation landscape  

Fuel-agnostic design claims savings of more than 1,000 tonnes per year in some applications.

Adinkerke and Aalter naming ceremony. Exmar names third and fourth dual-fuel ammonia-powered vessels  

Midsize gas carriers Adinkerke and Aalter named at formal ceremony.

Professor Lynn Loo, GCMD. GCMD outlines practical approach to quantity assurance in marine biofuel supply chains  

New report addresses verification of both total fuel volume and renewable content in biofuel transactions.

Steel-cutting ceremony of London Express class vessel. Hapag-Lloyd cuts steel for first vessel of new London Express class  

16,800-TEU LNG dual-fuel vessel is first of 12 newbuildings in the class.

Vessels at sea. DNV report warns regulatory uncertainty complicates fleet investment decisions  

CEO urges greater clarity to provide the confidence needed for long-term investment.

Blue Whale NxtGen Energy battery system. Corvus Energy launches LFP battery system developed with BYD Energy Storage  

Blue Whale NxtGen Power targets tugs, ferries and workboats with high power demand.

Welcome ceremony of Yampu vessel. World’s first battery-powered self-unloading bulk carrier enters service in Australia  

MV Yampu connects South Australia’s limestone trade with a battery-electric propulsion system.

Skipanes vessel. E-methanol-ready ro-ro vessel delivered to Smyril Line  

190-metre vessel is built for year-round North Atlantic operations and designed for future e-methanol conversion.

Belgium flag. Sunoil Biodiesel secures approval to supply biofuels in Belgium  

Dutch biofuel supplier expands its European footprint with Belgian market entry.

Tacoma Maersk naming ceremony. Maersk takes delivery of dual-fuel methanol-capable Tacoma Maersk in China  

9,000-TEU vessel is one of six mid-sized dual-fuel ships joining Maersk's fleet.