Cabin availability-booking direct vs tour operators

[Clarycat]

Hi 👋 

 

Im disappointed to see that you seem to have to pay a deposit with P & O before you see the cabin availability - is this right?  
 

So I’ve looked on a couple of tour operators. They both have different cabins available. Does P & O direct sell these cabins out, or do they have access to every available cabin?

 

I hope I’ve made sense!

 

 

[Thejuggler]

Its many years since we booked through an agent, but when we compared availability in store the agent had more choice than was available as a direct booking, including access to cheaper GTY fares.

[Clarycat]

34 minutes ago, Thejuggler said:

Its many years since we booked through an agent, but when we compared availability in store the agent had more choice than was available as a direct booking, including access to cheaper GTY fares.

Thank you!  What’s a GTY fare?

[1trainer1]

GTY fare is a guaranteed fare, which means you dont know you cabin until normally 2 weeks before

[AlanCruise]

You can see Cabin availabilty on the Web Site, but not obvious!
Search the cruise and cabin type you want and choose the 'Select' type booking.
You will get a Summary page and in the Cabin section it will show the Cabin type you have selected e.g. Balcony Standard. 

There is an Edit button next to this and if you click it you will have the option to choose the cabin from those available. Various edit buttons to change the positions and deck in the ship.

[Clarycat]

6 minutes ago, AlanCruise said:

You can see Cabin availabilty on the Web Site, but not obvious!
Search the cruise and cabin type you want and choose the 'Select' type booking.
You will get a Summary page and in the Cabin section it will show the Cabin type you have selected e.g. Balcony Standard. 

There is an Edit button next to this and if you click it you will have the option to choose the cabin from those available. Various edit buttons to change the positions and deck in the ship.

Oh my goodness thank you!  What a star! ⭐

[CaptainPedantic]

Not sure if this is still common practice, but certainly in the past travel agents were able to get block bookings that would then remove availability from general view at least temporarily. 

I use the same method as AlanCruise, especially useful for 4-berth cabin availability.

[molecrochip]

44 minutes ago, CaptainPedantic said:

Not sure if this is still common practice, but certainly in the past travel agents were able to get block bookings that would then remove availability from general view at least temporarily. 

I use the same method as AlanCruise, especially useful for 4-berth cabin availability.

Not generally now - no. Agents can request for a group of cabins to be put on hold if they are booking a group and it can take 24/48 hrs to get all the details together.

 

But availability should be the same.

[newbie cruissy]

I recently booked via an agent, and had the P&O website open in front of me while doing it. They had the exact same cabin availability at the agents that I could see online.

[majortom10]

56 minutes ago, newbie cruissy said:

I recently booked via an agent, and had the P&O website open in front of me while doing it. They had the exact same cabin availability at the agents that I could see online.

Same happened with me couple of days ago when I rang my TA to change cabins. She told me the available cabins she sees on her system are exactly the same as what you can check on P&Os website.

 

[Dinglebert]

10 hours ago, majortom10 said:

Same happened with me couple of days ago when I rang my TA to change cabins. She told me the available cabins she sees on her system are exactly the same as what you can check on P&Os website.

 

I have had an occasion however where booking direct with PandO over the phone they were able to see cabins that I couldn't.  It may be that the office at PandO have a more "live" availablity than the rest of us which would make sense.

[majortom10]

4 hours ago, Dinglebert said:

I have had an occasion however where booking direct with PandO over the phone they were able to see cabins that I couldn't.  It may be that the office at PandO have a more "live" availablity than the rest of us which would make sense.

Well I recently, last few days, changed my cabin on a future cruise on Arvia and on finishing phone call to TA the cabin I had chosen had gone off sale and the one I moved from became available. You cannot be more up to date than that and believe my TA when told the availability they have is same as P&O and shown on their website.