The End of Vantage and Getaway fares

[Pennbank]

From another cruise forum

 

Price promise, Vantage and Getaway fares will go for sailings from 24th March 2014

New pricing structures will be coming in

Vantage fare and associated benefits will now be called P&O Select Fares and Cunard Select Fares

Intermittent campaigns will be run with offers like double upgrades

Some reduced fares may still come along from time to time and these will be called Savers

[zider]

I have read this

 

P&O and Cunard have just shared this information out today for all of their guests. They've not released an official press release yet so I'm paraphrasing slightly here..................

 

Price promise, Vantage and Getaway fares will go for sailings from 24th March 2014

New pricing structures will be coming in

 

Vantage fare and associated benefits will now be called P&O Select Fares and Cunard Select Fares

 

Intermittent campaigns will be run with offers like double upgrades

Some reduced fares may still come along from time to time and these will be called Savers

[Slow Foxtrot]

Hardly life-enhancing is it? Vantage will be known as Select and Getaway will be known as Savers. That should get the bookings pouring in!

[fantasy51]

At the moment they say the Savers 'may' only come in 'from time to time', which is written to make us think they will be rare. Only time will tell how this will pan out in reality.

 

I remember last year finding out about the problems with solo fares, and pushing myself to find a good Getaway fare before that system came in. Now I can see myself hunting the internet to get a good Getaway fare before the new system comes into force. (That's no hardship as I'd already wondered about a leg of one of the World Voyages.)

 

I wonder what date they will actually select for this change. The change for solo travellers this year began at a different date on each ship - that being the end of the World Voyage. That's a date that makes sense for changing something.

[balf]

Doesn't matter what they call them, when they have unsold cabins they're going to slash prices to sell them.

 

I can't see many will be fooled by "maybe"

 

David.

[capnpugwash]

I think that Vantage and Getaway will be missed as much as Peter Shanks.

[cunardaddict]

Hardly life-enhancing is it? Vantage will be known as Select and Getaway will be known as Savers. That should get the bookings pouring in!

 

New management = new words....

[Jimsgirl]

New management = new words....

 

Exactly, it reminds me of nursing training, in the non medical world the product of one's bowels is called ****, in the medical world that product has a different more acceptable name never the less the product is the same, - and smells the same!

 

I do wish Cunard, would stop all these PR words and just go with an up front price , no maybes, or small print so tiny you need a magnify glass to read it, pricing .

 

IMPO the prices should absolutely clear and totally complete, inc. all taxes, port fees, in other words any payment that is compulsory, the SOLO fare column should also be displayed, you should not have to go to the small print to find that the price displayed only is to double occupancy. Not only do you have to enquire for a solo price, but at times for the same cruise, same grade of cabin , the supplement can vary depending on Cunard's mood at the time

[RJChatsworth]

The new fares structure will be interesting to watch. If Cunard Select Fares are to be more the norm with the reduced Saver Fares being a ' may be', how will they fill up the ships off peak? To attract as many passengers as now with little change to the Vantage Fares is by heavy discounting on the Getaway Fares which seems to suggest the new Cunard Select Fares will have to be cheaper than the current Vantage Fares. The possibility of receiving a double upgrades on a Select Fare might not be enough of an incentive to book in advance or at anytime.

[Midsomer Madness]

Could somebody tell me where this information has come from please?

[Underwatr]

Could somebody tell me where this information has come from please?

I thought I found it via a Google search but the post on the other forum appears to have been removed.

[Pennbank]

I thought I found it via a Google search but the post on the other forum appears to have been removed.

 

Don't know if this is allowed on this forum ? but

as it is already in the web

the link is here. The original post has been deleted from their forum !

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.cruises.co.uk%2F109-cruise_news%2F38168-breaking_news_going_going_getaway_fares_gone.html%23post566572&oq=cache%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.cruises.co.uk%2F109-cruise_news%2F38168-breaking_news_going_going_getaway_fares_gone.html%23post566572&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i58.10778j0j4&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=91&ie=UTF-8

[capnpugwash]

It was removed as P&O requested it not be publicised for a few days

[balf]

It was removed as P&O requested it not be publicised for a few days

 

Interesting.

 

David.

[fantasy51]

If you look at the announcement by Laura, containing the Cruise Critic announcement of this (another thread), then I think it COULD actually be a positive move. Cunard is now releasing lots of discounted cabins early on in the process. Of course, it will depend how deeply these cabins are discounted. At the moment it has appeared to me that it's the American market that has received some very good early-booking specials, while the UK market has had to wait until the last minute for its specials. This could be the introduction of a level playing field.

 

We will have to wait and see.

[Pennbank]

It was removed as P&O requested it not be publicised for a few days

 

P&O and Cunard ditch controversial fares structure

 

 

 

 

P&O Cruises and Cunard have scrapped their Vantage and Getaway fares after criticism from agents and from customers.

 

Vantage fares, introduced in July 2012, were designed to encourage early bookers, while 'no-frills- Getaway fares, introduced earlier this year, were launched in a bid to drive more customers to its premium Vantage fares.

 

But after complaints from the trade and from consumers, the cruise lines are ditching both and replacing them with a whole new fares structure.

 

Customers looking for 'premium value with flexible booking conditions' can opt for the new headline fares - P&O Cruises Select Price and the Cunard Fare.

 

This means they will be able to specify their cabin number and have the "highest priority choice" of dining time and table size, as well as cabin upgrades should they become available.

 

The fare is also inclusive of shuttle buses (where available in ports of call) and a choice of one of: onboard credit, car parking or coach transfers to the port of Southampton. These fares are available on all cruises at all times.

 

Meanwhile, Early Saver fares offer customers further price reductions, limited added value and flexible booking conditions.

 

Customers will be able to choose their grade and location of cabin (the specific cabin number will be at the discretion of P&O Cruises/Cunard), with a lower priority of dining time or table size.

 

Early Saver fares may be offered on specific cruises and availability will vary.

 

The cruise lines said other promotional fares may be introduced from time to time, including limited late availability deals that will come with no choice of cabin, dining time or table size and very restrictive booking conditions.

 

The new structure comes into force from November 4 2013 and applies to bookings for the spring 2014 programme and beyond.

 

The current Vantage and Getaway fares will continue to be available for all cruises departing up to the start of the spring 2014 programme.

 

For those customers already booked on a Vantage or Getaway Fare, the booking terms and conditions will remain the same and Vantage fares will continue to be protected by the price promise.

 

For more details on the P&O Cruises Select Price, Cunard Fare and Early Saver fare, see http://www.completecruisesolution.com.

 

 

 

Thursday, October 31, 2013

from Travel Mole

http://www.travelmole.com/news_feature.php?c=setreg&region=2&m_id=s~_rn~Ad~A&w_id=9422&news_id=2008842

 

also now on cc

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=5597

[Ray66]

For more details on the P&O Cruises Select Price, Cunard Fare and Early Saver fare, see http://www.completecruisesolution.com.

 

Seems like you have to be a travel agent to read that article.

 

There's another article here on the Travel Weekly website

 

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2013/10/31/45830/p.html

[Slow Foxtrot]

.........

 

P&O Cruises and Cunard have scrapped their Vantage and Getaway fares after criticism from agents and from customers.

 

Vantage fares, introduced in July 2012, were designed to encourage early bookers, while 'no-frills- Getaway fares, introduced earlier this year, were launched in a bid to drive more customers to its premium Vantage fares.

 

But after complaints from the trade and from consumers, the cruise lines are ditching both and replacing them with a whole new fares structure.

 

Customers looking for 'premium value with flexible booking conditions' can opt for the new headline fares - P&O Cruises Select Price and the Cunard Fare.

 

This means they will be able to specify their cabin number and have the "highest priority choice" of dining time and table size, as well as cabin upgrades should they become available.

 

The fare is also inclusive of shuttle buses (where available in ports of call) and a choice of one of: onboard credit, car parking or coach transfers to the port of Southampton. These fares are available on all cruises at all times.

 

Meanwhile, Early Saver fares offer customers further price reductions, limited added value and flexible booking conditions.

 

Customers will be able to choose their grade and location of cabin (the specific cabin number will be at the discretion of P&O Cruises/Cunard), with a lower priority of dining time or table size.

 

Early Saver fares may be offered on specific cruises and availability will vary.

 

The cruise lines said other promotional fares may be introduced from time to time, including limited late availability deals that will come with no choice of cabin, dining time or table size and very restrictive booking conditions.

 

The new structure comes into force from November 4 2013 and applies to bookings for the spring 2014 programme and beyond.

 

The current Vantage and Getaway fares will continue to be available for all cruises departing up to the start of the spring 2014 programme.

 

For those customers already booked on a Vantage or Getaway Fare, the booking terms and conditions will remain the same and Vantage fares will continue to be protected by the price promise.

 

For more details on the P&O Cruises Select Price, Cunard Fare and Early Saver fare, see www.completecruisesolution.com.

 

 

 

Now, is that absolutely clear? Because I will be asking questions later !!!

[2irisheyes]

We have this week booked the last leg of the QM2 world cruise (April 2014). First contact said it was a net fare, the second contact (a more senior person with same TA) said it was a Getaway fare although there was no mention of payment in full at time of booking. I queried what type of fare it was and he agreed it was not a Getaway fare but was a special. So who knows. When I looked on the Cunard website to find out where port shuttles would be provided I noticed that these would be free for Vantage fares but would be chargeable for Getaway fares. How this operates in practice I do not know. As ours is neither a Vantage or Getaway fare what will happen re shuttles. Perhaps they will make us run along behind the bus. By the time we depart it could well be all change again still with the blind leading the blind. Hey ho.............. What fun.

[Slow Foxtrot]

We have this week booked the last leg of the QM2 world cruise (April 2014). First contact said it was a net fare, the second contact (a more senior person with same TA) said it was a Getaway fare although there was no mention of payment in full at time of booking. I queried what type of fare it was and he agreed it was not a Getaway fare but was a special. So who knows. When I looked on the Cunard website to find out where port shuttles would be provided I noticed that these would be free for Vantage fares but would be chargeable for Getaway fares. How this operates in practice I do not know. As ours is neither a Vantage or Getaway fare what will happen re shuttles. Perhaps they will make us run along behind the bus. By the time we depart it could well be all change again still with the blind leading the blind. Hey ho.............. What fun.

 

What was the question again?

[balf]

. As ours is neither a Vantage or Getaway fare what will happen re shuttles. .

 

Ask you TA and ask for it in writing. I am sure you will have booked either a Vantage or a Getaway and the information you have had wouldn't give me much confidence in your TA.

 

Unless you get confirmation of what you have bought it will be too late to complain after you get home.

 

David.

[Scrapnana]

We have this week booked the last leg of the QM2 world cruise (April 2014). First contact said it was a net fare, the second contact (a more senior person with same TA) said it was a Getaway fare although there was no mention of payment in full at time of booking. I queried what type of fare it was and he agreed it was not a Getaway fare but was a special. So who knows. When I looked on the Cunard website to find out where port shuttles would be provided I noticed that these would be free for Vantage fares but would be chargeable for Getaway fares. How this operates in practice I do not know. As ours is neither a Vantage or Getaway fare what will happen re shuttles. Perhaps they will make us run along behind the bus. By the time we depart it could well be all change again still with the blind leading the blind. Hey ho.............. What fun.

 

Interesting question about shuttles. How would the people manning the shuttles know if you were Vantage or Getaway. And what about people in other countries that don't have Vantage/Getaway?

[fantasy51]

Scrapnana, I assume we will have to get tickets for the shuttles from the Purser's desk, or we will have to show our cards somewhere for a ticket. It will be a big problem.

 

I have also wondered how this news impacts other countries. You had the problems with solo fares shortly after we got them. You might get something like this too, in the future.

[tom_uk]

Interesting question about shuttles. How would the people manning the shuttles know if you were Vantage or Getaway. And what about people in other countries that don't have Vantage/Getaway?

 

(P&O passenger here, but the issue is germane to both lines.)

 

My guess is that there will be something obvious to distinguish the two ticket types - some difference on the cruise cards?

 

In general I think this is a step forward, at least from where we are. My understanding is that both fare types will be available as soon as a cruise is announced - there'll be no more waiting around to see if a Getaway fare gets announced for the cruise you want, some time in the future. Instead you'll know where you stand right at the beginning, and you'll have a choice:

• pay full fare and enjoy the benefits (cabin choice, priority for various things, free shuttles, free travel or parking or some OBC;
  
• save some money and accept that there are some caveats: uncertainty over cabin location, dining arrangements, lower priority for upgrades, etc.
  

 

There are a few questions in my mind:

a) will the price of either of the new fares ever change while a cruise is on sale?

 

b) will there be 'Late Savers', available 3 months or less before sailing (the traditional 'late bargain')

 

c) transitional arrangements - what happens to passengers who have already booked cruises for next year at Vantage fares and who then find that the full-price fare (whatever it's called) is at a lower price than the Vantage fare they're committed to?

[2irisheyes]

Balf - I know the terms of Vantage and Getaway fares so I am sure the booking comes under neither of these headings. As these two types of fares are being phased out as of March 2014 and our booking is for April 2014 it is clear some other title will be given to the fare type. With frequent changes it is not surprising that TAs are confused - like me.

 

My post was not so much a question, more a comment on how a recent booking for a post March 2014 trip had been dealt with.

 

I cannot imagine the chaos involved in administering the paying and non-paying shuttle scheme. Not having taken a Cunard cruise while the Vantage/Getaway fares were in operation I have no idea how it worked. I imagined that those on Getaway fares might have to sit at the back of the bus or wear a label - joke.