Is Princess site accurate about number of cabins sold out?

[vmom]

When we look at cabins available on the Princess site, it shows that category type as sold out ( inside cabin for 3 ) ...but when I look up the identical cruise on a TA internet site that we have used in the past, it shows a number of cabins (inside cabins sleep 3) still available along with cabin numbers.

 

It seems odd that Princess would show that category of cabins as sold out, where as the TA site shows cabins as available?

 

Is this typical?

[cherylandtk]

It may be that the TA has those cabins as part of a group booking and they are only available through that particular TA.

[Ashland]

It may be that the TA has those cabins as part of a group booking and they are only available through that particular TA.

Any idea if this is ever the case..when TA's have to release them back to the cruiseline ?

[Barry H]

TA's that have blocks of cabins booked must release unsold cabins before the final payment date, usually 75 or 90 days prior to sailing. I don't know the exact practice but would expect unsold cabins to be returned 120 days before the cruise.

[JulShut]

I found the website to be inaccurate. I looked up the available cabins on the website and the price. I didn't want to book using my credit card because of the surcharge so I rang Princess direct and told them the category I wanted. They gave me a cabin which was not shown as available on the website and they quoted a higher fare ($200) I told the young lady that the website was cheaper so she said she'd check. After a few minutes she came back, apologised and gave me the cheaper fare. :confused:

[Rhitson88]

I am pretty sure it is inaccurate. I found out that when Princess "sells out" a certain room, they mark it as sold out on the website. But after doing upgrades and a whole bunch of shifting around up top, they do not update their website again. Regardless what anyone says, there are usually some rooms up until about a week before the cruise.

[compozer]

But after doing upgrades and a whole bunch of shifting around up top, they do not update their website again. .

 

YES they do. I've been watching our Christmas cruise and check every few days and just about every category was sold out BUT after final payment, there were many that popped up as available.

 

So, I assume many TA's turned cabins in but also, with this being an expensive cruise, many people on our roll call said several members of their family decided that it was too much with the economy in the state it is.

[Stevesan]

I am pretty sure it is inaccurate. I found out that when Princess "sells out" a certain room, they mark it as sold out on the website. But after doing upgrades and a whole bunch of shifting around up top, they do not update their website again. Regardless what anyone says, there are usually some rooms up until about a week before the cruise.

 

That "anyone" must include you. :p

[cherylandtk]

I found the website to be inaccurate. I looked up the available cabins on the website and the price... They gave me a cabin which was not shown as available on the website.. :confused:

Unless you were checking specific cabin numbers, the Princess website never shows ALL available cabins, just the top six. OP was in a bit different situation, where there were no cabins to show as the top six.

[vmom]

What happened is we had an inside room for 3 booked but it was next to the elevator, so I have been periodically checking to see if a better location cabin would come available. We are today now 70 days from sail date but I have been doing this checking for the last 3-4 weeks before final payment date...

 

Princess has been showing all inside cabins for 3 as sold out and has been for several days. I went onto the website for the agency I booked with and there were at least 10 available inside cabins for 3 available, most were not an improvement to the location we already had...but after several days of checking a better location cabin opened up (on Friday) so I called and had our location moved (same category, just more midship and not behind and elevator). Interestingly on Friday, Princess was showing this as sold out and again on Saturday, cabins for 3 inside as sold out. The TA website still has several available inside cabins available and now even lists the one that we gave up for our new location cabin.

 

This leads me to believe that for some reason, Princess does not list on their website all available cabins and in fact it is possible that when the Princess website is showing a category as sold out, but there may be cabins still available. I wonder if it is to try to sell out more of the cabins in a category they have more available cabins in.

 

I have also noticed that during some of the Princess sales, there have been cabin categories that are listed as sold out, but other sites show cabins still available. I wonder if it is to encourage bookings in cabin categories that are not selling as quickly as they want???

[cherylandtk]

If you were checking for new bookings for three, keep in mind that Princess also has limits on occupancy over two when capacities are close to being maximized. Meaning a room that holds three won't show up if you search for a room for three, but it will if you search for a room for two.

 

My next cruise has been sold out for three/four for months now, but there is plenty of room for doubles.

 

As for the sales, yes, they limit the categories to specific cabin types during the sale. That has been seen and reported many times.

[bighairtexan]

As stated above, I tried to add a third person to a cabin which showed a capacity for 3. It was for a Thanksgiving cruise and it was a few weeks before sail date. I was unable to do it because the ship had met it's capacity for staterooms holding over 2 pax. All other cabins could only be sold as doubles no matter how many berths. TA told me it had reached its max capacity allowed by the Coast Guard (or some sea faring agency). In other words, the ship is not allowed to sail w/ every single bed filled.

[vmom]

I understand that and applaud Princess for avoiding overcrowding on a ship. One reason we appreciate Princess so much.

 

What I wondered tho, is when I went through the process of trying to find out what cabins were available I went through it as if making a new booking for three people on a TA internet site and it showed several cabins. I went through the booking all the way to the point of putting in credit card info before I stopped.

 

Is it likely that at that point the reservation would have been refused by Princess from a TA?

 

I am just really curious about how the process works. I am very thankful for all the advice I receieved here on this site a few weeks ago when I was trying to decide whether to go ahead and book a cabin or to wait to find out whether some friends of ours were going with us (in which case we would have needed 3 cabins for 2 rather than one cabin for three).

 

Thank you to all the wonderful cruisers who advised me that Princess limits the number of third and fourth passengers on a sailing and advising me to go ahead and make the reservation. I am so glad I listened to your great advice.

[Denali2003]

Where on the Princess site can you find this information? I hear people talking about it all the time, but don't know where it is.

Thank you!

[Shelly97060]

Where on the Princess site can you find this information? I hear people talking about it all the time, but don't know where it is.

 

Thank you!

 

You have to go to the search for cruises section on the Princess website and then go through the steps as if you are going to book. Once you pick the room cat. you are interested in looking at it will show you what rooms are left ( max of 6 will be shown, so you have no idea if there are more than that).