Carnival Adds Fuel Surcharges

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One week after agreeing to refund fuel surcharges to retroactively charged passengers, Miami-based Carnival Corp. is increasing the fee on future travelers. Beginning April 21, customers who book a trip on any of six Carnival brands -- including Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises -- will be charged an extra $7 per day up to $98 per person. That's up from $5 per day up to $70 per person.

What's more, while Carnival's fuel fee previously applied only to the first and second passengers in a stateroom, the company will now add a second, $2 per day charge to the third, fourth and fifth passengers in a stateroom.

The combined changes would add as much as $140 more per cabin to the cost of a 14-day cruise.

Mindful of the recent state Attorney General's Office investigation that ultimately forced Carnival to refund $40 million in surcharges to retroactively charged customers, Carnival will only levy the higher fuel surcharge on customers who book their trips as of April 21.

"We regret having to take this action, but fuel price increases have continued, and we now find it necessary to implement a modest increase in the supplement," Carnival's director of corporate marketing, Bill Harber, wrote in a letter sent yesterday to travel agents.