Not happy with Princess

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

[SIZE=3]I was in a large well known T/A office the other day speaking about bookings and their policies in general. She was telling me that if you book with a T/A who uses a Wholesaler for their bookings then you will incur the $100 booking/cancellation/transfer fee. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]However, apparently there are many T/A's in Australia/NZ who don't use Wholesalers, they make their bookings direct with the companies involved. So I recommend you check that out before you book through any T/A.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=3]We got caught last year when we booked a cruise direct with the cruise company, then transferred the booking across at a later date to a T/A. In the end we had to cancel the cruise. We were charged $100 per person cancellation fee[/SIZE] [SIZE=3]by the T/A. In other words they refunded us the deposit minus $200 per person. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]I found out months later that we should not have been charged that fee because we made the booking in the first place direct with the cruise company. I was not at all happy....:mad: Needless to say I won't be using that T/A again.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Jilly:)[/SIZE]

[rugbypopsie]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Comic Sans MS]Good point Jilly another golden rule "CHOOSE YOUR T/A CAREFULLY". All t/a's do not operate in the same way or offer the same deals. Another good reason to join cruise critic and talk to other roll call members at the meet and greets.

You don't go to an electrician to get your plumbing done..you need a t/a who knows the cruise industry and is able to work hard to make your cruise dollar go further and more often. I only deal with cruise specialists and I listen to my cruisie friends about where to get a good deal.

My husband and I got ripped off more than $5000 each on a 6 week cruise we booked through Princess Australia...when the price dropped I only found out because I received promotional material sent to another family member..how happy was I to be told "no way" would they give me the new price:mad: I persisted and clawed back some of the money but only in OBC but it certainly firmed my attitude to where I book and who I book with..and asking about price drops is always part of the conversation.


[/FONT][/SIZE]

[bazzaw]

I can think of no other Industry - where customers want to reserve a new model before it comes out - but only want to pay the "run out" price available just before that model reaches it's end of life. :p


Barry

[victravellers]

[quote name='bazzaw']I can think of no other Industry - where customers want to reserve a new model before it comes out - but only want to pay the "run out" price available just before that model reaches it's end of life. :p


Barry[/QUOTE]

Let's say your new model is a car. You have been driving and enjoying your new car for a year or so before they come out with a new model and your car is now considered old. So, they discount your model to clear them. I Don't have a problem with that.
Right....the difference with cruising is that you want me to pay full price for the cruise because I planned early, and now closer to the sailing date they are priced at the run out rate. So far so good
But the difference I see is that I have not been able to enjoy my cruise for a year or so before it becomes the old model, my product is still the exact same product that they have now discounted.
So I do not see how you can compare the two.

[Scurvy Dog]

[quote name='bazzaw']I can think of no other Industry - where customers want to reserve a new model before it comes out - but only want to pay the "run out" price available just before that model reaches it's end of life. :p


Barry[/quote]

Hi Bazza..I know of one the Car Industry :D

[bazzaw]

Hi Victravellers

Well, I will agree that there are certainly different ways of looking at things :)

I believe that my analogy is appropriate.

By booking early, we ensure firstly that we have a place on the ship (waiting to book when/if the prices drop later could mean that we don't get on that particular cruise at all) and secondly we get the pick of whatever cabin we choose. (waiting for cheaper prices which MAY come along later usually means a restricted choice of cabins - or in the case where there are only "guarantee" fares then available, no choice at all.- you are allocated a cabin and have to take it or leave it!)

We cannot have those two early booking advantages - if we also want the "last minute" deals. Of course, initial bookings can be cancelled and rebooked at a lower fare later - but perhaps not the required cabin, and perhaps there may be no later last minute deals?

Barry

[The_Big_M]

[quote name='bazzaw']Hi Victravellers

I believe that my analogy is appropriate.

By booking early, we ensure firstly that we have a place on the ship (waiting to book when/if the prices drop later could mean that we don't get on that particular cruise at all) and secondly we get the pick of whatever cabin we choose. (waiting for cheaper prices which MAY come along later usually means a restricted choice of cabins - or in the case where there are only "guarantee" fares then available, no choice at all.- you are allocated a cabin and have to take it or leave it!)
[/quote]

Agreed. Cruises are like flights in some ways, both are time sensitive. If the seat is not sold before the sailing then there's no revenue at all, which is obviously not a sensible way to run a business. Thus, for both in general, if too many seats remain too close to the date, they will discount (there are differences in booking patterns based on the nature and purpose of travel, so not completely analogous but have similarities).

In flights though, regardless of when you book the differences between seats are even less - seats in the same class are very similar.

The benefits you get from booking early are like a fixed interest rate vs variable. You know what your costs will be. It doesn't guarantee you'll get the cheapest, but you can make plans e.g. flight bookings, leave requests, travel activity arrangements based on that.

[victravellers]

[quote name='bazzaw']Hi Victravellers

Well, I will agree that there are certainly different ways of looking at things :)

I believe that my analogy is appropriate.

By booking early, we ensure firstly that we have a place on the ship (waiting to book when/if the prices drop later could mean that we don't get on that particular cruise at all) and secondly we get the pick of whatever cabin we choose. (waiting for cheaper prices which MAY come along later usually means a restricted choice of cabins - or in the case where there are only "guarantee" fares then available, no choice at all.- you are allocated a cabin and have to take it or leave it!

We cannot have those two early booking advantages - if we also want the "last

minute" deals. Of course, initial bookings can be cancelled and rebooked at a
lower fare later - but perhaps not the required cabin, and perhaps there may
be no later last minute deals? Barry[/QUOTE]


I am not disagreeing with you I am just putting forward another perspective.
I usually book my cruises 18 months to 2 years in advance so I can get my
pick of cabins. Unfortunately they never seem to discount mini suites so there does not seem any benefit in waiting for the bargain. However, if I were to
travel in an inside I would definitely wait for the clearance rates because they
rarely sell out and some of those prices are incredible.

Linda

[anjo]

Hi Janet
Sympathise with your complaint re price changes! We are on the same cruise as you and only booked through a TA about six weeks ago. Paid our final payment last Thurs, checked Princess website last night and our cabin is now $923 cheaper!!! Nothing they can do about it. Planning on doing the Around Australia next year but will wait until the last minute to Book! Looking forward to Sept.

[bobhsv]

[quote name='Kiwi Kruzer'][SIZE=2]Since RCCL has set up a branch in Au, staffed by Aussies we are starting to get the real deals , we want...and are available to others
From emails , looks like the others are starting to sit up and take notice.
Roll on competition.

[/SIZE][/quote]


I think (am pretty sure) that their aussie office is located on the Central Coast. But read and heard some interesting news this morning on web news and local radio station....our two mayors (2 shire councils here), have placed a proposal for the new 'extra' sydney airport to be built right here on the coast. They were saying somewhere just adjacent to the F3 freeway, at Kulnura or immediate vacinity. Apparently Newcastle is too far away from Sydney, plus the RAAF base up there can only cope with the current local airport...not a larger one. They also indicated that our Central Coast would benefit with the 'new' fast trains that are planned between Newcastle and Sydney.
I wonder if it will come to fruition.

Jen

[windsor26]

Just an update to clarify matters regarding FCC letters for NZ Australian and UK cruisers. I have just used some on the Sun Princess for a future cruise.

As you all know we now have to pay for them at $100 each and they are ONLY usable for ONE persons not like the free ones that had two names on them therefore 2 letters for couple for a cruise.
The wording on the new letters appears to avoid the old ones which stated there was a refundable deposit so do not be surprised if the deposit is found to be not refundable with these new letters.
The old free ones did not allow the $100 deposit for cruises more than 17 days (I think) but the new ones do.

Be very careful when you use them that you know what they cover. I used 6 for a recent booking for a b2b2b and they would not let me use the free ones I already had (which may run out of date) there was no reason given.

I booked on board with Princes on the understanding that I would transfer to a TA later. The first two TA's to whom I spoke said that as I had booked direct with Princess they would take the booking over but they could not change the price nor give any extra obc I found a 3rd one who gave a little obc.

Hope this is clear it is as up to date as last week:p;):D

[NSWP]

Re booking early. For World cruises no matter whether it is Princess or P&O UK, you need to book way out to get the cabin you want. For example: 3 weeks ago we booked Arcadia for World cruise Sector - 49 days , Sydney to Southampton, departing 9 March 2012. Got just about the last of the obstructed view cabin grade NA on a Guarantee, our T/A tried hard to get a cabin number but no good. So we will have to wait until near departure date or check in to get cabin number.

Couple of days after we booked and paid deposits, all inside and obstructed view cabins @ between $4900 and $5500 were sold out. So it would appear P&O UK sold the numbers they wanted to at the low prices. Now the starting price is around $9500 pp for an ocean view, no way would we have booked at that price, out of my league.

Just shows you need to book early, we booked 9 months out and still could not get the cabin we wanted. So I suppose the worst that can happen is we will have a a big orange tender outside the window, or a bit of a tender or a bit of machinery, OR even heaven forbid an upgrade to oceanview.

[bazzaw]

Les

We have always booked "guarantees" - on our recent RTW, booked about 6 months before departure, we got a cabin allocation for the return cruise on Arcadia almost immediately (upgrade from inside to large inside) . But for the first leg to the UK on Oriana , we didn't get a cabin allocation until 3 days before departure. I didn't complain though - upgrade from inside to "deluxe" outside!!! :p


Barry

[NSWP]

[quote name='bazzaw']Les

We have always booked "guarantees" - on our recent RTW, booked about 6 months before departure, we got a cabin allocation for the return cruise on Arcadia almost immediately (upgrade from inside to large inside) . But for the first leg to the UK on Oriana , we didn't get a cabin allocation until 3 days before departure. I didn't complain though - upgrade from inside to "deluxe" outside!!! :p


Barry[/QUOTE]
BAZZAW, Hi, Barry, thanks for that info, gives up some hope for a decent cabin on Arcadia. I will just keep on checking P&O UK Cruise Personaliser. Got Ruby/Coral to go first though ! Got cabins for those, picked them, outside obstructed Cat E (but not really obstructed, have seen pics) on Ruby, balcony Cat BE on Coral.

I read your blogs and picked up some good information. Thanks for doing the blogs on Arcadia/Oriana.