Early booking- discount ?

[tampatoms]

My TA sent the following message when I asked about a Princess early booking discount. I am booking in May 2010 for cruise in May 2011.

" Once you are in the group your rate is locked in unless the rate changes drastically. Please let me know whether you want to be put in the group or not. If you are not in the group, you would not get the $75 per cabin OBC. Also, the $50 off for past guest is a promo that is good until September only. "

 

For some reason I see a red flag. Could I get some help ?

 

thanks, tampatoms

[davekathy]

My TA sent the following message when I asked about a Princess early booking discount. I am booking in May 2010 for cruise in May 2011.

" Once you are in the group your rate is locked in unless the rate changes drastically. Please let me know whether you want to be put in the group or not. If you are not in the group, you would not get the $75 per cabin OBC. Also, the $50 off for past guest is a promo that is good until September only. "

 

For some reason I see a red flag. Could I get some help ?

 

thanks, tampatoms

 

Find another TA. We always book early and have never had a problem getting the price adjusted when it went down. What is considered "drastically"?

[tampatoms]

Were you getting a group rate, this seems to be the sticking point ?

 

tampatoms

[davekathy]

No and still received OBC, wine and other goodies. Have you compared the price for the group rate vs. individual rate? I always monitor the Cruise fare and when I notice a drop I call the TA and I receive the new lower advertised rate. Never had to forfeit any TA added goodies to get the new lower advertised rate.

[MCC retired]

As a former TA , I say find another TA that will adjust your Group Rate and maintain the amenities , at least until Final Payment.:o

 

Also, check that the Group Rate quoted, with the amenities , is actually the best rate for which you qualify (past guest, senior, resident , etc.) on Princess.com

[candydane]

My TA sent the following message when I asked about a Princess early booking discount. I am booking in May 2010 for cruise in May 2011.

" Once you are in the group your rate is locked in unless the rate changes drastically. Please let me know whether you want to be put in the group or not. If you are not in the group, you would not get the $75 per cabin OBC. Also, the $50 off for past guest is a promo that is good until September only. "

I'm sure it's the "group rate" that the TA means will prevent your getting almost any future reductions. I'm doing a group now and that's what my TA told me up front -- Princess & TA set the group rate fares and they rarely do future reductions to those "approved" group rate fares.

 

Travel agencies often set up their own TA group to get lower fares and OBC for specific cruises. When you book with that TA, you get those lower group fares/perks because the TA adds your booking to its "group". That's the only way you'll get the offered TA fare/perks. Being part of these TA groups is transparent to the cruiser and you usually won't ever know you were in a group.

 

Problems happen if the cruise line lowers you cabin fare below the group rate you got from the TA since your "group" rate usually cannot be changed. However, if it's before final payment, you can always change to a different TA. That's usually easy to do. Just be sure that the TA who has your booking does not charge a cancellation fee or that the fare reduction is enough to "absorb" that fee.

[tampatoms]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/smilies/redface.gif

Thanks for the helpful info, we went Princess booking as it was only $70 per person more and there seems to be a reasonable chance that there will be some price drops along the way, hopefully in excess of the $70.

With the local TA she strongly suggested we were locked no matter what happened with her price. I contacted her and she huffed and puffed that she could get us any deals that that Princess could come up with and we would be sorry, sorta don't think we will.

 

tampatoms