Are we being deceived?

[PurpleMoonlight]

I've been considering the QM2 cruise to the Caribbean in Jan 2025, and have been watching the prices. With the 10% off it's quite a good deal now.

 

However I am concerned by apparently misleading prices. On the fares page for the cabin type I want it shows the Cunard Fare as £8834, but when I proceed to the Book Now page the price jumps to £9511. Looking at all parts of the ship and decks, I cannot find any cabin available for £8834.

 

 

[Winifred 22]

I have just done a dummy booking and can see forward cabins are sold out. I think they would have been the £8834 ones and the next price point with availability is the £9511. It is confusing as they should be quoting the cheapest available cabin as the headline price. 

[PurpleMoonlight]

Thank you. A sensible explanation, but Cunard should not be quoting a price that is not available to book, It's dishonest, and possibly unlawful.

[david63]

8 minutes ago, PurpleMoonlight said:

It's dishonest, and possibly unlawful.

Depending on how it is actually worded then I would suggest that neither of those are true.

 

If the statement is "... from £xxx" then that is perfectly true and legal as they have cabins at that price - being available, or not, is irrelevant.

 

If on the other hand the statement is "... available cabins from £xxx" then yes you would be right.

 

And the other thing that comes into play is fluid pricing.

 

At the end of the day it is all about marketing and trying to draw you in.

[PurpleMoonlight]

I don't find misleading pricing particularly enticing. It's more likely to push me away.

[LadyL1]

Look on some of the major travel agents sites, and compare prices and availability. That might help you.

[Host Hattie]

It looks as if the Book Now price isn't updating as it should as the cheaper cabins are being sold. I'd keep checking or contact a travel agent. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

6 hours ago, Winifred 22 said:

I have just done a dummy booking and can see forward cabins are sold out. I think they would have been the £8834 ones and the next price point with availability is the £9511. It is confusing as they should be quoting the cheapest available cabin as the headline price. 

 

I think you're right about the forward cabins. In every category except QG, the forward cabins are the lowest code letter, so least expensive. I agree, they should be quoting what's actually available. I've seen lower than available prices on other lines, too, in the array that comes up from a search. For some reason, the system doesn't update that first information. 

Edited September 6 by 3rdGenCunarder

[Cruise Liner Fan]

11 hours ago, PurpleMoonlight said:

I've been considering the QM2 cruise to the Caribbean in Jan 2025, and have been watching the prices. With the 10% off it's quite a good deal now.

 

However I am concerned by apparently misleading prices. On the fares page for the cabin type I want it shows the Cunard Fare as £8834, but when I proceed to the Book Now page the price jumps to £9511. Looking at all parts of the ship and decks, I cannot find any cabin available for £8834.

 

 

Would you consider the November 13,2024 QM2 Caribbean Cruise. Maybe it is less expensive than the January, 2025 Caribbean Cruise. There is also the QM2 Christmas Caribbean Cruise but it is more expensive than the November cruise because of the Christmas/New Years holiday.

Edited September 6 by Cruise Liner Fan

[WantedOnVoyage]

Hardly the same animal at least if originating from the UK.... QM2 in January 2025 (which we did in 2022) and booked as soon as it was released is my favourite Cunard itinerary since it's DIRECT from the UK to the West Indies with nine (!) glorious sea days in each direction and if 2022 is an indication, lovely and increasingly warmer weather en each en route.  The other QM2 West Indies cruises are via New York so you have a winter North Atlantic crossing if originating from the UK plus the sometimes bumpy run south from New York, past Cape Hatteras, before getting into the Caribbean. We are already booked for QV UK-West Indies direct in Jan 2026 and if QM2, as rumoured here, is doing it in Jan 2027 we will book as soon as practical.