Cruise Company Loyalty

[Jan Rosser]

I agree Jan but everyone is different and you cannot blame couples that have been given a large sum of OBC as a recompense after booking before Vantage introduction that they wouldnt normally spend and now have to "waste". I am sure most would have preferred the cruise to be realistically priced in the first place.

Yes you are right it is difficult if you are given a large sum of OBC if say you don't drink or do excursions - I have friends like that who find it difficult to spend the OBC and end up buying trivia to use it up.

[noddy10]

Very true Ken but cruise companies are in a different position than most other companies that they cannot afford the impact of saing with vacant cabins and any initial price even at a loss is better than nothing at all. There is then the knock on effect of people spending on drinks,shop purchases and excursions that wouldnt be made if cabins were empty. There is also the effect of gratuities to staff if cabin stewards have not as many cabins to clean so dont receive as much as normal the same as with waiters. Another problem is once sailed with empty cabins they cannot make revenue like hotels on passing trade so is imperritive that they sail as full as possible.

[Silver_Shiney]

A few years ago there was a particular cruise we especially wanted to go on. As I've said earlier, we'll normally go for the lowest deck as it is cheaper. Although the brochure was out, P&O were not taking bookings until a certain date. Our TA promised she would start her afternoon shift, on the first day of booking, early in order to book the cruise for us. Even then, the bottom two decks were completely sold out.

So, I think what most of us are saying in one form or another is, if you really want a particular cruise and/or cabin, or you have to book time off work yonks in advance, you'll book early at whatever price and just smile sweetly (through gritted teeth!!) when the price drops. If you are able to drop everything at the last minute and don't mind where you go, then see what undoubted bargains are available.

Incidentally, how is it when my mum came with us 18 months back (and again next week) she has to pay 50% single supplement for her own room but when our adult daughter came last year and shared our cabin, she only had to pay £70? At High Street restaurant prices, she'd eat that on the first day alone! I've seen some deals where the 3rd and 4th pax to share a room go free. I understand the rationale behind a single supplement, because they could have put two pax in that room so want to recover at least some of the "lost" income but, IMHO, this doesn't stack up against the very low prices for 3rd/4th pax sharing.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I'm guessing is that the answer to that SS is that the budgets are largely based on two people in the cabin. For example, with only one it still needs the same steward to clean it so the cost has to be borne by the one occupant. With three or four it's still the same steward so no extra cost, although from his/her point of view they'll potentially get more tips.

Equally the deck staff and officers required relate to the size of the ship, as does depreciation, fuel, entertainment, etc. Underoccupancy (i.e. less than 2 in the cabin) means those costs still have to be picked up by fewer passengers, whereas having extras in the cabin doesn't increase those costs.

On the overall cost of running the cruise a fairly small proportion of the company's costs relates to things like food which do rise directly in relation to the number of passengers. I imagine those marginal extra costs they reckon to get back through increased profits on trips, drinks, casino etc. from the additional passengers. Remember too that a large part of land based restaurant costs relate to staff, premises etc rather than the raw ingredients, so of the £70 bill you quote the actual ingredients cost is much less.

Not great I know for the single traveller but I reckon that's the economics of it.

[Dark Knight]

I would think there are a lot of fixed costs: wages, port fees, docking charges, etc
and fewer variable costs, so as long as the fixed costs are covered there is room to make reductions

[Gill W]

I struggle with the frequently repeated arguments and strident comments on this.

Some people have to book early and some have to book late because of personal circumstance, but an awful lot have the choice. And I reckon from the gripes that group includes most of those who complain - because their comment usually ends along the lines of "I'll never book early again" - which they couldn't say if they had no choice.

If someone really believes Getaway suits them better then just do it - you don;t need to justify that choice to anyone but yourself. Equally no-one is forced to book with P&O at all if they don't like the price structure. There are a lot of others out there and if they really are cheaper and someone feels they'll get a better deal then, again, just do it.

For us Vantage Fares work and I get really p'd off at the implications that those like us are a) stupid, b) naive, or c) so wealthy we don't care.

We booked our 2013 cruise a while ago at the Vantage Fare and got the benefits of cabin and dining choice - both important to us and the former vital to our enjoyment of the cruise. Now Getaway Fares have been announced for our cruise and, yes, they are lower. But the entire cabin grade we wanted is sold out, so if we'd waited we wouldn't be going. We've also been monitoring some cruises to other destinations that we fancy for the future and the same applies to them.

So next year, God willing, we'll book Vantage again.

I agree with everything you say. Booking vantage suits me at present, and I'll continue to do so.

I'm not naive, thick or loaded with money - it's just that Vantage suits my personal requirements.

[lioness]

Yes me too. We usually find a cruise that we really want to do and would hate to wait until Getaway fares come out and then you don't know what cabin you will get. So nice to book early, cabin choice, sitting choice, bit of OBC, free parking. I'll stay as I am for the time being.

[daib GC]

I think that the present situation with the Vantage/Gataway fares is far more transparent than it was before. Vantage fares have all the advantages and getaway none and has to be paid on booking.

I will still book on the first day of booking and hope that there will be some extra goodies on offer.


Gan Canny


Dai