Ausralians being taken advantage of by Princess Cruises

[woodyren]

I cant see what the problem is and why people have to be going for so cheap prices. I always roll my eyes when I hear of Australians trying to gain cheaper fares by going to international agents. The ones who do are always the first to complain about poor quality and cut-backs and BYO booze. If price is that much of an issue to people and it is breaking their budget to go on holidays then they should seriously reconsider their need to travel.

 

So what if Americans get it cheaper than all of us. There are probably good reasons why. I have never cared what anyone else has paid for their holiday and it is rude to ask.

 

If you want my opinion I always go for the most expensive I can afford and go for a comfortable and luxurious holiday. Forget cheapness. Go for opulence and luxury and use your money to buy top quality.

 

I also don't understand your argument here. Surely if you can find the same product at whatever level you like for a cheaper price then that is the sensible thing to do. You also come across as a little condescending of those who can't afford your so called "opulence and luxury" For me a person who has NEVER eaten in a 5 star restaurant the MDR on a cruise is opulence and luxury as will be the Vdara in Vegas that cost me about $100 bucks a night on a mystery hotel deal. I can only do this by being cheap so sorry if I didn't chose the stay at home and eat baked beans.

 

I have never paid more than I have had to for a cruise. I look for good deals that involve cabins, credit and benefits. The prices we have here in Australia are very reasonable. I am not too concerned what a foreign market pays for their holiday. They have entirely different circumstances, laws and other factors that determine their price.

 

From my experience albeit limited to booking 4 cruises if you are using an Aussie TA or booking with the Aussie version of the cruise company's website you almost certainly have. For exactly the same product with the added bonus of additional OBC regardless of cabin class and accounting for the exchange rate the USA website prices are cheaper by a fair margin.

 

I am also not concerned what others pay. I am concerned what I pay and have done the hard yards over many years to have the opportunity to take these types of holidays. The more I save (at my comfort level) the more I can holiday now that I have the time.

I'll give you another example. Rent a car in the States directly from a USA car rental company including on the insurances you need OR use a UK website to book the same car and save at least $200 on the rental. Don't care why it just is. This actually helps me to achieve your previously stated "go for the most luxury I can afford" as I get to drive a Mustang instead of a Micra.

[woodyren]

The issue is it doesn't matter who does the booking, but who the travellers are.

 

When the traveller's details are entered as being in Australia, Princess will refuse commission to the US TA.

 

As rkmw is a past cruiser as well, even if the friends were nice enough to put their details down and be the contact point, the booking details will still show as Australian due to the passport details logged for rkmw, and if rkmw registered their Princess id it would also show as Australian.

 

Thus, you'd be very unlikely to get a US TA handling the booking, as they know they won't get paid.

 

And you have to ask why HAL and Princess have these restrictions. It is similar to why for example a USA online shoe sales company is NOT allowed to sell Nikes to Aussies on line (at half the price we pay). The local retailers/distributors have pressured them would be my guess or that the parent company can make more money by selling to us at a higher price.

[woodyren]

I have noticed in the past that VTG have been quite explicit about those cruiselines that they could not book for Aussies -- but this "explicitness" seems to have disappeared recently??

 

In other words - they do not now explicitly state which cruiselines we cannot book?? (unless it has changed again, I'm not going to look)

 

Frankly, we ( wife and I) don't do enough cruises to get too excited about all this -- I know that some of the fares posted on VTG seem too good to be true -- and I am aware of the old saying.

 

Barry

On my first email to them they replied explicitly that they can't book them but sent me a list of all other cruiselines they could deal with.

[woodyren]

Perhaps an Aussie TA:eek:

 

yep. One of the Aussie web based TA's actually told me I would/could(can't remember which) be stopped at the boarding stage when the cruise line noted my Aussie address. I emailed the USA agent who called me back and re assured me that had booked cruises for many, many Aussies. I also got good recommendations from a few friends.

[Dizziedi]

Perhaps an Aussie TA:eek:

 

Or RCI Australia;)

[MicCanberra]

yep. One of the Aussie web based TA's actually told me I would/could(can't remember which) be stopped at the boarding stage when the cruise line noted my Aussie address. I emailed the USA agent who called me back and re assured me that had booked cruises for many, many Aussies. I also got good recommendations from a few friends.

 

They are out there if you shop around.:D

[MicCanberra]

Or RCI Australia;)

 

Yes, very true, they would say that as well.:D

[Aus Traveller]

yep. One of the Aussie web based TA's actually told me I would/could(can't remember which) be stopped at the boarding stage when the cruise line noted my Aussie address. I emailed the USA agent who called me back and re assured me that had booked cruises for many, many Aussies. I also got good recommendations from a few friends.

The scare tactic of telling people that you would be stopped at the boarding stage went on when this policy first came in. However, several Aussies reported that they had booked through an American TA and boarded without problems.:)

[rugbypopsie]

Doesn't anybody else realise there has never been a report of any aussie or kiwi being denied boarding ....don't you think if it had ever happened we would have heard about it? Scare tactics only..... what the situation is that if a US agent books you, and the line that has this ridiculous policy becomes aware, the agent will lose their commission...that is all. Many book through the US without any problem when that is a better deal...sometimes it is sometimes it isn't...just do your research.

 

Sue

[MicCanberra]

Doesn't anybody else realise there has never been a report of any aussie or kiwi being denied boarding ....don't you think if it had ever happened we would have heard about it? Scare tactics only..... what the situation is that if a US agent books you, and the line that has this ridiculous policy becomes aware, the agent will lose their commission...that is all. Many book through the US without any problem when that is a better deal...sometimes it is sometimes it isn't...just do your research.

 

Sue

Spot on, definitely nailed it, research, research, research.:D

[Rassa]

l

 

I do not travel with RCL anymore as I am not allowed to book through US COMPANIES and RCL charge Australians more. I can book directly with HOLLAND AMERICA, NCL, and carnival. I will only travel with these lines now due to the price differences which I will not pay,

 

I can book RCL with US TAs but with the falling dollar and specials, it is much cheaper to book directly with RCL here in Australia.

 

As for Holland America, I was denied that by a US TA earlier in the year and it was much dearer buying it via HAL site in Australia, of course unless we wait to buy last minute from Australia, when the price comes down and which is equivalent to the price that US residents can buy anytime. If I try to look at HAL US site, I am directed to Aust site.

 

Are you sure you can book directly with HAL on their US site as an Aussie?

[denny girl]

Dug up the reply I got from the Vacations mob, dated about a month ago, so reasonably current and extremely clear.

 

<If you have a residence in the U.S., Canada, Mexico or Puerto Rico, or are traveling in the same cabin with someone that does, we can help you with any cruise we offer.

Unfortunately, if you do not meet the criteria mentioned above, Holland America and Princess now prohibit all U.S. travel agencies from selling cruises to you. The only other exception to this policy is if we previously arranged a cruise for you on Holland America or Princess and you're interested in booking again with that same cruise line.

We truly regret that we are not allowed to offer these cruise lines to all of our international customers. This is not a matter of international law or an agent policy or the U.S. government. Rather, it is a corporate policy instituted by each of these cruise lines. We are very disappointed in the restrictions these cruise lines have placed on U.S. travel agencies.

Fortunately, many cruise lines allow customers of all nations to book deeply-discounted cruises through Vacations To Go. Here is a list of cruise lines we can offer you: Azamara, American Cruise Lines, Blount, Carnival, Celebrity, Costa, Crystal, Cunard, Disney, Hurtigruten, Lindblad Expeditions, Norwegian, Oceania, P&O, Paul Gauguin, Ponant, Pullmantur, Regent Seven Seas, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn, SeaDream, Silversea, Swan Hellenic, Voyages to Antiquity, Voyages of Discovery and Windstar.>

 

I got in touch with them as we were booking a HAL 14 day Asian cruise. It was priced at $1850 with $50 OBC from AusHAL This turned out to be a better price than any agencies had listed so I stopped looking and booked.

Also booked RCI Voyager of Seas from Singapore to Sydney and got a good inclusive price from an Aussie agency that included flights from Adelaide and balcony at OV price.

Living in Adelaide always adds expensive complications.:(

[rkmw]

Dug up the reply I got from the Vacations mob, dated about a month ago, so reasonably current and extremely clear.

 

<If you have a residence in the U.S., Canada, Mexico or Puerto Rico, or are traveling in the same cabin with someone that does, we can help you with any cruise we offer.

Unfortunately, if you do not meet the criteria mentioned above, Holland America and Princess now prohibit all U.S. travel agencies from selling cruises to you. The only other exception to this policy is if we previously arranged a cruise for you on Holland America or Princess and you're interested in booking again with that same cruise line.

We truly regret that we are not allowed to offer these cruise lines to all of our international customers. This is not a matter of international law or an agent policy or the U.S. government. Rather, it is a corporate policy instituted by each of these cruise lines. We are very disappointed in the restrictions these cruise lines have placed on U.S. travel agencies.

Fortunately, many cruise lines allow customers of all nations to book deeply-discounted cruises through Vacations To Go. Here is a list of cruise lines we can offer you: Azamara, American Cruise Lines, Blount, Carnival, Celebrity, Costa, Crystal, Cunard, Disney, Hurtigruten, Lindblad Expeditions, Norwegian, Oceania, P&O, Paul Gauguin, Ponant, Pullmantur, Regent Seven Seas, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn, SeaDream, Silversea, Swan Hellenic, Voyages to Antiquity, Voyages of Discovery and Windstar.>

 

I got in touch with them as we were booking a HAL 14 day Asian cruise. It was priced at $1850 with $50 OBC from AusHAL This turned out to be a better price than any agencies had listed so I stopped looking and booked.

Also booked RCI Voyager of Seas from Singapore to Sydney and got a good inclusive price from an Aussie agency that included flights from Adelaide and balcony at OV price.

Living in Adelaide always adds expensive complications.:(

 

be careful what you copy as you are not allowed to mention TA's here

[MicCanberra]

Thanks for posting but be careful.:D

[Rassa]

 

I got in touch with them as we were booking a HAL 14 day Asian cruise. It was priced at $1850 with $50 OBC from AusHAL This turned out to be a better price than any agencies had listed so I stopped looking and booked.

Also booked RCI Voyager of Seas from Singapore to Sydney and got a good inclusive price from an Aussie agency that included flights from Adelaide and balcony at OV price.

Living in Adelaide always adds expensive complications.:(

 

Thanks for sharing, will keep in mind for booking a HAL cruise. I have used that mob before. I guess it just goes to show that you should try even though their information indicated that they would not book HAL to us. I am doing Beijing to Singapore and I did get a great price booking directly with RCI during a promotion. I cancelled with the agent you indicate and bought in Australia. The disadvantage of booking in Australia was that I would lose my booking fee if I cancelled 5 or 6 months out, so I had to be fairly sure I was going to go.

[MicCanberra]

The disadvantage of booking in Australia was that I would lose my booking fee if I cancelled 5 or 6 months out, so I had to be fairly sure I was going to go.

Just make sure you have travel insurance so that if for some reason you have to cancel at least you are covered expenses.:D

[Gerko]

As an aussie TA all I can say is go ahead and book through foreign agents, if they'll let you. Just remember that its frowned upon by the cruise lines so don't complain if something goes wrong. Many is the time I've stayed back hours trying to fix up a last minute medical or flight change problem for my cruise customers. Good luck trying to get your american online agency to assist. By the way, it annoys us just as much if the cruise is sold cheaper elsewhere. We want our customers to get the best price too!

[NSWP]

As an aussie TA all I can say is go ahead and book through foreign agents, if they'll let you. Just remember that its frowned upon by the cruise lines so don't complain if something goes wrong. Many is the time I've stayed back hours trying to fix up a last minute medical or flight change problem for my cruise customers. Good luck trying to get your american online agency to assist. By the way, it annoys us just as much if the cruise is sold cheaper elsewhere. We want our customers to get the best price too!

Well said..I book with the cruise line or with local T/A's I believe in giving Australians jobs and protecting the local industry, even if it does cost me a few bucks. Anyway it is safer. Just call me patriotic or maybe it is because I have family in the business.

[MicCanberra]

By the way, it annoys us just as much if the cruise is sold cheaper elsewhere. We want our customers to get the best price too!

Yes, I can imagine how frustrating that is for you. It may be too early to tell but with the $AUD dropping has that helped your business much?:D

[Oz_Steve]

It's not just the price, the T&Cs are much better as well.

[MicCanberra]

It's not just the price, the T&Cs are much better as well.

As in the date difference for getting a full refund.:D

[judithann423]

Also be very mindful of your travel insurance if purchasing your travel from an overseas shipping company/travel agent. Some insurance companys do not provide coverage for travel that is not purchased in Australia. You can still purchase it quite easily of course, but read the small print very carefully to ensure that you will be OK if something unforseen takes place.

 

If unsure, think twice and ring the insurance company to clarify.

[MicCanberra]

Also be very mindful of your travel insurance if purchasing your travel from an overseas shipping company/travel agent. Some insurance companys do not provide coverage for travel that is not purchased in Australia. You can still purchase it quite easily of course, but read the small print very carefully to ensure that you will be OK if something unforseen takes place.

 

If unsure, think twice and ring the insurance company to clarify.

With an insurance policy I have used in the past it was the opposite and only provided cover outside of Australia. I needed a different policy for an Australian cruise. The fine print is the most important part of the policy document.:D

[Gerko]

The only thing the dropping A$ does is increase the price of drinks on board. We sailed on Rhapsody of the Seas a few years ago and the A$ plunged just before departure. It worked out we were paying around A$11.50 for a basic beer. The bars were so empty that they started giving 2 for 1 bonuses at regular times each day just to get some turnover.

 

But why this for cruise prices only? People usually don't go to a Singapore travel agents website or a Turkish travel agents website to see if they can get a cheaper flight on Qantas from Sydney to London. And sometimes they might. I have customers in Scotland and Switzerland who have been buying their flights from me for years because I can get cheaper here in Sydney than what they have locally.

 

The worst thing about websites is that it is very difficult to know if the perosn or company at the other end is legitimate or not. And the more you are spending the bigger the risk you are taking.

[MicCanberra]

The only thing the dropping A$ does is increase the price of drinks on board. We sailed on Rhapsody of the Seas a few years ago and the A$ plunged just before departure. It worked out we were paying around A$11.50 for a basic beer. The bars were so empty that they started giving 2 for 1 bonuses at regular times each day just to get some turnover.

 

But why this for cruise prices only? People usually don't go to a Singapore travel agents website or a Turkish travel agents website to see if they can get a cheaper flight on Qantas from Sydney to London. And sometimes they might. I have customers in Scotland and Switzerland who have been buying their flights from me for years because I can get cheaper here in Sydney than what they have locally.

 

The worst thing about websites is that it is very difficult to know if the perosn or company at the other end is legitimate or not. And the more you are spending the bigger the risk you are taking.

At $11.50 a beer:eek: I would drink wine.:rolleyes: Yes, although it is difficult to pass up some of those huge savings. :D