Landmark Sale coming July 18

[lstone19]

23 minutes ago, idahospud said:

 

Based on a BA balcony on the Caribbean Princess Nov 8 next year (where you'd get $250 OBC) the price difference is $260. 

 

Why would anyone pay $260 to get $250 of non-refundable OBC?

[idahospud]

Just now, lstone19 said:

 

Why would anyone pay $260 to get $250 of non-refundable OBC?

Because they don't know that's the difference. The price between the two isn't shown to the public.

[drowelf]

Just had my TA check on this and we are going to pass. Fare went up by about $375pp (Refundable Deposit) and we would have traded the SipNSale for $1000 OBC. ON a 16 day cruise this just does not make sense. 

 

We will have to wait for another sale to see if we can get anything better. 

 

BTW, for the non-refundable deposit the fare only went up $250pp, but I'm not about to risk an over $1000 Deposit by going non-refundable. 

[pms4104]

With Princess offering various options ... perks like OBC or not, refundable or not ... these promos have become a kind of marketing hell, and a test of our abilities to work out the pluses and minuses to achieve the best deal for us.  The more convoluted the deals, the greater chance for a Princess Gotcha 

[janina]

9 minutes ago, pms4104 said:

With Princess offering various options ... perks like OBC or not, refundable or not ... these promos have become a kind of marketing hell, and a test of our abilities to work out the pluses and minuses to achieve the best deal for us.  The more convoluted the deals, the greater chance for a Princess Gotcha 

I totally agree.  Just messing with us while trying to hook new business.

[happy cruzer]

Just do the math.  Every time you look at the rates you need to know what value you place on the offer including the cabin and perks.  No reason to get annoyed...

 

IMHO Sip and Sail is good for those that want the bev package.  Landmark works good for those on longer cruises.  And 3 for free for the rest...

 

It is just marketing, not a personal attack.

[pms4104]

4 minutes ago, happy cruzer said:

Just do the math.  Every time you look at the rates you need to know what value you place on the offer including the cabin and perks.  No reason to get annoyed...

 

IMHO Sip and Sail is good for those that want the bev package.  Landmark works good for those on longer cruises.  And 3 for free for the rest...

 

It is just marketing, not a personal attack.

IF there is any annoyance ... it is due to these promos having 4 different levels of value ... only one is published ... and the only way to learn of the entire promo is via phone calls ... this seems to be a new marketing tactic started, I believe, this year. 

 

Give it 6 weeks and we'll see how Princess tweaks 3 for Free this time around 

[drowelf]

10 minutes ago, happy cruzer said:

Just do the math.  Every time you look at the rates you need to know what value you place on the offer including the cabin and perks.  No reason to get annoyed...

 

No Kidding!. $1000 OBC is a lot of OBC, which does not even include the additional we will have from our TA and Stockholders benefit. The DW and I are not drinkers or Spa goers, so our OBC has to go for things like the HSC, Shore Excursions and other items. We tend to do more private ones that Ships ones, so having a lots of OBC is a burden at times. There is a bit of self imposed push for us to spend all our OBC, especially if we had to pay a higher fare as part of the perks switch.

 

So as I said in an earlier post, the Landmark Sale was not a go for us, even though the total price was a few hundred $$ less, but it would have given use over $1600 in non-refundable OBC to dispose of. That would have been very tough, based on our normal on-board spend. 

[dog]

17 minutes ago, pms4104 said:

IF there is any annoyance ... it is due to these promos having 4 different levels of value ... only one is published ... and the only way to learn of the entire promo is via phone calls ... this seems to be a new marketing tactic started, I believe, this year. 

 

Give it 6 weeks and we'll see how Princess tweaks 3 for Free this time around 

Well, I still cannot see any landmark sale on Princess website. And I agree re: having to call them to get all the details, so I'm leaving it for now.

Hope some others can benefit from this "sale".

[cruzrbachoua]

8 minutes ago, dog said:

Well, I still cannot see any landmark sale on Princess website. And I agree re: having to call them to get all the details, so I'm leaving it for now.

Hope some others can benefit from this "sale".

sadly you have to do a mock booking in order for it to pop up with the sale

[cruzrbachoua]

update...now the banner is showing up at the top of the cruises...

[lstone19]

20 minutes ago, drowelf said:

 

No Kidding!. $1000 OBC is a lot of OBC, which does not even include the additional we will have from our TA and Stockholders benefit. The DW and I are not drinkers or Spa goers, so our OBC has to go for things like the HSC, Shore Excursions and other items. ...

 

So as I said in an earlier post, the Landmark Sale was not a go for us, even though the total price was a few hundred $$ less, but it would have given use over $1600 in non-refundable OBC to dispose of. That would have been very tough, based on our normal on-board spend. 

 

Yes, you have to decide how much an included incentive is worth to you, not what Princess says it's worth. A dollar of OBC is not worth a dollar to you if you have to find ways to spend it. The first dollars of OBC are worth more than additional dollars. The first dollars can be spend on things you're going to spend on-board anyway like gratuities or whatever level of beverage consumption is normal for you when you're paying. But once you get past that, the value drops. If you end up spending $100 of OBC on a shore excursion that could have been purchased from a 3rd party for $50, then that $100 of OBC was only worth $50.

 

The same goes for Sip 'N' Sail. Princess may sell the beverage package for $70/day (or whatever it is) and say Sip 'N' Sail is worth $70 per day but if you'd only spend $30 per day if you were charging it all to your room, then it's only worth $30 per day to you (that you might drink more when you have the beverage package is irrelevant if you're only drinking more because you perceive it as free).

[dog]

25 minutes ago, cruzrbachoua said:

sadly you have to do a mock booking in order for it to pop up with the sale

tried it several times, several cruises---only sun drenched sale comes up. I'm in Ont. Canada

 

Okay, I see it now!

Edited July 18, 2019 by dog

[voljeep]

5 minutes ago, dog said:

tried it several times, several cruises---only sun drenched sale comes up. I'm in Ont. Canada

not seeing it in Florida for a Southern Caribbean cruise in 11/2020

[dog]

12 minutes ago, voljeep said:

not seeing it in Florida for a Southern Caribbean cruise in 11/2020

 

I signed in, went to deals, it was just added to my page.  Only some of the cruises had the Landmark sale banner. The Med. ones I tried did not have the banner, but still showed the OBC offer.

Do a mock booking...under prices it says "offers for this cruise" --click on it...  $500US pp for balcony.

 

 

[cruzrbachoua]

we were able to take advantage of it...slightly lower base fare and just about doubled the obc we were getting now I can use that to pay for pricey excursions...and currently the amount we have can pay for the excursion we want and if I buy nothing else on board (funny yeah right) will take care of our gratuities as well except for $1

[Steelers36]

Clear cache or at least close the Princess browser page and re-open again.  I did the latter.

 

I do not like this new way things seem to be going - non-refundable deposits on all promotions promoted online.  Just wait - 3FF will be the same.  Didn't used to be.  This coupled with the new terrible cruise search process is making me unhappy and I usually have happy thoughts with Princess.  The worst thing about the search is when you finally click enough things to get a short list and look at Cruise #1, backing up to the same short list doesn't work anymore.  Have to do all the selection criteria again to get the short list and move to Cruise #2.  Then repeat.  UGH!!!!  Sent online website feedback using the link.  Gave it a zero totally due to the search mess.

 

[dog]

26 minutes ago, steelers36 said:

Clear cache or at least close the Princess browser page and re-open again.  I did the latter.

 

I do not like this new way things seem to be going - non-refundable deposits on all promotions promoted online.  Just wait - 3FF will be the same.  Didn't used to be.  This coupled with the new terrible cruise search process is making me unhappy and I usually have happy thoughts with Princess.  The worst thing about the search is when you finally click enough things to get a short list and look at Cruise #1, backing up to the same short list doesn't work anymore.  Have to do all the selection criteria again to get the short list and move to Cruise #2.  Then repeat.  UGH!!!!  Sent online website feedback using the link.  Gave it a zero totally due to the search mess.

 

Agree. I will not be booking so far out on this sale. Prices are too high. If there is a price drop it might mean you lose OBC.

Will wait it out & also look at Celebrity & Holland America.

[rocklinmom]

2 hours ago, pms4104 said:

IF there is any annoyance ... it is due to these promos having 4 different levels of value ... only one is published ... and the only way to learn of the entire promo is via phone calls ... this seems to be a new marketing tactic started, I believe, this year. 

 

Give it 6 weeks and we'll see how Princess tweaks 3 for Free this time around 

Oh man that will suck if they do this "have to call in for refundable deposit options" garbage with the 3 For Free!!

[getaway101]

3 hours ago, drowelf said:

 

No Kidding!. $1000 OBC is a lot of OBC, which does not even include the additional we will have from our TA and Stockholders benefit. The DW and I are not drinkers or Spa goers, so our OBC has to go for things like the HSC, Shore Excursions and other items. We tend to do more private ones that Ships ones, so having a lots of OBC is a burden at times. There is a bit of self imposed push for us to spend all our OBC, especially if we had to pay a higher fare as part of the perks switch.

 

So as I said in an earlier post, the Landmark Sale was not a go for us, even though the total price was a few hundred $$ less, but it would have given use over $1600 in non-refundable OBC to dispose of. That would have been very tough, based on our normal on-board spend. 

Well it worked out very well for us.  We have a b2b currently booked with a TA and then the Baltic April 2020.  We originally had $300 obc w/free grats.  So doing the math (I am an accountant) between the two cruises we saved $875.00 because the price of both cruises went down.  Yes it is non-refundable but we always take cruise insurance so it will be refundable if we have to cancel for any covered reason, ie; health, etc.  We also did not have to put anymore money on the deposit because we booked with FCC's.  So our TA discounted the cruise and gave us more in obc.  So for a total of 25 days we now have a total of $3350.00.  So between gratuities ($725.00), specialty restaurants, a few drinks, the wine package, etc.....I will get off the ship DEBT FREE!  Works for me!

p.s.  This includes military & stock & FCC twice.....why I always book a long cruise as a b2b

 

Edited July 18, 2019 by getaway101

[idahospud]

48 minutes ago, rocklinmom said:

Oh man that will suck if they do this "have to call in for refundable deposit options" garbage with the 3 For Free!!

 

Email your travel agent instead?

[crystalspin]

7 hours ago, rocklinmom said:

But I am intrigued by the last sentence, that there are "more fare options" if you call in. Is this a new thing? 

It is not new with this promo (it was true of SnS). It's true on HAL, only they put the "restricted" (nonrefundable and maybe without some bennies) fare on the booking form... where it looks real great to someone not reading the small print. So that's almost worse!

[fluffybunny22]

Called my TA to check on my in laws booking for next June on the Sky Princess. According to Princess the refundable and non refundable price is the same. TA talked to 2 different agents. The in laws would drop the drink package but pick up $1000 OBC. MIL doesn't drink much so they might come out better with the OBC.

[voljeep]

13 minutes ago, idahospud said:

 

Email your travel agent instead?

yep, TA's with savvy Princess cruisers will have to become much more than just order takers ...

 

wonder how many TA's will offer the different combination of rates on the promotions without their clients specifically asking about them ... or just offer the fare listed on the website

 

of course everyone that posts on CC has the best TA and they will always offer all the combinations and of course

 

 

8% - 12% discount directly off the cruise price without fooling the clients with OBC

[idahospud]

Just now, fluffybunny22 said:

Called my TA to check on my in laws booking for next June on the Sky Princess. According to Princess the refundable and non refundable price is the same. TA talked to 2 different agents. The in laws would drop the drink package but pick up $1000 OBC. MIL doesn't drink much so they might come out better with the OBC.

Really? I checked one of the Sky Princess sailings for next summer and there is a difference. What is the sail date?