Cruise price increases

[queenlover]

Pretty new to cruising.

We've paid a deposit on a cruise that will probably be cancelled, and the price keeps being reduced, but apparently we cant get the lower price, is this allowed????

If the price went up they'd be screaming at us for more money.

If WE cancel we loose most of our deposit.

I do understand that the cruises being cancelled is out of everyone's control

[navybankerteacher]

36 minutes ago, queenlover said:

Pretty new to cruising.

We've paid a deposit on a cruise that will probably be cancelled, and the price keeps being reduced, but apparently we cant get the lower price, is this allowed????

If the price went up they'd be screaming at us for more money.

If WE cancel we loose most of our deposit.

I do understand that the cruises being cancelled is out of everyone's control

I think you misunderstand - if you book a cruise and pay the deposit, you lock in the price —- there is no “screaming...for more money”.   That is a major reason why people book early.  

[Shmoo here]

2 hours ago, queenlover said:

the price keeps being reduced, but apparently we cant get the lower price, is this allowed????

If the price went up they'd be screaming at us for more money.

As noted, once you've paid your deposit you're locked into the price the cruise was at the time you paid the deposit.

 

If you want the lower price, you'd have to cancel the reservation you have (and any perks attached) and rebook at the lower price.  

[CruisingAlong4Now]

US and UK rules are different regarding deposits. Where are you located?

[Shmoo here]

5 minutes ago, CruisingAlong4Now said:

US and UK rules are different regarding deposits. Where are you located?

So you can pay a deposit and still wind up paying an increased price for a cruise?

[queenlover]

Thank for your help👍

"Once we have received your deposit or full payment, the cruise fare is secure, except in the event of substantial increases in operating costs, tariffs or government or quasi-government taxes and fees (including port charges, fuel surcharges and taxes) that are beyond our control. In such cases, we reserve the right to add a surcharge, whether you have confirmed a booking under deposit or have made final payment, prior to your embarkation date. We will notify you before any such surcharge is added to your cruise fare. In some circumstances you may be entitled to cancel your booking (and to a full or partial refund of any payments made to the date of cancellation) where an additional surcharge has been added prior to embarkation and we have failed to notify you within a reasonable time. To the extent permitted by law, we reserve the right not to honour any published prices that we determine are erroneous due to printing, electronic or clerical error."

[Shmoo here]

22 minutes ago, queenlover said:

Thank for your help👍

"Once we have received your deposit or full payment, the cruise fare is secure, except in the event of substantial increases in operating costs, tariffs or government or quasi-government taxes and fees (including port charges, fuel surcharges and taxes) that are beyond our control. In such cases, we reserve the right to add a surcharge, whether you have confirmed a booking under deposit or have made final payment, prior to your embarkation date. We will notify you before any such surcharge is added to your cruise fare. In some circumstances you may be entitled to cancel your booking (and to a full or partial refund of any payments made to the date of cancellation) where an additional surcharge has been added prior to embarkation and we have failed to notify you within a reasonable time. To the extent permitted by law, we reserve the right not to honour any published prices that we determine are erroneous due to printing, electronic or clerical error."

That's pretty standard.  You are locked into the cruise cost at time of deposit.  And you'll only pay whatever the price of the cruise was at the time of booking.

 

Port fees, taxes, oil prices, etc - those can go up or down at any time.  Typically, most cruise lines (in the US) will estimate those costs at the time of booking and stick with them.  If they go up before the cruise, there's no additional cost unless the increase is substantial.  If those costs go down, many cruise lines will give you back the difference in the port fees & taxes, either directly or in the form of onboard credit.

 

But, if  the cruise line offers a reduced cruise fare promotion after you've booked, generally such offers are "for new bookings only" and cannot be applied to an already existing reservation.  Unless you want to cancel the booking you have (with whatever penalties may apply) and rebook it under the new, lower cost.  On occasion, you can save money by doing this.

 

 

Edited June 9, 2020 by Shmoo here

[queenlover]

Thank you🙂

We were hoping we could swap the probably cancelled cruise for one in the "Australian Bubble"

Supposed to be going to Sth Viral America.

[Hlitner]

I notice that the OP is from down under where the booking rules are somewhat different then how we do things here in North America.   In the USA/Canada it is usually relatively easy to "reprice" a booked cruise up until the final payment date.   In fact we have a booking on a Princess cruise that has already been "repriced" 3 times and our cruise agent is now working on a 4th price reduction.    I can tell the OP that we do have a friend from the Cairns area that cruises over 150 days a year and he books all his cruises through a North American cruise agent.  In order to get around some cruise line requirements he uses a Canadian address that belongs to a friend.

 

Hank

[Host Kat]

@queenlover

 

Howdy!  

 

Perhaps the Booking a Cruise Through a U.S. Travel Agent Cruise Critic article will be helpful. Last update was January 8, 2020.

 

Happy sails,

 

Host Kat 

[drsel]

I notice that the OP is from down under where the booking rules are somewhat different then how we do things here in North America.   In the USA/Canada it is usually relatively easy to "reprice" a booked cruise up until the final payment date.   In fact we have a booking on a Princess cruise that has already been "repriced" 3 times and our cruise agent is now working on a 4th price reduction.    I can tell the OP that we do have a friend from the Cairns area that cruises over 150 days a year and he books all his cruises through a North American cruise agent.  In order to get around some cruise line requirements he uses a Canadian address that belongs to a friend.
 
Hank

Dear Hank, Is it true that Cruise prices are falling and you got a 4th price drop already on your Princess cruise?

To the op from Australia, have you booked a carnival cruise departing from a US port and has the price fallen?
if so you should get the benefit of a price drop by contacting your agent

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, drsel said:

Dear Hank, Is it true that Cruise prices are falling and you got a 4th price drop already on your Princess cruise?

To the op from Australia, have you booked a carnival cruise departing from a US port and has the price fallen?
if so you should get the benefit of a price drop by contacting your agent

Yes, it is true.   But  we are talking about North American pricing which might have no relevance to somebody down under.    We had another Princess cruise (Island Princess in August) that also had several very nice price drops but then Princess had to cancel the cruise because of COVID-19.   When we book any cruise we always continue to monitor price and amenity changes and have the cruise repriced (like rebooking except the cruise line simply changes the price of the booking) whenever we notice a substantial price decrease.   When we want a booking "repriced" it is simply a matter of sending an e-mail to our cruise agent who gets it done within a couple of days.

 

Hank

[queenlover]

We've booked with Oceania through our Australian travel agent, we'll get 1 price reduction only.

We've only paid the deposit so far, final payment due in September, pretty sure the cruise will be cancelled, time will tell.

Personally would never book with Carnival again, still waiting, like everyone else for a Cunard refund.

Stay safe