Same Category, Different Price booked within same hours…?? Promo codes?

[movinout]

We are Platinum Princess members sailing with friends who have sailed once with Princess.  Just last night we put a courtesy hold on a particular cabin for a British Isles cruise next year.  This morning our friend called Princess and booked the cabin right next to the one we currently have on hold.  When we called today to book our cabin (same category, next door) we found our pricing is quite a bit MORE per person than their cost.  We asked why, and after much waiting time, while the CVP checked out both fares, were told there was nothing they could do.  Something about they must have gotten some promo code that they’ve run out of now. Yet we booked first. Do they have unadvertised codes just lying around?  
 They also received a reduced deposit of $200 per cabin vs our deposit quoted at $800 per cabin.   Mind you, no where in any sale or promotion currently on line matches what she received.  They also received onboard credit. We get nada.  We feel cheated and wonder why we have been so loyal for for so long when it has gotten us nothing.  There’s no clear answer from Princess.

Has anyone had this happen where two cabins, same category,  next to each other, booked within hours, are so different in price? Even though ours is a courtesy hold the price online is now still what they quoted us when we put it on hold.    Can anyone shed light on this?
 Thanks and I hope this makes sense!

[cruzsnooze]

Are you absolutely certain they are the same category. Go to the deck plans and see if they are identically numbered like B1 or B2 (not cabin door numbers. Sometimes a balcony may be bigger or classified as a delux balcony. If you post the ship and cabins we can look at the deck plans to see if this could be the issue.

 Did they take the no frills and you were quoted the price with the amenity drinks and grats?

Edited August 3, 2022 by cruzsnooze

[movinout]

Thanks but we rechecked this more than once.  Mid aft and same letter category.  Even the first CVP we spoke to saw the difference in fare tried checking and eventually turned us over to someone else…whom we assume was a supervisor.  
No luck and these bookings were within 8 hours of each other.  Price online has not changed but they got a golden deal and that’s good.  Somebody just goofed I guess.  We might try calling again.  

[jagoffee]

Is it possible that your friends are booked via a TA?  If they send you their invoice, you can see if it is direct and whether it has any special codes/discounts.

 

Obviously you situation as you understand it does not seem right.

[teecee60]

What ship... what date? Maybe I can help.

[movinout]

4 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

 

5 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

Is it possible that your friends are booked via a TA?  If they send you their invoice, you can see if it is direct and whether it has any special codes/discounts.

 

Obviously you situation as you understand it does not seem right.

 

[movinout]

No, booked w Princess CVP.  I have a copy of their invoice.  Two distinctly different base fares. No codes or discounts listed.  $400 difference.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Are they residents of a different state, or also past guests of Princess (or another Carnival Corp brand)?  They could be getting a regional/state of residence discount, or a private sale fare, or a casino discount (not comp) - any of which you may not qualify for and which could also be being triggered by past sailings with Carnival and/or Holland America. More and more targeted pricing is creeping into the marketplace across all the Carnival Corp brands, and it is no longer a level playing field unfortunately. I have even seen cases where a husband and wife with EXACTLY the same cruising histories will qualify for different past guest/private sale/casino offers. 

 

Edited August 3, 2022 by AtlantaCruiser72

[movinout]

Thanks all.  We have 23 cruises in our past and aren’t new at this..hence wondering.  Perhaps a regional discount or like Atlanta cruiser said…targeting new  to cruising guests which they are but it’s not  a good way to treat their long time patrons…may move on to another company….not Carnival Inc.

[Loveh2ofl]

45 minutes ago, movinout said:

Thanks all.  We have 23 cruises in our past and aren’t new at this..hence wondering.  Perhaps a regional discount or like Atlanta cruiser said…targeting new  to cruising guests which they are but it’s not  a good way to treat their long time patrons…may move on to another company….not Carnival Inc.

I think @atlantacruiser72 was on the right track.  Once when my brother who lives in NY while I live in FL were pricing the same cabins and kept coming up with different pricing and obc.  It took awhile until we figured out that the state was the difference - which was confirmed when he called Princess.

[movinout]

Well I figured it out.  The party traveling with us who have been on one other Princess Cruise received a lowered price being given to “past guests”.  A notice popped up on the screen as I was trying to book a cabin as a test case.  
 

Well if a Platinum member isn’t a past guest, who is?  Yet we didn’t get the lowered price.  Thanks Princess.🙄

[nini]

Something is wrong. I would keep bugging Princess and tell them the story. This does not make sense of any kind.

[Happiest when cruising]

1 hour ago, movinout said:

Well I figured it out.  The party traveling with us who have been on one other Princess Cruise received a lowered price being given to “past guests”.  A notice popped up on the screen as I was trying to book a cabin as a test case.  
 

Well if a Platinum member isn’t a past guest, who is?  Yet we didn’t get the lowered price.  Thanks Princess.🙄

Definitely worth asking for a price match. I was able to get the same great price I got on an upgrade after final payment. I live in Canada and she lives in the USA. She sent my invoice to her  PVP and they were able to upgrade, and got about 600.00 back as FCC. We both had originally booked inside rooms, but one day I was just looking at the site and couldn’t believe the balconies were heavily discounted. It was a bit of a process as Princess couldn’t see the same pricing I was, so I took a screenshot of everything as proof. In the end they had to cancel my booking and rebook it, but it was very much worth it. 

Edited August 3, 2022 by Happiest when cruising

[caribill]

If you have your friends' booking confirmation code, you can ask Princess what is different with their pricing than with yours. Princess can look at their booking to see if there was a special code entered.

[wallyj]

Depending on how ‘good’ friends you are with this couple, you could book one of them with one of you, since it appears they are getting the ‘better’ fare, then switch on board to your respective mates.

 

Seems to be more than just ‘past passenger’ rate, as you would be entitled.

[jwattle]

They also may have had a casino offer or some other sort active in their personalizer. If they look in the personalizer online, it would show under future credits.

[jagoffee]

8 hours ago, movinout said:

Well I figured it out.  The party traveling with us who have been on one other Princess Cruise received a lowered price being given to “past guests”.  A notice popped up on the screen as I was trying to book a cabin as a test case.  
 

Well if a Platinum member isn’t a past guest, who is?  Yet we didn’t get the lowered price.  Thanks Princess.🙄

Still does not seem logical.

 

Can you release your hold (or wait until it cancels) and try rebooking.  You must have been logged in.

did you check the price without logging in.  
 

I also woukd not let it go for a $400 difference.

 

Good luck.

[Renmar]

5 hours ago, wallyj said:

Depending on how ‘good’ friends you are with this couple, you could book one of them with one of you, since it appears they are getting the ‘better’ fare, then switch on board to your respective mates.

 

Seems to be more than just ‘past passenger’ rate, as you would be entitled.

We did this a few times and it works very well. We are Elite and our friends are not (yet). Princess doesn't care who sleeps with who😉.

 

Theo

[vikkiw]

13 hours ago, movinout said:

Has anyone had this happen where two cabins, same category,  next to each other, booked within hours, are so different in price?

I have been on one Princess cruise (15 day) this last April. I was looking at another cruise later this year. We did not book two cabins, but I was searching for pricing (Mini-Suite, Premier Package) and it was coming up as $11K+. I searched again the next day and it was $8K. I immediately booked it. I didn't wait for a PVP. The next day, the same category (the room next to the one I booked) was back up to $11K. I did not ask why, I just jumped on it and was glad I did. This was a couple of months ago. It is still at the $11K price today. I did get small OBC casino credit from a promotion, but there is no mention of a room discount. The deposit was still $800 ea., but I had a FCD that made it $100 ea. I think i just "got lucky" with being online at the right time.

[westcoaster]

I've noticed Princess using a lot of targeted promotions, linked to your CC number, over the years.  I'm Elite and have 3 future cruises booked right now.  My parents have done 4 cruises with Princess, and none in the past several years.  They often get promotional offers with prices that I can't access (I've tried calling in).  We live in the same city, so it's not a regional promotion.  Perhaps Princess is trying to lure back less frequent cruisers with these types of promotions.

 

I've also had this work in the opposite way, where I've been able to get a great price but friends, who are also Elite, have not.  It's really hard to figure out sometimes - I think only the Princess marketing and revenue management departments really understand the reasons behind these pricing differences.

[PRINCESS Sweet Pea]

Yes to the above post....

There are targeted promos that are sent out, or linked, to groups of guests.

We happened to get offered a decreased fare when looking on Princess online when logged in.

Even the TA we were talking to could not access that fare.  She said to go ahead and book thru Princess if we booked the cruise.  That it was probably a promo linked to their CC account.

 

In this case, perhaps, as mentioned, your friends could book your cabin (one of them officially listed on each booking).  

 

Perhaps that is an idea worth trying.

Maybe see if they try to book another cabin, and if their lower rate still pops up?

 

[PRINCESS Sweet Pea]

Sorry,  that should have been 'an offer linked to OUR Captain's Circle account.

This, like the poster here mentioned, also came with a small onboard credit.

I suppose we could make the booking and then transfer it over to the TA if we wanted.

[PRINCESS Sweet Pea]

And, you probably know this, but if you want the cabins next to each other, both of you should make sure that your booking is marked NO UPGRADE.  And, make sure it stays that way.  

[JF - retired RRT]

1 hour ago, PRINCESS Sweet Pea said:

And, you probably know this, but if you want the cabins next to each other, both of you should make sure that your booking is marked NO UPGRADE.  And, make sure it stays that way.  

And link them.

[geocruiser]

Did you try to book another cabin in the same cat?  don't cancel the one you have.  Just see what comes up in price?