Best UK Options for P&O Discounts

[Selbourne]

Forgive me if this has been covered elsewhere, but I have searched and can't find an answer.

 

Because we are fussy about cabin type and locations, we tend to book our cruises around a year in advance in order to get guaranteed specific cabins, dining options etc. This obviously means we pay top dollar, although we often get several £k off with Tesco Clubcard vouchers.

 

I was talking to someone the other day (in the real world, not on here) who goes on lots of cruises (inc P&O) and often books just a few days before, through a website (can't recall the name). They aren't at all bothered about cabin type or location, which wouldn't suit us.

 

So, my question is this. What is the best way to get a bargain P&O cruise where you can still choose the specific cabin, dining option etc and is this restricted to last minute bookings or can you get cracking deals way in advance?

[majortom10]

You cant a couple of years ago P&O reduced the commission paid to travel agents to virtually just a "booking fee" and from that day early bookings have paid the same price whichever TA you book with or if you book direct with P&O. The only difference is you might get a TA give a little bit more OBC.

[jeanlyon]

P&O have now raised the commission level and owing to that the latest cruise we booked for September 2015, we got a very good discount, choice of cabin and some nice OBC. good thing to test out agents before you book and don't book direct with P&O

[Selbourne]

P&O have now raised the commission level and owing to that the latest cruise we booked for September 2015, we got a very good discount, choice of cabin and some nice OBC. good thing to test out agents before you book and don't book direct with P&O

 

Would you mind sharing what sort of discount percentage you achieved and from where? As I've said, we've managed to get a good chunk off with Tesco Clubcard vouchers, but you don't get free parking or on board credit when you pay using those, which dilutes their worth somewhat.

[jeanlyon]

I used a new TA in Wales - don't think I'm allowed to mention the name, but passion is one of their names. I'm sure you can find it.

 

the price of an inside cabin for 21 days was £1849 plus £100 pp OBC. The price now is £2089. I think it was ~£1999 at launch.

[daiB]

Forgive me if this has been covered elsewhere, but I have searched and can't find an answer.

 

 

 

Because we are fussy about cabin type and locations, we tend to book our cruises around a year in advance in order to get guaranteed specific cabins, dining options etc. This obviously means we pay top dollar, although we often get several £k off with Tesco Clubcard vouchers.

 

 

 

I was talking to someone the other day (in the real world, not on here) who goes on lots of cruises (inc P&O) and often books just a few days before, through a website (can't recall the name). They aren't at all bothered about cabin type or location, which wouldn't suit us.

 

 

 

So, my question is this. What is the best way to get a bargain P&O cruise where you can still choose the specific cabin, dining option etc and is this restricted to last minute bookings or can you get cracking deals way in advance?

 

 

Selbourne,

 

I have had the cheapest deals by booking on day one of the booking period, April each year. They generally have some incentive for booking very early. If you are booking a suite then you have to book early as they do not go to saver fare at all. With the new fare structure suites are filled by giving people upgrades eg from a mini suite. The people getting these will be very early booking full fare passengers.

 

Therefore if you want a suite then you have to book early as the price is unlikely to come down and could well go up.

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[spideygirl]

I just booked direct with p&o as that is the only way to use tesco vouchers. Stilled worked cheaper for us as we had enough to make the cruise half the select fare. Every time i have phoned up for a price it was always the select fare quoted if using tesco vouchers. The select fare does go up and down, when we booked it had gone down £50 a person.

 

If i wasn't using tesco vouchers then i book late and hope there is a cabin i like. Also we are booking in school holidays and to the fjords which seems popular this year. So i don't think the select price will change much (not looking anyway!)

[majortom10]

I used a new TA in Wales - don't think I'm allowed to mention the name, but passion is one of their names. I'm sure you can find it.

 

the price of an inside cabin for 21 days was £1849 plus £100 pp OBC. The price now is £2089. I think it was ~£1999 at launch.

 

I think you will find that the particular cruise TA in question is not ABTA bonded and I wouldnt go anywhere near them with any of my money or book a cruise with them. Too much of a risk just to save a few quid to risk losing the lot if they go "bump" and you are not protected. Having booked a holiday with a holiday company (not cruise) that went into administration ABTA were absolutely fantastic and we didnt lose a penny.

[jeanlyon]

No they are not ABTA, but the money is held in Global Travel Client account and I have checked on all that.

 

Quote from Money Supermarket

 

Ensure the tour operator or travel agent is bonded with ATOL (Air Travel Organisers' Licensing); you can do this at http://www.atol.org.uk; Also check your travel agent is a member of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), Travel Trust Association (TTA) or Global Travel Group, all of which ensure that money paid to their retailer members are covered.

Edited September 11, 2014 by jeanlyon

[shallwe]

No they are not ABTA, but the money is held in Global Travel Client account and I have checked on all that.

 

Quote from Money Supermarket

 

Ensure the tour operator or travel agent is bonded with ATOL (Air Travel Organisers' Licensing); you can do this at http://www.atol.org.uk; Also check your travel agent is a member of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), Travel Trust Association (TTA) or Global Travel Group, all of which ensure that money paid to their retailer members are covered.

 

I booked other holidays through Global Travel Group companies before and never had a problem. As you say, they are covered .

[majortom10]

Sorry wouldnt touch them with a barge pole however cheap they were.

[jeanlyon]

the company has been operating for 20 years with no problem. Unless you have proof that they are no good, you can't say that. There are others that I wouldn't touch with a bargepole, having used them and they are with ABTA. Nothing but trouble and their reviews are just awful.

 

Travel Advice also says the following

 

However ABTA is not the same as the ATOL scheme and not all travel agents are ABTA members. There are two other schemes that offer membership to agents, the Global Travel Group and the Travel Trust Association (TTA). These also ensure that monies paid to their members cannot go missing if the agent goes under.

So you can book with either an ABTA member or a member of Global Travel Group or the TTA and know that the money you have paid to their agent members is safe and secure under their own financial protection scheme.

Edited September 11, 2014 by jeanlyon

[StLucia]

Just pay the deposit of at least £100 by credit card and you are protected through that. An agent we booked a land based holiday went bust a couple of weeks before we were due to depart. Just rung the card company, completed a claim form and booked a new holiday the same day. Would have taken weeks if claimed through a ta.

[shallwe]

And just to clarify the ABTA / ATOL a bit further, the following is taken from Travelsupermarket.co.uk: -

 

ABTA is the Association of British Travel Agents who represents the industry members and offer financial cover should an agent you have paid money to go under. They ensure that all members operate under strict rules and guidelines to protect the customer when things go wrong.

 

However ABTA is not the same as the ATOL scheme and not all travel agents are ABTA members. There are two other schemes that offer membership to agents, the Global Travel Group and the Travel Trust Association (TTA). These also ensure that monies paid to their members cannot go missing if the agent goes under.

So you can book with either an ABTA member or a member of Global Travel Group or the TTA and know that the money you have paid to their agent members is safe and secure under their own financial protection scheme

 

To clarify even further, this is taken from the Global Travel Group's own website as a FAQ for prospective travel agents wanting to join their scheme: -

 

The answer is definitely yes – you have access to the Group ATOL to package your own products and protect your customer’s holiday together with a Client Account that protects your clients financially.

 

Best not to confuse things majortom by niaivity. But you are still welcome to spend more money for the same holiday that others are paying less for. Each to their own.

[Selbourne]

Just to bring us back to topic, if I may, I am hearing that discounts are available well in advance, but nothing of the scale of using Tesco Clubcard vouchers (assuming that you have enough to warrant a discount of more than 10%).

 

My question was really relating to late bookings (say, within a month or so of departure). Does anyone know whether you can get a good discount (say 20% or more), either from P&O or any reliable website, whilst still being able to chose between individual available cabins, rather than just categories?

[jeanlyon]

No you cannot choose a cabin with P&O on a Saver deal, nor do you get choice of dining, nor free shuttles. Surely the discount is on the Saver fare itself?

 

How many Tesco vouchers do you have to have for a discount? I get Tesco vouchers, but not that much?

[Selbourne]

No you cannot choose a cabin with P&O on a Saver deal, nor do you get choice of dining, nor free shuttles. Surely the discount is on the Saver fare itself?

 

How many Tesco vouchers do you have to have for a discount? I get Tesco vouchers, but not that much?

 

I understand the rules for Saver fares, but I think you are assuming (as I had done previously) that the only options were the two standard P&O options. It seems that there are much better 'non standard' deals available when a cruise draws near and P&O has availability and wants to fill the last remaining vacant cabins. Clearly these will never be advertised by P&O because we would all start waiting for them, but the internet is bound to have changed cruise pricing as it has everything else.

 

The person I spoke to (and others I have spoken to on previous cruises) seem to suggest that certain reputable websites get given last minute P&O cruises at very steep discounts. Nobody replying to this thread (yet) seems to be aware of them, just modest discounts through conventional travel agents.

 

Ref your Clubcard question, we have a Tesco credit card and put all our regular household expenditure and big purchases through it. Consequently, every 2 years (the maximum duration for them), we cash them in for P&O vouchers and usually get between £1-2k off.

[the english lady]

I understand the rules for Saver fares, but I think you are assuming (as I had done previously) that the only options were the two standard P&O options. It seems that there are much better 'non standard' deals available when a cruise draws near and P&O has availability and wants to fill the last remaining vacant cabins. Clearly these will never be advertised by P&O because we would all start waiting for them, but the internet is bound to have changed cruise pricing as it has everything else.

 

The person I spoke to (and others I have spoken to on previous cruises) seem to suggest that certain reputable websites get given last minute P&O cruises at very steep discounts. Nobody replying to this thread (yet) seems to be aware of them, just modest discounts through conventional travel agents.

 

Ref your Clubcard question, we have a Tesco credit card and put all our regular household expenditure and big purchases through it. Consequently, every 2 years (the maximum duration for them), we cash them in for P&O vouchers and usually get between £1-2k off.

I remember reading a couple of years ago of someone having about the same number of tesco vouchers. Like you everything they purchased was via tesco.TVs and everything.

[Living on a prayer]

We have a "premium" current account with a major bank. We book with P+O using the banks recommended TA and get a 10% discount.

[ep1987]

Rather than create a new topic these questions probably fit best here.

 

1. If i book a cruise with a travel agent will the deposit and cancellation policy be similar to P&O?

 

2. Also will the cruise actually be booked by them now meaning that i'd get documentation etc. at the same time as if i went with P&O direct and would i be contacted by P&O as regards dining preference (would be an early saver on Ventura and would want Freedom if possible).

 

3. With regards to upgrades can you put notes on? Basically we don't want to be on P-deck so would be booking NC grade (although me may yet opt for a blacony). An upgrade (to NC or obstructed outside) would be fine but the next grade up is another set of P-deck cabins.

 

Thanks for any help.

[jeanlyon]

Hi, the deposit and cancellation policy should be identical. That was the problem with the ABTA TA that I used, they took 20% deposit and wanted the balance so long in advance. Those were just two of the reasons I didn't use them any more. I won't put the name, but they give Cruise Miles.

 

Yes the cruise is booked by them and you should get two lots of documentation. One from them and then the official P&O booking invoice. You would give your dining preference when you booked.

 

We always ask that there should be no upgrades. When I've chosen my cabin I want to stay there.

 

Yes, you do sometimes see special deals on some TA sites right near the start of the cruise.

Edited September 12, 2014 by jeanlyon

[davecttr]

When you book a select fare with the TA you should be asked about

 

Freedom or club dining

early or late sitting for club

size of table

cabin number

bed arrangement, 2 singles or queen

do you want to be considered for an upgrade

 

Yuo should then get paperwork from the TA and P&O will send theirs by post in a few days.