Vantage fares not worth the money

[kevinyork]

The savings are for next year showing that getaways are not the only way of saving money. But you still deliberately miss represent what I have said.

 

You clearly have no intention of reading my post or admitting what I have said

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

As Terrierjohn says, show us where you have denounced the Vantage Fares/Price Promise or indeed anything P&O related. It suits you, thats fine, but many are annoyed by the Vantage Fare debacle.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[daiB]

As Terrierjohn says, show us where you have denounced the Vantage Fares/Price Promise or indeed anything P&O related. It suits you, thats fine, but many are annoyed by the Vantage Fare debacle.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

Try reading post 99.

[vixxygal]

The idea of Getaway fares was a near stroke of genius by P&O though a bit of a PR disaster. Sales have been going on since the dawn of time without a false price guarantee infront of them. If you go to Currys and buy a TV with a price guarantee (there's no such thing in the real world) and it goes on sale 8 months later you'd have to take your hat off to Currys if they then pointed out that actually the guarantee doesn't apply as what is in effect the same TV but there's no plug on the power lead so the price promise is invalid in this case as it isn't an identical item.

 

This is a brave move by P&O as it is misleading as most people have never encountered or would even be aware that P&O will vary the product quite deliberately to ensure they don't have to honour the price guarantee.

[terrierjohn]

As I have said before the major problem came when Vantage was introduced and people booked thinking that the price promise covered all bookings made after that point, rather than Vantage bookings made after that point. Getaway fare's were introduced sometime after that. Now those who booked between those two points have the most to grumble about. Before Vantage bookers got what they paid for knowing that the fare could/would come down near to sailing. A number even got extra OBC as they had paid more than the Vantage. We got some OBC for one of our cruises but not the other.

 

Those who booked after the Getaway fares were announced have no complaint as the system being used was then all out in the open.

This year very early bookers, in the first month or two of them going on sale, have got good discounts for next year. We have 25 % for one of our cruises.

 

It is noticeable that the getaway fares just announced for Jan 14 to Mar 14 are much closer to the Vantage fare. Netherlands ones I have looked at show a discount of less than 10%. Now this may change as you get to within a few weeks of the sailing as in the past but we shall see.

 

Personally I think the company should compensate those I have identified above with something as a gesture of good will. Perhaps an amount of OBC say £250 for a 2 week cruise and £125 for the shorter ones.

gan Canny

Dai

 

 

Try reading post 99.

OK Dai here is post 99 and yes you have suggested that a minor group of passengers should receive some compensation, but you also suggest, in the highlighted part, that after getaway fares were introduced everyone knew that the Vantage price promise was a scam, or should have done.

This is where the rest of us differ from you, the price promise is still being used to promote Vantage fares and anyone not savvy enough to use cruise forums is unlikely to realise it is a scam, and strangely Dai these people outweigh CC users by several thousand to one.

[rubydoobydoo]

Our promise to you...

If the Vantage Fare for your cruise reduces after you've booked, we'll give you on board spending money or an upgrade to the value of the reduction.

View terms and conditions

 

There it is in black and white, that is all you really see when you book

 

This is the real scam because we all know that they will NEVER reduce,

 

But first time bookers don't know they are being lied to

 

How can this statement be defended ?

[majortom10]

Our promise to you...

If the Vantage Fare for your cruise reduces after you've booked, we'll give you on board spending money or an upgrade to the value of the reduction.

View terms and conditions

 

There it is in black and white, that is all you really see when you book

 

This is the real scam because we all know that they will NEVER reduce,

 

But first time bookers don't know they are being lied to

 

How can this statement be defended ?

 

Easily because in the terms and conditions it states and I quote "The Price Promise does not apply to Getaway fares". The only thing that P&O have done is teased people in thinking that if price was reduced before Getaway deals were released they would be due a price reduction in form of complimentary benefit or free upgrade. It was plainly obviouis that P&O were not going to reduce prices until Getaway deals. It is very naughty that P&O have released Getaway deals very early but they have always reduced prices of poorly selling cruises for the 13 yrs we have cruised with them but not calling them Getaway. We got stung in 2007 when they reduced the cruise we had booked on Arcadia and also a cruise on Azura in November 2012 they reduced the price of a suite from nearly £4000 to £1800 8 months before sail date. Cruise companies and travel companies have always reduced prices of poorly selling holidays and P&O have dont it for years its nothing new the only thing new is calling them Getaway.

 

Just before I get ridiculed as another P&O stalwart I have done well over 20 cruises with P&O since 2000 some 3 times a year but have not sailed with them since November 2012 have none booked with them for 2013 and only one booked in 2014 which was booked on brochure release day in April 2012. I have jumped ship not because of the Vantage/Getaway fiasco but due to other reasons and now cruise with Princess who I find superior in every way compared to P&O and is how cruising should be.

[wilson2579]

Haha, just today I saw an advert in a travel agents stating 'book your P and O cruise and you will be covered by the price promise. If your cruise is reduced you will be compensated.'

Ridiculous. I bet the TA doesn't explain the facts to anyone wanting to book.

[terrierjohn]

Easily because in the terms and conditions it states and I quote "The Price Promise does not apply to Getaway fares". The only thing that P&O have done is teased people in thinking that if price was reduced before Getaway deals were released they would be due a price reduction in form of complimentary benefit or free upgrade. It was plainly obviouis that P&O were not going to reduce prices until Getaway deals. It is very naughty that P&O have released Getaway deals very early but they have always reduced prices of poorly selling cruises for the 13 yrs we have cruised with them but not calling them Getaway. We got stung in 2007 when they reduced the cruise we had booked on Arcadia and also a cruise on Azura in November 2012 they reduced the price of a suite from nearly £4000 to £1800 8 months before sail date. Cruise companies and travel companies have always reduced prices of poorly selling holidays and P&O have dont it for years its nothing new the only thing new is calling them Getaway.

 

Just before I get ridiculed as another P&O stalwart I have done well over 20 cruises with P&O since 2000 some 3 times a year but have not sailed with them since November 2012 have none booked with them for 2013 and only one booked in 2014 which was booked on brochure release day in April 2012. I have jumped ship not because of the Vantage/Getaway fiasco but due to other reasons and now cruise with Princess who I find superior in every way compared to P&O and is how cruising should be.

Shilly, I suggest you read Ruby's post again, because as far as I can see it does not try to compare Vantage prices with Getaway fares, but makes the, now, obvious point that Vantage fares will never be reduced. Which makes the Vantage price promise worthless and IMO dishonest.

[Thejuggler]

Haha, just today I saw an advert in a travel agents stating 'book your P and O cruise and you will be covered by the price promise. If your cruise is reduced you will be compensated.'

Ridiculous. I bet the TA doesn't explain the facts to anyone wanting to book.

 

It would be interesting to pop in and get a quote and probe them on the price promise to see how clued up the staff are.

[01733]

Sorry to jump in here but we have booked a Vantage Fare for our upcoming cruise as soon as the brochure came out and have recieved a good chunk of OBC. The first jump we were told about, the rest only came to light when we recieved our booking confirmation last month so we are very pleased. Although we can cruise any time we will continue to book early if there is a specific cruise we want to do. We accept that people will get the cruise cheaper than us but we like to know that we are getting what we want and cruise to the destinations of our choice.:)

[wilson2579]

Sorry to jump in here but we have booked a Vantage Fare for our upcoming cruise as soon as the brochure came out and have recieved a good chunk of OBC. The first jump we were told about, the rest only came to light when we recieved our booking confirmation last month so we are very pleased. Although we can cruise any time we will continue to book early if there is a specific cruise we want to do. We accept that people will get the cruise cheaper than us but we like to know that we are getting what we want and cruise to the destinations of our choice.:)

 

If that was last April/May that you booked that would have been the same time as I did and I was given OBC but that was just before the Vantage fares were brought out, therefore at the time of booking was not a Vantage Fare. P and O did give out OBC to passengers who booked at this time.

[PeatSmoke]

Our promise to you...

If the Vantage Fare for your cruise reduces after you've booked, we'll give you on board spending money or an upgrade to the value of the reduction.

View terms and conditions

 

 

There it is in black and white, that is all you really see when you book

 

This is the real scam because we all know that they will NEVER reduce,

 

But first time bookers don't know they are being lied to

 

How can this statement be defended ?

 

That statement seems quite straightforward to me. Where's the scam, it's obviously referring to VANTAGE fares. I actually feel a bit left out here and want to join in the outrage fest but can't really justify it. If you don't like the vantage fares and the benefits they bring go for the cheaper getaway deals...........is that so hard to understand?

[rubydoobydoo]

That statement seems quite straightforward to me. Where's the scam, it's obviously referring to VANTAGE fares. I actually feel a bit left out here and want to join in the outrage fest but can't really justify it. If you don't like the vantage fares and the benefits they bring go for the cheaper getaway deals...........is that so hard to understand?

 

 

In my opinion I feel that they are leading you to believe that the vantage fare may drop, when in fact there is never any chance of that, so why bother saying it in the first place !

 

I was told when I booked that I could not loose, that was the exact words, I was led to believe the getaway fare would not be available to me until last minute, but there was a good chance the vantage fare would drop so there is no need to wait for a getaway fare and risk the cruise being sold out

 

 

That was NOT true and was Never going to be true !

 

 

As I said before I am happy with my vantage fare but from what was told to me when I booked I can see why many people are not

 

Is that so hard for you to understand ? It seems it may be as you don't seem to get it !

[wilson2579]

In my opinion I feel that they are leading you to believe that the vantage fare may drop, when in fact there is never any chance of that, so why bother saying it in the first place !

 

I was told when I booked that I could not loose, that was the exact words, I was led to believe the getaway fare would not be available to me until last minute, but there was a good chance the vantage fare would drop so there is no need to wait for a getaway fare and risk the cruise being sold out

 

 

That was NOT true and was Never going to be true !

 

 

As I said before I am happy with my vantage fare but from what was told to me when I booked I can see why many people are not

 

Is that so hard for you to understand ? It seems it may be as you don't seem to get it !

 

and is still being advertised as when the price drops you will be compensated. :mad:

[PeatSmoke]

In my opinion I feel that they are leading you to believe that the vantage fare may drop, when in fact there is never any chance of that, so why bother saying it in the first place !

 

I was told when I booked that I could not loose, that was the exact words, I was led to believe the getaway fare would not be available to me until last minute, but there was a good chance the vantage fare would drop so there is no need to wait for a getaway fare and risk the cruise being sold out

 

 

That was NOT true and was Never going to be true !

 

 

As I said before I am happy with my vantage fare but from what was told to me when I booked I can see why many people are not

 

Is that so hard for you to understand ? It seems it may be as you don't seem to get it !

 

Oh I get it alright. Just forgive me for not joining in with the self righteous whinge fest. The motivation for most of the moaning doesn't seem to be that the Vantage fare was mis-sold but rather those on Getaway fares have got a bargain. Best of luck and well done to them in my opinion.

Who told you there was a good chance that the Vantage fare would be reduced? That's far removed from anything I have read on P and O's sales literature. Did you get that in writing? If you read the website/brochures etc it is very clear what the difference between Vantage and Getaway fares are. And it should be obvious to anybody that the only way Vantage fares would need to be reduced is if a cruise was massively underselling. Have you heard of many P and O cruises in that situation?

In order for a 'scam' to work then it will only work if a large number of gullible people are targeted. If that's what you are saying this is then your opinion of your fellow cruisers must be pretty low.

[wilson2579]

My whinge is that when I booked April/May last year Getaways hadn't been introduced and were brought in a month or so later. So no I wasn't gullible as at that time there were no Getaways.:mad:

[PeatSmoke]

My whinge is that when I booked April/May last year Getaways hadn't been introduced and were brought in a month or so later. So no I wasn't gullible as at that time there were no Getaways.:mad:

 

Just in case I will clarify that I didn't call you gullible. ;)

When you booked you will have been aware that every cruise had last minute deals that would be much cheaper than you paid. We all know that's how the travel industry works don't we? They may not have been called Getaways but they existed in a different form so in that regard nothing has changed. If you were happy with the price you paid at the time and what you were getting then all is good surely? The fact that somebody else got a cheaper deal but with no guaranteed cabin etc really shouldn't concern you should it? That's the way it has always been.

[zib_zib]

Just in case I will clarify that I didn't call you gullible. ;)

When you booked you will have been aware that every cruise had last minute deals that would be much cheaper than you paid. We all know that's how the travel industry works don't we? They may not have been called Getaways but they existed in a different form so in that regard nothing has changed. If you were happy with the price you paid at the time and what you were getting then all is good surely? The fact that somebody else got a cheaper deal but with no guaranteed cabin etc really shouldn't concern you should it? That's the way it has always been.

 

I Agree

If you buy a shirt from a shop and a couple of weeks later that same shirt is reduced in the sales, the shop ain't going to repay you the difference back. Is it

You pay a vantage fair. You get vantages (pick your cabin. O.B.C, free bus or free parking)

You pay a getaway fair. You get just a cheaper Holliday. But you after pay the bus, the parking and the drinks. Etc

[wilson2579]

If you read my post I stated the Getaways hadn't been introduced when I booked so no I wouldn't be aware they were about to be and find I could have had a balcony for the same price as my inside cabin. I would have thought twice of booking so early if I knew that but then most who were caught out at the same stage as me would have waited also.

[PeatSmoke]

If you read my post I stated the Getaways hadn't been introduced when I booked so no I wouldn't be aware they were about to be and find I could have had a balcony for the same price as my inside cabin. I would have thought twice of booking so early if I knew that but then most who were caught out at the same stage as me would have waited also.

 

Calm down, I did read your post. Take a deep breath there:D

 

You got what you paid for at a price you were happy to pay. Getaway fares may not have been introduced but an alternative discounting scheme was in place. (As I know you are well aware of, we all know the travel industry works that way.) Whether they existed under that name or not you still had the option to wait a while and gamble on getting a late bargain. You chose to get exactly what you wanted at the agreed price. And you got it. That is the case isn't it? There is no point in getting yourself hysterical because somebody else got a bargain. Well done to them, they got what they wanted at the agreed price, just the same as you did.

[west2000]

I Agree

If you buy a shirt from a shop and a couple of weeks later that same shirt is reduced in the sales, the shop ain't going to repay you the difference back. Is it

You pay a vantage fair. You get vantages (pick your cabin. O.B.C, free bus or free parking)

You pay a getaway fair. You get just a cheaper Holliday. But you after pay the bus, the parking and the drinks. Etc

 

Unfortunately on P&O website some getaway fares are now attracting OBC. The goal posts move again.

[wilson2579]

Hysterical I am not thankyou very much and no need for me to calm down either.:confused:

[wilson2579]

Unfortunately on P&O website some getaway fares are now attracting OBC. The goal posts move again.

 

Thats a new one but if you can get it well done. We have just come back from a getaway and it worked out really well for us. Booked 3 couples and we all had cabins next door to each other. Will be booking another getaway next year, maybe I will get some OBC this time:rolleyes::)

[tom_uk]

Unfortunately on P&O website some getaway fares are now attracting OBC. The goal posts move again.

 

Can you give an example?

[rubydoobydoo]

Just to clarify

 

I am happy with my vantage fare, I was mislead but still happy :D

 

I also have sympathy and understanding for those who like me feel mislead and are unhappy

 

No one should be judgmental over how people feel about the way they have been treated

 

If you are happy with your lot then great if not don't have a go at that those who feel they have got a right to say , it does not make them whingers !