Carribean Prices Sky High...What's P&O's game!

[hammers]

We are looking to book a Carribean cruise on Azura or Ventura in late February/early March and the prices are changing by the second. I have never seen the prices so high so near the departure dates. Just checked a couple of popular cruise agents and they are asking £1599 for an inside cabin:eek: Also on the 3rd March departure, all the Gatwick flights have gone, only offering Manchester or Glasgow at a supplement. We were on the Ventura at the end of November and people told us they only paid £799, I cannot believe the prices have doubled within a few month's.

 

Are P&O trying out a new tactic to drive up prices similar to the low cost airlines, book early to get the best price?

 

All I can do is to hold my nerve and hope the prices start to drop soon.

[laurakdy]

The £1599 sounds about right for a 14/15 night caribbean cruise, including flights...

Finding it hard to believe that someone got it for £799, unless it didnt include flights...

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

As you are probably aware, P&O changed their pricing policy earlier this year. Travel agents apparently receive a straight 5% commission and are not allowed to discount cruises. This was to prevent price wars amongst travel agents. P&O now control the price, but the proof of the pudding will be, customers paying high prices for cruises or the ships sailing half empty..........only time will tell.

[cclarke12]

The £1599 sounds about right for a 14/15 night caribbean cruise, including flights...

Finding it hard to believe that someone got it for £799, unless it didnt include flights...

 

There were quite a lot of deals well under £1000 being offered before Xmas on Ventura and Azura (we were bombarded with emails, particulary for the early December sailings) and they definitely included the charter flights. There certainly seem to be far fewer post Xmas deals other than the transatlantic bargains sailing back to Southampton but event those prices are going up again.

[terrierjohn]

There were quite a lot of deals well under £1000 being offered before Xmas on Ventura and Azura (we were bombarded with emails, particulary for the early December sailings) and they definitely included the charter flights. There certainly seem to be far fewer post Xmas deals other than the transatlantic bargains sailing back to Southampton but event those prices are going up again.

Traditionally end of Nov/early Dec is the low point for Carib. cruises, whilst Feb/March is the high level.

This is due to poor demand after thanksgiving until Xmas/New year cruises, and the US spring break holidays in Feb/March.

And, although P&O is purely UK based, their prices do tend reflect the demand patterns set by US cruisers, and the US based cruise lines.

Sorry but you seem to have missed the boat.

Please forgive the pun.

[Aussie One]

I have said all along P&O are not a cheap cruise company they depend on the loyality of pass cruisers a balcony option is more exspensive than other cruise companys there liquor price is a draw card but a old saying wait untill you get the cost of the ice.

[hammers]

The £1599 sounds about right for a 14/15 night caribbean cruise, including flights...

Finding it hard to believe that someone got it for £799, unless it didnt include flights...

 

This price did include flights from Gatwick. At the time, the prices were being advertised in the national press as £899, this then quickly changed to call for best price. The young guy said he was calling the agent on numous occassions until the price hit the rock bottom price of £799 for an inside cabin, flying from Gatwick. The couple had to drive in from Wales to Gatwick, but for this price they were more than happy to travel the extra mile. This was for the departure date of 19th November 2011.

[Thejuggler]

November is always cheaper for winter breaks. We used to go to India and the Far East at that time of year to benefit from lower prices.

[cruiseluvva]

The £799 quote would obviously be a very late bargain - if there are lots of berths to fill, they'll reduce the price - if not - well, they won't.

 

Personally, I think £1599 is still a pretty good price - it's about what we paid for the Caribbean 11 years ago! I always think of P&O as one of the cheaper cruise lines - and good value for money.

[laurakdy]

Totally agree with that statement...We went on the barbados cruise last year in November and we paid a 'fair' price for it...

Some are saying its cheapest then, I dont belive that to be the case at all...Our ship was full...

 

We also booked up 14 months in advance and I was constantly looking and checking to see if there were any cheaper deals nearer the time and there definitely wasnt...

 

I think people are just obsessed with getting something for nothing, or in fact someone else getting it cheaper but I dont think that is the case anymore...Noone in any kind of business, big or small can give away something for nothing these days...

 

The biggest bonus on P & O was drink prices were amazing, gratuities were cheapest Ive ever paid and not having 15% added to everything...Spent less than half then on any other cruise and it was marvellous :D

[Essexlass2]

The £799 quote would obviously be a very late bargain - if there are lots of berths to fill, they'll reduce the price - if not - well, they won't.

 

Personally, I think £1599 is still a pretty good price - it's about what we paid for the Caribbean 11 years ago! I always think of P&O as one of the cheaper cruise lines - and good value for money.

 

The pre-Christmas cruise on Azura was being sold during the final two weeks at £599 for inside cabins including the flights from Gatwick, yet still the ship was not full. We had booked the previous April and were allocated a cabin balcony on deck C (double size balcony) for £1,499pp which we thought was a reasonable price for what we got. As Cruiseluvva says, we were all paying that sort of price many years ago.

 

We would all like the bargain of the century but many of us also know that we can still get a fair deal bearing everything in mind and we would certainly go with P&O again.

[daiB]

If the prices are that high then the ship is quite full. Remember it is still 6 weeks off so its not exactly last minute.

 

If the ship is full then no offers....'simples'.

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

:cool:

 

 

Dai