[Tapas]

I had anticipated this happening any day. The Cruising Companies tried to hold off a fuel surcharge as long as they could in the face of near $100 a barrel crude oil prices.

Carnival Corporation was the first to blink. They are adding on $5 per person per day effective February 2008.

The Carnival Corporation operates several cruise lines including Carnival, Cunard, Holland America and Princess.


Carnival Corporation implements a $5 per passenger per day Fuel Surcharge


The company plans to add 21 news ships in service by 2012. With fuel prices sky rocketing and traveling becoming more expensive, this may become a pipe dream.

If you are contemplating in taking a cruise, do so now!

Here are a couple of good sites to get good deals:

www.vacationstogo.com

Check their 90-day ticker for the Fast Deals!

www.123cruise4me.com

Here are some fantastic Cruise Message Boards to get you started:

www.cruisemates.com

www.cruisecritic.com

www.cruisediva.com

If you want to take only one cruise in life, take the 7 night Gulf of Alaska Cruise on Princess. This will be an unforgettable trip to paradise. You will experience the last holdouts of the majestic beauty of nature in its pristine state.


www.alaskacruises.com


We are the luckiest generation to ever be alive. We take so much for granted - the fast cars, the convenience of cheap air travel, the floating 5 star hotels on these mega cruise ships, our climate controlled homes, air-conditioned shopping malls, abundant food and fancy high tech toys on the shelves, 24/7 electricity, clean drinking water, sprawling mega cities in the heart of the desert, entertainment of all forms on demand - all possible due to cheap energy.

Sadly, much of this is going to change. The next generation will listen to our stories and believe them to be fairy tales.

We should cherish and enjoy the best and last days of our Industrial Civilization. The travel industry will be one of the first casualties.

Tapas

[frankthetank]

My wife and I have done 2 seven day cruises. The one was from Miami down to San Juan and back (long) and the other was a southern Caribbean, which had a lot more stops. Those long cruises must be killing them. They've really got to be burning the fuel compared to the relatively short trips they take when they leave from San Juan.

I still love these ships.

The first time you stand next to one its just amazing. I bet the rich live in them and anchor them off the coasts---zombies don't swim well.

The new itinerary will be:
Miami-Thunder Horse
Thunder Horse-Lake Maracaibo
Lake Maracaibo-HOVENSA oil refinery, St. Croix
HOVENSA oil refinery, St. Croix-Thunder horse
Thunder Horse-Miami

???

[Tapas]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('frankthetank', 'M')y wife and I have done 2 seven day cruises. The one was from Miami down to San Juan and back (long) and the other was a southern Caribbean, which had a lot more stops. Those long cruises must be killing them. They've really got to be burning the fuel compared to the relatively short trips they take when they leave from San Juan.

[steam_cannon]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tapas', 'W')e should cherish and enjoy the best and last days of our Industrial Civilization. The travel industry will be one of the first casualties.

[Tanada]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tapas', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('frankthetank', 'M')y wife and I have done 2 seven day cruises. The one was from Miami down to San Juan and back (long) and the other was a southern Caribbean, which had a lot more stops. Those long cruises must be killing them. They've really got to be burning the fuel compared to the relatively short trips they take when they leave from San Juan.

[Tapas]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tanada', 'F')or ships at sea fuel consumption goes up dramatically with velocity, any idea what her top speed and average speed are? Slowing from 27 knots to 17 would cut fuel consumption by about 50%, you cut a couple of stops off the tour and just go slower to save fuel.

[frankthetank]

All this talk makes me want to book a trip!!!

Sailing distance between Miami and San Juan must be about 1000 miles. I remember leaving Miami in the late afternoon, stopped at Nassau the next morning, left there early, sailed the rest of the day, the full next day and arrived the following morning in San Juan.

Both ships we were on were around that 80000 ton mark (NCL Sky and Princess Sea Princess).

A couple? of ships are actually powered by turbine.

Freedom of the seas is 160000 tons. A true monster.

[nocar]

Yes, I am sure those cruisers use a lot less fuel when going slow. But no matter how slow, a cruising vacation is not a low-energy vacation.

And there are other environmental issues - what happens when all the people on board flush their toilets? Where does it go? Until I get firm information otherwise, I believe what I read just last year or so - these ships have very rudimentary sewage treatment or none at all.

nocar

[frankthetank]

It goes right into the ocean. I think they wait until they are out in the open when they dump everything. I guess it isn't horrible, considering are "waste" goes into the Mississippi River (treated) and a lot of towns up and down the river don't even treat their waste.

I watched a couple of slaves (i mean workers) painting something on one of the cruise ships when we were in St. Lucia and i noticed how they rinsed out their paint buckets right in the ocean!

You would think the food price increases would be hurting them?

[Tapas]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('frankthetank', 'A')ll this talk makes me want to book a trip!!!

[Tapas]

MSNBC is reporting on how the Cruise Lines are planning to shunt off higher fuel costs to its passengers:


Over a barrel, cruise lines boost ticket costs


It is interesting to see how desperate the travel agencies are getting to lure new customers. Prices have been discounted on last minute sailings up to 80% and still no takers. People simply do not have any more discretionary income to splurge on vacations.

The Housing Bubble Collapse has taken its toll on the economy. With no more easy HELOC money at hand, the market for Plasma TVs, Cruises, Vacation homes and flashy BMWs has dried up.

At the same time, the cruise lines and air lines are forced to add on a fuel surcharge.

This adds a double whammy.

2008 will be an interesting year for the Travel Industry.

Tapas

[cube]

I do NOT think direct fuel costs will "sink" the cruising industry. (tongue in cheek grin)

Instead it will be people's disposable income that will become extinct, like the dodo bird, and that will ultimately kill the industry. The cruising industry thrives on the middle class and I think PO is going to hit the middle class the hardest.

[bonehead]

If they were smart they'd go nuclear just like the navy does.

[whereagles]

Nuclear is fine, but that would scare away a lot of passengers and.. hey, you gotta make a dime, no?

[bonehead]

They better do something or it's bye-bye cruise ships.Makes no difference to me,i've never been on one and don't plan to go on one.If they go,then maybe the price of heating oil will drop,they use a lot of diesel and i think it's more important that people are warm vs. luxury cruises.Gimme some demand destruction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!