Late Savers now showing

[clivep]

Well what a surprise.

 

A new fare is showing for many cruises from the end of March to the end of April listed simply as Saver. If you view the T'c & C's they're described as Late Savers. Booking conditions same as Getaways/Early Savers as expected.

 

Sample price: Ventura 26th March 14 night balcony cabin £999 inc. flights.

That's 43% off the Select Price of £1749 but of course there's no "price guarantee" with the select saver prices and anyone booked on the old Vantage fare would also find the "price guarantee" worthless in regard to the new Late Saver pricing.

[crafty sue]

I wonder if that is why they didn't argue when I challenged the on board credit the other week and they gave us £340 instead of the original amount when booked of £75 ! They knew they were going to throw this drop into the mix ! - Bloomin cheeky

[PJ's]

Yes I noticed these new "Saver prices" as well. I wonder if these "Saver" prices will continue all year as sailing dates get closer?

[the english lady]

Well what a surprise.

 

A new fare is showing for many cruises from the end of March to the end of April listed simply as Saver. If you view the T'c & C's they're described as Late Savers. Booking conditions same as Getaways/Early Savers as expected.

 

Sample price: Ventura 26th March 14 night balcony cabin £999 inc. flights.

That's 43% off the Select Price of £1749 but of course there's no "price guarantee" with the select saver prices and anyone booked on the old Vantage fare would also find the "price guarantee" worthless in regard to the new Late Saver pricing.

Why on earth are you going on about this. We all know prices drop nearer to sail date. Yes the prices are cheaper, but you get 2nd in line for dining choice,table size,chance of an upgrade etc.

You would have to be A very silly person in deed to think that vantage/select fares would remain until sailing date.

There are no price promise guarantees with select fares. Also if a cruise is selling well they may never issue early saver fares, you would just have the very cheap fares close to sailing date,with no choices.

[kevinyork]

Why on earth are you going on about this. We all know prices drop nearer to sail date. Yes the prices are cheaper, but you get 2nd in line for dining choice,table size,chance of an upgrade etc.

You would have to be A very silly person in deed to think that vantage/select fares would remain until sailing date.

There are no price promise guarantees with select fares. Also if a cruise is selling well they may never issue early saver fares, you would just have the very cheap fares close to sailing date,with no choices.

 

I do agree with your comment. However the only thing I would add is the Mr Edgington in his Q&A on this forum said their new price structure was so good they did not expect to have to offer late availability discount....and thats exactly what they are doing.

 

They are back just where they were last year. Trying to encourage people to pay top whack (Select Fares) to get the cabin/dining choice they want and then discounting massively nearer the departure date. This will lead to the same dissatisfaction as previously. Will they ever learn. Go back to flexible pricing. Its simple and exists in all areas of travel......supply and demand dictates the prices.

Edited January 30, 2014 by kevinyork

[the english lady]

From some of the fares I have seen the early saver is only down by a couple of hundred on the select fare.

The late availability discounts will be the ones that appear after final payment is due.

That is how I read what would happen. This always happens on every cruise line.

I was recently reading one of the American lines forum, and lo and behold somebody had paid full fare, and it had been reduced and hey that's not fair. I read it and thought...my my not just P and O....

For the few 100 difference I would prefer to pay the select fare ,rather than the early saver.

[Midsomer Madness]

A lot of those fares are the same as the early saver fares were, but you have to pay 100% at time of booking??will be interesting to see how low the prices go

[CCFC]

From an email I got today the prices are almost half of what they were and certainly not late booking.

 

April 2nd was £2239 now £1199, the end of March cruise on the 26th is better than half price at £599 for a balcony, mind you I really wouldn't go to the Med in April let alone March.

 

For that price I would pay for a balcony, not worry about an upgrade and do freedom dining. If I had paid full fare I would be looking at other cruise lines in the future or waiting a long time before booking.

[CCFC]

A lot of those fares are the same as the early saver fares were, but you have to pay 100% at time of booking??will be interesting to see how low the prices go

 

You would have to pay the full fare but having said that the people that booked early would have paid in full too.

[crafty sue]

From an email I got today the prices are almost half of what they were and certainly not late booking.

 

April 2nd was £2239 now £1199, the end of March cruise on the 26th is better than half price at £599 for a balcony, mind you I really wouldn't go to the Med in April let alone March.

 

 

Oh heck we are on the 26th March cruise - never cruised the Med in March only done May ! aggh will it be rough? - bad enough paying full pops for our cruise - only to have a rocking good time ! ;)

[Thejuggler]

I do agree with your comment. However the only thing I would add is the Mr Edgington in his Q&A on this forum said their new price structure was so good they did not expect to have to offer late availability discount....and thats exactly what they are doing.

 

He has a background in marketing which is all about telling porkies to secure sales. No better than Ms Marlow and her price promise lies.

[kevinyork]

From some of the fares I have seen the early saver is only down by a couple of hundred on the select fare.

The late availability discounts will be the ones that appear after final payment is due.

That is how I read what would happen. This always happens on every cruise line.

I was recently reading one of the American lines forum, and lo and behold somebody had paid full fare, and it had been reduced and hey that's not fair. I read it and thought...my my not just P and O....

For the few 100 difference I would prefer to pay the select fare ,rather than the early saver.

 

Yes but on the American lines, if the price drops you can request a refund of the difference or cancel without a loss of deposit or after full pament can request an upgrade.

[CCFC]

Oh heck we are on the 26th March cruise - never cruised the Med in March only done May ! aggh will it be rough? - bad enough paying full pops for our cruise - only to have a rocking good time ! ;)

 

I've never cruised before May in the Med and even then it can be iffy. We arrived in Venice last year and it was raining and about 12C, it got a lot better though!

Edited January 30, 2014 by CCFC

[the english lady]

From an email I got today the prices are almost half of what they were and certainly not late booking.

 

April 2nd was £2239 now £1199, the end of March cruise on the 26th is better than half price at £599 for a balcony, mind you I really wouldn't go to the Med in April let alone March.

 

For that price I would pay for a balcony, not worry about an upgrade and do freedom dining. If I had paid full fare I would be looking at other cruise lines in the future or waiting a long time before booking.

 

 

fFinal payments would have gone in on these cruises (march/april) so one would expect the cheap fares to kick in now.

We are on an April med cruise-done one in the past and we were ok with the weather. It's a special wedding anniversary so not much choice as to when we actually went.

Would I book late in the future...no I don't think so.

Select fares would get their choice of dining. If a lot of them go for freedom, plus early saver bookers, you could find yourself on club dining ,at a time you don't want. That for me would be a deal breaker. Do not want the buffett for 14 days thank you.

[terrierjohn]

41497655[/color]]Why on earth are you going on about this. We all know prices drop nearer to sail date. Yes the prices are cheaper' date=' but you get 2nd in line for dining choice,table size,chance of an upgrade etc.

You would have to be A very silly person in deed to think that vantage/select fares would remain until sailing date.

There are no price promise guarantees with select fares. Also if a cruise is selling well they may never issue early saver fares, you would just have the very cheap fares close to sailing date,with no choices.[/quote']

Not sure what your point is but Princess have have reduced my May cruise in line with their current much lower offer. I also understand that Royal Caribbean and Celebrity will honour price drops as well, and in all these cases the original reservation retains the same cabin and dining choice.

So why don't P&O?:mad:

[English Voyager]

Not sure what your point is but Princess have have reduced my May cruise in line with their current much lower offer. I also understand that Royal Caribbean and Celebrity will honour price drops as well, and in all these cases the original reservation retains the same cabin and dining choice.

So why don't P&O?:mad:

 

Are you sure about Celebrity in the UK honouring price drops?

 

I was interested in one of their 2014 cruises, and asked my TA to specifically ask Celebrity if they honoured price drops, and the emphatic answer was "No".

[Pink-belle]

I have had a price drop honoured by Celebrity no problem at all.

[Presto2]

I have had a price drop honoured by Celebrity no problem at all.

 

Have had 3 price drops with Celebrity no problem - and the last one we had we'd already had had about £1000 off the cruise as we'd book in April 2012 for August 2013.

[kevinyork]

fFinal payments would have gone in on these cruises (march/april) so one would expect the cheap fares to kick in now.

We are on an April med cruise-done one in the past and we were ok with the weather. It's a special wedding anniversary so not much choice as to when we actually went.

Would I book late in the future...no I don't think so.

Select fares would get their choice of dining. If a lot of them go for freedom, plus early saver bookers, you could find yourself on club dining ,at a time you don't want. That for me would be a deal breaker. Do not want the buffett for 14 days thank you.

 

I am confused. Your question to Mr Edginton from P&O suggested you were against discounting...

 

Well we will see what appears.

We know P and O would like us all to book first thing.

We know prices drop down down nearer to sailing.

Do you not think that if you picked a sensible price for Select-and stuck to it, it would not annoy people soo much.

The latest one with OBS seems to have upset a lot of people

We know it is not just P and O, OH was reading Fred is having terrible problems with some cruises only half full.

The P and O brand suits us-as it does a lot of other people, but it does annoy us sometimes.

[majortom10]

Did anyone expect any difference to the Vantage/Getaway fiasco its exactly the same but different names but at the end of the day they have to sell cabins as the last thing they want is to sail with empty cabins.

[the english lady]

I am confused. Your question to Mr Edginton from P&O suggested you were against discounting...

 

My view has always been:-

If you book early you pay top whack, but now you get all the choices , so I am happy about that.

 

I know that any cruise I book select/vantage was quite possibly going to be selling a lot cheaper nearer the time, no problem with that-as now they do not get the choices.I got annoyed with the OBS thing as it was basically lowering the price ,without lowering the price-if you see what I mean. They tried that, not sure if they will try it again, as reading the forums they had to give the increased obs to people who had already booked, who asked for it.

 

Every ship needs to sail nearly full or the line will cease to exist. I know that and I am certainly not one of those who book, then after final payment would have been due, come on here and say price has been reduced boo hoo.

I think if they stick to their cunning plan this time it may work. Have to see.

Was just reading on the Cunard board on a forum , that they are not going to rely on price to sell their cruises, but more the brand itself...ie The Dorchester does not sell itself on price, but on luxury. lets see how that works.

[kruzgal]

Are you sure about Celebrity in the UK honouring price drops?

 

 

 

I was interested in one of their 2014 cruises, and asked my TA to specifically ask Celebrity if they honoured price drops, and the emphatic answer was "No".

 

 

I have also had several price drops honoured with Celebrity saving me thousands of pounds. Your TA probably doesn't like it because their commission is based on a % of what you pay. When booking, I only book with a TA that knows Celebrity do honour price drops before final payment (unless the deal states new bookings only) and are prepared to work for me to get it. It is, however, up to you to check the Celebrity site and spot the drops - they won't typically do this for you. Also, you may lose any benefits such as free drinks package if that is not part of the new lower price so you need to calculate whether it is worth it or not.

 

 

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[Midsomer Madness]

I am hoping that perhaps they will offer upgrades (not the automatic ones which you can't turn down) to the early bookers...if they do that along with the cheaper fares not getting so much choice, then that will be a step in the right direction ... There will,always be offers, I suspect the next promotion will be a pay for inside get a balcony or similar...the on board credit promotion is something they will amend next time..I think it will soon be in the terms and conditions when you book that any future promotions will not be given once your cruise is booked or something along those lines..

[the english lady]

I am hoping that perhaps they will offer upgrades (not the automatic ones which you can't turn down) to the early bookers...if they do that along with the cheaper fares not getting so much choice, then that will be a step in the right direction ... There will,always be offers, I suspect the next promotion will be a pay for inside get a balcony or similar...the on board credit promotion is something they will amend next time..I think it will soon be in the terms and conditions when you book that any future promotions will not be given once your cruise is booked or something along those lines..

Totally agree with this and should have put in my other reply that the v annoying thing about the increased obs, was it was under the same T and C as the original vantage/select fare, not the early savers etc.

[tjwa]

Did anyone expect any difference to the Vantage/Getaway fiasco its exactly the same but different names but at the end of the day they have to sell cabins as the last thing they want is to sail with empty cabins.

 

Spot on.