holy price drop!

[Cruisin' Lisa]

Mrs Romy == are you past final payment? Did you get a recent email offering to up sell you ?

 

I ask because Hubby and I are booked on May 18 Grand Princess and got an upsell email last week to move from obstructed cabin to balcony for $99/person, good for 48 hours only. I tried calling the number provided but could get never ahold of anyone, or the office was closed.

 

The day after the upsell offer ended (literally), the new Princess sale started (but for "New" bookings" only) -- and so, of course, we didn't qualify.

 

Yesterday, I called Princess re: something else and mentioned that I got the email but never was able to speak to anyone. Long story short, I was offered the upsell balcony upgrade for the $99 price if we wanted it, even though it was after the "deadline".

 

Now booked on Caribe aft balcony for $99/pp more -- our obstructed ocean view was $678/pp, our balcony cost $777/pp.

 

If we were a new booking it would cost $759, so for $18 more than a new booking would pay, I thought it was worth taking since it is an alaska cruise with scenic views and we are celebrating our 30th anniv.

 

So maybe there are ways you can still get an upgrade without having to pay an arm and a leg, and without having to be a new booking. Ask your TA to "push" for you and be your advocate.

Edited April 30, 2014 by Cruisin' Lisa

[The CRuIseLLS]

 

 

 

Now booked on Caribe aft balcony for $99/pp more -- our obstructed ocean view was $678/pp' date=' our balcony cost $777/pp.

 

If we were a new booking it would cost $759, so for $18 more than a new booking would pay, I thought it was worth taking since it is an alaska cruise with scenic views and we are celebrating our 30th anniv.

 

[/quote']

 

OMG - talk about "rip off Britain"

 

Out of curiosity i've just looked up the cost on Princess's UK website for a room on that cruise and they still have them on offer......

Caribe deck, aft, with balcony comes in at the extraordinary price of £989.........that's $1,592

Can't believe it. How can Princess justify the difference?

Like for like, we do tend to pay more in the UK than you do in the USA but more than double???.........thats astounding!!!!!

We're going on the Panama Canal in September. If I hear anyone talking about how much they paid, I think I'll give them a wide berth otherwise I may spend the rest of the cruise in a deep depression.

[mrsromy]

Mrs Romy == are you past final payment? Did you get a recent email offering to up sell you ?

 

I ask because Hubby and I are booked on May 18 Grand Princess and got an upsell email last week to move from obstructed cabin to balcony for $99/person' date=' good for 48 hours only. I tried calling the number provided but could get never ahold of anyone, or the office was closed.

 

The day after the upsell offer ended (literally), the new Princess sale started (but for "New" bookings" only) -- and so, of course, we didn't qualify.

 

Yesterday, I called Princess re: something else and mentioned that I got the email but never was able to speak to anyone. Long story short, I was offered the upsell balcony upgrade for the $99 price if we wanted it, even though it was after the "deadline".

 

Now booked on Caribe aft balcony for $99/pp more -- our obstructed ocean view was $678/pp, our balcony cost $777/pp.

 

If we were a new booking it would cost $759, so for $18 more than a new booking would pay, I thought it was worth taking since it is an alaska cruise with scenic views and we are celebrating our 30th anniv.

 

So maybe there are ways you can still get an upgrade without having to pay an arm and a leg, and without having to be a new booking. Ask your TA to "push" for you and be your advocate.[/quote']

 

We are definitely past our final payment; we're leaving on 5/17 on the Golden. I've been working with the TA to try to get something going...but he says there's nothing available. I'm hoping that maybe there will be something available after this Summer Clearance is finished (ends today).

 

Thanks for the information though and congrats on the upsell!!

[Cruisin' Lisa]

Out of curiousity, the cruise, isnt there any way you could go on the princess website as if you were an American instead of a Britain? (and just be willing to pay the U.S. foreign exchange rate for buying in USD instead of british pounds)?

 

For example, if I were vacationing or "on business" in Britain, but wanted to book a cruise online while there, I would guess I would still be able to book with the lower "U.S." Princess cruise prices, instead of the higher "British" prices?

 

And of course, the prices I quoted (eg $777/pp for our Caribe balcony aft cabin on the May 18 Grand Princess sailing) is before taxes and fees.

Edited May 1, 2014 by Cruisin' Lisa

[OzKiwiJJ]

OMG - talk about "rip off Britain"

 

Out of curiosity i've just looked up the cost on Princess's UK website for a room on that cruise and they still have them on offer......

Caribe deck, aft, with balcony comes in at the extraordinary price of £989.........that's $1,592

Can't believe it. How can Princess justify the difference?

Like for like, we do tend to pay more in the UK than you do in the USA but more than double???.........thats astounding!!!!!

We're going on the Panama Canal in September. If I hear anyone talking about how much they paid, I think I'll give them a wide berth otherwise I may spend the rest of the cruise in a deep depression.

 

If you live in Australia the price is $1576 (AUD), roughly $1400 USD. Almost as bad as UK prices. We're used to it in Australia, most airfares originating out of Australia are considerably more expensive than flights originating out of the UK. Still makes me mad! :mad:

[The CRuIseLLS]

Out of curiousity' date=' the cruise, isnt there any way you could go on the princess website as if you were an American instead of a Britain? (and just be willing to pay the U.S. foreign exchange rate for buying in USD instead of british pounds)?

 

For example, if I were vacationing or "on business" in Britain, but wanted to book a cruise online while there, I would guess I would still be able to book with the lower "U.S." Princess cruise prices, instead of the higher "British" prices?

 

And of course, the prices I quoted (eg $777/pp for our Caribe balcony aft cabin on the May 18 Grand Princess sailing) is before taxes and fees.[/quote']

Even with the extras like tax, it still comes out a lot cheaper than UK prices.

We cant book via Princess USA, no matter what we key in, it still directs us to the site with the british prices. We've had this scenario before on flights. BA are cheaper if you buy on a French travel site (for example). You can go right thru booking but as soon as you key in credit card details, it knows its a british card & redirects you to the UK site where the prices sky rocket!!!!!

Same with sites like expedia, except that doesnt even let you get as far as trying to book, it says something to the effect of, you seem to be looking at these really cheap prices on the US site from a UK location so we'll redirect to the very expensive UK site 😠. I actually wrote to them about it & got fobbed off with subsidiary differences effectively making them different companies!!!!!!!

Looks like us and anyone from Australia is destined to pay extortionate prices

 

Despite paying a fortune, we loved Alaska and even knowing how much more it costs us, I'd love to go back.

Hope you have a great time on the Grand 😄

[OzKiwiJJ]

BA can be 30-60% dearer flying Sydney - London compared with London - Sydney :(

[two_black_dogs]

I'm interested to see that the first couple of posters who were lucky enough to get a price drop were Australians . I have been keeping a close eye on Princess.com.au but haven't noticed any movement at all. I did see the Easter emails, but none of those price drops were applicable to the cruise we have booked ( Panama Canal full transit April 2015). So, I'm wondering if some routes don't fluctuate at all, whilst others, where there is a higher traffic perhaps, are more likely to experience drops? Or, is it a matter of the price drop being advertised through our travel agent, in which case, do I stay in regular contact with her, just shooting the breeze in case a special comes along? Any advice appreciated! We all want to save some $$$ ( even if it just means a couple more OBC $$)

[OzKiwiJJ]

Yes, I think the pre-Easter price drops were for Australian-based cruises.

 

I was just dead lucky to spot the one I was able to take advantage of. I don't know how long it had been on offer but the prices went back up again a day or so later. I was actually surprised to see a drop of that magnitude for my cruise as it is a Christmas cruise. Maybe bookings weren't taking off as fast as Princess expected them to.

 

I guess you just have to keep watching the prices. I booked through a TA but initially spotted the price drop on the Princess website, then went and looked to see what it was on the TA's website.

 

Good luck, I hope you find a good price drop before your cruise. :)