kevinyork

But the new pricing structure omits the key issue......what will the late availability fares be like? When they are half the Premium fares then people will once again be disgruntled. Its too early for the Jury to decide.

They will be very very cheap when you compare the lead in price to the select and saver fares. However now you will get NO choice at all with them. Except for the grade of cabin that will be it. No free upgrades as with getaway fares. No choice of dining and paying for shuttles. If enough people book the select/saver fares there may not even be the cheap cheap fares for the cruise you want, in the grade you want. Some people do not mind paying select prices, if they know they are getting more for their money than the late bookers.

Of course I guess we will still have people booking select fares , who find out about the with in 90 day fares, and bleat how they feal cheated. One just wishes they did some research first.

For someone like me then the choice is book early and save a bit, but get no choices, book late and save more but get no choices or dont book the Premium fare as its too expensive. Leaves me looking elsewhere.

Well I think P&O have made a very good attempt to address and sort out the Vantage - Getaway debacle and I think the new pricing structure seems a lot fairer and seems to make sense.

 

I am feeling very positive about it and hope things will now settle down and move on. I do hope so as I really like P&O.

But the new pricing structure omits the key issue......what will the late availability fares be like? When they are half the Premium fares then people will once again be disgruntled. Its too early for the Jury to decide.

Why have different fare descriprions. If I fly with Ryanair the price is the price on the day I book. Same with the train from my station. If the price is too high I dont book.

Simonpjb. I hope that comment is satirical.

No one is happy paying a lot more for something that others get for far less, even if at the time of booking they were happy with the price. P&O mess around with pricing structures and names far more than American lines. USA residents can book a cruise and if the price falls, they can request money back or cancel and get all their deposit back. Here in the UK P&O have had it far too easy. They have messed around and misled people with their price promise and are now desperately trying to recover ground. I hope they do. We have enjoyed their product but we have also tasted other cruiselines and our blinkers are off.

I had the same email regarding my cruise next October. the price is the same as the Vantage fare I booked, so no extra OBC etc.

And Im guessing that price wont change but late deals will be offered for substantially less. There is no way they could offer lower 'premium' fares under the new fare system that would trigger mass OBCs for Vantage fare bookers without going bust. Some have benefitted however they wouldnt have decided to revamp the fare structure without protecting their existing booking income. Its all smoke and mirrors.

sorry about that.

Unfortunately no cruise line can continue to make a profit with the getaway fares. It really needs more people to book at higher prices so that it can make a profit. Any company is there to 1 make a profit 2 make a profit.

if it does not do 1 and 2 ,it will not be around for long.

Select passengers will get the bells and whistles as they are paying the most. Is it not fairest that they should get the bells and whistles and free upgrades.

Early savers (if they are available for the cruise) will be slightly cheaper than the select

Early savers will have to wait until select fare passengers get their choice of dining,otherwise it will again not be fair if you pay top wack and do not get your choices.

The cheapest fares of all are the ones you get no choices.(plus they may not be down to the level they have been the past couple of years) People are always saying they are waiting for the really cheap prices. Well they can still wait for them, but they will have no choices .

When you board a plane do you object to those who turn left . They pay more for their ticket than you, so they can have choices. How are cruise prices different.

At the moment ,whatever fare you book you can go all over the ship. If you want 2 class cruising, go on the ships that have whole parts only available to those that book a certain grade of cabin (Cunard comes to mind and "garden villas" on an American line-can't remember which one.

I respect your opinion however when we first came to P&O the fare we saw was the fare applicable at the time we booked, no cut backs because it was discounted. The US lines still operate on this fluid pricing basis and it works for them. It also works for all UK land based tour companies. Prices reflect supply and demand rather than offering a lower price with less frills. Whats next for P&O? Cheaper prices but you have to take shifts in the Laundry? Serve at tables or clean your own cabin? A fare price for a fair package............why is that so hard for P&O?

Its very hard since everyone will have different criteria, medical conditions and different risks. What turns out to be a good price for one passenger with one provider can end up being expensive for someone else.

As an example, my Mum at 77 is high risk. If we book a cruise we use the travel insurance comparison on moneysupermarket as it takes into account medical conditions whereas most online insurers wont provide a quote once you tick that you have any medical condition.

A lot of the positive comments re the changes could easily disappear once the late availability prices start appearing given it was when getaway fares appeared that Vantage fare passengers started to become irked. 'Select' may become another name for ' the most expensive'.

For me I wouldnt book an Early Bookers fare as it makes me feel like a second class passenger...no guarentee of location or dining and no free shuttles. Surely Early Bookers should get the best price and deal? I wouldnt book a Select fare as its too pricey and I know late deals will massively undercut them. I may book a late deal but the lack of dining choice would probably stop me even if I could cope with a cabin anywhere on board and no shuttles. Im never going to be hungry at, or ready for, dinner at 6 or 6.30. They have reinforced a two class passenger system...pay through the nose and we will provide what a cruise line should, pay a reduced fare and we will make you feel inferior by limiting your choice. End result? I will probably sail with another line despite five cruises with P&O.

They have taken a mess and stirred it up, given things different names and made another mess. Roll on next Spring/Summer when people start reporting the cheap late deals on offer.

Whilst Im critical I am also disappinted. Ive enjoyed our P&O cruises but I feel they have lost me as a passenger.

We live in the UK and gifted ourselves OBC for our Eclipse cruise in July 13. The exchange rate Celebrity convert at was 8% higher than our credit card would use therefore anything charged to our onboard account became 8% less expensive, including the drinks package. Anything left unspent was credited back to the credit card automatically at the end of the cruise.

Sorry, also wanted to say that RCI and Celebrity frequently have promotions and include free drinks packages which offer good value. I compared the Azura, Eclipse and Independance spring transatlantics for 2014 a month or so ago and the prices were pretty much the same but RCI and Celebrity were including the free drinks packages making them so much better value. As P&O dont have any drinks packages they cannot offer such inducements.

Whilst Im glad the silly 'Price Promise' Vantage Fares are going, Im still a little confused or am I missing something. There will be Early Saver fares to encourage early booking and Premium Select Fares with an extra such as OBC or parking. Does this mean the Select fares will be variable and reduce to fill cabins or will a late availability fare by another name than Getaway appear?

Whilst Im pretty late to the P&O party, isnt this effectively what existed before the Vantage Fare nonsense was introduced? The brochure had early booking discounts, then there was a single fare which fluctuated according to demand and if you booked at a good price nearer the departure date you got a guarantee cabin rather than an allocated one.

Also, does anyone think using the term Premium to describe a fare could suggest to some that its at a Premium price rather than offering a Premium package which is clearly their intention? If that fare is a Premium fare, then surely there must be a non Premium fare coming along by another name? My head hurts now.........

When we went on Azura in 2010, we thought the P&O drinks prices were very good value. A pint of stella was £2.85. Its now £3.70, nearly a 30% increase in 3 years. We were on RCI Adventure of the Seas this spring and a pint was $5.95 incl the 15% tip which at 1.50 exchange rate is £3.96.

A litre caraffe of house white was £11.50 in 2010 on Azura, now its £16.75, a 45% increase in 3 years. Seems like the gap is closing!

Sorry for late reply! Been super busy hospital visiting!

Thanks for the replies!

Paperwork came from TA to inform us of the 4hrs checkin.

Sagaris - yes me too! I've accepted the Manchester end - but can't understand the Barbados end!

Hope return journey arrangements are as slick as usual cos taking friends with us this time who haven't been before and we've bigged up how good it usually is!!

I've already noticed that there's been cost cutting - with only tap water free on the plane since we last went to Caribbean in Feb 2012!

Barbados end isnt an issue as P&O take responsibility for getting you there. Yes, the free alcoholic drinks on P&O flights have ended. Another cutback.

We were on the Eclipse in July and our friends bought the classic package for the last four days of our cruise. No problem.

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I am debating whether to go Celebrity for my summer cruise next year, having done Ventura and 3 on Independence of the Seas. I would prefer to do RCI, but I don't want to go on Independence again, or Adventure, and Brilliance is doing Scandinavia next summer, and we prefer hot destinations.

 

My options are basically as follows:

Emerald Princess to the Med

Celebrity Eclipse to the Med

Azura to the Canaries

Potentially Azura 17 night Med, it may clash with things at home though

Ventura b2b fly-cruise

 

I really do want to do Celebrity, but the price pp works out at several hundred pounds more than P&O and Princess. Yes you get the drinks package included, but the cost of the cruise plus drinks would be less than that on P&O.

 

Is Celebrity worth paying around £1000 more (4 of us) over P&O?

In my opinion, £250 pp to sail Celebrity for two weeks is worth it having been on 5 P&O cruises and 1 Celebrity Eclipse cruise. Remember with the drinks package on X it covers speciality coffees and bottled water too.

The Eclipse and the other S class ships manage to present a cosy, classy appearance but still accomodate 2800 people (400 less than Azura and Ventura) and believe me you feel the extra space.

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Shilly, you feel like I do. Most of the sailaways are embarrassing. We just don't attend.

Each to their own then. People can choose to attend or not and the great british sailaways are always well attended (weather permitting). There are still places left on deck to enjoy the sail away and without having to endure the staged sailaway party. Personally Ive never felt embarrassed and its great when there is another ship or two alongside.

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I think most would agree Azura would have been a better choice. However she does seem to attract more traditional P&O passengers who generally are more attracted by no fly from Southampton therefore they may have alienated that crowd if they sent her off to the med all summer. The same passengers tend to dislike Ventura.

I would have concerns re deck space. With the loss of the area given to the retreat there will be added pressure on deck space on those lovely sunny med days. The covered pool area on Ventura has no way near the space of the seascreen pool on Azura with its multiple tiers for sunbeds.

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There is no doubt that the Getaway fare is also bringing a new type of passenger to P&O, and one that may not be for the better. You used to think that with the cost it also kept , how shall I put this, the riff raff away. Not any more. If fares stay this low I predict it is only a matter of time before we start hearing of many passenger problems with drunkeness and disorderly behaviour becoming more prevalent.

Sorry is this trying to be ironic? Higher prices keep the riff raff away and getaway prices attract the drunks. This underlines the class snobbery that exists amongst some P&O customers.

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Amen, amen. "No offense" is supposed to let someone off the hook for the upcoming rude comment. Not.

 

I have been cruising for close to 30 years and no longer have the energy to stay out all night and party like I did at the beginning. It is nice to come back after dinner, and jump in bed and relax and watch a movie. Ditto for multiple days at sea - I am not a pool person, nor do I enjoy bingo or glass blowing shows. It is very relaxing to go back to the cabin mid-day, pour a glass of wine, and chill out and watch a little tv. To each their own.

Good for you. A glass of wine, in bed at mid-day. My type of cruiser.

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Im interested to see what happens with the new ship due 2015. Being based on Royal Princess which has pretty good passenger space ratios I believe P&O will change it in some way to the detriment of passengers, but spin it to make us believe its an improvement. Probably get rid of a bar and shove in some single cabins. Not that Im against single cabins just that they should build them into the design without reducing space for everyone else.

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I agree entirely. I estimate that the bar area itself, excl the casino, has been reduced to a third of its former size. Yet in the latest Peninsular Club mag they boast about it as though it were an improvement.

Reduced to a third of its size. Thats terrible. Maybe they say its an improvement in terms of revenue, not passenger enjoyment.

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We to have done many PO cruises. In May we tried Eclipse to Fjords . What a fabulous cruise. Fantastic service, Fantastic food and fantastic entertainment. We enjoyed it so much we have cancelled our transatlantic on Ventura in October and booked back on the Eclipse.

 

 

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Glad you Enjoyed Eclipse but do you have to tell everybody!..........:-)

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500 more --------- that's a LOT of people! I have been reading the reviews of the Reflection and the knock on that the extra passengers had on there.

I have to admit, we were thinking of going on the Azura next year, but when we checked it out we saw that the ship carried more passengers than its sister ship from Princess and had more passengers than the Silhouette by far and not a lot more space. A shame - we really DO want to do an August cruise on P&O as we loved it the last time. :)

We have been on Azura twice and Ventura three times. At the time we didnt feel they were overcrowded. However after Celebrity Eclipse its clear they were. More space and less people has to equate to a more enjoyable experience.

As an example they have recently revamped Ventura and reduced the largest bar/seating/lounge area (the exchange) by half to put in 18 single cabins. So, whilst 18 people benefit, up to 3400 have to endure a smaller bar area. Penny pinching gone mad. Seems to suggest a cruise line run by accountants, not cruise experts.

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Just checked and you are right that 100 or so passengers were added on this version of the S class ship. Quite a lot less than the 500 added by P&O to the Grand class of ships when they launched Ventura and Azura.

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The problem with Ventura and Azura is that they are ships based on Grand Princess with public spaces designed for 2500 passengers, with an extra deck of cabins added taking their capacity to 3000. Celebrity Solstice is a ship with public spaces designed for the number of passengers she carries. I have however, read somewhere that the next generation of Solstice class ships will also have an extra deck of cabins and may well be perceived as overcrowded as a result.

According to the cruise critic schedule of upcoming ships, Celebrity dont have any new ships planned. Has this changed?

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Did you try the free sauna? Is it a good one i.e. I have been on many ships and if they provided a free sauna it was frequently fairly cold and no crew member was interested in doing anything about it.

Yes I did try the free sauna. It was fine and was pretty hot.

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