14-day cruise availability vs. two 7-day B2B

[m134]

I noticed that on many Alaska sailings this August there is ample availability for the separate North and South bound legs, but the corresponding combined 14-day roundtrips are supposedly sold out. Why would Princess not release some of the cabins assigned to 7-day legs for roundtrip bookings? Wouldn't it help to fill the ships?

 

Specifically, I am looking at the Diamond:

Aug 3-10 Vancouver to Whittier: PLENTY of balconies and some suites available

Aug 10-17 Whittier to Vancouver: insides, balconies and suites are available

Aug 3-17 Vancouver-Whittier-Vancouver: showing as sold out.

 

I can't imagine that having the same cabin available for both leg is an issue for them. With so many GTY bookings, Princess has ample options for moving people around to create 14-day availability.

 

What kind of game are they playing?

[gillianrose]

It is possible that there is no cabin that is available for both legs, so while the cabin categories are open, a cabin that you could stay in for both north and south journeys is not available.

[paul929207]

Are any cabins available on both legs? That may be why it is not offered as a 14 day cruise.

[m134]

It is possible that there is no cabin that is available for both legs, so while the cabin categories are open, a cabin that you could stay in for both north and south journeys is not available.

 

No, no, no...

 

I cannot imagine that having the same cabin available for both leg is an issue for Princess. With so many GTY bookings, they can easily move people around to create 14-day availability. That is what I would do if I had a cruise line to run.

[Kamloops50]

Part of it is that they are having a cruisetour sale . One way cabins are usually for cruise tours. There are some inside and oceanview avaiable in Sept for 14 day.

[AKman2495]

No, no, no...

 

I cannot imagine that having the same cabin available for both leg is an issue for Princess. With so many GTY bookings, they can easily move people around to create 14-day availability. That is what I would do if I had a cruise line to run.

 

Well, but it is an issue. You can always book this cruise as two 7 day cruises. See if the same cabin is available for both cruises. If not, there is the problem with the 14 day cruise. That is because with the 14 day cruise you are booking one cabin for the whole cruise.

 

But, Princess may not have one cabin available for both cruises...so, just how is Princess supposed to anticipate where you want to stay for the two weeks?

And how is Princess supposed to reorganize the ship to accommodate more 14 day passengers? That would mean they would have to move people around to free up cabins for both weeks.

 

I assume yo are talking about 2013 sailings....being that there are only a few weeks to go before that sailing, there is no practical way to shuffle the cabins for more 14 day cruises.....

 

You can always do a B2B with two separate cabins, but there is a limit to how long they can keep the 14 day booking open.

[paul929207]

No, no, no...

 

I cannot imagine that having the same cabin available for both leg is an issue for Princess. With so many GTY bookings, they can easily move people around to create 14-day availability. That is what I would do if I had a cruise line to run.

If there are no cabins available for both weeks, then you cannot book a 14 day cruise. It is always one cabin for 14 days.

[m134]

 

But, Princess may not have one cabin available for both cruises...so, just how is Princess supposed to anticipate where you want to stay for the two weeks?

And how is Princess supposed to reorganize the ship to accommodate more 14 day passengers? That would mean they would have to move people around to free up cabins for both weeks.

 

How is Princess supposed to reorganize the ship to accommodate more 14 day passengers? Their computers can do it for them. It is a very simple problem. This is why they have GTY bookings: to allow for the flexibility of moving people around so they can sell more cabins.

 

I do not believe it, at all, that freeing up 14-day cabins is a difficulty, given the ample availability on both 7-day legs. There must be some marketing reason behind this. Such as: show the cruise as sold out to create the perception of high demand, then open it up for sale.

 

I would just like to know what their exact strategy is in this case (maybe too much to ask).

[KruzPrincess]

I think they just slot a certain amount of cabins for 14 day cruises and a certain amount for 7 day cruises. On my recent 14 day cruise there were 14 day cabins available up until they showed the ship sold out. I do think it would be more of a mess shuffling people around than you imagine. Often, GTY people get their assignments very early on. In the end, you should maybe call Princess and ask them.

[born2cruize]

How is Princess supposed to reorganize the ship to accommodate more 14 day passengers? Their computers can do it for them. It is a very simple problem. This is why they have GTY bookings: to allow for the flexibility of moving people around so they can sell more cabins.

 

I do not believe it, at all, that freeing up 14-day cabins is a difficulty, given the ample availability on both 7-day legs. There must be some marketing reason behind this. Such as: show the cruise as sold out to create the perception of high demand, then open it up for sale.

 

I would just like to know what their exact strategy is in this case (maybe too much to ask).

 

You keep on talking about Princess moving people around and all the guarantee category. Guarantee are the last to get assigned rooms. Princess doesn't make it a habit of moving people around to give you a 14 day cruise. They only offer to move people who have booked a room if they have higher categories that aren't selling. Then they often offer perks that cut into their profits to fill these rooms. That changes from cruise to cruise. They have no incentive to move people around to free a cabin for 14 day cruisers. Alaska cruises almost always sail full.

[PlanoDebbie]

To keep it simple, if there are a total of 10 cabins and the first 5 were booked for the NB trip, and the other 5 booked for the SB trip, even if the remaining cabins are gty they can't match the same cabin both weeks. That's why they can't offer a true 14 day trip. On the last day of the first week, you would most likely have to move to another cabin. According to e letter we had gotten at the midway point of our recent 14 day trip, it stated that Princess would provide staff to help you move to the other cabin if you were not staying in the same one for both weeks.

 

On the up side, you get credit for 2 cruises if you book them as 2 seven day cruises as opposed to a single 14 day trip.

[caribill]

On the up side, you get credit for 2 cruises if you book them as 2 seven day cruises as opposed to a single 14 day trip.

 

You can also now get credit for 2 cruises if booked as a single 14 day B2B.

 

Just ask the Captain's Circle host during the second segment or call Princess after you return home.

[paul929207]

To keep it simple, if there are a total of 10 cabins and the first 5 were booked for the NB trip, and the other 5 booked for the SB trip, even if the remaining cabins are gty they can't match the same cabin both weeks. That's why they can't offer a true 14 day trip. On the last day of the first week, you would most likely have to move to another cabin. According to e letter we had gotten at the midway point of our recent 14 day trip, it stated that Princess would provide staff to help you move to the other cabin if you were not staying in the same one for both weeks.

 

On the up side, you get credit for 2 cruises if you book them as 2 seven day cruises as opposed to a single 14 day trip.

You can get the second cruise credit even of you have booked a b2b as one cruise, but you have to ask for it. Many of the Captain's Circle Reps will do it. If not, or if you previously sailed the cruise in question, call the Captain's Circle. I had a couple like that and got the extra cruise credit. One was about 3 years after the cruise.

[Ferndale Girl]

You can get the second cruise credit even of you have booked a b2b as one cruise, but you have to ask for it. Many of the Captain's Circle Reps will do it. If not, or if you previously sailed the cruise in question, call the Captain's Circle. I had a couple like that and got the extra cruise credit. One was about 3 years after the cruise.

 

That's good to know....I'll give them a call and see if I can get credit for a couple of past cruises.

[cityguy300]

You can get the second cruise credit even of you have booked a b2b as one cruise, but you have to ask for it. Many of the Captain's Circle Reps will do it. If not, or if you previously sailed the cruise in question, call the Captain's Circle. I had a couple like that and got the extra cruise credit. One was about 3 years after the cruise.

 

That's good to know....I'll give them a call and see if I can get credit for a couple of past cruises.

 

I asked this same question, and tried the same thing (i.e. calling the Captain's Circle to get double credit), four years ago after my 14-day B2B on the CB from San Juan. I was denied at the time, or at least given the runaround (I didn't push the matter :)). Is this a new policy that they're allowing retroactively, or has it always been that you need to find a more sympathetic rep? I wouldn't mind reclaiming that extra credit (two actually, since I had the cabin to myself) now, if it was possible...

[caribill]

I asked this same question, and tried the same thing (i.e. calling the Captain's Circle to get double credit), four years ago after my 14-day B2B on the CB from San Juan. I was denied at the time, or at least given the runaround (I didn't push the matter :)). Is this a new policy that they're allowing retroactively, or has it always been that you need to find a more sympathetic rep? I wouldn't mind reclaiming that extra credit (two actually, since I had the cabin to myself) now, if it was possible...

 

Right, at the time you asked the policy did not allow that.

 

And although the current policy will allow credit for such cruises over the last several years, it will not cover cruises before about four years ago.

[cityguy300]

Right, at the time you asked the policy did not allow that.

 

And although the current policy will allow credit for such cruises over the last several years, it will not cover cruises before about four years ago.

 

Aww, double slap in the face! ;) Although truthfully I would have felt awkward calling about a four-year old cruise anyway, unless it was clear they were inviting/welcoming people to call back for an adjustment (yeah, right!).

 

That was my 2nd Princess cruise; the one I took just a few months before in the Mediterranean, was just before they implemented the double credit policy for a solo cabin. So now that's two missed opportunities in a row, drat. At least I know now in the future that I'll get the double-double credits for any B2Bs; I won't waste time calculating whether it's more advantageous to book separately versus potentially paying more. ;)

[paul929207]

Aww, double slap in the face! ;) Although truthfully I would have felt awkward calling about a four-year old cruise anyway, unless it was clear they were inviting/welcoming people to call back for an adjustment (yeah, right!).

 

That was my 2nd Princess cruise; the one I took just a few months before in the Mediterranean, was just before they implemented the double credit policy for a solo cabin. So now that's two missed opportunities in a row, drat. At least I know now in the future that I'll get the double-double credits for any B2Bs; I won't waste time calculating whether it's more advantageous to book separately versus potentially paying more. ;)

If it is any consolation, it sounds like your cruise was before they started giving the extra credit for a solo cruise.

[geoherb]

If I wanted to go for the fortnight, I'd book the cruises separately. It's not that much trouble to change cabins on a back-to-back cruise.

[AKman2495]

How is Princess supposed to reorganize the ship to accommodate more 14 day passengers? Their computers can do it for them. It is a very simple problem. This is why they have GTY bookings: to allow for the flexibility of moving people around so they can sell more cabins.

 

I do not believe it, at all, that freeing up 14-day cabins is a difficulty, given the ample availability on both 7-day legs. There must be some marketing reason behind this. Such as: show the cruise as sold out to create the perception of high demand, then open it up for sale.

 

I would just like to know what their exact strategy is in this case (maybe too much to ask).

 

I think their marketing strategy is to sell a number of 14 day cruises and then leave the rest for 7 day cruises to have you double up for a true B2B.

 

They make more money on a B2B as you no doubt know. They also make more if they sell 2 7 day cruises.

 

As others have said, filling the GTY cabins does not involving shuffling people around-except perhaps at the last minute. They give upgrades to clear out the lower priced cabins to resell them.

 

That said, there is no incentive for them to open up more 14 day cabins at this point-that reduces the number of 7 day cabins available.

 

Perhaps if you find a cabin that is available in both weeks, you can book them and see if they would convert the two trips into a 14 day cruise.

 

That seems to be your only course at this point. If they won't do that, at least you will have two cruise credits -without having to ask for them....

[paul929207]

I think their marketing strategy is to sell a number of 14 day cruises and then leave the rest for 7 day cruises to have you double up for a true B2B.

 

They make more money on a B2B as you no doubt know. They also make more if they sell 2 7 day cruises.

 

As others have said, filling the GTY cabins does not involving shuffling people around-except perhaps at the last minute. They give upgrades to clear out the lower priced cabins to resell them.

 

That said, there is no incentive for them to open up more 14 day cabins at this point-that reduces the number of 7 day cabins available.

 

Perhaps if you find a cabin that is available in both weeks, you can book them and see if they would convert the two trips into a 14 day cruise.

 

That seems to be your only course at this point. If they won't do that, at least you will have two cruise credits -without having to ask for them....

A 14 day cruise is not always cheaper the 2 seven day cruises. Whenever I am booking multiple cruises, I look at all possible ways to book. You also need to factor in the OBC you may be eligible for to see what the best way to book is.

 

We went on a b2b2b around South America this year. The cost for booking 3 cruises was exactly the same as booking one cruise. However, we got $900 more OBC by booking three.

[OCruisers]

I noticed that on many Alaska sailings this August there is ample availability for the separate North and South bound legs, but the corresponding combined 14-day roundtrips are supposedly sold out. Why would Princess not release some of the cabins assigned to 7-day legs for roundtrip bookings? Wouldn't it help to fill the ships?

 

Specifically, I am looking at the Diamond:

Aug 3-10 Vancouver to Whittier: PLENTY of balconies and some suites available

Aug 10-17 Whittier to Vancouver: insides, balconies and suites are available

Aug 3-17 Vancouver-Whittier-Vancouver: showing as sold out.

 

I can't imagine that having the same cabin available for both leg is an issue for them. With so many GTY bookings, Princess has ample options for moving people around to create 14-day availability.

 

What kind of game are they playing?

 

This really is not a game. When someone books a cabin on a 7 Day for a specific cabin, they can't be changed around to accommodate someone who wants it for 14 days.

 

You'll need to book your cruise as 7 day B2Bs since some of them are still available on both legs ... just not in the same cabin.

 

LuLu

~~~~

[Working 2 Cruise]

That is also a good reason to book early. You book early and get the cabin of your choice... Book late and choices diminish...

[cityguy300]

If it is any consolation, it sounds like your cruise was before they started giving the extra credit for a solo cruise.

 

No, the double credit for solo policy got introduced sometime between my first Princess cruise in Aug '08 and my second (the B2B) in Mar '09. So I missed out one extra credit the first time (by a few months), and two extra credits the second because it wasn't treated as two trips then.

 

Getting back on topic, regardless of the reasons for one- versus two-way pricing, I don't think I'd have any problem moving cabins on the transition day if I could save a bundle. :) Might even be fun to try two different locations on the same ship, even if they were the same category.