Rising oil prices have triggered a provision in Disney Cruise Line’s fuel surcharge policy that will result in some passengers on upcoming voyages being subject to the fee.

Disney says passengers on voyages departing between now and March 31 who booked between May 28 and Dec. 1, 2008 — a period when the line was collecting a fuel surcharge fee in advance at the time of booking — will no longer get refunds of the money in the form of on-board credit due to oil’s rise above $70 a barrel.

Disney first implemented an $8 per person, per day fuel surcharge in 2008 as oil prices soared to nearly $150 a barrel. Falling oil prices prompted the line to eliminate the charge on Dec. 1, 2008 for all new bookings, and the line said at the time that customers who already had paid the fee for an upcoming voyage would get a refund in the form of an on-board credit when they sailed. The promise of a refund, however, came with a caveat that the refunds would end if oil prices went back above $70 a barrel, something that has occurred in recent months.

The line has not brought back a fuel surcharge for new bookings, and nobody who booked after Dec. 1, 2008 is subject to the fee.

Still, Disney’s decision to stop refunding pre-paid fuel surcharges is in sharp contrast to its major competitors. Rival Royal Caribbean and Celebrity also said they would end refunds of pre-paid fuel surcharges if oil rose above $65 a barrel but has not followed through with the plan.

Industry giant Carnival, which initially said it would stop refunding pre-paid fuel surcharges if oil went above $70, also backed off its plan as did sister lines such as Princess Cruises, Holland America and Cunard. The brands all suspended fuel surcharges on Dec. 17, 20

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