1st time cruiser annoyed before we sail!

[djbo]

My friends who are regular cruisers advised me to book early as not only do you get the cabin you want but the prices don't go down but up nearer the time. We go next week and P&O are now advertising prices at more than £300 cheaper than what we paid! Do I need to look at the small print to see if there's a price guarantee?

[kersh]

The price you paid for your cruise includes your choice of cabin, dining time and either OBC or free parking or coach travel.

 

The price now will be a saver fare which means no choices at all and no free shuttle bus from the port to the towns.

 

Is this worth £300 only you can decide but there are no price guarantees.

[the english lady]

My friends who are regular cruisers advised me to book early as not only do you get the cabin you want but the prices don't go down but up nearer the time. We go next week and P&O are now advertising prices at more than £300 cheaper than what we paid! Do I need to look at the small print to see if there's a price guarantee?

Suggest you ask your friends-if they are regular cruisers why they led you up the garden path.

Prices will always come down nearer to sailing date as they fill cabins up.

however late booking come with different T and C than the ones you booked under.

Go on your cruise, enjoy yourself ,and do not make it a table conversation at dinner as to what each person paid. it will probably be all different prices for the same cruise.

[kevinyork]

My friends who are regular cruisers advised me to book early as not only do you get the cabin you want but the prices don't go down but up nearer the time. We go next week and P&O are now advertising prices at more than £300 cheaper than what we paid! Do I need to look at the small print to see if there's a price guarantee?

 

 

Think of it like a package holiday whereby those who book early secure their preferred dates, hotel etc but those booking late generally get it for less, if its still available.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Spikey M]

As long as it's your friends you are angry - not p&o - at then you have every right to be annoyed. In fact, I'd be asking them why they lied to me.

[David Owl]

I'm not sure why people put themselves through this. Presumably you were happy with the price that you paid at the time you paid it. No reason to look at the prices after that.

[P&O SUE]

Don't forget you were able to secure a cabin you wanted (presumably your friends gave you the right info about this) - you might have been put over the night club or under the pool. Think of that - and enjoy your cruise!

[NauticalMiss]

I'm not sure why people put themselves through this. Presumably you were happy with the price that you paid at the time you paid it. No reason to look at the prices after that.

 

 

Couldn't agree more.

[Scriv]

Enjoy your cruise and the cabin and dining which you have chosen :)

[bobstheboy]

I can understand the annoyance.

 

The OP clearly said they were new to cruising and their friends was experienced. He/she also said their friends told him/her prices only go up, so either he/she was lied to or their friends were not as experienced as they said.

[the english lady]

I can understand the annoyance.

 

The OP clearly said they were new to cruising and their friends was experienced. He/she also said their friends told him/her prices only go up, so either he/she was lied to or their friends were not as experienced as they said.

 

I can understand them totally being annoyed, but as you have said it should be aimed at their friends.

Pando have done nothing wrong here. Suggest before they cruise again-if they do OP reads up on the different T and C for each type of fare, and reads up lots on CC about what the different types of fare can actually mean-ie saver fares being in the sort of position that select fare payers would not book.

Maybe if OP reads up he will be better able to help their misguided friends!!!

[heywood]

These conversations happen so often and as has been said, you are happy when you book so just leave it and next time look carefully at the details.

Perhaps the friends' just told of their experience.

We booked our November cruise earlier in the year with the extra OBC offer.

It has never been that price since with the various P and O campaigns. It is now more than £200 dearer.

Djbo, perhaps you got extra on board credit and other offers with your booking, I hope so. I also hope that you enjoy your cruise.

Edited September 20, 2014 by heywood

[Sealoveragain]

I know it's annoying it's happened to me too and to lots of other people. I still think it's worth booking early to get exactly what you want and prices sometimes go up. Try not to let it worry you and just enjoy your first cruise.

[Ataraxia]

The problem is that this little seed will grow and grow. You will walk onto the ship looking for anything to pick holes at, and your cruise will be ruined. Please prove me wrong.

[dgs1956]

I'm not sure why people put themselves through this. Presumably you were happy with the price that you paid at the time you paid it. No reason to look at the prices after that.

 

 

Absolutely right. I would say to the OP not to discuss prices on their cruise because there is always someone who paid less or at least says they paid less.

[jeanlyon]

It really is swings and roundabouts. The cruise I am on in just over 2 weeks was never more than £100 less than we paid for our inside cabin, but we got £150 pp OBC and free parking. The one we have booked for next September (2015) is already £300 cheaper on an Early Saver. Now that I cannot understand, why would they discount it this early? It's got some super different ports, so they could have waited 6 months surely before they discount.

 

I don't care, I was happy with the price and the OBC

[djbo]

We paid the full fare and we did get return transport to Southampton included and shuttle service at the ports. I'm not a greedy person and never speak about what we paid in conversations on holidays. I just feel a bit duped that's all, I suppose I should vent at my friends but isn't that what this site is for too? To get information and have constructive criticism when called for? I fully intend to enjoy my cruise, been looking forward to it for a long time. Thank you for all your input.

[Spikey M]

I don’t really understand how you can feel duped. Prices dropping before departure is not unique to cruising. It happens with holidays of all types.

 

it's not even unique to holidays. I'd bet everything I own that the jumper I bought today will be half the price in April.

[heywood]

We paid the full fare and we did get return transport to Southampton included and shuttle service at the ports. I'm not a greedy person and never speak about what we paid in conversations on holidays. I just feel a bit duped that's all, I suppose I should vent at my friends but isn't that what this site is for too? To get information and have constructive criticism when called for? I fully intend to enjoy my cruise, been looking forward to it for a long time. Thank you for all your input.

 

Your friends may have told you their experience though and there was no intention to mislead.

People do get bothered on here if you are happy to pay select fare and choose or on the other hand if you pay less but then have no choice.

What would your feelings be had the price risen- which it will probably have done for some people.

I only started checking prices when I saw threads like this. The prices vary so much, it is hard to judge an optimum time to book.

[kruzseeka]

The problem is that this little seed will grow and grow. You will walk onto the ship looking for anything to pick holes at, and your cruise will be ruined. Please prove me wrong.

 

 

On the other hand once on board if you have a great experience perhaps this niggle will evaporate away. I hope so. :)

 

Perhaps this was your friends' experience of prices - it is a lottery. Near departure if there are lots of staterooms available then there will be price drops to try to fill the ship. However, it's all supply and demand and for a popular cruise which has sold well prices may even go up before departure. This can be a particular problem with fly/cruises once the aircraft from your choice of airport is almost full. Few remaining seats = high prices. The prices may be signifcantly different from airport to airport too depending on up-take. We once booked a cruise from our local airport which was at least £300 p.p. dearer from any other airport. We knew why once on board the plane was only about 75% full. Unfortuantely these fly/cruises haven't flown from here since! :rolleyes: Not surprised!

 

We've booked early to get our choice of cabin, airport, departure date and itinerary to see prices drop considerably but on occasion have also been able to take advantage of a good deal. Some you win, some you lose. We've even literally missed the boat on one occasion by waiting too long. Prices can go up and down - without that crystal ball none of us know which way it will go.

 

If you really want to do a particular itinerary and want to have options in terms of dates, staterooms, dining, airports etc and want the peace of mind of 'having it in the bag' my advice in future would be to decide on a price you're happy to pay, book and then forget it. Enjoy the anticipation, the planning - and above all the cruise itself. Put this one down to experience but be aware that prices don't always go down! ;)

 

Have a great time.

[Host Sharon]

We paid the full fare and we did get return transport to Southampton included and shuttle service at the ports. I'm not a greedy person and never speak about what we paid in conversations on holidays. I just feel a bit duped that's all, I suppose I should vent at my friends but isn't that what this site is for too? To get information and have constructive criticism when called for? I fully intend to enjoy my cruise, been looking forward to it for a long time. Thank you for all your input.

 

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic. I am sorry your first experience of cruising hasn't been all you expected but I am sure you forget all that when you actually board ship for the first time.

 

I would say the Cruise Critic is not really for venting frustrations but for exchanging information and ideas, "meeting" people before your cruise via the roll calls and generally benefitting from the vast experience of everyone on these boards. Now comes the fun part of planning what you will do ashore etc.

[dgs1956]

........... I would say the Cruise Critic is not really for venting frustrations but for exchanging information and ideas, "meeting" people before your cruise via the roll calls and generally benefitting from the vast experience of everyone on these boards.

 

Its not for winding up people either but not much gets done about that.

[1160451]

Just like Marks and Spencer's, buy the jacket at full price to ensure you get your size, fitting and colour you want , or wait for the Sale and end up with wrong size and colour.

Why do people complain about this.

If you were happy with the price you paid then that's it.

Also my motto in life, which I am often ashamed to say, "is never believe anything anybody says" time and times again it's proved true.

Have a great cruise .

[pete14]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. I am sorry your first experience of cruising hasn't been all you expected but I am sure you forget all that when you actually board ship for the first time.

 

I would say the Cruise Critic is not really for venting frustrations but for exchanging information and ideas, "meeting" people before your cruise via the roll calls and generally benefitting from the vast experience of everyone on these boards. Now comes the fun part of planning what you will do ashore etc.

 

I hope that is not the official line Sharon. Posts that are venting frustration or expressing opinions that may be contentious, provided they are genuinely held thoughts and opinions must have their place. What you suggest does also have it's place of course but if the forums are restricted to that, they will become bland, dull and boring. I accept that trolling has no place here but this does not appear to be an issue on these forums (apart maybe for the odd Norwegian night time posting from fjord cruises)!

[Presto2]

My friends who are regular cruisers advised me to book early as not only do you get the cabin you want but the prices don't go down but up nearer the time. We go next week and P&O are now advertising prices at more than £300 cheaper than what we paid! Do I need to look at the small print to see if there's a price guarantee?

 

We once booked at holiday with Thomson 15 months in advance. A couple who we met booked 6 weeks before the holiday for half the price and got a better room. We were cross at the time, but on reflection I suppose it is just how it is. We also booked a cruise at the end of May for the following August and saved a fortune ----------

 

Having said that, usually book early to ensure that we get what we want. Don't like to chance not getting a rubbish cabin.