Azura, One Ship, Endless Stories.

[stopgo]

That was the title of the latest P/O advertising bumph for the Auzura that found itself through my letter box. The price providing I booked before the end of November for an inside cabin was being offered at £1,674, needless to say I offered the offending brochure the boot sending it straight into the bin.

[CASPALL]

There will be people willing to pay that price, but I certainly wouldn't. Inside cabin! Sheesh!
Unless it was for 21 nights or more?
Caryl

[MattyBarlow]

Ive just booked a 14 night cruise on the Eclipse for May next year. £1499 with balcony in concierge class, free car parking and $275 on board credit....my other option was Azura doing similar cruise in late May. Azura doesn't even come close price wise!!!

[daiB]

It is great on here half the people complain that the P&O prices are so low and that shows how badly they are doing and that they will have to lose half their ships. On top of that low prices will attract the wrong sort (whoever they are)

And we have this thread that says the prices are toooooooo high and P&O are so evil for sending out the brochure.

You have to laugh



Happy Cruising






Dai

[History addict]

It's a case of supply and demand. Ocean Village prices next year are sky high for balcony cabins as they will only have the one ship and it's regulars will be wanting one last cruise with the company.

Similarly P and O thinks it's new ship will attract those who like to be among the first to try a new ship, fans of bigger ships and also P and O regulars who want to try out the new one and who want to have the complete set of P and O ships under their belt.

No doubt prices for Azura will reduce once the novelty value is diminished but if I were running either P and O Azura or Ocean Village my prices at this stage would be sky high too whilst I gauge the demand.

It will be interesting to see how many people pay the prices and whether there will be some good deals next year!

[stopgo]

Originally Posted by daiB

It is great on here half the people complain that the P&O prices are so low and that shows how badly they are doing and that they will have to lose half their ships. On top of that low prices will attract the wrong sort (whoever they are)

And we have this thread that says the prices are toooooooo high and P&O are so evil for sending out the brochure.

You have to laugh



Happy Cruising






Dai

Hi Dai, I wouldn't go as far as say that P/O are evil, I only started the thread to get a bit of a debate going. Though if Azura doesn't start selling well I expect to be bombarded by brochures
It did also make me think that at these prices the label that certain people use about the Ventura being a floating Butlins [ which I don't agree with ] won't apply to the Azura. Not unless Butlins are charging £1,675 p.p. for a fortnights holiday.

[daiB]

Originally Posted by stopgo

Hi Dai, I wouldn't go as far as say that P/O are evil, I only started the thread to get a bit of a debate going. Though if Azura doesn't start selling well I expect to be bombarded by brochures
It did also make me think that at these prices the label that certain people use about the Ventura being a floating Butlins [ which I don't agree with ] won't apply to the Azura. Not unless Butlins are charging £1,675 p.p. for a fortnights holiday.

What you have to remember is that P&O pricing is affected by the number of bookings at that time. So if bookings are good the price remains high. Like every other company they do not bring down prices unless they have to.

Which makes me wonder about Matty on Eclipse


Happy Cruising





Dai

[LibraLass41]

I am very tempted by Celebrity too Matt after my 2n cruise on Equinox in late July which will be the same as Eclipse. I priced out a balcony cabin to Med in Sept 2010 and Eclipse was £1400pp, P&O Arcadia £2100pp -£1400 cheaper per couple .... for a 5* ship....it is tempting. Celebrity drinks prices are a lot more expensive and I believe they charge for shuttles at ports, but its still going to work out cheaper. It depends if you want the American experience or the Brit experience I suppose.

[jeanlyon]

I wonder what cruise the £1674 was for. We paid £1540 for 16 nights on Azura for Sept 2010, free parking, £200 OBC - I don't think that's expensive for 16 nights?

[jeanlyon]

Sue,. what's the difference in the drinks prices - you say they are a lot more? A glass of wine - say

[Johnthed0g]

Our proposed cruise on Azura, 29 nights Xmas & New Year Caribbean fly cruise, £2400 balc.+£400 OBC. Hope the ship is OK.

[LibraLass41]

Originally Posted by Johnthed0g

Our proposed cruise on Azura, 29 nights Xmas & New Year Caribbean fly cruise, £2400 balc.+£400 OBC. Hope the ship is OK.

That looks a fantastic price, I'm being quoted £2,300-2400 for a balcony for a 14n Med cruise on Arcadia! Next Sept.2010

[Johnthed0g]

Especially for Xmas too, that's why we booked it...rude not too!! we were not intending to do so much in the future but....It was a special & sold out within hours, you had to pre- register.

[Smee]

I did not think the prices were all that bad..................

[stopgo]

Originally Posted by LibraLass41

That looks a fantastic price, I'm being quoted £2,300-2400 for a balcony for a 14n Med cruise on Arcadia! Next Sept.2010

Is that per person ?

[stopgo]

Originally Posted by Smee

I did not think the prices were all that bad..................

Compared to what ?

[MattyBarlow]

Originally Posted by daiB

Which makes me wonder about Matty on Eclipse


Dai

I will admit that i got a very good deal on this one. The comapny i used had a group booking on the cruise when it originally came out so they could offer lower prices. I really wanted to do Azura but i just couldnt justify the price difference for what should (in theory) be a better product.
I do wonder wether Celebrity are trying to under cut P&O in the first season just to get the customer base.

[Gerrym]

Matty, I don't think you will be disappointed with Celebrity Solstice class.

Personally I found it to be more elegant than P&O and not having completely British passengers was a bonus in my view.

Plus the sunbed issue which seems to blight so many cruises is non-existent.


The drink prices are a bit higher but I don't remember them being that bad, and go for a bucket of beer each time rather than a single beer, they are 5 for the price of 4 (I think!).


Cheers


Gerry

[MattyBarlow]

I've gone concierge class so will get a few other goodies as well. I was just dissapointed that Azura was so much more.

[upwarduk]

P&O have always been more expensive than Celebrity, but you can go ex Southampton
The problem came when you have to add flights, as with most Celebrity cruises.

We sailed Celebrity Mercury ( Jan/ Feb 2008 OZ & NZ- high season) approx £1,200 p.p for 14 nights Premium outside ie Balcony cabin.( £ 85.00 per night)

Almost as soon as we returned, I booked P&O Arcadia, 15 nights Norway, Iceland, Ireland
£1500 p.p Outside , restricted view, again high season. (£100 per night)

Yes, we had to down grade, but paid +£300. If we had had a balcony cabin, it would have cost us +£600 on our Mercury booking.

Now that Celebrity are going from Southampton next summer season, I think P&O are going to have to look at their pricing structure.

BTW, I booked Eclipse, sailing 04.10.10 in August. I was so lucky that I phoned a travel that we had used in the past. They had 'group booked' 2A balcony cabins, which worked out cheaper than an inside. I jumped at the chance & booked the next to last guaranteed cabin for £1,395 for 16 nights( £87 per night). Balcony cabins are now over £3,000 as the ship is almost full.

I will admit that the drinks prices are lower on P&O.
Also I love the 'British entertainment' on P&O.

A USA Travel Agent who was on our table on Galaxy 2005, maintained that Celebrity were 4* prices for 5* cruising & that she always recommended Celebrity.
I assume that she had never sold P&O .

In the past , P&O had no real competition,so controlled the market, but I suspect they will notice a difference next year.