Ausralians being taken advantage of by Princess Cruises

[Oz_Steve]

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.

 

If it was widely known that the Turkish web site was generally significantly cheaper and would honour price drops if the price of the flight dropped then they might. People regularly rent cars and book hotel rooms over the net with OS websites. If there was significant number of flights not connected to Aus it would be worth checking. Why is Sydney to Nadi $150 dearer than Nadi to Sydney?

[icat2000]

If it was widely known that the Turkish web site was generally significantly cheaper and would honour price drops if the price of the flight dropped then they might. People regularly rent cars and book hotel rooms over the net with OS websites. If there was significant number of flights not connected to Aus it would be worth checking. Why is Sydney to Nadi $150 dearer than Nadi to Sydney?

Isn't something to do with the taxes from Sydney.

[Aus Traveller]

Isn't something to do with the taxes from Sydney.

 

My mum-in-law was paying to have relatives come from Europe. The fare was much cheaper (by $1,000 + ) from Australia to Europe than vice versa, but she couldn't book and pay here - or so she was told. The relatives had to book it in Europe and she organised payment at the higher price.

[The_Big_M]

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.

 

Careful, you'll get a bunch of people checking overseas TAs now. :cool:

[MicCanberra]

Shop around for the best (total package, fees and taxes included) prices whether here or abroad and you cannot go wrong, it is all part of the fun when planning the holiday.:D

[icat2000]

My mum-in-law was paying to have relatives come from Europe. The fare was much cheaper (by $1,000 + ) from Australia to Europe than vice versa, but she couldn't book and pay here - or so she was told. The relatives had to book it in Europe and she organised payment at the higher price.

I've booked tickets out of Europe one way to Australia. Both directly with a agent and online myself. I did it this year from Paris to Melbourne.

[wotaripper]

I've managed to compare a Diamond Princess cruise on Dec 11 2013 out of Sydney and even when you take into account exchange rates, Princess Cruises are ripping off Australians by almost $1000 for the same cabin on the same cruise.

 

Is this fair or ethical? Would Americans accept this if the tables were reversed?

 

What are your thoughts and comments?

 

See attached image for cruise pricings.

you can still book through u.s.travel agents even if you haven't used them previously we have booked three cruises in the last 18 months to take advantage of better pricing.

[wotaripper]

Look at this question from another side. From what I have seen Americans do not get Princess cruises out of Australia any cheaper than Aussies do, but they have the auto-tip added to their on-board accounts. Is that fair?

They can always have it removed once on board by going to guest relations desk.

[woodyren]

The price differences are not as significant for cruises out of Australia from what I have seen. It is the ones out of the USA and Europe where the big price differences occur.

[MicCanberra]

The price differences are not as significant for cruises out of Australia from what I have seen. It is the ones out of the USA and Europe where the big price differences occur.

Yes, I can certainly agree.

We had booked a cruise for $1200 less per person (gratuities, fees and taxes included) for the same cruise out of the US using a US TA instead of the cruiselines website or any Aussie TA/website. That is significant.:D

[Aussie Gal]

Well, I have a different version of a price difference.

 

We have just booked a Diamond Princess cruise around Japan next year for 9 days. It has been reduced for us Aussies and it was a good price. I booked it directly with Princess Australia as I thought that our T.A. in the States ( we have used her since 2004 so we can book through her without any hassles with Princess) may not be able to get the price as I could see the U.S. dollar price by going into D.H's "log in" on Princess.

 

Anyhow, this week I emailed her to ask if she wanted to take over the booking. She could not get the price any cheaper than nearly double the price we are paying and said she was worried that if she took over the booking, our price may go up to the what the U.S. cruisers will have to pay.

 

So, in this case, Aussie's are being treated more fairly than U.S. and Canadians are.

 

I must agree though that using a U.S. Travel Agent, we have saved many thousands of dollars over the years especially when our dollar was so strong. Not only in the cost of the cruise but also the benefits that come with booking in the U.S. including OBC's, deposits being refunded without any worries, and best of all, if the price drops and you notify your T.A. then you immediately get the new price.

 

Jennie

[MicCanberra]

Each cruise price situation is slightly different, depending on location, itinerary etc. Shop around, do the research and compare the total product so it is apples vs apples and then buy what is best for you (cheap/easy, TA/direct, etc).:D

[NSWP]

They can always have it removed once on board by going to guest relations desk.

Exactly the same as any other Princess cruiser.

[Bowie MeMe]

Each cruise price situation is slightly different, depending on location, itinerary etc. Shop around, do the research and compare the total product so it is apples vs apples and then buy what is best for you (cheap/easy, TA/direct, etc).:D

 

And it is no different wherever you book or travel too. I enjoy watching the prices and considering various approaches to get the best price possible. Often I have taken a cruise for many thousands of dollars less than others on the same cruise because of my planning and my choices. Others would hate my OBV (obstructed view) or inside cabin (absolutely love the Disney Lines concept of the magic porthole where a camera makes it look like you are looking out the window! This idea is going to be used on all the new ships being built after 2014 across many lines). We don't drink alcohol and we don't care to participate in specialty restaurants and I don't go to spa for more than a fingernail polish change and somehow the photographers keep showing us pictures of these dumpy older folks:eek: so we don't buy those.

 

I love my online TA and she handles all of our major cruise line bookings but I tell her the exact deal/cabin/etc that I want. On the over 40 cruises she has booked for family, friends and us she has given us great service and is pleasant to work with -- trustworthy which is better than some of the too good to be true websites. Ultimately your best consumer protection is to research, make your choices and know why you made those choices and then "put it to bed" don't keep making decisions after the deal is done. It doesn't matter what someone else got -- or didn't get-- your only concern is your deal!

:Dunless you are a braggy pants:D

[MicCanberra]

And it is no different wherever you book or travel too. I enjoy watching the prices and considering various approaches to get the best price possible. Often I have taken a cruise for many thousands of dollars less than others on the same cruise because of my planning and my choices. Others would hate my OBV (obstructed view) or inside cabin (absolutely love the Disney Lines concept of the magic porthole where a camera makes it look like you are looking out the window! This idea is going to be used on all the new ships being built after 2014 across many lines). We don't drink alcohol and we don't care to participate in specialty restaurants and I don't go to spa for more than a fingernail polish change and somehow the photographers keep showing us pictures of these dumpy older folks:eek: so we don't buy those.

 

I love my online TA and she handles all of our major cruise line bookings but I tell her the exact deal/cabin/etc that I want. On the over 40 cruises she has booked for family, friends and us she has given us great service and is pleasant to work with -- trustworthy which is better than some of the too good to be true websites. Ultimately your best consumer protection is to research, make your choices and know why you made those choices and then "put it to bed" don't keep making decisions after the deal is done. It doesn't matter what someone else got -- or didn't get-- your only concern is your deal!

:Dunless you are a braggy pants:D

Great post.

I take it there is a couple that keep photo bombing you pictures.:D

And being a braggy pants about a deal only gets other cruisers offside. LOL:D

[Gerko]

One important note though. Australian licenced TAs are members of the Travel Agents Compensation Fund so if we go broke or do a runner your money is guaranteed. Not so with foreign websites.

 

As far as airfares go, after 35 years in the business I still have absolutely no idea how airlines manager to come up with some fares. Why there can be thousands of dollars difference depending on the route, airline, season, etc. They all have pretty much the same planes and the same costs. I know how to find the cheapest but don't ask me how they get that way.

[MicCanberra]

One important note though. Australian licenced TAs are members of the Travel Agents Compensation Fund so if we go broke or do a runner your money is guaranteed. Not so with foreign websites.

 

As far as airfares go, after 35 years in the business I still have absolutely no idea how airlines manager to come up with some fares. Why there can be thousands of dollars difference depending on the route, airline, season, etc. They all have pretty much the same planes and the same costs. I know how to find the cheapest but don't ask me how they get that way.

 

Very good point about having our money guaranteed. So the mystery of how some prices can be so low and others so high is just that, a mystery.:D

[rugbypopsie]

US agents must transfer your money to the cruise line immediately...so no danger there and the advantages of being able to change your mind or your booking without penalty is a goodie as is price drop guarantee, if the price goes down you pay the new price. I recently booked a air ticket to Melbourne...if I want to change a $100 ticket it would be $80 ridiculous.

 

Sue

[Pushka]

There is no risk booking with USA travel agents as its the cruise line who takes payment from the credit card and not the TA. I don't think the Australian TA compensation fund is worth the big deal its made out to be by them.

[The_Big_M]

As long as the US TA does pass it on immediately...

[Pushka]

Well, in my case they gave the cruise line my payment details so there was no issue of passing payment on as the TA didn't process it.

[MicCanberra]

US agents must transfer your money to the cruise line immediately...so no danger there and the advantages of being able to change your mind or your booking without penalty is a goodie as is price drop guarantee, if the price goes down you pay the new price. I recently booked a air ticket to Melbourne...if I want to change a $100 ticket it would be $80 ridiculous.

 

Sue

 

One catch with some online sites is that they also charge change/cancellation fees even though they are the broker for the airline etc. So you may get hit with two fees not one.:D

[Gerko]

Actually the Compensation Fund is being wound up next year so people will lose that protection unless they use an agency who has taken out their own client insurance. But as for it not being a big deal, I'm pretty sure those who received some of the $100+ million paid out over the years when travel businesses failed, rescuing their holiday money, would think it a pretty good thing. The bit that angers agents is that now the govt has decied to close it down, its also decided that all the millions held in the fund, 100% of which was paid by TA's, must be directed in govt consolidated revennue.

 

Tell me, those who have used a US agent for their cruises, if you book an RCI cruise and a better price comes along do they let you change it? Here in Oz Princess, P & O and HAL do but RCI, Celebrity and Azamara certainly don't. What you book and pay them is unchangeable.

[Aussie Gal]

We booked our cruise on the Solstice with our U.S. Agent back in late 2011. The price changed for Seniors during 2012 and our fare (Aqua Class) was adjusted down. We saved quite a few hundred dollars due to this reduction. We cruised on the Solstice this year in March.

 

Jennie

[The_Big_M]

Tell me, those who have used a US agent for their cruises, if you book an RCI cruise and a better price comes along do they let you change it? Here in Oz Princess, P & O and HAL do but RCI, Celebrity and Azamara certainly don't. What you book and pay them is unchangeable.

 

The final payment date is the key as you can cancel before then without cost, so changing is equally permitted.

 

However, others have also changed for a better price with RCL here, so I'm surprised you have difficulties. Maybe it's just you need to go through their office instead of being able to do it through their system.