The cruise you booked, suddenly sold for less than half the price!

[bUU]

And of course, nobody expects to pay more if their air or cruise fare goes UP after they bought theirs, but they expect the difference refunded if their fare goes down.

As Church Lady used to say, "How conveeeeeenient!" :)

[whogo]

Welcome to Cruise Critic, lesjudym.

 

It is a shame you missed out on a bargain. The same thing happens with hotel rooms and airline seats. Avoid disappointments. Once you can no longer back out of a deal, quit looking at prices.

[marchie1053]

OP is sailing from Sydney, and I strongly suspect that they're Australians who booked in Oz. Cancellation terms there are similar to the UK and very different to the US - the deposit is forfeit as soon as it's paid, and (probably) a rising scale of cancellation charges as sail date approaches. So it's very rarely worthwhile to cancel and re-book.

And whilst the cruise price may have halved, there will be other differences - the OP probably got early-booking freebies like OBC, cabin selection, free parking, etc, which narrows the price gap.

 

To the OP - early booking is heavily promoted. Closer to the date the cruise may be sold-out, prices (net of freebies) may actually increase, or .............. if there are a lot of unsold cabins, prices may drop significantly.

We are flexible on date (retired) , cruise line, ship and itinerary, and we're cheapskates. So we tend to book late at discounted prices. If a cruise sells out, so be it - we wait for another. Only on a couple of occasions have we booked comparatively early, for an itinerary we don't want to miss. But lots of folk - particularly those with fixed vacation dates - don't have the luxury of leaving it late. In fact, when we were in business Christmas & New Year - the most expensive time of the year - was our only opportunity to put a week or more together so we had to bite the bullet on price.

 

The way to look at it is as Tina has posted.

Whilst it's difficult, you need to ignore what others are paying cos that's nothing to do with you. You were happy with the price when you booked, so don't let other folks' good fortune spoil your cruise.

 

If others on the ship brag about how little they paid, tell them you paid less than they did. You'll be lying, but probably so are they ;). And it quickly shuts them up :D

 

Live & learn. And if you're flexible, next time book much later.

 

JB :)

 

Agreed! We've been taking CMV cruises recently (next one at the end of October) and have taken 'pot luck' with cabin availability - win some, lose some! CMV operates a decent system to take the sting out of price drops and related issues. You book at the stated price (we too are retired and cheapskates and flexible!) and we usually take the basic grade (one up from 'anonymous guaranteed cabin') at that date. If the price then drops, CMV sell your original cabin to new customers who get the cheaper price. You then get an upgrade of (normally) 2 grades so you at least have the compensation of better accommodation than you would have purchased when prices were higher! The 'top of the range' cabins/suites are all named after British palaces on the Magellan - the bigger the suite, the more famous the name. Kelpie Travels (Mrs M.) was talking to a fellow passenger last year and the price of cabins cropped up. He went a little quiet and then said, 'Well actually, we paid early and then the price fell. We were given an upgrade to a suite ...' My wife felt compelled to enquire 'which one?'. 'Buckingham Palace,' he replied - would you like to come and see our twin wall-mounted TVs?' - we were helpless with laughter - the poor man was so apologetic for having the upgrade!

[drsel]

"would he for one second contemplate a request from the cruise line to pay more if prices had gone up'''

Costa SOLD the ship I had booked & transferred me to another completely different ship with completely different dates.

 

To compensate, they offered me free 200 euros OBC.

Later, they sent me a new booking confirmation showing the total price increased by $235 (=200 euros), cos they added the 200 euros '''free OBC'' to the cruise cost !

[drsel]

That's one of the reasons we wait until after the final payment date to book most cruises. We want to be the ones who paid half what other people paid.

Just wanted to know-- if some folks cannot cough up the balance payment by the final payment date, are their deposits auto-refunded & their cabins released & made available to the public at a very cheap price?

[sparks1093]

Just wanted to know-- if some folks cannot cough up the balance payment by the final payment date, are their deposits auto-refunded & their cabins released & made available to the public at a very cheap price?

 

Since the final payment date has passed by the time the cruise line cancels the booking and refunds any payments then the outlined cancellation penalties would kick in. On Carnival the penalty after day 76 is the deposit. It depends on how the cruise is selling on how the cruise line will price the cabin.

[Toofarfromthesea]

I know it an unpopular notion, but OP should look at it from the cruise lines POV. They have surplus cabins to sell and they dropped the price to sell them, not to give out windfalls to people who already booked, since that does nothing to accomplish their goal of a full ship. Cannibalizing the revenue from the booked pax does nothing to reduce their cabin surplus.

[BlueRiband]

Just wanted to know-- if some folks cannot cough up the balance payment by the final payment date, are their deposits auto-refunded & their cabins released & made available to the public at a very cheap price?

 

Refund of the deposit depends on the T&C of the fare. If it's a non-refundable deposit it's forfeited. If it's refundable it's either refunded or available towards a future booking. This is why it's important to read the fine print before making a booking commitment especially on promotional sales. A "Reduced Deposit!" is often non-refundable.

 

The cabin goes into inventory and re-sold and priced according to demand. Depending on that demand, a last minute cabin can actually sell for more than the original passenger's price.

[imouer]

Refund of the deposit depends on the T&C of the fare. If it's a non-refundable deposit it's forfeited. If it's refundable it's either refunded or available towards a future booking. This is why it's important to read the fine print before making a booking commitment especially on promotional sales. A "Reduced Deposit!" is often non-refundable.

 

The cabin goes into inventory and re-sold and priced according to demand. Depending on that demand, a last minute cabin can actually sell for more than the original passenger's price.

 

 

 

Honestly what I'm seeing from both the cruise and the airlines even if you have a nonrefundable ticket you're still pretty much taken care of the customers the end of the day

 

 

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[BlueRiband]

What do you mean by "taken care of"? How so? If a deposit is non-refundable it may be applicable toward another booking or maybe not. Depends on the T&C.

[sparks1093]

Honestly what I'm seeing from both the cruise and the airlines even if you have a nonrefundable ticket you're still pretty much taken care of the customers the end of the day

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

For large events that are going on right now sure, but for individual events not so much. I have read a lot of threads over the years where the poster missed the cruise due to illness or what not and lost their cruise fare as a result.

[BlueRiband]

The last time cruise lines let a significant number of people change itineraries after final payment involved expectant couples who had planned "babymoons" in areas where the Zika virus had emerged after they had booked. But otherwise the cancellation schedule kicks in once the final payment date passes. Every once in a while we get a post from somebody who has a medical issue - and no insurance - but they now want the cruise line to allow them to change next week's sailing to a later date.

[NantahalaCruiser]

That's one of the reasons we wait until after the final payment date to book most cruises. We want to be the ones who paid half what other people paid. What we miss out on though is the ability to pick the prime cabins. We also sometimes miss going on a cruise because the prices go up as frequently as they go down. It's easier now that we're retired and are no longer constrained by DH's breaks as a professor at a community college.

In the US you should be able to cancel at anytime prior to final payment date without any penalty. Thus there is generally no advantage to waiting to book right before final payment date.

 

Regarding booking after final payment date; that's fine so long as you have no specific itinerary in mind, place no value on cabin selection and are not concerned about airfare prices and availability or the availability of independent shore excursions. The strategy works best for cruises leaving from ports within driving distance of your home. Not so good for cruises that take over 12 hours to fly there!

Edited September 7, 2017 by NantahalaCruiser

[BlueRiband]

...We suggested to TA and operator a credit towards future trip, but that was refused. We will not deal with these companies ever again. Instead we'll wait for special deals, very flexible - retired! That's why we joined this forum!

 

All TAs and operators would give you the same answer. After final payment none of them will adjust fares or give credit towards future trips.

 

 

Since you are retired you've found your strategy going forward - wait for special deals. However be aware that special deals often require immediate payment and are 100% non-refundable. So if you book a special deal, and an even better deal comes along later, you will be tied to the one that you bought. That TA or operator will also refuse to give you any credit because you bought at $799 but the new deal is $699.

[John Bull]

 

 

Since you are retired you've found your strategy going forward - wait for special deals. However be aware that special deals often require immediate payment and are 100% non-refundable. .

 

Agreed.

But - certainly in the OP's home country - those best deals are almost always well past final-payment date, a time when for any booking full payment is due and non-refundable anyway.

 

JB :)

[iancal]

We usually book last minute cruise specials. Usually 30 -40 days out, occasionally 3-7 days out.

 

They are always payable on booking, non refundable. We do the same with other travel products and they too are typically non refundable.

[marchie1053]

We usually book last minute cruise specials. Usually 30 -40 days out, occasionally 3-7 days out.

 

They are always payable on booking, non refundable. We do the same with other travel products and they too are typically non refundable.

 

Us too! 'You pays your money, you gets no choice!' But, the venues are the most important element for us and a last minute booking means instant sense of anticipation, a 'headless chicken' dash to gather up documants, currency, innoculations etc - and then 'go for it!'

 

 

We also make life a little more insane - we split our time between Scotland and France and I told Mrs Marchie that it was silly to disembark on the south coast of England, drive 500 miles+ back home, wash the clothes and then repack them to travel back to France (when there's a washing machine waiting there). First time worked like a dream - disembarked Southampton, leisurely taxi ride back to the long-term parking hotel, coffee and then a slow drive across to Newhaven to catch the 23:00 Dieppe ferry - perfect! Tried a repeat in early December 2016 - delayed end-of-cruise flight from Jordan, unscheduled overnight in Naples meant Gatwick arrival 21.50 hours late, lost Newhaven hotel booking, following morning's ferry reservation, appointment with Heating Engineer in France cancelled - and an overstay Parking Charge! We're off on a 46 night cruise at the end of October - it's awfully tempting to book a mid-December Newhaven-Dieppe ferry for the return ...(but the central heating service and chimney sweeping will take place next week so we can avoid freezing our bits off in an unheated house in December - not doing that again!).

[iancal]

We like the spontaneity of it. Last one was an AI to Mexico. DW has having coffee with a friend. Called her to ask if she had anything on in the next week or so. Two days later we were flying to Puerto Vallarta for an AI break and half the cost it otherwise would have been. Went to Thailand on a whim a few years ago...ten days advance and away we went.

 

That is why when we do land trips we often look out for attractive last minute cruise offers from ports that we can easily reach Which is most of the Med cruises in Europe.

[marchie1053]

... Went to Thailand on a whim a few years ago...ten days advance and away we went.

 

That is why when we do land trips we often look out for attractive last minute cruise offers from ports that we can easily reach Which is most of the Med cruises in Europe.

 

Sums it all up perfectly - there is a lovely sense of 'This is madness - but why not?' about it all. Followed by 'I can't believe we just did that' and the cliché'd response 'And neither will the Bank Manager!' We usually call in at the Co-op store to grab 'emergency rations' when we return to Scotland (often quite late at night) - we have a perfect line of sight from the store to our wee flat so we know if there's anyone sitting outside in a car! :p:p

[drsel]

We usually book last minute cruise specials. Usually 30 -40 days out, occasionally 3-7 days out.

 

They are always payable on booking, non refundable. We do the same with other travel products and they too are typically non refundable.

Wow, kindly let us know of any such deals!

[marchie1053]

Wow, kindly let us know of any such deals!

 

28/10/16 we paid £1,301 (less than £50pppn) for 14 days 'Tips Included' Med & Suez Canal cruise for 2 adults (24/11 to 07/12/16). The bill included £50 extra to pick our cabin; and £80 extra to select extra legroom plane seats to deal with my thrombosis risk problems. The cruise was great quality and value-for-money until the day of departure when the logistics fell apart with a vengeance! The end result was an unscheduled stop at Naples airport overnight and arrival at Gatwick Airport, London 21.50 hours late ... However, we received a £200 Holiday Voucher and €1,300 statutory compensation under EU rules (£1,033 equivalent). So, our 14 day last-minute bargain cost dropped from £1301 to £68 for 2 adults for 14 days ... Had this episode occurred during the last month, the fall in the £/€ exchange rate would have given us a profit on the holiday!

 

 

We have missed other cruises by waiting, but that's the risk we are happy to take. If it's a 'Must Do', we book early and accept that other people will be able to take the last minute deals. The destinations are the key appeal for our cruises so we don't need a super-duper cabin and we are still mobile so can cope with stairs, tight passageways etc, and we are able to travel at very short notice. The 'per person per night' charges on some last minute deals are cheaper than the budget hotels for pre or post cruise accommodation.

 

We watch the weekly Cruise Deal TV Programmes when in Scotland and we have the 'Cruise Deals' emails set up - 99% of the time we do nothing as a result, but 4 of our 5 cruises last year were as a result of last minute deals. Being new to cruising, most destinations were new to us, the general cruise experience was still very fresh and we had some great times at extraordinarily low prices. We really could not ask for any better in service, destinations, cost or value-for-money. There are quite a few offers in the £60-£75pppn range if you don't want round the clock buffets/coffee/snacks etc. We are happy wee bunnies!

[drsel]

Thanks so much

[josar]

If you have made "final payment" there's not much that you can do about it now. I would definitely be in contact with the agent again. If they have a good relationship with the cruise line they should be able to get you something, on board credit, paid gratuities, etc. If the agent doesn't help you try to contact the cruise line directly and appeal to them. If you have "cancel for any reason" travel insurance you may be able to cancel and re-book, but make sure you can do that first. Good luck...

 

 

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[cruisechk]

I am booked for a cruise from Sydney, October 2017. Booked February 2016 and paid as demanded. Suddenly in August 2017 same cruise advertised more than 50 cabins left at less than half the price I paid. Agent would not do anything and the charting agency dismissive. What can I do? I have been on a cruise that dropped the price and operator refunded the difference. However this operator has no respect for me as a third time client!

 

 

 

Sometimes they will give extra shipboard credits. Ask your agent if they will at least do that for you. She may say you already got extra perks, but it is worth a try.

 

 

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[Dancing Shoes]

I am sure you are not the only guest on board who has paid more than this "last minute sale". Go and have a good time. Yes, it hurts to know that you could have got a better deal if you waited, BUT if it didn't come along then what.

 

Next trip, look and wait for the last minute specials. Maybe the cabins are under the galley and not such a bargain.