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MSC Cruises has announced that it has eliminated its fuel surcharge for all new 2009 bookings with immediate effect.

The world's third largest cruise operator had originally said in November that it would suspend the fuel surcharge for all cruises departing on or after April 1st 2009. However, stabilized bunker prices have prompted MSC Cruises to eliminate the surcharge for all 2009 bookings.

Commenting on the decision, Richard Sasso, president and CEO of MSC Cruises (USA), Inc. said "When we implemented the fuel surcharge on our cruise fares a year ago, we did that with the belief that, when fuel charges stabilized at a level that allowed us to eliminate the supplement, we would."

Passengers who have paid the fuel supplement for bookings in 2009 will receive a shipboard credit equal to the surcharge already paid.

The company said that it did not rule out the possibility of the fuel surcharge being implemented again in the future if bunker prices were to increase. However, passengers who have already made reservations and booked with a deposit would be protected from any additional charges.

MSC Cruises is a division of Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. and is the third-largest cruise operator in the world, after Carnival Corporation & plc and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Other cruise operators to suspend their fuel surcharge this month include Carnival Corporation & plc, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Windstar Cruises and Crystal Cruises.