Quick question about booking a cruise

[Scriv]

You'll never be offered a deal. You have to haggle.

 

You see, haggling is something I am hopeless at and hate!

 

But the best of luck to all you who can. :D

[ham-n-dee]

Hi all thanks for the many replies

 

We spent a good portion of today sat in with a very knowledgeable independent TA who found us several cruises not only to the canaries but also around the med. The upshot was he couldn't beat the advertised on line prices and advised us to book direct. We have just booked a 13 night cruise with RCI ( can I say that here) for a trip around the western med.

 

I think we have defiantly fought the cruise bug :)

[jeanlyon]

I don't have to haggle with my TA at all. I am always given 5% discount. They know all about the ships, cabins etc. Lots of their people have travelled on the ships. Once when I chose a certain cabin, they advised a different one and I found they were right. I always know where I want my cabin, which sitting I want.

 

Why on earth would you not choose a well informed TA with at least 5% discount over P&O? Oh well.

[jeanlyon]

I meant to say i have only once booked direct with P&O for an Adonia cruise, as there were only 6 inside cabins available. I pre-registered and not only did they cock up our cabins, our friend was on B deck and were miles away on a different deck. also, they did not link our bookings. I had a small complaint about Oriana and we were upgraded on Adonia to outside cabins next to each other, but because of all that I would never book direct again.

[Scriv]

Why on earth would you not choose a well informed TA with at least 5% discount over P&O? Oh well.

 

As said earlier, jean, quite simply because I have never been offered this extra discount which you mention nor anything over and above what I was getting booking direct with P&O despite contacting all the key players last year and asking for quotes. Nor did I find any TA who particularly impressed me.

 

I have had nothing but excellent service from P&O, especially now that I always book with the same PCS, so I'm happy.

Edited September 3, 2015 by Scriv

[Wull92]

Wull192... It sounds like the same bank account we have...but exactly how does it work. Do you have to phone someone somewhere in the bank?? It's some sort of Premier Account so I think we may have a dedicated "person"! Thanks in advance.

 

Hi, We have an RBS Select Platinum Account. We normally go on to P&O Site or browse the net for cruises we want to do. I do as much research as possible then I phone the banks travel service. You should have been given a booklet with all the relevant numbers for different services they offer. Last Dec they trimmed down the Discounts offered, this included the travel services discount. I think there was a mass exodus from the accounts as it has now been reintroduced to the premier account. I have never had a problem using this service and 10% works out as a good savings on cruise or land holidays. I think you still get the Free Airport Lounge access on Flying holiday but don`t quote me on that.

 

Regards to all

P&W

[shallwe]

I generally book direct and on line as prices are generally the same, but you can currently get an extra 4.25% discount with P&O if you link to the P&O web site through a cashback site and pay in full. If you prefer to just pay a deposit via this method you will only get the discount on the deposit. I also usually find that if I do go down the pay a deposit route the final payment date is a bit later than if you go via an agent.

 

We went through a cashback website and got 5.25% off the total price, not just the deposit. Even though we have only paid the deposit.

[amajaa]

We have never managed to get anything other than £20 off any cruise we have booked through a well known agent beginning with B. So will be booking direct in future and using the blue light card to get 5% off which we only recently found out about.

 

I would love to know which agents people are using to get 7% off and whether than is on select prices, early savers or late savers!

[Elviex]

Thanks P&W. We will try all the various options when we next book to see what is on offer. Incidentally, what is the blue light card?!

[Josy1953]

You see, haggling is something I am hopeless at and hate!

 

But the best of luck to all you who can. :D

 

Same here, I avoid situations where I have to haggle.

[jaceyar]

Thanks P&W. We will try all the various options when we next book to see what is on offer. Incidentally, what is the blue light card?!

It appears to be a discount card that can be used by members of the emergency services.

[MOTB]

I used top cashback and I paid the full amount as the balance would have been due a week later. But the site only registered 3 digits,not 4 so cashback tracked at a tenth of what it should be. Topcashback are sorting it out hopefully.

[Host Sharon]

By phoning round several TAs I eventually got 7% off the Aurora World Cruise 2017. It can be done, especially when they want your business.