SALE-Princess website

[dog]

New-SALE on Princess website today.

 

My 2 transatlantics went up in fare and now gives $200pp OBC.

[Jadn13]

Checked mine with the sale price the fare is now $300 more than what I paid 3 days ago.  The OBC is only $200 so the new sale is actually in true Princess fashion, not a sale. 
*just checked another of my bookings and with the sale it’s still a $60 loss after you subtract the offered OBC

Edited June 14 by Jadn13

[Scottdalfonso]

I guess all the lines play this game. Royal does the EXACT same thing- raise it 200, but give 200 OBC so people who are just booking think they are getting a little kickback...

[JimmyVWine]

With the introduction of the Plus and Premier Packages, Princess has really painted itself into a corner in terms of how it can bait the hook for sales.  It used to be that sales would include things like prepaid gratuities; free Specialty Dining; Free WiFi.  But it can no longer offer any of that because doing so would undermine the concept of the Packages.  And not too long ago, Princess rolled out its "best price guarantee" for early booking.  So it can't lower prices beneath what it already promised would be the lowest price offered, or else it would undermine that pricing feature as well.  So if it cannot offer free add-ons, and it cannot offer lower prices, can a "sale" ever really be a sale?  Seems to me that the only way out of the painted corner is to offer discount pricing on the packages.  "This week only, book a cruise and get Plus or Premier for half price!"  They used to do this when the package was the All-Inclusive Beverage Package.  They would discount that package or throw it in for free.  But so far, we have yet to see a sale that discounts the current packages.  If they want to move more product, that is what they should be doing.  But maybe they don't need to move more product.  

[roxievegas]

our Alaska cruise

inside up $100pp

oceanview, balcony and mini suite all up $200 pp

 

but you are getting it back with the OBC

 

not a sale or bargain

[cruisinsince75]

Ours went up over $900 from what we paid.  Not really a sale.

[DavidsNana]

A Caribbean cruise that I was checking out 2 days ago, went up $700 for a solo balcony cabin and only $200 OBC since I am a solo.

[dog]

I see a pattern! Glad I booked my two cruises last week during the 3 day sale.

[JimmyVWine]

8 minutes ago, dog said:

I see a pattern!

Yeah.  I booked a Summer-2026 cruise on the day that they came out for past guests.  I assume that the "Book Early for the Best Price" promise is real.  The new sale price is $ $600 more, but I would get $400 in OBC.  Nope. 

[FLAlaska]

21 minutes ago, DavidsNana said:

A Caribbean cruise that I was checking out 2 days ago, went up $700 for a solo balcony cabin and only $200 OBC since I am a solo.

It is kinda of frustrating that as solo cruisers you have to pay double the fare but you don't get double the OBC....

[Thrak]

Nope, nope, nope. Price increase doesn't make the OBC even vaguely tempting. I have to agree that something like Premier for the cost of Plus or maybe Plus for free would be great but offering OBC with an increased price is no bargain.

[latebuyer]

Lol Found same thing cruise price went up 200.00 and i’d only get 100 obc. Guess you really need to know your prices.

[candide333]

I booked an Alaska cruise for September 2025, but cancelled later in the day when I discovered that the price went up $200 and on board credit was $200. Price was $200 less, the day before.  Very deceptive and clearly not a SALE. 

 

 

[Astro Flyer]

While this thread isn’t about elite benefits, if they offered elites a package discount that might tip the scales to entice us to book a package. Currently for our style of cruising the packages are not cost-effective for us.

[HikaruTsuki]

lol I have two cruises booked. Prices for both went up well more than the value of the OBC. Yikes, I didn't even feel good about the prices I booked at. I can't imagine booking under the current prices!

[cruisinsince75]

17 hours ago, candide333 said:

I booked an Alaska cruise for September 2025, but cancelled later in the day when I discovered that the price went up $200 and on board credit was $200. Price was $200 less, the day before.  Very deceptive and clearly not a SALE. 

 

 

It's like Walmart Roll Back Pricing.  An item that was $17.99 they raise the price to $19.99, then later Roll Back the price to $18.99 and call it a sale.  

[AZaTaz]

I checked 7 bookings I had and all of them, even with the OBC were at least $200 p/p more than what I booked for. (I do book when they first come out to previous guest). I like the idea of discounting plus or premium but am afraid  they would just increase the price of the cruise. 

[NWA395]

Our Nov 2026 LA to Santiago Chili shows an increase of $530.00. OBC stayed the same.

Our B2B leg, Santiago to BA went up $416.00.  OBC the same.

Our B2B2B leg BA round trip went up $398.00.  OBC stayed the same.

That is a total increase of $1344.00.  Heck of a sale.  😲

[voljeep]

1 minute ago, NWA395 said:

Our Nov 2026 LA to Santiago Chili shows an increase of $530.00. OBC stayed the same.

Our B2B leg, Santiago to BA went up $416.00.  OBC the same.

Our B2B2B leg BA round trip went up $398.00.  OBC stayed the same.

That is a total increase of $1344.00.  Heck of a sale.  😲

is that compared to prices the day before the sale, or the day you booked?

[NWA395]

Just now, voljeep said:

is that compared to prices the day before the sale, or the day you booked?

Compared to when we booked.

 

[Astro Flyer]

17 minutes ago, AZaTaz said:

I checked 7 bookings I had and all of them, even with the OBC were at least $200 p/p more than what I booked for. (I do book when they first come out to previous guest). I like the idea of discounting plus or premium but am afraid  they would just increase the price of the cruise. 

That technique is likely taught in a basic Marketing 101 class…how to make prices appear to be a deal when in reality it’s actually no deal or even a net price increase…smoke & mirrors!

 

I think such sales work on the uninformed infrequent cruiser who believes it’s a sale which likely is the majority of their passengers. As we know this tactic is used by all cruise lines so it’s buyer beware.

 

I suspect that you’re correct about having a package discount…increase prices & then offer a discount on the higher price.

 

Edited June 15 by Astro Flyer

[DavidsNana]

On 6/14/2024 at 3:53 PM, FLAlaska said:

It is kinda of frustrating that as solo cruisers you have to pay double the fare but you don't get double the OBC....

Yes, a solo booking does get double the OBC.  So $100 per person = $200 solo booking.

[latebuyer]

Solos don't get double at cruises i looked at.

[Jadn13]

6 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

Solos don't get double at cruises i looked at.

Mine either, no double OBC @least in this  “Sale” 

[Mo Jito]

22 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

Solos don't get double at cruises i looked at.

Bummer. Princess used to give double OBC when you booked a solo. Took some of the sting out of the 100% single supplement. Hopefully it is just for this « sale » and future OBC offers will go back to giving solos the full per cabin OBC when we pay the full cabin fare.