---

Los Angeles-based Crystal Cruises has announced that it is eliminating its fuel surcharge for 2009 with immediate effect, as a result of the continuing drop in oil prices.

New bookings will not be charged a fuel surcharge. For bookings under deposit, Crystal will adjust each booking within the next two weeks, eliminating the fuel surcharge.

Meanwhile, guests who have paid in full will receive a shipboard credit in the amount of the assessed fuel surcharge. This revised policy applies to all cruises departing after January 1st 2009.

Crystal Cruises had recently announced that it would review oil prices quarterly and would credit fuel surcharges during 2009 if light sweet crude oil prices dipped below $65 per barrel.

"The decreased price of crude oil is significant enough to warrant the elimination of the fuel surcharge at the present time," said Gregg Michel, president of Crystal Cruises. "We will continue to monitor fuel costs. Fortunately, the price trend is currently positive for us and for the consumer."

The company's decision to suspend its fuel surcharge follows similar moves made by rival cruise operators Carnival Corporation & plc, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) and Windstar Cruises, who have also decided to remove their existing fuel surcharge this month following the recent decline in crude and bunker prices.