suspend6

Many thanks.

We are booked on Sun Princess in Jan 2020. Initial checks show VERY expensive ship tours to a few game reserves. Has anybody ever organised a private tour from Cape Town? Any companies worth approaching?

Cheers, Phil

Have you checked the markup on a bottle of wine lately? Insane. But if we really want it, we pay.

Yes, but when you are making your choice, the prices are all declared on the wine list. So if we buy the bottle, we have accepted the price and have been "pre-informed".

You lost me with these two sentences.

 

The purpose of every business on the planet is to make a profit for the owners. There is no such thing as "enough profit". If a business is not constantly looking for ways to improve their bottom line they are dying.

 

Besides...if you don't look at the price of something, that is on you and nobody else.

You have obviously missed the point. I am not against profit. I am against blatant ripoffs, excessive charges, pure greed. Happy to pay more than the regular "land" price, but don't appreciate being gouged. Tell me how anybody could possibly justify almost $19 for a block of chocolate.

Of course it is my mistake for purchasing with the attitude "it is only a block of chocolate, why would I check the price" - but the price itself is really the issue. Far too much.

Makes paying the price worth it...;o)

I wouldn't go that far!

I hope your wife liked her candy bar.

She said it was extra delicious :)

Did you think to ask if it was an error? RC doesn't stock the shops. It is a lease arrangement. I definitely would have asked if there was an error, especially for a standard size candy bar, just seems like mis-entry into the sales computer.

No. I think I was in shock, and lost the plot, but I won't get caught again. I guess it could have been an error. None of the candy and sundry items showed any prices on the shelf. That was also a problem.

All cruise prices are ridiculous....know that for the future!

Yes, I usually keep an eye on our spending, but this one caught me by surprise.

If you didn't see a price, couldn't you have just asked the assistant?

The transaction was done by signing a digital pad. The price must have been displayed, but I was not concerned about it - a block of chocolate - how much could that cost?

Yes, I should have been more diligent. But I would not have thought in my wildest dreams anybody could charge that much.

We chose a Royal Caribbean cruise as an alternative to the traditional Christmas/New Year at home. The cruise was good, and the family had a great time. My wife asked me to buy a block of Cadbury Rollo chocolate from the ship store. There was no price on it, but I did not think twice. Just as my wife was devouring the block, I looked at the sales docket. EIGHTEEN DOLLARS AND NINETY FIVE CENTS AMERICAN!!!!!!! Absolutely outrageous. Cruise lines make enough profit from many other sources (shore tours, alcohol, spa, etc). There is no need to blatantly rip guests off in this way. Shame on you Royal Caribbean. If you wish to charge such ridiculous prices, at least post the prices of the goods so guests can determine for themselves if they want to pay those kinds of prices. My gut feeling is that declaring prices like that would result in ZERO sales.

I think the key word here is "merit." What does a marketing tool have to do with merit?

Merit:

1) something that deserves or justifies a reward or commendation.

2) to be worthy of;

I think "merit" has a lot do do with it. Apparently, there is no merit in Princess giving Australians a free drinks package!

"Discrimination is treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing is perceived to belong to rather than on individual merit."

Having said earlier in this thread that discrimination might be a little harsh a term, the above definition does fit.

So, did you book on P&O?

Nope, itineraries did not impress.

To add further fuel to the fire, I received an email offer from P&O yesterday,

And I quote......

"In keeping with P&O Cruises 5 ship spectacular celebrations, Clean Cruising are excited to announce we're combining our own "7 day sale week" with P&O Cruises "It's Our Shout Sale". PLUS pre-register today on four selected cruises below to receive a FREE premium beverage package valued at $79/day"

P&O are very closely aligned with Princess, to the extent that cruise credits earned with either line contribute to one's Captains Circle status.

I understand capacity control. And this thread is about promotions not being available to all. The promotions are just never available to people in Australia. They don't have to limit capacity control by georestriction - just simple time limits. It makes no difference as to how early we book - the offers are never included.

Pushka, you have hit the nail right on the head. This is exactly my point. And if other cruise lines can do it, why can't Princess? As suggested, their marketing model may well suggest it is not necessary or viable, but equality and consistency stands for something, surely?

I think it's all about perception; if you told an Australian he was getting a free "Sip n Sail" drinks package deal he would likely say "Why am I being resricted to sipping?" Similarly if an Autralian saw a "Drink Canada Dry" advertisement he might think; "I could have a go."

Regards John

John,

You need to brush up on your Australian Culture big time. :)

The "Sip & Sail" promotions are not available to all, no matter where you live. They are capacity controlled which means that only "X" number of bookings are eligible.

 

Lots of things in life are unfair but all you have to do is read any sale ad for any product and look for the phrase, "while supplies last." The bottom line is to book as early or fast as you can.

Thanks Pam,

You are correct, but we in Oz did not even get a "supply" :(

An interesting and informative set of responses. Thanks to all who have responded.

I guess "discrimination" is a little harsh, but I still think that at face value it could be construed that one set of people are given a deal or an offer, and others not. Does not seem fair and equitable to all parties, given that at the end of the day, we are all paying our money and sailing on the same ship.

Oh, and the Vegemite - you don't know what you are missing :-)

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.

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.

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:

Thanks for that. Not what I wanted to learn, but thats life!

We did the first cruise on the Grand Princess may years ago, would not do so again, would always wait at least 6 months, after a ship goes in service. Actually prefer to take the ship the following year... fares are cheaper and you get on board when the ship has got it act together. Just my two cents.

Interesting. We did the maiden voyage on the Regal Princess, and enjoyed it immensely. Hence our desire to repeat the experience. We had no issues whatsoever with a brand new ship.

Just Google the ship! you will get answers then or call Princess.

How do you Google a ship with no name ?

My wife and I are keen to secure a cabin for the maiden voyage of this new ship. I know it is early days, but is there any further information available than "launch in 2017" ?