Huge discount a few weeks prior to embarkation unfair for longtime booked passengers

[fantasy51]

Chunky, would you be willing to share where you are staying outside Southampton? We have two nights in the area before boarding our return TA this fall and wanted something not so commercial- some place with character. Was looking at New Forest perhaps?

 

One TA that has its own TV cruise show here in the UK talks about the Meon Valley Marriott hotel and advertises good prices for staying the night before your cruise, parking for up to 14 days included, and transfers to the cruise port all included. It has a golf course and is set in woodland about 10 miles out of Southampton. I have not tried it but you could google it and see if it's what you want. The price that is advertised on TV (when you book a cruise through this company as well) is £70 for all of that. I don't know what it would be for a couple of nights after your cruise.

[fantasy51]

Have so enjoyed the last several posts re:early booking security verses late booking gains , so glad i popped by tonight .

Thanks

Josie and Joan ...

 

It's lovely to hear when people are enjoying a thread. Thanks for posting.

[Chunky2219]

Chunky, would you be willing to share where you are staying outside Southampton? We have two nights in the area before boarding our return TA this fall and wanted something not so commercial- some place with character. Was looking at New Forest perhaps?

 

Debbie

 

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Gladly!!

 

There's no PM feature on the forum, so if you send me an e-mail to junkmailchunky@hotmail.com I'll let you have the details. There's also another place nearby that we've used multiple times, I'll send you details of that as well.

 

Chelsea, same for you too, just drop me a line.

 

 

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[cunard candy]

Christophe, as a fellow Vaudois I always make sure that I book with a UK agent. Big difference with prices.

Enjoy your trip!!

[flag fan]

I disagree with the position taken by the Original Poster--that it is somehow unfair for a cruise line to heavily discount (50% cheaper!) cabins that are closer to sail day from those reserved a year ahead. Early reservations assures that the passenger gets the cabin he wants; I do not see why they should get that advantage and the benefit of any later discounts. If the deal was reasonable at the time of booking, be satisfied and move on--don't worry about what other people are paying.

 

I say this from someone who almost always books cruises more than a year in advance (as a solo)--I don't expect the advantage of any later discounts. Last year I noticed some great deals on Princess Grill cabins for Transatlantics, so I am forcing myself to wait until next year to book a 2015 cruise but I realize that the discount may never happen and that in the meantime I may lose the cabin I want, so I may end up back in Britannica (not a bad place to end up!) or paying full price for a P1. That's the risk one takes by booking later. It seems fair to me.

Edited June 7, 2014 by flag fan

[SSCAF001]

Christophe, as a fellow Vaudois I always make sure that I book with a UK agent. Big difference with prices.

Enjoy your trip!!

 

 

Thanks for your advice. I usually book through a US TA. But unfortunately for me it is Cunard Switzerland that offers the very best deal! Could you send me on my mail the name of the agent you use in the UK (chmazel@bluewin.ch)? Thank you. Christophe.

 

 

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[Jimsgirl]

I disagree with the position taken by the Original Poster--that it is somehow unfair for a cruise line to heavily discount (50% cheaper!) cabins that are closer to sail day from those reserved a year ahead. Early reservations assures that the passenger gets the cabin he wants; I do not see why they should get that advantage and the benefit of any later discounts. If the deal was reasonable at the time of booking, be satisfied and move on--don't worry about what other people are paying.

 

I say this from someone who almost always books cruises more than a year in advance (as a solo)--I don't expect the advantage of any later discounts. Last year I noticed some great deals on Princess Grill cabins for Transatlantics, so I am forcing myself to wait until next year to book a 2015 cruise but I realize that the discount may never happen and that in the meantime I may lose the cabin I want, so I may end up back in Britannica (not a bad place to end up!) or paying full price for a P1. That's the risk one takes by booking later. It seems fair to me.

 

 

 

I do not have a problem with a cruise line selling a cabin "cheap" in the last week before the cruise, that is business , ---- BUT ---I do have difficulty with the line not only selling the cabin next to mine (same grade inside ) "cheap" six months before the sailing, and at the same time giving that first time a free upgrade to Princess Grill plus a good OBC!

 

At the same time I ,as a Diamond member who booked a year in advance , have to pay the same as a couple (YES I had to pay 200% for an inside cabin),will get no upgrade, and no OBC.

 

I also have difficulty when cruise line staff deliberately lie re pricing.

 

Recently a fellow CC poster told me there had been very large drop in price for a cruise I had booked for May 2015.

I contacted my agent who contacted Cunard, who denied the price drop, not one but twice on successive days. They convinced my agent I was "mistaken".

 

Finally when I said to cancel my booking because I would not be "cheated" by over almost $1000 , my agent got back to the staffer at Cunard finally did admit there had been a price drop. So original booking was cancelled and new booking made saving me $997 for same inside cabin.

 

Do you really think it right that they drop the price by $997 ELEVEN months before sailing and then deny they have done this , when a loyal client asks for the new price?

 

Yes business is business, yes if I go to a store, buy a couch then find months later that the price has gone down I should not have a "gripe", that is because I have had the use of the couch for that time, but on a cruise I get nothing until the date of sailing except the number of a cabin- and do not forget the cruise line can cancel the sailing or change the cabin "if it suits them" in those months of waiting.

 

The "Queens" may be delightful ships, the formality, elegance etc but the ethics of the "men in the corner offices" are sadly lacking.

 

Recently I wrote re pre cruise Hotel packages . The Cunard listed Hotel were charging $390 for the room (NY) Cunard were to provide transport from JFK to hotel, transport from Hotel to ship next day. Cunard priced the package at $790!~!!!

 

Take $390 for room from $790 charged by Cunard means that Cunard were charging clients $400 for two coach trips !!!. I booked hotel privately, will use a cab fromJFK (under $60 i/c taxe/tip) then same next day , total for sole use transport about $120.

 

There is no way Cunard can justify the charge of $400 for transport.

[Chunky2219]

Cunard can justify charging whatever people are willing to pay. It's called captailism. Curise lines operate loyalty schemes to persuade people that they are valued. It's like beads for the natives - something to make you feel good but which ultimately has no value.

 

If someone has surplus money but is "time poor", they are more likely to pay over the odds for something they could fix up themselves. They might as well give Cunard a nice little profit and use their time earning more money to spend on other things they want.

 

I, on the other hand am in the opposite situation. I watch the pennies but am "time rich". We never sail Cunard in in anything other than QG, but are constantly on the lookout for deals that make it affordable.

 

Some folks want the best of both worlds. To book well in advance with a choice of cabins, but expect Cunard to do all the work with arrangements, discounts, price drops and the rest. That's not the real world.

 

As for upgrades, the upgrade fairy is the only mythical life form that I'm happy to believe in. In 2011 we did 23 days in QG, seated near a couple who'd been upgraded from the engine room to a better cabin than us. It was a delight to see - the gentleman was like a dog with two tails. We got what we'd paid for, they got a lot more, why be unhappy?

 

 

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[pmb1]

... At the same time I ,as a Diamond member who booked a year in advance , have to pay the same as a couple (YES I had to pay 200% for an inside cabin),will get no upgrade, and no OBC. ...

As a veteran of the WAAF you are entitled to Cunard's Veterans' OBC, aren't you?

 

Don't be shy about applying for it, if you haven't already.

Paul

[Jackytar]

As a veteran of the WAAF you are entitled to Cunard's Veterans' OBC, aren't you?

 

Don't be shy about applying for it, if you haven't already.

Paul

 

Easy-peasy to apply for, too! Turn around for me was about 4 days from when I sent in the form.

[MawganTr]

I read this discussion the other day & I've been pondering the original comment. I'm a normal person, not wealthy, yet doing ok and enjoy cruising with my husband. We do, however, find it tricky to book too far in advance and so do commit the mortal sin of paying the cheaper fare. Having said that, when I go shopping I enjoy the sales, look out for bargains and love it if I get a get deal. I find it difficult to understand this odd situation where somehow you're in the wrong if you pay less for something i.e. a cruise. I appreciate that some want to book in advance to secure a particular cabin or want to fix holiday dates however, I find it hard to understand how just because you pay the full price makes you more loyal than those who book later. I feel loyal to cunard - can't bring myself to try another line yet I have to wait to book due to logistics of dates etc.

it's not unfair, just business.

 

 

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[bkecky]

I read this discussion the other day & I've been pondering the original comment. I'm a normal person, not wealthy, yet doing ok and enjoy cruising with my husband. We do, however, find it tricky to book too far in advance and so do commit the mortal sin of paying the cheaper fare. Having said that, when I go shopping I enjoy the sales, look out for bargains and love it if I get a get deal. I find it difficult to understand this odd situation where somehow you're in the wrong if you pay less for something i.e. a cruise. I appreciate that some want to book in advance to secure a particular cabin or want to fix holiday dates however, I find it hard to understand how just because you pay the full price makes you more loyal than those who book later. I feel loyal to cunard - can't bring myself to try another line yet I have to wait to book due to logistics of dates etc.

it's not unfair, just business.

 

 

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I think you are right - it's not about when you book, which shows loyalty. If I am travelling with family we tend to book in advance, if not it can be a last minute thing. But as you say, travelling on another line doesn't come into the equation so regardless of when we book, we are loyal to Cunard. What irks us is that we have been travelling for 17 years with Cunard and have had one upgrade in that time. Then we can be talking to someone on their first voyage who booked last minute and received a significant upgrade. Not to say we aren't happy for those people but it does make us feel a little like our loyalty isn't valued when we hear similar stories every time. Perhaps they know we are coming back for more regardless and are more interested in reeling in new clientele. :confused:

Edited June 10, 2014 by bkecky

[PunkiC]

We have two Cunard cruises booked, one in August and one in November. We paid $1,799 pp each for 14 days cruises in a balcony cabin, which I consider a great deal, especially since the current prices are double that. Go figure? Moreover we have substantial OBC (over $900 on one and $1,100 on the other).

 

These were not cruises I was especially planning to take, but when the great deals popped up for places I really wanted to see, and I was able to find attractively priced (in terms of miles) first-class award tickets, I couldn't resist.

 

That's pretty much how we always decide what cruises to take--wait for the deal, see if we can find award tickets, and go for it. It was, of course, a lot harder when we still worked and had to plan vacations, but in retirement it works great.

 

Now I just need to find more smoking deals. :p

[DWhit]

We paid $1,799 pp each for 14 days cruises in a balcony cabin, which I consider a great deal, especially since the current prices are double that. Go figure?

I saw that price still available on your Baltic cruise this morning on an online TA site. That is a great price for a Cunard cruise. They had a great price on suites as well. I wish I could fit it in my schedule, but no can do. I hope you have a great trip!

[PunkiC]

I saw that this morning as well and passed it on to some friends, but airfare is now so high that I don't think anybody else will go for it.