Compare Cunard prices around the world

[Scrapnana]

 

Australian prices include all taxes and fees (but not gratuities) - Are they included for the US prices?

 

US prices do not include taxes and fees.

[BlackMeg]

I have booked a Cunard cruise previously on a US site from the UK is that still possible.

Many thanks for advice.

Black Meg

[fantasy51]

I have booked a Cunard cruise previously on a US site from the UK is that still possible.

 

I cannot tell you for sure, but I have heard that it is possible to do so, but you run a risk. The cruise may not be honoured and you may lose your money. I cannot understand why that should be. I think there should be transparency and one should be able to book anywhere. Someone else may know more than I do.

 

You would get a better answer if you started a new thread to ask this, I think.

[Cats2010]

I have booked a Cunard cruise previously on a US site from the UK is that still possible.

Many thanks for advice.

Black Meg

 

Hi,

 

If you have access to the Cunard homepage it should be possible, but to be on the safe side you can always ask them before going further.

 

For instance me, I can't, since the very moment I try I am transferred automatically to the agency of the country I live in, so there must be interest groups defending their rights.

 

Good luck!

 

Cats2010 :)

[pmb1]

... The advantages to the customer are the following (and there may be a few more):

- you can book early

- you get to choose your own room rather than accepting what's assigned

- you get OBC or free car parking at Southampton or free coach ride

- in the future those with Getaway fares will have to pay for shuttle buses while those with Vantage fares will get them free.

Neither of these benefits is offered for US bookings. Parking at the Brooklyn Terminal costs $20/day ($23 the first day) up to $480/month.

[Aussieflyer]

Cunard use your computer's IP address to automatically redirect you to your country's site. You need a VPN in order to see other home pages. Many cruise lines give you the option of choose your location - Cunard does not. That's why you cannot access the US site. I know of a lot of Australians who book overseas through online TAs with no problems.

[Cats2010]

Cunard use your computer's IP address to automatically redirect you to your country's site. You need a VPN in order to see other home pages. Many cruise lines give you the option of choose your location - Cunard does not. That's why you cannot access the US site. I know of a lot of Australians who book overseas through online TAs with no problems.

 

Many thanks, Aussieflyer, for your information. Bad luck :( for us!

 

Greetings

Cats2010 :)

[Scrapnana]

I checked the US prices again today and they were already totally different ( and then totally different again when I put in my World Club number). They were showing $400/stateroom OBC.

[Aussieflyer]

Thanks for the spreadsheet Fantasy. Could I suggest that you put a note on the Australian prices to show that fees and taxes are included. The price difference for Australians causes lots of discussion over on the A & NZ cruisers board with many saying that you cannot compare AU pricing with US as they do not include the fees/taxes until the end. That might just head off some issues for you.

[fantasy51]

Thanks for the spreadsheet Fantasy. Could I suggest that you put a note on the Australian prices to show that fees and taxes are included. The price difference for Australians causes lots of discussion over on the A & NZ cruisers board with many saying that you cannot compare AU pricing with US as they do not include the fees/taxes until the end. That might just head off some issues for you.

 

Thanks Aussieflyer. I have included that for UK and Australia.

 

Could I please hear back from Canada and Germany? Are taxes and fees included in your prices?

[Cats2010]

Thanks Aussieflyer. I have included that for UK and Australia.

 

Could I please hear back from Canada and Germany? Are taxes and fees included in your prices?

 

Yes, taxes and fees are included the prices quoted from Germany.

[Scrapnana]

US fees and taxes are $98.86.

[old nutter]

And just to make things more difficult, when we look at discounted fares of various sorts, there is a big difference in the Ts and Cs applying to each type of fare in different countries. It appears that with Vantage fares in the UK there are a few relatively meaningless inexpensive bolt-on add-ons when compared with higher fares available in the US (does 80 quid's worth of car parking make you chose a cruise costing 2 grand more?). However, there are odds and ends that are not available on Getaway and TA fares in the UK, some of which are publicised and some that are hidden in the invisible fare codes. Also there appear to be some fare differences that look like they could be culturally based. From the fare variance across the stateroom types it looks like Cunard think that Americans are willing to pay more for what is portrayed as "upper class" and Brits are more inclined to pay more at the less endowed end of the facilities. If nothing else, and if the marketing people are right, the fare variances appear to show interesting cultural differences between the different countries.

 

I dread to think how complicated the computer program would have to be to cope with all of these country differences because clearly they are not necessarily only to do with currency fluctuations. Many of the differences are probably due to consumer legislation in these countries giving different protection to their customers over the extremely long purchasing times for identical cruises. And as usual, it looks as though the good old UK has the least protection for anyone other than the company! Or, to be even more provocative, perhaps the declaration of profits in various countries is affecting the prices - always assuming that after this farrago, their parent company even manages to make profits in the various countries and the parent is preparing the ground to defend their minimal tax payments outside of their declared tax havens like many multi-nationals are having to do at the moment (coffee, internet sales and search engines etc).

 

Or.... maybe the prices depend on a small group of humans who are making it up as they go along in response to how they feel when they get up each day!!

[fantasy51]

Or.... maybe the prices depend on a small group of humans who are making it up as they go along in response to how they feel when they get up each day!!

 

I'll put my money on this suggestion!

 

Hmm, if I knew who was responsible at Southampton, I could turn up on their doorstep with coffee and chocolates to start their day right!

[sydgal]

I went to an Aussie travel agent for a quote for a 7 day Norway cruise and was quoted $2499 pp for a balcony, I booked online through a US agent and the fare was $2700 for 2 people in a balcony. We also received $500 OBC . Why does anyone book with Australian agents and pay nearly twice the fare.?

Sydgal

[Scrapnana]

I went to an Aussie travel agent for a quote for a 7 day Norway cruise and was quoted $2499 pp for a balcony, I booked online through a US agent and the fare was $2700 for 2 people in a balcony. We also received $500 OBC . Why does anyone book with Australian agents and pay nearly twice the fare.?

Sydgal

 

 

Looking at fantasy51's spreadsheet there does not seem to be any rhyme or reason about who is getting charged what.

[Salacia]

Looking at fantasy51's spreadsheet there does not seem to be any rhyme or reason about who is getting charged what.

 

 

Exactly! I've followed the prices on many QM2 voyages over the past several years. It's much like following the New York Stock Exchange: up up down up down up. In a word: unpredicable.

 

If I find a voyage that want to take, at the price I am willing to pay (having the money at the ready) I book it! I don't look back and I don't worry about who paid more or less than I paid. But I am happy for those that got a better deal, or a good upgrade :)

 

Cheers,

 

Salacia

[Zippy99]

BlackMeg I have booked a Cunard cruise previously on a US site from the UK is that still possible.

Many thanks for advice.

Black Meg

 

 

Hi,

 

If you have access to the Cunard homepage it should be possible, but to be on the safe side you can always ask them before going further.

 

For instance me, I can't, since the very moment I try I am transferred automatically to the agency of the country I live in, so there must be interest groups defending their rights.

 

Good luck!

 

Cats2010 :)

 

I booked via a US New Jersey agent back in October for a 3 week November cruise on QV sailing from Southampton. As soon as I paid by a secure website I received my booking reference and never had a problem with booking or boarding. In fact the draw was that I got $600 OBC at a near comparable UK cruise price for just booking (I was also able to pay by Credit card with no charge being applied). I did see though as the cruise got closer, UK agents nearly wipe out my saving and for many that may have been a risk too far, especially with the UK 'getaway' fares tending to fall away as the cruise draws near. However so far this has been a one off experience for me, as we just haven't seen any more competitive and advantageous fares from US agents and having just completed a cruise on QM2, the US fares were more aligned to top end 'vantage' fares and higher and of course you have to consider the currency fluctuations, so if you ever feel tempted it also helps to use a credit card that doesn't add a fee for international currency transactions.

[Cats2010]

Thanks, Zippy. Yes, I also book via an American TA and with credit card, which has always worked extremely well. What I can't do is visit Cunard's US website and book directly. Anyway, I am very pleased with my TA although prices meanwhile have more than doubled :eek:, but what would I not do for my QM2 (I fell in love with a ship :D....).

[fantasy51]

Cunard has just introduced the UK Getaway fares for this sailing, so I thought I would update the spreadsheet. These Getaway fares usually go down as the date comes closer. It is interesting that at this point they are nowhere near as good as that USA special offer from last week.

 

The other thing that intrigues me with Getaway fares is that even though there is a flight involved, there is no difference between cruise-only prices and cruise+flight prices. It seems that we fly for free from the UK! (This also means that solo travellers cannot complain about paying for 2 airfares, as we are not paying for any.)

Cunard comparison 2.xls

[Aussieflyer]

Just checked the Cunard Australian site - no changes at our end so no special prices.

[Pennbank]

Cunard has just introduced the UK Getaway fares for this sailing, so I thought I would update the spreadsheet. These Getaway fares usually go down as the date comes closer. It is interesting that at this point they are nowhere near as good as that USA special offer from last week.

 

The other thing that intrigues me with Getaway fares is that even though there is a flight involved, there is no difference between cruise-only prices and cruise+flight prices. It seems that we fly for free from the UK! (This also means that solo travellers cannot complain about paying for 2 airfares, as we are not paying for any.)

 

Or sail only passengers can complain because they are paying for the flights. :eek:

[fantasy51]

Or sail only passengers can complain because they are paying for the flights. :eek:

 

Or travellers from other countries can complain because they are subsidising UK's flights? Though, looking at the spreadsheet, I feel we are all subsidising the USA specials.

[Scrapnana]

US prices have not changed for people without World Club membership but have changed for WC members.

 

Gone down:

IC $855

FA $950

CA $1045

Club $3515

 

Gone up:

P2 $4607

Q6 $6317

[fantasy51]

Scrapnana, I can't believe how cheap those prices are in the USA! That's incredible when you compare them with our UK ones. I wonder if our Oceanview will ever come down that far, even if I wait for the last minute. I certainly haven't seen a price that low for that length of journey, that I can remember, even booking last minute.