Does Princess ever use incentives to postpone one's sailing for standbys to get on?

[caribill]

Overbooking goes way back in history.

 

[GUT2407]

Overbooking goes way back in history.

 

 

That's why we have no dinosaurs or unicorns they took moveover offers.

[pompeii]

We just accepted a move over offer to cancel our around the horn cruise on the Crown on Feb 1. It came in about four weeks ahead.

It was as another poster outlined...

-Full refund (in refundable obc)

-Our air cancellation fees - we weren't booked through Princess Air, just had to send proof

-Free 14 night cruise anywhere and anytime and upgraded. In our case it's from a balcony guarantee to a selected mini-suite.

We have the flexibility so we took it. We look at it as we've basically 'won' a free cruise.

We'll do something different this Feb. and after looking at the options have already booked the same SA cruise next winter. Cabins were selling out fast, maybe we'll get another offer.

Yes we can't actually get our refund until after the next cruise so Princess has our money for a year. We considered that as a downside but decided it would keep us from spending it before then.

We're thrilled with the outcome.

 

We also just accepted a move-over offer for our 14-day Jan. 18 around the horn cruise. We got the offer on the Friday before the Wed. sail date, and even though I am still working, we were able to take it. Actually, work was thrilled that I wasn't going which factored into the decision.

 

We got the typical offer: 15 day cruise anywhere Princess sails, cabin upgrade, all change fees/deposits refunded, EZ Air protected for the rebooked cruise, current cruise fare in refundable OBC.

 

We've already rebooked for the 15-day Iceland & Norway sailing on the Pacific out of Dover, but not until 2018. This small-ship sailing never drops in price and it is VERY expensive. So this gave us a bucket list cruise for a very affordable price. We moved from an obstructed OV to a premium balcony. Everything has already been moved over to the new booking, including all of the OBC on the orig cruise along with the cruise fare, and it is all marked as refundable. So now we just have to wait!

 

But don't worry......we also booked a 14-day TA this April so we don't lose our minds waiting for the next one.;)

[Cruisin' Chick]

Out of our five Princess cruises, we were offered moveover offers on two of them that we didn't take.

 

from what I understand, you can't request to be considered for one....those targeted for these offers are based on if you have a cabin that's desired, etc. (in our first case, we were actually in the lowest possible cabin that we got because of a "friends and family" discount)

 

If the first party (or parties) turn down the offer, Princess will sweeten the deal until they get takers.

[azgrandmax3]

We feel we have hit the move over jackpot!! Two weeks before scheduled start of cruise last Oct. we were offered two free cruises, more shipboard credit, full upgrade and return of all $ after first cruise is completed. Original cruise was for 14 days. We will be going on a 28 day cruise in a full suite. The second is for 7 days. Have not planned the second one yet we have till Oct to decide. First cruise there was no limit to days or destination. We as a couple could not choose a family suite. We did book the best available suite. We always book directly with Princess then turn it over TA when final payment is due. We find we keep better control over possible changes and offers that come along. Best of Luck!!

[Aussieflyer]

thank you all for the insight and education. So, it's called "move over" - glad to know! Wow, I cannot imagine being able to spend an OBC in the amount of the cruise, easyboy. (I'd want most of it back - not in their coffers - until the next cruise was up!) Easyboy, maybe I'm missing something but it doesn't sound like a great offer to me since the full refund is in OBC - am I missing something there?

 

We're actually on a cruise where there's a HUGE group of people onboard as a "Concert of the Sea" group. We are confirmed in our cabin but... if the price was right... we'd jump ship to make room for more rock n rollers to press the flesh with the Cowsills, Jay & the Americans, etc. I was amazed that there could be so many people still on standby. They'll have to close the gate 2-3 days before sailing as all info will have to be submitted to Homeland Security (I think) for clearance.

 

Anyway, I dropped a note to my TA saying that if they're making an offer to good to refuse... we won't refuse it!

 

Thanks everyone!

 

Yes, as the OBC is refundable, so what you don't spend you will receive back.

[O2Bcrusin]

One thing to keep in mind is that if you're on the waitlist and a cabin becomes available, you are not automatically assigned a cabin and get off the wait list. Anyone can select an available cabin at any time even if there's a wait list. You or your TA needs to keep calling Princess to check on availability and stay on top of your booking.

 

What is the point being on a wait list then??

 

I agree. I don't think this is true.

[caribill]

What is the point being on a wait list then??

 

I agree. I don't think this is true.

 

Apparently the wait lists are not automatically processed. I do not know how much manual work is done in that process.

 

And yes, it is true.

 

I was on a cruise that had been sold out for months and had GTYs plus wait lists for every cabin category.

 

Periodically cabins would show up on the web site and usually someone on the roll call would spot this and post the availability on the roll call. Usually within minutes of the postings the cabins would get booked, either by roll call members with GTYs or by lurkers who had been unable to even get on the closed wait lists. They would then post their success on the roll call.

[Woobstr112G]

Could someone please explain the concept of receiving a refund in the form of refundable OBC's? I just can't grasp the concept. If I accepted a move over offer and had paid say 12K for a cruise, the 12K would show up in my personalizer as12K of OBC's? This would be in addition to receiving another cruise for free? Why wouldn't they just send you a check?

 

Sorry if this seems like a dumb question.....:):):)

 

Bob

[pompeii]

Could someone please explain the concept of receiving a refund in the form of refundable OBC's? I just can't grasp the concept. If I accepted a move over offer and had paid say 12K for a cruise, the 12K would show up in my personalizer as12K of OBC's? This would be in addition to receiving another cruise for free? Why wouldn't they just send you a check?

 

Sorry if this seems like a dumb question.....:):):)

 

Bob

 

The OBC is the cruise fare portion of the cruise you gave up. So if 12K was the total cost including airfare, port charges, etc, and the cabin fare was 8K of that, you would get 8K in OBC. It costs far less for them to have you "spend" it on the ship since a $6 drink costs them $2 let's say. Or their cost for a $200 excursion is actually $100. So sending a check would cost twice as much (or whatever their margin is.)

 

But they make it refundable to sweeten the pot and then hope you use it on the ship.

Edited January 27, 2017 by pompeii

[Woobstr112G]

The OBC is the cruise fare portion of the cruise you gave up. So if 12K was the total cost including airfare, port charges, etc, and the cabin fare was 8K of that, you would get 8K in OBC. It costs far less for them to have you "spend" it on the ship since a $6 drink costs them $2 let's say. Or their cost for a $200 excursion is actually $100. So sending a check would cost twice as much (or whatever their margin is.)

 

But they make it refundable to sweeten the pot and then hope you use it on the ship.

 

So in addition to the free cruise, at the end of it they would eventually mail you a check for the unused portion of the OBC's?

 

Bob

[Colo Cruiser]

So in addition to the free cruise, at the end of it they would eventually mail you a check for the unused portion of the OBC's?

 

Bob

 

 

 

Yes.

[pompeii]

So in addition to the free cruise, at the end of it they would eventually mail you a check for the unused portion of the OBC's?

 

Bob

 

Yes, the deal we got says they will refund any unused OBC by check after the cruise. Keep in mind, though, that the "free" cruise isn't truly free; the money you paid for the cancelled cruise becomes the payment for the "free" cruise. If you rebook wisely onto an expensive cruise from an inexpensive cruise, then you can get a great bang for your buck. The only thing that actually gets refunded is the original cabin fare OBC, if you don't spend it on the rebooked cruise.

[Eagle_and_hawk]

 

We got the typical offer: 15 day cruise anywhere Princess sails, cabin upgrade, all change fees/deposits refunded, EZ Air protected for the rebooked cruise, current cruise fare in refundable OBC.

 

 

What is the cabin upgrade? If you originally had a mini-suite booked that you are giving up, do you get automatically get a full suite when you rebook?

 

If so, then I have to wonder what they would do if you had a full suite booked and gave it up too.

[travelbug615]

Curious if the parties that received move over offers were booked directly through Princess or booked through a travel agency? If they were booked through a travel agency were they directly contacted or contacted through their travel agency?

[Colo Cruiser]

Curious if the parties that received move over offers were booked directly through Princess or booked through a travel agency? If they were booked through a travel agency were they directly contacted or contacted through their travel agency?

 

It does not matter, it can happen either way.

 

 

...The TA is supposed to handle contacting the passenger.

Edited January 27, 2017 by Colo Cruiser

[pompeii]

What is the cabin upgrade? If you originally had a mini-suite booked that you are giving up, do you get automatically get a full suite when you rebook?

 

If so, then I have to wonder what they would do if you had a full suite booked and gave it up too.

 

Ours was from an obstructed OV to a premium balcony. We tried for a suite but he didn't go for it:rolleyes:

 

I do think that if you are in a mini then the upgrade would be to a suite.

[Love2cruise77]

Got a moveover offer 5-6 days before cruise in 2014. Offer was 50% of cruise fare back (as refundable onboard credit) * Free Upgrade * Air change fees covered up to $150 per person (Princess Air protected).

 

Since my vacation time was already scheduled, we took that offer and booked a cruise sailing on a different cruise line and had a wonderful time.

 

The replacement cruise on Princess was on the newest ship sailing a year later. Not as good an offer as some people got, but it was still a pretty good one. Sure hope to get more offers in the future...

Edited January 27, 2017 by Love2cruise77

[easyboy]

Curious if the parties that received move over offers were booked directly through Princess or booked through a travel agency? If they were booked through a travel agency were they directly contacted or contacted through their travel agency?

Ours was booked directly with Princess. Our companion was through a TA but they were informed by the agency a day after receiving ours.

[caribill]

Yes, the deal we got says they will refund any unused OBC by check after the cruise. Keep in mind, though, that the "free" cruise isn't truly free; the money you paid for the cancelled cruise becomes the payment for the "free" cruise. If you rebook wisely onto an expensive cruise from an inexpensive cruise, then you can get a great bang for your buck. The only thing that actually gets refunded is the original cabin fare OBC, if you don't spend it on the rebooked cruise.

 

No, the money you paid for the cancelled cruise becomes the OBC on the "free" cruise. The fare for the "free" cruise is $0.