Getaway Fare - post here how close to sailing allocated cabin no.

[Essexlass2]

No, no news- still it is a bank holiday weekend, maybe tomorrow.

How do I add an emotive face?

Karen

 

Just click on one of the Smilies at the right-hand side of the page in your reply/posting box :D

[burnoutbabe]

My little mind is hoping "well they still have some balcomys to sell so they are waiting until THE BITTER END" before allocating us, in the hopes they give us a spare balcony"

 

but really, they probably bump up everyone who paid months ago lots of money, up to next level and then we just get whichever outside view is left.

 

but as i zero expectation of any outside view, i really don't care what deck, forward or aft, middle etc. So only really upgrade to me would be balcony over outside.

[Norfolk Brit]

but really, they probably bump up everyone who paid months ago lots of money, up to next level

 

Although I'm a getaway booker, I hope so. Seems only fair - trade off a much lower price for giving P&O the ability to slot you into what is left.

 

However, evidence of this seems thin on the ground.

 

Mary

[Cosmic Rays]

How does the allocation 'fairy' work for getaway fares - has anybody any idea? Is it possibly based on date booked and fare paid before the large eductions in fares were made.......or what?

[the english lady]

How does the allocation 'fairy' work for getaway fares - has anybody any idea? Is it possibly based on date booked and fare paid before the large eductions in fares were made.......or what?

the answer is no one knows. Anyone who booked vantage fare would get what their heart desires. I guess with getaway approx. 2 weeks from sailing (which is when everyone seems to get their allocation) someone flicks the switch on the computer and it slots everyone in. from what people have posted it seems to be the getaways that are being upgraded. I guess that is cos the vantage payers have picked the cabin they want.I guess it's possible that the upgrades are based on 1st booking gets the upgrade..People are still booking vantage ,regardless of what is written on here, so the bestest cabins in each grade would have already gone.

[jackieo]

Although I'm a getaway booker, I hope so. Seems only fair - trade off a much lower price for giving P&O the ability to slot you into what is left.

 

However, evidence of this seems thin on the ground.

 

Mary

 

I would say no to that. We booked months ago for a short 2 day cruise booked with a vantage fare. Met a lovely couple who booked a getaway fare two weeks out. We both paid for inside cabins. They got a deluxe balcony We got our inside room! I've no idea how they work that one out

 

You pay your money and take your chances. One lesson we have learnt is we will not book a vantage fare again.

[davecttr]

the answer is no one knows. Anyone who booked vantage fare would get what their heart desires. I guess with getaway approx. 2 weeks from sailing (which is when everyone seems to get their allocation) someone flicks the switch on the computer and it slots everyone in. from what people have posted it seems to be the getaways that are being upgraded. I guess that is cos the vantage payers have picked the cabin they want.I guess it's possible that the upgrades are based on 1st booking gets the upgrade..People are still booking vantage ,regardless of what is written on here, so the bestest cabins in each grade would have already gone.

 

This is something which needs changing. i would imagine that the thought of late cheap getaway cruisers ending up in much better grade cabins than full Vantage payers will irritate many. Paying up to several hundreds of pounds to book a specific cabin is extortionate.

 

they should offer specific high grade cabins to Vantage bookers on a book first basis and back fill the cheaper cabins with Getaway Fares. After all, that is what getaway fares are for, selling off cabins cheaply near the cruise. It is daft marketing if people realise that they will get a better cabin cheaper by playing chicken with P&O.

 

On my first cruise with P&O I was able to book a specific cabin with a guarantee and ended up with an excellent cabin 2 grades higher. now Getaway bookers get all those :mad:

[tillybilly321]

This is something which needs changing. i would imagine that the thought of late cheap getaway cruisers ending up in much better grade cabins than full Vantage payers will irritate many. Paying up to several hundreds of pounds to book a specific cabin is extortionate.

 

they should offer specific high grade cabins to Vantage bookers on a book first basis and back fill the cheaper cabins with Getaway Fares. After all, that is what getaway fares are for, selling off cabins cheaply near the cruise. It is daft marketing if people realise that they will get a better cabin cheaper by playing chicken with P&O.

 

On my first cruise with P&O I was able to book a specific cabin with a guarantee and ended up with an excellent cabin 2 grades higher. now Getaway bookers get all those :mad:

 

I couldn't agree with you more. Vantage bookers still had to opt OUT of the upgrade system, which I'm sure many didn't, as the actual cabin number was not that important to them.

 

How hard would it be for P&O to upgrade those customers first. It may have alleviated some of the bad feelings that these customers felt. A very easy and inexpensive way to win back some " brownie points " maybe.

 

The Vantage customers are now sailing with the knowledge that they have paid £100's or even £1000's more than the Getaways AND those that have paid less have also nabbed all the upgrades !!!!

 

This does seem very bad business practice to me.:confused:

 

Surely if there was the option of winning a few customers round, then they should try to do some damage limitation.

[burnoutbabe]

2 weeks today we sale and got my cabin today, outside on lowest deck (F) so pretty much the lowest grade :) which makes sense.

 

In the middle of the ship which i believe helps with sea sickness. And also on the side that is probably NOT going to face land when sailing round the baltic.

 

Ohhh and they did email me to tell me it had been done!

[Jo42]

Sail on 25th and got our allocation today the 7th. Very pleased :)

[marjrie]

Sail on 25th and got our allocation today the 7th. Very pleased :)

 

Do you mind saying if you got what you booked or something better?

[kb127]

I think we have the same grade cabin but in a better position, ie midship rather than fwd or aft. How do you know which side is the preferred one?

[Nevleen]

We have found that it doesn't matter whether on port or starboard because the ships don't always dock at the same side towards port. It has more to do with home port than those on the cruise. :)

[burnoutbabe]

I only guess my side is the worse one as i am visualising its sailing route and know we're on the side facing away from the land most of the trip (its round the baltic countries)

 

But still, 2 weeks to go!! wooh.

[marjrie]

I only guess my side is the worse one as i am visualising its sailing route and know we're on the side facing away from the land most of the trip (its round the baltic countries)

 

But still, 2 weeks to go!! wooh.

 

I don't think it will matter too much, just think on the return you will be on the side facing land.

:)

[burnoutbabe]

I don't think it will matter too much, just think on the return you will be on the side facing land.

:)

 

don;t think it works like that, we go in a clockwise tour round the baltic seas so same side will be facing the land all the time.

[marjrie]

don;t think it works like that, we go in a clockwise tour round the baltic seas so same side will be facing the land all the time.

 

Sorry I didn't know that

[kruzseeka]

don;t think it works like that, we go in a clockwise tour round the baltic seas so same side will be facing the land all the time.

 

 

In our experience of cruising the Baltic Sea you are so far out from shore you see very little except as you approach/leave the port. It's a very interesting sail away from St Petersburg though - about 90 minutes out of port you pass Kronstadt which is fascinating.

 

One of our guides was telling us about the new flood defences for St P and at the time I was wondering how they could possible stem the water through so many canals. It turns out that the major construction work we had seen in progress a couple of years earlier at Kronstadt was in fact the barrage. In effect they have created a huge harbour linking the mainland on both sides of the gulf via a raised bank and over to Kronsdtadt and the land on the other side. It looks like about 15 miles across from Google Earth and about 20 miles out of St P! The ship passes through a relatively narrow gap and you can see the flood gates either side. Very interesting.

 

The other 'must see' of course is the sail-in and out of Stockholm. It takes about 3 hours to pass through the archipelago - the closer to Stockholm the more islands and therefore more interesting. If you are lucky enough to be blessed with a sunset it is magical watching the sun set over the stern as you sail away from Stockholm. Not to be missed!

 

Enjoy. :)

 

Sorry - off thread just saw ref to the Baltic and got a bit carried away and overlooked the original post! :o

[Jo42]

I think we got roughly what we paid for, slightly aft and on C Deck so a slightly bigger balcony. It's only two nights so not really big factor. Just pleased I know where it is now :)

[Essexlass2]

Received our allocation late yesterday, high deck and midships so we're happy other than the fact that we're right opposite the launderette so we hope nobody will want to be doing any laundry late at night! :D

 

We paid a Getaway fare some time ago (they've dropped the price quite drastically since then) for a balcony cabin and have been allocated a deluxe in a good position really (other than the launderette!) :)

 

Does anyone know if P&O are likely to put Getaway fares on world sectors?

[kersh]

Sounds good to me. We are still waiting for our allocation. We sail 3 weeks today. All the balconies are now sold out for both Vantage and getaway so hoping to get it soon.

 

Sue

[rubydoobydoo]

When I booked a 2 nighter for July I was told over the phone the cabin would be LC on D deck obstructed view outside, at the front of the ship, (or better). There is no mention of this at all on the booking yet it just says GUAR( I think ) the deck is to be assigned.

 

I have looked on the deck plan and there seems to be only about 8 cabins on D deck that fit the bill, I assume I will get one of these and I am happy with that, I actually booked 3 cabins as there are 6 of us going and I was told that for all 3 cabins .

 

Maybe they tell that location to everyone who books, I don't know ?

 

I hope I don't get moved to a lower deck than D though as for me that would not be better . There doesnt seem to be that many outside cabins with obstructed view on Oceana:confused:

 

It would be interesting to know what others were told when they booked, I am on Oceana to St. Peter Port on 14th July

 

 

 

Janis

[wilson2579]

I have booked 3 getaway cabins on Oceana for August and wasn't told where the cabins would be, just that they probably wouldn't be together.:eek:

[Sue V]

We booked a getaway fare just 2 weeks ago to leave end of may and were told we had a LA graded cabin which I believe is outside higher obstructed view on D deck. Then yesterday were allocated a cabin on F deck forward with a porthole and told us they had given us an upgrade!!!! Apparently this was because we now had an unobstructed view and therefore a better cabin. Has anyone else had this happen?

[kersh]

Sue V,

This is normal. When the getaway fares are announced you can only book, inside, outside, balcony, or suite.

 

If you book outside you could get allocated any outside cabin. You are told that it will be the lowest grade (which are the outside obstructed view cabins) or better. As there are a lot less obstructed view cabins than porthole cabins then the chances are you will get a porthole cabin.

 

We have booked a balcony cabin for our cruise end of May on Azura but have not had our allocation as yet. We were told that it would be an obstructed view balcony or better. This means that it could be on deck from E up to lido deck. If we book Vantage fare we would choose C deck but the larger balcony cabins are on E and D deck.

 

Sue