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Is there a 'level playing field' for cruise prices

navylark

By navylark,
in P&O Cruises ( UK )

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navylark

navylark

Posted
Posted

Earlier this year the UK supremo of Carnival - P&O's parent company - announced that in future the commission paid to agents would be reduced to 5% so that all agents would have to quote similar fares - not having large commissions enabling them to offer various discounts and deals. So in future no matter where you booked the prices would be more or less the same.

Today some friends have booked the Aurora 36 night cruise departing Nov 14th for £1399 per person - inside cabin, with a well known high street agent.

But the P&O official site shows £2600 for the same deal!

So what happened to the level playing field?

What experiences have others had with the so called 'level playing field'?

Is it working or not.

Does anyone have any views.

Many thanks

Navylark

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jeanlyon

jeanlyon

Posted
Posted

Quite simply, because P&O have told the agents to get rid of these remaining cabins. It happened on our Arcadia cruise at the last minute as well. In general the 5% rule is there, but when they need to fill cabins, they chop them out to agents for last minute deals.

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Brayman

Brayman

Posted
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What happens is:

The brochure comes out with reasonable prices together with a 20% discount which makes them good prices, as the months go by the price rises quite regularly making them look quite expensive, then getting close to cruise time, those unsold cabins are put up at bargain prices.

 

Things like On Board Credit and Free parking/Coach Travel are also thrown in to the mix to help or complicate matters.

 

You may find some TAs offering OBC but no Car Parking, and others doing the opposite.

 

You really need to be on the ball yourself and not rely on the TA only.

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daiB

daiB

Posted
Posted

Remember some of the very good deals are for cabins already paid for once. Say couple pay £2000 each for a cruise and then cannot go for a medical reason. They get their money back from the Insurance company and P&O have an empty cabin which has been paid for. So they sell it at a huge discount very late and get £2300 more for the cabin they have already been paid £4000.

 

Every one is a winner I do not see a problem.

 

From April 2012 I think it will be much fairer, it is good to know what the price is.

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

 

:cool:

 

 

Dai

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Cosmic Rays

Cosmic Rays

Posted
Posted

I have booked a repo from Barbados to Southampton on Azura next March and the price was the same wherever booked, P&O or TA. It will be our first experience of P&O.....

 

No OBC or parking offered, only a return coach to Manchester Airport from Southampton to pick up the car as part of the fare............ Gone are the days of 10%/11% discounts I was able to negotiate in the past with TA's for different cruise lines. Carnival are trying to level the playing field for all...........

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C at Sea

C at Sea

Posted
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We booked straight away for a Fjord cruise in June '12. We now find free coach travel being offered! This is annoying because we always use the coach and this would save us close on £150. I emailed P&O but no go! They encourage very early booking then change it so you lose any advantages.

Shan't book early ever again!

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annieuk

annieuk

Posted
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We booked as soon as bookings for next year opened - this was for June 2012, going from Southampton. We got free car parking, a good amount of OBC and the specific cabin we wanted and the dining time we wanted. This is why we book early. Yes good deals may be offered right at the last minute and if people are able to go at the last minute and don't mind about the cabin or dining sitting then yes there might be good offers when someone has to cancel a cruise.

 

Carole

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LibraLass41

LibraLass41

Posted
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I agree, we tried 3 differant TA's and P & O for our september cruise and all the prices came out the same.

 

yes I've been pricing up a Oriana cruise for next May since Friday, and I agree with you. I booked this morning, my 12th P&O cruise in 5 years, and there wasn't much lee-way atall. And I like to get a good deal!

 

P&O direct, high street TA's and a handful of well know internet TA's ALL quoted the brochure price to me with no obc... I did manage to get a little disc and some obc in the end but it was very hard work for such a little deduction, on a 7n cruise which is costing MORE than the 30+ Aurora bargain...

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lostinvegas

lostinvegas

Posted
Posted

There will always be last minute deals.

 

If a cruise company has 50 cabins left and their is 3 weeks until the cruise the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to fill them is to offer them to the agents at a very cheap rate. The agent will still make 5% but 5% on a lot less. The agents do all the advertising for the cruise lines and the cruise line gets a full ship.

 

From the cruise lines point of view they would probably rather have someone in the cabin at a ridiculously low fare than have it empty. They have to pay for their staff and costs anyway. A passenger will spend money on drinks and excursions so its worth having them their.

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daiB

daiB

Posted
Posted
There will always be last minute deals.

 

If a cruise company has 50 cabins left and their is 3 weeks until the cruise the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to fill them is to offer them to the agents at a very cheap rate. The agent will still make 5% but 5% on a lot less. The agents do all the advertising for the cruise lines and the cruise line gets a full ship.

 

From the cruise lines point of view they would probably rather have someone in the cabin at a ridiculously low fare than have it empty. They have to pay for their staff and costs anyway. A passenger will spend money on drinks and excursions so its worth having them their.

 

 

I get the impression that, especially when the web site has shown full that the spaces are because of people having to cancel ay the last moment.

 

 

Gan canny

 

 

 

Dai

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daiB

daiB

Posted
Posted
sorry to be a nerd but which company is TA. thanks vanessa

 

Not nerdy at all. A TA is a Travel Agent. Or sometimes especially on Cunard a Transatlantic Cruise.

 

BTW on these boards we are not allowed to mention individual TA's by name.

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

:cool:

 

Dai

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Balernocalling

Balernocalling

Posted
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An interesting thread. The change in travel agent commission is theoretically going to give a level field. However from my perspective the big issue is not the commission but fluid pricing.

 

At this moment we are not seeing just a few last minute deals due to cancellations or trying to fill the last few cabins on a ship but hundreds of reduced prices due to over capacity on cruise ships combined with the poor economic climate. This is particularily true in October to December and April. Balcony cabins around £60 per night and insides at £40 per night are not unusual. There is no reason to believe this will not continue. Indeed every reason to believe it will increase.

 

Booking early used to be the best bet now I am not so sure. If you want a particular cabin you will normally pay substantially more for it and have to book early. We have never had any problem getting our dining preference even when booking last minute.

 

We have learnt it is best not to discuss the price paid for a cruise when on board. Our normal tack when asked is - at the end of the conversation either we will be upset or you will so lets talk about something else! Whatever price paid we thought it fair at the time and can't change it so we just get on with enjoying the cruise.

 

Personally in the current climate if we are paying more than £100 a day for a balcony including flights we believe we are paying over the top. That may not stop us paying it but at least we know whether or not it is truly good value.

Happy cruising

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