Vantage fares not worth the money

[daiB]

I agree with you here as we were one of the many who booked before Getaways were announced so therefore there was never going to be a reduction in Vantage:confused:

 

For the past few years the major complaint had been the fluid pricing where the price would rise and fall as bookings were made. The second complaint was that near the cruise there was sometimes a big price drop, not on all cruises or many cabins. Although you could never find out how many cabins were available for these very late deals.

 

So the company fixed the prices which they would hold until the payment date of the balance.

 

I do not think they could ever do away with late deals as cabins often come available when people decline to pay the balance. The company have to have a way of selling these cabins.

 

This is not only the problem P&O has every cruise line has the same problem and if you look around the web, especially sites from the US you will find fantastic deals sometimes with 85% off the brochure price.

 

As I said we will see what happens next year with pricing of getaways.

 

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

[kevinyork]

For the past few years the major complaint had been the fluid pricing where the price would rise and fall as bookings were made. The second complaint was that near the cruise there was sometimes a big price drop, not on all cruises or many cabins. Although you could never find out how many cabins were available for these very late deals.

 

So the company fixed the prices which they would hold until the payment date of the balance.

 

I do not think they could ever do away with late deals as cabins often come available when people decline to pay the balance. The company have to have a way of selling these cabins.

 

This is not only the problem P&O has every cruise line has the same problem and if you look around the web, especially sites from the US you will find fantastic deals sometimes with 85% off the brochure price.

 

As I said we will see what happens next year with pricing of getaways.

 

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

 

Dai, I think the marketing of cruises in the US is different from the UK. A US traveller can cancel right up until final payment and get their deposit back so the cruise lines have to be competitive. If the price drops (the price for their cabin grade, not some silly 'Vantage fare' price) before final payment they can request the price difference back (not OBC or an upgrade). What a difference to here in the UK. Despite these customer focussed structures.....the US cruise lines still make a profit. Whilst there are some massive discounts they do seem limited in numbers)

 

Reading the boards for Celebrity and RCI it does seem the US passengers get good deals for booking early and often the cruises then rise in price as availability reduces with fewer late availability deals around.

 

IMO what allows P&O to continue with their pricing structure is the chunk of early bookers that seem willing to pay the higher initial prices (now called Vantage fares). If we voted with our wallet maybe we could force a change of attitude.

 

 

 

 

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[daiB]

Dai, I think the marketing of cruises in the US is different from the UK. A US traveller can cancel right up until final payment and get their deposit back so the cruise lines have to be competitive. If the price drops (the price for their cabin grade, not some silly 'Vantage fare' price) before final payment they can request the price difference back (not OBC or an upgrade). What a difference to here in the UK. Despite these customer focussed structures.....the US cruise lines still make a profit. Whilst there are some massive discounts they do seem limited in numbers)

 

Reading the boards for Celebrity and RCI it does seem the US passengers get good deals for booking early and often the cruises then rise in price as availability reduces with fewer late availability deals around.

 

IMO what allows P&O to continue with their pricing structure is the chunk of early bookers that seem willing to pay the higher initial prices (now called Vantage fares). If we voted with our wallet maybe we could force a change of attitude.

 

 

 

 

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Sorry the fares are not higher. We saved 20 to 25% on next years fares by booking on day one.

 

Secondly the American companies do not give the difference out of the good of their hearts, it is their consumer law. I am not sure what attitude you hope to change. The company is there to make money. They are in business. No firm is there to do what the customer want.

 

 

 

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

 

 

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[gadabout60]

Sorry the fares are not higher. We saved 20 to 25% on next years fares by booking on day one.

 

Secondly the American companies do not give the difference out of the good of their hearts, it is their consumer law. I am not sure what attitude you hope to change. The company is there to make money. They are in business. No firm is there to do what the customer want.

 

 

 

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

 

 

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Dai

 

Did your discount not include a substantial back to back discount? Most of us can't do back to back cruises so that is just not relevant

[kevinyork]

Sorry the fares are not higher. We saved 20 to 25% on next years fares by booking on day one.

 

Secondly the American companies do not give the difference out of the good of their hearts, it is their consumer law. I am not sure what attitude you hope to change. The company is there to make money. They are in business. No firm is there to do what the customer want.

 

 

 

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

 

 

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Yes but 20 to 25% saving off what and how much will that fare be when a guarantee fare comes out? Mind you its silly getting into this with you since you always love P&O so much, get such amazingly cheap deals and they can do no wrong. You ARE their target market. They have you lock, stock and barrel.

 

Yes of course the US lines give price decreases back due to US law (I never said it was out of the goodness of their heart) but the point is they do it but are still profitable.

 

 

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[daiB]

Dai

 

Did your discount not include a substantial back to back discount? Most of us can't do back to back cruises so that is just not relevant

 

Glad to see you are paying attention.:rolleyes:

 

To me it is very relevant as if I waited for a getaway I would not be guaranteed getting the back to back in the same cabin or in the grade of cabin I need. Therefore I would get 25% booking on day but not necessarily that much on a getaway.

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

[daiB]

Yes but 20 to 25% saving off what and how much will that fare be when a guarantee fare comes out? Mind you its silly getting into this with you since you always love P&O so much, get such amazingly cheap deals and they can do no wrong. You ARE their target market. They have you lock, stock and barrel.

 

Yes of course the US lines give price decreases back due to US law (I never said it was out of the goodness of their heart) but the point is they do it but are still profitable.

 

 

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It's nice of you to get personal. Please do not do that again.

 

The deals are there for everyone if you book on day one or within the first month or so.

 

Am I reading you right that you think prices should come down. How much further would you like? I am happy because I am still paying less per night than 13 years ago. That of course is with a better cabin.

 

But if you manage to get the fares down I will not object.

 

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

[zib_zib]

I have been following with interest the discussion re. the above. Getaway Fares are fine if you reside in the vicinity or close by Southamptom but for us in Scotland the difference is that with the Vantage Fare we get free bus travel from Glasgow. (a saving of £131) and we also got £100 OBC. We went Getaway Fare in June. We did not qualify for OBC or Free Bus and had to pay fuel etc from Scotland to Southampton with an overnight stay at a hotel with ALL the hassle of the long drive. I calculated what the difference for us would have been and it was minimal. Taking into consideration the stress of getting to Southampton it was well worth it.

 

I agree. Last year we paid a Getaway Fare cruise. No OBC. No free parking. No free bus. No upgrade. It cost me £100 in fuel to get to Southampton and back from South Yorkshire. Plus £223 to park the car for three weeks.

 

This time we've book a Vantage Fare cruise. We've all got £120 OBC, plus another £100 for not taking the free parking. Because there are four of us and it worked out cheaper to book the parking ourselves

 

 

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[jeanlyon]

We booked this year's cruise before Vantage was thought of. Vantage fares are still £140 more than we paid. I think most people's gripe is not that there might be last minute very low fares, but the Getaways are coming in so early. There are already Getaway fares for next March - makes a mockery of the word "getaway".

[wilson2579]

I do believe that we will not see the getaway prices we have had this year. I am booking my main summer one vantage and the other cruise I shall wait and see what the getaway prices are like.

[daiB]

We booked this year's cruise before Vantage was thought of. Vantage fares are still £140 more than we paid. I think most people's gripe is not that there might be last minute very low fares, but the Getaways are coming in so early. There are already Getaway fares for next March - makes a mockery of the word "getaway".

 

There are getaways for March but I have just had a quick look and for balcony cabins the discount for getaway fares is 12%, 11%, 9% and 4.2% so Wilson 2579 is correct. Not all cruises in March are shown with getaway fares. For the fares above the getaways look to be a bad deal as there is no car parking or OBC.

 

They may be there but no one would be buying them. Considering as well you would have to pay up front, with no cancellation.

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

 

Dai

[kevinyork]

It's nice of you to get personal. Please do not do that again.

 

The deals are there for everyone if you book on day one or within the first month or so.

 

Am I reading you right that you think prices should come down. How much further would you like? I am happy because I am still paying less per night than 13 years ago. That of course is with a better cabin.

 

But if you manage to get the fares down I will not object.

 

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

 

Dai, you make it personal. Every time someone moans about the Vantage Fares you defend P&O to the hilt, unreservably, and therefore put yourself in the firing line. Comparing prices to 13 years ago is simply silly.

 

Prices wont come down till P&O stalwarts stop dancing to P&Os fiddle.

 

 

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[kevinyork]

It's nice of you to get personal. Please do not do that again.

 

The deals are there for everyone if you book on day one or within the first month or so.

 

Am I reading you right that you think prices should come down. How much further would you like? I am happy because I am still paying less per night than 13 years ago. That of course is with a better cabin.

 

But if you manage to get the fares down I will not object.

 

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

 

 

Dai, you make it personal. Every time someone moans about the Vantage Fares you defend P&O to the hilt, unreservably, and therefore put yourself in the firing line. Comparing prices to 13 years ago is simply silly.

 

Prices wont come down till P&O stalwarts stop dancing to P&Os fiddle.

[daiB]

Dai, you make it personal. Every time someone moans about the Vantage Fares you defend P&O to the hilt, unreservably, and therefore put yourself in the firing line. Comparing prices to 13 years ago is simply silly.

 

Prices wont come down till P&O stalwarts stop dancing to P&Os fiddle.

 

 

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How can the fact that prices are less now than 13 years ago be silly. That is just stupid.

 

It shows prices have come down exactly what you want.

 

 

I do not make it personal at all so don't you do it that is not what this site is for. Do not attack me.

 

Where exactly am I defending P&O in this post which was the last one i made

 

"As I have said before the major problem came when Vantage was introduced and people booked thinking that the price promise covered all bookings made after that point, rather than Vantage bookings made after that point. Getaway fare's were introduced sometime after that. Now those who booked between those two points have the most to grumble about. Before Vantage bookers got what they paid for knowing that the fare could/would come down near to sailing. A number even got extra OBC as they had paid more than the Vantage. We got some OBC for one of our cruises but not the other.

 

Those who booked after the Getaway fares were announced have no complaint as the system being used was then all out in the open.

 

This year very early bookers, in the first month or two of them going on sale, have got good discounts for next year. We have 25 % for one of our cruises.

 

It is noticeable that the getaway fares just announced for Jan 14 to Mar 14 are much closer to the Vantage fare. Netherlands ones I have looked at show a discount of less than 10%. Now this may change as you get to within a few weeks of the sailing as in the past but we shall see.

 

Personally I think the company should compensate those I have identified above with something as a gesture of good will. Perhaps an amount of OBC say £250 for a 2 week cruise and £125 for the shorter ones."

 

Surly I am supporting those who booked when the getaway fares had not been released.

 

You clearly do not read what I have written. If you are not going to read other peoples posts don't bother to post a reply.

[wilson2579]

and I am one of those people Dai. We booked and then a little while later Getaways were introduced. We got OBC but have never heard of anyone getting OBC for the Vantage fare going down.

[daiB]

I agree with you here as we were one of the many who booked before Getaways were announced so therefore there was never going to be a reduction in Vantage:confused:

 

Fully agree, very few people have gained after the introduction of Vantage but then again the has the Vantage fare gone down? I think I have come across about 3 people who have said they got some extra OBC mostly not knowing about it until on the ship.

 

Those like yourself who had booked before did get something, so there must have been a readjustment at the time. We got OBC one one cruise but not the other.

 

 

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

 

 

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[rubydoobydoo]

 

Those who booked after the Getaway fares were announced have no complaint as the system being used was then all out in the open.

 

quote]

 

Do you mean booked after the Vantage fares were introduced ?

 

if so, that is not strictly true, we booked last October by telephone and I was lead to believe that I could not loose by booking this early as if the price dropped then we would get an upgrade or OBC for the difference, I elected for no upgrade as we booked 2 cabins opposite each other, an inside for us and balcony for my sister and I did not want to be moved to another inside on a different deck.

 

I was also lead to believe that Getaway fares would not be announced until very near the cruise date, that was not true as they came in months before our cruise, well before final payment.

 

I believe I was mislead

 

But on my actual cruise this did not affect me as the Vantage fare worked on my favour, the getway is now higher that I paid for vantage

 

BUT if I had been able to get a balcony for less than I paid for an inside I would be mad

 

The whole pricing system is unfair, it works in some peoples favour and goes against others, but hasn't this always been the case

 

I remember on our first cruise I had the price dropped by about £300 just by ringing around different travel agents, as they used to be able to offer their own prices, now they are set by P & O pricing, which is there for everyone to see, I prefer to see the the two prices and make up my own mind which deal suits me best, rather than wondering if another travel agent could save me money.

[daiB]

 

Those who booked after the Getaway fares were announced have no complaint as the system being used was then all out in the open.

 

quote]

 

Do you mean booked after the Vantage fares were introduced ?

 

if so, that is not strictly true, we booked last October by telephone and I was lead to believe that I could not loose by booking this early as if the price dropped then we would get an upgrade or OBC for the difference, I elected for no upgrade as we booked 2 cabins opposite each other, an inside for us and balcony for my sister and I did not want to be moved to another inside on a different deck.

 

I was also lead to believe that Getaway fares would not be announced until very near the cruise date, that was not true as they came in months before our cruise, well before final payment.

 

I believe I was mislead

 

But on my actual cruise this did not affect me as the Vantage fare worked on my favour, the getway is now higher that I paid for vantage

 

BUT if I had been able to get a balcony for less than I paid for an inside I would be mad

 

The whole pricing system is unfair, it works in some peoples favour and goes against others, but hasn't this always been the case

 

I remember on our first cruise I had the price dropped by about £300 just by ringing around different travel agents, as they used to be able to offer their own prices, now they are set by P & O pricing, which is there for everyone to see, I prefer to see the the two prices and make up my own mind which deal suits me best, rather than wondering if another travel agent could save me money.

 

No you were in the group whom I thought had a complaint. The ones who have not are the ones who booked after it was clear that the company were not reducing Vantage and bringing in Getaway. Once it was clear what was happening then that is down to the person booking. Wether or not all this discussion will make any difference I doubt.

 

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

 

 

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[rubydoobydoo]

I see, it all gets confusing

 

I suppose at the end of the day it is what it is

 

The decision is ours and only ours to make, either book and enjoy your cruise with P & O, or go wtth another cruise line, but you only have to read the other boards to see that none of them can please all of the people all of the time :D

[kevinyork]

 

Those who booked after the Getaway fares were announced have no complaint as the system being used was then all out in the open.

 

You clearly do not read what I have written. If you are not going to read other peoples posts don't bother to post a reply.

 

 

Dai. Almost all the complaints on here are from people who booked after Vantage Fares were released then Getaway fares came along. I cant recall seeing anyone complain about booking a Vantage Fare once a Getaway fare had been released. Of course its their choice at that point.

 

The Vantage fare issue has received widespread complaint including on the BBC. You cannot defend it given the widespread criticism.

 

Believe me I clearly read your posts, otherwise they would not irritate me so much. You should be on P&Os Marketing Department payroll.

 

 

 

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[daiB]

Dai. Almost all the complaints on here are from people who booked after Vantage Fares were released then Getaway fares came along. I cant recall seeing anyone complain about booking a Vantage Fare once a Getaway fare had been released. Of course its their choice at that point.

 

The Vantage fare issue has received widespread complaint including on the BBC. You cannot defend it given the widespread criticism.

 

Believe me I clearly read your posts, otherwise they would not irritate me so much. You should be on P&Os Marketing Department payroll.

 

 

 

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No you do not read my posts you are now quite deliberately misrepresenting me. What kind of person are you.

 

I have said it was wrong.

 

I have said people should get some compensation

 

What part of that do you not understand.

[terrierjohn]

No you do not read my posts you are now quite deliberately misrepresenting me. What kind of person are you.

 

I have said it was wrong.

 

I have said people should get some compensation

 

What part of that do you not understand.

Dai, please refer us back to the posts you made where you indicated Vantage pricing was wrong, otherwise accept the criticism that you are a P&O mole.:rolleyes:;)

[kevinyork]

No you do not read my posts you are now quite deliberately misrepresenting me. What kind of person are you.

 

I have said it was wrong.

 

I have said people should get some compensation

 

What part of that do you not understand.

 

Sorry Dai but all I have seen are posts where you have trumpeted the 'savings' you have made. Many of your posts on other threads where people have moaned about the 'Price Promise' have suggested the marketing was clear and that they should not have expected anything more. Many people have posted their dissatisfaction with the 'Price Promise' due to the misleading advertising. Im not sure what you have said 'is wrong' or who 'should get compensation'

 

By the way, in answer to your question 'what sort if person am I' . Im a level headed cruise passenger who believes in clear, straightforward pricing. Not misleading marketing.

 

 

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[kevinyork]

Dai, please refer us back to the posts you made where you indicated Vantage pricing was wrong, otherwise accept the criticism that you are a P&O mole.:rolleyes:;)

 

Phew. I thought I was going mad. Thanks for that reality check. I seem to have attracted the Wrath of Dai.

 

 

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[daiB]

Sorry Dai but all I have seen are posts where you have trumpeted the 'savings' you have made. Many of your posts on other threads where people have moaned about the 'Price Promise' have suggested the marketing was clear and that they should not have expected anything more. Many people have posted their dissatisfaction with the 'Price Promise' due to the misleading advertising. Im not sure what you have said 'is wrong' or who 'should get compensation'

 

By the way, in answer to your question 'what sort if person am I' . Im a level headed cruise passenger who believes in clear, straightforward pricing. Not misleading marketing.

 

 

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The savings are for next year showing that getaways are not the only way of saving money. But you still deliberately miss represent what I have said.

 

You clearly have no intention of reading my post or admitting what I have said

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

 

 

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