Nicko Cruises: Fuel Surcharge for World Cruise

If you dream of a grand getaway, you often have the itinerary in mind months or years in advance. However, for guests of Vasco da Gama, there is now news that will land directly on your next invoice. As the tour operator Nicko Cruises has announced, a fuel surcharge will be applied to all segments of the grand 2026/27 world cruise. We have summarized exactly what this means for you.

10 Euros per Night: The Costs in Detail

According to a report by Schiffe und Kreuzfahrten, the Stuttgart-based tour operator has already informed its guests about the adjustment. The surcharge amounts to 10 Euros per person per night. All segments of the 193-day world cruise are affected. If you book the entire voyage, this amount adds up to a total of 1,930 Euros per person. According to Nicko Cruises, affected guests will receive a revised invoice showing the surcharge transparently.

The world cruise is scheduled to start on November 3, 2026 in the Hafen Hamburg. The itinerary leads once around the globe through the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans before the ship returns to its North German home port on May 5, 2027.

Why is the Cruise Becoming More Expensive?

In a letter to guests, Nicko Cruises explains this step by pointing to persistently high energy prices. International fuel prices are significantly higher than the level used for the original calculation. Most recently, oil prices have risen noticeably once again due to geopolitical developments.

The tour operator actually wanted to wait and see if tensions in the Middle East would ease before informing guests in early April. However, the price level remained high. According to the company, current prices are significantly above the level of early March and also above the prices that applied when the cruise program was created.

A Look Behind the Scenes of the Calculation

The economic background shows how tight the calculations have to be. The Vasco da Gama consumes an estimated 46 tons of Marine Gas Oil (MGO) daily during the world cruise. In the original catalog calculation, a fuel price of under 700 US Dollars per ton was assumed.

For comparison: On September 11, MGO was traded at 1,472.50 US Dollars per ton in the Hafen Rotterdam. For the world cruise, Nicko Cruises is now calculating with an assumed average price of 1,100 US Dollars per ton. This shows that the operator is not passing the entire extra cost on to you. The 10 Euros per night only partially covers the actual price increase.

What Does This Mean for the Industry?

Nicko Cruises is being very transparent in its communication here. Nevertheless, this does not automatically mean that all cruise lines will now introduce fuel surcharges. Operators differ greatly in their contracts, hedging transactions, fleet size, and margins.

For us cruise passengers, however, it is a reminder that geopolitical events and energy issues can ultimately have an impact on our own cruise fare. Working closely with its partners, Nicko Cruises intends to continue monitoring price developments closely and only pass on to guests what is absolutely necessary to secure the usual quality of the voyage.