Is Saga getting desperate for business?

[nosapphire]

Although I am sure it is not the case, the volume of mails and emails with BIIIIIIGG headlines "new reductions ending soon" is starting to resemble a company that is getting desperate for business. Not a good impression.

Three brochures today, all with special offers ending Friday.

Same last week - and the week before - and the week before.

Flyers in weekend papers offering discounts.

Emails every other day with same heavily discounted offers.

Saga have tipped over from active promotion (good) to off-putting aggressive marketing (bad).

My next 2 cruises are now being offered at a substantial discount to the price I paid (including special offers for Britannia Club members - but not for existing bookings) (that includes one I booked with max 35% discount).

Makes me wonder why anybody who does not need/want a specific cabin would book early instead of waiting for all the special offers to start.

[LandC]

I agree with you, the volume of mail shots is getting ridiculous.  Saga seem to offer guarantee cabins on most cruises now, not just the Canaries itineraries.  I hope you are offered a complimentary cabin upgrade for your booked cruises!

[Spence55]

Yes, special offers from Saga are appearing online every day. The latest is for a 14 night bog-standard Canary Isle cruise in early November. I checked availability, and there are about 140 double cabins to choose from. Presumably guaranteed bookings means a lower number are actually available. It very much looks like they are sweating the assets, with a target of 100% occupancy. Annoying for those who booked earlier at a higher price, and who might have enjoyed the comfort of a less busy ship. 

[FatBoy20]

51 minutes ago, LandC said:

I agree with you, the volume of mail shots is getting ridiculous.  Saga seem to offer guarantee cabins on most cruises now, not just the Canaries itineraries.  I hope you are offered a complimentary cabin upgrade for your booked cruises!

You don't get an upgrade if you book a standard cabin & then price it against a "Guaranteed Offers"!.

[Windsurfboy]

I completely agree, unfortunately no offers or guarantees on 

 

On last cruise, just before departure,  there were 20 suites 10 deluxe for sale, suddenly all gone, as people up graded, perhaps oversold guarantees.  Great for those being upgraded, but annoying if you paid full price. Asked Nigel Blanks if this trigger price promise, no response. 

 

The trouble is you train people to wait for guarantees.  I would NEVER pay Select cabin price for standard Saga cabin. There are no bad Saga cabins , you can get guarantees for very substantial discounts. 

[nosapphire]

That is going to be the problem for Saga if they continue - if people cannot get the maximum early booker discount, then they may well wait for a late sale. The more people who do this, the more late sales there will be - a self-fulfilling prophecy.

As you correctly say, Saga are training people to wait for a better discount (though will not apply to those who need specific cabins), when it made far more sense for them to persuade as many people as possible to commit to a cruise in advance (money in the bank for Saga).

The other thing I wonder - how much does this over aggressive marketing have to do the the (still not announced) possible sale-and-leaseback/shared-ownership deal?

I have booked the lowest possible grade of standard cabin, and I don't actually want an upgrade, I just don't want to discover that I could have saved over £1,000 by waiting for a last minute guarantee cabin.

[Windsurfboy]

2 hours ago, nosapphire said:

I just don't want to discover that I could have saved over £1,000 by waiting for a last minute guarantee cabin.

 

I think you may well be disappointed,  certainly on my November cruise guarantees are cheaper than "35%off" 

[nosapphire]

Yes. Same situation for me. Which is why I'm getting a bit grumpy with all the mailings.

Presumably not printing maps for passengers on the ships saves enough paper to bombard passengers off the ship to let them know how much money they could have saved if they hadn't booked early....

[Wacktle]

We've assumed the offers are because they offer the same cruises over and over again, and also that the younger passenger cannot do the longer cruises. Our preference is for short cruises as we dislike sea days and also get stir crazy after 6 nights. (I know many of you won't comprehend that.) Thereore we would book a Canaries or Caribbean cruise if we could fly out and back. Consequently our "further afield" bookings have been, and will be, with other lines.

[JoJo1947]

Reading these comments you sound like a grumpy bunch. Other cruise lines send loads of promotion  emails,send out brochures etc. I have never paid more if my cabin grade is on offer. Some people prefer to book early to secure the cabin they like,the deck they prefer and some will wait for a guarantee. There are some cabins at the bow which have part obstruction or being up on the Sun deck in winter could be wobbly. Otherwise it's a great price. Other cruise lines do last minute cruises. 

[nosapphire]

Disappointed, more than grumpy.

Saga have always promoted the "book early for the best price".

Until this year, if you booked early then you were confident that you had a better price than if you left it til late.

This year is the first time (in 18 years) when I feel it is no longer the case.

Promotions and cabin guarantees are now for some cruises less than the launch price at maximum discounts.

This is also the first year when the pure volume of promotions and special offers - all of which are either "ending soon" or "ending this Friday" are arriving several times a week. Most other lines stick to once or twice a week by email - not 3 or 4 or (this week) 5 times by both post and email.

 

[FannyLiz]

On 8/6/2024 at 9:10 PM, nosapphire said:

 

This is also the first year when the pure volume of promotions and special offers - all of which are either "ending soon" or "ending this Friday" are arriving several times a week. Most other lines stick to once or twice a week by email - not 3 or 4 or (this week) 5 times by both post and email.

 

I took myself off the mailing list as soon as I had booked. If I want to browse I can do it online. The message got through immediately and I have not had any more offers or promotional material since either by email or in the post. I still get information that I need about the upcoming cruise.

[Tabicat]

Agree with you 

I always think if they cut down on the brochures they send out (we seem to get about two on a daily basis) they might be able to charge less for the cruises

[Denarius]

1 hour ago, Tabicat said:

Agree with you 

I always think if they cut down on the brochures they send out (we seem to get about two on a daily basis) they might be able to charge less for the cruises

Or provide paper maps in port and send out details of excursions on paper in the post, like they used to do.

[JMMKUK]

I've got nothing booked. Maybe I should check the offers out now I don't any any scans, x-rays, tests or appointments booked.

[Windsurfboy]

41 minutes ago, JMMKUK said:

I've got nothing booked. Maybe I should check the offers out now I don't any any scans, x-rays, tests or appointments booked.

 

Go for it