Help me understand price drop adjustment

[kywildcatfanone]

Hi folks,

 

I just booked our 4th cruise with Princess for this fall and am very excited (actually I have already bought air for our 5th cruise next spring, but haven't booked the cruise yet).

I read a lot about people saying to go ahead and book and if the price drops call your TA (or Princess if you booked through Princess) and they will adjust the price before final payment.

OK, here's my question. Whose price you are looking for? For example, if you paid $850/pp (inside cabin) for the cruise itself (forget taxes, fuel surcharges, etc for the moment) and your booked through a TA, where are you looking for the price drop? Is it the Princess web site, or your TA's price for the same cruise, or any other online TA's price? If I log into Princess.com and search for my already booked cruise and the price for the same cabin category is $750/pp, do I call my online TA and seek a $100/pp adjustment? Or only if my TA is showing the different price, does it apply? Or another online TA?

 

Since we just booked our 4th cruise, and it was the most I have ever paid for a cruise, I want to know where to look for prices to see if it comes down, and as I'm looking for cruise number 5, I'm thinking the same thing as well.

 

Thanks for any expertise.

 

Mike

[zacc]

It is my understanding that it is the price on the Princess website. The price the TA charges/pays is the same as that price. When a reputable TA quotes a price it comes directly from the cruise line. My TA starts calling the cruise line to verify prices two weeks before final payment is due to make sure I pay the lowest price. Many people believe that you get a better price by booking direct because of the commission. However that is not true. The fare price is the fare price and it includes the commission a TA would be paid. If in fact you book directly with the cruise line the cruise keeps that "extra" money. That is why cruise lines push to have passengers book directly with them. Sometimes a TA will have a better price than the cruise line. They may have booked a block of cabins or my be offering an inhouse promo.

[Pia1913]

It is my understanding that it is the price on the Princess website. The price the TA charges/pays is the same as that price. When a reputable TA quotes a price it comes directly from the cruise line. My TA starts calling the cruise line to verify prices two weeks before final payment is due to make sure I pay the lowest price. Many people believe that you get a better price by booking direct because of the commission. However that is not true. The fare price is the fare price and it includes the commission a TA would be paid. If in fact you book directly with the cruise line the cruise keeps that "extra" money. That is why cruise lines push to have passengers book directly with them. Sometimes a TA will have a better price than the cruise line. They may have booked a block of cabins or my be offering an inhouse promo.

 

You never ever pay the listed cruise line price. Ever! Any TA out there will give you a better price and if they don't, you need to look for another one. I monitor my fares constantly and most often don't turn the booking over to a TA until shortly before final payment. I've also never had Princess push me to book directly with them. When you book on board for instance, the rep will always ask you if you want the booking turned over to the last TA on record.

 

Pia

[mindy2]

I'm not sure how you can say not to pay the list price ever. Prior to booking our xmax cruise, I checked with 3 different TA's and the price was exactly the same as the Princess website. Also, because it is a holiday cruise, I didn't want to wait it out as I know sometimes they fill up quickly (balcony cabins anyway). I think it depends on the time of year, etc whether or not there are price drops and I don't think there are always price drops.

[Pia1913]

I'm not sure how you can say not to pay the list price ever. Prior to booking our xmax cruise, I checked with 3 different TA's and the price was exactly the same as the Princess website. Also, because it is a holiday cruise, I didn't want to wait it out as I know sometimes they fill up quickly (balcony cabins anyway). I think it depends on the time of year, etc whether or not there are price drops and I don't think there are always price drops.

 

Yes, Xmas cruises are high, but you need a TA who will give it to you for less. It doesn't matter what you see on the websites, it's what you will pay for it after your booking is turned over to a TA.

 

Pia

[Putterdude]

A lot of the larger TA companies either individualy or as a group block out a number of cabins on each cruise for which they get a wholesale or discounted rate; they then pass at least a portion of this discount on to the client.

[spiritkat090909]

I'm not sure how you can say not to pay the list price ever. Prior to booking our xmax cruise, I checked with 3 different TA's and the price was exactly the same as the Princess website. Also, because it is a holiday cruise, I didn't want to wait it out as I know sometimes they fill up quickly (balcony cabins anyway). I think it depends on the time of year, etc whether or not there are price drops and I don't think there are always price drops.

 

 

LOL...Never say never.... Xmas & New Years are the exceptions to the rule.

[funny1]

We booked a cruise with an online TA. When I noticed that the price went down on the TA's site, I contacted them about it. They said the price drops they honor are when Princess lowers the price. When the TA lowers the price, doesn't count.

[kywildcatfanone]

So, is there another way to check Princess's prices other than the web site?

 

Mike