advice on getting pricing reduced

[wannatan]

Hi can anyone tell me how is it possible to get the pricing of your cruise reduced from the time that you have booked to the time that you actually cruise. Have read that it is possible to get princess to adjust your pricing but have no idea how it is done and if you can do it yourself or does your travel agent have to do it for you. Also can this be done more than once?

 

Info on this would be very welcome

 

Thanks

 

Wannatan:)

[caber]

This is virtually impossible in Britain. :(

We work with different rules over here and don`t get the same perks as they do in the US.

[Pam in CA]

Hi can anyone tell me how is it possible to get the pricing of your cruise reduced from the time that you have booked to the time that you actually cruise. Have read that it is possible to get princess to adjust your pricing but have no idea how it is done and if you can do it yourself or does your travel agent have to do it for you. Also can this be done more than once?

Even in the US, you can get your price reduced ONLY if Princess reduces the prices. Sometimes, price reductions are part of a promotion for new bookings only. General price reductions don't happen that often; they are usually tied to a promotion. If you do see lower prices on the Princess website, you can contact your TA to see if you qualify for the reduction.

 

All that is moot if you live in the UK. :(

[genevieve7000]

We have never been able to take advantage of any price drops; our cabin categories have always gone up in price after booking!! I don't think it's as common as it may seem on theses boards; I think it really depends on whether you book way, way out and what cabin category you book.

[PatriciaF]

I saw the price of our cabin decline after we booked, but before final payment, contacted our travel agent and got about $300 decrease in price.

 

But--as stated before, it must be from the Princess website and before final payment.

[Loonbeam]

We did it after final payment for AK, got the difference ($100) as an OBC.

 

I saw the price of our cabin decline after we booked, but before final payment, contacted our travel agent and got about $300 decrease in price.

 

But--as stated before, it must be from the Princess website and before final payment.

[Go-Bucks!]

We have never been able to take advantage of any price drops; our cabin categories have always gone up in price after booking!! I don't think it's as common as it may seem on theses boards; I think it really depends on whether you book way, way out and what cabin category you book.

 

 

I've gotten price drops on all my cruises; some small and some huge. My next cruise went down by $1,300pp total by final payment and I got it. But I book far ahead so I get the cabin I want, then check the cruiseline website at least every week. If you don't check frequently, you'll miss the drop and shortly thereafter it might go back up again. It's sort of "labor intensive", but worth the savings. ;)

[philsfun]

:oWe just received a $420.00 price reduction on our November cruise...whoo hoo

[wannatan]

thanks all..

Will keep looking at web site to see if pricing changes.

 

Am looking at booking a 2012 cruise now so that I can get a good choice of cabin and was wondering if price would change. Will keep good ewy on 2012 cruise and the one we have booked already for feb 11;)

[Katie333]

thanks all..

Will keep looking at web site to see if pricing changes.

 

Am looking at booking a 2012 cruise now so that I can get a good choice of cabin and was wondering if price would change. Will keep good ewy on 2012 cruise and the one we have booked already for feb 11;)

 

As others have said the rules are different in the UK. So unless you found a workaround with a US TA, I think you are out of luck even if the price does change.

[iancal]

We have enjoyed price decreases on our last three cruises-on various cruise lines. In fact, on our last Celebrity cruise we enjoyed a decrease after final payment was due...in the form of an on board credit. The other thing to watch for is when pricing is adjusted, the cabin categories are sometimes adjusted. Two cruises ago we got a good upgrade at no cost because of this. And yes, we have had more than one price reduction on a cruise. Often these price adjustments are only there for a few days so it is important to call your TA and get the reduction. We always deal with an on line TA who does not charge for making these changes. We do have to monitor the prices ourselves though.

 

I think what Princess and other cruise lines do to UK and Australian customers is scandalous. The cruise lines will not change..maybe it is time to go to something like the fair trades dept or some similar government consumer department to see if this predatory pricing can be stopped.

[villauk]

thanks all..

Will keep looking at web site to see if pricing changes.

 

Am looking at booking a 2012 cruise now so that I can get a good choice of cabin and was wondering if price would change. Will keep good ewy on 2012 cruise and the one we have booked already for feb 11;)

Our TA will honour RCI price drops, but definitely not Princess. Different rules, as previously mentioned, in the UK. We have tried and have been unsuccessful booking a Princess cruise with a US TA, but she did agree to book our RCI sailings. Same applies to deposits etc.; we lose ours in the UK whereas Americans don't if they decide to cancel their cruises:(.

[jagoffee]

I think what Princess and other cruise lines do to UK and Australian customers is scandalous. The cruise lines will not change..maybe it is time to go to something like the fair trades dept or some similar government consumer department to see if this predatory pricing can be stopped.

 

Are you sure that it is the cruiselines and not the Travel Agents and the TA protective regulations that are doing it?

[Margarita Jane]

We booked through Princess and made final payment. The next day, there was a sale on balcony cabins. They upgraded us to the best available cabin and refunded the difference. The next day, the prices went back up. So, checking once a week may not get you the best price. You need to check every day.n We saved $600!!!!!!

[Pam in CA]

Are you sure that it is the cruiselines and not the Travel Agents and the TA protective regulations that are doing it?

In the UK and Australia, which this thread is about (it's not about getting your fare reduced if you've booked in the US which makes those posts irrelevant), the rules are different. Those in the UK and Australia are subject to completely different Princess policies from those of us in the US.

[jagoffee]

In the UK and Australia, which this thread is about (it's not about getting your fare reduced if you've booked in the US which makes those posts irrelevant), the rules are different. Those in the UK and Australia are subject to completely different Princess policies from those of us in the US.

 

I understand, but I still wonder if the issue in the UK and Australia is more related to the TA policies and regulations than it is Princess's policy. Assuming that a U.K. or Australian citizen books a cruise with a TA in their county isn't it the same problem with all cruise lines?

 

You said :

"I think what Princess and other cruise lines do to UK and Australian customers is scandalous. The cruise lines will not change..maybe it is time to go to something like the fair trades dept or some similar government consumer department to see if this predatory pricing can be stopped"

[Pam in CA]

I understand, but I still wonder if the issue in the UK and Australia is more related to the TA policies and regulations than it is Princess's policy. Assuming that a U.K. or Australian citizen books a cruise with a TA in their county isn't it the same problem with all cruise lines?

Not quite; it has to do with the Princess UK and Princess Australia companies, which are subsidiaries of Princess. It's sort of related to TAs in that the policies of these two companies regulate and control pricing and protect their local TAs. In other words, it's not the country's TAs banding together to control pricing but Princess protecting the agreements they have with their subsidiaries and ultimately with their local TAs.

[caber]

Are you sure that it is the cruiselines and not the Travel Agents and the TA protective regulations that are doing it?

 

It is not the travel agents. Maybe there is a regulation. Who knows?

[jagoffee]

Not quite; it has to do with the Princess UK and Princess Australia companies, which are subsidiaries of Princess. It's sort of related to TAs in that the policies of these two companies regulate and control pricing and protect their local TAs. In other words, it's not the country's TAs banding together to control pricing but Princess protecting the agreements they have with their subsidiaries and ultimately with their local TAs.

 

Thank you for the clarification. I thought that the policy in the U.K. was the same for all U.K. bookings on all cruise lines and not just Princess.

[iancal]

I think that it is really about controlling prices so that they are artificially high in order for the cruise lines to make more money. The TA's willingly go along with it because their commissions are based on net sale price. I also suspect that those same TA's were getting upset when so many folks from the UK and Australia figured out that they could book the same cruise with a US or Canadian TA for a much better price AND much better terms. Hence the recent crackdown. A case of I'll scratch your back if yours.... There may be other country specific gov't add ons to proctect consumers from insolvency but these are negligible. Nothing will change until people in the UK and Australia walk with their feet, ie stop booking entirely and deal with a cruise line (if there are any) that does not act in such a cavalier and self serving fashion. The bottom line is an old saying that we have in the business in which I work....'where there is mystery there is margin'. So Princess will give Britons all the bumph to confuse them but the bottom line is that they often paying significantly more for the same product and are blocked from booking elsewhere.

[Go-Bucks!]

it's not about getting your fare reduced if you've booked in the US which makes those posts irrelevant

 

 

They're not irrelevant if they can help someone, no matter what the original post is about. ;)

[jagoffee]

I think that it is really about controlling prices so that they are artificially high in order for the cruise lines to make more money. The TA's willingly go along with it because their commissions are based on net sale price. I also suspect that those same TA's were getting upset when so many folks from the UK and Australia figured out that they could book the same cruise with a US or Canadian TA for a much better price AND much better terms. Hence the recent crackdown. A case of I'll scratch your back if yours.... There may be other country specific gov't add ons to proctect consumers from insolvency but these are negligible. Nothing will change until people in the UK and Australia walk with their feet, ie stop booking entirely and deal with a cruise line (if there are any) that does not act in such a cavalier and self serving fashion. The bottom line is an old saying that we have in the business in which I work....'where there is mystery there is margin'. So Princess will give Britons all the bumph to confuse them but the bottom line is that they often paying significantly more for the same product and are blocked from booking elsewhere.

 

Is the policy in the U.K about non refundable deposit the same situation? From my understanding of travel insurance in the U.K., I like the fact that it is common to just buy an annual policy for a set price.

[Pam in CA]

They're not irrelevant if they can help someone, no matter what the original post is about. ;)

Generally, I'd agree with you but there are so many threads all the time about how to be upgraded, how to get your fare reduced, etc. that apply to US bookings that it can be confusing to new people who read this thread as people don't clarify that they're posting about how it's done in the US when the OP is asking about the UK. In this case, it's a very different system so the less confusion, the better. That's IMHO, of course.

[aussiepom]

Just like to say we book all our cruises with US websites but not Princess unless some TA will give us a "local address" if you follow my drift.Why would anyone pay more than they have to for the same thing and also inferior booking conditions? not me for sure,very pleased with our treatment by our usual booking agent dropping prices where possible but they cannot book us on Princess,checked price on Sea Princess San/Fran to Sydney Sept 2011 and price is $1200 more with no chance of price drop after paying deposit so have to vote with my feet and say no thank you...p.s. any TA,s out there can get by this would be interested.:):):)

[spongerob]

You said :

"I think what Princess and other cruise lines do to UK and Australian customers is scandalous. The cruise lines will not change..maybe it is time to go to something like the fair trades dept or some similar government consumer department to see if this predatory pricing can be stopped"

No, what Pam said was that different nations and economic communities of nations have different rules regarding corporate governance, taxation, business registration, and liability and these must be factored into pricing. Businesses have to play by the rules set for them in the places they operate or face significant penalties.

 

For example, I cannot do consulting work for an Australian client from my office in the US - although I very easily could. That service has to be provided locally. So the AUS client pays three times what he would if I were doing the work.

 

The analogy isn't perfect, but is intended to provide some insight into how complicated these questions become. Individuals might be able to find work-arounds, but legal corporate entities play by much stricter rules. An individual might go to the penalty box if discovered; a corporation ends up in court facing huge penalties.