Disappointed With Reply Vantage Prices

[delteach]

After asking the question if there were any benefits to be given on a booking for a cruise in jan 2014 and the reply was , prices are live and offers come up from time to time , asked 10th july, so we went ahead and booked 11th July happy with our choice happy with the price glad to be going , then 3 days later its announced from 23rd new prices new offers obc, lower deposits, wow gob smacked after investigation our cruise is part of this new offer , so I did a mock booking , again wow , deposit £410 we paid £639, obc £140 we got none , so with this info I asked P&O customer services why I was not informed of this when I asked the question I feel sure they would have known this was coming and could have made a nudge didnt expect a full run down but a nod and a wink would have been good customer service , after all in the garage they tell you about buy one get one free offers ,when you get your petrol , dont get me wrong we are happy with our choice but it feels like a kick in the teeth when you get in early and get no benefits but now you get a good benefit , They told me offers come up from time to time but they never know when , Im sure something on the scale of this they would have known well in advance , I have been assured that if prices do change a letter will be sent with any benefits , there Rant over :rolleyes:

[jeanlyon]

OK but is the price of your cruise more or less than the new Vantage fare. Without that information, there is nothing to go by.

[tom_uk]

I'm sure the offer would have been planned at the time you made your booking; but whether the person you actually spoke to would have known about it is a different matter.

 

Indeed, if I were managing an operation like that (could be cruises, flights, holidays, etc) I'd make sure that the front-line staff *didn't* know about forthcoming price changes. That way they could honestly say "I'm not aware of any offer coming up, sir".

 

It's unpleasant but it's how commerce works.

[delteach]

OK but is the price of your cruise more or less than the new Vantage fare. Without that information, there is nothing to go by.

 

at the moment the price is exactly the same , but as said you now get £140 obc , im sure things will sort out its just frustrating that booking later we would have gained immediatly , still non the less im sure it will be a great cruise :):):rolleyes:

[davecttr]

What are you saying here? Was the Vantage fare for your cruise cheaper than the amount you paid on 11th July?

 

Did they say that because you booked on 11July you would get no additional benfit? Or was it because the price was the same?

 

It seems that the only amounts that count are the price of the cruise and the fuel supplement. Add those prices together for your original booking and that gives you a headline amount. Do the same for the Vantage price and compare them, if the Vantage fare is cheaper you should get obc of the difference. Apparently any obc is not part of the calculation.

[delteach]

What are you saying here? Was the Vantage fare for your cruise cheaper than the amount you paid on 11th July?

 

Did they say that because you booked on 11July you would get no additional benfit? Or was it because the price was the same?

 

 

no the price before and now is the same , what im saying is they knew this offer was coming and when I asked them a direct question about benefits available for this cruise before I booked it, my answer was prices are live and benefits are offered from time to time , my feeling is they knew this was coming vantage fares and good customer service could have been given by just a little mention that a new idea was on its way ,

if I had not asked a direct question it would not have incenced me , my daughter works in a customer service environment and she tells me they always tell their customers of up coming promotions etc , so because i was not given a heads up I lost out on £140 obc , im not unhappy with my deal just feel let down that it was kept under wraps . :rolleyes:

[jeanlyon]

If the price is the same, then you have nothing to complain about. Did you get free parking when you booked? My cruise is very slightly more with the Vantage fares, but I only got £60 per cabin OBC. However, we did get free parking, which is worth £200.

[delteach]

If the price is the same, then you have nothing to complain about. Did you get free parking when you booked? My cruise is very slightly more with the Vantage fares, but I only got £60 per cabin OBC. However, we did get free parking, which is worth £200.

 

yeh im not dissapointed with price as said before , but its the fact I asked prior to booking about any benefits , would you not be put out if you'd asked and was not informed or given a nod , and no I didnt take free car parking as I travel by train , you see no benefits for booking earlier I know its not a right but it would have been nice :)

[kevinyork]

I can understand your frustration. However, they covered themselves by saying offers come up from time to time so the choice was yours. You could try an email or call to customer service but I would imagine they wont budge.

[Norfolk Brit]

but its the fact I asked prior to booking about any benefits , would you not be put out if you'd asked and was not informed or given a nod

 

As tom_uk has already pointed out, at the time you asked the call centre staff would not have known about future price adjustments.

 

Mary