Fuel Surcharge Reimbursement Settlement

Oceania and Regent Seven Seas recently joined the ranks with Celebrity, Carnival and Royal Caribbean in reimbursing passengers for fuel supplemental charges applied to their fares after they had booked and paid deposits for cruises.

In response to hundreds of complaints received by Florida’s Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Division directed toward the entire cruise industry, numerous settlements have been instituted to rectify the situation. The complaints stated that the cruise lines had retroactively imposed a mandatory fuel supplemental charge on a number of guests after they had booked their cruises and paid their deposits. Consumers believed the retroactive charge, which was not disclosed at the time their cruises were booked, placed an unfair and unexpected financial burden. The Attorney General’s office reached the consensus that the charges were indeed unfair and has been resolving the situation with multiple cruise lines; most recently Oceania and Regent Seven Seas.

Both Oceania and Regent Seven Seas have agreed to reimburse affected passengers in full the amount of the fuel supplemental charge. The reimbursements total in the neighborhood of $2.1 million for Oceania and over $1 million for Classic Cruise Holdings (Regent Seven Seas). Both companies will be contacting those eligible for restitution; however, anyone who feels they have been unfairly charged these funds should contact Florida’s Attorney General’s fraud hotline at 1-866-966-7226.

In addition to restitution of the funds, the cruise lines must ensure that, in the future, any fuel supplemental charges must be disclosed in a clear manner to consumers when they reserve their cruise. Any advertising promoting cruises and cruise fares must also be sure to clarify these additional expenses so that potential guests will be fully aware of their obligations.

Attorney General McCollum believes this to be a positive move forward for the cruise lines; funds returned to consumers and Florida continuing to be viewed as a popular destination.