Major price drop!

[tulips*n*truffles]

I have not seen any deals or reduced prices on Princess cruises that I have been checking for Alaska and Europe. Actually, I have seen prices increase. I get no difference in price when checking the price not signed in or signed in as a past cruiser. I have not received an E-mail from Princess since November 2008. I have E-mail checked in my profile. The couple that we normally travel with has received two fantastic Caribbean E-mail offers since January 1. He did not receive the two for one though. I did receive a mailing of two for one European cruises but the price was two for one on the full brochure price which was not really any kind of a deal.

 

We have been looking at a 28 day back to back Baltic and Trans-Atlantic on the Emerald. The online travel agent that I normally use beats the Princess fare by $1,700 for the two of us and the prices have been steadily rising.

 

Princess is geting a lot of people upset with there chaotic special pricing schemes. Princess has to know that these fabulous deals get posted here on CC and people start to wonder how the selection process functions and why they did not get the offer.

 

I can truthfully say, that I would be upset if I paid double what another couple paid for the same cruise. I know there has always been different pricing strutures available depending on when and with whom you booked your cruise. But this latest batch or pricing is beginning to aggravate a lot of people.

 

I am starting to look at other lines as being a loyal Princess customer does not seem to mean much anymore.:(

 

I actually think its kindof exciting. Searching for the best deal - scoring it when you can. I think this is happening with EVERY line. My sister is a cruiser (beaches only! :-)) and she runs into this all the time. She's a firm believer in using a TA for booking - they can often get the discounts we can't. Just like for me - the discount is showing on a couple of the ships, but not others; for someone else, they show on the ones I want, not the ones I have. Just luck of the draw. The good news about Princess, and NOT the lines my sister sails with, is they'll honor the lower price if you call them about it. My sister has yet to get a lower price if she finds it later. I've read people on these boards saving thousands of dollars well after they book because of a price drop. It's all about how you look at things. If you were willing to spend that much money when you first booked the cruise, and you happen upon a deal later - great - but if not, then you need to be okay with that. Right? I mean, that's like being upset that the guy in the next hotel room got his deal on priceline for $40 and I paid $100 - happens every minute of every day. Or the guy you sit next to on the airplane paying half of what you did. It just happens - part of the economy game. As for me, I'm so excited for my cruise I'd probably pay twice what I did (well, maybe not twice!), because the experience is just so worth it!!!!

[shipitsyna]

We have booked our first cruise...NB Alaska on June 15. I booked over the phone with a TA I found online though cruise critic. Based on some of these posts, it seems like we should be able to get this 2 for 1 deal, since Princess is relenting and extending it to first timers, right?

 

Anyway, I emailed the TA about this and she sent me back an email stating that since they are giving me such a "HUGE" discount, they can't combine it with any 2 for 1 deals. That I would have to book directly with Princess. Now, first of all, the discount is $871 less than the same class (BE) on Princess's website. Which is great, but doesn't really compare to the prospect of having a suite for our honeymoon for the same or less price.

 

Since TA is unwilling to go to bat for me, I would like to know what you think I should do? Change TAs? Try to book directly with Princess if they will give me the deal? Any other advice? (feel free to email me off the board ssh.basta[AT]gmail.com

[tulips*n*truffles]

I haven't heard of any first timers getting the 2-for-1 cruise only deal. A few first-timers (myself included) got the 2-for-1 cruisetour offer. I called Princess directly and they absolutely would not give me the cruise only rate - no exceptions. They again directed me to my cruisetour offer, but it's more expensive than the cruise only offer I do qualify for. So I keep searching.

[Cnevada]

I watched a 10-day southern caribbean cruise for several months before booking in late November. The stated price was $1,399 for a balcony. Yesterday, I got a brochure in the mail from Princess listing this 10-day cruise at $1,099 for a balcony.

The TA called and princess told him the new price was only for NEW bookings. The TA is back on the phone with Princess (as I write this). I have only paid the deposit so far, which I think I can get back.

So I guess I will cancel and rebook at the NEW rate.

Can anybody see any problems in doing this?

Charlene

[Colo Cruiser]

We have booked our first cruise...NB Alaska on June 15. I booked over the phone with a TA I found online though cruise critic. Based on some of these posts, it seems like we should be able to get this 2 for 1 deal, since Princess is relenting and extending it to first timers, right?

 

Anyway, I emailed the TA about this and she sent me back an email stating that since they are giving me such a "HUGE" discount, they can't combine it with any 2 for 1 deals. That I would have to book directly with Princess. Now, first of all, the discount is $871 less than the same class (BE) on Princess's website. Which is great, but doesn't really compare to the prospect of having a suite for our honeymoon for the same or less price.

 

Since TA is unwilling to go to bat for me, I would like to know what you think I should do? Change TAs? Try to book directly with Princess if they will give me the deal? Any other advice? (feel free to email me off the board ssh.basta[AT]gmail.com

 

 

Cancel the current booking with your TA, book yourself through the Princess website then transfer the booking to a TA that will treat you right.

Make sure you get the price through Princess you want before canceling your current booking.

[cacy6893076]

We have booked our first cruise...NB Alaska on June 15. I booked over the phone with a TA I found online though cruise critic. Based on some of these posts, it seems like we should be able to get this 2 for 1 deal, since Princess is relenting and extending it to first timers, right?

 

Anyway, I emailed the TA about this and she sent me back an email stating that since they are giving me such a "HUGE" discount, they can't combine it with any 2 for 1 deals. That I would have to book directly with Princess. Now, first of all, the discount is $871 less than the same class (BE) on Princess's website. Which is great, but doesn't really compare to the prospect of having a suite for our honeymoon for the same or less price.

 

Since TA is unwilling to go to bat for me, I would like to know what you think I should do? Change TAs? Try to book directly with Princess if they will give me the deal? Any other advice? (feel free to email me off the board ssh.basta[AT]gmail.com

 

 

I agree call princess, but as stated it is targeted so if you are a prospective passenger ( ie one who is registred with princess but has never sailed) and received the email you can book it based on availability, but as colo says, don't cancel current booking before you call...especially if you did not receive the email.

[wizard-of-roz]

Has anyone seen any "drops" in Mexican Riviera cruises on Sapphire?

I haven't but I want to make sure that I or my TA are not missing something.

My final payment will be due in a few weeks and I want to make sure to get all the discounts I can. :rolleyes:

[cruzzers]

Has anyone seen any "drops" in Mexican Riviera cruises on Sapphire?

 

I haven't but I want to make sure that I or my TA are not missing something.

 

My final payment will be due in a few weeks and I want to make sure to get all the discounts I can. :rolleyes:

 

I can check for you....on a site I book from. What date are you traveling and what catagory do you want?

[wizard-of-roz]

We are sailing on April 18th cabin E717. And, thank you!

[DaisyRose]

I am confused about why Princess would only email deals to some past passengers and not all. If the point is for them to increase bookings and fill their ships, wouldn't it make sense that sending deals to everyone would give them a lot more bookings than sending those deals to just some people? I had no intention of booking another cruise for 2009, as I am already booked on one expensive one in May. An Alaska cruisetour was lower on my "wish list." But, after getting the two for one cruisetour email deal, I booked an "extra" cruise to Alaska for this year. To me, it really doesn't seem fair to send it to some and not others. I wish I understood their rationale. If there were more deals like the two for one Alaska cruisetour deal, I could take more trips.

[jackdiamond]

I wonder if some of these reductions are also related to ship quality. For example, the Pacific and Sea Princess are rated at 4; and, the Grand Princess is rated at 4 1/2. On the other hand, the Emerald, Crown and Ruby are rated at 5.

[Colo Cruiser]

I am confused about why Princess would only email deals to some past passengers and not all. If the point is for them to increase bookings and fill their ships, wouldn't it make sense that sending deals to everyone would give them a lot more bookings than sending those deals to just some people? I had no intention of booking another cruise for 2009, as I am already booked on one expensive one in May. An Alaska cruisetour was lower on my "wish list." But, after getting the two for one cruisetour email deal, I booked an "extra" cruise to Alaska for this year. To me, it really doesn't seem fair to send it to some and not others. I wish I understood their rationale. If there were more deals like the two for one Alaska cruisetour deal, I could take more trips.

 

Its not you its Princess, we don't get any e-mails and sporadic snail mail if any at all.

And we have major history with them...go figure.

They probably figure that I will book on my own no matter what they send. :rolleyes:

[Lynda90]

Its not you its Princess, we don't get any e-mails and sporadic snail mail if any at all.

And we have major history with them...go figure.

They probably figure that I will book on my own no matter what they send. :rolleyes:

I wasn't getting any emails from Princess, either. I changed the email address I had with them to a gmail address at a capt. circle reps suggestion. I now finally get their emails and booked a cruise to Alaska, after getting the 2-for-1 offer. :p

[cacy6893076]

It's all up to marketing dept. untill you can get in touch with someone in marketing who can explain it ,it will be a maketing issue...not decipherble. Not to sound negative but promtional rated are probably based on alot of parameters...ie: when did you last sail,where did you last sail, has it been a while since you sailed?......marketing deparmtment in general knows who they are dealing with based on your history before they send out offers......................otherwise they would not be earning their keep in determining who is most likely to take advantage of a promotion.....also their keep is dependent on the response to a promotion in terms of inquiries regariding that promotion...........because it is within the company they know when and where you sailed, if you have made any tentative bookings that cancelled etc.,, if you ordered a particular brochue, it is less random than thought in my opinion

[avlowery]

I notice when I have a Princess cruise booked, I do not get some of the "special deals" sent to me. Fortunately I didn't have anything planned so I got the 2 for 1 deal offered. I got a AC mini suite for $1224 on a 11 day cruisetour on the Coral.

[mamaday]

My mil booked five rooms for the family for Alaska last April when the 2009 schedule first came out. They have been on 5 Princess cruises including a 31 day cruise last fall. They did not receive the special 2 for 1 offer. I called Princess today to inquire if this price was available for a booking we already had and was told we were not listed to receive the special promotion. We were informed the 2 for 1 was only for certain people. I think because they already had bookings they would not send them the special offer. We did receive $335 pp reduction from the original price paid, but the special price for our date is a discount of $900. What is crazy is I can change my booking from cruise only to a cruisetour (limited choices) for only around $100. So, I guess anyone can receive the 2 for 1 pricing on the cruisetours. On the date we are sailing it is only 5 choices of tours, none of which would be my first choice. But, for such a good price I think we will choose one of them. It is basically adding on a 5 day land tour for $100!!!:D

[Princess-of-Quite-alot]

I saved $2740!!!Over half price for our Med cruise!!!! And we still get $300 shipboard credit and a bottle of wine!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

[Lynda90]

I notice when I have a Princess cruise booked, I do not get some of the "special deals" sent to me. Fortunately I didn't have anything planned so I got the 2 for 1 deal offered. I got a AC mini suite for $1224 on a 11 day cruisetour on the Coral.

I have a Hawaiian cruise booked and still got the offer. But, it's the first one I've gotten in a long time. I always heard of everyone else getting offers, and was mad that I wasn't included. Maybe it was just my turn. :p

[cactusrose]

I saved $2740!!!Over half price for our Med cruise!!!! And we still get $300 shipboard credit and a bottle of wine!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

 

Wow!:eek: That's a lota Pina Colada's

[kruzinRiva]

The May 14th Pacific Princess 14 day Alaska Cruise I gave folks the heads up on yesterday has gone bonkers as far as pricing -- Inside and obstructed OV are selling at $1799.00 and unobstructed OV are starting at $1199. (Past passenger pricing) Does that make any sense to anyone??:confused:

 

I've gone over the Princess website with a fine tooth comb the last 24 hours and there seems to be little rhyme or reason to why one cruise is deeply discounted and another isn't. One can only assume that the "poor sellers" are being pushed. If the cruise you're on doesn't show a discount try another date -- if you can be flexible you can probably save a ton.

 

I heartily agree with an earlier to book the new cruise and GET A BOOKING # before canceling your current cruise.

 

Happy Sailing!!

[caribill]

Just signed into my Princess and I see the balconies on June 13 and 14 Seattle roundtrip as 1399.00. I get tons of emails from Princess but never received the special 2 for 1 Alaska one.

 

What are the insides going for on those cruises with the balcony mark downs?

 

 

June 13 on Golden Princess: Inside from $527, balcony from $874

June 6 on same ship: Inside from $489, balcony from $819

 

June 14 on Star Princess: Inside from $502, balcony from $849

June 7 on same ship: Inside from $464, balcony from $794

[caribill]

Right? I mean, that's like being upset that the guy in the next hotel room got his deal on priceline for $40 and I paid $100 - happens every minute of every day. Or the guy you sit next to on the airplane paying half of what you did. It just happens - part of the economy game.

 

What's even better is being the one that paid 1/2 on the airline flight (sitting on the aisle) while the full fare passenger is next to you in the middle seat.

[caribill]

The May 14th Pacific Princess 14 day Alaska Cruise I gave folks the heads up on yesterday has gone bonkers as far as pricing -- Inside and obstructed OV are selling at $1799.00 and unobstructed OV are starting at $1199. (Past passenger pricing) Does that make any sense to anyone?

 

Yes, supply and demand. If the obstructed OV are all booked and unobstructed OV have lots of inventory, they will lower the rpice on what they need to sell.

 

I saw one cruise where inside categories M,L,K and KK were priced higher than J, JJ, I and II. (Even II was priced lower than M,L,K, and KK.)

[cruisingfreak]

We've had 2 price drops on our Holy Land cruise.

So far we have saved over $2100 !!!!!!!!

Minette

[bhopal21]

Yes, supply and demand. If the obstructed OV are all booked and unobstructed OV have lots of inventory, they will lower the rpice on what they need to sell.

 

I saw one cruise where inside categories M,L,K and KK were priced higher than J, JJ, I and II. (Even II was priced lower than M,L,K, and KK.)

 

That's correct; and I'll bet you won't find a price drop on a suite.;)

 

Mike:)