Fed up with P&O and Cunards pricing policy? You and me both!!

So we are all well familiar with ‘Vantage Fares’ an, d ‘Getaway Fares’ by now as they have been around for a while, and lets face it, we are all aware by now that ‘Vantage Fare’ is just another name for ‘early booking discount’, and that the Price Promise Protection, although honoured, usually just gives the clients excessive amounts of extra on board credit that they would struggle to spend. Instead, a different fare, the ‘Getaway’ is usually introduced with much reduced prices so the Price Promise Protection does not apply. How not to keep your loyal customers happy in one simple step!

However, that is old news now, a blinder pulled by Carnival Cruise Lines to try to encourage people to book early with ‘new confidence’ that  things would be fairer in future – no chance!
I was quite pleased therefore when it was announced that from 2014 that they would differentiate more between clients who booked on the Vantage Fare and those who chose to wait and book on the Getaway Fare – people choosing to do the latter would no longer be able to choose their dinner sitting and would no longer get free use of the shuttle buses in the ports where this facility was offered by the cruise lines. A small token gesture but a step in the right direction I thought to myself. Let those who have booked early enjoy more benefits.
No sooner had this happened Carnival Cruise Lines muddy the waters once more! Obviously desperate to shift some berths this autumn, from 1st August they are ‘enhancing’ the Getaway Fares by adding some on board credit to certain sailings. Great news for those who have been holding off booking, but not so great for those already booked.
Talking of those who are holding off, give or take the on board credit, waiting doesn’t always pay off. We always advise that prices can go up as well as down, and indeed they do. Time and again this year, if a sailing seems to be selling well then the Getaway Fare increases.
Time and again, clients ask me “should I book now or should I wait”, and do you know what, I don’t think any of us can answer that question with any confidence any more, and I am completely honest about this with my clients.
All I can say is, if you see a cruise at a price that you are happy to pay on the day, then book it, and know that you got the best deal available on the day. Yes, there will always be fellow passengers who may reckon they have got a better deal, but rest assured there will be many more who have paid much more than you have too.
Alternatively, choose a cruise line who really does honour their price reductions – there are those that do!!
Call me for more details – I am always happy to help where I can. It’s what I’m here for!