"Upgrading" from Saver Fare to PLUS Fare?

[Ombud]

15 hours ago, caribill said:

On 7/8/2021 at 1:03 PM, suzyed said:

What is the value of the wine?

 

 

 

Actual value or what Princess would charge for it?

Small selection of whites & reds with stated value up to $45 pre-pandemic.  I can get it at Safeway for about $10-12. I traded for that when I had leftover coffee cards to use up. I didn't like the selection. 

 

Edited July 9, 2021 by Ombud

[pompeii]

On 7/8/2021 at 4:57 PM, Steelers36 said:

 

@pompeii, when you mentioned a price difference of $42.66 for the PLUS, it puzzles me since you are in USA and Princess doesn't use odd cents in fares there.  All fare are even $ amounts.  If you were in Canada, we get all kinds of odd fares with cents in them and Princess doesn't often convert the USD fares at their published rate accurately.  I will just go with the standard $40.  Another poster above also mentioned an odd amount and that does seem odd when fares are whole dollars.  Maybe Princess had some oddities where for a 10-night voyage, the fare difference is not exactly $400 USD.

 

On 7/8/2021 at 5:11 PM, pompeii said:

I thought it was strange too.  Previous to the price change it had been the normal $40 difference.  But after the price change, the difference between basic and plus is $640 for a 15-day cruise.  Now, if it were a 16-day, it would be the $40.  But it's not, it's a 15 day.  

Ok, I think I might have figured out the puzzle.  It turns out that this 15-day TA was originally sold as a 16-day, but Princess dropped one of the ports and made it one day shorter.  So somewhere in the computer where it figures out price changes, it could still be listed as a 16-day.  That's the only thing I can figure.

[Steelers36]

29 minutes ago, pompeii said:

 

Ok, I think I might have figured out the puzzle.  It turns out that this 15-day TA was originally sold as a 16-day, but Princess dropped one of the ports and made it one day shorter.  So somewhere in the computer where it figures out price changes, it could still be listed as a 16-day.  That's the only thing I can figure.

Good sleuthing.  Tells me that they should make a price adjustment on request if explain why it is off-base.  Actually, if you report it generally, they may just fix it online.  I have seen pricing anomalies before and reported it in then I have seen a fix.

 

For example, recently Princess.com was showing CAD pricing converted at 1.40 when you first looked at a voyage and the cabin categories.  However, once you went to select an actual cabin, the pop-up window with the pricing details showed the correct conversion at 1.20.  They fixed that issue sometime after I reported it.  IDK if anyone else did, but it was off for several days.

 

[suzyed]

How about the reverse? We have a 7 day California Coastal Wine cruise booked prior to our 28 day LA>Tahiti cruise and got the Princess Plus for both. Now I'm wondering if we should just go for the regular fare for the 7 day?  Wonder if they will they let us "downgrade"?

 

[waiting2retire]

1 hour ago, suzyed said:

How about the reverse? We have a 7 day California Coastal Wine cruise booked prior to our 28 day LA>Tahiti cruise and got the Princess Plus for both. Now I'm wondering if we should just go for the regular fare for the 7 day?  Wonder if they will they let us "downgrade"?

 

probably, but if the regular fare has increased since you booked, expect to pay at today’s rate. 
 

[cr8tiv1]

This has been buried (Page 9).  I wanted to give you the latest/greatest.  My TA was on the phone with a department she feels has all the answers.  They told her she could "refare" my cruise, at the current fare, if I wanted to drop Princess Plus.  The option to drop fare for $40/day was NOT an option.  Agent told her it would be useless to do that since my current Princess Plus fare is LESS than the current basic fare (and my category is sold out).

 

I "Live Chatted" with Aubrey who told me that since I am working with a travel agent, my account could not be viewed by her.  Did not give me a this or that.  

 

Aubrey answered many questions for me today.  I felt that she was one of the more experienced representatives and feel "comfortable" with the information she share with me.  You just know...sometimes..when you get a good representative.  I didn't agree with her answers, but she was straight and honest with me.

 

Don't know where to add the following.  But I did ask about priority boarding in Los Angeles (San Pedro).  This is what she said.

 

Check in with assigned group.

Able to wait in Elite Lounge

Will have priority boarding before rest of group is allowed on board.

 

I did ask if you checked in and just walked on board.  She said no, groups will board together.  Not confident that will happen.  

[Kamloops50]

On 7/8/2021 at 6:59 AM, Steelers36 said:

HI all.  I did some searching and couldn't find a post or two I seem to recall reading on this topic. 

 

As we know, the Princess PLUS package is baked into the cruise fare at $40/pp/day up-charge from the Saver fare. 

 

Scenario:  A customer has a booking under Saver Fare with deposit down, but time-frame is prior to FP Date.  Suppose they wish to "add-on" or "upgrade" to the PLUS Fare.

 

Is it necessary to re-fare at current market rates and benefits available (such as any OBC, dining voucher, etc)?  Or are we able to simply ask for the PLUS to be added to existing booking for a $40/pp/day up-charge?

 

I am asking because my logical mind tells me I would have to re-fare at today's rates, but I seem to recall reading that some had posted being able to change and add it on for $40.  Now, perhaps those were instances where the fares had not changed.  In our case, the fares have gone up (as many widely report on here who booked several months ago).  The fares are up such that it would be foolish financially to re-fare to get the PLUS. 

 

Thanks for any insight.  (I did pitch the question to our TA who responded that we need to re-fare, so will not be surprised if that is the final answer).

 

You have to refare at the current. The catch is that there isnt any of the Princess Plus package left. I tried that on one cruise . My PVP that there was anymore room in the Princess Plus package. I think they a maximum number of the Plus package.

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, Kamloops50 said:

You have to refare at the current. The catch is that there isn't any of the Princess Plus package left. I tried that on one cruise . My PVP that there was anymore room in the Princess Plus package. I think they a maximum number of the Plus package.

Yes, I know and this was answered/confirmed since my post and now.  I was skeptical that one could re-fare with a $40 add-on if fares had changed or the original fare code had expired.  There were a couple of exception cases posted where people raised the issue up and got it approved, but I don't feel we have a valid reason to try and push the envelope. 

 

I have seen a post or two about limits to the PLUS, but I have never heard that mentioned by Princess.  It would be interesting to know of a current voyage on Princess.com where if we went in to book it would only offer the Saver Fare.  I am skeptical about this one as you would think they would advertise and "push" people to book early before all the PLUS cabins are sold out.

 

[geoherb]

The Princess Plus pricing is crazy on my upcoming cruise. It's disappeared as an option for a solo passenger like me. It's still available for people sailing double occupancy. The discrepancy in pricing is incomprehensible to me: $280 per person for a mini-suite, $550 for a balcony, and $510 for an inside. When it was available to me, it was more than $700. Then later it was more than $800.

[cr8tiv1]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

Yes, I know and this was answered/confirmed since my post and now.  I was skeptical that one could re-fare with a $40 add-on if fares had changed or the original fare code had expired.  There were a couple of exception cases posted where people raised the issue up and got it approved, but I don't feel we have a valid reason to try and push the envelope. 

 

I have seen a post or two about limits to the PLUS, but I have never heard that mentioned by Princess.  It would be interesting to know of a current voyage on Princess.com where if we went in to book it would only offer the Saver Fare.  I am skeptical about this one as you would think they would advertise and "push" people to book early before all the PLUS cabins are sold out.

 

 

I would do the ultimate sacrifice and give up my Princess Plus to some one who was desperate to purchase.  But alas, Princess will not allow me to remove myself.  Every category I looked at today had both basic and plus available.  I can understand why Princess is pushing this promotion.  It is really a money maker for them.

[voljeep]

need some help - looking for the email address to 'request an upgrade' - Thanks

[waiting2retire]

1 hour ago, voljeep said:

need some help - looking for the email address to 'request an upgrade' - Thanks

UpgradeOffer@princesscruises.com

 

I have no personal experience with this but noticed when it was mentioned in a recent thread. Good luck!