Too expensive to cruise by Claudia Sonea

Don't mess with the law, because it will eventually get you. Cruise lines such as Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. faces the law after Florida's attorney general Bill McCollum has received 150 complaints from customers regarding the fuel surcharge the cruise lines started billing this month to offset rising fuel prices, according to spokeswoman Sandi Copes. Because the charge was announced in November by both cruise lines and it began to be applied on voyages beginning February 1, they might get away. Copes said in an e-mail that they are verifying if the disclosure was adequate and consumers were aware of surcharges up front at the point of sale. In November, Carnival Chairman and Chief Executive Micky Arison said the price the company had paid for fuel increased 140 percent over the last three years and therefore they have to introduce these surcharges of $5 per person, per day fuel "supplement." Both Miami-based cruise lines, Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., said the charge applies only to the first and second guests in each stateroom and does not exceed $70 per person, per voyage. Other cruise operators also have added fuel surcharges. Nevertheless this fuel surcharge might come against a 1997 state settlement stemming from accusations of misleading advertising on "port charges" that included additional fees to cover the cost of fuel, fresh water and wages. At that time several cruise lines, including Carnival and Royal Caribbean, agreed not to charge extra unless they were for taxes or government fees. Both companies said in email or statements that they took care for no laws to be broken and they see the surcharge as fair and reasonable. Also, they added that the price would fluctuate as the fuel price fluctuates. The two companies' stock prices slipped at the news of the report and the investigation. Carnival shares were down 84 cents to $41.19, while Royal Caribbean shares were down $1.32 to $37.86. Stay connected and see what will the law do next.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/20080205/ap_tr_ge/travel_brief_cruises_fuel_surcharge;_ylt=Ahbt5loZef3CXPD2gCViG2us0NUE

by Claudia Sonea for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Edited by: Katarina Bosanska