Price drops after final payment?

[latebuyer]

Are you able to get price drops after final payment? I’m wondering if they will reduce the single supplment past final payment but didn’t want to wait.

[LACruiser88]

Usually the answer is no.  We have been able to get upgrades or OBC after big fare drops after final payment, but not always.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 2 by LACruiser88

[wallyj]

32 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

Are you able to get price drops after final payment? I’m wondering if they will reduce the single supplment past final payment but didn’t want to wait.

There have been a ‘few’ instances where solo pricing may drop because the lifeboat section capacity has reached double occupancy limits, so even though a double occupancy cabin is available, they can only book singles. 

[BazingAu]

1 hour ago, latebuyer said:

Are you able to get price drops after final payment? I’m wondering if they will reduce the single supplment past final payment but didn’t want to wait.

Doesn't this currently apply for new bookings? https://www.princess.com/en-us/plan/best-price-guarantee

[JamieLogical]

1 minute ago, BazingAu said:

Doesn't this currently apply for new bookings? https://www.princess.com/en-us/plan/best-price-guarantee

 

That specifically says "prior to your final payment."

[latebuyer]

My TA said something about you could with a penalty which is why i'm wondering.

[BazingAu]

24 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

That specifically says "prior to your final payment."

Lol. Completely missed that. What is the point of this? You can always refare before final payment and get the actual cash. (I guess for someone who really wants OBC you do get an extra 20%.)

[JamieLogical]

5 minutes ago, BazingAu said:

Lol. Completely missed that. What is the point of this? You can always refare before final payment and get the actual cash. (I guess for someone who really wants OBC you do get an extra 20%.)

 

Yeah, I had the exact same reaction when I saw this. Doesn't seem to actually change anything at all. 

[ldubs]

38 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

My TA said something about you could with a penalty which is why i'm wondering.

 

Since you have a TA involved, I would simply ask them to watch for and take advantage of any price drops that are to your advantage.  Like @LACruiser88 says, sometimes repricing can happen after final payment.  Just don't count on it.   

[startedwithamouse]

3 hours ago, latebuyer said:

Are you able to get price drops after final payment? I’m wondering if they will reduce the single supplment past final payment but didn’t want to wait.

Not anymore.

 

Best bet if you want a price drop is to wait until after everyone else has made their final payment. 

[FeliciaB]

1 hour ago, latebuyer said:

My TA said something about you could with a penalty which is why i'm wondering.

I think what your TA means that if you want to cancel and rebook based on the cancellation penalty you can if the discount is more than what you would lose in the penalty.  

During the year after covid, they did allow you to reprice after the payment deadline.  They no longer do that and if they discount cabins or drop the single supplement then you would only be eligible as a new booking.

Sometimes they do let you upgrade to a higher fare without penalty as long as you are paying more.  While that sounds like it makes no sense, it could because you could be booked into an ocean view for $1000 but now after final payment a reserve collection mini suite might be available for $1020.  

Since you booked through a TA, ask him/her what your net gain, if any to reprice it for the lower fare.  

When are you schedule to cruise?

 

[latebuyer]

I am just hitting final payment july 9th. I contemplated booking after final payment (I only booked a week ago) but barely any mid aft rooms were left. I’m hoping for a july 4th sale!

[SCX22]

Just my 2 cents.

 

There are few Princess sailings that are sold out after before final payment.  Having said that, cabin inventory that you see as available isn't accurate.  A certain percentage of cabins are held back.  (How do I know this?  After final payment, I've noticed blocks of cabins become available.  Not sure what Princess' thought process behind this is.  Maybe for bid to upgrade, but why not just sell the cabins?  Maybe to create hype by creating an illusion of high demand by showing low availability?)  The solo supplements usually drop on longer cruises (20 days or longer) which have low demand; few people have that kind of time to take off.  A more likely scenario, is that the fare will drop after final payment which effectively lowers the solo fare.  (Simple example:  If the fare was a $100, the solo fare would be $200; if the fare dropped to $90, the solo fare would drop to $180.)

 

1 hour ago, latebuyer said:

I am just hitting final payment july 9th. I contemplated booking after final payment (I only booked a week ago) but barely any mid aft rooms were left. I’m hoping for a july 4th sale!

 

It could go either way.  Personally, if it were this late in the game and final payment was around the corner, I would wait to book after final payment.  What's a few more days?  Again, this could backfire, but you take your chances to potentially save.  If you have to fly, also take into consideration potentially higher airfares, by booking air later.

[latebuyer]

Thanks. I just looked at rooms again and whats left is bad locations. I’m happy with room i booked. So if it doesn’t drop thats the way it is.

[FeliciaB]

1 hour ago, SCX22 said:

Just my 2 cents.

 

There are few Princess sailings that are sold out after before final payment.  Having said that, cabin inventory that you see as available isn't accurate.  A certain percentage of cabins are held back.  (How do I know this?  After final payment, I've noticed blocks of cabins become available.  Not sure what Princess' thought process behind this is.  Maybe for bid to upgrade, but why not just sell the cabins?  Maybe to create hype by creating an illusion of high demand by showing low availability?)  The solo supplements usually drop on longer cruises (20 days or longer) which have low demand; few people have that kind of time to take off.  A more likely scenario, is that the fare will drop after final payment which effectively lowers the solo fare.  (Simple example:  If the fare was a $100, the solo fare would be $200; if the fare dropped to $90, the solo fare would drop to $180.)

 

 

I don't think Princess holds things back.  I think 10-25% of the people who have refundable fares booked either wait until last minute to cancel or just don't pay the remaining amount and forfeit the deposit.  That inventory then comes back into availability.  There would be no reason for princess to hold things back. 

[SCX22]

8 minutes ago, FeliciaB said:

I don't think Princess holds things back.  I think 10-25% of the people who have refundable fares booked either wait until last minute to cancel or just don't pay the remaining amount and forfeit the deposit.  That inventory then comes back into availability.  There would be no reason for princess to hold things back. 

 

The blocks of cabins appear a month or 2 before sailing, well past the the final payment date.  Examples of this are the Total Solar Eclipse cruises this April.  Princess had these showing as sold out for months and a month prior cabins became available at a steep discount.  My parents are on the 08/14 sailing of the Sun.  At the 90 day mark, the only category available to book was Interior.  Fast forward to today, all the categories are available to book.  I can keep going with examples.

 

I book guarantee and I've been able to switch cabins (in the same meta and location category) after I get my cabin assignment after final payment into cabins that weren't showing as available prior and appeared as available a few weeks prior to sailing.

 

It doesn't make sense to me either.

[latebuyer]

I don't think this happens a lot as i've looked plenty of times and they look close to sold out. In any event i think its risky to book late. I was lucky as i think i did get a good room someone cancelled, but thats not always the case.

[KKB]

On 7/2/2024 at 11:23 AM, latebuyer said:

Are you able to get price drops after final payment? I’m wondering if they will reduce the single supplment past final payment but didn’t want to wait.

Nope.

But I always call & have been able to get a cabin upgrade if available.