Big price drops - any advice/experience

[allington73]

I have just noted today that our cruise (Ventura/Iceland/June 2012) has suddenly dramtically dropped in price from when we booked.

 

We booked sometime ago and the price has now dropped by about £1000 for myself, wife and two children.

 

I think it is going to save us money to cancel the original reservation and rebook....but losing our £300 deposit. But saving £700 overall

 

Is this the norm for P&O ?

 

Anybody had this before ? What course of action did you take ?

 

I know I am likely to save money but going through re-booking etc is something I could do without !

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

I have just looked at that cruise on the P&O website and there are loads of empty cabins in all categories. Depending on when your final payment is due, it may be worth waiting a little longer before you cancel and re-book. I have known a cruise drop in price two or three times before it sails. Best of luck.

[Bobbyjean]

I just started a thread about this as I am worried the same thing has happened with our cruise to Norway in May (too scared to look).

Unfortunantely we booked through an agency and have paid full price already - so I guess you are in a better position than us at least, who are losing out big time :(

[Adammara]

Yes, happened to us in 2009 six months before sailing, price went down by £1000, they offered us £400 of a future cruise. We quit P&O after that and sail with RCI and Celebrity now. Our Eclipse cruise in September went down £900, they just emailed me an invoice with the new reduced price.

 

Richard

[Thejuggler]

It may be cheaper, but will you get what you have now?

[Pobman]

cant you just have your TA cancel and rebook the exact same cabin?

[allington73]

Yes I think thats what were going to have to do.....cancel and then rebook. There are a large number of cabins available on the same deck so cant see that being a problem. Very annoying to have to go through again tho

[southwinds]

This can happen its called fluid priceing ,, if the cabins arnt selling at a good enough rate theyt reduce a afew... you cant tell if this will ever happen. Iceland is often popular. I was told last year there would be no late deals on the Greenland Cruise as they only went there once last year BUT there we still got a late deal... around the time of the invoices people do cancel as they have booked so far in advance

you can cancel and re book I have read of many people doing just that...

[NSWP]

Us Aussies got some good 2 for 1 Promos on Arcadia WC sectors. 33% less than brochure.

 

About time too.

[Host Sharon]

It does happen frequently. Before you cancel and rebook - check what else you got with your package - free car parking, OBC etc, as it may not actually be cheaper when you take these into account.

[C at Sea]

Remember too, that you usually have to pay a £100 admin fee. We did when we recently cancelled a cruise for a different one.

[Host Sharon]

Remember too, that you usually have to pay a £100 admin fee. We did when we recently cancelled a cruise for a different one.

 

There is no fee if you cancel and rebook - you just lose your deposit. The £100 fee is if you switch to another cruise so leaving your deposit intact against the new cruise.

[Monkeymum02]

We are in the same position on this cruise, we booked early because we were offered loyalty discounts and a good onboard spend but even with that taken into consideration we are paying about £700 more than if we booked today.

 

Kind of makes of mokery of "loyalty"

[Brayman]

We are in the same position on this cruise, we booked early because we were offered loyalty discounts and a good onboard spend but even with that taken into consideration we are paying about £700 more than if we booked today.

 

Kind of makes of mokery of "loyalty"

 

When you say you booked "early", what do you mean? Was it when the brochures came out or just several months ahead?

[Monkeymum02]

We booked in August so brochures were out but it was about 10 months before cruise date.

 

I emailed customer services yesterday and got the standard rely of "tough luck" not even a gesture of goodwill offered.

 

We are seriously considering cancelling which would be a shame

[Brayman]

We booked in August so brochures were out but it was about 10 months before cruise date.

 

I emailed customer services yesterday and got the standard rely of "tough luck" not even a gesture of goodwill offered.

 

We are seriously considering cancelling which would be a shame

 

But when you booked it you thought it was worthwhile! You were still paying much more than anyone who really did bok early, ie when the brochures first came out.

 

You shouldn't be concerned about how much anyone else paid, just go and enjoy the cruise, it will still be good value, and you probably have your choice of cabin, which you may not if you booked it today.

[daiB]

But when you booked it you thought it was worthwhile! You were still paying much more than anyone who really did bok early, ie when the brochures first came out.

 

You shouldn't be concerned about how much anyone else paid, just go and enjoy the cruise, it will still be good value, and you probably have your choice of cabin, which you may not if you booked it today.

 

Yes August is in the middle, the worst time to book. April is early. The first day of booking for a new brochure.

 

 

Gan Canny

 

Dai

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

Well, if you're going to save GBP700 then you might as well... just checked price for my cruise, gone up by 20 quid, but to be honest if P&O aren't willing to ''guarantee'' lowest fare for those bothered to check often (i.e. us cc folk), it's about time they offered refundable deposits like all their competitors.

[Freecall]

But when you booked it you thought it was worthwhile! ............

 

No this old chestnut again.

 

The fact is when people hand over their hard-earned and then see that the price halves the next day they feel ripped off.

 

You can try and justify and philosophise all you like but at the end of the day people feel bad about it.

 

.

[Gilpet]

Another option might be to check the prices of better cabins. If you have booked an outside cabin, for example, the price of a balcony may now be the same as you originally paid and you'll have a better cabin for your money.

 

Gill

[heathermk57]

Another option might be to check the prices of better cabins. If you have booked an outside cabin, for example, the price of a balcony may now be the same as you originally paid and you'll have a better cabin for your money.

 

Gill

 

There is a 4-day sale starting today, they are offering balcony cabins for the price of an inside cabin. Hope somebody can make some savings or take advantage of this. :)

[davedex]

I thought that p&o's pricing now was supposed to make it ONE PRICE, not one price that is hugely reduced ages before the ship is due to set sail !!

[swoggy]

There is a 4-day sale starting today, they are offering balcony cabins for the price of an inside cabin. Hope somebody can make some savings or take advantage of this. :)

 

When I've picked the cruise got the OB credit agreed and paid the deposit through a TA and family member I've always had peace of mind that I was paying the best price. Talking to other passengers at Christmas I was amazed at the offers they were given whilst on board for the 3rd & 4th weeks. Other people arriving from the UK for that final 2 weeks had got unbelievable deals and including the 'almost £1000 OB credit' had almost been paid to attend.:eek:

 

Before reading this post and surmising the Costa disaster (all respect) will not attract new cruisers I was planning forgoing the TA reduction and leaving booking next Christmas cruise as late as possible hoping for these generous deals.:rolleyes:

 

I'd like to ask 'Heathermk57' how you found out about this 4 days sale, being so short you need to be 'on the ball' not to miss any such things, thanks.;)

[davedex]

I'd like to ask 'Heathermk57' how you found out about this 4 days sale, being so short you need to be 'on the ball' not to miss any such things, thanks.;)

 

The promotion came out via email for us, practically every cruise company were promoting it heavily. Even on the p & o website.

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

4 day sale came through the post yesterday, no big deal, went straight in the bin!