Vantage & Getaway fares scrapped

[kevinyork]

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.

[simonpjd]

Kevinyork you a bitter and twisted man.

Please remember the basic rules of cruising.

1 Someone on board will have paid less than you - live with it.

2 You were happy with the price when you booked it. Live with that too.

[west2000]

'I think that P&O have had to draw a line somewhere on that appalling old price structure which upset everyone and that line is Spring 2014 departures.'

 

This is true however they still seem to be missing a few brain cells at the top. To avoid more disgruntled passengers it would have been best to have rolled it out with the new brochures launched March/April next year for 2015. The American lines offer lower prices to early bookers and still make a profit. From what I have looked at unless early booking prices drop people will not book early again. They have learned nothing from this and people will not be caught out twice.

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[Presto2]

Please remember the basic rules of cruising.

1 Someone on board will have paid less than you - live with it.

2 You were happy with the price when you booked it. Live with that too.

 

I'd say that this is true of every holiday booked anywhere, at anytime on land or sea.

[kevinyork]

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.

[tjwa]

The current price structure suits me.

[netchells]

just received an email telling me that my October 2014 cruise price has dropped so have been "given" another £200 onboard credit :)

[terrierjohn]

Reading all these posts about some passengers getting extra OBC, some where their price is unchanged and some where it has increased, I seem to be getting a rather large waft of deja vu from October last year when the, then new, Vantage fares were introduced.

Is this now going to become a regular annual event with P&O?;):rolleyes:

[leylander]

The problem is though leylander that the whole price structure changes wef Spring 2014 (See P&O website) so the t&cs have changed too for the sailings after Spring and even the names of the fares eg Vantage and Getaway prices are no more.

 

A lot of us, me included, were in the very same position as you earlier in the year. On my cruise, I had to watch co cruisers get a balcony on Getaway for less than half what I paid on Vantage for an inside cabin. I asked and was not even allowed to pay for an upgrade, but they were upgraded on boarding to posher balconies and even got OBC. Yes, we complained bitterly and none of us got any compensation at all as P&O said this was not eligible for the Price Promise.

 

I do sympathise with you, believe me, and I do understand your anger, but I would imagine that your situation would get the same reply as all ours did - but if you did get compensation, there would be a lot of others on here who would also, justifiably feel that they should have got it too, and didn't.

 

I think that P&O have had to draw a line somewhere on that appalling old price structure which upset everyone and that line is Spring 2014 departures.

 

The reason they have changed the "structure" is because they have had to realise that it was unfair. Well it was just as unfair to those people who sail before the end of March as well. P&O could, no should do something in the way of recognition to them. They're sorting out fairer deals for everyone, except for that group of passengers. There's absolutely nothing to stop them looking at them. I'm not being selfish here, I'm arguing on behalf of everyone who booked a vantage fare, but who are now being ignored.

 

Still can't find any contact details for the top man.

Edited November 6, 2013 by leylander

[Scriv]

How about sending it by post, addressed to him personally at the Southampton Head Office address and recorded delivery?

[annieuk]

Remember it is Carnival who have decided all this, not just P&O - it is the same on Cunard. I would imagine the top people at P&O and Cunard have to do what Carnival tells them to do.

[Scriv]

Leylander ...

 

Have found an email address for questions that someone had used successfully a while ago. It may be worth a try: "reservations@email.pocruises.com"

 

And maybe mark it with High Priority and For Attention Of the topman?

 

Or maybe through their website email link : https://ask.pocruises.com/help/PO/contact_us/

 

But there is the risk of your email not reaching the topman and not getting further than their Customer Relations Department Advisors and eventually getting the standard 'fobbing off' letter which we all got when we complained earlier in the year.

Edited November 6, 2013 by Scriv

[geecee1]

I'd say that this is true of every holiday booked anywhere, at anytime on land or sea.

 

 

 

 

 

Couldn't agree more. Everybody in the services industry has sales to get rid of spare goods/capacity. Why should P&O be any different to Harrods, M&S et al.

Now we are retired and on fixed incomes we never book early for any holiday.

We shop around and go for the best deal whether it be land-based or a cruise.

Looking to go on Ventura next Dec(2014). This year last minute deals were "£999 per head for O/S restricted view cabin. Will be very surprised if we have to pay much more next year.

Our fall back situation is Mexico in Feb 2015. This year we booked 4 weeks before departure and paid £2500 for 2 persons for 2weeks in a RIU hotel in Playacar.

[Glenndale]

......

Please remember the basic rules of cruising.

1 Someone on board will have paid less than you - live with it.

2 You were happy with the price when you booked it. Live with that too.

 

Absolutely spot on.

[vixxygal]

How can the current price on a cruise that sails in 14 months be called last minute deals.

[Wiltonian]

How can the current price on a cruise that sails in 14 months be called last minute deals.

 

They were referring to the same cruise 12 months earlier.

[Alan & Giselle]

We booked E427 in July for October 2014.

We were surprised last week when we received a letter from P&O informing us that we were receiving an additional £146.00 as our cruise had gone down in price.

We didn't even realise that they were changing their pricing structure.

We were certainly pleasantly surprised.

[Josy1953]

Just looking for a cruise for my birthday in April next year and noticed that on the P&O site that the cruise on the Azura April 19th a balcony cabon costs as an Early Saver £1349 and as a Select fare it is £1329. Why would P&O think that anyone would want to pay £20 more for an Early Saver with all of it's restrictions than they would pay for a Select fare ?

[Scriv]

For Leylander...

 

NickCrane has posted this email address for Top Man David Dingle : david.dingle@carnivalukgroup.com

[sunny seas]

just received an email telling me that my October 2014 cruise price has dropped so have been "given" another £200 onboard credit :)

 

We are booked on caribben cruise next Oct but email says price has not dropped so no obc for us. When are you sailing? We go 31st Oct on Azura :confused:

[leylander]

For Leylander...

 

NickCrane has posted this email address for Top Man David Dingle : david.dingle@carnivalukgroup.com

 

Yeah, thanks. Email sent yesterday:)

[@Porthole]

Good luck with your email!

[leylander]

Good luck with your email!

 

Thanks.

 

I don't expect to get anywhere, but I think there's a reasonable point being made - and I've made it in a well mannered fashion, which I believe is the right way to make a complaint.

 

At least he will know how we feel, and if we feel that way, there's a good chance others do also.

[majortom10]

.........and us top paying Vantage fare folk who sail this winter or spring, get nothing. This isn't fair is it - people sailing from next spring onwards, who booked a vantage fare earlier this year are subject to further discounts, while people sailing under a vantage fare booked at the same time - under the same t&c's, but sail before next spring, get nothing.

 

Bah.

 

I have received extra OBC for my Vantage cruise that was booked in April 2012 for my cruise on Oriana in March 2014 that has since been reduced. If you didnt like the price of cruise when you booked it you shouldnt have booked it.

Edited November 17, 2013 by shilly3191

[cruisebore]

I have received extra OBC for my Vantage cruise that was booked in April 2012 for my cruise on Oriana in March 2014 that has since been reduced. If you didnt like the price of cruise when you booked it you shouldnt have booked it.

 

With the very low Giveaway fares, I suppose P & O are not inclined to lose money even further by increasing OBC

I wonder if the ships are currently sailing full, if not and if there is an opportunity to upgrade on board those paying the full fare, it should be taken.

 

Cb