Princess UNFAIR pricing

[hubofhockey]

Recently while booking a cruise on the Star one of my friends Captian's Circle number brought up MUCH lower price than my number did ( I'm Elite, she's not). I called Princess and was able to book a total of 4 cabins (for friends and family) all with the lower rate.

 

I completely understand the posters frustration. It still ticks me off that the folks who rarely cruise are offered the best rates.............not much of a reward for loyalty..........

 

Donna

 

I don't understand the frustration. Frequent flyers on airlines don't get better rates. They just get the perks and Princess seems to have good perks for Elite passengers. Between the free dry cleaning, laundry, mini bar set up, free internet minutes, and priority tenders embarcations, and disembarcations, you guys have it pretty good. That's worth multiple $hundreds on a cruise.

[phillipahain]

The "deals" are actually only offered to USA / Canada residents

 

They are never offered to anyone outside of the USA

 

no matter what status they have with Princess

 

Equally Final payment only applies to USA / Canada bookings ...........outside of this once you book the price is fixed and the deposit on an escalating scale is non refundable

 

and lets get it correct ...........free internet minutes also applies to Platinum status which is achieved after 5 cruises or 50 days

 

It takes 15 cruises or 150 days to reach Elite

[slotl]

Yes, I really agree with this, too. I do think it is fine to reward loyalty, though, so if the best prices were being offered to elite, and next best to platinum, etc., I would agree with those price differences. That would encourage passengers who like Princess to keep booking, knowing that after they have gone up a level, they might get even better prices. There are so many cruise lines, and this leaves me feeling that if loyalty is not rewarded, but almost penalized by offering better prices to less frequent cruisers, then maybe I should spread all my future bookings around on lots of cruise lines. It would be fun to try lots of different lines, I'd have a sailing on many lines, and I could see who comes through with some good offers. I'm also thinking that maybe Princess counts on not too many people finding out about better deals that targeted customers are offered. [/i]

 

Thank you DaisyRose for agreeing with my point of view. These are ADVERTISED Princess pricing. Even airlines will match the prices of OTHER COMPETITORS going to the same destinations.

 

I'm not asking for Princess to match the price of other cruises or cruise lines, but I would expect that Princess match THEIR OWN ADVERTISED PRICES to anyone who has knowledge of the reduced advertised pricing.

[Toto2Kansas]

I did a bit of searching on the internet for the definition of 'advertised price' and it seems that a consumer has a complaint IF the price is advertised to the general public, and they are refused to be granted this price.

Although I do understand the frustration over this, I do not see a targeted promotion as an 'advertised price'. Since it is not a price listed for the general public when it is a targeted promotion. :(

[Carolina Cruisr]

A fact is, if you get a "flash promotion" and have yourself LISTED with other couples, they automatically get the same pricing. We sailed to Hawaii and received a flash promo and our friends received it and then in June we sailed Alaska and our friends got the promo and we were able to receive it. But you MUST be listed with them!

on the Sea Addict

 

 

There are 4 couples booked together on the Ocean Princess Sept 08, 2010. Two of the four couples were sent the 2 For 1 offer and were afforded the sale and the other two were not. In our case about a $1400 PP difference. Contacted our Princess Vacation Planner and when she could do nothing took it to "Customer Service" and there I was told they were given notice from the upper ranks that they could no longer offer eveyone on the booking the sale if they did not receive the brochure. Needless to say there a a couple of us that are upset. I will keep the booking live and on deposit (FCC) and wait for a lower rate. If the rates do not go any lower I can always cancel. Not what I would like to do. Just cannot see paying more than what is offered to our friends.

[kooljamming]

Shameful...Shameful...Shameful

Loyalty can be a burden, not a blessing to this industry

Many elite travelers got to that status because they can travel during the cheaper times. Others stay loyal because of the perks they are given. They bleed the industry dry because many have seen all the ports already, so no ship sponsored excursions. They have all the photos they care to buy, and they aren't heavy drinkers because alcohol interferes with some medication (mine too). Many of you have gotten to the elites status not because you are rich (if so why mass market) but because of the deal you have gotten, paying next to nothing (so to speak) off season fares. For what you pay for your mini-suite off season, that's the price for an inside cabin during the holidays. I am not a cheerleader but I do believe in giving Cesar what's due.. With extra time I could become an elite member by the end of the year. Kind Princess has offered me Mexico (7 nights) for as low as $349, One, two or three day Costal starting at $29. I can do this not because I am rich but because it's cheaper than staying home. Yep right when the kids are heading back to school. It's about time some of you give the company a break that has given you so many off season deals...JMOP

[techheather]

This past week i booked . I am sailing with my mother, she is in another cabin. and my frineds mom in another cabin. 3 cabins total. 2 got the flash promo. my mom didnt. When I saw mine droped, I figured all did. But not hers. The TA called and said they wont fix her fare, he told me to call. I did call and got the same answer. Princess said to bad on that even though we were cross referenced (all 3 cabins). However, next day hers dropped. so it might be worth calling, more than once. Maybe because we were related and shared a cabin last time..i dont know...maybe a fluke hers was a day late. but she got the reduction,, so as far as giving it when listed as sailing together, that is probably not a for sure thing, worth pushing though maybe

[sunsetbeachgal]

The latest Princess e-mail offer (the two for one that came last week for many 2010 sailings) we were told were offered "randomly" to past cruisers by Princess. We have four couples who want to do a Sept, 2010 Med cruise together that is offered under the deal. Upon calling to book it we found out that two of the couples (one is us) are Platinum-one got the offer, one did not. The other two couples have cruised Princess two times-one got the offer, the other did not. All of us live in the same neighborhood so it is not a regional thing. One of the couples is appealing to Princess customer service, but so far they are not budging.

 

We realize that offers in the travel industry are capacity controlled, but it is still available-just only to cruisers whose captains circle number got the mailing. We all feel this is unfair and is resulting in alot of ill will. And we realize that we could easily split up the couples when booking to have the offer extended to all cabins, and then switch when we boarded, but we shouldn't have to resort to this.

 

Suggestions are welcomed!!

[Davey Interweb]

We booked a Princess Cruise on the Pacific Princess (26 days) for the Dec 18th sailing. We booked many months ago at a Princress "special" for "any balcony same price as an inside room". Our balcony room costs approximately $4,000 per person based on the DEAL above at the time we booked.

 

My 93 year old father-in-law received a flyer from Princess offering $1,000 discounts ON OUR CRUISE. We did NOT receive the same flyer. The flyer quotes "outside" rooms for $2,400 pp (way lower than the fare we booked).

 

We called our TA and we were told that the $2,400 price was ONLY AVAILABLE to the Princess Circle members receiving the flyer (no one else was eligible and it is non-transferable).

 

This would be a saving of approximately $1,600 pp. BUT WE CANNOT AVAIL ourselves of this price (I believe the promo code was PL7).

 

We are Platinum (12 cruises) with Princess and find this type of pricing to be UNACCEPTABLE and UNFAIR. We are certainly outside of the 90 day timeframe for pricing changes.

 

THIS WILL DEFINITELY BE OUR LAST CRUISE ON PRINCESS!!!!!!

 

I just want to see if I have this straight: you booked an "upgrade to balcony at inside price" promotional fare, and at that time interior staterooms were in the neighborhood of ~$4000 a head. Now you want them to reduce your fare to the current fare for the least-expensive interior/oceanview stateroom under an entirely different promotion, in turn giving you a balcony fare that is far, far lower than those currently offered to anyone? Maybe I've misinterpreted something, but that's how I read your post.

 

Have you contacted Princess reservations to request the fare for the lowest-priced balcony stateroom under your father-in-law's promotional offering? I'm pretty confident it'll still be around $3600 + taxes for the lowest category balcony guarantee. I just don't know where you're getting your "$1600 per person savings" from.

[FLACRUISER99]

Maybe Princess should let them cruise for free.(only kidding)

[rdsqrl]

Thank you DaisyRose for agreeing with my point of view. These are ADVERTISED Princess pricing. Even airlines will match the prices of OTHER COMPETITORS going to the same destinations.

 

I'm not asking for Princess to match the price of other cruises or cruise lines, but I would expect that Princess match THEIR OWN ADVERTISED PRICES to anyone who has knowledge of the reduced advertised pricing.

Don't know where you get this information but I think NOT. Otherwise, I wouldn't have to keep flying Delta (motto: "We may love to fly, but we don't love our customers") over the water, because my preferred carrier, American, would be happy to match Delta's cheaper-by-thousands business class fares to Europe.

Those of you complaining about these targeted promos make me laugh. If you got one of these promos, you'd be dancing in the streets. It's only when it's going to someone else that you suddenly develop righteous anger about the "unfairness" of such practices. Ever stop to think that if Princess offered every promo fare to every potential cruiser, they simply couldn't afford it, and so they'd stop offering 2-for-1s at all. But then I hated Econ, so maybe I'm wrong, but that just seems like basic logic to me. . .

[Toto2Kansas]

Wait a minute, I want to hear more about airlines matching competitors prices going to the same place. They sure don't do that around here, are we talking about the good old USA? Tell me more, please! ;)

[rdsqrl]

Wait a minute, I want to hear more about airlines matching competitors prices going to the same place. They sure don't do that around here, are we talking about the good old USA? Tell me more, please! ;)

They don't; I think she totally made that up to provide spurious evidence to bolster her shaky argument. Or else she's talking about the pre-deregulation days, when every airline had the same exact fare on every routing. . . !

[Toto2Kansas]

They don't; I think she totally made that up to provide spurious evidence to bolster her shaky argument. Or else she's talking about the pre-deregulation days, when every airline had the same exact fare on every routing. . . !

 

Oh Darn, and here I had my hopes up. :( Darned Internet anyway. ;)

[Davey Interweb]

I've seen where some carriers match the competition's seat sale fares (for the duration of that sale), but I'm struggling to think of any domestic airline that matches competitor fares simply through contacting them and asking them to do so. This simply isn't a normal practice in the industry, so the argument you were attempting to make here really doesn't have much weight.

[FLACRUISER99]

Shameful...Shameful...Shameful

Loyalty can be a burden, not a blessing to this industry

Many elite travelers got to that status because they can travel during the cheaper times. Others stay loyal because of the perks they are given. They bleed the industry dry because many have seen all the ports already, so no ship sponsored excursions. They have all the photos they care to buy, and they aren't heavy drinkers because alcohol interferes with some medication (mine too). Many of you have gotten to the elites status not because you are rich (if so why mass market) but because of the deal you have gotten, paying next to nothing (so to speak) off season fares. For what you pay for your mini-suite off season, that's the price for an inside cabin during the holidays. I am not a cheerleader but I do believe in giving Cesar what's due.. With extra time I could become an elite member by the end of the year. Kind Princess has offered me Mexico (7 nights) for as low as $349, One, two or three day Costal starting at $29. I can do this not because I am rich but because it's cheaper than staying home. Yep right when the kids are heading back to school. It's about time some of you give the company a break that has given you so many off season deals...JMOP

So sailing empty is better? Give me a break:eek:

[chubbypiggy]

This is off the topic of unfair pricing, but from reading other posts on this thread, it raised another question for me. Some of the posts mentioned if you need to book 2 cabins for 4 persons, and only 2 persons received the 2-for-1 promo, they suggested the 2 persons that received the promo reserve the cabins with the 2-for-1 price, then just switch the names after you board. For example, if my husband and I got the promo, but my sister and her husband didn't, and if I book the 2 cabins as other suggested, I book a cabin with my sister, and my husband book a cabin with my sister's husband, it is true now both cabins got the 2-for-1 promo. My question is, if both cabins bought insurance, and if after final payment, I got seriously ill, and will not be able to go, isn't it true that only me and the other person in the same cabin as me will be allowed to get all our money refunded? That mean my husband and my brother-in-law still need to go or they will loose their full payment, right?

 

Thank you.

[Papa T]

Shameful...Shameful...Shameful

Loyalty can be a burden, not a blessing to this industry

Many elite travelers got to that status because they can travel during the cheaper times. Others stay loyal because of the perks they are given. They bleed the industry dry because many have seen all the ports already, so no ship sponsored excursions. They have all the photos they care to buy, and they aren't heavy drinkers because alcohol interferes with some medication (mine too). Many of you have gotten to the elites status not because you are rich (if so why mass market) but because of the deal you have gotten, paying next to nothing (so to speak) off season fares. For what you pay for your mini-suite off season, that's the price for an inside cabin during the holidays. I am not a cheerleader but I do believe in giving Cesar what's due.. With extra time I could become an elite member by the end of the year. Kind Princess has offered me Mexico (7 nights) for as low as $349, One, two or three day Costal starting at $29. I can do this not because I am rich but because it's cheaper than staying home. Yep right when the kids are heading back to school. It's about time some of you give the company a break that has given you so many off season deals...JMOP

 

Not all frequent cruisers travel on the cheap - many of our cruises were taken during peak times because of school, etc. I will always give priority to an airline and/or cruise company that rewards loyality. The practice of targeted promotions by Princess is not unusual but the % of the discount over the online price advertised to the general public during the same time period seems to be extreme. A residency or senior discount of 10% is one thing, but a true 2 for 1 discount for some while others on the same day pay double seems unfair. It obviously works for Princess or they wouldn't continue the practice. While I occasionally cruise with Princess based largely on itinerary, they will probable never make it to the top of my cruise company list. Being rewarded for my loyality and perceiving company practices as fair are important to me and I would guess to many others.

[Davey Interweb]

This is off the topic of unfair pricing, but from reading other posts on this thread, it raised another question for me. Some of the posts mentioned if you need to book 2 cabins for 4 persons, and only 2 persons received the 2-for-1 promo, they suggested the 2 persons that received the promo reserve the cabins with the 2-for-1 price, then just switch the names after you board. For example, if my husband and I got the promo, but my sister and her husband didn't, and if I book the 2 cabins as other suggested, I book a cabin with my sister, and my husband book a cabin with my sister's husband, it is true now both cabins got the 2-for-1 promo. My question is, if both cabins bought insurance, and if after final payment, I got seriously ill, and will not be able to go, isn't it true that only me and the other person in the same cabin as me will be allowed to get all our money refunded? That mean my husband and my brother-in-law still need to go or they will loose their full payment, right?

 

Thank you.

 

No, not necessarily. Princess' coverage would allow for cancellation in the event an immediate family member fell seriously ill before the trip. In your hypothetical situation, your husband would be able to cancel his own reservation and receive the refund allowed under the policy if you were medically unable to travel. So would your sister. I don't whether or not your brother-in-law would be considered "immediate family" in their eyes, so I'm entirely sure what would happen here -- perhaps they'd instead consider him a "travelling companion", but I suspect that really only counts when one person on the reservation becomes ill and the other(s) on the same reservation opt not to travel.

 

If, in the end, your sister and her husband still decided to travel without the two of you, they would in turn lose "your" promotional fare and would be re-booked at the best available fare instead.

[jeffstew]

Thank you DaisyRose for agreeing with my point of view. These are ADVERTISED Princess pricing. Even airlines will match the prices of OTHER COMPETITORS going to the same destinations.

 

I'm not asking for Princess to match the price of other cruises or cruise lines, but I would expect that Princess match THEIR OWN ADVERTISED PRICES to anyone who has knowledge of the reduced advertised pricing.

 

Hey! I heard someone at another table in this restaurant has a 2 for 1 coupon. NO FAIR! I demand that our meals get the same discount!

 

You've got to be kidding me lady...

 

Your argument is so incredibly stupid I simply can't believe it.

[chubbypiggy]

No, not necessarily. Princess' coverage would allow for cancellation in the event an immediate family member fell seriously ill before the trip. In your hypothetical situation, your husband would be able to cancel his own reservation and receive the refund allowed under the policy if you were medically unable to travel. So would your sister. I don't whether or not your brother-in-law would be considered "immediate family" in their eyes, so I'm entirely sure what would happen here -- perhaps they'd instead consider him a "travelling companion", but I suspect that really only counts when one person on the reservation becomes ill and the other(s) on the same reservation opt not to travel.

 

If, in the end, your sister and her husband still decided to travel without the two of you, they would in turn lose "your" promotional fare and would be re-booked at the best available fare instead.

 

Thank you for the explanation; I guess I didn't use a good example, because I used immediate family members. Most of the time, I cruise with my best friend, and my co-worker and her husband. If my best friend and I got the 2-for-1 promo, and if I book one cabin using the promo with my co-worker, and my best friend book another cabin using the promo with my co-worker's husband, then if I get seriously ill, then only my co-worker in the same cabin as me will get the full refund, right? I am sure my best friend will not want to go with my co-worker's husband, that mean both of them will loose their full payment, right?

 

I don't really know how the insurance thing works; I wonder if I have been reading my insurance policies wrong. Because I have read so many posts (besides this thread, I had read it in other threads too) that people mentioned/suggested for others to split the cabin to take advantage of 2-for-1 promo, FCC.. then just make the switch back after they board.

 

Thank you.

[houch]

I don't expect any discount. I book the cruise I want if it is a price I can do. I really don't follow the prices after I have booked. If our TA finds a better price fine, if not that is ok too.

 

Most of my cruises have been with Princess and yes, I do feel loyal to Princess. This is because their medical staff saved my dad's life on my first cruise. I have never been disappointed in a Princess cruise.

[Carolina Cruisr]

Hey! I heard someone at another table in this restaurant has a 2 for 1 coupon. NO FAIR! I demand that our meals get the same discount!

 

You've got to be kidding me lady...

 

Your argument is so incredibly stupid I simply can't believe it.

 

 

What if your friend emailed you a 2 for 1 coupon for your meal and the restaurant would not honor. You may feel differently.

[5Cats]

I found a "deal" for Alaska Inside Passage May 2010. The price quoted on Princess (after I logged in) was $500 more than I found on a large online travel agency. This is total - for me and DH. $500 is quite a bit to me, this difference could definitely go towards our airfare. So I called Princess and spoke with a rep, who was really nice. She stated that if I found a cheaper rate than the Princess website quoted me, I should consider it. They don't do match pricing. She went on to say that regardless of who I book through, they were thankful we were sailing with Princess and appreciated my loyalty. We've done 4 cruises - about 1 a year.

 

So, I went ahead and booked thru this online travel agency - which also had a deposit of $100 pp, instead of a $500 deposit on Princess.

 

That was a week or so ago - yesterday I found RT airfare for about $100 pp cheaper than I'd been seeing.

 

I waited until I found a price I was okay with, and booked. I could also wait to see if the ship/airline lowered the rates because of openings - but that would be my risk.

 

If I see a great deal that is lower priced than what I got, I may try for a cabin upgrade, but wouldn't be terribly disappointed if I didn't get it.

 

I work in Marketing, and I have a hard time believing Princess is ending out "random" mailings for great deals. They are segmenting - whether based on # of cruises, location, $ spent onboard, etc.

 

Just my thoughts! Either way - I'm cruising - I'm happy!!!

[LoveThisCruisingThing]

Shameful...Shameful...Shameful

Loyalty can be a burden, not a blessing to this industry

Many elite travelers got to that status because they can travel during the cheaper times. Others stay loyal because of the perks they are given. They bleed the industry dry because many have seen all the ports already, so no ship sponsored excursions. They have all the photos they care to buy, and they aren't heavy drinkers because alcohol interferes with some medication (mine too). Many of you have gotten to the elites status not because you are rich (if so why mass market) but because of the deal you have gotten, paying next to nothing (so to speak) off season fares. For what you pay for your mini-suite off season, that's the price for an inside cabin during the holidays. I am not a cheerleader but I do believe in giving Cesar what's due.. With extra time I could become an elite member by the end of the year. Kind Princess has offered me Mexico (7 nights) for as low as $349, One, two or three day Costal starting at $29. I can do this not because I am rich but because it's cheaper than staying home. Yep right when the kids are heading back to school. It's about time some of you give the company a break that has given you so many off season deals...JMOP

 

Wow I sure don't travel on the cheap side of things. I am usually a solo traveler so my 150% or more supplemental rate for for a cabin/room/whatever sure is helping out whatever company I am traveling with. Thanks should go to me because I am sure that someone else is reaping the rewards of having to pay a bit lower for their fare because of me. Also there is no way I can travel "off season" since I am a teacher and my breaks come with the major holidays attached. However, I do not complain about my having to pay extra because it is my choice to travel rather than having regrets when I am old. My elite status will come because "I have earned it" not because it was given to me by "cheap" fares.