Why would my wife and I get different pricing when we have the same cruise history?

[appscott]

My wife and I have the same cruising history with Princess - we each just became Ruby after taking the same three cruises together.

 

When logging into my Princess account and looking at the December 27 sailing of the Caribbean Princess (which we just completed November 24 - 29), I'm seeing lower prices than when logged into my wife's account. Her account shows that she has sailed three times, just like my account.

 

Has this occurred to others in the past? Will TAs or Princess allow us to book multiple rooms for the lower price? We planned to book two rooms (taking the kids) so I was confused why this might occur.

[KangarooCruiser]

Have you had a birthday since, have you just turned 55?

 

Tony

[RickEk]

My wife and I have the same cruising history with Princess - we each just became Ruby after taking the same three cruises together.

 

When logging into my Princess account and looking at the December 27 sailing of the Caribbean Princess (which we just completed November 24 - 29), I'm seeing lower prices than when logged into my wife's account. Her account shows that she has sailed three times, just like my account.

 

Has this occurred to others in the past? Will TAs or Princess allow us to book multiple rooms for the lower price? We planned to book two rooms (taking the kids) so I was confused why this might occur.

 

I would have them check the physical addresses associated with each of your Captain's Circle accounts. I'm betting that one of them is different and you are seeing some kind of regional pricing...

[Husky61]

Why not call Princess and ask them?

[appscott]

Thanks for the replies.

 

KangarooCruiser - neither of us are close to 55 years old yet

 

RickEk - we've both lived in North Carolina all of our lives

 

Husky61 - haven't had time to call Princess - just wondering if others had experienced this issue in the past

[Coral]

Yes I have had 2 people at the same house with different fares. If you go to book the cruise, they will fare it at the lower price for both of you. If it doesn't work that way, just call and it will be adjusted.

 

Sometimes they use unusual targeted promotions.

 

I don't think Princess does senior discounts. RCCL/Celebrity used to.

[pmcue]

I work and have worked for companies that help target ads and promotions and while you may live at same location and cruised the same, your demographics are different. Male vs Female, exact age, emails opened, links clicked or searches on web all contribute to this difference.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Forums mobile app

[DrivesLikeMario]

I just had the same thing happen. My DH who has less cruises than I do (but still Elite) and isn't a TA (like me) can get the cruise I want to book for 1/2 the cost as me. Neither of us are seniors and we live in the same household. Go figure. :rolleyes:

[appscott]

Thanks to all for the responses!

[SoCal Cruiser78]

On at least two occasions recently, I have received lower pricing than a relative. When I dug deeper into it, I found that my pricing was part of a casino offer for past players. Princess sometimes puts them right into your web account; other times they come by phone or email offer.

 

Does one of you wager in the onboard casinos, or wager more than the other? If so, perhaps it is a casino rate. They are not always clearly marked as such, for some reason.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Ryndam2002

[AZbeachboy]

I have seen senior prices on a travel site. But Princess does not offer it on every cruise and a lot less than other CCI lines.

[Shogun]

Hi all

Princess prices never make sense, have booked as a first time cruiser and got a better price than a returning cruiser with a discount.

 

Yours Shogun

 

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Forums mobile app

[SoCal Cruiser78]

Hi all

Princess prices never make sense, have booked as a first time cruiser and got a better price than a returning cruiser with a discount.

 

Yours Shogun

 

This is not the first time I have read this. Princess' yield management algorithm is truly baffling.

[latunxitom]

I found that my pricing was part of a casino offer for past players.

[Bill B]

Princess prices never make sense, have booked as a first time cruiser and got a better price than a returning cruiser with a discount.

 

That's why I have cookies disabled and always check the price as a 'polywog', then I log in and check as a 'shellback'.

 

HAL is way worse than Princess for charging past pax more than someone who has never cruised with them. When you are prompted to "Log in for special pricing" what they don't tell you is "special" means higher.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Bill B

[RLK33853]

We have been Elite for a while and the couple that cruise with us and live in the same city, are Platinum. For our March BTB, their price was 1/3 less than ours on both cruises. Princess could never explain the difference when they were asked, but did give us the same price when questioned.

 

The only thing that we could think of - that the other couple did differently, was answer a Princess survey the week before we booked???

 

The Princess supervisor we talked to, told us that varied pricing is very common and he has seen four different prices for four people living at the same address, with two of them having the exact status and age group. He said that Princess pricing is even baffling to their own staff.

 

Basically it always pays to check. To Princess's credit they matched the price.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Okay, I think I finally got to the bottom of this weird pricing (at least for our cruise). Talked with the Princess rep. today to try to find out why my DH gets "Casino VIP pricing" and none of the rest of us do in the family. And NO, you cannot get it for others in your family in a cabin next to you.

 

Turns out because my husband either:

a.) Plays the casino tables on cruises (but he has never spent more than $80 total during a cruise so definitely not a high roller!)

 

OR:

 

b.) Put that the casino is of "high interest" on his profile in My Princess.

 

I tend to think the reasoning is b.) because I actually spend more than he does in the casino and mine is more easily track-able (me on slots vs. him on tables). So, I have changed our adult sons' profiles to read that and I'm hoping they get the same VIP Casino offer in a few days. I'm willing to wait and I'm not willing to pay more than double the cost without the promo!

[more cruises]

Okay, I think I finally got to the bottom of this weird pricing (at least for our cruise). Talked with the Princess rep. today to try to find out why my DH gets "Casino VIP pricing" and none of the rest of us do in the family. And NO, you cannot get it for others in your family in a cabin next to you.

 

Turns out because my husband either:

a.) Plays the casino tables on cruises (but he has never spent more than $80 total during a cruise so definitely not a high roller!)

 

OR:

 

b.) Put that the casino is of "high interest" on his profile in My Princess.

 

I tend to think the reasoning is b.) because I actually spend more than he does in the casino and mine is more easily track-able (me on slots vs. him on tables). So, I have changed our adult sons' profiles to read that and I'm hoping they get the same VIP Casino offer in a few days. I'm willing to wait and I'm not willing to pay more than double the cost without the promo!

 

I'd be really interested to see what happens. Keep us posted

[boca7]

Its called marketing, they are soliciting different past passengers with specials based on their history with the ship. My brother who lives another state & does not have email & relies on mine for bookings received a great offer & he has only sailed twice with Princess, I am a very frequent cruiser & was not offered he deal even though the email came to me. Obviously the targeted people who they want back & know I will pay regular price. That`s smart marketing.

[jewelsea21]

Common, can depend on minute differences --who ordered a brochure, ( one member of the household can only be selected), who called from what cell phone, who identified themselves as the caller when pricing info was requested,for example.....marketing may use these as well as other, more obvious demos when targeting, generally they can be offered to the entire household after the fact.

[DrivesLikeMario]

I'd be really interested to see what happens. Keep us posted

 

Will do. Changed both of our adult sons' profiles to "very interested" in the casino but no offer as of yet. Will check every day though & will post the results if it works. ;)

[boca7]

Common, can depend on minute differences --who ordered a brochure, ( one member of the household can only be selected), who called from what cell phone, who identified themselves as the caller when pricing info was requested,for example.....marketing may use these as well as other, more obvious demos when targeting, generally they can be offered to the entire household after the fact.

 

Tried that, I was told it was based on his captains circle #.

[TWA4Ever]

I have seen senior prices on a travel site. But Princess does not offer it on every cruise and a lot less than other CCI lines.

 

I would be most interested in knowing which cruise(s) Princess does offer a senior discount? I just assumed they did not as I have never seen it on the Princess website, and the joke has always been that Princess is "God's waiting room" and the senior contingent makes up a good portion of revenue.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

...the joke has always been that Princess is "God's waiting room"...

 

I thought that was HAL ;). Seriously, though, Princess seems to just build discounts into their website pricing without itemizing them. When I check fares logging in as myself, the fare I am quoted is often different from when I log in as another family member I book travel for. When I've used a TA, she plugs in our CC #s, and the same thing happens.

 

Carnival's site is the most transparent I have seen as to letting you know when a discount is due to age, place of residence, etc.

Edited December 12, 2014 by Ryndam2002

[Coral]

I would be most interested in knowing which cruise(s) Princess does offer a senior discount? I just assumed they did not as I have never seen it on the Princess website, and the joke has always been that Princess is "God's waiting room" and the senior contingent makes up a good portion of revenue.

 

Unless things have changed, Princess does not have a senior discount.

 

Some travel sites do have a checkbox for over a certain age but it is a generic search so that info may apply to some cruise lines but not others.