Oh well, price drop after final payment

[Jacqueline]

It was bound to happen to me sooner or later! It’s an off season cruise so I should not be surprised. 

[Yorkshire Mike]

Ouch!  
A long time ago we were on a Nile cruise and for some reason people started talking about the price paid.  Bear in mind there were no differences in cabin ‘grades’ or loyalty tiers or anything like that, you just paid the brochure price for the trip.  Except the five couples party to the discussion had all paid a different amount and nobody had actually paid the brochure price.  Our take away was not to look or talk about price after booking so changes or others getting better deals does

n’t affect us.

[2BACRUISER]

This happened to us on a Marella cruise, one night we sat next a couple from Wales who got the cruise for half the price we had paid same perks, they busted a gut to tell us, being Yorkshire folk twas a bit gauling as we're known to be tight wi oor brass. 😁😁

[Craigrlewis]

My mantra is never look at the price of a flight or a cruise once you’ve  booked - if one was happy to book at that price you can then drive yourself into a tizzy if it drops by a lot.

[Host Hattie]

5 minutes ago, Craigrlewis said:

My mantra is never look at the price of a flight or a cruise once you’ve  booked - if one was happy to book at that price you can then drive yourself into a tizzy if it drops by a lot.

Same here and I wouldn't discuss what I'd paid on board either.

[Victoria2]

11 minutes ago, Craigrlewis said:

My mantra is never look at the price of a flight or a cruise once you’ve  booked - if one was happy to book at that price you can then drive yourself into a tizzy if it drops by a lot.

I also go with the 'you've booked and were happy to do so at the price of the time' so never mind if the price drops,  but if you happen to glance at the cruise to see how the cabins are selling and 'your' cabin has increased significantly,  it's difficult not to  have a small amount of smugness.  😃

 

and must add we never discuss prices and have never overheard any conversation doing so.

Edited August 6, 2022 by Victoria2

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, 2BACRUISER said:

This happened to us on a Marella cruise, one night we sat next a couple from Wales who got the cruise for half the price we had paid same perks, they busted a gut to tell us, being Yorkshire folk twas a bit gauling as we're known to be tight wi oor brass. 😁😁

 

It is hard to think of a charitable motivation for the next door couple's openness. Assuming they knew how good a price they got, then all their frankness could do was make other passengers feel a little miserable. Why would you want to do that?

[2BACRUISER]

1 hour ago, exlondoner said:

 

It is hard to think of a charitable motivation for the next door couple's openness. Assuming they knew how good a price they got, then all their frankness could do was make other passengers feel a little miserable. Why would you want to do that?

It was our first cruise ever which we'd bought a long way out, I cant recall how the exact conversation came about i think it was something to with their attire and that they hadnt much chance to pack as they'd literally booked it a very short time before (this was pre-covid) but couldnt resist the price which they told us. We just said oh lucky you and ordered another bottle of wine to relieve the pain!!!

 

I would add that the calibre of people cruising on Cunard are probably the class of society who dont discuss tawdry subjects such as money but for the lower echelons one finds they love to brag about a bargain!!

Edited August 6, 2022 by 2BACRUISER
add sentence

[Se1lad]

33 minutes ago, 2BACRUISER said:

It was our first cruise ever which we'd bought a long way out, I cant recall how the exact conversation came about i think it was something to with their attire and that they hadnt much chance to pack as they'd literally booked it a very short time before (this was pre-covid) but couldnt resist the price which they told us. We just said oh lucky you and ordered another bottle of wine to relieve the pain!!!

 

I would add that the calibre of people cruising on Cunard are probably the class of society who dont discuss tawdry subjects such as money but for the lower echelons one finds they love to brag about a bargain!!

I think it’s ok to talk about a bargain if it’s something that the other person can benefit from too in the future, especially if they initiate the conversation.

 

though bragging about it is not on!

[LB_NJ]

I am a little confused about this thread.

 

If you book refundable why not check periodically before final payment. Can't you get a reprice if the fare drops?

[Host Hattie]

44 minutes ago, LB_NJ said:

I am a little confused about this thread.

 

If you book refundable why not check periodically before final payment. Can't you get a reprice if the fare drops?

Not an option with UK bookings 

[LB_NJ]

31 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

Not an option with UK bookings 

Did not know that.

[Tonopah]

We pay and then we never look again. We also don’t discuss price on board. Same with air fare. 

[longton]

We were on a Baltic cruise in June / July.  A few days after making the final payment the price of our grade of cabin fell by 60% (yes, sixty).

 

We are doing a cruise in the Med from Barcelona later this month and our grade of cabin is still on sale and has dropped by 25%.

 

We have just booked a Britannia grade suite with full balcony on a 9 night cruise leaving Trieste in Italy on 14 September. Cruise ends in Southampton. The price was  £670 per person or around £75 or $90 a day which I don't think can fall any lower.

 

 

 

 

[Adammara]

A few years ago we booked a P2  Autumn cruise  for 10 days for the cost of around £6000, including $1640 OBC, and free drinks a gift from our TA.   The nearer the cruise  got the less the price became, ending up at £3250, which is a bit much to swallow.

 

I argued it was a substantial change, and I wished to have my money refunded.  The counter offered an upgrade to a Q3 and keeping the perks, could not refuse that!   And had our best cruise ever of 42 (Our first was on QE2 in 1991, a 2 night cruise to nowhere).

 

Sadly our cruising days are now over, but still haunt this board from time to time!

[LB_NJ]

6 hours ago, longton said:

We were on a Baltic cruise in June / July.  A few days after making the final payment the price of our grade of cabin fell by 60% (yes, sixty).

 

 

Off the top of my head I am not sure what the penalty schedule is however, wouldn't it have saved money to cancel and rebook.

[Underwatr]

The line wants to sail as full as possible, even when COVID restrictions are in place. That means that unsold staterooms will go on "Fire Sale" after final payment date when the cancellation or rebooking penalties begin to apply and the line has a good track of the likely occupancy.

I don't go out of my way to see what happens to prices after final payment since I expect that they'll fall below what I paid (although for what are probably less attractive staterooms in the category).

[longton]

On 8/8/2022 at 4:45 PM, LB_NJ said:

 

Off the top of my head I am not sure what the penalty schedule is however, wouldn't it have saved money to cancel and rebook.

We could have saved money by cancelling and rebooking soon after we had made the final payment. We would have received 50% back. But I thought the cruise may have been cancelled due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and applications from Sweden and Finland to join NATO. If it had been cancelled then we would have received all our money back.

 

 

[navybankerteacher]

People should remember that part of what they buy is the knowledge that they have the accommodations they want on the cruise they want.  Sure, someone who wants to book last minute may pay less, but also might not get to go at all.