2025

[Cruise-Cat]

1 hour ago, janecambridge said:

Some cabins are very popular on certain decks so I guess they sell at 35%. Quite quick . The big 4 aft suites have one only at 35% I believe then the discount drops. 

Aren’t there 8 Aft suites? 4 on A deck, 2 on B deck and 2 on C deck?

[Whiteduck1]

1 hour ago, Cruise-Cat said:

Aren’t there 8 Aft suites? 4 on A deck, 2 on B deck and 2 on C deck?

Yes that is correct, there are 8. We booked the last one available on A deck (4 cabins in) for the Greek islands this April. We booked last August and Received 25% discount plus 5% English Heritage, a total of 30%, so the discount didn't fall too much and it seems quite a popular cruise. 

[Cruise-Cat]

1 hour ago, Whiteduck1 said:

Yes that is correct, there are 8. We booked the last one available on A deck (4 cabins in) for the Greek islands this April. We booked last August and Received 25% discount plus 5% English Heritage, a total of 30%, so the discount didn't fall too much and it seems quite a popular cruise. 

Snap - but for Scandinavia this July! We booked in January24 (30% inc. EH) and there was just £84pp between a mid suite and aft suite on A (away from the very back). Some of the deluxe were just £300 pp less expensive. Go figure 🤷‍♀️
Looking now, the cruise looks pretty full.

[Whiteduck1]

8 minutes ago, Cruise-Cat said:

Snap - but for Scandinavia this July! We booked in January24 (30% inc. EH) and there was just £84pp between a mid suite and aft suite on A (away from the very back). Some of the deluxe were just £300 pp less expensive. Go figure 🤷‍♀️
Looking now, the cruise looks pretty full.

I simply can't understand the Deluxe cabin pricing, there must be a logic behind it but they seem expensive compared to the suites for what they offer. All suites sold out now for my cruise but there seems to be plenty of availability for Deluxe 

[janecambridge]

Apologies I didn’t make it very clear. There are four DD anft suites  and 4CC aft suites,  but in total there are only four right at the back.  we didn’t want deck 11 because of the smokers. We noticed the smoke many times sitting on deck 12 having lunch at the Veranda. It was horrible.

[Cruise-Cat]

7 minutes ago, janecambridge said:

Apologies I didn’t make it very clear. There are four DD anft suites  and 4CC aft suites,  but in total there are only four right at the back.  we didn’t want deck 11 because of the smokers. We noticed the smoke many times sitting on deck 12 having lunch at the Veranda. It was horrible.

‘‘Tis strange that the smoking area is located next to some of the more expensive cabins…

[Denarius]

On 3/6/2024 at 10:26 AM, nosapphire said:

Saga used to (in the days of proper mailed brochures) send them out about a week in advance to Britannia Club members so we could get first dibs with the best discounts. That always worked pretty well, as bookings then were made over the 'phone so the telephone operator could immediately see whether you were indeed a club member.

Now so much is online, the same system would simply not work - does anyone really think that

Saga would manage to get a website that could cope with allowing club members to book ahead of the mainstream?

I agree that scrapping all advance registration, opening up full bookings to everybody at the same time, but keeping the discount system (to encourage people to book early) would be the logical thing to do.

I doubt that this will happen, as pretty sure that all those advance registration payments are included by the bean counters when saying how well a particular season is selling.

(I add, as a Gold Britannia Club member, I see no need for any routine booking discounts for Club members)

Belated comment on highlighted section. I agree.

I have sailed many times with Star Clippers, who operate a similar system. There is no advanced registration, but an early booking discount - a level 20% or 10% depending on itinerary - applies from the time the brochure is launched until a specified date, after which it is withdrawn. So there is an encouragement to book early without feeling bounced into doing so, although obviously the earlier you book the more likely you are to get your cabin of choice. It works.

[nosapphire]

4 hours ago, Denarius said:

Belated comment on highlighted section. I agree.

I have sailed many times with Star Clippers, who operate a similar system. There is no advanced registration, but an early booking discount - a level 20% or 10% depending on itinerary - applies from the time the brochure is launched until a specified date, after which it is withdrawn. So there is an encouragement to book early without feeling bounced into doing so, although obviously the earlier you book the more likely you are to get your cabin of choice. It works.

I think it is certainly now time that Saga came up with a less laborious system than the advance- registration-wait-for-the-phone-call system.

Apart from the phone costs and labour time for Saga, there is the aggravation of waiting for a phone call - and this time it seems to be taking a very long time to work through the list (must have been a lot of pre-registrations).

(I preregistered late, end of June 2023, and am still waiting for "the call".)

[twotravellersLondon]

 

So many people are booking that the ships are virtually full!

 

Performance across Cruise, Travel and Money are on track. The Ocean Cruise underlying Profit Before Tax, cash flow, load factor and per diem are all ahead of the prior year. Net Debt at 31 July 2023, was lower than 31 January 2023 with available cash of £180.7m... Company is on track to deliver significant double-digit growth in both revenue and Underlying Profit Before Tax for the full year... it's ahead of current estimates.

So there is no business reason to change.

 

As you may suspect... we're waiting for a call!

 

 

 

[Lady Meer]

10 hours ago, Cruise-Cat said:

‘‘Tis strange that the smoking area is located next to some of the more expensive cabins…

I think people who smoke go in expensive cabins too………

[nosapphire]

11 hours ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

So many people are booking that the ships are virtually full!

 

Performance across Cruise, Travel and Money are on track. The Ocean Cruise underlying Profit Before Tax, cash flow, load factor and per diem are all ahead of the prior year. Net Debt at 31 July 2023, was lower than 31 January 2023 with available cash of £180.7m... Company is on track to deliver significant double-digit growth in both revenue and Underlying Profit Before Tax for the full year... it's ahead of current estimates.

So there is no business reason to change.

 

As you may suspect... we're waiting for a call!

 

 

 

I suspect the ships sailing full has less to do with advance registration and more to do with the current aggressive promotions of late deals; more than once a week we receive post and emails with "new offers ending soon", "new lower prices", "offers end this Friday"(rarely saying the actual date, we get the "ending this Friday" each week). Open a weekend paper and a mini-brochure drops out "new lower fares".

While I currently have 3 advance registrations, I have come to the conclusion that I will now only book early if it is:

Either a cruise that I feel I cannot miss out on,

Or if it is a cruise I rather like and can get at least 30% discount on the cheapest grade acceptable to me.

Too annoying realising that some of the booked cruises are now cheaper (cabin guarantee) by nearly 1k per person than when I booked (not maximum discount).

 

[Windsurfboy]

43 minutes ago, nosapphire said:

 

Too annoying realising that some of the booked cruises are now cheaper (cabin guarantee) by nearly 1k per person than when I booked (not maximum discount).

 

 

Agree if you can't get at least 30% discount, don't book early. 

[nosapphire]

Pre registered 29 June 2023, just received the call. Only semi-interested in one cruise, but discount already down to 25% so did not book, getting refund.

Just as well I mentioned that I already had 2 pre reg for 2026, as records showed only 1 on their system.

Quoted b/ref and date and is now found. (Hope they update records with the correct date, not today's date.)

(Wonder how Saga operators manage to continue to sound so upbeat and chirpy phone call after phone call?)

[FatBoy20]

20 hours ago, nosapphire said:

I think it is certainly now time that Saga came up with a less laborious system than the advance- registration-wait-for-the-phone-call system.

Apart from the phone costs and labour time for Saga, there is the aggravation of waiting for a phone call - and this time it seems to be taking a very long time to work through the list (must have been a lot of pre-registrations).

(I preregistered late, end of June 2023, and am still waiting for "the call".)

Apparently over 3000 Pre Registered for 2025.

[Windsurfboy]

17 minutes ago, FatBoy20 said:

Apparently over 3000 Pre Registered for 2025.

 

There will be between 60000 and  75000 cabins to sell for a year for the two  ships . So 3000 pre registering is at most 5% of what they would like to sell. It seems an awful lot of flaf to sell what would be two average weeks of sales .

[Tothesunset]

1 hour ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

There will be between 60000 and  75000 cabins to sell for a year for the two  ships . So 3000 pre registering is at most 5% of what they would like to sell. It seems an awful lot of flaf to sell what would be two average weeks of sales .

But it does suck people in. No 1 lesson in dodgy sales academy? Get the punter to make a snap decision. 

[Denarius]

2 hours ago, Tothesunset said:

But it does suck people in. No 1 lesson in dodgy sales academy? Get the punter to make a snap decision. 

Very true, I fear. Ring people up when they have an interest in a cruise but no idea of the price (why cannot these be included in the advance brochure?) and bounce them into a spot decision in the knowledge that they cannot sleep on it and ring you back later, and that if they do not bite then they will have to wait until the general launch by which time prices will probably have risen.

[nosapphire]

Although - that is much the same even if they were on general sale from the outset.

Look at the website.

"Hmm, like the look of that cruise - may book that one."

Go back the next day to book and the price has increased...Grrr.

Also worth while remembering that Saga offer a 14 day cooling off period for their ocean cruises (starts from when you receive the documentation) during which time you can cancel for a full refund.

(It does work; once changed my mind 4 days after booking, telephoned to cancel, and the money was back in my account a week later).

 

 

[Windsurfboy]

But it's still a lot of work for at most 5% of sales.

 

As someone said earlier the best system , publish prices open to all that will hold for say first week or two irrespective of how many bookings at that price. Let people book online, much simpler lower cost system.

 

Even better just have one price for select , one for guarantee cabins,  don't change it.

 

 

[arlowood]

1 hour ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

 

Even better just have one price for select , one for guarantee cabins,  don't change it.

 

 

Pretty much the system used by P&O. Guarantee is basic and just gets you a grade of cabin with no ability to specify where. Also with "Guarantee" there are no bells and whistles - you pretty much pay for every other feature/service like shuttle buses in ports.

 

"Select" allows you to choose you cabin grade and location. You may also get additional OBC and the option to choose parking or coach transfers to and from the ship. Shuttles in port are free with this category. However you do pay a chunk more over and above the Guarantee price.

 

P&O does operate a sort of pre-registration system whereby you are notified ahead of a new brochure launch and are given dates when you can access the booking system depending on your loyalty club status. So your loyalty status can be a benefit in accessing new launches, but I don't believe they have the rolling discount system that Saga uses.

[JMMKUK]

54 minutes ago, arlowood said:

P&O does operate a sort of pre-registration system whereby you are notified ahead of a new brochure launch and are given dates when you can access the booking system depending on your loyalty club status. So your loyalty status can be a benefit in accessing new launches, but I don't believe they have the rolling discount system that Saga uses.

They do use an agent that offers fabulous deals though. When Saga used the same agent the only perk for booking though said agent was the agent's loyalty points. I made the mistake of booking with them before the pandemic & the cruise was cancelled. Caused me problems with the rebooking & using the lovely 25% Saga had allocated for the cancellation. Saga sorted it out for me but they had to keep agent 'in the loop' because they had taken the original booking.

[FatBoy20]

3 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

But it's still a lot of work for at most 5% of sales.

 

As someone said earlier the best system , publish prices open to all that will hold for say first week or two irrespective of how many bookings at that price. Let people book online, much simpler lower cost system.

 

Even better just have one price for select , one for guarantee cabins,  don't change it.

 

 

But you would will still have the "Fluid" Price System & loose the Early Booking Pre-Reg max discount! Very odd wanting to accept higher prices!.

[nosapphire]

1 hour ago, arlowood said:

Pretty much the system used by P&O. Guarantee is basic and just gets you a grade of cabin with no ability to specify where. Also with "Guarantee" there are no bells and whistles - you pretty much pay for every other feature/service like shuttle buses in ports.

 

"Select" allows you to choose you cabin grade and location. You may also get additional OBC and the option to choose parking or coach transfers to and from the ship. Shuttles in port are free with this category. However you do pay a chunk more over and above the Guarantee price.

 

P&O does operate a sort of pre-registration system whereby you are notified ahead of a new brochure launch and are given dates when you can access the booking system depending on your loyalty club status. So your loyalty status can be a benefit in accessing new launches, but I don't believe they have the rolling discount system that Saga uses.

Please, no.😱

Saga is a much easier system for those of us with simple brains.

Whenever I book, guarantee or cabin selection, the only variable will be the price and cabin - no need to start wondering what is or is not included in the particular fare I have paid.

No need to calculate whether the select fare will be better than the saver fare, do I need to add on this package or that package, what will be better, OBC or included parking.

The advance registration system is becoming too unwieldy, but any cruise line with any commercial sense will include an incentive to book early otherwise they run the risk of everybody deciding to wait until the last minute - which makes the book keeping a real headache.

 

[Windsurfboy]

4 hours ago, FatBoy20 said:

But you would will still have the "Fluid" Price System & loose the Early Booking Pre-Reg max discount! Very odd wanting to accept higher prices!.

 

4 hours ago, nosapphire said:

Please, no.😱

Saga is a much easier system for those of us with simple brains.

Whenever I book, guarantee or cabin selection, the only variable will be the price and cabin - no need to start wondering what is or is not included in the particular fare I have paid.

No need to calculate whether the select fare will be better than the saver fare, do I need to add on this package or that package, what will be better, OBC or included parking.

The advance registration system is becoming too unwieldy, but any cruise line with any commercial sense will include an incentive to book early otherwise they run the risk of everybody deciding to wait until the last minute - which makes the book keeping a real headache.

 

 

I was not suggesting any difference in the offering between guarantee and select your cabin except the ability to select cabin. Exactly as it is now for Saga . None of the OBC complications..

 

You would have the incentive to book early at the best price and at maximum discount for say the first two weeks of opening , only for select your cabin as is now.  Prices would then rise by only say 5 or 10% and stay fixed. Remove the element of make your mind up today or price goes up, you have two weks to think it over.

 

Guarantee cabins would be introduced depending on the speed of sales. That would be the only element of fluid pricing. Fluid pricing is a complication that is of no benefit to passengers. 

 

A very simple system

[seasickphil]

It is a bit of a faff for Saga i know but there must be a reason why they are prepared to carry on doing it. As you say there are ways in which other cruise lines do promotions but they don’t receive any money upfront for those, last year i pre registered for summer 25/26/27 at a cost of £540 (totally refundable at any time i know) maybe receiving that money might have something to do with them carrying on with their pre registering system, only Saga would really know the reasons behind that though wouldn’t they.