Price increase after booking

[stacycs]

Hi,

I booked my cruise for May 2009 directly with Princess. I have the e-mail confirmation etc. I noticed on My Princess that my cruise fair itself is $100 more than my e-mail confirmation. Is this usual, since I have not made final payment yet, or do you think this is a mistake worth calling them about?

thanks,

Stacy

[cherylandtk]

First double check the two and make sure you are just not mis-reading something. Are the totals the same? Is the $100 the amount of your deposit? Does one show the amount still due and the other shows the full price paid? Is one not including deposits and/or credits?

 

If you go over the two carefully and still do not understand what the $100 difference is, by all means contact them and ask why.

[cruisin1026]

I would call them. They did add the fuel charge after I booked but the price of the cruise itself did not increase. I thought the whole point of the booking was to lock in that price.

[Pia1913]

I would call them. They did add the fuel charge after I booked but the price of the cruise itself did not increase. I thought the whole point of the booking was to lock in that price.

 

How did they add the fuel charge? Princess prices are being quoted inclusive of the fuel charge.

[paul929207]

Your fare should not go up after booking, except for government fees and taxes. If it did, call them.

[cruisin1026]

Not sure but they did. But this was back when gas was going up every other day. It's the $63.00 that they show on their website now included in the cost. I figured it could have been worse.

[Pia1913]

Not sure but they did. But this was back when gas was going up every other day. It's the $63.00 that they show on their website now included in the cost. I figured it could have been worse.

 

Whatever the fuel surcharge was when you booked, that's what it should be now. You should not have gotten an increase. We booked our 28 day Amazon way back before surcharges and I've changed that booking (switching cabins and catagories) several times. There was no surcharge then and there isn't any now. And, my price has gone down three times!

 

Pia

[Bruin Steve]

If your e-mail confirmation confirms a price, Princess should be held to THAT price...No explanation regarding taxes, fees, fuel charges or the like should excuse it...If there were additional costs, they should have been disclosed on the confirmation.

 

The only things that should be added on would be changes YOU request in the intervening time...Did you upgrade cabins? Add transfers or hotels?

 

Otherwise, call them and demand the price be corrected and a written confirmation be sent to you.

 

As for me, I never book directly with the cruise line...there's no advantage in that. I have an excellent TA who discounts my cruises with Princess and other lines that allow such discounting and gives free onboard credits with the lines that don't. A TA will never cost you more than booking direct yourself...and the cruiselines will never undercut the travel agents.

 

But among the other great benefits of using a TA is that a good TA will look out for your interests in situations like this...They will go to bat for you with the cruise lines and get problems solved.

[the_dylaness]

But among the other great benefits of using a TA is that a good TA will look out for your interests in situations like this...They will go to bat for you with the cruise lines and get problems solved.

 

I agree... sometimes. I do think it's important for people to be proactive (as the OP is doing) no matter if using a TA or booking directly with Princess. I've booked all four of my past and all three of my future cruises with a TA rather than direct, and sometimes, it's harder to have a "middleman" than it would be to do it yourself. TAs may not always work in your favor (see my thread about refunding fuel surcharge)... CAVEAT EMPTOR!

[cruisin1026]

I booked my cruise through a TA and he will be on my cruise. There will be about 50 of us.

[gloreuscruising]

I had a friend that had a price increase a couple of months prior to sailing. This was due to a couple of ports increasing their port charges. Princess is one of the cruise lines that will not absorb these costs even after final payment. When they called they were told to read their cruise contract carefully. It states right in the contract that these increases will be passed on to the passenger up to the day of sailing. A lot of complaining did not make a bit of difference. Needless to say they have not cruised with Princess since.

[chasetf]

See... we're all speculating..... port charges, government taxes, fuel surcharge, mistake..... who knows.

 

Call and have them explain it. That is the only way to get the clear and concise answer. ;)

[Coral]

I had a friend that had a price increase a couple of months prior to sailing. This was due to a couple of ports increasing their port charges. Princess is one of the cruise lines that will not absorb these costs even after final payment. When they called they were told to read their cruise contract carefully. It states right in the contract that these increases will be passed on to the passenger up to the day of sailing. A lot of complaining did not make a bit of difference. Needless to say they have not cruised with Princess since.

 

I have had other lines increase port taxes also. This is not unique to Princess.

[katier825]

Could the difference be shipboard credits? Only one way to know for sure...go ahead and call. Invoices can be confusing. It seems like each travel agent breaks the cost out in different ways.

 

Good luck!:)

[RichNBets]

Stacy,

 

Check the recent messages (yesterday and today) on the Roll Call for your cruise. Princess has CUT prices by over $400 for many categories. We just did an upgrade for $100 each less than our original price.

[stacycs]

Thanks to everyone for their responses. I did call Princess and there was not error. The fuel surcharge is listed separately on my e-mail and included in the net cruise price on line. I did see the message on the roll call and am checking into that as well.

 

Thanks!

Stacy