Prices drop after final payment?

[flyfan33]

My TA assured me he would alert me to any price drops, but that "it never happens". So, of course the prices dropped drastically (almost $900 each) after I made final payment. He says there is nothing that can be done. Is this true? Shouldn't I be able to get something -- at least from the TA? Instead of being enthusiastic about this, I now feel robbed. It's my first cruise and I'm feeling bummed.

[Rob & Beckys mom]

Sorry, but after final payment the fares are lowered so that Princess (etc) can fill up the ships. Only positive thing is that you get to choose the cabin & location you want by booking early. Many that live close enough to drive to the port can really get some amazing deal.

 

Jan

[paul929207]

Price drops after final payment are for new bookings only. Unless the drop is enough that you can cancel, lose the penalty amount and rebook, it is not worth the trouble.

[Colo Cruiser]

If you have a good TA (sounds like yours has his mind made up already) refunds are possible after final payment regardless of the booking type but don't expect it as they are hard to come by and few and far between. :)

[abouna]

If you have the new platinum coverage, then it may be worth it as you get 100% credit (I suppose you would have to pay for the insurance again though). If the difference is significantly greater than the cost of the insurance and you will get a similar type and location of cabin then it may be worth it.

[Colo Cruiser]

If you have the new platinum coverage, then it may be worth it as you get 100% credit (I suppose you would have to pay for the insurance again though). If the difference is significantly greater than the cost of the insurance and you will get a similar type and location of cabin then it may be worth it.

 

If the cruise is that close there may be issues with getting the credit that fast to use on the same cruise. :)

[Pam in CA]

My TA assured me he would alert me to any price drops, but that "it never happens". So, of course the prices dropped drastically (almost $900 each) after I made final payment. He says there is nothing that can be done. Is this true? Shouldn't I be able to get something -- at least from the TA? Instead of being enthusiastic about this, I now feel robbed. It's my first cruise and I'm feeling bummed.

There are "apples and oranges" going on here. If Princess drops everyone's prices, then there's a price drop. If Princess has a "flash promotion" for new bookings only, then there's nothing you can do as you're already booked.

 

Your TA is right in that it's rare that Princess drops it's prices after final payment. Usually, it's something like an itinerary change and even then, they often give you an OBC instead of dropping the prices. Far more often, if there are some categories left to be sold, they will have a "flash promotion" but that is always for new bookings only.

 

For my upcoming Crown cruise, I've made final payment and the prices for the remaining cabins has gone UP, not down. When you book early rather than wait to see if a cruise will go on sale, you're taking a gamble. There might not be a promotion for the cruise you want or the available cabins would be in less desirable locations. Some people take that chance, most don't.

[tiyana4]

The same thing happened to us. The pricing has not gone down for our category since we booked in January, but for lower categories and new cruisers it has. Final payment was last week and the prices are holding steady. I have yet to see a price drop on Princess but with every NCL cruise I have because we book very early.

 

Some time ago a poster stated that once you reach final payment to stop checking the prices. Sometimes it can lead to OBC but more often than not, it only leads to hurt feelings. Be glad you got a good deal up front and focus on the fun part - planning.

[Whoo]

Princess would not drop the price for our inside cabin after final payment, when outside cabins dropped to less than what we paid for the inside! I called Princess several times, and we could have cancelled our booking (for a fee) and rebooked - but we decided to just stay put. However, the good news is the upgrade fairy visited us 6 days before the cruise - and we were upgraded to a category AB mini-suite!!!! :)

[MacThespian]

My TA assured me he would alert me to any price drops, but that "it never happens". So, of course the prices dropped drastically (almost $900 each) after I made final payment. He says there is nothing that can be done. Is this true? Shouldn't I be able to get something -- at least from the TA? Instead of being enthusiastic about this, I now feel robbed. It's my first cruise and I'm feeling bummed.

 

My TA said that we'd get credit for any price drops after final payment was made on either my upcoming Princess or Celebrity cruise. X price did drop, and we got the credit. Princess prices are now about $4 lower per cabin, and I'm not about to worry about that.

As Pam in CA has noted, flash promotions for new bookings are another matter entirely.

[mii]

Believe it or not this has happened to most of us. So now after I make final payment I know longer look at the prices in the web site. Learned long ago and it just makes you upset if you do. I am very sorry that that happens but all the cruiselines do it.

 

Marilyn