Cunard Getaway fares query

summerbee · 30 September 2013 at 3:37PM

We booked with Cunard in August for a transatlantic cruise at £799 per person but they have now reduced the price to £599 per person. This is a big reduction-can they do this?! I feel cheated to be honest since we saved long and hard to afford this and could have been £400 better off. Any help/advice?

joerugby · 30 September 2013 at 3:43PM

I'm afraid they can. Their "Vantage" fares have certain guarantees but their getaway fares do not.

summerbee · 30 September 2013 at 4:04PM

I associate this kind of money making with budget airlines like Ryanair not a luxury brand like Cunard. It has soured my experience before we even set foot onboard. I know they will just quote their terms and conditions to me if I call but I feel such an important part of their terms and conditions should be made clear at the time of booking. Angry and upset.

Caz3121 · 30 September 2013 at 4:10PM

It is a gamble with cruises, book early and get your choice of cruise, cabin deck/position, dining preference (if applicable) or wait and see what happens nearer the time with a potential saving and limited cabin choice (if any) or indeed no availability on the cruise of your choice

Alan_Bowen · 30 September 2013 at 5:13PM

There have been lots of complaints about Cunard and Fred Olsen amongst others this year who found demand did not reach the expected levels and with too many cabins to fill, the companies continued to discount. 'You and Yours' on Radio 4 ran a piece about 6 weeks ago but it was clear the cruise lines would not budge, its all a case of commercial supply and demand.

joerugby · 30 September 2013 at 7:29PM

I have no problem with Cunard dicounting fares to fill their ships.

Their policy regarding Getaway fares being non-refundable is clear on their website.

It gives people who want to wait until the last minute the opportunity to grab a real bargain. Long may it last!

daveyjp · 30 September 2013 at 8:36PM

Advice is:

1. Book when it is at a price you are happy paying (which I assume you did as you booked it).
2. Don't check prices after you have booked.
3. Don't talk prices when on board. You will always find somone who was paid to go on the trip!

ewan_c · 4 October 2013 at 6:20PM

Daveyjp's advice can't be beaten. You've learnt the hard way but you will be extra cautious in future.

harrys_dad · 4 October 2013 at 6:56PM

This happened to me this summer too. In future, as we are both retired, we will never book a Cunard cruise more than two weeks in advance. The Vanjtage fares have been set hundreds of pounds higher than the fares used to be, to leave room for reductions (although as this costs them money they are rarely reduced). The Getaway fares are set at the same level as the fares used to be, and are often reduced but carry no "price promise". They do not even allow past passenger discount on getaway fares. The whole concept is a con.

As for Cunard being a "prestige brand" don't make me laugh. They are owned by Carnival, like half the other cruise lines. They try to maintain a pretence of being upmarket but it is just that, a pretence. Having said that, I love the Queen Mary 2 as a ship, especially for Transatlantic crossings.

If you have flexibility wait until the last minute for the best prices. There is not even a proper market amongst cruise booking companies as they all offer the same prices as on Cunard's own website, with no competition at all. The same is true of P&O, who are also owned by.......you guessed it, Carnival.

Coraline · 5 October 2013 at 12:04PM

The only cruise/voyage I've ever been on was with Cunard on a Transatlantic on the QM2. I don't really have much of a concept of "luxury" but I thought it was pretty nice, on par with an upper-end hotel on the water. Never ending room service was a plus for me a well as could easily spend the day lounging with my laptop. The activities I found rather boring though, maybe just me but lectures about how to best live arthritis (no joke!) and 17th century art aren't my thing.

I wasn't expecting a whole lot but was pretty satisfied. (However the primary purpose of me being on the ship was to move to the U.K. not a vacation)

They had something called a "Flash" promotion I took advantage of, which gave me a single inside room for $1,400, which was a pretty decent deal, and I booked 4 months in advance. As mentioned these prices work exactly like airlines, they're one-off promotions and you buy or lose out on the spot--and have to take the chance that better deals might come later on.

I wonder though how they decide whom to pick for upgrades, as I found out I got one from the inside windowless stateroom to one across the hall double the size with a balcony, which was worth at least $3,000. That made the whole thing pretty amazing for a cheapskate like myself.

Anyway for that experience I thought it was well worth the money, but now I'm spoiled for having a balcony room for so cheap, I could not cruise with them again unless I had that same type of room. Which makes me wonder if they upgrade some first-timers in order to give them a taste of the high life!

harrys_dad · 5 October 2013 at 6:46PM

Well Coraline, a flight from the UK to New York and then 7 nights cruising back with a balcony was reduced to £799 a person (for two sharing) just this summer. I love the QM2 and have done 4 transatlantic crossings, and try to book when I think the price is right, but not always the cheapest, it is a lottery.

Cunard Getaway fares query

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