not fair - Aussie cruises are disadvantaged yet again

[boating girl]

I agree with a previous poster; what difference does it make what country a potential passenger is from? Money is money and easily converted from one currency to another. I would think they would want to fill up the ships regardless of the nationality of the cruisers. I don't really think it has anything to do with tipping, does it?

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

No, it has nothing to do with tipping. There is a small minority of Aussies and UK passengers who don't tip when they are overseas, the vast majority of seasoned travellers do! (we always do, more than recommended) but then again I bet there are a small minority of US people that don't tip either.

 

My "beef" is with the posters on these boards that continually blame the notion that Aussies don't tip for the reason of the higher prices in Australia.

 

Princess cruises do not allow Aussies to book with US TA's because they want us to book here in Australia to support the Princess Australia office and the local TA's, which is fine IF we can get the same prices generally as the US. Unfortunately there is a HUGE disparity in the prices we are getting charged here as to what we could get by booking with US TA's.

 

I would like to know why we can't book with a US TA and have mandatory gratuities included as part of the booking process. This way it solves the problem of non-tippers so that Princess don't have to boost up the wages of the staff. (If that is what they are concerned about, but I doubt that is the reason!) I am sure there would be many, many Aussies and UK cruisers that would be very happy in paying a hundred dollars or so as opposed to up to several thousands of dollars in the fare difference.

 

Princess is going to gradually lose us Aussies because there are comparable cruise companies out there that want our $ and are prepared to let us book with whomever we want. Sure, Princess has a really good past passenger benefits club, but, when you compare how much that is worth compared to cruising with Celebrity or Royal Caribbean for example, I think I will forgo on the benefits and pocket those few thousand instead, that is enough for another cruise.

[boating girl]

It seems like Princess is really risking losing a part of their market, especially if other cruise lines aren't gouging the Australians like Princess. It's not fair.

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

It seems like Princess is really risking losing a part of their market, especially if other cruise lines aren't gouging the Australians like Princess. It's not fair.

 

Thank you, no it is NOT fair. But as long as Princess can get away with it, it will continue. If us Aussies keep on their case maybe we can alter their stance.

 

We are a pretty stubborn race, a bit like a dog with a bone, and we don't like not getting a fair go. You can be assured that we will not lie down and die, so to speak!

 

Celebrity looks pretty good!

[captbill]

From what I understand the Aussie market pricing and restriction is specially structured with higher prices in order to compensate for the norm in Australia of "no tipping"

 

 

I don't doubt for a moment that you were told that by somebody in Princess, as they tried to defend this extortion. But before taking that statement for fact, just ask yourself one question ... Do you honestly believe for one moment, that even one single dollar of these higher rates finds it's way into the pocket of some waiter or cabin steward? Afterall, those staff members are the ones being impacted by any decline in tip revenues, not the Princess corporation.

 

Sorry, but I'm not buying it. If the situation were reversed, and I was being denied known bargains on any cruise line, I would be scratching that company off my list forever. Let's hope they see the light and make this thing right!

[Colo Cruiser]

From what I understand the Aussie market pricing and restriction is specially structured with higher prices in order to compensate for the norm in Australia of "no tipping"

 

What a ridiculous statement. :eek:

[Beach Dwellers]

well said Eileen we are also paying thousands of dollars more because we are Australians

[Beach Dwellers]

we Australians tip when we feel we want to, not because we have to. Workers here are well paid by their employer not us.

[WestCoastCruzinator]

Thank you' date=' no it is NOT fair. But as long as Princess can get away with it, it will continue. If us Aussies keep on their case maybe we can alter their stance.

 

We are a pretty stubborn race, a bit like a dog with a bone, and we don't like not getting a fair go. You can be assured that we will not lie down and die, so to speak!

 

Celebrity looks pretty good![/quote']

 

When did Aussie become a race? :eek: :p

[Miss Jolly]

An interesting side issue here that may be linked...in 2005, we enjoyed a full transit cruise through Panama on Coral Princess. This cruise was not advertised here in Australia and I was fortunate to find it on the internet - we literally got the very last cabin on board. Whilst on board I asked the Captain's Circle Rep and Future Cruise Agent why it was not advertised in Australia and why their beautiful glossy book of future cruises not available in Australia. I was very politely told that the Australian market is not required as the ships fill quickly withourt any marketing down there. There were only a handful of Australians on board that cruise - I wonder why?;) I would be more than happy to book with local agents/Princess Australia if the prices and cabin availability were comparable but until then, will continue to look elsewhere.

[Raison]

No' date=' it has nothing to do with tipping. There is a small minority of Aussies and UK passengers who don't tip when they are overseas, the vast majority of seasoned travellers do! (we always do, more than recommended) but then again I bet there are a small minority of US people that don't tip either.

 

My "beef" is with the posters on these boards that continually blame the notion that Aussies don't tip for the reason of the higher prices in Australia.

 

Princess cruises do not allow Aussies to book with US TA's because they want us to book here in Australia to support the Princess Australia office and the local TA's, which is fine IF we can get the same prices generally as the US. Unfortunately there is a HUGE disparity in the prices we are getting charged here as to what we could get by booking with US TA's.

 

I would like to know why we can't book with a US TA and have mandatory gratuities included as part of the booking process. This way it solves the problem of non-tippers so that Princess don't have to boost up the wages of the staff. (If that is what they are concerned about, but I doubt that is the reason!) I am sure there would be many, many Aussies and UK cruisers that would be very happy in paying a hundred dollars or so as opposed to up to several thousands of dollars in the fare difference.

 

Princess is going to gradually lose us Aussies because there are comparable cruise companies out there that want our $ and are prepared to let us book with whomever we want. Sure, Princess has a really good past passenger benefits club, but, when you compare how much that is worth compared to cruising with Celebrity or Royal Caribbean for example, I think I will forgo on the benefits and pocket those few thousand instead, that is enough for another cruise.[/quote']

 

Thank you Eileen, I agree with your comments. Higher prices for the same product is unfair.

 

We tip when travelling overseas, and always on cruises. I might not like it because it is not something I am used to doing at home, but I do it none the less. This is not a reason we are charges higher cruise prices in Australia.

 

I too will be shopping elsewhere in future unless we are able to book at the same or much closer to prices paid in overseas markets. Princess are a great cruise line, but will certainly lose Australian customers due to this.

[Ando]

It is possible to find an Australian TA who can & will book the Princess US prices for you (I use them frequently to get US pricing). Do a google search for "discount cruises" and call the 1st few .com.au organic search results, tell them what you want and you should quickly find a company that will do it for you.

Enjoy the savings :D

[Mrs Moho]

Sorry to re-kindle this thread, I have only just come across it but like others on here I do feel very strongly about this,

 

We travelled with Princess in April to Panama Canal, we did book direct with Princess in the UK. Whilst we were on board we got talking to a lot of other travellers through our M&G who told us about the different prices they had paid though various TA's in the US and the deals that were out there. Another passenger told us that we wouldn't be able to get the prices though as we were from UK and Princess don't allow us to book though US TA's. At the presentation we went to about future cruises I asked the rep if this was true, she said yes, I asked why? because they want to keep the business for local TA's and not upset them therefore as a UK resident I would not be able to book with them over the internet. I said that in our country that would be seen as discrimination and would not be allowed, she just shrugged her shoulders and said that's the way it is. I said that I had friends in America would I be able to book through them, as we are talking about quite a few hundreds dollars here - and we have the flights to pay for as well, she said that we may get our paperwork checked at boarding and if it doesn’t correspond we would be turned away! I said that I thought that this was unfair and not a very good move on their part.

 

I did try a few US sites when we got home and the message received from one site is;

Princess Cruises requires you to be a resident of the United States or Canada

in order to purchase their cruises on this U.S. based web site.

Please indicate your US/Canadian residency below

and select your state or province in order to continue to pricing

 

I suppose in one way they did us a favour though, we came home and booked a 15 day back to back cruise with NCL via a US website for June and have just booked another 10 day cruise with NCL to Caribbean for my husband and 2 other friends in October - again though a US website, so how much have Princess lost now!!

 

Oh and by the way - we tip and also pay the daily service charge and our bar bill is usually pretty big - so more revenue Princess has lost? but do they care? I suppose not but I feel better by not giving them our business.

.

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[Nylsor]

Hi There,

 

Same thing here folks in the US get to book weeks if not months before us,

 

however I was told that a number of cabins are locked out, so can not be sold to US folk, so these cabins can go on sale in other markets.

 

yours Shogun

 

Sorry, Shogun - not true. We were also told this by Princess UK ( via e-mail) when we had to wait to book for almost three months after our SE Asia cruise went on sale in the US. When it did go on sale in the UK the only cabins available were a few inside. We were told that this is usual with popular cruises. US TAs block book a wide range of cabins and then release them back to Princess if they are not sold by final payment date. We registered with three cruise specialists in the UK and one of them was able to get us a mini-suite as they pulled in a favour from someone in Head Office. However. Princess do sell outside the US as when we boarded in Beijing there were two contingents from Germany ( 400 passengers) and Russia (600 passengers).

Ros

[ozz1]

You Aussie's are much like us Pommie's, generally speaking we do not recieve tips for the tasks we do at our workplace.

 

This thread has a lot of posts re-lower prices in America, and I agree, this is also the case here in the UK

I had a look tonight at the Diamond Princess 7nights Glacier cruise in Alaska--$735 US Dollars booked over in the States-- the same cruise booked here in UK with a TA is the same amount in £sterling--making the cruise more than double what it is in the US.

 

On top of this they want $21 a day per cabin tips for waiters and their ilk.

 

We have two cabins on the Diamond princess out of Auckland to Sydney--27/01/2011--12 nights at $10.5 extra charges= around £320 extra charges over and above the requested cruise tariff for the 2 cabins. Then, everything we buy onboard they add another 15%. This is serious money in anyones books. BUT after you have been ripped off initialy it makes one very sore.

 

Thanks for use of the thread--nice to get that off my chest.

:mad: ozz1

[yyzatcqq]

£735 is not 2x $735US. Have u checked the exchange rates recently?

 

£735 = $1125US. Not double like you claim.

 

Now that being said, I agree that the pricing differences when comparing apples (cruise only) to apples (cruise only) is appalling.

 

I'd book with a NA based travel agent and not worry about it.

[yyzatcqq]

I suppose in one way they did us a favour though, we came home and booked a 15 day back to back cruise with NCL via a US website for June and have just booked another 10 day cruise with NCL to Caribbean for my husband and 2 other friends in October - again though a US website, so how much have Princess lost now!!

 

Here's a thought about the whole booking through a US/CDN TA question....

 

What's to stop me (being your new bestest buddie), or any other person in NA, booking it for you as a gift? Ok now that we've accepted that the preceeding scenario is fine... Why can't I book a cruise where it's going to be 2 cabins, me in one and you in another? Just because you're from other than US/CAN??? BS I say! If I can book 2 cabins, why can't we use your CC to pay for your cabin and mine to pay for mine? Ok, then now we move the next step and remove me from the process all together.

 

It's all just threats from the cruise industry. Find me one person... just ONE, who can provide documentary evidence of being refused passage and I'll believe it.

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

Here's a thought about the whole booking through a US/CDN TA question....

 

What's to stop me (being your new bestest buddie), or any other person in NA, booking it for you as a gift? Ok now that we've accepted that the preceeding scenario is fine... Why can't I book a cruise where it's going to be 2 cabins, me in one and you in another? Just because you're from other than US/CAN??? BS I say! If I can book 2 cabins, why can't we use your CC to pay for your cabin and mine to pay for mine? Ok, then now we move the next step and remove me from the process all together.

 

It's all just threats from the cruise industry. Find me one person... just ONE, who can provide documentary evidence of being refused passage and I'll believe it.

 

But that is just it..... Princess H/O has already said that they will not deny boarding. It is BS and hype promoted by the TA's. Find a US online TA that will book you. They are out there. Just keep looking.

 

IMHO the onboard booking agents are about as good as the Princess Reps, they don't know their product!

 

Anyway, we are trying different lines now that WILL book us without all the BS. Princess might not see us after the May cruise (which we booked last year with a USTA) because we are sick of the gestapo attitude they have. AND I know for a fact that we are not the only ones. ;)