Best Sale Ever Returns

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

6 hours ago, caribill said:

 

 

I just checked out a cruise I have booked for next spring.

 

Rightly or wrongly, the Plus Fare and the Standard fare are identical.

 

This implies the BSE does include free Plus package at Standard price.

Now, yes.  Earlier yesterday, they weren't.

 

But, even if you have Plus selected, if you click through to the end, the summary page does not show the Plus additions as being included.

[CruizinSusan70]

58 minutes ago, sonomaphil said:

Basically you can't make a reservation at princess.com   I've now tried cruises I really want to book and cruises I have no intention of booking.  Every time you get "We Apologize for the Inconvenience" after entering passenger info.  I tried choosing Princess Standard and Princess Plus, no dice.  I tried getting into the site using the players club email offering an extra discount, still you can't book. 

 

I do know where I can make a booking, celebritycruises.com  You read that correctly John Padgett. 

Since you're a Celebrity virgin accordingly to your signature, I can inexplicably say that the Edge Class ships are great. Have a B2B totalling 18 days on the Beyond next year.

[sonomaphil]

Just got past the passenger info screen and made a "Hold" booking.  I picked Princess Plus at the main screen, same price as Princess Standard, no other options to pick Plus or Premier where it usually comes up.  On my travel summary Princess Plus does NOT show up as being included.  This booking will not be paid for. 

[NownZen]

1 hour ago, sonomaphil said:

Basically you can't make a reservation at princess.com   I've now tried cruises I really want to book and cruises I have no intention of booking.  Every time you get "We Apologize for the Inconvenience" after entering passenger info.  I tried choosing Princess Standard and Princess Plus, no dice.  I tried getting into the site using the players club email offering an extra discount, still you can't book. 

 

I do know where I can make a booking, celebritycruises.com  You read that correctly John Padgett. 

Try clearing the cookies. We made two reservations yesterday with no problems.

[Tedferg]

15 hours ago, PrincessArlena'sDad said:

Could you mention 1 example?

Sorry. I lost the previous link, now when I click on the link now it lists various itineraries, but Fare is the same whether I click Plus or Std. Also, as others have said, when I do a mock booking under Plus tab, the Plus features are not shown under 'Applied Promos'

 

ETA Whether I click Plus or Std button it says, "Our Lowest "No Frills" Fare - With all core Princess® experiences"

 

Here is Princess link showing select itineraries.

Cruise Search Results - Princess Cruises

Edited December 15, 2022 by Tedferg

[Italy52]

Dropping out of this thread.  Wish everyone luck in finding their cruises at an affordable price.  Happy Holidays!

[Nelsj099]

This is my first trip with Princess so maybe I don't understand this sale. 

 

I was booked under the Love Boat sale... 200$ Excursion credit 100$ deposit.  

 

Then I repriced with the "Best Sale Ever".  Which says it includes all kinds of things.  I called Princess and went through an hour and a half on the phone, where I ended up having to rebook my own room and then he canceled the old booking but moved the payments.  He said that it included all of the Princess Plus and 150$ OBC.  

 

When I am looking at the cruise personalizer, it says nothing is included.   It is asking me to pay gratuities, internet, and for Princess Plus.  

 

Did I miss understand the whole thing?

 

[Paula_MacFan]

I just called my Princess cruise planner to see about re-faring under the new promotion and the rates were all messed up.  Long story short what we had was cheaper than what was showing on the Princess website because even though I selected 'Princess Plus' in the pricing section it wasn't adjusting for it.  He made it sound like they are getting lots of calls about this and lots of people are confused/annoyed.  

 

I thanked him for his time anyway.  Not his fault their system has problems.  

[Z0nker]

1 hour ago, sonomaphil said:

Just got past the passenger info screen and made a "Hold" booking.  I picked Princess Plus at the main screen, same price as Princess Standard, no other options to pick Plus or Premier where it usually comes up.  On my travel summary Princess Plus does NOT show up as being included.  This booking will not be paid for. 

Same thing happened to me. I just got off the phone with Princess who confirmed that I got the standard fare - none of the 7 Princess Perks. To get those it's an extra $60/person/day.  I think something is wrong with the website.

[RMurp007]

Yes, something is wrong.  It is false advertising!  I called and spoke to several different Princess representatives asking how the "7 perks are included" if I have to buy the Princess Plus package?  The last representative said to me, "I am tired of arguing with you about this."  How unprofessional!  

[PensFan1028]

I have two mock bookings on the "free" curtesy hold as well, both selected Princess Plus, fare didn't change and not showing on the booking.  I have screenshots throughout the whole process. Seems to be a website glitch, intentional or not it is very misleading if you think you selected plus and make it through the full booking believing you have nothing else to pay for. Not sure if it's worth the effort to fight for what I was advertised and offered at the fare shown when "plus" was very clearly selected? 

[MudderBear]

I have a mock booking and one with the rep (and I paid the $200 deposit).  She gave me $100 credit each to me and my husband.  The mock booking doesn't have this.

 

Were we supposed to get $150 each?  Meaning $300 for the two of us vs. $200?

[dog]

I have been posting about the website glitches like this for two days.

 

Do not book online right now!  

The Plus & Standard are not the same price. 
 

it is not false advertising- it is a website glitch.

 

Book through an agent.

 

 

[Tedferg]

1 hour ago, dog said:

I have been posting about the website glitches like this for two days.

 

Do not book online right now!  

The Plus & Standard are not the same price. 
 

it is not false advertising- it is a website glitch.

 

Book through an agent.

 

 

What sort of deal did you get through agent?

[mtnesterz]

Post edited. I'm confused about all this.

 

Edited December 15, 2022 by mtnesterz

[dog]

36 minutes ago, Tedferg said:

What sort of deal did you get through agent?

The agent gave a reduced fare plus OBC.

 

And avoided the glitches people are seeing online.

 

The booking receipt, Travel Summary & payment are correct.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

6 hours ago, RMurp007 said:

Yes, something is wrong.  It is false advertising!  I called and spoke to several different Princess representatives asking how the "7 perks are included" if I have to buy the Princess Plus package?  The last representative said to me, "I am tired of arguing with you about this."  How unprofessional!  

 

5 hours ago, dog said:

I have been posting about the website glitches like this for two days.

 

Do not book online right now!  

The Plus & Standard are not the same price. 
 

it is not false advertising- it is a website glitch.

 

Book through an agent.

 

 

I also think it's false advertising.

 

The marketing says, "up to 35% off cruise fares + 7 Princess Perks... included."  This means the Plus package is included in the fare.  If the cruise fare costs X dollars (which you can book), but to get Plus, you have to pay X dollars + $60/day, then it is not included in the cruise fare (and is also the standard price, not a sale price), and thus, false advertising.  

 

 

 

[bjkTX]

Wow - this sale is bizarre.  When I received the first email I went and checked on our Feb 2024 cruise and found that the new sale price was $500 more than it was last month.  I looked again today and the fare is up $620 from yesterday!!!  Can I have another please.....

[Z0nker]

Our confirmation lists, among the 7 Princess Perks, “Juice Bar”. Does anyone know what that means? Is there a juice bar on the Emerald or does this just mean fresh juice anytime you want it like the regular Princess Plus package? 

[Z0nker]

7 hours ago, MudderBear said:

I have a mock booking and one with the rep (and I paid the $200 deposit).  She gave me $100 credit each to me and my husband.  The mock booking doesn't have this.

 

Were we supposed to get $150 each?  Meaning $300 for the two of us vs. $200?

OBC is by room type. $100/pp for balcony. $150 for mini suite best I know. 

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, PrincessArlena'sDad said:

 

I also think it's false advertising.

 

The marketing says, "up to 35% off cruise fares + 7 Princess Perks... included."  This means the Plus package is included in the fare.  If the cruise fare costs X dollars (which you can book), but to get Plus, you have to pay X dollars + $60/day, then it is not included in the cruise fare (and is also the standard price, not a sale price), and thus, false advertising.  

 

 

 

It may be difficult to find a voyage priced 35% off under the sale.  But there only needs to be one or two.  I think they are just trying to get guests to book the Plus.  Sure the 7 perks are included - if you book the right fare.  They just don't get specific on what you need to book to get the perks - at the marketing high-level come-on.  (I have not read it all in detail, but they don't seem anymore deceptive than a lot of retailers in how they hype a sale promotion).

[caribill]

If the Plus package was included as initially shown in the Standard fare, then this would truly be the "Best Sale Ever."

 

Instead, it appears this is the "Most Messed Up Sale Ever."

 

With the included perks with the Standard fare being essentially what has been offered for months and with the many posts saying they are already booked with prices lower than the BSE is showing, this is nowhere being a sale at all, must less the best ever.

[leck57]

28 minutes ago, caribill said:

If the Plus package was included as initially shown in the Standard fare, then this would truly be the "Best Sale Ever."

 

Instead, it appears this is the "Most Messed Up Sale Ever."

 

With the included perks with the Standard fare being essentially what has been offered for months and with the many posts saying they are already booked with prices lower than the BSE is showing, this is nowhere being a sale at all, must less the best ever.

 

Yes I agree,

It seems to me that most cruise lines are very deceptive when it comes to sales. We get different Princess sales here but often get the up to 35% off launch fares. Most times it is 5% off and there is one cruise with the 35% off. Plus the free upgrade, but with the fine print that the upgrade is within the same cabin category, not an inside to a balcony etc.

Celebrity are just as bad. Recently I received an email from them stating 75% off the second guest in a room. When I looked into one cruise the fares for a balcony for about 10 days was about $9,000 per person and with discount the fares were still way higher than what you would normally pay.

I stay away from sales and just book a cruise I like if the price is right.

Edited December 16, 2022 by leck57

[dog]

14 hours ago, dog said:

I have been posting about the website glitches like this for two days.

 

Do not book online right now!  

The Plus & Standard are not the same price. 
 

it is not false advertising- it is a website glitch.

 

Book through an agent.

 

 

Revised just now.

 

the princess website seems to be working correctly now—- also giving promotional OBC & casino OBC, which it did not offer Dec13 th. We have $500 OBC on standard fare .

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

6 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

It may be difficult to find a voyage priced 35% off under the sale.  But there only needs to be one or two.  I think they are just trying to get guests to book the Plus.  Sure the 7 perks are included - if you book the right fare.  They just don't get specific on what you need to book to get the perks - at the marketing high-level come-on.  (I have not read it all in detail, but they don't seem anymore deceptive than a lot of retailers in how they hype a sale promotion).

The problem is that the % off you are getting is going to be the standard fare. Once you include the plus surcharge (at full price) the percent of will be less. 

 

Also, the promotion implies there is a sale on the plus package and cruise fare. This is not true at all. The sale is on the cruise fare. There is no sale on the plus package. 

 

From reports here, a lot of people are complaining to the princess representatives about this. Even if the ads technically don't make false claims, I'd they result in large numbers of people being annoyed and feeling they were misled, it's bad marketing.