First off I don't think SD fleet wants to be considered in the same realm as doing business with a car dealer trying their best to get more add ons to the botton line, don't think that most folks have too high of a regard with how that business venture is generally negotiated.
I kind of look at this whole fuel surcharge agenda as truly not needed, but it is something that we have become accustom too and have accepted. Don't know about the rest of you, but if I go to the dentist and he/she says its going to cost $800 to do a root canal and I schedule the work to be done a month or two down the road then complete the work and then get a bill for $975 I am not going to be a real happy camper (again its not so much the extra cost, its the principle). I really don't care if the dentist's electric bill, water bill, or even his/her insurance went up, I was told the final price and that is what I signed up for.
All I am saying here is I prefer to know what my total trip cost is going to be at the time I book my trip, rather than being held hostage at the dock with a fuel surcharge that is calculated how?, and this transaction is now happening after the boat/landing has my trip cost paid in full and my monies are in their bank account, so what is my option as the consumer at that stage? can I cancel my trip without penalty if the fuel surcharge is too high for my original budget?
All inclusive price means just that: all inclusive, if fuel goes down that radically in cost on an all inclusive priced trip than the boat can offer a cash refund or a credit towards a future trip, most anglers would be happy with that resolve. If fuel prices skyrocket above projected cost on an all inclusive trip than the boat could elect not to run, but I get a full refund and I go another day rather than be held hostage and make me pay a fuel surcharge that I did not sign up for in the begining. Most likely not going to see fuel prices fluctuate that radically in a 6 month period of time is my take on this, to where a boat is losing so much money based on their original projected fuel costs they can't run.
OK, If we are going to get ultra precise about fuel costs and mandate that I as a long range customer am paying for the higher cost of fuel as a separate transaction above the cost of the trip price that I booked because long range boat operators are losing money in droves than why don't we calculate the "actual" fuel costs at the end of the trip so I and the other anglers pay based on how much fuel was consumed on our trip?, kind of like a car rental when you check back in, why should I or anyone pay a fuel surcharge in advance of a trip that is based on what?
And one poster states the boat's are giving us the benefit of the doubt basing fuel costs at $2.50 per gallon, how do we know that? And why then do some boats charge a higher fuel surcharge per day than others in the fleet who are buying their fuel at the same place and cost?, bottom line IMO: its just too confusing for the patron and it raises doubt so you feel like you are doing business with a used car dealer which has been my point here from the begining.
Other thing is why do SD long range boats have to publish trip pricing a year in advance, they could state TBD (too be determined) and still take deposits if anglers wanted to give them. Then as the trip date got closer and fuel prices were projected properly for all inclusive pricing they could shore up the published trip price and book all those who were ready, willing and able to lock in at that time.
JMO
