First Princess booking - How to monitor for sales/price breaks?

[doctor15]

What are the T&Cs for price matching to a better price or upgrading? Can you still take advantage after you have made final payment or last minute?

 

What if your TA offers a better price on their website then Princess? Are they obligated to match you to that price?

 

Sorry for the newbie questions... I have not cruised in a while.

[jagoffee]

If you prefer to do it yourself that's fine, so do I. But a TA is a free asset so it doesn't make a lot of sense to me to read some of these posts recommending not using one. I didn't for several years, but found I'm not as smart as I thought I was :eek: or my time was more valuable elsewhere.

Just sayin', very different from folks who are very "anti-TA"!

 

Since by TA always offers me a significant discount from the Princess Website price and at least all the same benefits and specials this is what I do. I record the Princess website price that my TA used to calculate the discount and lower price. I check the Princess website price on a regular basis. If the price goes down, I send an e mail to my TA and she discounts the new price and I get the price reduction. It is important to capture the non discounted price (that people that are not using a TA are paying) so that you can see when the price is reduced or if Princess offers any additional specials.

 

You can also thank the people who book direct for helping contribute to Princess's bottom line profit. (Sorry, I could not resist)

[Thrak]

I've only cruised twice. The first time we use a TA and the second time I booked directly. I don't know that we did any better with the TA. We certainly didn't get any extra benefits that I'm aware of. I had to ask about military credit for my son.

 

I often see posts where people recommend using a TA who works with Princess frequently. How does one go about finding such a person? Perhaps if you live near ports this might be an easy thing to do but most people don't live near the seaport or even near the coast.

 

If we use a TA for our next cruise I may just book myself and then turn it over to the TA before final payment. (Although on our last cruise I booked the cruise and paid in full immediately. I've been told that may not be wise to do.)

[caribill]

What are the T&Cs for price matching to a better price or upgrading? If the new pricing does not come with a "for new bookings only" condition, you should be able to contact your TA (or Princess if you booked directly) and ask for the new pricing. Be aware other new consitions may exist such as the deposit becoming a non-refundable one.

 

Can you still take advantage after you have made final payment or last minute? Almost always the lower poricing after final payment date is for new bookings only. Every now and then you can get a lower rate onan existing booking. Does not hurt to ask.

 

What if your TA offers a better price on their website then Princess? Are they obligated to match you to that price? Princess does not compete with TA pricing.

 

Sorry for the newbie questions... I have not cruised in a while.

 

 

Hope above helps.

[ntvsdgrl]

Well, my cruise just went down again for the 3rd time. I'm on a cruisetour in August to Alaska on Coral Princess and my OCD price checking struck gold again. My cruise went down $258 yesterday. At this rate, I'll be paying next to nothing which is good since I'm a solo cruiser. :p