On-board cruise sales?

[Mary Ellen1]

Hi.  On the Discovery last week, they had quite a list of last-minute cruises (sailing within 60 days) discounted to 50% off, at the Future Cruise desk.  Is this a typical thing?  Or was it just a one-off sale?  We've not asked about it before,  but we certainly will next time. Has anyone else taken advantage of this?  Thanks cruisers.

[Ken the cruiser]

Could it have been associated with their ongoing Drop and Go promotion advertised on their website? 
 

https://www.princess.com/cruise-deals-promotions/last-minute-cruise-deals/

 

Edited March 17, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[Mary Ellen1]

33 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Could it have been associated with their ongoing Drop and Go promotion advertised on their website? 
 

https://www.princess.com/cruise-deals-promotions/last-minute-cruise-deals/

 

No, I saw that and the list they had onboard was different.   Thanks though. 

[SCX22]

Was offered on my January 2023 cruise to Hawaii by future cruise sales onboard.  It's a great sale and is 50% off the Princess Plus and Princess Premium packages too.  Catch is sail by May 15, 2023; pay in full at time of booking onboard (not really a problem because most sailings were already past or approaching final payment); 100% non-refundable; can't be combined with the onboard FCD/OBC bounce back offer. 

 

Booked a cruise to Europe and a cruise to the Pacific Northwest.  Worked out to be buy one get one free for the fare (for 2 people) and paid $30 (plus 18% gratuities) per day for the Princess Plus package.  For solo travelers, like my one of my shipmates, the sale wiped out the single supplement so she took advantage and booked a balcony instead of the interior, which is her norm.

 

I'm guessing Princess sailings for Spring 2023 were/are quite empty and they were using this offer to up occupancy.

[Mary Ellen1]

14 hours ago, SCX22 said:

Was offered on my January 2023 cruise to Hawaii by future cruise sales onboard.  It's a great sale and is 50% off the Princess Plus and Princess Premium packages too.  Catch is sail by May 15, 2023; pay in full at time of booking onboard (not really a problem because most sailings were already past or approaching final payment); 100% non-refundable; can't be combined with the onboard FCD/OBC bounce back offer. 

 

Booked a cruise to Europe and a cruise to the Pacific Northwest.  Worked out to be buy one get one free for the fare (for 2 people) and paid $30 (plus 18% gratuities) per day for the Princess Plus package.  For solo travelers, like my one of my shipmates, the sale wiped out the single supplement so she took advantage and booked a balcony instead of the interior, which is her norm.

 

I'm guessing Princess sailings for Spring 2023 were/are quite empty and they were using this offer to up occupancy.

That's exactly what they were offering last week on the Discovery.  Thanks for confirming. Sounds like it was a one-off thing. 

[trbarton]

17 hours ago, SCX22 said:

Was offered on my January 2023 cruise to Hawaii by future cruise sales onboard.  It's a great sale and is 50% off the Princess Plus and Princess Premium packages too.  Catch is sail by May 15, 2023; pay in full at time of booking onboard (not really a problem because most sailings were already past or approaching final payment); 100% non-refundable; can't be combined with the onboard FCD/OBC bounce back offer. 

 

Booked a cruise to Europe and a cruise to the Pacific Northwest.  Worked out to be buy one get one free for the fare (for 2 people) and paid $30 (plus 18% gratuities) per day for the Princess Plus package.  For solo travelers, like my one of my shipmates, the sale wiped out the single supplement so she took advantage and booked a balcony instead of the interior, which is her norm.

 

I'm guessing Princess sailings for Spring 2023 were/are quite empty and they were using this offer to up occupancy.

How would that work if I usually book through a T/A?

 

Tom🤔

[Ken the cruiser]

43 minutes ago, trbarton said:

How would that work if I usually book through a T/A?

 

Tom🤔

If the cruise you were on was booked with that TA, wouldn't any future bookings made on that cruise be credited to your TA if you so stipulated?

[Mary Ellen1]

53 minutes ago, trbarton said:

How would that work if I usually book through a T/A?

 

Tom🤔

You book it on-board. They ask (or should ask) if you want to keep it with the same TA. I believe the default is to keep your TA.  You can change it if you want to. 

[startedwithamouse]

1 hour ago, trbarton said:

How would that work if I usually book through a T/A?

 

Tom🤔

The TA you use is on file and shows in the Princess system. The future sales consultant will confirm their name with you.

[wallyj]

43 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

If the cruise you were on was booked with that TA, wouldn't any future bookings made on that cruise be credited to your TA if you so stipulated?

I was on the Discovery in January and the future cruise rep said these special 50% off bookings had to be paid in full and booked direct with Princess, cannot use a FCD or transfer to travel agent.

 

[Ken the cruiser]

4 minutes ago, wallyj said:

I was on the Discovery in January and the future cruise rep said these special 50% off bookings had to be paid in full and booked direct with Princess, cannot use a FCD or transfer to travel agent.

 

Makes sense since Princess did all the work, and the cruise was PIF on the ship. It would definitely save Princess the funds it would otherwise have to give to the TA.

[SCX22]

20 minutes ago, wallyj said:

I was on the Discovery in January and the future cruise rep said these special 50% off bookings had to be paid in full and booked direct with Princess, cannot use a FCD or transfer to travel agent.

 

 

13 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Makes sense since Princess did all the work, and the cruise was PIF on the ship. It would definitely save Princess the funds it would otherwise have to give to the TA.

 

1 hour ago, trbarton said:

How would that work if I usually book through a T/A?

 

Tom🤔

 

The reservations made under this promo could/can be transferred/takenover by your TA.  The two bookings I made certainly were.  Future Cruise agent looked up my TA on the booking for the current sailing and asked me if I wanted to them to continue as my TA on the new booking being made.

 

Anytime you make a booking on the ship using Future Sales onboard, your TA has 2 weeks from your disembarkation date to take over the booking if the Future Sales agent didn't already transfer over your TA's info to the new booking.  It's best to call your TA when you get home to make sure that they are indeed listed on the new booking.  If they are not, the TA can call Princess and takeover the booking.

 

The one of the catches with this promo was that you had to make full payment on the spot, while still on the ship.  This offer was not made available to bookings made on land and no courtesy holds.

[wallyj]

Hi @SCX22, the future cruise person specifically said, no you cannot transfer to travel agent for this promo. Depending on your booking and sailing date, since you paid in full and possibly past normal final payment date, you would not be allowed to transfer.

 

Just passing on what I was told in January on the Discovery . The person just boarded that day and was new as the pervious agents were being transferred to another ship and this was disembarkation day.
 

He also did not know how to do a solo booking, as I was traveling with a friend in my cabin, and he knew only how to pull the info from current sailing, since you had to be on the ship to book this promo and I wanted to check pricing on going solo before May.

[MissP22]

11 hours ago, wallyj said:

Hi @SCX22, the future cruise person specifically said, no you cannot transfer to travel agent for this promo. Depending on your booking and sailing date, since you paid in full and possibly past normal final payment date, you would not be allowed to transfer.

 

Just passing on what I was told in January on the Discovery . The person just boarded that day and was new as the pervious agents were being transferred to another ship and this was disembarkation day.
 

He also did not know how to do a solo booking, as I was traveling with a friend in my cabin, and he knew only how to pull the info from current sailing, since you had to be on the ship to book this promo and I wanted to check pricing on going solo before May.

It make me wonder just how knowledgeable the that future cruise person actually was. I do know that in the past it was possible to transfer it to my agent but things may have changed today.

[wallyj]

10 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

It make me wonder just how knowledgeable the that future cruise person actually was. I do know that in the past it was possible to transfer it to my agent but things may have changed today.

For ‘normal’ bookings on ship, you can designate to have your future booking with the travel agent you used to book the current sailing if any. The no transfer was specifically for these special 50% off sailings offered on board to on board passengers only and sail by mid May 2023. Are you referring to these same promo 50% off sailings regarding being able to transfer?

[MissP22]

9 minutes ago, wallyj said:

For ‘normal’ bookings on ship, you can designate to have your future booking with the travel agent you used to book the current sailing if any. The no transfer was specifically for these special 50% off sailings offered on board to on board passengers only and sail by mid May 2023. Are you referring to these same promo 50% off sailings regarding being able to transfer?

In all our years of travelling on Princess we've only booked 1 future cruise onboard so things may well have changed today. It was never with a 50% off program. 

Still it sounds interesting to have looked into.  

[Bwana Tom]

On a recent B2B cruise to Hawaii and Mexico in January we were offered the same 50% off option. We booked a new canal Panama transit cruise and saved a bundle of $s, but like one poster said we weren't allowed to use our future cruise deposit, so we didn't get the OBC associated with that certificate. We told our booking agent onboard we wanted the cruise transferred to our TA, which he already had all of the info needed, but just in case, I called our TA when we got home and they were not aware of the booking. We wanted to have our TA to handle the booking because they are with a hotel-chain and we get points credited to our account for booking with through them. That wasn't a problem for and apparently an easy process for the TA. Nevertheless, I was glad I checked to ensure the booking was switched. Possibly it might have eventually been done, but who knowns with the "NEW" Princess and their consistent-inconsistent policies. I'd recommend still calling your TA.

[CruisinChris]

I just took advantageof this 50% off deal while on Sky for a late April coastal.  Got a great deal as reported above AND the booking was credited to my agent AND Im sailing solo, which this consultant had no problem with.  I will say they are expanding the future cruise staff and Sky now has 3 agents.  Sounds like one of the previous posters got a very novice agent who didnt know how to book a solo traveler and didnt understand how to credit an agency with a booking.  The biggest "catch" on these bookings is that they all required travel before the end of May.  So they are a form' of drop and go.  If you're able to travel relatively last minute, it's a great deal.  It's a program I hope to see them continue.