Sold out vs not available

[sns1]

What is the difference between "sold out" vs "not available" on the Princess website.  Our April cruise has been listed as "not available" for almost two weeks. There were very few rooms available for quite some time.....Is Princess trying to figure out where to put everyone that has a guarantee room?

[PacnGoNow]

29 minutes ago, sns1 said:

What is the difference between "sold out" vs "not available" on the Princess website.  Our April cruise has been listed as "not available" for almost two weeks. There were very few rooms available for quite some time.....Is Princess trying to figure out where to put everyone that has a guarantee room?

Very well could be and working on upgrades. Not unusual.

[PescadoAmarillo]

In our recent experience, once it goes to Not Available status, nothing further has become available.  

[memoak]

Often they are filling cabins that were sold by class only

[cruisingrob21]

When booking 3rd/4th, categories that don't allow 3rd and 4ths may show as "not available".  Also, not all promotions are open to all categories.

[cr8tiv1]

It might depend on the ship/voyage.  Somewhere, I read, that Japan has set an occupancy percent.  The Diamond may be trying to fill guarantees and not taking any more bookings.

 

I really need to start writing down these "findings".

[justafem]

8 hours ago, sns1 said:

What is the difference between "sold out" vs "not available" on the Princess website.  Our April cruise has been listed as "not available" for almost two weeks. There were very few rooms available for quite some time.....Is Princess trying to figure out where to put everyone that has a guarantee room?

If you're talking about the April 11 cruise, it's most likely sold out.  There were very few rooms left 2 weeks ago and that's not counting the guarantees that still needed to be filled.

 

I'm hoping for a move over offer.  Already discussed it with the roomie and she's all for it too.  Then again, I'd be happy to take the cruise.  

[sns1]

I just checked the Princess website today.  Our cruise is April 15th, Caribbean Princess.  The "not available" has been removed and there are inside and oceanview now available.  I really do believe they were just moving people around and filling in their guarantee rooms.

[Alcairns]

It may have something to do with staffing. If there is a staff shortage they will list the cruise as not available until the staff/passenger ratio is adequate.

[CruisingWalter]

59 minutes ago, sns1 said:

I just checked the Princess website today.  Our cruise is April 15th, Caribbean Princess.  The "not available" has been removed and there are inside and oceanview now available.  I really do believe they were just moving people around and filling in their guarantee rooms.

 

Guaranteed cabins have to be filled.

Then they hold some cabins for "upgrade bidding."

Once that time has passed, then they may open some of the cabins back up. 

 

Not Available generally means there is a possibility the category may open up again. Sold Out generally means that category is now completely closed. They won't be Sold Out until after final payment. 

[billco]

In my recent experience it meant one or more people, including myself, were putting cabins on 24 hour holds. Princess has been offering a 1/2 price sale to those who are already on board through the Future Cruise Consultant. As I was about to sail, I was interested in continuing my cruise as a B2B by taking advantage of the sale. In the days before my cruise I would put the cabin I was interested in on a 24 hour hold in the morning. In the afternoon the cruise would show non-available and then available the next morning as the holds would drop off. Just one theory.

[Yowman]

52 minutes ago, CruisingWalter said:

 

Guaranteed cabins have to be filled.

Then they hold some cabins for "upgrade bidding."

Once that time has passed, then they may open some of the cabins back up. 

 

Not Available generally means there is a possibility the category may open up again. Sold Out generally means that category is now completely closed. They won't be Sold Out until after final payment. 

I'm a little confused over the part of your post I bolded.  My cruise is in September 2023, today is well before final payment (due in July), and Oceanview rooms show as sold out and have done for weeks.

[SCX22]

3 hours ago, Yowman said:

I'm a little confused over the part of your post I bolded.  My cruise is in September 2023, today is well before final payment (due in July), and Oceanview rooms show as sold out and have done for weeks.

Princess makes last minute complementary, and now, paid upgrades.  The oceanviews you see may show as sold out now, but if someone in an oceanview gets upgrade to a balcony, then it will become available again or not (if someone from an interior or obstructed ocean view gets upgraded to the "vacated" cabin.)  Category sell outs are really a moving target ever since the bid for an upgrade process started.  Only Princess yield management really knows what's going on and nothing is really final until the sail date.

 

EDIT:

If an entire cruise is showing as sold out, far in advance of a sailing, it may very well be sold out, like the solar eclipse cruises.

Edited March 7, 2023 by SCX22

[Yowman]

7 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

Princess makes last minute complementary, and now, paid upgrades.  The oceanviews you see may show as sold out now, but if someone in an oceanview gets upgrade to a balcony, then it will become available again or not (if someone from an interior or obstructed ocean view gets upgraded to the "vacated" cabin.)  Category sell outs are really a moving target ever since the bid for an upgrade process started.  Only Princess yield management really knows what's going on and nothing is really final until the sail date.

 

EDIT:

If an entire cruise is showing as sold out, far in advance of a sailing, it may very well be sold out, like the solar eclipse cruises.

 

Understood, but i was questioning what is meant by "They won't be Sold Out until after final payment. "

 

 

[SCX22]

26 minutes ago, Yowman said:

 

Understood, but i was questioning what is meant by "They won't be Sold Out until after final payment. "

 

 

Cabin shuffles on Princess' side start after final payment and can occur all the way up to sailing, which is a time after final payment.  There could also be last minute booking.  By the same token, guests will probably never know if a category is truly sold out since yield management is tight lipped.

[PrincessBuffy]

Our 7-day April cruise is listed as "Not Available" as well - but the 14-day and 21-day options that include our dates are still available - in this case I would assume they are trying to maximize the revenue and sell the longer itineraries.

[Thrak]

29 minutes ago, PrincessBuffy said:

Our 7-day April cruise is listed as "Not Available" as well - but the 14-day and 21-day options that include our dates are still available - in this case I would assume they are trying to maximize the revenue and sell the longer itineraries.

 

Often a good TA can still book those cabins.

[CruisingWalter]

5 hours ago, Yowman said:

I'm a little confused over the part of your post I bolded.  My cruise is in September 2023, today is well before final payment (due in July), and Oceanview rooms show as sold out and have done for weeks.

 

Until Final Payment is made, all categories can have cabins reappear due to people cancelling before final payment. After final payment, Sold Out is generally Sold Out. 

[Oceansaway17]

it would be nice if tghey would use a different word than unavailable or explain better.