Rosee Posted September 13, 2017 #1 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Am I being naive ? Can anyone else believe that ALL cabins, in ALL categories, on ALL of the next FOUR cruises from Fremantle to Sydney are completely SOLD OUT !!! These cruises sail between 19 October 2017 (can believe that one) to 23 March 2019, with two in 2018. What is going on here Princess? I rang Princess to check and the operator said that the cruises out of Fremantle sell out quickly......but I cannot believe they already have something like 10,000 bookings already made for those cruises. What do other members think ? Sorry for the capital letters, but I am infuriated that my holiday over to Fremantle cannot be booked because I cannot get a cruise home to Sydney. :evilsmile: Rosee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSWP Posted September 13, 2017 #2 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Am I being naive ?Can anyone else believe that ALL cabins, in ALL categories, on ALL of the next FOUR cruises from Fremantle to Sydney are completely SOLD OUT !!! These cruises sail between 19 October 2017 (can believe that one) to 23 March 2019, with two in 2018. What is going on here Princess? I rang Princess to check and the operator said that the cruises out of Fremantle sell out quickly......but I cannot believe they already have something like 10,000 bookings already made for those cruises. What do other members think ? Sorry for the capital letters, but I am infuriated that my holiday over to Fremantle cannot be booked because I cannot get a cruise home to Sydney. :evilsmile: Rosee I think you will find the big T/A's and the Rail Cruise mob have made block bookings, very popular. Seem a bit hard to believe though.:loudcry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkmw Posted September 13, 2017 #3 Share Posted September 13, 2017 (edited) Am I being naive ?Can anyone else believe that ALL cabins, in ALL categories, on ALL of the next FOUR cruises from Fremantle to Sydney are completely SOLD OUT !!! These cruises sail between 19 October 2017 (can believe that one) to 23 March 2019, with two in 2018. What is going on here Princess? I rang Princess to check and the operator said that the cruises out of Fremantle sell out quickly......but I cannot believe they already have something like 10,000 bookings already made for those cruises. What do other members think ? Sorry for the capital letters, but I am infuriated that my holiday over to Fremantle cannot be booked because I cannot get a cruise home to Sydney. :evilsmile: Rosee some of the big name TA's have a block of cabins and what they dont sell come final payment they give them back to princess so it might be worthwhile ringing a few agencys i had a look at one TA's site and there is one in november from Freo to Brisbane and a couple more next year from Sydney to Sydney and no sector from Freo to Sydney Edited September 13, 2017 by rkmw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Kruzer Posted September 13, 2017 #4 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Ring around ALL the agents.....you may find what you want and you may find it cheaper, although with the strong demand they can name their own price . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MMDown Under Posted September 14, 2017 #5 Share Posted September 14, 2017 There is no such thing as a sold out cruise, so far in advance. Passengers cancel all the time for a wide variety of reasons TAs, who hold block bookings of cabins, return unsold cabins to the cruise line. My friend wanted to book a "sold out" cruise from Freemantle, like you, so I told her to keep looking at the cruise line website. In the meantime, she waitlisted with a big TA, who tried to talk her in to a later date cruise (not suitable because it was for a special occasion). When a cabin became available on her preferred cruise, she contacted the big TA who she was waitlisted with. She asked my friend to give her a day, but was unable to offer her a cabin on the ship, so my friend booked with the cruise line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted September 14, 2017 #6 Share Posted September 14, 2017 The rail/cruise operators buy up some blocks understand. A few hundred each each cruise I was told on our Circumnavigation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSWP Posted September 14, 2017 #7 Share Posted September 14, 2017 The rail/cruise operators buy up some blocks understand. A few hundred each each cruise I was told on our Circumnavigation As I said below Mr Gut, the rail cruise operators snap up the cabins before they go on sale to the general public. Ain't right.:loudcry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted September 14, 2017 #8 Share Posted September 14, 2017 As I said below Mr Gut, the rail cruise operators snap up the cabins before they go on sale to the general public. Ain't right.:loudcry: There are a lot of things in the cruise industry that aren't right in my opinion. But we just have to live with it. Or Not travel with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jland Posted September 14, 2017 #9 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Out of interest I looked on the large US TA site and they have availability on the October 2018 and March 2019 cruises. So wonder why it is sold out in Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosee Posted September 14, 2017 Author #10 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Thanks to all responders to my original post. It looks like you are all on the right track re TA's and Rail/Cruise operators locking in blocks of cabins waiting for their bookings to come rolling in. Meanwhile us private passengers who want to organise their own holiday plans are either forced to use a TA or other operator, or cannot make plans ahead of the time that unused cabins become available again, when it is usually then too late to make the necessary other bookings to fit in with the cruise. Unfair.......YES! Rosee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare TLCOhio Posted September 14, 2017 #11 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Thanks to all responders to my original post. It looks like you are all on the right track re TA's and Rail/Cruise operators locking in blocks of cabins waiting for their bookings to come rolling in. Meanwhile us private passengers who want to organise their own holiday plans are either forced to use a TA or other operator, or cannot make plans ahead of the time that unused cabins become available again, when it is usually then too late to make the necessary other bookings to fit in with the cruise. Unfair.......YES! Rosee Appreciate these interesting posts, comments and follow-ups on this thread as to how the TA "game" works (or not). Many of us like to plan ahead, but as you check back, I am sure that opportunities and options will open up. Good luck!! THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139 for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 187,008 views for this posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSWP Posted September 14, 2017 #12 Share Posted September 14, 2017 As always, thanks Terry in Ohio, we welcome your presence on here.:p:halo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MicCanberra Posted September 15, 2017 #13 Share Posted September 15, 2017 As mentioned, keep checking with TA and press offers and such as the cabins will become available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pushka Posted September 17, 2017 #14 Share Posted September 17, 2017 Well, a cruise you can’t book has the same effect as a Sold out cruise. Annoying that TA’s do this and wonder if it’s the way cruiselines are moving - from direct to TA involvement. Several cruises are already like this - eg Viking. And doing it this way means the TA will charge a cancellation fee. Dislike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MicCanberra Posted September 17, 2017 #15 Share Posted September 17, 2017 Well, a cruise you can’t book has the same effect as a Sold out cruise. Annoying that TA’s do this and wonder if it’s the way cruiselines are moving - from direct to TA involvement. Several cruises are already like this - eg Viking. And doing it this way means the TA will charge a cancellation fee. Dislike. True and also that some TAs cannot be used as they will only sell to residents of their respective countries so that they can ensure an international mix on board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pushka Posted September 17, 2017 #16 Share Posted September 17, 2017 True and also that some TAs cannot be used as they will only sell to residents of their respective countries so that they can ensure an international mix on board. I never even thought of OS TA’s and what that means for local cruisers. Hopefully that comes around to biting the cruiselines on their financial bottoms and then they have to hurriedly sell cheaply to local cruisers but very late into the process unfortunately for those who have to plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MicCanberra Posted September 17, 2017 #17 Share Posted September 17, 2017 I never even thought of OS TA’s and what that means for local cruisers. Hopefully that comes around to biting the cruiselines on their financial bottoms and then they have to hurriedly sell cheaply to local cruisers but very late into the process unfortunately for those who have to plan. Yeah, this is why there is nearly always some last minute sales even on very popular cruises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marchie1053 Posted September 17, 2017 #18 Share Posted September 17, 2017 Yeah, this is why there is nearly always some last minute sales even on very popular cruises. We're quite new to cruising but have begun to 'play the game'! Unless it's a genuine 'Cruise of a Lifetime' (just got back from one - I'll tell you what - never again ...(Tim Vine joke)) - we just note the details when it goes to Wait List and 12 months or so later, when the unsold cabins are re-released at reduced prices, we book! We had a really good 14 days cruise 24/11-07/12/16 last year - Mediterranean & Jordan for £1,305 total (incl. £80 flight supplement for extra legroom). Cruise was great until it came to the return flight which was a foul-up and a half, including an (alleged) last minute unscheduled stopover in Naples ... Long story, but we arrived in London, Gatwick 21.50 hours late! However, we received a £200 holiday voucher and £1,033 compensation under EU Rules (Sec 261 Payment (?) - so our 14 days cruise cost us £78 (had we not paid extra for the plane legroom, we would have made a £2 profit!). On balance, I would have preferred to have returned to the UK as scheduled ... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MicCanberra Posted September 17, 2017 #19 Share Posted September 17, 2017 Ah well, at least you got a very cheap cruise out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marchie1053 Posted September 17, 2017 #20 Share Posted September 17, 2017 Ah well, at least you got a very cheap cruise out of it. I doubt I'll find a cheaper cruise! And it had been very, very good for the itinerary, star rating - the cruise through the Suez Canal will live long in the memory! The 'jewel in the crown' was the visit to Petra (the day before the end of the cruise) - and as we sat on the rear deck, enjoying a very leisurely breakfast in warm December sun, I made the fateful mistake of saying to my wife 'Best that the cruise finishes now - we couldn't possibly top yesterday's visit to Petra - finish on a high note ...' etc etc. Me and my big mouth! It's difficult to think how a disembarkation and return flight could have been fouled up more (tempting fate again!) but the redeeming feature (and what has made me prepared to cruise with them again) was the way in which they resolved the compansation; no chasing, disputing - an honest admission of getting it wrong and paying up without delay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare gogo65 Posted September 17, 2017 #21 Share Posted September 17, 2017 Maybe time to give princess the flick and book either the RCCL or Celebrity, Freemantle to Sydney cruise. Both have cabins available for early next year:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MicCanberra Posted September 17, 2017 #22 Share Posted September 17, 2017 X is similar to Princess in many ways and is considered a 5 star line, (IMO better) while Royal is probably seen as a 4 star. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pushka Posted September 17, 2017 #23 Share Posted September 17, 2017 I much prefer Celebrity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MicCanberra Posted September 17, 2017 #24 Share Posted September 17, 2017 I much prefer Celebrity. Me too, the only things I think Princess does better than X is Pizza and shareholder OBC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbarianPaul Posted September 17, 2017 #25 Share Posted September 17, 2017 We also feel that Celebrity is considerably higher quality, especially if you book an Aqua Class cabin which includes dining in BLU. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now