"Sip and Sail" discrimination

On following a thread re a Princess Cruise in 2017, I read about an offer from Princess called Sip&Sail. I had never heard of this before, so I researched it and found it to be a generous offer re a beverage package. I understand at times it is offered free. BUT, only to citizens of certain countries, one of them not being Australia.

What is different about the money we pay in Australia (and many other countries) as customers of Princess? Why should offers such as this Sip&Sail deal be restricted to a handful of countries?

This is discrimination. :mad:

It's the Australia tax......

It's the Australia tax......

It has nothing to do with tax but georestrictions on products. Apple used to price the iphone and even sales on itunes purchases at much higher rate than in the USA and tax and exchange rate were not the reasons. Pricing in the US and Aus stores are the same. Even when the Aussie dollar was above the USD we still paid more and there is no GST on international purchases.

It has nothing to do with tax but georestrictions on products. Apple used to price the iphone and even sales on itunes purchases at much higher rate than in the USA and tax and exchange rate were not the reasons. Pricing in the US and Aus stores are the same. Even when the Aussie dollar was above the USD we still paid more and there is no GST on international purchases.

Yes that's exactly what I mean...... "Australia tax" it's a phenomenon that applies to many things we purchase in Oz.

Could it be they think the Australians drink to much. ;);)

Could it be they think the Australians drink to much. ;);)

It is not the drinking part that the security staff is worried about on board the ships, but the results of such said activity.

Too many streaking incidents perhaps? :eek:

 

This is discrimination. :mad:

What nonsense.

Grow a pair mate :D

Could it be they think the Australians drink to much. ;);)

Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and P & O don't seem to think so. They all offer all inclusive beverage packages to Australian sailings now as incentives to book with them. I think Princess is missing the boat (pardon the pun)

Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and P & O don't seem to think so. They all offer all inclusive beverage packages to Australian sailings now as incentives to book with them. I think Princess is missing the boat (pardon the pun)

I don't understand the issue. If princess does not provide a product

one wishes to purchase, while these other cruise lines do, the appropriate

action seems obvious.

Yes that's exactly what I mean...... "Australia tax" it's a phenomenon that applies to many things we purchase in Oz.

Ah. Gotcha!

I don't understand the issue. If princess does not provide a product

one wishes to purchase, while these other cruise lines do, the appropriate

action seems obvious.

You're absolutely correct. I am looking at other cruise lines to spend my hard earned :)

Princess obviously aren't having any problems filling their ships in the Australian region so there is no need for them to offer such perks as an incentive to gain more customers. Simply, really. :rolleyes:;)

If and when the passenger numbers drop then we might see "free" drinks packages.

What nonsense.

Grow a pair mate :D

And why is it "nonsense"?

USA, Canada, Mexico get it. Everybody else does not. Is that "nonsense"?

For those suggesting other cruise lines, it is somewhat disappointing if you have shown loyalty through the Captains Circle membership and cop this kind of exclusion. The common-sense, fair and reasonable solution is to offer the product or service to all guests.

Princess offer an AIBP but never seen it offered as an incentive to book.

When other lines offer it, it's not free the price of the cruise changes at the same time as these offers drop n and out.

Princess offer an AIBP but never seen it offered as an incentive to book.

 

When other lines offer it, it's not free the price of the cruise changes at the same time as these offers drop n and out.

We just completed 1 cruise with the promo and one booked for next year.

$1400 for the first and $2200 for the second. :eek: :D

As long as I don't have to buy it I will take it.

We just completed 1 cruise with the promo and one booked for next year.

$1400 for the first and $2200 for the second. :eek: :D

As long as I don't have to buy it I will take it.

Exactly what I mean. We in the land Downunder (and elsewhere in the world also) are excluded from such offers.

Exactly what I mean. We in the land Downunder (and elsewhere in the world also) are excluded from such offers.

Celebrity is pretty good though.

Companies offer their services for "what the market will bear". There simply is more competition in the Cruise business in other countries like the US, so Princess have to make their product offerings more price-feature competitive in those markets.

The word "discrimination", as you're using it, implies that Princess is sticking it to you because you're Australian, which is clearly not the case. Whatever the reason (or reasons), you can bet it's based on a business decision, and not because of your ethnicity.

Cruise lines base pricing on several factors. Is it discrimination that someone from, say, the Midwest gets a regional special, while others don't? Is it discrimination that Florida residents receive Florida residents rates and I don't?

This is discrimination. :mad:

Calling this "discrimination" seems a bit melodramatic. It's a business decision; Princess needs incentives among certain demographics in certain places during certain time periods and offers them. I imagine you're qualified for certain deals that I'm not eligible for because of your age or location or whatever. It's business.

Now if you want to talk discrimination, think about it. Talk to a black woman who's been passed over for a job or a man who's been denied custody of a child because of his gender. Now go explain to them that you're the victim of discrimination because the cruise line won't give you free booze.

Sorry if that sounds a little harsh, but that's how it strikes me.

Jim

For those suggesting other cruise lines, it is somewhat disappointing if you have shown loyalty through the Captains Circle membership and cop this kind of exclusion. The common-sense, fair and reasonable solution is to offer the product or service to all guests.

If you have booked a cruise with princess, and someone shows up who

wants to do a whole-ship charter for a group.

Princess will cancel the individual bookings, and go for the most money.

They deserve equal loyalty from you.

Australians can book all other cruiselines through a US TA and get these deals. But Princess refuses to accept such bookings for Australians. It is a Princess decision not Carnival Corp as Cunard does allow this. How is that not discrimination. Calling it a business decision does not make it right. Otherwise there are many discriminatory practices that could be disguised as such.

Australians can book all other cruiselines through a US TA and get these deals. But Princess refuses to accept such bookings for Australians. It is a Princess decision not Carnival Corp as Cunard does allow this. How is that not discrimination. Calling it a business decision does not make it right. Otherwise there are many discriminatory practices that could be disguised as such.

It's not discrimination because there are no laws that say Princess can't do that. The way to protest a business if you don't like its practices is don't buy its product. IMO, "discrimination" is too politically-charged a word to apply to something as trivial as making a vacation purchase.

I just never saw this being a deal ... and we would definitely take advantage of the beverage package if we got it. You have to book a balcony or higher to get this perk but it appears that the price of the package was added onto the cruise fare for balconies and higher....so think it is just a marketing ploy. Now I am sure you will find someone that got a deal that included the beverage package (sip and sail) but the ones I was looking into were ridiculously priced.

Princess does have a great happy hour (bogo event - buy one, get one for $1) on a lot, if not most or all, of their sailings. And, if elite, there is the captain's circle cocktail event for $5. I find I can save so much if I tailor my drinking around these events. I cannot conceive paying what they are charging for the beverage package ... be it through sip and sail cabin prices or buying it outright.

If you have booked a cruise with princess, and someone shows up who

wants to do a whole-ship charter for a group.

 

Princess will cancel the individual bookings, and go for the most money.

 

They deserve equal loyalty from you.

Totally Agree with you.