Late Savers now showing

[maudeUK]

I am hoping that perhaps they will offer upgrades (not the automatic ones which you can't turn down) to the early bookers...if they do that along with the cheaper fares not getting so much choice, then that will be a step in the right direction ... There will,always be offers, I suspect the next promotion will be a pay for inside get a balcony or similar...the on board credit promotion is something they will amend next time..I think it will soon be in the terms and conditions when you book that any future promotions will not be given once your cruise is booked or something along those lines..

 

We have a vantage fare cruise booked for world cruise section. We booked early and vantage as itinerary matched our needs. We have to take on the chin fact that same cruise is now close to three thousand pounds less on getaway. However I noticed that the getaway difference between an outside and a balcony was only a £100 per person, so I contacted TA to get a quote to upgrade to balcony and the price was £700 each person. The ship is a balcony heavy one and this suggested to me that quite a surplus of balcony cabins available but even so the extra quoted was as if we had booked the balcony at original fare ; no concession at all.

 

I have e mailed customer services 10 days ago asking for clarification but so far no reply.

 

Anyone had any luck on similar .

 

Happy cruiser ( mostly)

 

Carol

[alvin moondust]

They can call it the Super-cala-fraga-listic-expiali-Discount cheaper than last month deal of the week Fare, As long as it allows us to have a nice week away in May for sensible money:p:p:p:p

[terrierjohn]

We have a vantage fare cruise booked for world cruise section. We booked early and vantage as itinerary matched our needs. We have to take on the chin fact that same cruise is now close to three thousand pounds less on getaway. However I noticed that the getaway difference between an outside and a balcony was only a £100 per person, so I contacted TA to get a quote to upgrade to balcony and the price was £700 each person. The ship is a balcony heavy one and this suggested to me that quite a surplus of balcony cabins available but even so the extra quoted was as if we had booked the balcony at original fare ; no concession at all.

 

I have e mailed customer services 10 days ago asking for clarification but so far no reply.

 

Anyone had any luck on similar .

 

Happy cruiser ( mostly)

 

Carol

Have you paid the balance yet? If not try to cancel and rebook at the lower price.

Edited February 1, 2014 by terrierjohn

[kevinyork]

We have a vantage fare cruise booked for world cruise section. We booked early and vantage as itinerary matched our needs. We have to take on the chin fact that same cruise is now close to three thousand pounds less on getaway. However I noticed that the getaway difference between an outside and a balcony was only a £100 per person, so I contacted TA to get a quote to upgrade to balcony and the price was £700 each person. The ship is a balcony heavy one and this suggested to me that quite a surplus of balcony cabins available but even so the extra quoted was as if we had booked the balcony at original fare ; no concession at all.

 

I have e mailed customer services 10 days ago asking for clarification but so far no reply.

 

Anyone had any luck on similar .

 

Happy cruiser ( mostly)

 

Carol

 

Email the Chairman. That price differential is appalling.

[maudeUK]

Have you paid the balance yet? If not try to cancel and rebook at the lower price.

 

Hi

Yep paid in full in December. Will give customer services 2 weeks and then contact again and copy chairman.

 

Thanks

 

Carol

[alvin moondust]

Why not make the price more realistic in the first place and forget all the controversial discounting,

A week on Azura to the Fjords was advertised at around £1200 each for a standard balcony cabin which to be honest is more than we want to pay for a weeks break in Aril or May. Last year on Getaway we eventually paid £599 each and some people even less than that.

Why not just advertise it a £750 ish in the first place, then you get the early bookers and draw in the people with a smaller budget? without all the grief of discounting, adding OBD etc.

[terrierjohn]

Why not make the price more realistic in the first place and forget all the controversial discounting,

A week on Azura to the Fjords was advertised at around £1200 each for a standard balcony cabin which to be honest is more than we want to pay for a weeks break in Aril or May. Last year on Getaway we eventually paid £599 each and some people even less than that.

Why not just advertise it a £750 ish in the first place, then you get the early bookers and draw in the people with a smaller budget? without all the grief of discounting, adding OBD etc.

How ridiculous, stop being so sensible.:cool::rolleyes:

[the english lady]

I thought there had been a discussion on these boards last year that about £100 pppn was about the right price. This would give you a starting price of at least £700 for a 7 night cruise.

Does anyone who wants to spend less than this amount ever stay in half decent hotels in the UK.,plus you normally have to pay for your food on top.

You have all your meals included on board , and drink prices are cheaper than ashore.

Also if you read these boards before booking you would know in advance that if you book one grade and wish to upgrade you will always be quoted the prices when booking, not what they are now.

If it is any help I had to contact customer services about something and was told the turnaround for queries was at least 20 days. Not really good these days, but if you are waiting for a reply that is the sort of timescale you are looking at.

[Scriv]

And if you go for a superior room in a decent hotel, you expect to pay more...

[Brayman]

And if you go for a superior room in a decent hotel, you expect to pay more...

 

and don't get any entertainment nor such a selection of bars nor an ever changing view .. .. . .. .etc

[terrierjohn]

I thought there had been a discussion on these boards last year that about £100 pppn was about the right price. This would give you a starting price of at least £700 for a 7 night cruise.

Does anyone who wants to spend less than this amount ever stay in half decent hotels in the UK.,plus you normally have to pay for your food on top.

You have all your meals included on board , and drink prices are cheaper than ashore.

Also if you read these boards before booking you would know in advance that if you book one grade and wish to upgrade you will always be quoted the prices when booking, not what they are now.

If it is any help I had to contact customer services about something and was told the turnaround for queries was at least 20 days. Not really good these days, but if you are waiting for a reply that is the sort of timescale you are looking at.

 

And if you go for a superior room in a decent hotel, you expect to pay more...

and don't get any entertainment nor such a selection of bars nor an ever changing view .. .. . .. .etc

I despair of these typical P&O cruisers who despite seeing far more competitive offerings of much superior products continue to defend their "wonderful" cruise line.:confused::confused::confused:

[Brayman]

I despair of these typical P&O cruisers who despite seeing far more competitive offerings of much superior products continue to defend their "wonderful" cruise line.:confused::confused::confused:

 

I don't think any of the three posts you quoted mentioned P&O, certainly mine was promoting cruising costs over hotel costs :)

[the english lady]

I despair of these typical P&O cruisers who despite seeing far more competitive offerings of much superior products continue to defend their "wonderful" cruise line.:confused::confused::confused:

John I don't think I am a typical pando cruiser-not sure what one is...

I chose to cruise with them as they go from Southampton. We have given up on flying holidays as the 3hrs at the airport is too boring now.

Do I think they are wonderful...well I am happy enough with what they offer. I keep on looking at 6* lines but very very few do any cruises from Southampton.

Just because some posters on here want to pay the cheapest price they possibly can, does not mean we all have to agree that is the best thing.

I would prefer a price where the staff get paid a sensible amount, and the standards are kept, rather thank have a cruise so cheap that corners have to be cut .

I am still waiting for when the getaway fares-or whatever they are calling them now start coming out in volume and people pay those fares ,but then complain that they can't get the sitting they want for dinner (or freedom dining) etc. Or they end up with the grade of cabin they booked, and did not get upgraded.

Before we were able to afford to cruise annually we did not cruise. I didn't sit at home and say make the prices so I can afford to cruise. We had other holidays , then when we could afford to we cruised.

How someone could say £1200 is too much to pay (because they do not want to pay that much) for a 7 night holiday is beyond me. If you do not want to pay that for a balcony, have an outside cabin.

Would someone care to price up a holiday in the fjords, where you fly to Norway, and then have to arrange land transport to each of the ports, then add in your food and drink (at Norwegian prices) and see if you can do it for less than a cruise.

I have read that Cunard are going to base their adverts etc on luxury brand, rather than chase price downwards. Wouldn't it be nice if Pando did that as well.

[clivep]

Why on earth are you going on about this. We all know prices drop nearer to sail date. Yes the prices are cheaper, but you get 2nd in line for dining choice,table size,chance of an upgrade etc.

You would have to be A very silly person in deed to think that vantage/select fares would remain until sailing date.

There are no price promise guarantees with select fares. Also if a cruise is selling well they may never issue early saver fares, you would just have the very cheap fares close to sailing date,with no choices.

 

I'm not sure why you think I'm "going on about this".

 

I posted 3 months ago with news of the new fare structure... see http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1937142

 

Later in that thread I said: P&O also state "Other promotional prices may be introduced within three months of the sailing date". Let's call them Late Savers (or Getaways version 2) and will presumably be at whatever price is needed to fill the ship".

 

The listing of the new late deals now clarifies and names the "promotional price" that P&O previously referred to.

 

It may not be important to you, but it is to the likes of my wife and I who are retired and do not have money to burn on the exhorbitant Vantange/Select pricing.

 

My view has always been:-

Was just reading on the Cunard board on a forum , that they are not going to rely on price to sell their cruises, but more the brand itself...ie The Dorchester does not sell itself on price, but on luxury. lets see how that works.

 

They may try but I don't think it will work for them as the days when Cunard and P&O were considered luxury brands are long gone. The product offered is comparable to the other mass market lines RCI/Celebrity, NCL, MSC, Costa & Carnival.

 

I thought there had been a discussion on these boards last year that about £100 pppn was about the right price.

 

There was indeed a discussion with some, like yourself, thinking that was about the right price. Others, like me, were suggesting that £50 pppn was about right for an inside cabin.

 

It depends very much on the time of year. The Med is too hot for us between June-September but is usually tolerable in April, May, October and November. Fortunately the cruise lines find it very hard to fill their ship in these months so there is heavy discounting. We only book a balcony cabin (so that we can keep the balcony door open overnight as the air-con never gets the room cool enough... AND we take electric fans) but have never paid more than £80 pppn even on Azamara. The least expensive was a RCI one in 2012 which worked out at less than £30 pppn for a balcony cabin and as we are diamond in their loyalty club we got free wine in the evening.:)

 

I am still waiting for when the getaway fares-or whatever they are calling them now start coming out in volume and people pay those fares ,but then complain that they can't get the sitting they want for dinner (or freedom dining) etc. Or they end up with the grade of cabin they booked, and did not get upgraded.

Before we were able to afford to cruise annually we did not cruise. I didn't sit at home and say make the prices so I can afford to cruise. We had other holidays , then when we could afford to we cruised.

How someone could say £1200 is too much to pay (because they do not want to pay that much) for a 7 night holiday is beyond me. If you do not want to pay that for a balcony, have an outside cabin.

 

They're called SAVERS or LATE SAVERS. Pointing this out was the purpose of this thread in the first place (that you criticized me for!).

 

I've not seen any complaints about not getting upgrades from those booked on Getaway prices and see no reason why this should occur with the late saver prices. All the complaints in this regard that I have read were from those who paid Vantage/Select prices.

 

We usually take 2 x 14 day cruises a year but I would not pay £1200 for a 14 day cruise yet alone a 7 day one.

[the english lady]

We only book a balcony cabin (so that we can keep the balcony door open overnight as the air-con never gets the room cool enough... AND we take electric fans

I would just like to point out it does say not to prop the doors open. If you open your door the air con turns off.

I've not seen any complaints about not getting upgrades from those booked on Getaway prices and see no reason why this should occur with the late saver prices. All the complaints in this regard that I have read were from those who paid Vantage/Select prices.

The reason the people on getaway fares were not complaining was that they were the ones getting the upgrades, not the people who had paid vantage fares.(which is why the vantage fare payers were not complaining)

However that has now been amended so the upgrades would be offered to select fare payers first. Which is the way it should be.

I took umbrage at the first post as it was written as though it was a total surprise that prices had dropped.

If the prices were set at £50pppn as an opening fare I am sure they would fill all the ships however I do you think it would be akin to going with easycruise.

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

while everyone is discussing the new price structure, P&O are giving way cars, free cruises and vouchers to travel agents........:rolleyes:

 

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2014/01/28/46782/p.html

[majortom10]

Just proves the poor state they are in and cruises are obviously not selling after the Vantage fiasco and lost a lot of regulars to other cruise lines including me.

[tillybilly321]

To be honest I'm not surprised they are struggling to sell the Ventura Med cruises. There was very little, if any, incentive to book early on these cruises. After thoroughly enjoying our Ventura cruise last summer, we thought we would look at booking again for this year. What a shock we got ! the price for the cabin had increased by a couple of hundred pounds pp. There were minimal childrens, 3rd / 4th person discounts, and then to cap it all off, they wanted another £300 per person for flights ! An extra £1200 for us :eek:

 

The flight charge did surprise me, as all the Caribbean and World sectors are flight inclusive. I notice now though, that Med fly cruises have been reduced substantially and flights are now included in the price. Had P&O done this last summer / Autumn when most people are looking at booking their next summer holiday, then perhaps they wouldn't be struggling to fill the ship now. I'm sure that there were many people that took one look and booked elsewhere. Lets face it if you are happy to fly to embark on a cruise there is a huge amount of choice out there.

 

It may be OK for them to charge a premium fare on Southampton sailings as there is a limited choice of cruise lines, but when it comes to Med sailings I certainly wouldn't pay several £1000's of pounds extra purely for the P&O brand.

 

I don't know if those who paid extra for their flights have been reimbursed in anyway, as they are now included ? But I'm certainly glad I didn't take the plunge :(

[crafty sue]

We booked early with the flight priced separate from the cruise price - but if you price it now with it included it works out the same so no problems there - it just looks cheaper if you look at a cruise price before the add on's.

 

I think they realised that as you fly to Malaga and back from Genoa - it would be difficult for people to actually book their own flights easily - they have charted flights themselves so it makes sense to price it all inclusive of flights

Edited February 4, 2014 by crafty sue