booking directly through princess...

[stretchcruz]

We're Elite as well and Princess has NEVER had a lower price than our TA, or better amenities....shipboard credit, etc. Believe me, I check every day after we book a cruise and ALWAYS our TA is lower. As ToTo says, Princess will not match the discounted price and shipboard credit (in addition to the FCC shipboard credit we receive).

[turquoisesea]

OK, this topic has been addressed over and over, and I am still confused. I have had the same TA for years and years - she's with an online agency, in fact has changes agencies three times! On our upcoming Caribbean cruise her price is the same as the Princess previous cruiser rate. But, we did get $50 each OBC. So, I have checked out more than 6 or 7 well known (many who advertise on this site) TA's. And this week in the AARP magazine they recommened two new ones I had not tried before so I checked them out. Absolutely no one had a lower price! :eek: Yes, they did have OBC, most about the same amount. I even used that online site that sends the cruise you want out to a lot of TA's and they e-mail you back with their best quote. So...is the problem that these 7-day Caribbean cruises just aren't discounted that much? Am I doing something wrong? :confused:

[Toto2Kansas]

OK, this topic has been addressed over and over, and I am still confused. I have had the same TA for years and years - she's with an online agency, in fact has changes agencies three times! On our upcoming Caribbean cruise her price is the same as the Princess previous cruiser rate. But, we did get $50 each OBC. So, I have checked out more than 6 or 7 well known (many who advertise on this site) TA's. And this week in the AARP magazine they recommened two new ones I had not tried before so I checked them out. Absolutely no one had a lower price! :eek: Yes, they did have OBC, most about the same amount. I even used that online site that sends the cruise you want out to a lot of TA's and they e-mail you back with their best quote. So...is the problem that these 7-day Caribbean cruises just aren't discounted that much? Am I doing something wrong? :confused:

 

Keep searching, even a 7 day cruise is discounted with a discount TA. I know, I recently booked one and beat the Princess price by a good amount and also received shipboard credit with the booking. If a TA charges the same price for the cruise as Princess, they are NOT a discount TA. You just have to keep looking until you find one that does, sorry, that is all I can suggest. :)

[turquoisesea]

Keep searching, even a 7 day cruise is discounted with a discount TA. I know, I recently booked one and beat the Princess price by a good amount and also received shipboard credit with the booking. If a TA charges the same price for the cruise as Princess, they are NOT a discount TA. You just have to keep looking until you find one that does, sorry, that is all I can suggest. :)

 

Thanks, Toto. You always give good advice. My TA is out sick right now, but I guess I should take this up with her when she returns. Perhaps she'll give us a bigger OBC. :D

[stretchcruz]

The $50 pp onboard credit is exactly the same as if your cruise price decreased by $50 pp....because that onboard credit would be used toward your tips, so it is a savings in your pocket. Keep looking for TAs...they are out there....and will discount.

[Layla]

I also agree about booking with a TA. We have always gotten lower prices than booking with Princess plus OBC and sometimes wine and a photo voucher. I do my homework, know what category/cabin I want and then shop for prices....always lower than Princess direct.

[Minoushka]

In my experience it is best to book directly with the cruise company .I have PVP with all companies and am Platinum or equivvalent on 2 including Princess

My PVP gives me the best prices and so far best cabins .

On Celebrity I got a Cabin TA"S are not allowed to sell for fear of being booted out .My PVP gave me the cabin and told me the Cruise line would not boot me out because I booked directly

One TA wanted to charge for a change ...a big NO NO

Another made so many mistakes re my kids legal names ...a little long so that made me go back to PVP

So far I cannot complain ...true I don't get gifts but the prices I get suit me just fine I got prices no one could believe ...thru my PVP

so i will stick to them

 

Michele

 

too many discount companies have gone under ...then what ?after you paid in full ????

[Sharke_boy]

MMEMICHELE- good summary- agree on booking directly! And to your point, yes-this is a big global fear -Scores of T/A's will be going (and have already gone) out of business. This is a stated fact, given the thin margins they deal with... Booking directly you do not subject yourself to the risk of a T/A holding your deposit funds before they are actually due to Princess, and the overall loss of control and potentially addtional fees. If you book with a T/A, you may not know if your fuinds have been correctly applied until it's to late.

 

It's a personal decision, however....each person must consider how much risk (and lack of control) they are willing to accept. If folks are willing to accept a higher level of risk and lack of control, there are plenty of T/A's happy to help you out. But, I would urge all to make sure that T/A's you utlize do not subject you to a unacceptable level of risk. If you pay the T/A and they close... you will....... yep----end up booking directly with Princess or........... use another T/A, and pay again. To offest some of this inherent risk, always pay with a major credit card- never a debit card or cash/check. That way if a T/A goes down and has not completely applied your funds, Visa or M/C "may" potentially refund your money-which could take weeks/months.

 

As price/control goes down-Risk goes WAY up.

[guxu]

My friend said the same thing that Princess's price was always higher than TA's until I told her LOG IN to her account on Princess's web site to check the special price. That saved her $1,000+.

[Sharke_boy]

GUXU- exactly!!!!!!! you're the MAN! BUT---I'm not sure we should have let that secret out of the bag,,,... Every T/A (most probably working out of their garage's/back bedrooms) commenting on this board are going to bad mouth you like they have me....

 

hahah...

[cruise52]

CRUISE52

 

Being a TA for a long time , I suspect;

 

Perhaps you did not give the TA the same info that you gave Princess (age, state , Captains Circle # )or in the same time frame ?

Whether it's a Past Guest, Resident , Senior , or FLASH , every TA has access to that rate.

Princess will not offer a rate lower than even the smallest Travel Agency can offer.

A good TA will always offer more (better rate, OBC, Coupon books, gifts, service ,etc.) AND not charge a Agency Penalty or Fee!

TA's sell the vast majority of cruise bookings and for a cruise line to undercut them , as Renissance Cruises tried in 2000 , would kill the golden goose.

Renissance went under in 2001 after removing TA commission then after bookings dropped , reinstated TA commission . It was too late . TA's no longer booked the product , 9/11 came , and put an end to them.

Renissance built 8 beautiful small ships , that are now part of several cruise lines (Princess, Oceania , Azamara);)

 

I have cruised fairly extensively over the last 20 years and have used both TAs and booked directly. I know how to shop for the best price. I even have a friend who is a Discount TA, and she could NOT match the price I received from Princess for my cruise in August. This again was not the regular Online price, but a special price given when I signed into my Princess Account. I believe that there is no set answer, but that it pays to check booking directly vs price given by TA.

[Coral]

I have cruised fairly extensively over the last 20 years and have used both TAs and booked directly. I know how to shop for the best price. I even have a friend who is a Discount TA, and she could NOT match the price I received from Princess for my cruise in August. This again was not the regular Online price, but a special price given when I signed into my Princess Account. I believe that there is no set answer, but that it pays to check booking directly vs price given by TA.

 

My TA can discount any price that Princess direct gives me (Princess prices and TA prices on the same Captain Circle Account are the same - part of the contract Princess has with their agents). I know I have held a cruise (with a fabulous price) and then transferred it to her and she discounts it. She tells me she can discount anything Princess quotes (with the exception of the one night for $40). I have no doubt my TA would have quoted the same price as Princess (and then discounted that price).

[cruise52]

I'm not sayiing I don't believe you--although it does make me think you just didn't find a TA that discounts.

 

This is, at best, an anomoly. I've never had a cruiseline come under a TA's price--never. And the "past passenger" credit is used for anyone booking for you.

 

Unless you got some crazy special deal of the day, I think this scenario is so few and far between, I would never suggest it to anyone.

 

:)

 

Even if this is an "anomoly" as you claim, if it ends up being the lowest price, why wouldn't you suggest to someone to at least check the price booking directly vs. a TA? To my knowledge, it doesn't cost anything to check one vs the other.

[Toto2Kansas]

She tells me she can discount anything Princess quotes (with the exception of the one night for $40). I have no doubt my TA would have quoted the same price as Princess (and then discounted that price).

 

 

Yep, I agree completely!

[Coral]

I have cruised fairly extensively over the last 20 years and have used both TAs and booked directly. I know how to shop for the best price. I even have a friend who is a Discount TA, and she could NOT match the price I received from Princess for my cruise in August. This again was not the regular Online price, but a special price given when I signed into my Princess Account. I believe that there is no set answer, but that it pays to check booking directly vs price given by TA.

 

If you haven't gone past final payment yet, you can still transfer it to an agent who discounts. You just have to make sure you ask the right questions (say you have an existing booking, not ask for a new booking). Just trying to save money. Though, if we are talking about a $300 cruise here to Alaska, there is only a few dollars to discount.

[BlueCat1105]

I just booked an Alaskan Cruise for this August, last week, directly with Princess. I checked several TAs and the fare quoted by Princess (online) was by far the lowest, by about $200 per person. The fare I received was discounted from the regular online cruise fare posted, once I signed in to my Princess account. I believe this discount was simply a Past Passenger rate. I did some checking and I was unable to find a TA who could quote anything near the fare I received directly from Princess. The deposit was also much lower than what I have paid on past cruises. So it's worth it to check both the cruise line and TAs before deciding.

 

That is exactly what I found as well. I tried three online TAs and they didn't come within a couple hundred dollars of the past passenger fare that Princess quoted for a mini-suite.

[philv]

There seems to be a bonefide difference of opinion on this one. I've booked two direct with Princess and one with TA. Didn't like the TA experience, felt like she was in the way. Maybe it was just this particular TA. On price, I've always received significant price drops or upgrades direct from Princess, I had to call TA and inquire when I saw price drops to get same. Recently booked my 2011 cruise and did it direct with Princess, have already received $300 price drop. I guess I'm voting with my feet. :)

[Sharke_boy]

agree Philv-As an exampe, I attempted to list a group to dine together a week ago for an upcoming cruise- All expect a first time crusier had booked direct-and were easy to link together by Princess (one table 1st dine). Took 2 minutes-(btw they mentioned there had been a $50.00 fare reduction while I was speaking to them which Princess send me an E-mail immediately confirming the reduction to me and to the others linked to my code that booked direct, while I was talking to them).

 

The first timer had booked through a T/A - and I (or when they called Princess directly) was prevented from requesting they join our group to simply dine together! I've seen this like 20 times.... They were told their T/A had to call to do that.... the first timer called the T/A requesting the change and the fare reduction and is still ........waiting.... and waiting............................... and

[LARGIN]

With all due respect, NO, Princess will not match a price discounted by a travel agent.

 

Agree.. On our upcoming Alaska family cruise in September our online TA was $550 pp less than Princess for a mini and $436 pp less for an outside.. And this is the norm.. Big savings when you are booking for 10 people.. :)

[caribill]

The first timer had booked through a T/A - and I (or when they called Princess directly) was prevented from requesting they join our group to simply dine together! I've seen this like 20 times.... They were told their T/A had to call to do that....

 

Correct. Princess gives the T/A a commission and the T/A is supposed to provide services for that commission. Linking into a group for dinner and adjusting price are two of those services.

[TERESAh]

Usually we could get a better rate from TA, but the cruise we are going on next week none could beat Princess' rate---maybe they are changing their prices to be more competitive. Also we were upgraded from BA (lowest balcony rate) to two bedroom suite--this may have nothing to do with booking direct though.

[Coral]

Usually we could get a better rate from TA, but the cruise we are going on next week none could beat Princess' rate---maybe they are changing their prices to be more competitive. Also we were upgraded from BA (lowest balcony rate) to two bedroom suite--this may have nothing to do with booking direct though.

 

Congrats on the upgrade! It doesn't matter who you book with to get upgrades.

 

Princess is not being more competitive - the contract they have with their agents is that they will not quote any price that an agent can't quote. Most likely, the agents you checked with did not check your Captain Circle number to find the best rates available to you (this is why Princess asks for your phone number or Capt Circle number so they can check it). Your Capt Circle number is often tied to specials just for you - so checking an online website isn't going to give you your best possible rate. It will give you a rate that everyone qualifies for.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Like some of the other posters, I have booked a couple of recent cruises directly with Princess that were past passenger specials, and did not see anything even close with TA's, including comparing with the big on-line TA's. I compare closely on a case-by-case basis.

[Casey12]

Like some of the other posters, I have booked a couple of recent cruises directly with Princess that were past passenger specials, and did not see anything even close with TA's, including comparing with the big on-line TA's. I compare closely on a case-by-case basis.

 

Did you give them your Captain Circle Number when you asked for a quote? Or did you purely just look at online websites?

[caribill]

Like some of the other posters, I have booked a couple of recent cruises directly with Princess that were past passenger specials, and did not see anything even close with TA's, including comparing with the big on-line TA's. I compare closely on a case-by-case basis.

 

And the past passenger specials are available to you through any TA.