Rip off Britain

[sunny seas]

P and O pricing was featured on this tv programme this morning. A couple had booked a cruise on Vantage fare and later the same cruise was advertised at a cheaper price still sold as Vantage fare.

 

They thought P and O would honour their price promise but oh no . P and O said they were booked in a different grade of cabin so the price promise doesn't apply. Since the programme contacted p and o they have said they will contact the couple directly ???

 

They also said they have reviewed the pricing structure as a result of feedback from customers, but as we know only the names of fares has changed.

 

Sunny seas

 

:(

[kevinyork]

P and O pricing was featured on this tv programme this morning. A couple had booked a cruise on Vantage fare and later the same cruise was advertised at a cheaper price still sold as Vantage fare.

 

They thought P and O would honour their price promise but oh no . P and O said they were booked in a different grade of cabin so the price promise doesn't apply. Since the programme contacted p and o they have said they will contact the couple directly ???

 

They also said they have reviewed the pricing structure as a result of feedback from customers, but as we know only the names of fares has changed.

 

Sunny seas

 

:(

 

Something like this on a TV program must be very painful for P&O and very costly in terms of bookings. Im off to look for it on iplayer.

[daiB]

P and O pricing was featured on this tv programme this morning. A couple had booked a cruise on Vantage fare and later the same cruise was advertised at a cheaper price still sold as Vantage fare.

 

They thought P and O would honour their price promise but oh no . P and O said they were booked in a different grade of cabin so the price promise doesn't apply. Since the programme contacted p and o they have said they will contact the couple directly ???

 

They also said they have reviewed the pricing structure as a result of feedback from customers, but as we know only the names of fares has changed.

 

Sunny seas

 

:(

 

There is no price promise with the new fares. This program is a bit late.

[kevinyork]

Ok, Ive just taken a look at the program. The main issue is that when they complained numerous times P&O failed the explain the cheaper Vantage fare was for a different grade of cabin.

 

However the program does mention they were contacted by other disgruntled passengers about the Price Promise.

 

Why could the BBC not use film of P&O cruise ships? They repeatedly showed P&O ferries. That alone would have put off more people than the Price Promise complaints.

[kevinyork]

There is no price promise with the new fares. This program is a bit late.

 

Bolt....stable door....horse bolted comes to mind.

[daiB]

Something like this on a TV program must be very painful for P&O and very costly in terms of bookings. Im off to look for it on iplayer.

 

Well I have just watched it and it would appear that it was the TA who was at fault in not making it clear the grade of cabin to which the Vantage fare applied. It looks like a misunderstanding. Of course this should have been picked up by the company when the letters came in.

 

Interestingly the program seemed to say that getaway fares were alright?

 

Of course the program does lose some credibility by showing P&O ferries which are a totally different company. Someone at the BBC not doing their job correctly.

[daiB]

Ok, Ive just taken a look at the program. The main issue is that when they complained numerous times P&O failed the explain the cheaper Vantage fare was for a different grade of cabin.

 

However the program does mention they were contacted by other disgruntled passengers about the Price Promise.

 

Why could the BBC not use film of P&O cruise ships? They repeatedly showed P&O ferries. That alone would have put off more people than the Price Promise complaints.

 

If they have so many other "good" complaints why use a rubbish one. You clearly cannot compare two grades of cabin. Whatever some people think of the company they have never shown the price of a vantage fare going down.

 

They have shown getaways, which people complain about but the BBC do not pick one of these to highlight. They pass over getaways very quickly almost saying there can be no complaint about them???

[sunny seas]

I agree the whole issue is about reducing the price of a cruise and calling it getaway to avoid keeping the their so called price promise.

 

I wonder did p and o ever reduce their vantage fare and did anyone ever benefit from their price promise????

 

sunny

[daiB]

I agree the whole issue is about reducing the price of a cruise and calling it getaway to avoid keeping the their so called price promise.

 

I wonder did p and o ever reduce their vantage fare and did anyone ever benefit from their price promise????

 

sunny

 

But that is not what the program was about.

 

They implied that Vantage fares/getaway fares were OK.

 

Were the company reduced Vantage fares people got extra OBC, as we did some £800.00. But this happened when it was first introduced.

 

I have not heard of Vantage fares coming down after that.

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

[bee-ess]

I've watched this and think that anyone who paid Vantage fare and feels let down by P&O when the Getaway debacle happened must surely feel let down by this program which did not accurately portray the situation or why customers were upset. In my opinion whole thing was sharp practice by P&O and this was not portrayed.

Edited January 10, 2014 by bee-ess

[Sanjam cruisers]

Having read numerous comments regarding Vantage/Getaway fares on this forum I thought I would contribute. My wife and I have cruised with P&O since 2005 always in the Caribbean we have always had to book from 24 to 15 months in advance to ensure our seats on a Glasgow/Edinburgh flight.Since the Vantage/Getaway structure came in we have been upgraded on three occasions including twice being moved from standard balcony to superior deluxe balcony.On a previous cruise we only knew we had been upgraded on arrival at the ship as our cabin number was different to that on our paperwork.

I appreciate a number of people are aggrieved regarding the price structure but I am sure my wife and I are not the only early bookers who have received such upgrades or other additional benefits such as additional on board spend.Happy cruising to you all.

[hamish123]

I feel badly ripped of by P+O having booked there "early saver" for our September cruise, only to find that the price now is £500 less.

I thought there new structures where supposed to protect against this sort of thing.

We booked this onboard our last cruise and where told we were getting a much reduced price, by using the early saver.

Has anyone experienced the same sort of thing or got any advice on how to proceed.

I feel this is blatant mis-selling at best.

[dsrdsrdsr]

It's not just P&O, hamish. Most travel companies have variable pricing - airlines, tour companies, hotels, you name it. Actually, most businesses have variable pricing - January sales, 50% off to clear old stock, discounts when sell-by dates are approaching. They're all at it.

 

It's not mis-selling. Not unless they specifically told you it that cruise would never, under any condition, be sold for less.

[daiB]

It's not just P&O, hamish. Most travel companies have variable pricing - airlines, tour companies, hotels, you name it. Actually, most businesses have variable pricing - January sales, 50% off to clear old stock, discounts when sell-by dates are approaching. They're all at it.

 

 

 

It's not mis-selling. Not unless they specifically told you it that cruise would never, under any condition, be sold for less.

 

 

And of course that did not happen as the company scrapped all price guarantees by public demand.

 

 

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[Spikey M]

I find all this very odd. Buying something and finding it later available at less than you paid is common place. Clothes, holidays, food etc.

 

The mind set of 'ah, I should have waited. I know, the company will reimburse me' baffles me. What is is about cruises that makes people think this way?

[BalkanCruiser]

I find all this very odd. Buying something and finding it later available at less than you paid is common place. Clothes, holidays, food etc.

 

The mind set of 'ah, I should have waited. I know, the company will reimburse me' baffles me. What is is about cruises that makes people think this way?

 

Agree the moaning on this subject is silly. It is quite clear that most doing the moaning have not read the T &C properly and/or are getting angry because their TA misinformed them.

 

Everything we buy these days is subject to fluid pricing and all we can do is make sure we are happy with the price we have to pay when we book (or buy) the service we are after. What happens after is out of our control and not worth worrying about.

[Spikey M]

Yep!

 

Fair enough when there is a price promise, but to complain when there isn't one is silly. If you want to be protected from price reductions - book a cruise that has a price promise. Don't book one that doesn't, then complain about it. Something about cake and eating it.

 

We booked our honeymoon the day the cruise was released and secured a c deck balcony at the back of the ship, our desired meal time, etc. It is now available for £300pp less. This is obviously not nice to see, but we were happy with the price when we booked it so them's the breaks.

Edited July 13, 2014 by Spikey M

[kevinyork]

I feel badly ripped of by P+O having booked there "early saver" for our September cruise, only to find that the price now is £500 less.

 

I thought there new structures where supposed to protect against this sort of thing.

 

We booked this onboard our last cruise and where told we were getting a much reduced price, by using the early saver.

 

Has anyone experienced the same sort of thing or got any advice on how to proceed.

 

I feel this is blatant mis-selling at best.

 

 

I suppose by 'much reduced price' they meant that it was lower than the Select fare.

 

Unfortunately all travel companies cut prices to fill empty spaces. As there is no price promise in place then Im afraid there is nothing you can do.

 

 

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[Scriv]

I bought a lovely dress in a certain High Street store at what I thought was a good price for the quality garment. It was just what I wanted.

 

However, several weeks later I saw it at half price. Shock horror. What a terrible sales policy! What do I do? Will the company re imburse me?

 

Different scenario - or is it?!

[Tapper lady]

I bought a lovely dress in a certain High Street store at what I thought was a good price for the quality garment. It was just what I wanted.

However, several weeks later I saw it at half price. Shock horror. What a terrible sales policy! What do I do? Will the company re imburse me?

Different scenario - or is it?!

 

 

SCRIV - well quoted, I have always said "you was happy to purchase the goods/holiday at that time.......but it always a gamble the prices go down so do you wait!!! the risk is you may not get your requirement!

 

Vanessa

[hamish123]

I find some of the comments a bit insulting, I am fully aware of what I booked and what I was told at the time.

Some of you may think that a difference of £500 each is not worth looking into, (after we had been told we had price protection, with the "early saver) I don't.

I posted this on the site, for advice, not "clever" comments.

I complained direct to the parent company and have just received this direction, via e-mail.

http://www.carnival.com/request-forms/price-protection-claim.aspx

In the interests of fair play, I will let other members know how I get on.

[Ataraxia]

I really think that people who complain about the price drop should must call the thread 'Look at me - I have booked a cruise without doing my homework - aren't I an idiot'

[Spikey M]

I find some of the comments a bit insulting, I am fully aware of what I booked and what I was told at the time.

Some of you may think that a difference of £500 each is not worth looking into, (after we had been told we had price protection, with the "early saver) I don't.

I posted this on the site, for advice, not "clever" comments.

I complained direct to the parent company and have just received this direction, via e-mail.

http://www.carnival.com/request-forms/price-protection-claim.aspx

In the interests of fair play, I will let other members know how I get on.

 

No offence was intended. I was speaking more in general as the attitude of having the difference refunded/as obc seems to be seen as a right by some.

 

Did they actually state that you would be entitled to obc for the difference between what you paid and the cheapest fair of the same band? If they did then you clearly do have grounds to complain.

 

But you didn't say that they had said that, just that they offered a reduced price.

Edited July 13, 2014 by Spikey M

[hamish123]

Thank you for your reply.

We where told the "early saver" had price protection.

Please read the link, I have posted.

[Scriv]

I think P&O have been making it very clear since their new pricing structure that there is no price guarantee as such on the Early Saver fare and state in the terms and conditions that they may well introduce other promotional prices but with more restrictive terms and conditions and that prices may go up and down.

 

It will be interesting to see what they say, but I do think it should have been clear in the T&C's at the time.

 

Maybe they meant if that exact Early Saver fare dropped for some reason - rather than a different promotion - you would be protected?

Edited July 13, 2014 by Scriv