P and O price promise worthless, do not book early

[daiB]

Hi Scriv

We booked for Vantage the day our next two cruises went on sell, infact 6 wks before Vantage had even started. I telephoned P&O last wk to ask if we could PAY to upgrade from our balcony to either a mini suite or a suite and was told that no paid for upgrades are being offered on either of our cruises, E314 & E315 regardless of cabin type. This leaves a bitter taste when you see how much prices have dropped for late bookers and the fact that they can and do get free upgrades.

 

We booked last April for our next 2 cruises. Then the nice man gave us extra OBC and now they have both gone Getaway. Good job we booked early. The cabin grade we wanted and got are now full. So if we had waited, no cruise for us.

 

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

 

 

:cool:

[oceana20]

Hi Dai

Hope you also got the difference between what you actually paid and the cost of the cruise without the 10% BtoB removed. Enjoy your cruises.

[daiB]

Hi Dai

Hope you also got the difference between what you actually paid and the cost of the cruise without the 10% BtoB removed. Enjoy your cruises.

 

The B2B's are for next year this years cruises are just single cruises. The first, for our cabin grade briefly went Getaway when I worked out that the drop had only been 9%, which I can live with. I know that there are always cheaper cabins to be had near the cruise date. This was the case long before Getaway was thought of. The second, which has gone getaway within the last few days is showing my grade of cabin full. So no drop there.

 

I always enjoy my cruises, that's why we have so many booked.

 

 

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

 

Dai

 

:cool:

[Paul10000]

Roy, I would write to P&O informing them that you are very loyal customers and are disillusioned - I would be very surprised if you did not receive some sort of compensation.

 

The same thing happened to me - I wrote a long letter to CM, had a very nice lady on for half and hour about how times were hard for P&O. I was offered nothing despite cruising with them for over 20 years. I'm certainly thinking about jumping ship as it were. They can only kick you so many times before you bite back. :mad:

[rubydoobydoo]

I think it depends how hard you push for P & O to compensate

 

My SIL booked last year on a late deal price for the Fjords, she paid £699 for a guarantee inside cabin. 2 weeks later she saw the price had dropped to £499 being advertised with Iglu, P & O price remained the same

 

Now under the terms and conditions she was entitled to nothing but she phoned P & O to complain that when she made her booking she was told that the late price would not drop again anywhere

 

She was told that would not have happened as P & O staff would never say that !

 

All phone calls are taped and she demanded that they hand over the tape of the call as she would take it futher. Eventually after losts of calls and emails and being offers £50 OBC she was eventually upgraded to a balcony

 

Of course this all happened before the Vantage/Getaway fares were introduce, maybe that is why P & O started them so stop tings like this happening ?

 

 

I really think it depends on who you speak to at P & O as to what deals you get if my SIL is tellng the truth as she just apparently only paid £660 for 17 nights on Oriana on May 10th to Venice, if true that was a massive reduction as she booked about a 4/5 weeks in advance, I didn't realise the prices would drop that low :rolleyes:

[Bull & Crab]

Originally Posted by the english lady

Before I part with any of my money for a holiday-and usually it's for me a lot I look into things. From when I first started cruising, when I was told never ever book the brochure price I have kept an eye open to see whats out there and can I do better. I am slightly confused by all these people who say I booked a cruise for a sqillion and now it's only half a sqillon. I was promised money back. Before anyone handed over their money (remember no one makes you book a cruise-it's not something you HAVE to do) did they not at least look at the brochure or on line or even talk to the TA ,and think hang on what's this 2 fare thingy.

As Dai has posted many times things are very clear now, you book at vantage and have choices ,or you wait for getaway (which may not happen for the cruise you want) and have no choices.

If I am paying vantage fares then I fully expect to always have my choice of dining. If the only way of guaranteeing that is to not sort out the dining arrangements until after vantage fares are finished then so be it. Also next year as no choice of dining is written into the T and C for getaway fares I would take it you cannot change it when onboard. Then I guess the group of 4 (family or whatever) who book 2 cabins ,which turns out to be on different decks ,at opposite ends of the ship, may also find themselves of different dining sittings. Will they then complain that having paid half of what I have paid for the same cruise they are not happy with the golaposts...ofcourse they will, as you cannot keep everyone happy all the time.

I notice people keep on saying paying for shuttle buses will create a 2 tier cruise experience. Fred has had this for quite some time, and I don't remember reading anywhere their ships are 2 tier (suites and high loyalty members get them free)

Excellent post, totally agree - especially the bolded bit.

 

I am only a new cruiser but I can see what this Lady is saying. If you want a cheap deal you wait. If you want to secure a particular cabin and meal time you book early.

[Bull & Crab]

I called P&O yesterday and have now sent this e mail but expect no joy. Hopefully we will still enjoy the cruise but it will be back to Celebrity for us after this costly error. P&O are commiting business suicide as far as building loyalty goes in my opinion.

 

As this is my first cruise with P&O I was somewhat taken aback to find a new fare is now available for this same class of suite at a cost reduction of 1640 pounds. The only difference being a gataway fare does not guarantee in which suite you will be sailing. Had I known about this I would have waited and made this very significant saving.

 

I contacted P&O about this and was offered a BA grade suite on the Riviera Deck and 50 pounds each in OBC as a form of compensation. However I don't find leaving a sunny aft cabin for a partially shaded one in mid ships particularly tempting. So I declined this ‘upgrade’.

I was then told 100 pounds of onboard credit is the only form of recompense available. Even if accepted we will effectively be travelling with wiser cruisers who knew about the gataway prices who are 1540 pounds better off for it.

Sadly we have not even boarded a P&O ship yet but have already decided our first venture away from Celebrity was an expensive mistake.

The advantage fare has turned out to be anything but.

This is the problem with the compensation culture with which we are in now. Everybody who knowingly makes a mistake wants compensation. You have cruised (and holidayed) before so therefore must have realized the price would come down. When it it does happen you then throw your toys out of the pram and have a tantrum. Please think yourself lucky and get a life.

[Pig Launcher]

The same thing happened to me - I wrote a long letter to CM, had a very nice lady on for half and hour about how times were hard for P&O. I was offered nothing despite cruising with them for over 20 years. I'm certainly thinking about jumping ship as it were. They can only kick you so many times before you bite back. :mad:

 

I did the same and received a two page very polite reply that amounted to 'tough s**t'. We won't be sailing with them again.

[Pig Launcher]

This is the problem with the compensation culture with which we are in now. Everybody who knowingly makes a mistake wants compensation. You have cruised (and holidayed) before so therefore must have realized the price would come down. When it it does happen you then throw your toys out of the pram and have a tantrum. Please think yourself lucky and get a life.

 

Of course prices fall but P&O sell on a price promise that is actually none existent. Read it and try and put your brain in gear and spot the con before replying you numpty.

[Bull & Crab]

Of course prices fall but P&O sell on a price promise that is actually none existent. Read it and try and put your brain in gear and spot the con before replying you numpty.

 

So not just toys you are throwing out, at least you have progressed to playground name calling.

[Pig Launcher]

So not just toys you are throwing out, at least you have progressed to playground name calling.

 

So no constructive answer in response to why the wise will be voting with their feet with regard to P&O's deliberately misleading price guarantee policy. You are the grade 'A' patronising fool I have the misfortune to come across in business lounges world wide.

[jeanlyon]

I think the problem is that P&O state "if the price falls, you will receive an upgrade or OBC to compensate". The fact is that the Vantage price never falls, they simply bring in Getaway fares.

 

I should just add that Cunard and Fred also do the same thing - it's not just P&O

[wilson2579]

I did initially get OBC after I booked a vantage fare over a year ago and just last week have had a 'slight' upgrade, just aft inside to mid inside but don't know whether this is to do with the vantage fare.

[daiB]

I think the problem is that P&O state "if the price falls, you will receive an upgrade or OBC to compensate". The fact is that the Vantage price never falls, they simply bring in Getaway fares.

 

I should just add that Cunard and Fred also do the same thing - it's not just P&O

 

I think they said the Vantage fare. That did not come down. Which I think is called a get out clause.

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai