Question about price drops - New to Princess

[parddr]

We are planning a trip in February with the family. If I book now as to get the cabins we want how does Princess work when it comes to price drops. Do you get them in refunds, onboard credit or not at all? I know that RCCL gives you better cabins if they have them. Thanks in advance.

[-Lew-]

With Princess you'll need to monitor cruise fares yourself. When you see one for the category you're booked in, you'll need to contact Princess or your TA, if you're working with one, to request a fare reduction. If it's prior to final payment, it should be no problem at all, your final payment amount will be adjusted to reflect your new fare.

 

Lew

[Mom33]

Any price drops before final payment appeared as deductions to the cruise fare on my bill.:)

[Suzy'Q]

My upcoming cruise never had a 'price drop' per se, but I was able to take advantage of a sale price (twice). I had to cancel and re-book, so I'd receive a new confirmation with a new booking # and the new price. I was able to keep the same cabin.

[livinforcruisin]

We are planning a trip in February with the family. If I book now as to get the cabins we want how does Princess work when it comes to price drops. Do you get them in refunds, onboard credit or not at all? I know that RCCL gives you better cabins if they have them. Thanks in advance.

 

If you are from the UK you cannot get any price drop once you have booked. Nor will you receive refunds or OBC :(

[Astro Flyer]

Since Princess has implemented the 'non-refundable, non-transferable' deposit requirement for their 'sale' prices, you'd loose your deposit to cancel & rebook. So you need to consider if that's beneficial for you & results in a good enough price reduction to cancel & rebook before final payment. If you do it, then it's a new reservation number & I know from experience that all shore excursions booked have to be rebooked but I don't know if you could loose your existing cabin, dining room reservations & possibly some OBC. Many variables to consider before making the decison about what works best for each of us. ;)

 

Before this 'NR-NT' requirement was added, you could simply contact your TA or Princess if booked with them to have your price lowered before final payment. My recent experiences have been that if it's a 'non-sale' price reduction & you contact your booking agent then Princess will re-fare it for you to the lower price without the need to cancel, rebook & to loose your deposit.

 

I've never seen a price reduction after final payment that wasn't a 'flash' sale offered closer to sailing but for new bookings only. After final payment you'd probably loose too much by canceling & rebooking with a 'flash' sale fare if it's even possible to do.

[we2ding]

Since Princess has implemented the 'non-refundable, non-transferable' deposit requirement for their 'sale' prices, you'd loose your deposit to cancel & rebook. So you need to consider if that's beneficial for you & results in a good enough price reduction to cancel & rebook before final payment. If you do it, then it's a new reservation number & I know from experience that all shore excursions booked have to be rebooked but I don't know if you could loose your existing cabin, dining room reservations & possibly some OBC. Many variables to consider before making the decison about what works best for each of us. ;)

 

Before this 'NR-NT' requirement was added, you could simply contact your TA or Princess if booked with them to have your price lowered before final payment. My recent experiences have been that if it's a 'non-sale' price reduction & you contact your booking agent then Princess will re-fare it for you to the lower price without the need to cancel, rebook & to loose your deposit.

 

I've never seen a price reduction after final payment that wasn't a 'flash' sale offered closer to sailing but for new bookings only. After final payment you'd probably loose too much by canceling & rebooking with a 'flash' sale fare if it's even possible to do.

I am a first time cruiser and I bought a "Flash Fare". Does that mean I can re fare if the price goes down?

[-Lew-]

 

I am a first time cruiser and I bought a "Flash Fare". Does that mean I can re fare if the price goes down?

Yes, you can. However, you'll need to evaluate the terms and conditions in effect at the time of the price drop to determine whether taking advantage of the lower fare makes financial sense.

 

Lew

[PescadoAmarillo]

I specifically asked this question of Princess during the Fathers Day sale, which had non-refundable deposits. I was told that a price drop up to final payment where it didn't have to be a new booking (ie non-FLASH sales) could be received. So, the price can be lowered; the booking can be cancelled butthe deposit (where cash or FCC) will be forfeited.

[compozer]

There are many people who post on CC that they got OBC's with a price drop after final payment. The rules say no so I don't understand how they allow it. WHy would a company give money back when they have stated you don't get it. Isn't it the their way of generating more business, not changing existing bookings.

 

Maybe I'm just jealous since we have never received one. We book early (good prices) and a location that usually sells out first.

 

We use AMEX-Plat for the perks and I did talk to my TA just the other day about one of our cruises this fall that came down a little. We would have to cancel, and then reapply but with the promotions that we received thru AMEX, I don't want to risk having them cancel any of them. It just wasn't worth it.

 

I also wonder how much work it is for the TA's. I read where someone had four price drops. They were in an inside so I wonder if the TA even made any money on it. If I was one, I don't know if I'd be real happy if a client called me every month and asked me to check prices. My TA is great and I really don't want to cause her extra work just to save $100. I get great perks from her and want to continue receiving them.

[dorisis]

A really good travel agent can monitor prices and can also fight to get any reductions or some other type of compensation for you if prices drop no matter what conditions princess claims.

~Doris~

[caribill]

There are many people who post on CC that they got OBC's with a price drop after final payment. The rules say no so I don't understand how they allow it.

 

Some price reductions after final payment date are not restricted to new bookings only. In this case, there should be no problem getting such a reduction.

 

However, most price reductions after final payment date are flash sales which do not permit price reductions for past passengers.

[ttnc4me]

... If I was one, I don't know if I'd be real happy if a client called me every month and asked me to check prices. My TA is great and I really don't want to cause her extra work just to save $100. I get great perks from her and want to continue receiving them.

I'd love to get great perks from my TA that total more than $100 for an inside booking! I'd call my TA to save $25 never the less $100. Heck, I would respect a really good TA to monitor prices for me & call ME when they drop.:)

[Astro Flyer]

I specifically asked this question of Princess during the Fathers Day sale, which had non-refundable deposits. I was told that a price drop up to final payment where it didn't have to be a new booking (ie non-FLASH sales) could be received. So, the price can be lowered; the booking can be cancelled butthe deposit (where cash or FCC) will be forfeited.

Before the Father's Day sale I already had a non-refundable, non-transferable' deposit on a cruise. The FD sale price was lower & my TA tried to get them to lower it to the sale price but they refused to do it unless I canceled & rebooked. She did get them to 'upgrade' us to a cabin with a sale price that was the same as our existing price for a lower category of cabin.

 

Previously for the same NR-NT deposit cruise, my TA got it re-fared after a general price reduction that wasn't part of a sale promotion.

 

That's just been my experiences with 2 cruises later this year that are now both NR-NT. Shortly after Princess added the NR-NT stipulation my TA got them to waive losing our deposit to get a lower sale price. However she couldn't get them to waive it again so until final payment we'll hope to find a non-sale price drop to get a lower fare. :)

[flamomo]

I book directly with Princess, and have called and gotten our fares reduced during sales a number of times on booked cruises (before final payment date). On one cruise, we got our fares reduced twice. A fare reduction always feels good. LOL!

[Coral]

I also wonder how much work it is for the TA's. I read where someone had four price drops. They were in an inside so I wonder if the TA even made any money on it. If I was one, I don't know if I'd be real happy if a client called me every month and asked me to check prices. My TA is great and I really don't want to cause her extra work just to save $100. I get great perks from her and want to continue receiving them.

 

My TA encourages me to call and check for price reductions. While she routinely checks for price drops for people (especially if someone finds something, she checks others) - but with the amount of clients she has, she can't always catch everything. My TA wants me to get the best price and is happy when my price decreases. It takes her all of 2 minutes. And I call her if I see a $30 reduction. When I booked insides, I called and had her reduce those also. And I get great service and perks also! I would not use a TA who is annoyed by this.

[Coral]

There are many people who post on CC that they got OBC's with a price drop after final payment. The rules say no so I don't understand how they allow it. WHy would a company give money back when they have stated you don't get it. Isn't it the their way of generating more business, not changing existing bookings.

 

.

 

Some travel agents may be confused with Princess's new pricing rules. With other lines, instead of discounting they give OBC which is often the equivalent of what a discount would be. Some TAs may give OBC instead of discounting.

 

Otherwise, with Princess, price reductions are back on the credit card. Other lines can be different.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Before the Father's Day sale I already had a non-refundable, non-transferable' deposit on a cruise. The FD sale price was lower & my TA tried to get them to lower it to the sale price but they refused to do it unless I canceled & rebooked. She did get them to 'upgrade' us to a cabin with a sale price that was the same as our existing price for a lower category of cabin.

 

Previously for the same NR-NT deposit cruise, my TA got it re-fared after a general price reduction that wasn't part of a sale promotion.

 

That's just been my experiences with 2 cruises later this year that are now both NR-NT. Shortly after Princess added the NR-NT stipulation my TA got them to waive losing our deposit to get a lower sale price. However she couldn't get them to waive it again so until final payment we'll hope to find a non-sale price drop to get a lower fare. :)

Interesting. I got the name of the CSR that I spoke with because I wondered about this. We did re-book two cruises to be NR-NT and, to date, the prices haven't dropped below their level so I haven't tried out what I was told. There are other cruises where we were already paying less or we are questioning whether we'll actually take them that I didn't re-fare to the NR-NT price.

[SueFrankuk]

Hi there Livinforcruisin in the UK you can now cancel and rebook if the price changes over 6 months before sailing, I know this is rubbish compared with our friends in the USA but a small step forward.

[pablo222]

I specifically asked this question of Princess during the Fathers Day sale, which had non-refundable deposits. I was told that a price drop up to final payment where it didn't have to be a new booking (ie non-FLASH sales) could be received. So, the price can be lowered; the booking can be cancelled butthe deposit (where cash or FCC) will be forfeited.

 

If you book with a FCC, and then cancel to rebook at a lower fare.

 

I wonder if Princess will be satisfied with the FCC deposit, or

would try and collect the 'regular' full deposit on the first cruise...

[Coral]

Hi there Livinforcruisin in the UK you can now cancel and rebook if the price changes over 6 months before sailing, I know this is rubbish compared with our friends in the USA but a small step forward.

 

Definitely a step forward! Glad to hear it!

[janacin]

With Princess you'll need to monitor cruise fares yourself. When you see one for the category you're booked in, you'll need to contact Princess or your TA, if you're working with one, to request a fare reduction. If it's prior to final payment, it should be no problem at all, your final payment amount will be adjusted to reflect your new fare.

 

Lew

 

I was told by my TA that the "red white and blue" price drops available this weekend are for new bookings only. As I have not made final payment on my booking yet, I called Princess to confirm this and they said that it was true but I could cancel and re-book but I would loose my deposit. Does that sound right to you?

[caribill]

I was told by my TA that the "red white and blue" price drops available this weekend are for new bookings only. As I have not made final payment on my booking yet, I called Princess to confirm this and they said that it was true but I could cancel and re-book but I would loose my deposit. Does that sound right to you?

 

Only if you had booked the cruise you already have under a similar promotion that, like the current sale, has the deposit being non-refundable.

 

By the way, if you do cancel and re-book:

o If you had a specific cabin, you may not get it assigned to you again.

o Any Princess shore excursions booked will be cancelled and you will need to book them again.

o If you had Traditional dining confirmed, it may be waitlist only when you rebook.

[sparty1]

Another question: do you really forfeit ur deposit in this scenario if you have travel insurance?

Only if you had booked the cruise you already have under a similar promotion that, like the current sale, has the deposit being non-refundable.

 

By the way, if you do cancel and re-book:

o If you had a specific cabin, you may not get it assigned to you again.

o Any Princess shore excursions booked will be cancelled and you will need to book them again.

o If you had Traditional dining confirmed, it may be waitlist only when you rebook.

[caribill]

Another question: do you really forfeit ur deposit in this scenario if you have travel insurance?

 

If you cancel the cruise, you are also cancelling the travel insurance, at least if the insurance is from Princess.

 

If you have non-Princess travel insurance you will have to see what the policy says, but you will not get the cost of the insurance refunded if they are paying you something.