10/18/23: Princess Makes Dramatic Pricing Change, Now Focused on Unprecedented Savings for Early Bookers

[Italy52]

13 minutes ago, rj59 said:

Yeah, the generic cruise thing doesn't make sense, especially after last summer, when Seattle-based Alaska cruises were sailing at over 100% capacity and were over $1000 for a solo, but the many ships going N/S to-from Vancouver were half to a third the price (for a better itinerary, with Hubbard/College glaciers). It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I already noticed their Best Price Guarantee fooled Princess's biggest fan, Don from Don's Family Vacations on YouTube, who thought it meant people can have a guarantee up to 72 hours before sailing, instead of after booking (if you booked on their site). Hopefully he didn't have too many clients book right away with that false promise. 

Our two 2024 Alaska cruises (14 days each, Vancouver to Vancouver) were higher when I first booked them.  During one of the sales, I was able to refare both of them and saved quite a bit.  Since then, the price has gone up $200 for both of them.  My pricing for our 17 day Seattle to Seattle Alaska cruise for 2025 is on the high side with also a $200 jump like our 2024 cruises.  I don't anticipate I will see any reduction unless something special comes about during the holidays --- and I am not holding my breath for that.

[teenieleek]

On 10/20/2023 at 2:00 PM, Snaxmuppet said:

Really? I didn't know we could do that. Was it direct or through a TA?

I did too.  The fare dropped so much we were almost prepared to lose our £1500 deposit in a fit of pique but I phoned up and they did a “move across” or something.  Paid £100 fee, lost our $500 OBC but saved about £4000!  This was the 24 night double TA in a penthouse suite.  One of many reasons why our third Princess cruise was also our last.  We could so easily have missed the price reduction.

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

@teenieleek this is a testament to the way Princess operates IMO. We would not have booked again on Princess if we didn't have £1500 in FCC remaining left over from our cruise in Nov 21 when we caught covid. We got credit for our isolation days. So we booked a cruise I particularly wanted to do... Norway Fjords... only to have the very Fjord I particularly wanted to see, Geiranger, cancelled. We are going ahead with the cruise as it stands otherwise we will lose most of our FCC and a bunch of cash we put down as deposit. I am sure we will enjoy the cruise but it has already had the shine knocked out of it. 

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

I ought to say that I realise that this kind of thing is happening throughout cruising and I may not get any better elsewhere. I accept that. But sometimes a change is as good as a rest... I am not saying this will be my last Princess cruise... just that I need a change. That is all 🙂 

[teenieleek]

29 minutes ago, Snaxmuppet said:

I ought to say that I realise that this kind of thing is happening throughout cruising and I may not get any better elsewhere. I accept that. But sometimes a change is as good as a rest... I am not saying this will be my last Princess cruise... just that I need a change. That is all 🙂 

I hope yours is better than ours was.  The concierge lounge and its manager saved our trip.  A place to get a decent cup of coffee, a warm welcome, tasty treats and drinks from 5.30 - 7.30.  We realised after a few days that people were in there drinking for the two hours then going to dinner and having water, no package obviously.  We didn’t know, had bought the Plus package which turned out to be a waste of money because the wine was undrinkable and we couldn’t get a seat in any bar to take advantage of this package.  The suite “experience” was fab but I  was uncomfortable with the “us and them” situation.  I am happy to pay for a suite for the extra space and the reserve dining but I would like to take part in the whole ship thingie but couldn’t because of the overcrowding so increasingly we went to the concierge lounge or our cabin because we had that option…..but most didn’t and you constantly heard the complaints.  People were very unhappy.  

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

Yes, overcrowding is what may eventually turn us away from cruising completely. I still think cruising is actually good value for money right now IMO when considering what you get but there are other, all-inclusive, options for land-based holidays that might satisfy us instead especially when replacing a suite when the costs are quite high.

 

I am trying to be positive but all indications are that it is likely to get worse, not better.

Edited October 22, 2023 by Snaxmuppet

[voljeep]

50 minutes ago, Snaxmuppet said:

Yes, overcrowding is what may eventually turn us away from cruising completely. I still think cruising is actually good value for money right now IMO when considering what you get but there are other, all-inclusive, options for land-based holidays that might satisfy us instead especially when replacing a suite when the costs are quite high.

 

I am trying to be positive but all indications are that it is likely to get worse, not better.

100%+ capacity and 50% staffing is not a good combination

[rj59]

On 10/22/2023 at 11:32 AM, Snaxmuppet said:

Yes, overcrowding is what may eventually turn us away from cruising completely. I still think cruising is actually good value for money right now IMO when considering what you get but there are other, all-inclusive, options for land-based holidays that might satisfy us instead especially when replacing a suite when the costs are quite high.

 

I am trying to be positive but all indications are that it is likely to get worse, not better.

There are ways to adapt. One way I found is trying Azamara in a Spain trip next April, which was quite affordable for a solo inside. Only 700 people max on a ship, many port days until 10 pm, and one overnight on each cruise, with a shoreside cultural activity for the entire ship--it seems like a Rick Steves-type tour where you sleep on a ship, with no casino or theater. Drinks and tips included with no package required. Another is to look at smaller ships--I'm going on Island Princess to Europe next month, and with 2000 or so people, at the end of the European season, and with people probably canceling because Israel stops were cut out, there shouldn't be overcrowding, and with 10 ports out of 14 days, that further cuts down on overcrowding. HAL also has 1400-pax ships, Volendam and Zaandam, that I find a perfect size, with an outdoor promenade where I can escape people if I want. Finally, adjusting itinerary can help--Princess has many N/S Alaska trips that are half the price of ones going out of Seattle (meaning they're probably not full), which a waiter on Royal said were sailing at 4,000 for much of the summer. The low prices on the N/S routes indicates they're not sailing full. Sailing off-season also helps, definitely not during school break times. I took Majestic last spring after it arrived from Australia, and the coastal trip was 50% full and the trip from Australia 30% or so (one-way to/from Hawaii is a shorter, cheaper option). 

[rcrabb1513]

We actually booked the full transit Panama Canal cruise, LA to FLL Feb 21, 2025 this past June, before the recent sale prices. Mock booking that cruise is now much cheaper.  I called our Princess PVP and she honored the new price and applied the lower fares and sent out a new invoice for our cruise.  So I guess the increase in pricing clock starts after the current sale ends.

[LACruiser88]

Since this press release, our 8 future cruises (thru fall of 2025) have not dropped a dime.  A few have actually gone up.  🤷‍♂️

[rcrabb1513]

19 minutes ago, LACruiser88 said:

Since this press release, our 8 future cruises (thru fall of 2025) have not dropped a dime.  A few have actually gone up.  🤷‍♂️

So Sorry

[Bgwest]

5 hours ago, LACruiser88 said:

Since this press release, our 8 future cruises (thru fall of 2025) have not dropped a dime.  A few have actually gone up.  🤷‍♂️

Same on 7 upcoming cruises. 

[jjack413]

On 11/3/2023 at 1:46 PM, Geoffa30 said:

Yes, she is back in dry dock. I saw a post on Instagram earlier confirming this.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CzLzu6XoGQO/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

 

On 10/18/2023 at 7:01 PM, jjack413 said:

Humm. Not sure how I feel about all of this Princess. Almost like a subtle intimidation tactic. Book now or else. Oh well, I’m booked Oct 2025 because I wanted on the new ship. I will still price check and report back if my cruise price drops. I wonder if this price match is for big box stores. 2025 prices are on the high end. I have 2 years of price checking ahead of me. 

I keep checking. My 2025 cruise dropped enough to have it adjusted. Check your fares for 2024, 2025.

[Cruise Raider]

7 hours ago, jjack413 said:

 

I keep checking. My 2025 cruise dropped enough to have it adjusted. Check your fares for 2024, 2025.

Every one of mine has gone up.  But, it always pays to check. 

[azbirdmom]

1 hour ago, Cruise Raider said:

Every one of mine has gone up.  But, it always pays to check. 

 

Have you checked recently?  There's a 50% off sale happening and the fares are down quite a bit for some of the cruises I've been following.  So much for no more last minute discounts 😆

Edited November 9, 2023 by azbirdmom

[jjack413]

2 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

 

Have you checked recently?  There's a 50% off sale happening and the fares are down quite a bit for some of the cruises I've been following.  So much for no more last minute discounts 😆

Exactly….and…I will keep watching. $400.00 is nothing to pass up.

[Cruise Raider]

1 hour ago, azbirdmom said:

 

Have you checked recently?  There's a 50% off sale happening and the fares are down quite a bit for some of the cruises I've been following.  So much for no more last minute discounts 😆

I just checked them earlier this afternoon. 

[Italy52]

I have been checking three of my cruises (2 for 2024 and 1 for 2025)  daily and none of them have gone down -- only up in price. 

[rj59]

50% off sale is a gimmick, because none of the cruises I monitor regularly have gone down in price, and several have gone up. If they stick to their 'we won't lower prices' promise, then they can't really have a sale on prices, only false assertions, because almost any cruise fare is going to be a discount from some price. The Mexican cruises are the highest I've ever seen, as are Seattle-based Alaska ones, and future European ones. The only relative bargains are some of the Regal out of Galveston, and the N/S ones in Alaska, since they have so many ships there. I'm going on Island for two weeks this month for $600 or so for a solo inside, which will be my last one with Princess for some time, if current prices are maintained and no dropping of the single supplement occurs. As another poster said, I'm not that attached to cruising to overpay to be on a packed ship and degraded experience. My three favorite lines have alienated me: Princess, by dropping Alfredos access, HAL by dropping all production shows, and Celebrity by charging solo passengers more than twice as much as two people in a cabin. So I'll explore options  on cruise lines that aren't lashed to stock prices and heavy pandemic debt--Azamara, Virgin, and maybe MSC. Otherwise I'll just pack some Rick Steves books and explore more of Europe on my own. 

[leck57]

1 hour ago, rj59 said:

50% off sale is a gimmick, because none of the cruises I monitor regularly have gone down in price, and several have gone up. If they stick to their 'we won't lower prices' promise, then they can't really have a sale on prices, only false assertions, because almost any cruise fare is going to be a discount from some price. The Mexican cruises are the highest I've ever seen, as are Seattle-based Alaska ones, and future European ones. The only relative bargains are some of the Regal out of Galveston, and the N/S ones in Alaska, since they have so many ships there. I'm going on Island for two weeks this month for $600 or so for a solo inside, which will be my last one with Princess for some time, if current prices are maintained and no dropping of the single supplement occurs. As another poster said, I'm not that attached to cruising to overpay to be on a packed ship and degraded experience. My three favorite lines have alienated me: Princess, by dropping Alfredos access, HAL by dropping all production shows, and Celebrity by charging solo passengers more than twice as much as two people in a cabin. So I'll explore options  on cruise lines that aren't lashed to stock prices and heavy pandemic debt--Azamara, Virgin, and maybe MSC. Otherwise I'll just pack some Rick Steves books and explore more of Europe on my own. 

 

I agree with the comment about sales. It is usually "up to 50%" and most cruise offered it is 10% (and usually on a fare they had jacked up anyway). Celebrity are worse as they have a sale with 40% off all passengers now down here but when you start looking, for example a14 day cruise for balcony is around $8000 which is ridiculous. You take the 40% off and the price is still higher than you'd usually pay. Most cruise lines should be done over for misleading advertising.

Unfortunately the smaller ships like Azamara are still quite expensive but the lack of activities due to the smaller passenger number, would bore me to tears at this stage of my cruising life. Perhaps they'll be quite suitable when I'm in my 80's. 

[dockman]

Eventually cruise pricing will more closely align with the way airfares are sold...an alogorithm will monitor it all and compute and forecast how a cruise is selling compared to past history or expectations and then prices will be adjusted in different categories to whatever the computer predicts will give the maximum return...there is no "refaring" on airfares (unless you want to pay a lot more for refundable fares) and eventually i would guess there will be no more refaring on cruises though maybe there will be much higher prices that do allow refunds or refare....but if you book early you will get to choose your preferred cabin, category etc while late bookers will get what is left if anything. 

 

They may also sweeten the spot for early bookers by throwing in a few extras like a shore excursion or transfer that is not avail for free to late bookers. 

 

There are lots of ways to fill last minute inventory like travel agent fam trips, interline rates, special military rates, teachers rates, etc that are not advertised or available to the general public.  

 

Bottom line I highly doubt that there will be zero last minute deals available as no way are they going to want to lock themselves in to no discounts and end up with bunch of empty rooms.