Does Princess ever use incentives to postpone one's sailing for standbys to get on?

[nomadguy]

I have an upcoming cruise on Princess (less than a week away) and understand it is SOLD OUT with "a couple hundred" people on the wait list. So, it got me wondering if cruise lines handle peak demand like airlines - either overbooking or offering incentives to NOT sail.

 

Does Princess ever offer a "buy out" to convince one to consider a different sailing? If so, how does that work?

 

Would I need to tell them I would be interested or do they just randomly contact those that perhaps had the least expensive booking rate so they can make money?

 

What kind of incentives to "jump ship" might be offered?

 

I have nothing locking me to this particular sailing and, for the right price, would be happy to postpone my trip!

[ar1950]

I have an upcoming cruise on Princess (less than a week away) and understand it is SOLD OUT with "a couple hundred" people on the wait list. So, it got me wondering if cruise lines handle peak demand like airlines - either overbooking or offering incentives to NOT sail.

 

Does Princess ever offer a "buy out" to convince one to consider a different sailing? If so, how does that work?

 

Would I need to tell them I would be interested or do they just randomly contact those that perhaps had the least expensive booking rate so they can make money?

 

What kind of incentives to "jump ship" might be offered?

 

I have nothing locking me to this particular sailing and, for the right price, would be happy to postpone my trip!

 

"Move over" offers are occasionally reported here. They seem to be because of an over-booked situation rather than to accommodate standby folks. These offers seem to be either random or because someone needs a particular cabin (a family situation, group booking, etc.). There was a thread by TracyABD a couple of years ago were she and her mother received a move over that involved two alternate cruises (on or both of which included a suite) plus some form of cash compensation. A pretty unusual offer, but, apparently someone really wanted their cabin.

I'm not sure where that thread is, however, here are links to the review she did on the two "replacement" cruises:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2158487

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2226507

 

Here is a quote from one of the reviews about how it came about:

 

"In January, we had a balcony booked on the Sapphire to Indonesia via Singapore. The night before we were to leave, we received a call from our TA that Princess needed our cabin-- and should we accept they would give us a 10 day cruise in a full suite in the US, Caribbean, or Mexico. They would also give us a 15 day cruise anywhere in the world in a full suite. Oh. And they refunded our original cruise in full (via refundable OBC). Just to sweeten the deal- They threw in another big chunk of money into the OBC. And, they paid the change air fees. This is where you insert the soundtrack from the Godfather and in your best Marlon Brando voice you state, "They made me an offer...". Of course, we took the deal."

 

That has to be the best deal ever reported here for a move over.

Edited January 22, 2017 by ar1950

[Pam in CA]

If Princess oversells GTYs for a cruise, they will make "move over" offers to some passengers. They will also upgrade a booked passenger to make space for a GTY passenger.

 

If you're on the waitlist and the ship is sold out, then you're out of luck. There won't be any move over offers or upgrades to make room for anyone on the waitlist.

 

One thing to keep in mind is that if you're on the waitlist and a cabin becomes available, you are not automatically assigned a cabin and get off the wait list. Anyone can select an available cabin at any time even if there's a wait list. You or your TA needs to keep calling Princess to check on availability and stay on top of your booking.

[easyboy]

This is contained in the email sent to us for a Moveover Offer on our previous 7-day cruise. We received the email 2 weeks before sailing. We did not express our interest.

 

IMPORTANT NOTICES

 

 

**SPECIAL OFFER FOR Regal PRINCESS GUESTS!**

 

Princess is extending a special offer to guests booked on the Oct 1, 2016 Regal Princess sailing. Move to another sailing of your choice up to 10 days, anywhere in the world and receive:

 

* 100% cruise fare refund (as refundable onboard credit)

* Free Stateroom upgrade!

* Princess ez air program will be protected

 

This offer is only available by calling 1-800-243-7342 x30736, but please act quickly as this offer will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.

* Travel agencies will receive a 25.00 bonus per cabin if offer is accepted.

 

Thank you for your attention to this notification.

[nomadguy]

thank you all for the insight and education. So, it's called "move over" - glad to know! Wow, I cannot imagine being able to spend an OBC in the amount of the cruise, easyboy. (I'd want most of it back - not in their coffers - until the next cruise was up!) Easyboy, maybe I'm missing something but it doesn't sound like a great offer to me since the full refund is in OBC - am I missing something there?

 

We're actually on a cruise where there's a HUGE group of people onboard as a "Concert of the Sea" group. We are confirmed in our cabin but... if the price was right... we'd jump ship to make room for more rock n rollers to press the flesh with the Cowsills, Jay & the Americans, etc. I was amazed that there could be so many people still on standby. They'll have to close the gate 2-3 days before sailing as all info will have to be submitted to Homeland Security (I think) for clearance.

 

Anyway, I dropped a note to my TA saying that if they're making an offer to good to refuse... we won't refuse it!

 

Thanks everyone!

[Daniel1313]

One thing to keep in mind is that if you're on the waitlist and a cabin becomes available, you are not automatically assigned a cabin and get off the wait list. Anyone can select an available cabin at any time even if there's a wait list. You or your TA needs to keep calling Princess to check on availability and stay on top of your booking.

 

What is the point being on a wait list then??

[sunsetbeachgal]

I have received (and took!!) a Moveover offer but these offers aren't that common considering how many voyages Princess has, and not something you can call and request. It came in an email from Princess and one that I quickly discussed with my husband and then called right away. Even then, the lady I spoke with had to put me on hold to see if they still needed my cabin.

 

In this case I had booked the trip directly with Princess (strangely enough it was one of those last minute drop and go sales!) so the email came to me, assume if you booked with a travel agent it would go to them first.

Edited January 22, 2017 by sunsetbeachgal

[PERK1]

We just accepted a move over offer to cancel our around the horn cruise on the Crown on Feb 1. It came in about four weeks ahead.

It was as another poster outlined...

-Full refund (in refundable obc)

-Our air cancellation fees - we weren't booked through Princess Air, just had to send proof

-Free 14 night cruise anywhere and anytime and upgraded. In our case it's from a balcony guarantee to a selected mini-suite.

We have the flexibility so we took it. We look at it as we've basically 'won' a free cruise.

We'll do something different this Feb. and after looking at the options have already booked the same SA cruise next winter. Cabins were selling out fast, maybe we'll get another offer. 😀

Yes we can't actually get our refund until after the next cruise so Princess has our money for a year. We considered that as a downside but decided it would keep us from spending it before then.

We're thrilled with the outcome.

[Daniel1313]

if princess oversells gtys for a cruise, they will make "move over" offers to some passengers. They will also upgrade a booked passenger to make space for a gty passenger.

 

If you're on the waitlist and the ship is sold out, then you're out of luck. There won't be any move over offers or upgrades to make room for anyone on the waitlist.

 

One thing to keep in mind is that if you're on the waitlist and a cabin becomes available, you are not automatically assigned a cabin and get off the wait list. Anyone can select an available cabin at any time even if there's a wait list. You or your ta needs to keep calling princess to check on availability and stay on top of your booking.

 

we just accepted a move over offer to cancel our around the horn cruise on the crown on feb 1. It came in about four weeks ahead.

It was as another poster outlined...

-full refund (in refundable obc)

-our air cancellation fees - we weren't booked through princess air, just had to send proof

-free 14 night cruise anywhere and anytime and upgraded. In our case it's from a balcony guarantee to a selected mini-suite.

We have the flexibility so we took it. We look at it as we've basically 'won' a free cruise.

We'll do something different this feb. And after looking at the options have already booked the same sa cruise next winter. Cabins were selling out fast, maybe we'll get another offer. 😀

yes we can't actually get our refund until after the next cruise so princess has our money for a year. We considered that as a downside but decided it would keep us from spending it before then.

We're thrilled with the outcome.

 

awesome !!!

[Colo Cruiser]

We just accepted a move over offer to cancel our around the horn cruise on the Crown on Feb 1. It came in about four weeks ahead.

It was as another poster outlined...

-Full refund (in refundable obc)

-Our air cancellation fees - we weren't booked through Princess Air, just had to send proof

-Free 14 night cruise anywhere and anytime and upgraded. In our case it's from a balcony guarantee to a selected mini-suite.

We have the flexibility so we took it. We look at it as we've basically 'won' a free cruise.

We'll do something different this Feb. and after looking at the options have already booked the same SA cruise next winter. Cabins were selling out fast, maybe we'll get another offer. 😀

Yes we can't actually get our refund until after the next cruise so Princess has our money for a year. We considered that as a downside but decided it would keep us from spending it before then.

We're thrilled with the outcome.

 

Nice.

[nomadguy]

We just accepted a move over offer to cancel our around the horn cruise on the Crown on Feb 1. It came in about four weeks ahead.

It was as another poster outlined...

-Full refund (in refundable obc)

-Our air cancellation fees - we weren't booked through Princess Air, just had to send proof

-Free 14 night cruise anywhere and anytime and upgraded. In our case it's from a balcony guarantee to a selected mini-suite.

We have the flexibility so we took it. We look at it as we've basically 'won' a free cruise.

We'll do something different this Feb. and after looking at the options have already booked the same SA cruise next winter. Cabins were selling out fast, maybe we'll get another offer. 😀

Yes we can't actually get our refund until after the next cruise so Princess has our money for a year. We considered that as a downside but decided it would keep us from spending it before then.

We're thrilled with the outcome.

That's a fabulous deal! thanks for sharing (everyone).

 

I didn't read where the other poster got a free cruise!!! We're you booked directly with Princess or through a TA?

 

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[Colo Cruiser]

That's a fabulous deal! thanks for sharing (everyone).

 

I didn't read where the other poster got a free cruise!!! We're you booked directly with Princess or through a TA?

 

 

It does not matter, it can happen either way.

[ar1950]

That's a fabulous deal! thanks for sharing (everyone).

 

I didn't read where the other poster got a free cruise!!! We're you booked directly with Princess or through a TA?

 

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

Some offers are better than others as per what's been posted about them in the past.

[iancal]

We accepted a move over offer on our South America cruise two years ago. We replaced it with a mini suite on a Fiji cruise plus full refund, etc.

 

We are travelling in Uruguay/Argentina now and board the Crown in BA on Feb 1. We did not get a move over offer this time but we did wait a while prior to making multiple non refundable arrangements for our pre and post cruise travels.

 

It took us all of 5 seconds to say yes to the move over offer two years ago.

[PERK1]

In our case we had booked directly with Princess. As others have said I think having the guarantee rather than assigned may have been a factor. We never did get a cabin assignment before the offer came. Basically we got lucky!

 

The offer came via email and we had to call a special extension to accept. Left a message and they called us back.

 

They created a holding account and now that we've rebooked everything is moved over to the new cruise including a bit of extra obc we had and water we'd ordered.

 

Seemed pretty seamless.

[easyboy]

thank you all for the insight and education. So, it's called "move over" - glad to know! Wow, I cannot imagine being able to spend an OBC in the amount of the cruise, easyboy. (I'd want most of it back - not in their coffers - until the next cruise was up!) Easyboy, maybe I'm missing something but it doesn't sound like a great offer to me since the full refund is in OBC - am I missing something there?

The Move over Offer to us was:

Replace our 7-day cruise date with another sailing of our choice up to 10 days, anywhere in the world,

Plus:

* 100% cruise fare refund (as refundable onboard credit)

* Free Stateroom upgrade!

* Princess ez air program will be protected

 

We were not interested in the offer since our booked cruise date was more important for us than the offer.

[GUT2407]

I suspect to many they just aren't viable. You need to have flexibility that most people still in the workforce just don't have.

 

I've also heard of "Movedown" offers, ie you book a balcony, the offer may be to take an obstructed OV for a 50% refund, to be honest that MAY attract me.

[Happy2cruise]

I suspect to many they just aren't viable. You need to have flexibility that most people still in the workforce just don't have.

 

I've also heard of "Movedown" offers, ie you book a balcony, the offer may be to take an obstructed OV for a 50% refund, to be honest that MAY attract me.

We've gotten moveover offers but never movedown....in fact never heard of it. Thanks for mentioning it:)

[GUT2407]

We've gotten moveover offers but never movedown....in fact never heard of it. Thanks for mentioning it:)

 

I've never had either, but on our last cruise some people got "Movedown" offers.

 

Not sure if that's the official term, but it suits.

[touesns]

My DH and I received a moveover offer from Princess for our Jan 6/17 sailing on Carribean Princess. We received 3 emails over a 12 hour period, with basically what has been reported. Unfortunately we were already in Fort Lauderdale when we received the offer less than 24 hours from sail away. Was a great offer, but not for us this time! ;);) Not sure how Princess decides who to offer this deal to.

[Colo Cruiser]

My DH and I received a moveover offer from Princess for our Jan 6/17 sailing on Carribean Princess. We received 3 emails over a 12 hour period, with basically what has been reported. Unfortunately we were already in Fort Lauderdale when we received the offer less than 24 hours from sail away. Was a great offer, but not for us this time! ;);) Not sure how Princess decides who to offer this deal to.

 

 

 

Luck of the draw for those that possess the category cabin that Princess needs at the time to remedy the oversold status for that cruise.

[Rinderoo]

I have an upcoming cruise on Princess (less than a week away) and understand it is SOLD OUT with "a couple hundred" people on the wait list. So, it got me wondering if cruise lines handle peak demand like airlines - either overbooking or offering incentives to NOT sail.

 

Does Princess ever offer a "buy out" to convince one to consider a different sailing? If so, how does that work?

 

Would I need to tell them I would be interested or do they just randomly contact those that perhaps had the least expensive booking rate so they can make money?

 

What kind of incentives to "jump ship" might be offered?

 

I have nothing locking me to this particular sailing and, for the right price, would be happy to postpone my trip!

 

I'm on that cruise too and would be quite happy to get an offer for another sailing. Booked it before I learned of the group. It has been sold out for a while and we've still got 6 days to go for them to do something. We have a balcony on R, and the current price is a whole lot more than what we paid. Sure hope to get that email!

[geoherb]

thank you all for the insight and education. So, it's called "move over" - glad to know! Wow, I cannot imagine being able to spend an OBC in the amount of the cruise, easyboy. (I'd want most of it back - not in their coffers - until the next cruise was up!) Easyboy, maybe I'm missing something but it doesn't sound like a great offer to me since the full refund is in OBC - am I missing something there?

Yes, you're missing that the refund is refundable OBC. What you don't spend, you get back. I'm sure Princess knows that a lot of passengers will be tempted to spend a good chunk of the OBC. I know we did when we had more than we usually do.

[Colo Cruiser]

thank you all for the insight and education. So, it's called "move over" - glad to know! Wow, I cannot imagine being able to spend an OBC in the amount of the cruise, easyboy. (I'd want most of it back - not in their coffers - until the next cruise was up!) Easyboy, maybe I'm missing something but it doesn't sound like a great offer to me since the full refund is in OBC - am I missing something there?

 

 

As stated what you don't spend you get back in a refund, so there is no loss.

[easyboy]

My DH and I received a moveover offer from Princess for our Jan 6/17 sailing on Carribean Princess. We received 3 emails over a 12 hour period, with basically what has been reported. Unfortunately we were already in Fort Lauderdale when we received the offer less than 24 hours from sail away. Was a great offer, but not for us this time! ;);) Not sure how Princess decides who to offer this deal to.

They must have been very frantic about their situation.