Sold Out Cruises !

Am I being naive ?

Can anyone else believe that ALL cabins, in ALL categories, on ALL of the next FOUR cruises from Fremantle to Sydney are completely SOLD OUT !!!

These cruises sail between 19 October 2017 (can believe that one) to 23 March 2019, with two in 2018.

What is going on here Princess?

I rang Princess to check and the operator said that the cruises out of Fremantle sell out quickly......but I cannot believe they already have something like 10,000 bookings already made for those cruises.

What do other members think ?

Sorry for the capital letters, but I am infuriated that my holiday over to Fremantle cannot be booked because I cannot get a cruise home to Sydney. :evilsmile:

Rosee

Am I being naive ?

Can anyone else believe that ALL cabins, in ALL categories, on ALL of the next FOUR cruises from Fremantle to Sydney are completely SOLD OUT !!!

These cruises sail between 19 October 2017 (can believe that one) to 23 March 2019, with two in 2018.

 

What is going on here Princess?

 

I rang Princess to check and the operator said that the cruises out of Fremantle sell out quickly......but I cannot believe they already have something like 10,000 bookings already made for those cruises.

What do other members think ?

 

Sorry for the capital letters, but I am infuriated that my holiday over to Fremantle cannot be booked because I cannot get a cruise home to Sydney. :evilsmile:

 

Rosee

I think you will find the big T/A's and the Rail Cruise mob have made block bookings, very popular. Seem a bit hard to believe though.:loudcry:

Am I being naive ?

Can anyone else believe that ALL cabins, in ALL categories, on ALL of the next FOUR cruises from Fremantle to Sydney are completely SOLD OUT !!!

These cruises sail between 19 October 2017 (can believe that one) to 23 March 2019, with two in 2018.

 

What is going on here Princess?

 

I rang Princess to check and the operator said that the cruises out of Fremantle sell out quickly......but I cannot believe they already have something like 10,000 bookings already made for those cruises.

What do other members think ?

 

 

Sorry for the capital letters, but I am infuriated that my holiday over to Fremantle cannot be booked because I cannot get a cruise home to Sydney. :evilsmile:

 

Rosee

some of the big name TA's have a block of cabins and what they dont sell come final payment they give them back to princess so it might be worthwhile ringing a few agencys

i had a look at one TA's site and there is one in november from Freo to Brisbane and a couple more next year from Sydney to Sydney and no sector from Freo to Sydney

Ring around ALL the agents.....you may find what you want and you may find it cheaper, although with the strong demand they can name their own price .

There is no such thing as a sold out cruise, so far in advance. Passengers cancel all the time for a wide variety of reasons TAs, who hold block bookings of cabins, return unsold cabins to the cruise line.

My friend wanted to book a "sold out" cruise from Freemantle, like you, so I told her to keep looking at the cruise line website. In the meantime, she waitlisted with a big TA, who tried to talk her in to a later date cruise (not suitable because it was for a special occasion).

When a cabin became available on her preferred cruise, she contacted the big TA who she was waitlisted with. She asked my friend to give her a day, but was unable to offer her a cabin on the ship, so my friend booked with the cruise line.

The rail/cruise operators buy up some blocks understand. A few hundred each each cruise I was told on our Circumnavigation

The rail/cruise operators buy up some blocks understand. A few hundred each each cruise I was told on our Circumnavigation

As I said below Mr Gut, the rail cruise operators snap up the cabins before they go on sale to the general public. Ain't right.:loudcry:

As I said below Mr Gut, the rail cruise operators snap up the cabins before they go on sale to the general public. Ain't right.:loudcry:

There are a lot of things in the cruise industry that aren't right in my opinion.

But we just have to live with it.

Or

Not travel with them.

Out of interest I looked on the large US TA site and they have availability on the October 2018 and March 2019 cruises. So wonder why it is sold out in Australia.

Thanks to all responders to my original post.

It looks like you are all on the right track re TA's and Rail/Cruise operators locking in blocks of cabins waiting for their bookings to come rolling in.

Meanwhile us private passengers who want to organise their own holiday plans are either forced to use a TA or other operator, or cannot make plans ahead of the time that unused cabins become available again, when it is usually then too late to make the necessary other bookings to fit in with the cruise.

Unfair.......YES!

Rosee

Thanks to all responders to my original post. It looks like you are all on the right track re TA's and Rail/Cruise operators locking in blocks of cabins waiting for their bookings to come rolling in. Meanwhile us private passengers who want to organise their own holiday plans are either forced to use a TA or other operator, or cannot make plans ahead of the time that unused cabins become available again, when it is usually then too late to make the necessary other bookings to fit in with the cruise. Unfair.......YES! Rosee

Appreciate these interesting posts, comments and follow-ups on this thread as to how the TA "game" works (or not). Many of us like to plan ahead, but as you check back, I am sure that opportunities and options will open up. Good luck!!

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 187,008 views for this posting.

As always, thanks Terry in Ohio, we welcome your presence on here.:p:halo:

As mentioned, keep checking with TA and press offers and such as the cabins will become available.

Well, a cruise you can’t book has the same effect as a Sold out cruise. Annoying that TA’s do this and wonder if it’s the way cruiselines are moving - from direct to TA involvement. Several cruises are already like this - eg Viking. And doing it this way means the TA will charge a cancellation fee. Dislike.

Well, a cruise you can’t book has the same effect as a Sold out cruise. Annoying that TA’s do this and wonder if it’s the way cruiselines are moving - from direct to TA involvement. Several cruises are already like this - eg Viking. And doing it this way means the TA will charge a cancellation fee. Dislike.

True and also that some TAs cannot be used as they will only sell to residents of their respective countries so that they can ensure an international mix on board.

I never even thought of OS TA’s and what that means for local cruisers. Hopefully that comes around to biting the cruiselines on their financial bottoms and then they have to hurriedly sell cheaply to local cruisers but very late into the process unfortunately for those who have to plan.

I never even thought of OS TA’s and what that means for local cruisers. Hopefully that comes around to biting the cruiselines on their financial bottoms and then they have to hurriedly sell cheaply to local cruisers but very late into the process unfortunately for those who have to plan.

Yeah, this is why there is nearly always some last minute sales even on very popular cruises.

We're quite new to cruising but have begun to 'play the game'! Unless it's a genuine 'Cruise of a Lifetime' (just got back from one - I'll tell you what - never again ...(Tim Vine joke)) - we just note the details when it goes to Wait List and 12 months or so later, when the unsold cabins are re-released at reduced prices, we book!

We had a really good 14 days cruise 24/11-07/12/16 last year - Mediterranean & Jordan for £1,305 total (incl. £80 flight supplement for extra legroom). Cruise was great until it came to the return flight which was a foul-up and a half, including an (alleged) last minute unscheduled stopover in Naples ... Long story, but we arrived in London, Gatwick 21.50 hours late! However, we received a £200 holiday voucher and £1,033 compensation under EU Rules (Sec 261 Payment (?) - so our 14 days cruise cost us £78 (had we not paid extra for the plane legroom, we would have made a £2 profit!).

On balance, I would have preferred to have returned to the UK as scheduled ... :)

Ah well, at least you got a very cheap cruise out of it.

Ah well, at least you got a very cheap cruise out of it.

I doubt I'll find a cheaper cruise! And it had been very, very good for the itinerary, star rating - the cruise through the Suez Canal will live long in the memory! The 'jewel in the crown' was the visit to Petra (the day before the end of the cruise) - and as we sat on the rear deck, enjoying a very leisurely breakfast in warm December sun, I made the fateful mistake of saying to my wife 'Best that the cruise finishes now - we couldn't possibly top yesterday's visit to Petra - finish on a high note ...' etc etc. Me and my big mouth! It's difficult to think how a disembarkation and return flight could have been fouled up more (tempting fate again!) but the redeeming feature (and what has made me prepared to cruise with them again) was the way in which they resolved the compansation; no chasing, disputing - an honest admission of getting it wrong and paying up without delay.

Maybe time to give princess the flick and book either the RCCL or Celebrity, Freemantle to Sydney cruise. Both have cabins available for early next year:)

X is similar to Princess in many ways and is considered a 5 star line, (IMO better) while Royal is probably seen as a 4 star.

I much prefer Celebrity.

I much prefer Celebrity.

Me too, the only things I think Princess does better than X is Pizza and shareholder OBC.

We also feel that Celebrity is considerably higher quality, especially if you book an Aqua Class cabin which includes dining in BLU.

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