select prices

[poole boy]

Having just booked a cruise on a select price for next year I was wondering if the P&O statement

Select Price summary

15% deposit

Choice from a selection of added benefits

Choice of cabin number (subject to availability)

First priority for dining seating time and table size

First priority for upgrades (where available)

actually means anything and if anybody has actually received a upgrade yet on this type of fare.

graham

[david63]

... actually means anything and if anybody has actually received a upgrade yet on this type of fare.

Unlikely for us as I have requested no upgrade due to having chosen a specific cabin

[Kenmo1]

... actually means anything and if anybody has actually received a upgrade yet on this type of fare.

Unlikely for us as I have requested no upgrade due to having chosen a specific cabin

We requested E56 obstructed view cabin on Arcadia for our select price trip to Iceland next week and we said NO upgrade BUT after receiving a brochure with labels for E56 we spotted on the cruise personaliser that we have been allocated an outside midships cabin on G deck = 2 price levels up. Although this is midships and low down so a slightly better position for a possible bumpy ride to Iceland, the disadvantage is a much smaller window than E56 which only had a 40% obstruction of its big floor to ceiling window. We have also seen the amount of OBC increase for late select bookers from the £270 PER CABIN we received in February to £240 PER PERSON for those who book by 10th June. We did get our dining choice of 2nd sitting and table size.

Book early - NO, never again.

Maureen

[johnds]

We are on the same cruise and noticed the hike in OBC. We complained to our TA and said that as far as we were concerned this was a sneaky way of decreasing prices without having to compensate those already booked with the price promise. Apparently we were not the only ones they had several similar PX. The TA renegotiated with P&O. We had to pay about £20 each I think because the price had gone UP from when we booked but we then got several hundred pounds additional OBC.
Don't see how they can move you if you definitely said No Upgrades.

John

[poole boy]

we have always said yes to the upgrade option but have not yet received a upgrade 8 cruises but we have 2 cruises booked on the new select price and just wondered if there was any chance we might be lucky on these and if other people had been.
graham

[Kenmo1]

We are on the same cruise and noticed the hike in OBC. We complained to our TA and said that as far as we were concerned this was a sneaky way of decreasing prices without having to compensate those already booked with the price promise. Apparently we were not the only ones they had several similar PX. The TA renegotiated with P&O. We had to pay about £20 each I think because the price had gone UP from when we booked but we then got several hundred pounds additional OBC.
Don't see how they can move you if you definitely said No Upgrades.

John

John - your TA was obviously a lot more assertive than me. I spoke to 3 different people but to no effect. We are sticking with the upgrade as it is right next door to the cabin we had in September so we know it is in a reasonable position whereas E56 was the far end of the midship area towards the front but with a good window size. I have occasionally felt queasy on rough seas if too far forward and with 3 days at sea at the beginning of the cruise, this is probably a safer option. The only concession I can make to the Customer Services argument is that the cost of the cabin we have been moved to costs approximately £200 per person more than we originally paid so I guess we have been compensated in a different way but we will go back to last minute bookings in future. Still, I'm not going to let it spoil my holiday. Maureen.

[david63]

... actually means anything and if anybody has actually received a upgrade yet on this type of fare.

Unlikely for us as I have requested no upgrade due to having chosen a specific cabin

We requested E56 obstructed view cabin on Arcadia for our select price trip to Iceland next week and we said NO upgrade BUT after receiving a brochure with labels for E56 we spotted on the cruise personaliser that we have been allocated an outside midships cabin on G deck = 2 price levels up. Although this is midships and low down so a slightly better position for a possible bumpy ride to Iceland, the disadvantage is a much smaller window than E56 which only had a 40% obstruction of its big floor to ceiling window. We have also seen the amount of OBC increase for late select bookers from the £270 PER CABIN we received in February to £240 PER PERSON for those who book by 10th June. We did get our dining choice of 2nd sitting and table size.

Book early - NO, never again.

Maureen

The only conceivable upgrade that we would accept would be to a suite (unlikely as it would be about 10 steps up the ladder). The cabin that we have booked is one of the aft cabins on Arcadia and was booked on the day that booking opened so if anyone dares to change it there will be one almighty row with very senior P&O management.

[lioness]

We booked Select for this October and then they raised the OBC. We contacted P&O and told them we were fed up about this and we paid an extra £19 per head as the price had slightly risen and received another £200 OBC.

[Kenmo1]

We booked Select for this October and then they raised the OBC. We contacted P&O and told them we were fed up about this and we paid an extra £19 per head as the price had slightly risen and received another £200 OBC.

I think that is POs argument with us. We paid for a cheaper cabin but have been allocated a cabin costing a lot more so perhaps I was pushing my luck expecting extra OBC as well.

Maureen

[Andrea S]

It has never happened to me but it always seems that P&O are seeking newcomers at the expense of their regulars.

To be honest, once I have booked I don't check prices so I would be unaware of things like the OBC.

Perhaps it is worth remembering posts from Johnds and Lioness.

Kenmo , I suppose yours comes under the swings and roundabouts banner. In this case the cabin change may be to your advantage.

[poole boy]

what got me thinking about this is that we went on a cruise last year with cruise and maritime and have booked another with them for September this year and we have received a upgrade with them 4 grades up to premium outside mid ships.
graham

[Ranchi]

Due to change of circumstances (retirement!), we were able to take advantage of the late booking system (& enjoyed a great cruise to Caribbean on Oriana). However, this is the first time that we haven't had a cruise booked for the summer & we are desperately missing the sense of anticipation! Now I'm not saying that's worth all the £££s saved over a select fare but it must come in to the mix somewhere. Incidentally, we were really lucky with our cabin on Oriana but several people were very unhappy with their 'upgrades' to outside cabins which were far forward and were uncomfortable during the rougher periods of the crossing. There was also no possibilty to change sittings, although a few managed it with a medical note (sounds like a school PE lesson )

Steve

[johnds]

I take it all back - they have done it again

I rebooked in February as agreed and paid £1819 each in an EA Balcony Cabin and got £200 per person OBC. Previously we had paid £1779 and got £50 per person OBC.
At the time I was happy. I got £300 more OBC for a payment of £80.

However as a result of this thread I looked again and found that the current select price offer to new bookings is £440 per person OBC which in total is £480 more than we received when we rebooked
I am now mad as a hatter about it and have contacted my TA who can't speak to the correct department at P&O until tomorrow.

We all know prices can change and we have to accept that but in my world a promise is a promise and my word is my bond. What P&O are doing is reducing the price in such a way as in their opinion avoids the obligation they have to me. In my view that's immoral and a corrupt way of doing business. TA is again receiving complaints and of course it's not the TA's fault.

I'm waiting for a call back tomorrow. I'll let you know the outcome.

John

[Lollie]

We booked cruise on select price last April for our cruise this September and when we noticed a change in on board credit offered, the actual price was and still is the same, we went back to P&O and we were told that as we had booked Select price we were entitled to increased obc. Only problem was the whole cruise had to be cancelled and rebooked but we got an increase of £270 which was definitely worth having.
Regarding an upgrade, we asked for no upgrade as the two grades above us would put us on a low deck and we want to be high up. Sadly our choice means that we may miss out on a really good upgrade but then again we do not want to find ourselves over the nightclub bar so sadly we have no experience of upgrades.

[poole boy]

The only conceivable upgrade that we would accept would be to a suite (unlikely as it would be about 10 steps up the ladder). The cabin that we have booked is one of the aft cabins on Arcadia and was booked on the day that booking opened so if anyone dares to change it there will be one almighty row with very senior P&O management.

david63 if your well in with very senior management at P&O any chance of putting in a good word for us to get an upgrade

[david63]

I never said I was "well in" with anyone - just that I would be complaining at a high level - so sorry but I cannot put a good word in for you