Saga Price Promise

theLondonLark

On 7th April, I booked A Scandinavian Summer cruise from Saga at £5006pp (Book price of £5093 -£87pp for having our own travel insurance). This was the option where they select your cabins for you. I booked two cabins for 4 people - myself, my husband and two friends. The departure date of the cruise is 9th July. 

I initially rang up on 3 April to book an offer which they had on this cruise for $4825pp but it ran out on 31st March. When we were discussing this on the phone, I told the salesperson that I would wait to see whether the off came back later. The salesperson assured me that I could buy the cruise with confidence because of the Saga Price Promise, which meant that if the offer came back between then and the start of the cruise they would honour that offer. I told her that I would need to speak with my friends, and in the end, I called back on the 7th April to book. 

I thought no more of it until on 27th   May I noticed that the offer of our cruise for £4825 had returned. The next day I received a letter informing me that “Great News” we had been upgraded to cabin A508 which is a Standard Double on Deck A.   

I thought about this for a day and on 29th, I rang customer service and spoke to a sales person. I said that I would like them to honour the price in the offer. He told me that they had upgraded me instead of the difference in price. I pointed out that a Standard Double was their minimum level cabin. He said that it was on a better deck. I told him that I wasn't really worried about the deck and would prefer that they honoured the price of the holiday that I had booked. He said that he could not understand why they had done it in this way and that if I left it with him, he would speak to his manager and get back to me. 

During the course of this conversation, I mentioned that the salesperson when I booked had said that if the offer came back they would honour that offer. I asked whether this would have been recorded, he said that all phone calls are recorded. I said that they would be able to check this and he said that he was sure it wouldn’t come to that and it would be sorted out shortly. 

He did not get back to me. The next afternoon, I rang and spoke to another sales assistant. He said that the matter was sorted, I had been upgraded (to the same Standard Double) and he was surprised that they had not told me. We repeated most of the previous days call and he said that he would speak to a manager and get back to me. He did come back to me, told me that, if I read the terms and conditions, (which were in a different brochure to the one I booked from- I still have the brochure) the upgrade was all I was entitled to and that was the end of the matter. I asked for an email confirming the reasons for their decision, which I received last night. 

I have also asked for transcripts of the phone calls but not received these yet.. I have put a complaint in to ABTA and had an email with a reference number 300208, saying that they are dealing with a higher number of cases than usual but will deal with it as soon as they can. 

Whatever the outcome of this case, and I do feel that I have been scammed, I find it very disappointing that a company of Saga’s renown should be attempting to wheedle its way out of its Price Promise. The difference in price for the 4 of us is the not insignificant sum of £1192. 

Do you think I just have to just swallow this hustle and go on the cruise with a bitter taste in my mouth, or is there anything I can do about it? I have been as pleasant and accommodating as can be on the phone, I know its not the fault of the person on the phone, but I am just being stonewalled.

I would be grateful for any help or advice, because I am going to find it difficult to enjoy the cruise now, when I do go on it

Mark_d

You were happy to go on the cruise at a cost of £5006 pp.  You would not have booked at this price had you not been prepared to pay that much.
Saga have upgraded you rather than giving you a partial refund.  This is entirely reasonable.  The fact that you don't appreciate the upgrade (and I wouldn't either!) does not mean it's not an upgrade.

theLondonLark

The reason that I am upset is that I booked the cruise on the condition that if the price came down in the meantime they would honour that price. I specifically asked that question and received that answer when I booked. That is why I have asked for the transcripts of the call.

flaneurs_lobster

I've read the Saga Price Promise and the wording is sufficiently flexible that you might have trouble getting an actual reduction in the price you have paid.

It says that you will "receive the value of the difference" and how you receive this difference seems to be at their discretion although cabin upgrades and on-board credit are both mentioned.

Unless that original phone call transcript shows an explicit promise of a price reduction and refund it looks like there is no obvious recourse.

Having paid £5k pp for this holiday that is now a month away I'd assume that cancelling is not an option.

You might have to try and change your mindset about a "loss" of £250 pp (which isn't really a loss at all, think how airlines dynamically price flights with no refunds to anyone).

Otherwise you are going to have a miserable holiday.

flaneurs_lobster

theLondonLark said:

The reason that I am upset is that I booked the cruise on the condition that if the price came down in the meantime they would honour that price. I specifically asked that question and received that answer when I booked. That is why I have asked for the transcripts of the call.

I'd be wary of the phrase "honour that price", not sure that it means what you want it to mean.

Saga have agreed to "give you the value" of the price difference, not issue a refund. Is that "honouring the price"?

As you say, it comes down to the actual words used in that phone conversation. 

daveyjp

From their website.

"We will pass on the value of the saving in the form of a higher-grade cabin, or other added value benefit."  

You have had your price promise hounoured with a better located cabin.  Whether that is worth more to you is of no consequence, cruise companies base prices on location of cabin.

theLondonLark

I do understand what you are saying, but whatever way it ends, I still feel scammed as it was the way that I was sold it, and it is certainly less than I would expect from a company like Saga (more Ryanair than Saga!) Thank you though for the advice about the mindset.

theLondonLark

I have an update. Saga have agreed to refund me the difference between the price I paid and the offer price. Thank you all for your help and advice.

flaneurs_lobster

theLondonLark said:

I have an update. Saga have agreed to refund me the difference between the price I paid and the offer price. Thank you all for your help and advice.

Well done. Enjoy your cruise.