Future Cruise : Booking On-Board vs TA vs On-Line Direct

[KillerSnake]

Looking at the next cruise as the budget allows prepaying...........

 

How deep are the average discounts when booking on board at the Future Cruise Desk

vs most direct On-Line sales for a cruise two years out.

 

I know if I use a TA, that they monitor and will rebook at a lower price if available between initial booking and

last day possible.

 

And I know I can book on board and then transfer the booking to my TA when I get home.

 

I am future planning as retirement day nears. Already trying to figure out 2029 45th Anniversary and

2039 50th Anniversary cruises. Near term it is retirement day & and a birthday day cruise or two.

[Rick&Jeannie]

We *never* book a new cruise while actually on board...unless you *already* know exactly what you want it just takes up way too much of your time (in my opinion) while you're supposed to be enjoying your current cruise.

 

Instead, we just purchase FCDs (Future Cruise Deposits) and book at our leisure when we get home.

And...maybe I've just not paid close enough attention...but I've NEVER seen any discounts while on board that you could not get yourself booking directly or via a TA.  (I may be WAY off base here...we just don't go that direction...)

[Steelers36]

12 hours ago, KillerSnake said:

How deep are the average discounts when booking on board at the Future Cruise Desk

vs most direct On-Line sales for a cruise two years out.

There won't be anything special.  What had been happening is there were offers to stay on board for the next cruise if not sold out and also discounts for quite near term voyages (seems like Drop 'N' Go to me and IDK if same pricing or better).

 

Best idea is to purchase enough FCD's each for future bookings.  Buy enough to cover whatever bookings you think you will make before being on a ship again and then add one more each to that - just in case. 

 

Also, most TA's are busy with a myriad of clients sailing on various lines and doing other types of trips that they aren't online every day on all cruise lines looking for a price drop for client Joe or Mary.  You should monitor Princess.com for new deals or price drops and then notify TA if a re-fare is called for.  An active TA might let you know about a new promo you may not yet have seen, but they cannot be online checking prices on every cruise they have sold.

[SCX22]

Future Cruise won't have any sales any better than what is available directly through Princess or your TA for cruises that far in advance.

 

Best to buy FCD with OBC bounceback, and book when you get home.

 

If you can leave in the near future, they will offer 50% the current price listed on princess.com for Standard, Plus, or Premium.  

 

For the sailing below, Category BW base fare Standard is currently $3179.  On board, Future Cruise was able to knock down the base fare to $1749 (not Casino rate, it's the on board rate).  Worth it if you you have the time and money.

[wallyj]

I believe Princess ramped up their contract at the beginning of the year with O.N.E. to do future cruises and now Loyalty. 
 

In January, they offered 50% off  fare for most cruises till May 2023, around May the cruises were extended to those sailing by end of August, now there is a specific list(about 2 1/2 pages) of qualifying sailings leaving till May/Spring 2024. Exception is Reserve Class and above(suites) do not qualify. So I have not see any specials for sailings 2 or more years out.

 

50% off was also working with ‘plus’ fares(pricing at only $30/day) but Premier was NOT pricing at 50% off(was showing $47-$49/day). Future cruise called shoreside and was told ‘plus’ and ‘premier’ are not supposed to be discounted, so who knows if this will be corrected. 
 

Future cruise also said they have no ideal how long this 50% off promo will last and when it might end, but you can see it has evolved over the past few months.

 

 

[KillerSnake]

Thank you all.

[sultan_sfo]

17 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

There won't be anything special.  IDK if same pricing or better).

Wrong Again

16 hours ago, SCX22 said:

Future Cruise won't have any sales any better than what is available directly through Princess or your TA for cruises that far in advance.

ALSO WRONG!!

18 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

 

 (I may be WAY off base here...we just don't go that direction...)

Sorry you are WAY off-base!!

 

 

ONLY wallyj  has the correct response.

 

I don't like to post on this forum -- but this discussion had too many wrong responses.

[sultan_sfo]

12 hours ago, wallyj said:

 

50% off was also working with ‘plus’ fares(pricing at only $30/day) but Premier was NOT pricing at 50% off(was showing $47-$49/day).

 

50% was applied to both PLUS or PREMIER.

[Steelers36]

8 minutes ago, sultan_sfo said:

Wrong Again

Sorry you are WAY off-base!!

 

 

ONLY wallyj  has the correct response.

 

I don't like to post on this forum -- but this discussion had too many wrong responses.

Okay, but I did make reference to discounts for near term cruises.  It could have been part of the ONE kick-off.  But normally there hasn't been any big deal for future booking.  More into the future I mean.  So it depends if one is able and ready to travel again fairly soon it seems.

[Rick&Jeannie]

10 minutes ago, sultan_sfo said:

Wrong Again

Sorry you are WAY off-base!!

 

 

ONLY wallyj  has the correct response.

 

I don't like to post on this forum -- but this discussion had too many wrong responses.

Respectfully...the OP was asking about booking deals while on board.  While yes, there *were* some deals open to all, it was not anything specifically related to "being on board".

[wallyj]

3 minutes ago, sultan_sfo said:

 

50% was applied to both PLUS or PREMIER.

When I was on the Crown in May, yes, the 50% applied to both ‘plus’ and ‘premier’, meaning if you wanted to upgrade your booking , plus would price at only $30/day and premier would price at only $40/day.

 

Just off the Sapphire last week and when the consultant priced the 50% sailings I was interested in with ‘premier’ it was not pricing at only $40/day although plus would price at only $30/day. As I posted, the consultant called shoreside and was told ‘plus’ and ‘premier’ are NOT supposed to be discounted. Just passing in my experience.

[Cruise Raider]

4 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Respectfully...the OP was asking about booking deals while on board.  While yes, there *were* some deals open to all, it was not anything specifically related to "being on board".

Actually, there was a list of cruises that were half off but only if booked and paid for while onboard.   We found six more that were of interest to us and so booked them. 

[Rick&Jeannie]

Just now, Cruise Raider said:

Actually, there was a list of cruises that were half off but only if booked and paid for while onboard.   We found six more that were of interest to us and so booked them. 

But wasn't that for a VERY limited time?  Maybe I'm wrong, but I interpreted the OP's question as being "as a general rule of thumb...is there *always* a discount available if you book on board".

[wallyj]

5 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Okay, but I did make reference to discounts for near term cruises.  It could have been part of the ONE kick-off.  But normally there hasn't been any big deal for future booking.  More into the future I mean.  So it depends if one is able and ready to travel again fairly soon it seems.

Hi @Steelers36, I always enjoy your contributions and insights. When the 50% promo was introduced in January and extended in May, yes the sailings that qualified were only within a few months. Now the list covers sailings till May 2024, so ‘fairly soon’ depends on your definition. I feel 10-11 months is not ‘fairly soon’, but others might.

 

@Rick&Jeannie, the 50% promo is ONLY available to passengers ‘on board’, but we have no ideal how long the promo will last.

[Cruise Raider]

10 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

But wasn't that for a VERY limited time?  Maybe I'm wrong, but I interpreted the OP's question as being "as a general rule of thumb...is there *always* a discount available if you book on board".

That’s correct, it’s not a hard and fast rule.  There was a special onboard earlier this year that was in effect for a couple of months.  We snagged a Hawaii cruise our neighbors really wanted us to go on for half off!  That applied to every cruise before the end of May with the exception of most Alaska cruises.  There is now another special happening for a select number of cruises (not just any cruise) through the end of August.  Again, only if you buy them onboard.  The cruises we booked were through next April.  The key is, you have to pay for them on the spot.  
But, for the prices savings, we are all in!  There’s still one more we are considering for next spring and may look into it while we are onboard again next month. 

Edited July 19, 2023 by Cruise Raider

[Rick&Jeannie]

1 minute ago, Cruise Raider said:

 The key is, you have to pay for them on the spot.  

Wow!  I bet that turns a lot of people off right there.

[Cruise Raider]

2 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Wow!  I bet that turns a lot of people off right there.

It was crowded there but now, you can’t get a full suite with the special.  And yes, paying for them on the spot definitely seemed like a deterrent.  For us, it was like Christmas in July!  😆 

[Steelers36]

13 minutes ago, wallyj said:

Hi @Steelers36, I always enjoy your contributions and insights. When the 50% promo was introduced in January and extended in May, yes the sailings that qualified were only within a few months. Now the list covers sailings till May 2024, so ‘fairly soon’ depends on your definition. I feel 10-11 months is not ‘fairly soon’, but others might.

 

@Rick&Jeannie, the 50% promo is ONLY available to passengers ‘on board’, but we have no ideal how long the promo will last.

I see.  Thanks for the clarification.  I wonder too how long they will keep this up.  Seems like worthwhile to go on a cruise with a plan for the next one, so you already know what to book and see if can get for half price.

[UT-Volsfan]

7 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

The key is, you have to pay for them on the spot.  

It depends on how far out the cruises are.  We booked a 28 night Med and transatlantic cruise departing in Nov. while on the Island Princess and only has to put down a $100 deposit for each of us, then make final payment by 120 days before the cruise. The booking automatically transfers back to whoever booked the cruise you are sailing on when taking advantage of the 50% off sale.

 

The onboard sale at 50% off included cruises departing thru August, all transatlantic cruises thru the end of the year, as well as individual 2024 World cruise segments.  They also added some other cruises to the list before our cruise was over.

[sunviking90]

17 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

That’s correct, it’s not a hard and fast rule.  There was a special onboard earlier this year that was in effect for a couple of months.  We snagged a Hawaii cruise our neighbors really wanted us to go on for half off!  That applied to every cruise before the end of May with the exception of most Alaska cruises.  There is now another special happening for a select number of cruises (not just any cruise) through the end of August.  Again, only if you buy them onboard.  The cruises we booked were through next April.  The key is, you have to pay for them on the spot.  
But, for the prices savings, we are all in!  There’s still one more we are considering for next spring and may look into it while we are onboard again next month. 

Are you saying you were required to do full payment right away? We booked a short cruise off of the list onboard last month for Early October. It was a great deal, but I offered to do full payment right away myself. Reason being I had booked the current cruise we were sailing on with a TA I didn’t know (one time promo thing) and as this new sailing had to be credited to that TA I felt it was easier to pay up front. It wasn’t a lot and pretty close to final payment date anyway. I wasn’t told it was mandatory. Cancellation terms seemed to be standard.

The cruises available on the list are “slow sellers” in the words of the agent onboard. A lot of one ways, repositioning, etc, through to April 2024.

Edited July 19, 2023 by sunviking90

[startedwithamouse]

Does anyone have the list?  We'll be onboard next week and want to check it out first. We usually do drop and go guarantees for most cruises, so we're used to paying in full when booking.

[atlast95]

This is very interesting. Any information is appreciated. 

[wallyj]

4 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

Does anyone have the list?  We'll be onboard next week and want to check it out first. We usually do drop and go guarantees for most cruises, so we're used to paying in full when booking.

I have the list as of July 12 when I disembarked, provide email and I can send you.

 

You only need to pay in full if within final payment, else $100 non refundable deposit.

 

Can  not use FCD with this promo, but shareholders and military combinable if applicable, also TA group amenities not combinable, so if your TA happens to already have a group for one of these sailings, you cannot get the OBC, but if your TA discounts their commission, that is still allowed.

[sunviking90]

42 minutes ago, wallyj said:

I have the list as of July 12 when I disembarked, provide email and I can send you.

 

You only need to pay in full if within final payment, else $100 non refundable deposit.

 

Can  not use FCD with this promo, but shareholders and military combinable if applicable, also TA group amenities not combinable, so if your TA happens to already have a group for one of these sailings, you cannot get the OBC, but if your TA discounts their commission, that is still allowed.

We were able to use a FCD for ours. Purchased onboard and applied immediately, so it sounds like it may depend on the ship and their understanding of the terms? As always with Princess, consistently inconsistent.

[wallyj]

17 minutes ago, sunviking90 said:

We were able to use a FCD for ours. Purchased onboard and applied immediately, so it sounds like it may depend on the ship and their understanding of the terms? As always with Princess, consistently inconsistent.

Future cruise agents on the Discovery in January, Crown in May and the ones on the Sapphire this month were adamant, the 50% off promo is not combinable with using a FCD. I am fortunate to have been able to sail those months and see the promo evolve.

 

Also, in January and May, 50% off also applied to plus or premier add on, but when the agents tried to add Premier on my solo sailings this month on board, plus would price at $30/day, Premier priced at a discount but higher than $40/day, closer to $50/day.
 

What ship were you on? So as you have stated, consistently inconsistent.

Edited July 20, 2023 by wallyj