Price differences Uk-US

[anniegb]

What Wiltonian said. In essence it's enhanced consumer protection that applies to UK bookings.

 

I always pay for travel on a credit card as well to benefit from the card companies consumer protection and always have travel insurance, just in case. I think a lot of Brits are very wary about booking holidays abroad and prefer the perceived safety of booking at home. But personally I've found it hassle free. Using a US TA you may receive additional OBC and don't have to worry about using the Celebrity website. Any questions, queries or concerns are emailed to the TA and have always been responded to painlessly in my experience. So far anyway...

 

I agree.

 

ABTA are not very good at dispute resolution. It is in effect a lobby group for the suppliers.

 

Annie

[RocketMan275]

If you remember where you read that, I would be interested.

 

For many years UK consumers paid a 2% levy on all package holidays to build up the fund.

 

I wish :)

 

Annie

As I remember, it is in the cruise contract or UK equivalent, that if the ship misses two or more ports, then compensation must be given.

[dkjretired]

If you remember where you read that, I would be interested.

 

For many years UK consumers paid a 2% levy on all package holidays to build up the fund.

 

I wish :)

 

Annie

 

Sorry Annie, don’t remember, just one of those things I thought I read on the board somewhere.

[Project_gal]

I thought I remember reading somewhere that they are almost guarantees that nothing will go wrong in your trip. If memory serves me, I see to remember something where people were reimbursed because the ship missed a port. Not just port charges but a credit for not going to that port.

 

Nope, you need to add EU consumer laws to the ABTA and ATOL protections for that. Even then, I am not certain that even that would go as far as giving compensation for visiting a different port unless it was done for no other reason than the advantage of the cruise company. However, some good travel insurance may give you a little in that situation.

 

The EU consumer protection comes into its own in situations such as the infamous Icelandic volcano. It theory at least, people booking in the EU OR departing from an EU country were entitled to more assistance/repayment of (reasonable) expenses in that situation than those booking in the USA. However, that situation did test businesses and many did not step up to the mark sufficiently and some companies had to be taken to court. Even with EU consumer protection, you are more likely to get your "rights" more easily with "better" travel companies. Budget airlines, for example, usually try to push the limited - the clue is in the term "budget".

 

Conversely, you will not find "cancel for any reason" travel insurance in the EU. That, at least in UK law, is NOT insurance. "Changing your mind" is not an insurable risk. Some "acts of God" are not an insurable risk (but I do not believe that "act of God" will every be definitively defined). There are other "gaps" in what you can insure against but, in those cases, it is because an organisation (usually the "government") is legally required to provide compensation. Basically, you are not allowed to profit from insurance (unless you are an insurance company!). You cannot buy comprehensive travel insurance from multiple companies and get full compensation from each of them - i.e. if your cruise cost £5,000, you cannot receive £5,000 from each company with which you insured.

 

I have found following Cruise Critic over the years very interesting. Different nationalities appear to have different primary drivers for booking travel insurance.

[Yorkshire-Pudding]

Post the ship and the date and I'll be able to shoe you prices in both $ and £.

 

Thank you Mynki. It is Celebrity Silhouette, 28 July 2019 sailing to 14 Night Western Mediterranean Cruise from Southampton.

[anniegb]

As I remember, it is in the cruise contract or UK equivalent, that if the ship misses two or more ports, then compensation must be given.

 

I think there may be some crossed wires here.

 

A cruise is a package holiday. I think it may depend upon the timing of the cancellation of the ports,

 

Do you have a link??

 

Annie

[Mynki]

Thank you Mynki. It is Celebrity Silhouette, 28 July 2019 sailing to 14 Night Western Mediterranean Cruise from Southampton.

 

YP, my apologies. The third party price monitoring website I've been using is only showing this cruise in US $. So you'll have to do a manual compare using the Celebrity UK website or your UK based travel agent of choice. Check with your card company what their exchange rate is to get an accurate price comparison.

 

 

I've just checked our US based TA to check pricing. Currently there are no perks from them for this cruise, but pricing is very slightly less than the prices below shown by the price monitoring website. .

 

For example they have an S1 for $7915, a 2D for $3851.

 

The UK offer is a BS buy one get one half price with free classic drinks package thrown in. So if you were to book today the UK beats the US offer.

 

 

Hope that helps.

[laslomas]

YP, my apologies. The third party price monitoring website I've been using is only showing this cruise in US $. So you'll have to do a manual compare using the Celebrity UK website or your UK based travel agent of choice. Check with your card company what their exchange rate is to get an accurate price comparison.

 

 

I've just checked our US based TA to check pricing. Currently there are no perks from them for this cruise, but pricing is very slightly less than the prices below shown by the price monitoring website. .

 

For example they have an S1 for $7915, a 2D for $3851.

 

The UK offer is a BS buy one get one half price with free classic drinks package thrown in. So if you were to book today the UK beats the US off.

 

 

The UK Buy one get one Half Price plus Beverage Package is not available for the date you are looking at - only for 2018 dates in the Med.