BROCHURE PRICES... does anyone actually pay them ?

[Slow Foxtrot]

It would be interesting to know if anyone actually pays the full brochure price for any cruise nowadays. And, if not, are these prices totally meaningless and just invented to give the impression that one is getting a generous discount?

Yes, we know that sometimes on the odd inaugural cruise that normal discounts are not available. But, with the exception of Elmer from Texas, does anyone know of passengers who pay the full brochure price? The thought sprang to mind after reading Cunard's latest leaflet offering 50% discount on Queen Victoria .... and it's not even built yet! Yes, it's called 'marketing' - but are the full brochure prices all yet another giant con? The evidence looks pretty conclusive, does it not?

[pnhmrk]

It would be interesting to know if anyone actually pays the full brochure price for any cruise nowadays.

 

On QE2 we don't - not even the Sailaway price. We can normally get our travel agent to discount as well. However I've booked my parents on a SAGA cruise in August. They only sell direct so our agent can't book it and offer a discount. SAGA offers an early booking discount of "up to 25%" although they do warn that this decreases as the cruise fills up. For the cruise my parents wanted the discount was down to 15% so I suspect that they do sell some cabins at full fare.

[NorthernNeighbour]

I think the only ones paying brochure price these days are those on the discount cruise line EastCruise (bare bones service) started by EastJet for the Med.

 

People expect discounts or upgrades and they get them. I paid brochure price to go on the QM2 but got a nice upgrade as a repeat customer -- but I have NOT sailed on CUNARD in 35 years. Therefore, it was really a discount since in no sense of the imagination am I a frequent cruiser on CUNARD, although I take many cruises on other lines.

[coy860]

We met a couple who were in a tiny inside room, across from us in a Jr. Suite with walkin closet on Mariner of the Seas.

They were very upset with their tiny room, she stated that it wasn't worth the $$$ they had paid..(which I knew was brochure rate).

We got the Jr. Suite for 33% of what they paid for their inside.

It pays to have a good travel agent.

[pepperrn]

We met a couple who were in a tiny inside room, across from us in a Jr. Suite with walkin closet on Mariner of the Seas.

They were very upset with their tiny room, she stated that it wasn't worth the $$$ they had paid..(which I knew was brochure rate).

We got the Jr. Suite for 33% of what they paid for their inside.

It pays to have a good travel agent.

 

Please tell me that you didn't tell them!

[Bramcruiser]

I'm surprised anyone would be charged brochure rates as I never seen it get paid by anyone. Its sort of like that price they post on the door in each room in hotels. I've never, ever paid that price nor heard of anyone doing that either. I tend to ignore the brochure price and comparison shop really what travel agents or the cruiselines are advertising as those are the discounted prices we usually see to entice people to cruise.

 

To anyone paying brochure price? The cruise better live up to your expectations. Otherwise the cruise line will have an unhappy customer.

[ocngypz]

No such thing as a brochure rate. It's smoking mirrors.

 

What people do pay, however, is a non-promotional rate, called FIT.

 

Full Individual Tariff.

 

I call it the "Desperation rate"... or "I really, really, really need to get on that sailing.

 

With some lines, agents are not permitted to discount and if final payment is made for less than the total amount due, the reservation is cxld by the cruiseline.