Princess Cruises ripping off Australians

[Aussie Gal]

I understand where Dingoboy is coming from. Because my computer is here in Australia, when I go into the Princess website, I immediately get the Aussie prices but if I sign in, then I get the U.S. prices as my Princess number has always been in the U.S. The difference at the moment between the Aussie price and the U.S. price on the cruise we are going on in March for a mini suite is $510 p.p. and we are leaving from Sydney! In other words, a mini suite is cheaper for those in the U.S. than those here in Australia. The same applies to every class of cabin.

 

It doesn't make sense when our dollar is so much higher than the U.S. dollar.

 

Jennie

[Pam in CA]

I understand where Dingoboy is coming from. Because my computer is here in Australia, when I go into the Princess website, I immediately get the Aussie prices but if I sign in, then I get the U.S. prices as my Princess number has always been in the U.S. The difference at the moment between the Aussie price and the U.S. price on the cruise we are going on in March for a mini suite is $510 p.p. and we are leaving from Sydney! In other words, a mini suite is cheaper for those in the U.S. than those here in Australia. The same applies to every class of cabin.

 

It doesn't make sense when our dollar is so much higher than the U.S. dollar.

It kind of does. Even in the US, there can be regional pricing. In other words, someone from the east coast might pay more than someone from the west coast. I don't know how often that happens. That happened to me a few years ago when I'd booked a cruise out of LA and my friend in Boston contacted our TA for pricing. Same cruise, same category, enough of a price difference that she decided not to book. Go figure. The bottom line is supply and demand.

[kuldalai]

In Australia for years the cost of processing the Credit card transaction or Debit Card transaction was borne by the retailer .

 

The retailers cried blue murder to the Australian Government that the 4 major Banks here (via the Major credit cards) were making a killing on these fees .

 

In recent years retailers have been allowed to pass on a percentage of their credit card costs to consumers . Therefore these annoying little 1.5 % surcharges if you charge a purchase to the Credit Card .

 

Some retailers impose a surcharge, others do not .

[Happy girl2]

I understand where Dingoboy is coming from. Because my computer is here in Australia, when I go into the Princess website, I immediately get the Aussie prices but if I sign in, then I get the U.S. prices as my Princess number has always been in the U.S. The difference at the moment between the Aussie price and the U.S. price on the cruise we are going on in March for a mini suite is $510 p.p. and we are leaving from Sydney! In other words, a mini suite is cheaper for those in the U.S. than those here in Australia. The same applies to every class of cabin.

 

It doesn't make sense when our dollar is so much higher than the U.S. dollar.

 

Jennie

 

It is the same in the UK.

We have just back from the Carribean where i was talking to an American couple who could not belive that we had paid nearly four times more than they had for the same cruise in the same cabin grade and could not belive we could not get the price drops either:mad::mad:

 

Still think it is fair?

[Iamcruzin]

It kind of does. Even in the US, there can be regional pricing.

 

Pam, forget about regional. Last year I encountered different pricing in the same household. My wife received a brochure in her name. (They usually come in both our names) When I signed on to the Princess website under my name the same cruise same date and category was $50 more for an inside. I had to sign on under her account if I wanted to receive the lower price. I probably had to book it under her name also if I wanted the lower price. Now I check both accounts when searching.

[jagoffee]

Only certain hotel chains in Australia charge this extra amount. Also when we book air flights and today most of the flights have to be booked on the internet, again we are charged that extra amount for using a credit card and yet there is no other way to pay. Our Government is going to look at these extra unfair charges soon so perhaps it will stop eventually but while it is still legal, the hotels and airlines will charge the customer.

 

It is not only International visitors who have to pay it but everyone here as well.

 

Jennie

 

In Australia for years the cost of processing the Credit card transaction or Debit Card transaction was borne by the retailer .

 

The retailers cried blue murder to the Australian Government that the 4 major Banks here (via the Major credit cards) were making a killing on these fees .

 

In recent years retailers have been allowed to pass on a percentage of their credit card costs to consumers . Therefore these annoying little 1.5 % surcharges if you charge a purchase to the Credit Card .

 

Some retailers impose a surcharge, others do not .

 

As I mentioned previously in the US I am fairly certain that it is the Credit Card company that forbids the retailer from charging the consumer for using a Credit Card. If the retailer charges the customer a service charge then the retailer is potentially prevented from being able to accept that particular Credit Card. Therefore I would think that perhaps it is some kind of Australian Law/Policy that prevents the Credit Card company from having the same policy in Australian thus allowing the retailer to charge extra for using a Credit Card as a way to recover some of the extra charges that the retailer must pay the Credit Card company.

 

By the way we had a great time during our recent visit/cruise from Australian to New Zealand. I really appreciate all of you that live in those countries. I did not interact with a single person that was not nice, respectful, welcoming, and fun. If you were not so far away I would visit more often. (only my second visit) Lucky for me the weather was much better four years earlier. You are having a very unusual summer, but I do not need to tell you. It did not affect what we did, but I could barely see the top of Mt Wellington in Hobart when I was standing on it.

[OldJerseycruiser]

It is not only that the UK/Aus cruisers are charged more, but US cruisers are allowed to book a cruise several months earlier than us, so a lot of the best staterooms have already been booked or held (another thing we are unable to do without losing our deposit if we cancel) before we are able to.

[caribill]

As I mentioned previously in the US I am fairly certain that it is the Credit Card company that forbids the retailer from charging the consumer for using a Credit Card.

 

Nope, it is the law.

 

Merchants can give a discount for cash, but not charge extra for using a credit card.

 

Effect is the same, but the posted price is what gets charged.

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

This is the reason I have not sailed Princess. Princess won't let me book directly with them due to my 'region' (Middle East), and my US travel agent can't book me on Princess either. I must use their ''Princess Cruises Arabia''- in other words a Saudi Arabian travel agency, that rips me off more than the above poster- one quote, and I wish this was a joke, was $10,000 for a balcony aboard the Coral Princess for a week in Alaska- for 3 pax. I went on the Holland America website and found the same itinerary for $3,600- balcony too.

 

This isn't Princess' fault, but this is the travel agent they go through, or their 'representative'- if I don't want to deal with them, then tough. It seems things have much slowed down now (the above quote was for a 2008 cruise), but nonetheless, I still don't like paying more for something available for less elsewhere, especially when (thankfully) no other cruise line seems to be doing this anymore, at least in our region, as they realized we have discovered the internet.

 

When Princess finally sees the light and lets me book US fares through my US travel agent like all their competitors do, I will be back- until then, I wait.

 

Princess offers a lovely experience that me and my family loved, but I just don't like being ripped off, and in today's world, with so much choice, it seems strange that they would do this.

[WeBeGone]

Costa, Cunard, Holland America, MSC, Oceania, Princess and Star Clippers now prohibit all U.S. travel agencies from selling cruises to citizens of countries other than the United States and Canada, unless they have a residence in the U.S. or Canada.

This is not a matter of international law or a policy of individual travel agencies or the U.S. government. Rather, it is a corporate policy instituted by each of these cruise lines.

Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival allow non US bookings by US agents.

[lovevacadays]

If you are that upset about Princess' policy and pricing for you I would suggest you book another cruise line. It sounds like you are really disappointed in what you are seeing with Princess. Sincerely, I would suggest you check on other cruise lines to see if they are more favorable to you.

[lovevacadays]

This is the reason I have not sailed Princess. Princess won't let me book directly with them due to my 'region' (Middle East), and my US travel agent can't book me on Princess either. I must use their ''Princess Cruises Arabia''- in other words a Saudi Arabian travel agency, that rips me off more than the above poster- one quote, and I wish this was a joke, was $10,000 for a balcony aboard the Coral Princess for a week in Alaska- for 3 pax. I went on the Holland America website and found the same itinerary for $3,600- balcony too.

 

This isn't Princess' fault, but this is the travel agent they go through, or their 'representative'- if I don't want to deal with them, then tough. It seems things have much slowed down now (the above quote was for a 2008 cruise), but nonetheless, I still don't like paying more for something available for less elsewhere, especially when (thankfully) no other cruise line seems to be doing this anymore, at least in our region, as they realized we have discovered the internet.

 

When Princess finally sees the light and lets me book US fares through my US travel agent like all their competitors do, I will be back- until then, I wait.

 

Princess offers a lovely experience that me and my family loved, but I just don't like being ripped off, and in today's world, with so much choice, it seems strange that they would do this.

 

If you are able to get the pricing and other things you need from other cruise lines than that is exactly what you should do. Who knows why Princess may differ from other cruiselines in regards to this but you have to do what you have to do.

[windsor26]

I always feel discriminated when I go to Australia too. Talk about a rip-off. I am charged over 1.5% interest of purchase price just for using my credit card at hotels. I guess that is the law there but we are not charged that in the US. I guess it works both ways. :)

 

Carnival Australia are now charging this same 1.5% on credit card payments on all on board accounts but we are used to this as we have always had to pay a fee for using a C/C for air fares and holidays and etc. The same applies in the UK as well.

[jagoffee]

Nope, it is the law.

 

Merchants can give a discount for cash, but not charge extra for using a credit card.

 

Effect is the same, but the posted price is what gets charged.

 

Further research indicates that it is the law in your state of Texas and nine other states, but not the others. The contract agreement between most credit card companies and the retailers prohibit the adding of a surcharge. This is obviously not the case in Australia.

 

The posted price is not usually what you get in the US expect for gas, now air fares (new law), and perhaps some selected items. Taxes are usually an additional charge unlike in Australia.

[RobertPowers]

I worked on ships that are going around New Zealand and Australia. My personal opinion is that they are ripping off people. Prices in Shops on Dawn and Sun are way bigger than on other Ships that are not going around Australia or NZ.

They do rip off Australians, and i must say its wrong, also if you want to exchange money on ship, conversion rate is not normal, its a rip off.

But that is the way it is, it's the way Princess works. If you would for example just take some prices from watch,jewelery or perfume store and compared them to prices on Usa or Europe crusing routes, you would be amazed how much you could save. :eek::eek::eek:

[Dunelm]

My husband and I have taken several cruises over the last ten years and have never seen cabins at 50 dollars a night per person! But, I do think other nationalities pay more than Americans. It may be that many more Americans cruise than any other nationality and the greater the number of bookings for a travel agent the better the deal (this works in any country). Even booking a large group into a restaurant gets cheaper meals.

[caribill]

They do rip off Australians, and i must say its wrong, also if you want to exchange money on ship, conversion rate is not normal, its a rip off.

It is a ripoff even on the ships that come nowhere near Australia.

[06jds377]

I'm a US citizen booked on one of the cheapest offerings Princess has from a US port, in the cheapest category. I paid over $110 per person, per night.

[06jds377]

The only cruise you'll routinely find at $50 per person per day is a 3-4 night from Florida to Bahamas, and then you have to book it soon before departure.

[mytime53]

So out of curiosity, those of you in Australia....if you sign in to the Princess website, what would you pay, in Australian dollars, for the Sept. 2nd, Sea Princess, 40 days, China and Japan, RT Sydney...?

[Kiwi Kruzer]

So out of curiosity, those of you in Australia....if you sign in to the Princess website, what would you pay, in Australian dollars, for the Sept. 2nd, Sea Princess, 40 days, China and Japan, RT Sydney...?

 

We have the same issues here in NZ. When we access the Princess site we get NZ dollars whether we like it or not.

Prices for the above cruise in NZ dollars on the Princess site are...

 

Suite Launch Fare: $32,766.73*

Mini-Suite Launch Fare: $25,598.73*

Balcony Launch Fare: $13,438.73*

Oceanview Launch Fare: $10,782.73*

Interior Launch Fare: $8,958.73*

 

Government Fees and Taxes included: $448.01* | Fare Currency: NZD

[Gaznjo]

So out of curiosity, those of you in Australia....if you sign in to the Princess website, what would you pay, in Australian dollars, for the Sept. 2nd, Sea Princess, 40 days, China and Japan, RT Sydney...?

 

at the moment...signed in my personalizer

 

for sept 2, 2013 .... inside price is $6999

 

there is a special though and if we could go on sept 12, 2012 the inside price is $4999

[Gaznjo]

We have the same issues here in NZ. When we access the Princess site we get NZ dollars whether we like it or not.

Prices for the above cruise in NZ dollars on the Princess site are...

 

Suite Launch Fare: $32,766.73*

Mini-Suite Launch Fare: $25,598.73*

Balcony Launch Fare: $13,438.73*

Oceanview Launch Fare: $10,782.73*

Interior Launch Fare: $8,958.73*

 

Government Fees and Taxes included: $448.01* | Fare Currency: NZD

 

 

so when I put that figure into my Iphone converter it comes up with $6987 AUD so it is cheaper in NZ by $12.... but that conversion would be a few cents out as you never get the full exchange amount at the bank....

[Gaznjo]

here is an interesting comparison of Princess US and Princess Aust brand

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1579309

[mytime53]

I hadn't noticed that the year was 2013...the Sept. 2012 cruise you note isn't even available to us, apparently.

Anyway, the price for us is $6999 + $350 tax...when I put it into the currency exchange calculator I use, today, that's a difference of about $160, or $4/day.

Looking at the variations of the exchange rate over the past 6 months, by anywhere from a nickel down from even to over a nickle up, sometimes we would be paying more than Aussies, unless the fares were adjusted on a frequent basis.