Shouldn't companies have to honor their advertised prices???

[Papa Yoda]

Cruise Critic email snapshot below. Looks like the previous fare was $1099 pp. So the thinking is that the new fare should have been $1340 - it was a fare increase not a ridiculous 88% fare drop.

 

Edit: There we some other crazy price drops listed in that email in terms of 60-70%, so the 88% doesn't really seem an outlier. Maybe CC should edit their blurbs to ensure info is correct. I don't know where they get the fare info, but a check step may be advised. I pay little attention to these CC fare drop emails since they often confuse Mini-suites and Suites.

Edited June 2, 2016 by Ferd Berfle

[jasbo49]

This is standard practice in the world of advertising. If a grocery store ad in the local paper advertises potatoes at 6 cents a pound when the store meant to advertise at 69 cents a pound, it is assumed the price is a mistake, because it is absurd, just like your cruise price.

 

If the paper mistakenly advertises the potatoes at 60 cents a pound instead of 69, the store will honor it.

 

Jim

[mum and son]

Thank you! I came on here wanting to vent and inform, and feel that a lot of posters were negative to me...some who have edited their posts since then.

 

No worries :D! It was clear that you were disappointed about a situation caused by PRINCESS, not by you, so I don't really understand the need to defend Princess in this case. It was 100% their fault and you did absolutely nothing wrong (except maybe posting about it here :p).

 

Your post was not dramatic or rude, and I for one learned something throughout this discussion, so I found the post to be very helpful. So thanks for posting it!

[Diana68]

This is standard practice in the world of advertising. If a grocery store ad in the local paper advertises potatoes at 6 cents a pound when the store meant to advertise at 69 cents a pound, it is assumed the price is a mistake, because it is absurd, just like your cruise price.

 

If the paper mistakenly advertises the potatoes at 60 cents a pound instead of 69, the store will honor it.

 

Jim

OK, but in your example, if you go to the store, the sign above the potatoes also says 6 cents, and you go to the register, the cashier enters the code into the register and they ring up at 6 cents; should the grocery store be able to come and take the potatoes from you 2 and a half days later? It wasn't just the advertised price, it was the price paid.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[mum and son]

And can I say that I would feel differently if, like in the example with the potatoes above, I saw an advertisement for potatoes at 6 cents and then I went to the store to purchase them and they told me it was an error and the price in the store was corrected to 69 cents, then that would be my bad luck.

 

BUT, if I went to the store to purchase them and the sign in store said 6 cents and I went to the counter and bought them and left the store, I would not be pleased if the store clerk ran after me down the street and grabbed the bag of potatoes from my hand and fled back to the store with them throwing my money back at me. OR, as in Princess' case, followed me down the street and handed me an invoice saying I owed more money for the potatoes I legally purchased and was holding in my hand.

[mum and son]

OK, but in your example, if you go to the store, the sign above the potatoes also says 6 cents, and you go to the register, the cashier enters the code into the register and they ring up at 6 cents; should the grocery store be able to come and take the potatoes from you 2 and a half days later? It wasn't just the advertised price, it was the price paid.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

Hahaha. We both basically typed the same response at the same time!

[Diana68]

Hahaha. We both basically typed the same response at the same time!

Awesome! I hope to sail with you sometime!

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[jasbo49]

OK, but in your example, if you go to the store, the sign above the potatoes also says 6 cents, and you go to the register, the cashier enters the code into the register and they ring up at 6 cents; should the grocery store be able to come and take the potatoes from you 2 and a half days later? It wasn't just the advertised price, it was the price paid.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

Diana68: Good points. And thanks for being even-keeled when you're unhappy about something. Not all of us can do that. You're right that the cruise line has a lot more control over the presentation of its price than the local grocer who turns over the copy to the Daily Bugle and hopes for the best.

 

I was mostly trying to pass along the concept of a price being too good to be true.

 

Jim

[Alaskan Joe]

Its called false advertising in my book and it happens more then you think:eek:. They (business) can make up a prices like the example above 6 cents instead of 69 cents. This price is so far off you have to know it is wrong and they do not have to honor that price, however people will come for those prices to find out that it was a "Mis-Print" (yeah right), and now that your there what are you going to do??? That's right your there now just go ahead and get it. Now some people will not fall for this and leave but there are those who will just say screw it and just get the item along with other items (Game, Set, and Match, they win).

Edited June 2, 2016 by Alaskan Joe

[lovevacadays]

I'm sorry you are upset. However, if I saw a price for a 10 day cruise that stated it was 136.00 pp I would know it was an error and wouldn't be surprised if the price was adjusted. And, I seriously doubt Princess intentionally advertised that price as a way to get people to book and then switch it up on them.

Edited June 2, 2016 by lovevacadays

[Diana68]

Diana68: Good points. And thanks for being even-keeled when you're unhappy about something. Not all of us can do that. You're right that the cruise line has a lot more control over the presentation of its price than the local grocer who turns over the copy to the Daily Bugle and hopes for the best.

 

I was mostly trying to pass along the concept of a price being too good to be true.

 

Jim

It's not something to get overheated about(although if I had booked airfare I'd be more upset), but I definitely think that Princess is in the wrong here...even if it wouldn't have been my booking.

 

On the other hand, this will definitely change my opinion and recommendations of Princess. We cruise a lot, and my husband just retired last month, so we will be cruising more. People always ask our favorite cruise line, and in the past I've said that Princess was my husbands second favorite, that they have great itinerarys, and good food,...but the beds are too hard for me. Now when people ask, they will hear this story!

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[GUT2407]

$580 for two people for a 10-day cruise, including insurance, sounds too good to be true. That's $290/pp for the cruise or $29/day/pp. Practically unheard of.

 

If I'd received a quote like that, I would have asked for written confirmation that the pricing is correct.

 

Good luck trying to get Princess to honor the quote.

 

I once booked a cruise on another line a year in advance, had a quote, confirmation, final invoice and paid in full only to receive an emergency notification two weeks after final payment that I owed another $900+ and if not paid within 48 hours, my booking would be canceled. I had no choice but to pay up as I had international flights and hotel booked.

 

 

I had a similar experience except it was $2,000. Fortunately only had flights and hotel booked that were fully refundable.

 

Took years till I gave that line another try.

[thinfool]

This applies to all cruise lines, not just Princess....

 

1.They are ALL doing very well at the present time. Ships sail full in all the major markets.

 

2. In this day of electronic marketing, mistakes are very common. (ask the airlines....who never honor mistakes in pricing anymore)

 

3. You may stop sailing with Princess, but it will happen again. Maybe not to you and likely not on Princess, but it has before and will again.

 

4. All of this means that the cruise lines don't have to bend over backward to keep your loyalty. They have plenty of people who will buy berths on their ships.

 

To so many here on CC, taking a cruise is an expression of their passion for travel. To the cruise lines it is a Business....and the bottom line is cash.

[neverbeenhere]

This doesn't help but...

 

In the movie Forrest Gump, Forrest runs into dog droppings and a man in the bumper sticker business brings it up. Forrest says "It happens," to which the man asks "What, mis-priced cruises?" and Forrest answers "Sometimes."

[CI66774]

I completely understand that mistakes are made, and can/should be corrected, but if someone contracts with you at the mistaken price then you have to wear the loss. It's not like you were ringing up after the fact trying to book a deal that you had seen advertised (in error), you actually proceeded with the purchase, in accordance with Princess' terms and conditions, and they effectively countersigned the contract by confirming your reservation. They were in the wrong so they should wear the cost. You were lucky, and smart to move fast. You weren't trying to skirt around the rules or rip anyone off. You simply saw a deal and jumped on it.

 

And as for Princess just "correcting" the fare and sending you a new confirmation, well that's just not on. At the very least they should have contacted you directly to explain their mistake and that they intended to breach their contract with you. What you do from there would be completely up to you.

 

Not necessarily. It depends upon the contract laws (both statutory and case law) of the state. Businesses typically have the "advantage" when it comes to a misprint or computer error - unless you've already paid in full. If you paid in full (just not a deposit), you may have the advantage. Now - the right thing to do is to honor the price and ensure the mistake is not repeated, but Princess may not be legally obligated to do so.

Edited June 2, 2016 by CI66774

[GUT2407]

This doesn't help but...

 

In the movie Forrest Gump, Forrest runs into dog droppings and a man in the bumper sticker business brings it up. Forrest says "It happens," to which the man asks "What, mis-priced cruises?" and Forrest answers "Sometimes."

 

Hee. Hee. Hee.

[Elitein85days]

It's not something to get overheated about(although if I had booked airfare I'd be more upset), but I definitely think that Princess is in the wrong here...even if it wouldn't have been my booking.

 

On the other hand, this will definitely change my opinion and recommendations of Princess. We cruise a lot, and my husband just retired last month, so we will be cruising more. People always ask our favorite cruise line, and in the past I've said that Princess was my husbands second favorite, that they have great itinerarys, and good food,...but the beds are too hard for me. Now when people ask, they will hear this story!

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

How is princess in the wrong here? It was an error in price that you tried to take advantage of, but they held you to the contract you agreed to. It's not like you went on the cruise and they demanded more money afterwards. It was a couple days later and well before the cruise.

 

If anything you're in the wrong for trying to take advantage of a simple mistake by a princess employee who mistyped the price in their system.

 

You should really be embarrassed by your actions of trying to hold Princess to an obvious mistake in price, but you refuse to take any responsibility and place it all on Princess and then act like you're the victim of them tricking you.

[Cruise Junky]

They honoured the price when I got a screw up. We booked a cruise with our TA that was 21 days but sold in 7 day segments. The 21 day was barely more than the 7 day price. I questioned that price 6 ways to Sunday that it couldn't possibly be right. Was assured it was. A couple of weeks later my TA was advised they'd priced her group booking wrong but they agreed to honour the price.

[icat2000]

They honoured the price when I got a screw up. We booked a cruise with our TA that was 21 days but sold in 7 day segments. The 21 day was barely more than the 7 day price. I questioned that price 6 ways to Sunday that it couldn't possibly be right. Was assured it was. A couple of weeks later my TA was advised they'd priced her group booking wrong but they agreed to honour the price.

 

Maybe they would of if it was one or two affected parties. But someone, I believe posted the information about the cheap pricing. Maybe many booked it. Shrugs.

[Cruise Junky]

Maybe they would of if it was one or two affected parties. But someone, I believe posted the information about the cheap pricing. Maybe many booked it. Shrugs.

 

They were quite likely trying to keep my high volume Princess selling TA happy. We recently had an amazing price on X and I think again it was keeping her happy, I'm inconsequential ;)

[azbirdmom]

Last year Princess offered some ridiculously low prices on some cruises that looked to be a mistake. Turns out the low prices were deliberate and were made to many folks who played at the Princess casinos. So low prices aren't always a mistake and I would hope that Princess would make good on the fares that were in effect when you placed your deposit.

[Ethel5]

I did not try to make three bookings, and didn't post about the deal before. I received an email from Cruise Critic advertising the price, and then went to the Princess website to book.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

Is it possible that Cruise Critic made the typo?

[RDC1]

There are a number of considerations a company will use in determining their course of action in these kinds of pricing mistakes.

 

1. Duration of time before the error is discovered and corrected. If the time is short then less likely to be honored. If it had gone one for a couple of weeks before getting caught the reaction might be different.

 

2. The size of the error. The larger the error, the less likely it will be honored. Especially if it is out side of normal pricing limits.

 

3. Number of people impacted. The larger the number the less likely it will be honored. Especially if the error was published and a rush has occurred.

 

4. Payment. If there is only a small deposit, it is more likely to be corrected and not honored.

 

5. Time until the event or actual purchase. The longer the time, the less likely it will be honored.

 

6. Nature of the transaction. If it was purchase solely by computer less likely to be honored, if it was done with a person it may be more likely to be honored.

 

The fact that it will not be honored does not eliminate some negotiation on an individual basis. For example if the transaction resulted in actual damages. Such as actually having booked airline tickets (many do allow cancellation within 24 hours) that cannot be canceled then one might get something. By something I don't mean having the mistake honored, but some other compensation. Or if someone still wanted to take the cruise they might be able to get some type of upgrade.

 

If the individual has not suffered any out of pocket damages or does not want to continue with the cruise then the end result is probably nothing.

Edited June 2, 2016 by RDC1

[Diana68]

Is it possible that Cruise Critic made the typo?

No. I went to the Princess website, and the pricing was there. I, and others, booked,paid deposits, and got confirmations at this price.

 

I often find good deals on cruises, my upcoming October trip is $229pp w/ free unlimited beverage package(normally $70 per day), so this deal was not as unbelievable as some have commented.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[icat2000]

There is a big difference between $70 per day and $13 per day especially when the later cruise is 10 days. In my mind, if I had seen that pricing. I would have known straight away that it was a pricing error.

 

How many people have had a cruise at $13 per day. Can't say I've ever been that lucky.

 

Also this cruise was in the Asian region. US market cruises so see some heavily discounted cruises especially out of FLL.

Edited June 2, 2016 by icat2000