Our TA is passing on a price reduction!

[Quicksilver925kzy]

We booked our cruise about six weeks ago and paid the required deposit. All happy.

Then today we got an email which said
"We have noticed that the cost of your cruise has reduced since the time you booked it with us so we have been able to pass this saving on to you.
Please see below a revised confirmation of cruise booking showing the cost of your cruise now and the amount of your final payment."
The result is a reduction of $100 pp. Needless to say, we're very happy about this. My assumption would have been that we agreed to the original fare and that would be that.
Do TAs generally pass on reductions like this or are we just lucky with our TA? (Sorry forum rules prevent me from naming them, even in a positive light.)

[thied]

Originally Posted by Quicksilver925kzy

We booked our cruise about six weeks ago and paid the required deposit. All happy.

Then today we got an email which said
"We have noticed that the cost of your cruise has reduced since the time you booked it with us so we have been able to pass this saving on to you.
Please see below a revised confirmation of cruise booking showing the cost of your cruise now and the amount of your final payment."
The result is a reduction of $100 pp. Needless to say, we're very happy about this. My assumption would have been that we agreed to the original fare and that would be that.
Do TAs generally pass on reductions like this or are we just lucky with our TA? (Sorry forum rules prevent me from naming them, even in a positive light.)

yes there are many great TA's that will pass on the saving after you have booked with them, we have one

[The_Big_M]

I'd say it's quite rare locally - especially when unprompted by yourself.

They sound like they're treating you well!

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Originally Posted by Quicksilver925kzy

We booked our cruise about six weeks ago and paid the required deposit. All happy.

Then today we got an email which said
"We have noticed that the cost of your cruise has reduced since the time you booked it with us so we have been able to pass this saving on to you.
Please see below a revised confirmation of cruise booking showing the cost of your cruise now and the amount of your final payment."
The result is a reduction of $100 pp. Needless to say, we're very happy about this. My assumption would have been that we agreed to the original fare and that would be that.
Do TAs generally pass on reductions like this or are we just lucky with our TA? (Sorry forum rules prevent me from naming them, even in a positive light.)

Did you book with an American Agent ?
From what we read on this board , no Australian agent would even think of doing anything like that.

[rkmw]

Originally Posted by Kiwi Kruzer

Did you book with an American Agent ?
From what we read on this board , no Australian agent would even think of doing anything like that.

David this is the email i got from my local TA but i cant mention names

Yes if you are outside cancellation and Princess reduce the fare we will pass this reduction on to you.


bob

[Aus Traveller]

Originally Posted by rkmw

David this is the email i got from my local TA but i cant mention names

Yes if you are outside cancellation and Princess reduce the fare we will pass this reduction on to you.

bob

Bob - That's great. Things are really looking up for us Aussie cruisers.

[Quicksilver925kzy]

Yes, I will confirm the TA is local (Qld) and I think they only operate online. No more identity clues! I dont want to be blackbanned yet!

Next question, If P&O should decide next month to raise fares again, I guess I will have that passed onto me too, only fair. But am I right in assuming once I've paid the balance, due in May, there wont be any adjustment either way. Should I pay the balance early to lock in the current fare?

Actually I might ask the TA that question too.

[rkmw]

Originally Posted by Quicksilver925kzy

Yes, I will confirm the TA is local (Qld) and I think they only operate online. No more identity clues! I dont want to be blackbanned yet!

Next question, If P&O should decide next month to raise fares again, I guess I will have that passed onto me too, only fair. But am I right in assuming once I've paid the balance, due in May, there wont be any adjustment either way. Should I pay the balance early to lock in the current fare?

Actually I might ask the TA that question too.

when you pay your deposit the fare wont go up so you dont have to pay the final payment until the due date but i normally pay a few days early....if there's a slight change in taxes that may make a difference but only by a couple of dollars

i think we deal off the same TA and they are good

[Aus Traveller]

Originally Posted by Quicksilver925kzy

Yes, I will confirm the TA is local (Qld) and I think they only operate online. No more identity clues! I dont want to be blackbanned yet!

Next question, If P&O should decide next month to raise fares again, I guess I will have that passed onto me too, only fair. But am I right in assuming once I've paid the balance, due in May, there wont be any adjustment either way. Should I pay the balance early to lock in the current fare?

Actually I might ask the TA that question too.

After you have paid your deposit I don't believe any price increase will be passed on to you unless it is an increase in port fees (that would only be a few dollars).

It's great if they are now passing on price reductions, however if there are last minute 'specials' to sell un-sold cabins, we can't expect those savings to be passed on.

[fishtaco]

Originally Posted by Aus Traveller

Bob - That's great. Things are really looking up for us Aussie cruisers.

And about time too!

Half the fun of booking a cruise from USA is looking everyday for price drops and the simple fact that you know for sure you will get it if price reduces! Unlike here

I will never get over my P&O Perth/Fremantle (Cruise to Bali) that was sold to Queenslanders for half what I paid locally and they even got free flights

This should never happen ever.

Den

[The_Big_M]

Originally Posted by fishtaco

I will never get over my P&O Perth/Fremantle (Cruise to Bali) that was sold to Queenslanders for half what I paid locally and they even got free flights

This should never happen ever.

Den

That was during the GFC. At the time I'd bought an airfare to the US that I'd bought at a quite good price. However, in the next few months it kept going down to over a third below what I'd paid.

While we all wish we could have gotten the best price, nobody can predict the future - including the air and cruise lines. As I was happy with the price when I bought it, I was still happy with my decision at the time. I couldn't have done any better, and it wasn't the airline's fault either.

The same with cruise fares. It's not as though the cruise lines are trying to rip me off - they're just filling the cruise which will cost them even more money if the cabin is empty. However, by booking early I get the certainty of being able to book the rest of my travel - often at a better price than last minute and can choose a better cabin and do more research for the trip.

It's impossible to get the best price for everything so no point being upset when that doesn't happen!

[Quicksilver925kzy]

I asked the question to the TA and I got this reply this afternoon

"The fare you have now will not increase, even if P&O increases the fare, we do not pass on an increase only reductions. If there were any further reductions that our Director finds on this cruise she will let me know."

I dont think anyone can ask for better than that.
If we decide to go again next year, we might look at last minute deals that are offered online, probably with the same TA, but last minute deals are a bit hit and miss if you are set on a particular cruise.

[CPlum]

Hi all,
Im not sure if everyone was already aware of this- I certainly wasn't, but P & O will also give you a reduction in price if the price of your cabin has gone down. I originally read about this on the P & O facebook page so I gave P & O a call (we booked directly through them) to ask them about it. As long as you have 70+ days until you sail and have not paid your fare in full, you are entitled to receive the reduced fare. So my CC category twin share cabin has gone from $3,158 to $2,340 saving over $800.
Very happy chappy

[jolly1]

Originally Posted by CPlum

Hi all,
Im not sure if everyone was already aware of this- I certainly wasn't, but P & O will also give you a reduction in price if the price of your cabin has gone down. I originally read about this on the P & O facebook page so I gave P & O a call (we booked directly through them) to ask them about it. As long as you have 70+ days until you sail and have not paid your fare in full, you are entitled to receive the reduced fare. So my CC category twin share cabin has gone from $3,158 to $2,340 saving over $800.
Very happy chappy

P&O uk did this? I have had a real problem with the same thing and the answer I got was "tough, you paid the correct price at the time of booking and that is that" It was well before the 70 days as well

Can you confirm that I have read your post correctly. You got a refund.

[Sandielle]

I think Cplum was talking about P&O Australia.

[Aus Traveller]

Originally Posted by jolly1

P&O uk did this? I have had a real problem with the same thing and the answer I got was "tough, you paid the correct price at the time of booking and that is that" It was well before the 70 days as well

Can you confirm that I have read your post correctly. You got a refund.

I don't think they got an actual refund. Because it wasn't time for final payment, the amount due would have been reduced. Once the money has been paid it would be hard (or nigh impossible) to get a refund.

[CPlum]

Hi all,
Yeah sorry I was talking about P & O Australia (sorry I didnt specify).
Aus Traveller is correct, we didnt get a refund because we hadnt paid our final amount yet, but we did get our fare reduced so the final price we need to pay is $409 less for each of us!

[jolly1]

Originally Posted by CPlum

Hi all,
Yeah sorry I was talking about P & O Australia (sorry I didnt specify).
Aus Traveller is correct, we didnt get a refund because we hadnt paid our final amount yet, but we did get our fare reduced so the final price we need to pay is $409 less for each of us!

Is it possible for uk customers to book via the austraian web site?

[The_Big_M]

Originally Posted by jolly1

Is it possible for uk customers to book via the austraian web site?

Possibly but keep in mind these are for different ships and cruises between P&O UK and P&O Australia.

[CPlum]

Originally Posted by jolly1

Is it possible for uk customers to book via the austraian web site?

I would say so if you were planning on cruising in Australia. The P & O Australia website is for bookings for the 4 cruise ships based in Australia-Pacific Dawn, Sun, Pearl and Jewel.