Price dropped over 50% after final payment

[Guest ldtr]

8 hours ago, Coral said:

Travel agents can offer drop and go. These rates will be cheaper than Princess's site.

 

Also - when you login to Princess's site, prices can vary depending on your Captain Circle number. Two people can see two different rates.

It was the same without logging in as it was after.  So my Elite status did not impact it.

[Coral]

1 minute ago, ldtr said:

It was the same without logging in as it was after.  So my Elite status did not impact it.

There are so many different factors. My TA can give me drop and go specials that I don't see on Princess's website. There are also discounts related to where people live such as FL or WA resident discounts, etc.... So I may see different rates than you do. Or my TA can provide different/better rates than if I login to Princess's website.

[ontheweb]

8 hours ago, Coral said:

There are so many different factors. My TA can give me drop and go specials that I don't see on Princess's website. There are also discounts related to where people live such as FL or WA resident discounts, etc.... So I may see different rates than you do. Or my TA can provide different/better rates than if I login to Princess's website.

There are also sometimes senior citizen rates.

[Ken the cruiser]

I was just thinking if PCL had implemented their new online Stateroom Upgrade Program submission process 5 days after final payment for this itinerary, wouldn’t those bids take full priority from that point on over any individual trying to submit a "TA requested upgrade"? 
 

 

But then I'm just sitting over here in the peanut gallery trying to understand the ever-changing booking rules, which are of course different with each cruise line. 🙂

[kirtihk]

On 4/2/2023 at 5:59 AM, Tapi said:

Well, I just checked the online TA that I use and it is listing mini suite category MF for $299. Most expensive suite listed is an owners suite S2 for $774. It’s not a casino rate and it doesn’t specify that it’s for “new bookings only” either but it does say “special deal”. 
 

I wonder if they could honor the price if the OP calls “wanting to upgrade” out of pocket. Let’s say that the OP calls the TA and says that they see an S2 for $774 and wants to pay the $75 difference to upgrade.  I wonder if they’ll accept it, or if they’ll tell them that the $774 doesn’t apply for people already booked in which case they could tell them what rate does apply if they want to upgrade. 

 

I’ve had the experience where they say that the listed rate is for new bookings only, but I’ve never had them say that I can’t upgrade at all, even if I’m willing to pay the difference. 

For some of my previous cruises besides a cruise fare, just port charges alone for 10-14 day cruises were in a range of $700-900 and then $400-600 tax totaling $1,100-1,500.  For my 12-day last cruise to Brazil (I came back a week ago) port charge was $816, and tax was $550.  So, it's funny to see complains about total cruise prices discussed in this thread ("several sites list inside $118, balcony $199 and Mini-suite $299").

Edited April 7, 2023 by kirtihk

[Coral]

On 4/3/2023 at 9:09 PM, Ken the cruiser said:

 

But then I'm just sitting over here in the peanut gallery trying to understand the ever-changing booking rules, which are of course different with each cruise line. 🙂

Just keeping up with the changes with Princess this year has been difficult!

[cruzsnooze]

On 4/1/2023 at 6:53 PM, Pacific Sandy said:

Hi - Our Majestic Princess cruise dropped over 50% after final payment and our TA says Princess will not budge to refund the difference or upgrade us. This means, people can book an Owner’s Suite for the same price we paid for the cheapest Mini Suite. I am devastated to say the least and I actually don’t even want to go now. 😢

It feels unfair that you are paying twice as much as some else. I would feel the same way. I don't know what you can do if Princess says tough luck.

[CruizinSusan70]

26 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

For some of my previous cruises besides a cruise fare, just port charges alone for 10-14 day cruises were in a range of $700-900 and then $400-600 tax totaling $1,100-1,500.  For my 12-day last cruise to Brazil (I came back a week ago) port charge was $816, and tax was $550.  So, it's funny to see complains about total cruise prices discussed in this thread ("several sites list inside $118, balcony $199 and Mini-suite $299").

The difference of course is where the cruise is happening.  The 118/199/299 was a typical Caribbean cruise where the port charges will be under 200, sometimes substantially under.  The Panama canal, Alaska and Eastern Hemisphere cruises are where you can find the 400.00 and upwards port charges which would be double or more of the typical Caribbean cruise.

[CruizinSusan70]

Just now, cruzsnooze said:

. I don't know what you can do if Princess says tough luck.

I believe you could cancel, take the FCC and rebook the cruise at the lower rate.

[d9704011]

3 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

I believe you could cancel, take the FCC and rebook the cruise at the lower rate.

From the Princess website:

 

1. Am I eligible for cruise credit if I cancel?
   The standard Princess cancellation policy does not grant cruise credit, but residents of the U.S. and Canada (excluding New York, Puerto Rico and Quebec) may be eligible with Princess Vacation Protection.

[cruzsnooze]

Does the OP have the insurance would be the question.

[donaldsc]

On 4/1/2023 at 9:50 PM, Pacific Sandy said:

Hi - It is April 30 on Majestic Princess. We paid $619 for a Mini Suite and they are now $299. 😢

 

Is your world going to be significantly better if you had the $319 in your pocket.  Mine wouldn't.

 

DON

[sunviking90]

7 hours ago, cruzsnooze said:

It feels unfair that you are paying twice as much as some else. I would feel the same way. I don't know what you can do if Princess says tough luck.

I would say that on many cruises some are paying half as much as others. Some book early as they have limited time off, need to plan ahead, choosy about cabin location, etc. Others jump on last minute sales. When we travelled with our son and needed a triple we paid more as last minute deals were always for double occupancy only. 
I do wonder at OPs TA saying Princess wouldn’t do anything. We have been given OBC, or an upgrade to a better cabin in similar situations by our PVP. I wonder if it’s not worth the trouble for the TA for an inexpensive cruise with little commission. Short sighted as that is. 

[no1racefan1]

7 hours ago, cruzsnooze said:

It feels unfair that you are paying twice as much as some else. I would feel the same way. I don't know what you can do if Princess says tough luck.

Why? If you bought a plane ticket a year in advance and then looked at prices before flying and realized they dropped significantly, would you feel entitle to a refund? (Maybe with the more lenient policies airlines have since COVID, this would work--but certainly not how it used to be!)

 

If you were satisfied with paying $619 when you booked the cruise, there's no reason you should no longer be satisfied just because somebody got a better price. People use coupons, points, and all sorts of things to save money on all types of purchases. You probably pay more or less than other people for almost anything you buy.

 

If it's going to bother you, you should probably stop looking at the price after final payment. Although, if it were me, I would maybe try a second call to talk to somebody else and see if they could offer me any kind of upgrade. But if not, I'd accept it and enjoy my cruise. Saying that you don't want to go because of it is very dramatic, IMHO.