Adrian The Cruise and Travel Guy
#1 AU/NZ
Surcharge "Banned" - Your Next Holiday Will Still Cost More
From 1 October 2026, credit card surcharges are banned in Australia. The government says it'll save you money. But will it? In this video, I break down why the costs aren't disappearing - they're just going underground. Businesses can't absorb merchant fees forever, and for travellers and cruise lovers especially, the impact could be significant. I look at what the ban actually means, why the law that already existed since 2016 was already protecting you, and what cruise lines like Princess Cruises - who currently charge a 1.1% credit card surcharge - will do when they can no longer pass that cost on directly. Spoiler: the surcharge won't disappear. It will just stop introducing itself. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 🛳️ My website hosts one of the world's most powerful cruise search engines where you can research and even book your next cruise or land holiday. Take a look here: www.thecruiseandtravelguy.com.au - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 🛒 Shop my Amazon Cruise Essentials here: https://www.thecruiseandtravelguy.com.au/cruise-essentials - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 🤳🏼 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: www.facebook.com/thecruiseandtravelguy www.instragram.com/adrianthecruiseandtravelguy 0:00 - Introduction 0:55 - What's actually changing on 1 October 2026 2:04 - The law you never knew existed 3:53 - The myth of the free lunch 5:49 - The cruise and travel impact 9:10 - The counterargument - being fair 10:51 The impact on travel agents 12:33 - My verdict Music by Master Planned Music