Princess Standby deals. Are they really deals?

[Kingofcool1947]

I just received an email from Princess advertising "Standby Deals".

Have you ever booked one of these Standby Deals?

Are they really good deals?

What's the catch, if any, to these advetised deals?

 

Thanks,

[fishywood]

Have booked 'last minute deals' anywhere from six weeks to five days before sailing a number of times.

 

My judgement of how really good the deals I get sent are goes up and down. Also depends greatly on what cabin category you prefer--you might see a lowball offer on an Inside, with less than $5/pp/pd more for an Oceanview, but huge jumps to Balcony or Mini-Suite (often the latter not even included in the offer).

 

In 2009 we thought the $799 for Oceanview we paid for a full transit Panama Canal (this is the one we jumped on 5 days out) was great, but you still see fares that low today for undersold sailings. How I judge the value of an offer now is: add up the fare, taxes, insurance, auto-tip, and travel before & after if any, if in the $85-95/pp/pd range for an oceanview cabin it goes on our quick-let's-think-about-it list. The best recent ones I jumped on were a couple seven night round trips: December 2012 Grand Princess $429 Inside during a promotion where the fare included Govt Taxes & Fees, and Thanksgiving Week 2014 $279 Obstructed OV on Ruby Princess--that's $76/pp/pd with taxes & tips for a holiday week; not holding my breath for that one again.

 

Most tempting one I saw in a recent email was $699 + $150 OBC per person for the 14 and 15 night Transatlantics coming up. I find that pretty solid. I hope my long number crunching ramble helps you figure out what you think is really good or not.

 

Oh, and while there is no "catch" don't be sucked in by thoughts that these are "exclusive" offers for you: anyone can see the same fares on the Princess web site even if not logged in or registered. So the deal is not only for those signed up for the last minute e-mail, or even just for past guests--anyone can book them.

[wheezedr]

I just received an email from Princess advertising "Standby Deals".

Have you ever booked one of these Standby Deals?

Are they really good deals?

What's the catch, if any, to these advetised deals?

 

Thanks,

They are simply trying to fill rooms on a slow sailing date. Remember that once they depart an empty room generates no revenue. If they can fill the space there is an opportunity to sell services, photos, tours, drinks, etc.

Last Dec I paid $559 pp for a 10 day Caribbean out of Fll. With taxes and port fees it totaled $1478, or less than $150 a day. Where else could I get 3 meals+, a hotel room, entertainment and transport between points for that kind of money. Sure I spent other money on excursions, booked OMO, the Crown Grill and some drinks but even my tips were covered by OBC from FCC and my. Carnival stock holding. I would do it again just for the ten days of someone else doing the cooking, making the bed, etc.

By the way this was a balcony.

[Britcruzer15]

Just paid a bit over $50 pp/pn inc of taxes/fees for our next cruise, its only an inside, but its a peak school hols sailing for 4 persons. booked 15wks out.

[sfaaa]

Not every standby deal is a good deal but some are indeed amazing deals. The trick is to keep track of normal fares for similar cruises so you can make an informed decision.

[Colo Cruiser]

Did you look at the fares? Did you compare?

 

 

Have had some screamin deals this way.

Have booked many. Other than an occasional non refundable deposit which really does not matter because the sailing is usually after final payment.

There is no catch. IMO.

[Thrak]

They are definitely really good deals - sometimes.