Australians getting charged more for the same thing?

[Kiwi Kruzer]

In case you missed it , theres a thread on the Holland America board

about the difference in prices between N America and Australia.

 

Australians getting charged more for the same thing?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1506293

[icat2000]

Ahhh the great Australian rip off. Another cruise line who thinks we are a cash cow that won't complain.

[oysterfiend]

In case you missed it , theres a thread on the Holland America board

about the difference in prices between N America and Australia.

 

Australians getting charged more for the same thing?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1506293

Go on Carnival- Price will be the same except for currency conversion

[bronte2]

I've had an interesting experience on the internet with P&O UK.

 

Browsing during lunch at work one day, I came across a segment of a 2013 World cruise that appealed to me (dreaming). The price was showing as GBP6000 roughly for a 51 day cruise in a balcony (gulp).

 

When i came home I thought I would show this to DH so we could dream. The P&O site came up on our home PC showing all cruises in AUD but sold out in all categories.

 

I rang P&O here in Sydney and was told no it wasn't sold out, the price was $12000. Checked with my TA and was quoted the same price. This means that with an approximate conversion from GBP to AUD the price should be around $9000 give or take a few hundred. instead we are getting quoted $12000 odd.

 

It seems a big difference and that is taking into account our past passenger discount!

 

I can't work out why my work PC is showing all cruises in GBP and home AUD but that's another story. The price difference is rather daunting though.:eek:

[shieldsboy]

I can't work out why my work PC is showing all cruises in GBP and home AUD but that's another story. The price difference is rather daunting though.:eek:

 

When a PC is connected to the Internet it is "recognised" by its IP number.

 

This number, in the format aaaa.bbbb.cccc.dddd (for example 172.15.68.23), is allocated by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) who is issued a range of numbers.

 

The ranges allocated determine the country of use, and so, when you connect to a website, the website can identify where you are located.

 

Unfortunately the shipping lines have now decided to use this information to determine which prices they will provide to you and "hide" the prices they are offering to citizens of other countries.

 

So, for example, if you connect to Princess.Com from Australia you will get Australian prices, whilst if you connect to Princess.com from America you will get the US $ prices - which often are significantly less.

 

As for your office PC - if you work for an international company it may be that your company has been allocated a range of IP numbers which identify the user as coming from the the country of the head office, which may be different from the country in which your office is located.

 

I hope this helps

 

Don

[nenasmum]

Hi

Just checked the price for the RCL cruise I booked with my US agent last month on the Aus RCL website. The currnet price is $712 more than I am paying and I have an on board credit and the complete refund cancellation policy that US agents offer. I have just returned from 4 US based cruisers on 3 differnt lines- Carnival. RCL and Disney and would not dream of paying the premium to book them in Australia.

I also asked about the prices of the Carnival Spirit 14 day NZ cruises when I was on board in Alaska and was shocked at the prices. It rermains as cheap for us to cruise overseas- in US , Asia or Europe , as we do each year-and to pay the airfare for 3 - than it would be to just cruise without the airfare in Australia. Jennie

[K-Roo-Zers]

Once bitten twice shy - we booked a Princess cruise, 14 day full transit of the Panama Canal, in a mini (first time), via our local TA. Imagine my disgust how sick I felt when I found exactly the same cabin, via a US agent for less than half price - we paid almost $12,000 and the US price was $4,500 and that was when the dollar was under parity!!!!

 

I vowed never again, and occasionally you will find a trip around Aus/NZ cheaper to purchase here with a local agent, but otherwise, we learned a lesson and now are not afraid to speak with US agents, mainly thanks to the help and encouragement of wonderful people on this board who, too, have been bitten and stung!!

[thied]

just been looking around at prices and spoke two agents one in the USA and one in Australia both big agents.

 

Celebrity Millennium 7 nights Alaska cruise

 

USA agent price twin share, inside cabin, us $ 799.00 plus tipping eg.

Australian agent twin share, inside cabin, oz $ 989.00 plus tipping eg.

 

USA agent twin share out side cabin , us $929.00 plus tipping eg.

Austain agent twin share out side cabin ,oz $1157.00 plus tipping eg.

 

 

 

 

both for the same cabin

[littlebluebook]

but how are we to pay these US prices? How do you find us agents if the websites don't allow us to see the US dollars for something?

 

I would be really interested in who people here use or how they found out? We are looking at booking holland america next year and while the prices are quite good if we can get them for better, why wouldn't we try? :D

 

thanks for your help! :)

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

Some shipping companies here won't allow us to book cruises with them via any overseas online Agent.

I'm not sure but I think Holland America won't let you book with any Agent outside your own country. I think I remember reading a thread about this somewhere.

 

Jilly

[MMDown Under]

Some shipping companies here won't allow us to book cruises with them via any overseas online Agent.

I'm not sure but I think Holland America won't let you book with any Agent outside your own country. I think I remember reading a thread about this somewhere.

 

Jilly

 

Yes, Holland America is one of the lines that won't let Australians buy their cruises overseas.

 

I originally was going to cruise with Holland America, but changed my mind to a line which allows Australians to buy cruises through overseas TAs.

[MMDown Under]

but how are we to pay these US prices? How do you find us agents if the websites don't allow us to see the US dollars for something?

 

I would be really interested in who people here use or how they found out? We are looking at booking holland america next year and while the prices are quite good if we can get them for better, why wouldn't we try? :D

 

thanks for your help! :)

 

This site doesn't allow us to name TAs, but if you ask around you'll find cruisers, who will be happy to recommend overseas TAs they have booked cruises through.

[littlebluebook]

thanks for all your replies!

We really like the holland america one, so its a shame we can't book it through the us, but i will keep it in mind for the next cruise!!

 

I just don't get why the price change, it certainly is unfair! :(

[littledaisychain]

Glad to find this thread, as it's been driving me CRAZY that the prices here seem so much more. I keep reading threads (obviously posted by Americans) and wondering how on earth they got such good deals.

 

It's at the point where I just don't think I can justify booking the cruise we want (RCI South Pacific). Does anyone know if RCI allow Australian customers to book via their US site? Or, I wish someone would magically tell me who to book through... ;)

[Debsta]

Glad to find this thread, as it's been driving me CRAZY that the prices here seem so much more. I keep reading threads (obviously posted by Americans) and wondering how on earth they got such good deals.

 

It's at the point where I just don't think I can justify booking the cruise we want (RCI South Pacific). Does anyone know if RCI allow Australian customers to book via their US site? Or, I wish someone would magically tell me who to book through... ;)

 

Yes you can. All of them. Just email. You can make dummy bookings also on many US sites to give you an idea. Just don't add your CC card and hit submit :D

 

But in saying that, sometimes the AU TA's have better deals. You need to shop around

[gbenjo]

Yes you can. All of them. Just email. You can make dummy bookings also on many US sites to give you an idea. Just don't add your CC card and hit submit :D

 

Unfortunately Debsta you can see the US pricing but cannot purchase, as they now ask for a US telephone number

 

I have in the last two years booked three cruises using a particular online US T/A and have not only got the American price ( which is usually a great deal less than Aus prices, but also their extras, which includes four or five hundred dollars in on board credits etc. Sadly I tried booking another cruise last week (Radiance of the Seas Top End in Feb ) but was not able to as I was not "registered" so was forced to pay the inflated non US rate which worked out to be about $100 less than the best Aus price we could find (after gratuities) I did ring them to check and was advised If I could "somehow (wink wink") register as a US resident with them I would still run the risk of the cruise line auditing my booking and making me pay the difference when checking in.

 

To me it is extremely dissapointing for the cruiselines to adopt this line of thinking and if, it is ,as they told me ,done to" protect Australian Commerce" then perhaps it is time, considering the increasing number of cruise ships operating from Australia now and the number of cabins they will need to fill ,the increase in competition for our bookings should force prices down.

 

Maybe, however, we ( Aussies / Kiwis )should not wait for the cruise lines to make a move instead perhaps we could, through this forum, compile a petition and make it known to them as a large group how we feel about this situation. After all when you think of it ,would it not be better for the cruise lines if we all took three cruises at a reduced price rather than two cruises at an inflated price given that they make an awful lot of money from alchohol ,excursions on board activities etc. not to mention the endless photos

 

Would love to hear everyones thoughts on this and whether this may have some effect

 

Gbenjo

[silverwillow]

I "openly" booked Celebrity and RCI cruises with a large US travel agent without any problem.

 

The first I booked a few months ago and received $300 on board credit and two bottles of wine, ability to cancel and get savings if the cruise price dropped as well as a very low deposit.

 

Unfortunately when I went to book the RCI one I was told they could no longer give us the on-board credit (It works on a points system for how many $$ you spend) because the cruise companies have informed them that they will not pay them their commission on overseas bookings. The deposit was still very low and I got $200 on board credit through the Wow sale so still see the benefits of booking with a US travel agent to be worthwhile.

 

Maybe, however, we ( Aussies / Kiwis )should not wait for the cruise lines to make a move instead perhaps we could, through this forum, compile a petition and make it known to them as a large group how we feel about this situation. After all when you think of it ,would it not be better for the cruise lines if we all took three cruises at a reduced price rather than two cruises at an inflated price given that they make an awful lot of money from alchohol ,excursions on board activities etc. not to mention the endless photos

 

I would definitely sign your petition I am fed up with the discrimination. I would personally rather purchase cruises from Australian based agents but it defies common sense to drop hundreds if not thousands of dollars on being faithful to your local economy. Nope sorry I am going to have to be faithful to my family and our bank balance!

 

 

Silverwillow (Willow is my Weimaraner)

[littledaisychain]

So I've done my research and all in all, I would only save around $100 by going with a US TA. So I think I'll stick with an Australian TA (or book direct with RCI but that's a whole other thread!).

 

Kind of frustrating as while I'm happy to support Australian businesses, I don't feel we get the same level of service than Americans get. Eg no onboard credits.

[aussiedisneyfan]

Unusual, but I got a better deal with an Aussie T/A, booked the Rhapsody 3 nighter next week and it was $100pp less than what the US T/As were offering, so that was a win. However when I went to look at prepurchasing some OBC (you cant with RCCL) since the $$ is high today, I discovered that those prices are AUD too and are higher than what the US counterparts pay. I will be waiting until I get onboard.

[rugbypopsie]

Gbenjo..if you were a existing client of an overseas T/A before the Dec 31st cutoff you should still be able to book the cruises that exclude aussies through that agent.

 

I would happily sign a petition too...but I have an alternative plan. I understand that the way the cruise lines prevent us from booking in US is to tell agent they wont pay the commission you will still be able to board...sometimes the price difference is so high I would be more than willing to pay the commission to the agent myself and still come out in front.

[silverwillow]

So I've done my research and all in all, I would only save around $100 by going with a US TA. So I think I'll stick with an Australian TA (or book direct with RCI but that's a whole other thread!).

 

Yes and you do have to watch prices as sometimes it is cheaper to get a deal via an Australian agent.

 

Out of curiosity I just went and added up our savings on our next cruise and we have saved $2620 over the cheapest Aussie agent.

[gbenjo]

Gbenjo..if you were a existing client of an overseas T/A before the Dec 31st cutoff you should still be able to book the cruises that exclude aussies through that agent.

 

I would happily sign a petition too...but I have an alternative plan. I understand that the way the cruise lines prevent us from booking in US is to tell agent they wont pay the commission you will still be able to board...sometimes the price difference is so high I would be more than willing to pay the commission to the agent myself and still come out in front.

 

Rugby Popsie No the previous customer bit did not work. I actually( by coincidence) got the same agent from my last booking and she had all my details but "the system " would not let her process the booking.She was really good about it and tried all she could and agreed it was not fair.

 

She did mention about the commission so maybe your idea may work but the threat of the cruise line auditing the booking is still there. I guess the chances of them actually doing the audit are reasonably slim but I don't know if I would take the risk especially as they seem to be policing this sort of thing more now.

 

Perhaps if everybody who planned doing two cruises in the next year could let the cruise line know that they were only doing one due to the "rip off" pricing then maybe they might take notice Its all about the bottom line.

[Whitemarsh]

She did mention about the commission so maybe your idea may work but the threat of the cruise line auditing the booking is still there. I guess the chances of them actually doing the audit are reasonably slim but I don't know if I would take the risk especially as they seem to be policing this sort of thing more now.

 

I haven't heard, or read anywhere, about passengers being denied boarding unless they stump up the difference between the low price charged to U.S passengers and the much higher price charged to Australians.

 

Yes, I've read that the TA may lose their commission if the cruise line finds out - and cares, but I've yet to come across a verified incident of where an Australian passenger is denied boarding and/or asked to pay the difference at the pier.

 

I have read articles in newspapers where Australian travel agents warn Australians not to purchase much cheaper cruises overseas, and scare them with threats of being denied boarding, but again, I've never read about it actually happening.

[thied]

I haven't heard, or read anywhere, about passengers being denied boarding unless they stump up the difference between the low price charged to U.S passengers and the much higher price charged to Australians. I would have to agree with you

 

Yes, I've read that the TA may lose their commission if the cruise line finds out - and cares, but I've yet to come across a verified incident of where an Australian passenger is denied boarding and/or asked to pay the difference at the pier.

 

I have read articles in newspapers where Australian travel agents warn Australians not to purchase much cheaper cruises overseas, and scare them with threats of being denied boarding, but again, I've never read about it actually happening.

 

I have read the same

[rugbypopsie]

There has never been a case anywhere that a passenger was denied boarding the only threat is to the agents commission.

 

Regarding having previously qualified as a client...I saw a letter in fact I did have a copy of it but it went with the hard drive on my old computer which stated that existing clients could remain clients of their overseas agency...has anyone still got a copy? You can prove you were a client before last Dec 31st so I would take it up with someone higher than the agent. Needs human intervention not a bland "system wont let me"...AAARGH

 

It is such a poor policy and with increased competition local prices should get better in fact I think they already are, but if the price in the US is better...well...or we will just switch to another cruise line without these ridiculous restraints on fair trade.