Australian/NZ residents - you may be getting worse deals!?

[geminiNZ]

Diamond Princess Jan 5 2024 cruise

Fare is the same but...

 

Cancellation

US 100% refund until Oct 7 (3 months before sailing)

AU/NZ 100% refund only until Jul 8 (6 months before sailing!!!)

 

Current "free OBC" offer

US interior/oceanview $150USD pp, balcony and above $300USD pp

AU/NZ interior/oceanview $33USD ($50AUD) pp, balcony and above $67USD ($100AUD) pp

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, geminiNZ said:

Diamond Princess Jan 5 2024 cruise

Fare is the same but...

 

Cancellation

US 100% refund until Oct 7 (3 months before sailing)

AU/NZ 100% refund only until Jul 8 (6 months before sailing!!!)

 

Current "free OBC" offer

US interior/oceanview $150USD pp, balcony and above $300USD pp

AU/NZ interior/oceanview $33USD ($50AUD) pp, balcony and above $67USD ($100AUD) pp

Different countries, different consumer protection laws, different terms.

 

As well as different markets, different competitive environment, results in different pricing terms under dynamic pricing.  Same as airlines.  If I  book flights in Australia or NZ, I will get a different price for each leg then if it is booked out of US.

[trinitygirl]

We also have much higher deposits (25%) than you do, and although gratuities/crew appreciation are included in AUD fares for cruises based in Australia/NZ, the Plus/Premium packages sold to us for cruises outside Australia and NZ do not include gratuities (so your Plus package includes wifi, gratuities and drinks for a cruise in Europe; ours only includes wifi and drinks despite it costing the same).  I am going on a Celebrity cruise in the Caribbean in  November, and although I have only booked the standard rate, it still includes gratuities for NZ/Australian passengers (although it does not for US passengers).  You really have to read the fine print and not just assume that what you read about on Cruise Critic, applies in your own case.

Edited April 10, 2023 by trinitygirl

[geminiNZ]

2 hours ago, ldtr said:

Different countries, different consumer protection laws, different terms.

 

As well as different markets, different competitive environment, results in different pricing terms under dynamic pricing.  Same as airlines.  If I  book flights in Australia or NZ, I will get a different price for each leg then if it is booked out of US.

Ldtr - Please note this cruise is in South East Asia not the US, NZ or Australia

 

Trintygirl - i can confirm for this cruise Princess Plus does include less for kiwis/aussies, exactly as you mentioned thanks

Edited April 10, 2023 by geminiNZ

[Guest ldtr]

22 minutes ago, geminiNZ said:

Ldtr - Please note this cruise is in South East Asia not the US, NZ or Australia

 

Trintygirl - i can confirm for this cruise Princess Plus does include less for kiwis/aussies, exactly as you mentioned thanks

Sure but each country is still booking under the terms of the country in which they reside and are covered by the consumer protections in which they reside. Makes no difference where the the cruise is.

 

Because they are booking in their home country, the pricing is impacted by the competitive environment in each country and how that environment will impact sales vs the sales targets for each country.

 

Makes no difference where the cruise is the pricing and term will be set by country. 

[geminiNZ]

35 minutes ago, ldtr said:

Sure but each country is still booking under the terms of the country in which they reside and are covered by the consumer protections in which they reside. Makes no difference where the the cruise is.

 

Because they are booking in their home country, the pricing is impacted by the competitive environment in each country and how that environment will impact sales vs the sales targets for each country.

 

Makes no difference where the cruise is the pricing and term will be set by country. 

Apologies we may have gotten a little off track here. On reflection I should have said in my original post that I wasn't trying to discuss or explain why Kiwis/Aussies may be getting worse deals - it was to inform them that they are.