Following this autumn's plummet in oil and fuel costs, Disney Cruise Line announced this today that it is dropping its fuel surcharge for all new cruises booked starting today. <p>For cruises that have already been booked, the company is willing to offer a rebate in the form of an onboard credit, depending on market circumstances. </p><p>Face with what had been $120 per barrel fuel costs, Disney first started charging fuel surcharges in April. The surcharges&nbsp; of $8 per day were levied on the first two passengers in a stateroom, up to a maximum of $112 per person per vacation. In addition, any additional passengers in each cabin were charged $3 per day, up to a maximum of $42 per person per vacation.</p><p>Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. also tacked on fuel charges. Carnival announced in October that it would eliminate fuel surcharges for 2010 sailings.</p><p>Today Disney was willing to offer the onboard credits for previously-booked cruises, under circumstances that were spelled out like this:</p><p>If the closing price on the NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange) of West Texas Intermediate fuel is below $70 a barrel two weeks prior to the beginning of the calendar quarter (dates specified below), the company will refund fuel surcharges paid in the form of an onboard credit. </p><p>The quarter that the cruise falls in will be based solely on the sailing date.&nbsp; The entire cruise will be considered to be part of the quarter that the sailing date originates in. </p><p>Fuel Price Determination Date&nbsp; &nbsp;Quarter of Possible Fuel Surcharge Refund&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<br />December 18, 2008&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; First Quarter 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; <br />March 18, 2009&nbsp; Second Quarter 2009&nbsp; &nbsp; <br />June 17, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Third Quarter 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; <br />September 17, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Fourth Quarter 2009&nbsp; &nbsp; <br />December 18, 2009&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; First Quarter 2010&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; <br />March 18, 2010&nbsp; Second Quarter 2010&nbsp; &nbsp; <br />June 17, 2010&nbsp; &nbsp;Third Quarter 2010&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; <br />September 17, 2010&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Fourth Quarter 2010&nbsp; &nbsp; </p><p>The elimination of the fuel surcharge for new bookings applies to sail dates through the end of 2010.&nbsp; The company will continue to closely monitor fuel prices.&nbsp; Reinstatement of a fuel surcharge may be necessary in the future.</p>