price drop 2 weeks out???!!!!!

[only1deejay]

princess.com dropped prices again on my cruise....sooo the folks that booked 1 year ago get stiffed???? since my cruise is paid in full??? princess should do the right thing and credit my account since I booked with them directly...I can't cancel and re-book down to the wire here. ideas??? thanks.

 

updated pricing:

balcony 179

 

mini 249

 

ocean 159

 

inside 129 WOW!!!!

[Pam in CA]

Ideas? In the future, use a good TA who books a lot of Princess cruises and chances are, you'll pay pretty close to possible fare reductions or promotions. Princess sometimes has "Flash" promotions for new bookings only. You take a chance if you wait until almost the last minute in case there will be a Flash promotion and it's likely, cabin choices are not the best. There are no guarantees there will be a last-minute promotion.

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

Happens all the time to us folks over here, my up and coming cruise is dropping almost weekly, nothing I can do about it,

 

yours Shogun

[icat2000]

Down in Oz you probably won't get the price discount anyway. That's chance you take booking earlier to booking last minute.

[Urban trekker]

They forgot to add this to the end of their post - if the price went up two weeks out after final payment they would only be too happy to pay the higher price.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[gdisney]

They forgot to add this to the end of their post - if the price went up two weeks out after final payment they would only be too happy to pay the higher price.

 

I hear what you're saying, but I think folks are getting tired of the whole sense of 'gambling' when it comes to when and what to book.

[KruzPrincess]

I don't know what you paid for your two night cruise, but this happens when they need to fill up the cabins. Imagine how you'd feel if you'd paid thouands of dollars for a cruise. When you make future plans, you can't predict if the ship will be sold out or not sold. You can wait until the last minute to book next time and hope there's space and that you'll be happy with the cabin you get. Princess will sometimes let up upgrade to a higher category cabin for the same money and that makes it better. Some cruise lines won't even do that.

 

Hope yo have fun on your cruise.

[robgvic]

This happens all the time. I got an email from princess with the same prices and am actually thinking of taking the golden on a two day from san francisco to vancouver for $69. They are wanting to fill up the ship. I would even be willing to pay the 129 as that is only 65 a day. Where else can you travel and eat and sleep for $65 a day

[AKman2495]

I hear what you're saying, but I think folks are getting tired of the whole sense of 'gambling' when it comes to when and what to book.

 

I don't follow your argument. Initially, they charge what they charge. As the sail date gets closer they look to see how things are going. If they are slow they cut the price to sell the remaining cabins.

 

It is only gambling if you have something to lose. If you are fairly certain the price will drop and you really have no concern for where you will be on the ship then you can't lose to wait to book. Of course, if you wait too long, you might get shut out, but that is a risk you can avoid.

 

However, if are are particular about the kind of stateroom you want and if you are will to pay the price then book when you want and don't worry about it.

[gdisney]

I don't follow your argument. Initially, they charge what they charge. As the sail date gets closer they look to see how things are going. If they are slow they cut the price to sell the remaining cabins.

 

It is only gambling if you have something to lose. If you are fairly certain the price will drop and you really have no concern for where you will be on the ship then you can't lose to wait to book. Of course, if you wait too long, you might get shut out, but that is a risk you can avoid.

 

However, if are are particular about the kind of stateroom you want and if you are will to pay the price then book when you want and don't worry about it.

 

Wasn't really an argument per se, only pointing out that it's a guess as to what will happen with prices after you book. They might go up. They might go down. It's sort of like gambling, imo. You might find it would have saved money to wait for a special offer. No way to know for sure, and of course as you said, if folks are particular about their stateroom, then might as well book when it feels right to do so, otherwise they could lose out in cabin choice.

[caribill]

I don't follow your argument. Initially, they charge what they charge. As the sail date gets closer they look to see how things are going. If they are slow they cut the price to sell the remaining cabins.

 

It is only gambling if you have something to lose. If you are fairly certain the price will drop and you really have no concern for where you will be on the ship then you can't lose to wait to book. Of course, if you wait too long, you might get shut out, but that is a risk you can avoid.

 

However, if are are particular about the kind of stateroom you want and if you are will to pay the price then book when you want and don't worry about it.

 

Just like booking an airline seat.

[MICHIGAN MAMA]

princess.com dropped prices again on my cruise....sooo the folks that booked 1 year ago get stiffed???? since my cruise is paid in full??? princess should do the right thing and credit my account since I booked with them directly...I can't cancel and re-book down to the wire here. ideas??? thanks.

 

updated pricing:

balcony 179

 

mini 249

 

ocean 159

 

inside 129 WOW!!!!

 

 

Have you tried calling Princess and letting them know there is a price drop on your catagory cabin and asking if you can get the price reduction? I've done this many times even after final payment is made. They always credit my account. If you are booked with a TA, then the TA must call Princess. Good luck. All it takes is a phone call.

[AKman2495]

Just like booking an airline seat.

 

 

Exactly.

[AKman2495]

Wasn't really an argument per se, only pointing out that it's a guess as to what will happen with prices after you book. They might go up. They might go down. It's sort of like gambling, imo. You might find it would have saved money to wait for a special offer. No way to know for sure, and of course as you said, if folks are particular about their stateroom, then might as well book when it feels right to do so, otherwise they could lose out in cabin choice.

 

No disagreement. I was curious about the comment that people are getting tired of the whole sense of 'gambling'. In any pricing game where you have a fixed amount of items available, pricing will always be a gamble. dont' see how it could be any different.

[EdmPair]

If I lived in a home port and could book vacations on a weeks notice with work, I would gamble and save. However, that does not happen. If I wait it is not just the cruise that has to have space when I decide to commit but also the air and hotels. Trying to save on all three at once would give me a heart attack and if it does not work I spend my holiday time at home. Guess that would save me the most money. Tee hee.

 

We each decide how much to risk to save money and for cruises I can not shop too much.

[jpthomas27]

I hear what you're saying, but I think folks are getting tired of the whole sense of 'gambling' when it comes to when and what to book.

 

I like saving money as much as anyone but am confused by cruise passengers in general feeling as though they have some kind of right to a price drop.

 

It's not gambling, it's capitalism! Supply and demand people, we take this chance every time we buy something.

 

Think about everything in life that you have ever bought and think about whether or not that particular company would have given you a price reduction if the price went down 6 months later.

 

Think about it... A car?...Nope, A house?...Nope, Airline tickets?...Not a chance, A Hotel?...probabably not. Every cell phone, TV or computer drops in price with in month of it's release to the market, but they don't adjust prices for those that bought it when it was released.

 

Don't get me wrong, I've taken advantage of price drops in the past, but I've also been told I'm not eligiable at times...just the qay it goes. I've learned to research best times for making big purchase to minimize the chance I'll over pay. Cars, cruises, hotels, air line tickets and things like this all have good and bad times to buy, never a guarantee, but you can certainly hedge your bets.

[Tralynn]

princess.com dropped prices again on my cruise....sooo the folks that booked 1 year ago get stiffed???? since my cruise is paid in full??? princess should do the right thing and credit my account since I booked with them directly...I can't cancel and re-book down to the wire here. ideas??? thanks.

 

updated pricing:

balcony 179

 

mini 249

 

ocean 159

 

inside 129 WOW!!!!

Just try to remind yourself that you were happy with your price a year ago......

[OCruisers]

Ideas? In the future, use a good TA who books a lot of Princess cruises and chances are, you'll pay pretty close to possible fare reductions or promotions. Princess sometimes has "Flash" promotions for new bookings only. You take a chance if you wait until almost the last minute in case there will be a Flash promotion and it's likely, cabin choices are not the best. There are no guarantees there will be a last-minute promotion.

 

Pam .... All of what you posted above is so very true! Thanks for saying what I would have.

[lovevacadays]

I hear what you're saying, but I think folks are getting tired of the whole sense of 'gambling' when it comes to when and what to book.

 

I don't think it's any more gambling than booking airflights which change all the time or hotels which can change as well. Part of the travel industry - supply, demand, promos.

[gdisney]

No disagreement. I was curious about the comment that people are getting tired of the whole sense of 'gambling'. In any pricing game where you have a fixed amount of items available, pricing will always be a gamble. dont' see how it could be any different.

 

Yeah, I can see your point.

[Matcodixon]

I am the kind of person that plans far in advance. Primarily because I have to. My wife and I both still work full time and we have to put in for vacation time far in advance. That said, when i book a cruise, I book what we want at a price we are happy with.

That said, so far we have had 3 price reductions that have saved us over $1000 off the original booking and could not be happier. If, after payment, there is another "price drop", as opposed to a "flash sale" or "new bookings only" sale, I will contact my TA to see if we can take advantage of it.. If not, We are already more than happy! If so, so much the better. We will not cancel and re book to take advantage of the "Flash or New Booking" sales, as it would also mean cancelling our Air as well as paying a penalty. Not worth it to me.

 

Key note here. When I first booked, I was happy with the price we paid. Nothing will change that. We are too excited about our Mediterranean cruise!!:D

[cherylandtk]

princess.com dropped prices again on my cruise....sooo the folks that booked 1 year ago get stiffed???? since my cruise is paid in full??? princess should do the right thing and credit my account since I booked with them directly...I can't cancel and re-book down to the wire here. ideas??? thanks.

That's the repo from SF to Vancouver, right? Next time book at the two week time frame to get the new lower price, but realize that a)you may not get on the ship if the demand is higher next time and b) the room choice is limited that close to sailing. Have cake and eat it too sort of thing.;)