Who does princess think they are fooling

[timbom]

Yesterday I received a call from my Princess vacation planner on a cruise I have been looking at. She told me about a upcoming Red White and Blue promotion they were going to start offering today.

 

It involved special pricing and large discounts. When I asked for detail I found they were going to give me a 100$ room credit for a booking.

 

Only problem was the price on this special promotion was 50$ more per person.

 

I am sick and tired of the not so special promotions.

 

Who do they think they are fooling. When I pointed this out to the Princess employee she admitted these special sales drive her crazy also.

[Iamcruzin]

I have never found any of the Princess promotions to be a bargain other than price drops towards final payment dates. Most if not all at this point require a non refundable deposit. Every once in a while they run the other scam promotion where they advertise book a balcony for the price of an ocean view and all they do is jack up the price of the ocean view to match the price of the balcony. I fell into that trap once long before I was price savvy and followed cruise critic. Even the special captains club rate for booking early ends up not being a bargain once they start reducing the price of the cruise. With Princess it's best to book closer to sailing date or find a travel agent that discounts and don't even look at the smoke and mirror promotions.

Edited June 16, 2015 by Iamcruzin

[diane.in.ny]

Maybe it is just cruises that seem to go down as sailing approaches but we are taking a Princess land tour/cruise and our tour/cabin has gone UP almost $1300 as we get closer to departure.

[Colo Cruiser]

I agree and they are getting worse. :(

[Steelers36]

Maybe it is just cruises that seem to go down as sailing approaches but we are taking a Princess land tour/cruise and our tour/cabin has gone UP almost $1300 as we get closer to departure.

 

I would expect to see prices high on nearly sold out trips and price drops when there are plenty of cabins left to sell. It's only logical.

 

There has to be a percentage of slippage as final payment date approaches so that slippage needs to be sold quickly and lock up the funds.

[Putterdude]

It's called marketing and these promotions are done to attract new sales, not to provide lower prices to customers who have already booked the cruise. Its really up to the us to separate the wheat from the chaff. The disappointment here is that there wasn't the anticipated lower price that we all hope for.

[Go-Bucks!]

With Princess it's best to . . . find a travel agent that discounts and don't even look at the smoke and mirror promotions.

 

 

I've always used travel agents who are "high-volume-Princess" agents. They give me 12-15% discounts on cabins, lots of OBC and other perks. If you book directly with Princess you pay the highest price. :(

[bhopal21]

I've always used travel agents who are "high-volume-Princess" agents. They give me 12-15% discounts on cabins, lots of OBC and other perks. If you book directly with Princess you pay the highest price. :(

 

That has been our experience as well.

 

Mike:)

[SharkieRools]

I lucked out - I happened to be looking at my upcoming cruise pricing yesterday (just like almost every other day :D ) and saw it was lower than I had booked at. Called in and re-fared at the lower price along with the OBC - paperwork says it was booked under the "Red White and Blue Sale." Today I look and see the pricing is higher than my original booking. :cool:

[satxdiver]

Maybe it is just cruises that seem to go down as sailing approaches but we are taking a Princess land tour/cruise and our tour/cabin has gone UP almost $1300 as we get closer to departure.

 

You are on a popular cruise that they are having no trouble filling. It is only on the ships that are not selling well that they will drop the price. We were on a cruise last January and the price went up as the cabins filled. The ship was full at sail time.

[partybarbie]

I don't think this "sale" is very good either. We booked a cruise under the "Memorial Day Sale" and that pricing was cheaper than what is being offered now. My upcoming Caribbean cruise has gone up $200.00 per person since I booked it last year. I'm very disappointed in this "sale".:(

[Pam in CA]

I've always used travel agents who are "high-volume-Princess" agents. They give me 12-15% discounts on cabins, lots of OBC and other perks. If you book directly with Princess you pay the highest price. :(

Exactly. Sometimes I pay even less. It all depends.

 

Princess is a business and they are trying several different marketing promotions. Some people are happy to be paying a net discount of $50.

[USNUZULOOSE]

I don't even try to keep up with different promos. I find something I am happy with. If I find a price drop, great but other wise I don't bother.

[PescadoAmarillo]

I've always used travel agents who are "high-volume-Princess" agents. They give me 12-15% discounts on cabins, lots of OBC and other perks.

Do that, but continue to check prices on your own. I've found the best price drops last a day or two and are not part of announced promotions.

[Colo Cruiser]

The ship was full at sail time.

 

 

Hence the sailing full sign glued to the Passenger Services counter. :cool:

[Chunder Worthy]

Yesterday I received a call from my Princess [involving] special pricing and large discounts. When I asked for detail I found they were going to give me a 100$ room credit for a booking.

 

Only problem was the price on this special promotion was 50$ more per person.

 

Wow. Princess: Outed.

 

Thanks. I'm going to remember these tactics next time I look at booking a cruise.

[shredie]

It's called marketing and these promotions are done to attract new sales, not to provide lower prices to customers who have already booked the cruise. Its really up to the us to separate the wheat from the chaff. The disappointment here is that there wasn't the anticipated lower price that we all hope for.

There is no "fooling" going on. This is standard marketing 101, and it should come as no surprise that Princess is trying to sell cruises to people for as much as they can get. :rolleyes:

[Matcodixon]

I am sure that there are a lot of variables that determine sale pricing. How the cruise is selling, which cabins are selling out, etc. I just checked the Red White and Blue sale and the cruise I have currently booked has gone down $50 PP for the Balcony as well as an increase in OBC from $50 to $100. Just contacted my TA to see if I can get fare adjusted.

 

Our last MED cruise was a total winner in that respect. We started by booking a Balcony GTY and ended up with over $1000 PP fare drop and a Mini-suite.

 

It pays to watch and do the math..

 

Your results may vary.

[nukesubsailor]

My practice is to book a cruise I want as soon as the new schedule is published. I get the "Captain's Circle Launch Savings" fare. I keep a list of bookings on my desk in front of my computer monitor. I note on the list the fare I booked the cruise for. Every week I compare the current price for the cabin I booked with the price I booked at. In my last 5 cruises, the fare I booked remained the same or lower than the fares advertised as the sailing date gets closer.

Edited June 16, 2015 by nukesubsailor

[worldspan]

There is no "fooling" going on. This is standard marketing 101, and it should come as no surprise that Princess is trying to sell cruises to people for as much as they can get. :rolleyes:

 

Could not disagree more and it is surely not standard marketing 101.

 

Rather, it is SMOKE AND MIRRORS 101.

 

 

135 Cruises (including 35 on Princess)

and no more!

[Thrak]

Very odd... I just checked one of my bookings and noticed a small - $50 pp - price drop so I called Princess and asked to be refared. The Princess rep said I was already fared at that rate. What??? I check my bookings frequently and this is the first time I've seen even a small drop on this cruise. I told her I was looking at my booking confirmation dated March 12, 2015 and it was definitely showing $50 pp more than the web site. She said that was weird because on her end it showed the lower rate and she sent me a new booking confirmation dated today with the lower fare.

 

I have never heard of Princess automagically adjusting a fare downward. It's just bizarre. Ah, well. I now have "official" paperwork with the lower price and it's not like they won't get the $100 back in the bar... :)

[AKman2495]

I agree that promotions are promotions and have to be checked carefully.

 

That said, I have seen the price of our cruise drop twice since I booked it and we have saved over $1300 as a result.

 

So, they do actually lower prices sometimes...

Edited June 16, 2015 by AKman2495

[JF - retired RRT]

I have 5 cruises booked for November thru January (4 on Princess). When I booked (thru 2 different "high volume" TAs), the total cost was $14000+. Have been watching the prices (and probably driving the TAs crazy) and have gotten 6 price drops which has driven my total down to 12153. And I still have 3 months till my final payments start:D

In case anyone is wondering why so much for 5 cruises: 1) 5 day Mexico, 2) 17 day Panama Canal full transit East bound, 3) 10 day Caribbean, 4) 4 day Caribbean, 5) 15 day Panama full transit West bound.

[shredie]

I have 5 cruises booked for November thru January (4 on Princess). When I booked (thru 2 different "high volume" TAs), the total cost was $14000+. Have been watching the prices (and probably driving the TAs crazy) and have gotten 6 price drops which has driven my total down to 12153. And I still have 3 months till my final payments start:D

In case anyone is wondering why so much for 5 cruises: 1) 5 day Mexico, 2) 17 day Panama Canal full transit East bound, 3) 10 day Caribbean, 4) 4 day Caribbean, 5) 15 day Panama full transit West bound.

 

Could you stop and pick me up on the way? :);) Two Panamas! How fun!

[tdeyette]

2) 17 day Panama Canal full transit East bound,---- then----- 5) 15 day Panama full transit West bound.

 

That is one way to save on airfare.... hmmmm I'll have to try that one on my wife! :D