P&O no longer loyal

[steve8154]

Hi All

we booked our holiday for August 2015 last month leaving a small deposit of £50.00 each. four days later we found that the price of our cabin had dropped by £300.00. As i thought we had P&O price promise (Vantage Fare) as we had had in previous years, I contacted P&O to discuss options. I was informed that P&O no longer operated a price promise and that fares would go up or down as they see fit and the only way i could benefit from this was to cancel my holiday and re-book with the new price. This is fine because I only paid the small deposit, but what about the people who paid the full 10% deposit.

 

I wrote to P&O giving my concerns and asked them if there was anything they could do. The reply was not what I was expecting. they made several quotes which thourghly upset me.

 

Quote "I would advise that any decrease in fares are applicable to new bookings only. We would of course rather not have to reduce fares after the initial launch period for any cruise holidays, but ultimately, it is our aim to ensure that all berths are sold on each and every cruise"

 

I can understand this if the price dropped 6 to 8 weeks before sailing, but 9 months before. Why would we book so early if it was known that the price promise had disappeared and we could be losing hundreds of pounds.

 

Quote "The only way passangers can take advantage of new offers is to cancel the booking with the relevent charges levied and rebook under the new fare"

 

I was fortunate that i only paid £50.00 per passenger, so I could cancel and and still rebook saving £200.00 in the mean time. but what about the others who paid the full 10% deposit. if you cancel, you lose your deposit, so if you paid the 10%, you would not benefit from cancelling and rebooking.

 

I did not rebook. I cancelled my holiday and lost my £100.00 deposit. The bad taste this letter left would not allow me to enjoy what would have been a great holiday on AZURA during August 2015 the joy of boking early and planning ahead had gone.

 

we have sailed with P&O for several years now and enjoyed the holdays we have had with the peace of mind that if we boked early, our loyalty would be rewarded with the knowledge of P&O's price promise, we would not lose out.

 

This has now gone and P&O's loyalty to its passengers has also gone.

 

I cancelled my holiday tonight and within a few minutes a received an email with my cancellation invoice stating that I had lost my £100.00 deposit. I suppose it could have been worse, it could have been the full 10% that others may have paid.

 

I will be writing back to P&O just to express our disapointment with them, not expecting a reply as they have shown that we no longer matter.

 

Please take this as a warning, is it worth booking early and will P&O be loyal if anything changes.

 

Steve

[Bacardi..]

The price promice went a while ago, as you say.

 

A lot have been complaining about its loss since. I gave up booking early as some of the difference in fares was vast. Someone posted that there was over £3000pp difference in a fare for their cruise over xmas, I would be mad at that.

 

If you want to voice your opinion try Christopher.Edgington@pocruises.com

[BrianI]

I don't know how you managed to pay just £50 deposit per person. The normal deposit is 15%.

Brian

[Ataraxia]

Here we go again - presumably the price was acceptable when you booked, and were happy to pay it. Your donation to P and O may bring the price down further.

[pete14]

Although I have sympathy with your position, I cannot understand why you think it is an issue of loyalty. All P&O have done is to act according to the terms and conditions that apply to all bookings. You should have made yourself aware of them before completing the booking. The price matching promise that applied to Vantage fares from memory only lasted for about a year and has been replaced with Select, Early Saver and Saver fares which do not have a price promise. Select prices for the last cruise I went on (Nov 2014) rose after we booked and remained higher than we paid. At no time did I feel the need to offer P&O extra to match the increased price.

The responses you highlight from the letter you were sent are honest and not unreasonable in my opinion. Not good news but according to their terms and conditions and pricing policy, perfectly correct. Sorry!

[Clodia]

When you book onboard you only pay £50 deposit. I just booked on the Aurora last month for a cruise on Oceana in March and paid only £50.

[steve8154]

Thank you for your replies, and you are all correct. They may be their terms and conditions, and they may have cancelled the price promise (did not know they had). My point is that loyalty is no longer a thing to be cherished. Why book early knowing that the price will go down. why not wait and get the best price possible. Every cruise I have been on has had it price reductions, but only towards the end, maybe the last six weeks or so. not nine months before.

 

Yes I gave up my deposit and I hope it does go towards further price reductions!!

 

I am a great beliver that if I show loyalty by booking early and guranting P&O a definate cabin booking and income, should that not be repaid by giving me the best deal possible, or at least making it look like the best deal, not reduce the price four days after by £300.00 nine month before the sailing. Sorry old fashioned values still matter to me.

[jeanlyon]

Vantage fares went a long time ago. Middle of last year if I remember rightly.

 

Secondly, I booked on board for a cruise and we definitely paid 15%, not £50 per head.

[SDadw01]

Whenever we have booked whilst onboard we have only paid £50 per person deposit.

[steve8154]

P&O had a special offer of a low deposit last month of £50.00 per head. if I had paid the full deposit, would it have made a difference of whether I cancelled or not, to be honest, I don't know.

[steve8154]

hello all

 

I see that there are a lot of viewers to this posting, over 200 in the last hour.

 

most of the remarks have been quite negative, which of course is correct, and you normally find that only the people who disagree will make a comment.

 

If we changed the context of this message and relate it to another subject such as if you put a deposit down on a new car which would not be delivered for six weeks.

 

if you find that a week later, the car has been reduced by a sugnificant sum, would you be content to pay the original price or would you contest it.

 

it would be interesting to see a thumbs up or thumbs down to the argument, even if you are just reading the post.

[CCFC]

Ahh the joys of the internet, years ago you paid your money and took it as a done deal, never to ring them up again and ask what the price was at a later date. You might find out over dinner once aboard what others paid but never beforehand. I find it odd people bother to look if its going to upset them.

 

Its nothing to do with loyalty, you paid for a cruise at a price that was acceptable to you.

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

If you book with Princess you don't have this problem. You can cancel outside of 180 days with no cancellation charge. If prices reduce before final payment date just ring them up and they'll reduce the price for you. Now that's what I call customer service!

 

 

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[daiB]

hello all

 

 

 

I see that there are a lot of viewers to this posting, over 200 in the last hour.

 

 

 

most of the remarks have been quite negative, which of course is correct, and you normally find that only the people who disagree will make a comment.

 

 

 

If we changed the context of this message and relate it to another subject such as if you put a deposit down on a new car which would not be delivered for six weeks.

 

 

 

if you find that a week later, the car has been reduced by a sugnificant sum, would you be content to pay the original price or would you contest it.

 

 

 

it would be interesting to see a thumbs up or thumbs down to the argument, even if you are just reading the post.

 

 

This has nothing to do with loyalty at all anyone can book early. Does not mean they are a loyal customer.

 

It is the customers who have brought us to this because they did not like the price promise. So the company changed it to what people wanted. So you have flexible pricing or fluid pricing.

 

It coming up 2 years since the price promise went.

 

I think you are making a great fuss over nothing. You were given a way of getting a cheaper cruise. You did not take it.

 

 

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[daiB]

If you book with Princess you don't have this problem. You can cancel outside of 180 days with no cancellation charge. If prices reduce before final payment date just ring them up and they'll reduce the price for you. Now that's what I call customer service!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

You well know Princess do not do this out of the kindness of their hearts. They have to do it by US law.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Scriv]

Sorry Steve, but the price structure of the Select, Early Savers and Saver Fares is written loud and clear in all the offers and brochures and terms and conditions and the old Vantage fares with their price promise are long gone.

 

I'm afraid I think you should have really done more research into the fares categories before you made your decision.

Edited December 18, 2014 by Scriv

[steve8154]

Loyalty is a strong word.

 

If people did not like the experience, they would go elsewhere. if you enjoyed your experience, you stay loyal and return year after year, that is the deifintion of loyalty.

 

what would happen if everyone took the same attitude and not book their holiday until the last minute, would the experience be the same.

 

both me and my wife work full time and look forward to the holiday experience. The anticipation of planning our holiday is something to look forward to. after a hard years work, it is exciting to plan how you are going to spend the two weeks you have saved all year for, the summer of a lifetime is special.

 

someone mentioned that it was different when we didn't have the internet, you paid your price and that was that. those were the days when everyone stayed in britain and thourghly enjoyed it. it still cost our parents a months wages, but they still had expectations.

 

the internet has opened the world to us, we look further afield and have higher expectations. we work hard for what we want and in return we expect a fair deal.

 

Cruises are still classed as a privalaged holiday and because of this, we still pay a premium for it. You could get an all inclusvie holiday abroad, flying, delays, overcrowding, havoc, but cheaper.

 

A cruise to me is different, the chance to meet people at a slower pace, have the chance to meet like minded people and converse. to make the effort and dress for the occassion on formal evenings are some of the reasons to choose our holiday and look forward to them, it is woth the premium price, but there is a limit.

 

most companies have a set price, they do have reductions which are normally held in a sale or other tyoe of event. close to the end when the event is due to start, they may have other reductions, which again is acceptable.

 

what I find is not acceptable is the way P&O is operating their pricing. They start with one price, for no reason at all, and way before sailing time (nine months with plenty of time to sell cabins) they lower it by 12%.

 

what does this mean to the average working people like us. what is £300.00 to you. drinks for the cruise, trips to areas you have never been, gifts to take home to show others your experience. it is different to us all.

 

I ask the ones who have commented, everyone has their right to voice their opinion, have you been in a situation where you have lost £300.00, if you have, how have you felt, if you haven't, how would you feel??.

[daiB]

Loyalty is a strong word.

 

 

 

If people did not like the experience, they would go elsewhere. if you enjoyed your experience, you stay loyal and return year after year, that is the deifintion of loyalty.

 

 

 

what would happen if everyone took the same attitude and not book their holiday until the last minute, would the experience be the same.

 

 

 

both me and my wife work full time and look forward to the holiday experience. The anticipation of planning our holiday is something to look forward to. after a hard years work, it is exciting to plan how you are going to spend the two weeks you have saved all year for, the summer of a lifetime is special.

 

 

 

someone mentioned that it was different when we didn't have the internet, you paid your price and that was that. those were the days when everyone stayed in britain and thourghly enjoyed it. it still cost our parents a months wages, but they still had expectations.

 

 

 

the internet has opened the world to us, we look further afield and have higher expectations. we work hard for what we want and in return we expect a fair deal.

 

 

 

Cruises are still classed as a privalaged holiday and because of this, we still pay a premium for it. You could get an all inclusvie holiday abroad, flying, delays, overcrowding, havoc, but cheaper.

 

 

 

A cruise to me is different, the chance to meet people at a slower pace, have the chance to meet like minded people and converse. to make the effort and dress for the occassion on formal evenings are some of the reasons to choose our holiday and look forward to them, it is woth the premium price, but there is a limit.

 

 

 

most companies have a set price, they do have reductions which are normally held in a sale or other tyoe of event. close to the end when the event is due to start, they may have other reductions, which again is acceptable.

 

 

 

what I find is not acceptable is the way P&O is operating their pricing. They start with one price, for no reason at all, and way before sailing time (nine months with plenty of time to sell cabins) they lower it by 12%.

 

 

 

what does this mean to the average working people like us. what is £300.00 to you. drinks for the cruise, trips to areas you have never been, gifts to take home to show others your experience. it is different to us all.

 

 

 

I ask the ones who have commented, everyone has their right to voice their opinion, have you been in a situation where you have lost £300.00, if you have, how have you felt, if you haven't, how would you feel??.

 

 

Most cruise companies sell there cruises in the same way prices move up and down depending on demand.

 

Some offer other incentives eg Celebrity and their package of all in drinks package. Others offer a large amount of OBC.

 

If you look at the Internet many companies are offering good discounts on next year.

 

On the other hand many cruises go up over the time leading the sailing. This summer gone there were very few huge discounts as there had been the year before.

 

Still do not get your loyalty argument all you did was to book early. Do you expect the company to give you a discount because you have been with them before 10, 20, or 30 times? When the price comes down?

 

 

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[steve8154]

Wikapedia definition of loyalty is:-

 

Loyalty is faithfulness or a devotion to a person, country, group, or cause. (Philosophers disagree regarding what can be objects of a person's loyalty. Some, argue that one can be loyal to a broad range of things, while others argue that it is only possible for loyalty to be to another person and that it is strictly interpersonal.)

 

What a load of hogwash :-)

 

loyalty is different to everyone. family, work colleages, friends, neighbours.

 

loyalty to me is having faith that if i do something, i will get what is expected in return.

 

If you buy something in good faith that it is the best price that they can offer, you feel satisfied they have done good by you.

 

Loyalty has been satisfied and I will return again.

 

If you buy something in good faith that it is the best that they can offer, and find they have offered someone a significant reduction within days of you purchasing that item, faith has been shattered and loyalty has gone.

 

is it loyalty or trust, to me they are the same thing, how do you have one without the other??

 

That is how I define loyalty

[Scriv]

I think most of what you are feeling here comes from perhaps annoyance that you did not realise that the Vantage Fares with their price promise are no longer there.

 

I am very surprised that you did not realise this as P&O make it very clear what the new price categories are and that there are no price guarantees and that they reserve the right to introduce special promotions. Caveat emptor - Buyer Beware springs to mind.

 

I can't agree with you that this has anything to do with loyalty issues. They are a commercial company sellling a product and market forces dictate and the market is tough these days.

 

I don't think it is much different to buying something in the High Street and then seeing the same item a lot cheaper a few weeks later. I would also think that in the case of buying a car which you quote, would you really expect not to see special promotions on that car if it were not selling well or indeed if the new car market was tough or struggling?

 

We all choose which price deal to go for and when we buy and must accept that other better offers might come along afterwards if we take up the earlier offers.

Edited December 19, 2014 by Scriv

[bobstheboy]

Cruise lines are just another business and market forces dictate price. They rely on die hard customers who only sail their brand and are willing to pay top dollar to get a specific ship, cruise and cabin.

 

I learned many years ago that by being flexible on all of the above you can save a lot of money. You also experience diverse brands, ships and itineries and enjoy the wonders of cruising for less money.

[AnnieC]

The price promise was not worth the paper it was written on anyway and led to many more complaints, particular about misleading selling, than ever normal fluid pricing did. Did the OP ever actually achieve anything under the price promise? If so, it's a first.

 

As I do every year, I loyally did my Christmas shopping early and am now swamped with emails offering me money off. To whom do I complain?:rolleyes:

 

This year I left my January cruise booking until late and only booked yesterday - the only cabins available at a discount are inside and outside - balconies and suites all full and have been for a long time. So, I'm paying less than brochure price but not getting exactly what I want, whereas last year I did.

 

I love these first world problems.

Edited December 19, 2014 by AnnieC

[tom_uk]

We're back where we were three or four years ago - there's no price promise, you make your booking at a time and price that's OK for you, and whatever happens after that makes no difference. Should it be like that? - perhaps it should, perhaps not.

 

One thing I am certain of is that, as introduced on both P&O and Cunard, the Price Promise turned out to be a PR disaster - because both lines introduced a second, parallel pricing structure to which the price promise didn't apply. Going back a couple of years or so, this forum and others were full of threads of complaint about the way the price promise was actually operating. At least we're over that. The message now is what is was before: everyone has to make the booking that looks OK to them, they have to accept that some people will get a better deal, and they have to be prepared to ignore that.

[richleeds]

Cruise lines are just another business and market forces dictate price. They rely on die hard customers who only sail their brand and are willing to pay top dollar to get a specific ship, cruise and cabin.

 

I learned many years ago that by being flexible on all of the above you can save a lot of money. You also experience diverse brands, ships and itineries and enjoy the wonders of cruising for less money.

 

 

Correct. Those who only sail the same line again and again then moan about it, need to look outside the box!

[winniesbestm8]

I have no choice but to book early, we have the kids so we need a 4 berth, we like a balcony and we like to choose where we want our cabin, we met good friends a couple of years back who booked later than us and got a deluxe balcony cheaper than our balcony cabin, I was a little gutted but I was happy with the price, and I don't look after we have booked.

If we leave it late, there isn't much or no availability for us.

I dare look at our Christmas cruise next year, but all I know is I am going next Christmas and the price for a balcony was a lot cheaper for us than when we looked two years prior when we looked at an outside cabin