New OBC Promotion

Just noticed on the P&O web page, that they have a promotion running until 28th Feb, which offers extra OBC for certain cruises throughout 2014.

I have 2 cruises booked in 2014, both booked under the 'Vantage' scheme, and the cost per cabin is still the same as I paid (excluding 5% early booking discount).

I think you can see my next question here........As the price of the cruise hasn't gone down technically, but only in reality due to the extra OBC, will this extra OBC be passed onto me?

I tried to call P&O, but it had just gone 3.00pm and Carnival towers have closed for the Xmas break. So, I have emails my P&O personal cruise consultant, and will await their reply? Any guesses as to what this may be?

Shall have to console myself with packing, ready for my flight to Barbados on Friday to join the Azura!

I shouldn't think so for a minute. Once you've booked that's it.

Yes noticed that as well, have emailed P&O and received one of their holding replies, let's wait and see what they come back with. IMO price and Select fare is exactly the same as when I booked however now £240 OBC instead of £90 so where is the promise now!!!

Yet ANOTHER kick in the teeth for early bookers. I really thought that P&O would have learned their lesson.

Booked cruise A422 (Balcony cabin on Azura, 17 nights departing August 14th 2014) last April on the first day they went on sale, and chose free coach transfer (living in the north east, this equated to about £125 per person). The price (and benefits) remained unchanged when the new pricing was introduced, replacing the Vantage/Getaway shambles. P&O have now introduced an On Board Spend for balcony bookings on this cruise of £250 per person (albeit available until Feb 28 only), making me, a first day booker the biggest part of £250 worse off for my cabin booking. I am all too aware that the actual cabin price has not reduced, but in terms of total spending, is this not the same as a reduction in the overall price of the cruise. As Essex Racer has said, where is the price promise now!!!!!

I join an ever increasing line of hugely disgruntled (ex) P&O cruisers :mad:

Even more annoyed. Just checked the P&O site, and the £250 per person extra OBS recently announced, is in ADDITION to the other benefits of free parking, free coach transfer, and OBS. As a result, for booking on the launch day and getting to choose my cabin number, my preferred dining options and free shuttles, I am £500 worse off than someone who books before Feb 28, who gets to choose their cabin number, their preferred dining option, and free shuttles.

Well done P&O. Whomever is in charge of your marketing/pricing initiatives, has actually succeeded in plunging you to new found depths of incompetence :mad:.

Happy Xmas everyone/

Even more annoyed. Just checked the P&O site, and the £250 per person extra OBS recently announced, is in ADDITION to the other benefits of free parking, free coach transfer, and OBS. As a result, for booking on the launch day and getting to choose my cabin number, my preferred dining options and free shuttles, I am £500 worse off than someone who books before Feb 28, who gets to choose their cabin number, their preferred dining option, and free shuttles.

 

Well done P&O. Whomever is in charge of your marketing/pricing initiatives, has actually succeeded in plunging you to new found depths of incompetence :mad:.

 

Happy Xmas everyone/

Soooo annoying when this happens....have you phoned P&O and asked if they can offer you any "sweetener" to soften the blow.

Last May we went to the Fjords with Celebrity...we booked it twelve months previous to the cruise in May 2012 and it included transfers to the port of Harwich.

Two weeks before we were due to sail....well after the final payment date.. the prices came crashing down so I thought I may as well contact Celebrity...nothing to lose had I.

I explained that I had booked 12 months ago and would it be possible for them to offer me an upgrade....we were in a standard balcony cabin and the Concierge cabins were less now less than what we had paid for a balcony.

No problem....yes they could offer me a free upgrade to a Concierge cabin...thank you....then she told me that I would also be getting a refund!!

A refund of well over £700 was paid back into my back account...not in OBC PLUS they still gave me the free transport to the port.

I would phone P&O and ask the question...give them the chance to offer you something that would help restore your faith in P&O and help overlook this pricing debacle that they can't seem to sort out....oh and yes...Merry Xmas and Happy Cruising year to everyone. :)

Merry Christmas everyone.

Exactly the same has happened to me. I booked the 2014 Queen Elizabeth Christmas cruise on the 11th November. I was happy with the fare and was fully aware that there could be a lower fare much closer to the sail date. I opted for the on board credit which was $120 per passenger. On Monday I discovered that the OBC is now $470 per passenger. I rang Cunard to confirm that the extra OBC would be applied to my fare to be told NO it was only for new bookings made by 28th February. So once again despite any assurances the early booker loses out again. The current pricing strategy is madness and is alienating so many loyal passengers. It always used to be that the early booker got the best deal. Now by booking early there is every chance that you are going to be worse off. I have written to Cunard and await there reply.

I have 3 cruises booked with P & o next year. 2 booked under the Vantage fare (now Select) and one Saver. There has been a massive OBS increase for the Vantage fare cruises. I phoned P&o but they weren't the slightest bit interested so much for Customer service I may as well have been talking to a robot. I did ask the man to stop talking from a script but to no avail, all he said was " if you'd bought a car or suite etc it could go down in price blah blah "

I know that! But when you book over a year in advance and they have your deposit all that time. ( lots of cruise deposits- lots of money) you do feel a bit miffed. I booked early thinking I was getting the best deal. No I'm afraid it's the last time I give P & o my custom. Only ever cruised with them but on reading the forums I see there's lots of other cruise lines out there that people enjoy I'll be trying one of those next year.

Anyway after my little rant, Merry Christmas everybody!!:)

I have 3 cruises booked with P & o next year. 2 booked under the Vantage fare (now Select) and one Saver. There has been a massive OBS increase for the Vantage fare cruises. I phoned P&o but they weren't the slightest bit interested so much for Customer service I may as well have been talking to a robot. I did ask the man to stop talking from a script but to no avail, all he said was " if you'd bought a car or suite etc it could go down in price blah blah "

I know that! But when you book over a year in advance and they have your deposit all that time. ( lots of cruise deposits- lots of money) you do feel a bit miffed. I booked early thinking I was getting the best deal. No I'm afraid it's the last time I give P & o my custom. Only ever cruised with them but on reading the forums I see there's lots of other cruise lines out there that people enjoy I'll be trying one of those next year.

Anyway after my little rant, Merry Christmas everybody!!:)

Well good luck finding a cruise line which does not reduce its fares at the end or has special offers. That is how cruising is sold the world over.

Well good luck finding a cruise line which does not reduce its fares at the end or has special offers. That is how cruising is sold the world over.

But we are not necessarily talking about last minute price reductions, or offers.

On the 16 December I booked a cruise with Cunard for September 2014 which attracted an OBC, for a solo traveller, of $390.

According to Cunard's website the solo traveller's OBC is now $540 ( which is the OBC for each of two people occupying a twin stateroom).

But according to their website, a solo traveller occupying a twin stateroom, and paying a single supplement, should receive double the 'per person' OBC.

So the solo traveller's OBC may well have increased from $390 to $1080 in 9 days for a cruise in September 2014.

Our cruise next October has jumped from £80 OBC to £580 per person.

P&O couldn't resist bringing in something yet again to anger early bookers could it. It's an odd business policy, if you can't fill your ships you need to do all you can to make your cruises more attractive. P&O can't seem to do this with everyone in mind and seem quite happy to 'blow off' existing and long term customers if they can fill one more cabin by doing so. This is a very short term view and will put an extra people on that ship in the short term but on the other hand long term faithfull P&O cruisers like myself feel we are constantly having the wee taken out of us and have decided 'never again'.

Our cruise next October has jumped from £80 OBC to £580 per person.

 

P&O couldn't resist bringing in something yet again to anger early bookers could it. It's an odd business policy, if you can't fill your ships you need to do all you can to make your cruises more attractive. P&O can't seem to do this with everyone in mind and seem quite happy to 'blow off' existing and long term customers if they can fill one more cabin by doing so. This is a very short term view and will put an extra people on that ship in the short term but on the other hand long term faithfull P&O cruisers like myself feel we are constantly having the wee taken out of us and have decided 'never again'.

Few cruise lines are really interested in loyal customers, they know that they already have most of us and that we will cruise again. It is well known that many first time cruisers spend more on board than those of us who cruise regularly, the regular cruisers are the ones who do not buy the dozens of photos, they are the ones who tend to drink less, they already know that the "bargain" sales in the shops are not really bargains. P&O are in business to make a profit and if they can attract new customers to fill their ships and so spend more on board then they will do so, just as most other lines do.

Whilst I appreciate that P&O are here to make a profit (I have their shares), and that prices can go up or down, and I do not have a problem with this.

In the past I have seen the price of my cruises being dramatically reduced within a few weeks to sailing, and have also seen others where the price has only gone up. I have also availed myself of the odd 'Offer' here and there.

My problem with this issue, is that when the then 'Vantage' fares were sold and promoted as such, that should the price then be reduced under the same T&C's then I would also get the benefit. I also believe that P&O also stated that the new 'Select' fare would be classed as the equivalent as 'Vantage' for those already booked.

All I can see here is that the same T&C's are in place, but instead of the price being reduced, the OBC has risen. I am sure that P&O's small print will cover them on this issue, as I would expect, but it still leaves a bitter taste.

Anyway - I may be wrong, as I haven't received a reply from P&O yet, so will just get on with my packing.....Tomorrow is Barbados!

P&O can't fill their ships though and they have a new ship due in less than 2 years. This year we have seen endless attempts at cost cutting, cruises cancelled due to lack of demand and the 'sale' that never seems to end in an attempt to get people to book. P&O need a policy that keeps previous cruisers and attracts new ones. As it stands at the moment and the desperate attempts of the last year to do something about the situation has simply made things worse.

Other lines look like they can see the problem and will next year be moving ships to Southampton to pick up the slack left by the drop in demand for P&O as frustrated cruisers look to other lines. If P&O are hoping to fill seats with new cruisers they need to get a move on and need to change their approach as things can't go on like this.

Overnight I received an Email from a leading Internet TA. It would appear that all the leading cruise lines have offers on at the moment. And not just covering the next few weeks. They include

Celebrity

RCI

Holland America

Carnival

Cunard

P&O

NCL

To me it is going back some time when holidays were sold and discounted after Christmas.

I have said this many times discounting has been going on years. It is not new. It was certainly going on before I started cruising.

It is annoying if it happens but it is to be expected it has and always will happen.

Gan Canny

Happy Cruising & I hope you will all enjoy your cruises as much as we will our 5 this year.

Dai

Just noticed on the P&O web page, that they have a promotion running until 28th Feb, which offers extra OBC for certain cruises throughout 2014.

 

I have 2 cruises booked in 2014, both booked under the 'Vantage' scheme, and the cost per cabin is still the same as I paid (excluding 5% early booking discount).

 

I think you can see my next question here........As the price of the cruise hasn't gone down technically, but only in reality due to the extra OBC, will this extra OBC be passed onto me?

 

I tried to call P&O, but it had just gone 3.00pm and Carnival towers have closed for the Xmas break. So, I have emails my P&O personal cruise consultant, and will await their reply? Any guesses as to what this may be?

 

Shall have to console myself with packing, ready for my flight to Barbados on Friday to join the Azura!

Now I may be missing something in this....it is boxing day.. Having read this I thought ok should we be looking into this.

I priced up the cruises we are already booked on, if we were to book them now.

Bear in mind we would lose our deposit-which is a heck of a lot

We are doing a b2b so I have taken off the 10% in my calculations

our on board spend would go up from 340 to 1450

however the cruises have gone up by 296 in total

so although our obs will be more the rest of the maths is not tying up. We would actually be worse of. So we have decided not to cancel and rebook.

When the prices sink like a stone nearer the time I will still be a happy bunny as we will have paid for what we wanted , be where we want cabin wise etc.

One expects to see offers being made by Cruise Lines.

However, as I understood it, the new Pricing Strategy of P & O, and Cunard was to encourage early bookings with the issue of the new season's brochures.

To be already offering substantial increases in OBCs before that new strategy has barely got off the ground would appear to be contrary to the spirit of that new strategy vis a vis those who have already booked ( which in my case was a substantial increase in OBC to new bookers within 9 days of my having booked.)

Brand Loyalty is a two way street.

If a Cruise Line is unconcerned about retaining it's previous clients then such an attitude is a short sighted one.

On my recent cruise, I met a couple whose approach was to chase the discounts, and had made 38 cruises, with a multitude of Cruise lines, in 4.5 years.

Not just Cruise Lines, but any Company, needs to foster customer loyalty with not only quality of product, but also it's Customer service.

If Cunard is unwilling to offer me an increased OBC then I will take my custom elsewhere.

I couldn't agree more with your comments. We are urged to book early to secure the best deal and then we lose out to any improved offer and I don't mean fare reductions. By offering increased OBC, this is a sly way of increasing the value of the cruise without increasing the fare and thus avoiding having to pass on the benefit to existing reservations. I don't want to have to desert Cunard or P&O but if Cunard doesn't do the correct thing and match our OBC to the current offer, there are plenty of other cruise lines after our business. The only advantage with Cunard and P&O is the choice of no-fly cruises. We are looking forward to our Christmas cruise. We haven't cruised with Cunard since QE2 left the scene and wonder if standards have dropped since then.

I couldn't agree more with your comments. We are urged to book early to secure the best deal and then we lose out to any improved offer and I don't mean fare reductions. By offering increased OBC, this is a sly way of increasing the value of the cruise without increasing the fare and thus avoiding having to pass on the benefit to existing reservations. I don't want to have to desert Cunard or P&O but if Cunard doesn't do the correct thing and match our OBC to the current offer, there are plenty of other cruise lines after our business. The only advantage with Cunard and P&O is the choice of no-fly cruises. We are looking forward to our Christmas cruise. We haven't cruised with Cunard since QE2 left the scene and wonder if standards have dropped since then.

But the other lines are doing the same thing. Out of pan into the fire.

But the other lines are doing the same thing. Out of pan into the fire.

But, unlike P & O and Cunard, as far as I am aware other Cruise Lines have not had a disastrous Fare Policy with a Price Promise that was anything but, and an MD leaving the Company.

Therefore one would have thought that both P & O, and Cunard, would have ensured that their new Fare Policy would be designed, and implemented, to ensure that Customers would not be unnecessarily antagonised.

It has taken long for that thought to be proven wrong.

But, unlike P & O and Cunard, as far as I am aware other Cruise Lines have not had a disastrous Fare Policy with a Price Promise that was anything but, and an MD leaving the Company.

 

Therefore one would have thought that both P & O, and Cunard, would have ensured that their new Fare Policy would be designed, and implemented, to ensure that Customers would not be unnecessarily antagonised.

 

It has taken long for that thought to be proven wrong.

Exactly the point, don't shout a message to all if you know it is weapon grade bull.

A thought about this, that someone on another board has picked up on.

normally called on board credit and can be used for grats and spending .

This is called on board spend , so does this mean it can only be used for actually spending. Ie not grats. If the two are the same ,why not call them the same.

Sorry if this has been asked before. I've been looking at this offer today. Having booked "vantage" which had the price promise, this price promise no longer exists as there are no vantage fares. Does the price promise now apply to select fares? The "price" has gone up (£100) but now offering £340 on board spend compared to £90 - quite a difference.

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

But the other lines are doing the same thing. Out of pan into the fire.

Dai. P&O suffered bad customer relations due to the Vantage ( Price Promise ) fares. They introduced the Select Fares with the ability to choose cabin and dining asignment now they appear to be offering extra OBC for cruises on Select fares. Where next. Is tis not now back to fluid pricing the same as all cruise lines!

Sorry if this has been asked before. I've been looking at this offer today. Having booked "vantage" which had the price promise, this price promise no longer exists as there are no vantage fares. Does the price promise now apply to select fares? The "price" has gone up (£100) but now offering £340 on board spend compared to £90 - quite a difference.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

No the price promise does not apply to the new select fares. Vantage/price promise was a pr deep brown stuff job.

They then brought in select fares and seemed to be keeping vantage bookers happy if their cruise under the select fare had gone down-they were given obc.

all well and good.

Pando now seem to have got around reducing fares ,by increasing the OBS.

I have a b2b booked next year. I booked under vantage fare. The price of the 1st cruise has actually gone up under select. The price of the 2nd cruise has stayed the same. The amount of OBS has increased from 490 to 1490, for these 2 cruises ,if I booked them now.

As somebody else has picked up on will Pando be picky if you have booked select with the extra OBS ,as to how that OBS is actually applied to your account.

We knew when we booked the b2b that there would be people paying a lot less, but it is for a special occasion, so we wanted to make sure we were able to do it.

A cruise for another big event we lost out on when the grade we wanted sold out over a year in advance.