What if cost of cabin is lowered after we book?

[Abbidoo]

We've booked 11/05/04 Island Princess to Hawaii and are looking forward to our first Princess cruise. However, the cost has been advertisied a little lower than we paid. Do we have any recourse - - either through TA or Princess?

[sue d. miller]

Hi. Welcome to Princess. Call your TA and ask if your date has been lowered. If it has, you will get a reduction. http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Sue
7 days on Star Princess 10/24

[LovingFL]

You also have the opportunity to up-grade to a higher category if you wish.
After I have booked a cruise, I constantly check Travelocity.com for price decreases. So far on my next cruise on 9/4, I have decreased my cost by $400 per person!
This is one of the reasons why I love this cruise line so much.

Mark


Caribbean Princess 9/04 (Labor Day Cruise)
Grand Princess 10/03 (Halloween Cruise)

[BJS]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I constantly check Travelocity.com for price decreases. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

So do I but when called Princess to check on past passanger prices for each of our back to back cruises (we book directly with Princess)we had a price drop this week of $525pp and that was for the next higher balcony catagory. Sure was happy with a total reduction of $2100!Travelocity is still showing $700pp more for the 2nd cruise and for the first they are showing $1910pp more!

This shows you can't rely on all that you can find on the web.

Many have very good travel agents who probably discovered this also but we haven't found one yet that gives us a better deal overall than Princess. I can call every day and get the latest prices directly.

Future cruises:
Sept. 04 Star Princess x 2
Jan. 05 Diamond Princess
July 05 Star Princess
Aug. 05 Star Pincess

Past cruises:
04 Dawn Princess x 2
03 Grand,Sun,Tahitian,
Royal Princess x 2,Island Princess
01 Ryndam x 2
00 Sky Princess
79 Sitmar's Fairwind

[Coral]

It is really hard on websites to show past passenger, regional rates and IEXCEL rates. That is why it is important to have a great TA watching rates for you. Websites alone can't possibly show you all the rates that you qualify for.

[LovingFL]

BJS,
So you call Princess directly if you want to find out if prices have dropped? How often do you call (once a week/every other week)? I'm all about the cheaper price...
Thanks for the info!

Mark


Caribbean Princess 9/04 (Labor Day Cruise)
Grand Princess 10/03 (Halloween Cruise)

[Abbidoo]

Those of you on the boards a lot give such great information. Those of us that don't get to cruise too often really appreciate all your help. I'll be calling Princess and my TA to keep up to date until our final payment and beyond! Thanks so much.

Pam in OKC

[CruiseFever]

Coral-

What are " IEXCEL " rates?

Happy Cruising

Chris

www.LifeIsCruising.com (http://www.LifeIsCruising.com)

Next up:
Caribbean Princess 06/26/04
Star Princess 10/24/04
Carnival Victory 12/19/04
Carnival Miracle 03/13/05

[BJS]

Mark I call if I see any rate changes on Travelocity, if there is Princess info sent in the mail,if it is listed as a special on Princess web, and at least monthly starting 5 months out for a cruise I have booked.

Received a past passanger flyer this week for our 9/13 Star Princess cruise and the price was lower when I called for that cruise and for our Sept 1 cruise - saved $2100 and got a higher balcony than originally booked.

Travelocity showed $1900 pp more for the 9/1 cruise and $700pp more for the 9/13 cruise which is $5200 more so don't only depend on what is there - call Princess.

I always ask about the prices before I make final payment. Princess will not tell you the price has gone down unless you ask.

Price drops can last for a very short time and prices frequently will go up if a cruise is booking fast.

Future cruises:
Sept. 04 Star Princess x 2
Jan. 05 Diamond Princess
July 05 Star Princess
Aug. 05 Star Pincess

Past cruises:
04 Dawn Princess x 2
03 Grand,Sun,Tahitian,
Royal Princess x 2,Island Princess
01 Ryndam x 2
00 Sky Princess
79 Sitmar's Fairwind

[Princess Di]

Hi, Chris,
IEcel is a promotional rate offered through t.a.s who qualify because they have a staus with Princess because of the volume that the travel agency's consortium produces. Higher producing consortiums, agencies, and agents get the advantage of higher percentages of commissions as well as the special promotional rates, along with group rates. Some t.a.s are not even aware of a group on their sailing because it is Through their consortium. I hope I haven't confused you. It is an incentive for t.a.s to sell more Princess, therfore making more money for their agency and for themselves. The pax are happier because they may get group amenities like ob credit, wine, etc. as well as the lower rates. Makes sense - a typical marketing tool.

A Smile is just a little curve that sets a lot of things Straight.
Fair Winds and Following Seas!

[clandt]

Princess Di,

Are these IEcel rates LOWER then booking through Princess?

Christy

[CruiseFever]

Princess Di- Thanks, that makes perfect sense.

Happy Cruising

Chris

www.LifeIsCruising.com (http://www.LifeIsCruising.com)

Next up:
Caribbean Princess 06/26/04
Star Princess 10/24/04
Carnival Victory 12/19/04
Carnival Miracle 03/13/05

[Coral]

Princess Di - Thanks for explaining it and spelling it. I always hear my TA say "I have IEcel rates on that week" and somehow assumed it was spelled differently.

All I know is that when my TA has IEcel rates on a sailing, it is normally much lower then Princess prices and includes extras and good shipboard credit.

[BJS]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>IEcel- ..The pax are happier because they may get group amenities like ob credit,.. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Was told that this is the type of ob credit that can not be combined with CCL stock owners' ob credit.

Future cruises:
Sept. 04 Star Princess x 2
Jan. 05 Diamond Princess
July 05 Star Princess
Aug. 05 Star Pincess

Past cruises:
04 Dawn Princess x 2
03 Grand,Sun,Tahitian,
Royal Princess x 2,Island Princess
01 Ryndam x 2
00 Sky Princess
79 Sitmar's Fairwind

[LeeLeesCruisin]

My TA, a large agency that specializes in cruises, won't give us the lower rate on our cruise. I found lower rates, but they won't match them. How do I switch TA's without having to pay their $50-70 penalty? Or can I drop them and just go straight through Princess? Even if I don't get the lower rate, I just don't want my TA to get the commission. They were really rude when I asked for a price adjustment. Our final payment isn't due until May 8th.

LeeLee

Carnival Fantasy
9/6/01 RCI Sovereign of the Seas
8/1/04 Sapphire Princess Honeymoon!
http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=9400d3&cdt=2004;8;1;16;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800

[BJS]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>How do I switch TA's without having to pay their $50-70 penalty? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Do you have to pay this if you cancel the cruise?
If not you can cancel and then book with Princess. You will be giving up the room you now have and it might not be available for rebooking. Another deposit would have to be made and your current TA might not refund your deposit for weeks.

Good luck! That is why we book directly with Princess.

Future cruises:
Sept. 04 Star Princess x 2
Jan. 05 Diamond Princess
July 05 Star Princess
Aug. 05 Star Pincess

Past cruises:
04 Dawn Princess x 2
03 Grand,Sun,Tahitian,
Royal Princess x 2,Island Princess
01 Ryndam x 2
00 Sky Princess
79 Sitmar's Fairwind