Princess will not give on-board credits when prices drop....

[CPOCMAN]

My wife and I received $350 each on our first cruise 7 years ago on Regal Princess on a 12 day cruise in Asia. I don't know why they would have changed their policy. Also, I believe that cruiselines should be like the airlines - it is a similar product. With air tickets, I get to choose my seat ahead of time. If the price drops, even up to the last day, all I have to do is call them and they will issue me a credit voucher that I can use on another flight up to a year. It isn't automatic - I have to watch all the time, continue to price fares AND, if the fare drops, I have to call them and reprice the itinerary. I've been able to get some small credit vouchers - $30, $40 but my biggest one was $250 buck for my wife and I. We mostly fly United and being overseas, our tickets can be pricey but we are flying long distances when we do travel. IMO - why can't the cruiselines do the same thing as the airlines - if anything, it would encourage return travel.

[tmitchell82]

We had booked on the Golden Princess for 11/10/07. We made the final payment and then looked at the rate which had dropped. We called Princess and the did refund the difference between the current rate and what we had paid, even after the final payment was made. They did say that they could not put it as an OBC directly, but would have to refund the difference to my cc and then charge the cc for the OBC and the OBC could only be done in increments of $25. We did book directly though Princess on their website and not a TA so no telling if that makes a difference. I did not expect the refund when I called and it was a pleasant surprise

[happy cruzer]

The OP is used to getting the price drops because other cruise lines do it.

 

It's a way other lines promote booking early, there is nothing to lose. If the price drops, you get the lower price. So on RCI book early, and no worry about the price dropping. On Princess, same story until final payment at which time it is a big hassle.

 

The lines will do what they feel is best business wise. Must say I do hesitate more on Princess to book early than other lines.

 

And everyone is correct once you find a good deal, be happy. Be even happier if you get a price drop!

[suzyaz]

Right now I am a bit perturbed with Princess because the rates have dropped on this cruise and I called my TA (online travel biz) that we booked through to see if Princess would give us on-board credits since there was a $47.00 per person drop in price on the inside cabins. Well, our TA called Princess and Princess told him that since we had already made our final payment (less than 3 weeks ago) that they would not give us any on-board credits or refund. I really didn't expect or wanted any type of refund, but HECK I sure did expect some sort of on-board credits for that much of a difference in prices!

 

Has anyone else encounter this problem with price dropping and not getting on-board credits for the difference?!! What did you do about it? What can I do about it?

 

I am about ready to call Princess and tell them that the next time I book a cruise...I sure will hesitate a long time before I book with them unless it is at the last minute, due to this policy.

 

RCCL and Carnival will give on-board credits or boot you up to a better cabin. Not just a different category...but if you book an inside, then you will get an ocean-view. Might be obstructed view, but that is what I got on my last cruise with Carnival when my inside cabin price dropped.

 

We hit at a special when we booked and was told that we would have extra onboard credits. Well when I go on Princess Site it's showing a lot less than what my TA gave us on paper that we were promised. So I guess I will check at the Purser's desk when I get there, in hopes that what Princess Staff told my TA was correct.

[City_Woman]

Don't sweat it over $94. Don't let that ruin your cruise.

Stuff happens.

Judy

[RealDeal]

Mona: $47 per person? Hah! Last year mine dropped a couple of hundred!!! Yup!! After final payment. I don't remember all the details exactly but in total I believe it dropped a total of $600 for 2 people & that they gave me a $200 OBC. I was super infuriated, but it sure was a learning experience. I am a fan of the Princess product despite that incident, but I went through every avenue imaginable. There was nothing more my agent could do for me & she fought tooth & nail.

 

All I can say is live & learn. You have to go in knowing that once final payment is made, that's your bottom line price, regardless of what happens, and be happy with that. In my case, I had called Princess on several occasions & asked specifically if the price drops, will they lower my price & they said they would. Unfortunately, they neglected to mention the very important piece of information....that it would have to be before final payment!!! That was the part that got me so crazed!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Toto2Kansas]

Monakayk, if the cruise price went up - would you offer to pay the higher price?

 

Your booking/payment guaratees your fare, you don't pay an increase if it goes up or a decrease if it goes down.

 

This is exactly what I was thinking and going to post after reading all the replies.

$47 is such a small amount, it isn't even worth getting worked up about.

 

After final payment with Princess, if they run specials 'for new bookings only', you don't qualifiy for the price drop as you are not a new booking. Once final payment is made, I don't look back. It isn't fare to your TA to have to fight for something you weren't entitled to to begin with when the 'for new bookings only' offers come out. Just standared selling practices that Princess uses to fill unsold cabins.

[jff50]

Some Agencies will charge you a cancelling fee.

I haven't used any agencies that would charge a cancellation fee. But if I saw a fare reduction, asked the agency I booked with to get that lower fare, found that the only way to get that lower fare were to cancel and rebook, and then had the agency tell me that they would charge a cancellation fee on top of the commissions they would get from the rebooking--that is the last time I would use that agency.

[ArizonaRalphie]

Since this thread has been around for some time now, I decided to do a check on our New Zealand/Australia cruise next February. Of course the entire ship is waitlisted, but the published price for a BA category is now $300 PP over what we booked. Do you suppose, since I have yet to make final payment, that our total should increase $600? I don't think so.

[spongerob]

I'm curious, since the OP has never commented about any of the responses, if RC and Carnival still follow the same practices? Some lines do an upsell if they have better cabins available, too, where Princess will upgrade at no cost.

 

I checked on the OP's sailing and there appears to be plenty of cabins available. Since first-timers seem to do better with the Upgrade Fairy, she could still end up in a better cabin.

[monakayk]

Sorry, I have not been able to respond to these posts...I have been out of town on vacation.

 

I do understand how some of you have posted, that I should be satisfied with the price I got with my cruise. However, on the same note....since so many pax have received OBC AFTER final payment has made when the cruise price dropped, then Princess should be consistent with all pax with their policy. Other cruise-lines, which I have mentioned, seem to be more consistent. I will hesitate in the future if I want to book with Princess again because of their inconsistency.

 

Thanks to all for the replies to my post and also a special thanks to those who have given some helpful suggestions.

 

I will call my TA again and ask him to be more persistent with Princess in getting some type of OBC or an upgrade in cabin if possible. As some have stated, Princess has done this before...so I can only hope it might work for us.

[dewats784]

I heard from my TA today and she got my sister and I the lower price on our cruise!!! We will each owe $200 less when final payment comes around. Thats $200 I can use on the ship or excursions!! I didn't think she was going to come through for us, but she did and we also have $25 OBC also. I am so happy!!! Is it January yet?

[knorrisb07]

yes, that's pretty much the industrial standard practice now

[spongerob]

I do understand how some of you have posted, that I should be satisfied with the price I got with my cruise. However, on the same note....since so many pax have received OBC AFTER final payment has made when the cruise price dropped, then Princess should be consistent with all pax with their policy. Other cruise-lines, which I have mentioned, seem to be more consistent. I will hesitate in the future if I want to book with Princess again because of their inconsistency.

Princess is actually pretty firm with their policy and pretty much always has been. I believe that the few people who reported receiving some kind of credit after final payments were made are citing unusual cases. Most of the time you will see a notation that the reduced rates are for new bookings only.

 

As I mentioned, you do have a shot at a free upgrade. Other lines will offer unsold cabins for some additional cost.

[Casshew]

Once final payment is made, I don't look back. It isn't fare to your TA to have to fight for something you weren't entitled to to begin with when the 'for new bookings only' offers come out. Just standared selling practices that Princess uses to fill unsold cabins.

 

I agree with this 100%

 

If Princess had to give everyone booked the price decrease, there would never be another price decrease again. It would cost them too much.

 

After final payment you are stuck. I actually just cancelled my cruise because final payment is due in a couple of days. I'm going to rebook when/if the prices drop. (There is quite a bit of space)

[monakayk]

Well, guess what?!!!!!!! I GOT AN UPGRADE to an Ocean-view Cabin! :D:D

 

I took the advise of others who replied to my post here and again called my TA and asked him to be a bit more persistent on getting some sort of compensation for us with Princess--either as OBC or an upgraded cabin since the price dropped on our cruise. He called Princess and they upgraded me from a Cat. I (inside) up to Cat. F to the Emerald Deck: E624. It is an obstructed view but the cabin is larger then an inside and located the deck above the theaters and closer to the main dining rooms. We are very pleased to say the very least with this upgrade.

 

Again...........thanks to all who gave suggestions on how I should handle this situation!!!

 

BTW---has anyone here been in this cabin (E624) or know where I can find a photo of it? I have seen photos of the ocean-view cabins and diagrams but not sure how 'obstructed' the views really are in these cabins. Right now....I am tickle pink with this cabin and location!:D

[TexBear]

Will Princess give us OBC on cruise? We are booked on the Grand Princess for Janury 12, 2008. The cruise price has dropped on our BB balcony cabin by about $200 since we booked it in May. I have a TA and e-mailed her about getting the price of the cruise dropped but she did not respond. I didn't know that they might give us an onboard credit instead. I have e-mailed the TA again. Hope I hear from her soon!

 

I got $75 OBC for booking the Island Princess 15 months ahead.

 

I also only put down the deposit and will keep looking at princess.com as the sail date nears (4-6 months out) to see if I can get a better deal on my trip.

[TexBear]

Well, guess what?!!!!!!! I GOT AN UPGRADE to an Ocean-view Cabin! :D:D

 

I took the advise of others who replied to my post here and again called my TA and asked him to be a bit more persistent on getting some sort of compensation for us with Princess--either as OBC or an upgraded cabin since the price dropped on our cruise. He called Princess and they upgraded me from a Cat. I (inside) up to Cat. F to the Emerald Deck: E624. It is an obstructed view but the cabin is larger then an inside and located the deck above the theaters and closer to the main dining rooms. We are very pleased to say the very least with this upgrade.

 

Again...........thanks to all who gave suggestions on how I should handle this situation!!!

 

BTW---has anyone here been in this cabin (E624) or know where I can find a photo of it? I have seen photos of the ocean-view cabins and diagrams but not sure how 'obstructed' the views really are in these cabins. Right now....I am tickle pink with this cabin and location!:D

 

Do a search for "(your ship)" photos. That should bring you many results. Perhaps you can search under "(your ship)" cabin # as well!

[monakayk]

Do a search for "(your ship)" photos. That should bring you many results. Perhaps you can search under "(your ship)" cabin # as well!

 

Bummer....did that and nothing for that cabin or obstructed view cabins came up. I wonder if I am doing the search right?:confused:

[KAYEF]

We were on an E Deck in an 800 something cabin (can't remember, too many cruises/ships!!) and the location was FANTASTIC. We were just a few cabins from the central glass elevators (to get to the dining rooms)..................our obstructed was quite obstructed but our "kids" right next door had a full view even though it was listed as obstructed as well. It sort of depends on which boats are outside your cabin (tenders OR life boats) and if your window comes between those boats. Lucky You.

We've always received NOTHING if we've made a final payment and prices have gone down. My husband just tells me to quit looking!!

You will have a grand time.:)

[woodofpine]

Among the large lines, what the OP experienced is pretty standard. After final payment, I don't think any of the larger lines match (ship filling) discounts with onboard credit which is still $$ to the line. As other posters have pointed out, why should they?

 

But lines DO upgrade as they fill ships and the OP and her TA (esp.) are to be commended for clamoring for (then getting) an upgrade.

 

The upgrade fairy is a mysterious creature but the right approach clearly increases the odds of getting on her list. This too is reasonably standard (if anything involving upgrades is) among the larger lines.

 

Enjoy the OV

[geoherb]

I complained to our TA after prices dropped dramatically before our first Princess cruise--November 2001. She called Princess and they upgraded us from a BD to a BA (not much of an upgrade, but at least a little gesture).

 

Since then, most of our cruises have been booked at the last minute--after the final payment date. The prices don't usually drop after I've booked.

 

I'm waiting now for the Christmas cruises to have their final payment dates later this month. There are nine I'm tracking prices on. And if one of them doesn't work out, we'll be able to go the week before Christmas this year--something we usually can't do because of my DH's teaching schedule.

[MaryPoppinz]

She called Princess and they upgraded us from a BD to a BA (not much of an upgrade, but at least a little gesture).

 

That's actually a nice upgrade to a mid-ship Caribe deck cabin!

[mek]

quote=geoherb;11529084

 

Since then, most of our cruises have been booked at the last minute--after the final payment date. The prices don't usually drop after I've booked.

 

I'm waiting now for the Christmas cruises to have their final payment dates later this month. There are nine I'm tracking prices on. And if one of them doesn't work out, we'll be able to go the week before Christmas this year--something we usually can't do because of my DH's teaching schedule.

 

Pretty much the way I travel. Since I like to travel frequently, I usually go with the flow and book whatever the best deal out there is at the time. I usually decide where I'm going on the same factors be it land or sea.