Paid in Full Discount returns Tomorrow

[Gretchendz]

Only 5% and only new bookings for sailings in 2025 and 2026. It will combine with MNVV use, so that's good.

[Eric&Pam]

Offer Overview. When booking an eligible cabin, and when available to be applied

during our reservation booking process, you may select the “Pay in Full” option while

booking your voyage reservation. Pay your cabin in full to receive a 5% discount off

your Voyage Fare excluding taxes and fees. Full payment must be received within 2

hours of applying the discount, when booking your voyage.

The 5% Pay in Full Now Discount is applicable to Voyage Fare only and is not offered

on the taxes and fees. The entire cabin must be paid in full to receive this discount.

Paying one’s cabin “in full” means (i) the Voyage Fare is paid, (ii) taxes and fees are

paid, and (iii) Voyage Protection (if opted for) is paid at the time of booking. Any cabin

that chooses the Pay in Full option, but does not pay in full within two (2) hours of the

booking will no longer be eligible for the discount.

To calculate the 5% Pay in Full Now Discount, we will take the listed Voyage Fare minus

any additional discounts, and based on that newly discounted Voyage Fare, apply the

5% discount when the “Pay In Full” option is selected during the booking process.

Example:

If the Pay In Full option is available and selected, the new total Voyage Fare due

would be $2,565 (i.e., 5% off of the already discounted $2,700 Voyage Fare.)

Please note the “Other Pre-existing Voyage Fare discount” listed above is for

illustration purposes only.

2. Eligibility / Caveats.

2.1 This offer is eligible for bookings on an eligible voyage purchased between 12:01

a.m. EDT on 30 August 2024 through 11:59 p.m. EST on 12 November 2024.

2.2. The discount applies only to the Voyage Fare, and does not include shore

excursions (“Shore Things” in our marketing parlance), taxes and/or fees, transfers, or

any other add-ons. Please note all discounts will be reflected as one lump discount on

your confirmation email. Further, partial (discounted/non-full Fare) access keys may be

excluded.

2.3. Eligible Voyages. Eligible voyages are sailings departing on all vessels in 2025

and 2026 only. The offer is not eligible for charter voyages. Sailors booking a voyage

within 120 days of sailing departure are not eligible for this offer.

2.4. Eligible Cabins. Eligible Cabins for the “Paid In Full Discount” Offer are as follows:

XL Sea Terrace, Central Sea Terrace, The Sea Terrace, Limited View Sea Terrace, The

Sea View, and The Insider. Lock-it-in cabins are excluded.

2.5. Interaction with the following offers, discounts, or credits:

The “Paid In Full Discount” Offer is combinable with the following offers,

promotions, discounts, or credits:

● September & October 2024 Credit Offer

● My Next Virgin Voyage Offer

● Affinity Circles

The "Paid In Full Discount” Offer is not combinable with any other offers,

promotions, discounts, or credits. Tour Operators are not eligible for this offer.

3. These terms and/or eligible voyages are subject to change with or without notice.

Please note all discounts will be reflected as one lump discount on your confirmation

[kaysha2004]

This is a baby step towards making up for so much that Virgin has taken away from its sailors.  As a Sea Blazer having sailed with Virgin in 2021, I've seen them chopping away at benefits and promos, all the while raising prices to double and triple what they were even a year ago.  They've eliminated the 10% off for booking early (180 days or more before departure date) and the 10% off for paying in full.  These two discounts were not dependent on cabin type, as they are now.  These were fixed, not expiring, benefits for committing to a cruise well in advance and giving them all your money up front.  Now it's just a short-lived promo. 

 

The MNVVs are now cut in half or more.  In addition, Virgin still cannot get their stuff together and fix the app and website.  It's still horrible.

 

I have several cruises booked for 2024 and they were booked in 2023 before the drastic cutbacks and higher prices.  I and many of my besties have no incentive to be loyal sailors anymore and we will be cruising elsewhere.

[-The-True-North-]

From an accounting point of view, this can only mean that people are not booking and it's causing ripples in their cash flow cycle.

 

Probably due to the reduction in all the incentives and the doubling or tripling of prices.

 

This is simple low hanging fruit to bump up quick access to cash. However, for only 5% it won't result in much change IMO.

 

Many news reports are now coming out that the "honeymoon" period of post COVID cruise travel is over and the industry is reversing.

 

IMO, their will be move incentives to follow, especially for wake season. I'm willing to hold out.

[Gretchendz]

On 8/30/2024 at 10:37 AM, -The-True-North- said:

From an accounting point of view, this can only mean that people are not booking and it's causing ripples in their cash flow cycle.

 

Probably due to the reduction in all the incentives and the doubling or tripling of prices.

 

This is simple low hanging fruit to bump up quick access to cash. However, for only 5% it won't result in much change IMO.

 

Many news reports are now coming out that the "honeymoon" period of post COVID cruise travel is over and the industry is reversing.

 

IMO, their will be move incentives to follow, especially for wake season. I'm willing to hold out.

 

You might be right, but I am not so sure. The bookings seem to be coming as fast as ever, maybe faster as word gets out about Virgin. I am seeing more sold-out sailings than ever before.

 

Virgin asked a group of TAs what clients would most like to see and one of the most frequent answers was to bring back pay in full discount.  It's not as good as the old PIF discount which could be as high as 10%, but it is not nothing.

[-The-True-North-]

28 minutes ago, Gretchendz said:

 

You might be right, but I am not so sure. The bookings seem to be coming as fast as ever, maybe faster as word gets out about Virgin. I am seeing more sold-out sailings than ever before.

 

Virgin asked a group of TAs what clients would most like to see and one of the most frequent answers was to bring back pay in full discount.  It's not as good as the old PIF discount which could be as high as 10%, but it is not nothing.

Completely agree that bookings that have completed or have been posted for awhile have/might be all been full.

 

These specific types of promotions however provide a glimpse into the future. Like inflation, you don't see the affects until sometime after. I'm not saying this is a sure thing by any means. It's my calculated assumption.

 

Either way, I personally am waiting it out. We love the Virgin Voyages' vibe, as I am a deep blue sea member. But the price increases and lack of incentives has had use move to other travels.

 

Wake season is around the corner and last minute sell off are more advantageous right now personally.

[CruisingWalter]

On 8/30/2024 at 10:37 AM, -The-True-North- said:

From an accounting point of view, this can only mean that people are not booking and it's causing ripples in their cash flow cycle.

 

 

Actually it's something that our TA and many others have been asking for since they removed the original 10% PIF discount.  The problem with the original offer was that it was an accounting nightmare.  They allowed guests to PIF anytime up to 180 days prior to sailing instead of requiring it at the time of booking. It's much cleaner to make guest pay in full at the time of booking like some river cruise lines require. 

 

This is probably the most requested feature from TAs to VV. As far as the ships selling, there are many of those unique itineraries that are selling quite well. I think Alaska is going to be a wildcard. I still don't understand them trying to make Alaska work when there are already 60+ ships competing for not a lot of berthing spaces. It will be interesting when they finally release their schedules. 

[Wildcatllamas]

1 hour ago, CruisingWalter said:

 

 The problem with the original offer was that it was an accounting nightmare.  They allowed guests to PIF anytime up to 180 days prior to sailing instead of requiring it at the time of booking.

It all depended on who you spoke with. When I would call in to clarify some reps would say within two hours of the booking, others within 24 hours and only one ever said within the 180 days. It was frustrating for myself and my clients.

[-The-True-North-]

From an accounting perspective it's not a nightmare because it's all the same.

 

From an execution perspective however, 100% a failure. They were giving away free money if that was the case.

 

However, in all my bookings the Terms said it could only be applied 2 hours of after booking. So perhaps it was coded wrong which allowed it to be extended.

 

Wouldn't surprise me as VV was young and made a lot of mistakes. They also allowed deals to stack on deals onto more deals.

 

We booked a sailing were we actually came out ahead by sailing.

[CruisingWalter]

On 9/2/2024 at 7:36 AM, Wildcatllamas said:

It all depended on who you spoke with. When I would call in to clarify some reps would say within two hours of the booking, others within 24 hours and only one ever said within the 180 days. It was frustrating for myself and my clients.

 

It was always 180 days before sailing with the original rule. You could book with a Deposit and then anytime prior to 180 days change that to Pay In Full. Our TA used to do that all time for folks. So no, it didn't matter who you spoke to, they left that loophole in the process until they shut the entire program down. 

[Wildcatllamas]

38 minutes ago, CruisingWalter said:

 

It was always 180 days before sailing with the original rule. You could book with a Deposit and then anytime prior to 180 days change that to Pay In Full. Our TA used to do that all time for folks. So no, it didn't matter who you spoke to, they left that loophole in the process until they shut the entire program down. 

I wish I could say you were right but on every booking I made, either for myself or my clients, I would call and ask because the 10% wouldn't show up when we would go to make final payment within the 180 day mark. Only one time did a rep say that they could see the issue and they could fix it. Everyone else said either the 2 hour or 24 hour marks.

[CruisingWalter]

21 hours ago, Wildcatllamas said:

I wish I could say you were right but on every booking I made, either for myself or my clients, I would call and ask because the 10% wouldn't show up when we would go to make final payment within the 180 day mark. Only one time did a rep say that they could see the issue and they could fix it. Everyone else said either the 2 hour or 24 hour marks.

 

Not sure why it didn't work for you but it worked for us with every booking we had with our TA.  We just made sure to pay in full 181 days before final payment. The discount was applied every single time by simply calling VV Support.  I know our TA has been pushing VV to bring back the original 10%, but with it being applied only at the time of booking.  

Edited September 4 by CruisingWalter

[Wildcatllamas]

@CruisingWalter I have been a travel agent for almost 12 years now. I did take a short hiatus a bit ago due to health issues but came roaring back. So I was baffled as well with the issues. The BDM that I worked with couldn't even get it to accept it when I finally gave up trying to add the option or Sailor Services couldn't get it to happen. I was looking back last night and it seemed to be right in a small window of time when I had several folks wanting to try VV so I wonder if there was something glitchy going on. On my very first booking back in 2021 I got it to apply. I will take 5% right now and hope for the 10% with maybe a caveat of within 5 days of booking. I have one client who is a judge and will text me to book but it might be a day or so before she can get back with me to make full payment.