Fluid pricing!
Recently I have been having to explain to customers what fluid pricing is and why it happens. Some customers have not been happy at all when they book in advance only to see their cruise reduced nearer the departure date. Now we all know if you buy a jumper in December and it goes down in the January sales it’s pretty much tough cookie and we all kind of expect it. We all like January sales. All retailers do it and some of us purposely wait for the sales before we spend our monies. With cruises I think perhaps a rethink is needed.
Nothing worse than seeing your cruise reduced, and when you’re on board a typical topic of conversation that you often over hear is people talking to strangers about how much they paid and who they booked it with. We all want the best deal and value for money. I think maybe cruise lines should scrap this and set a fare and leave it at that. Fill the customers with confidence that if they book now and take advantage of the early booking discount, perhaps they will get an offer of like free parking on some on board credit. They should advertise that their staterooms will be the same price with no change. Sell it for what it is. Shout about it, book now because once sold out it’s gone, we won’t reduce this fare so why wait till the last minute it’s not coming down.
I appreciate sometimes there is a difference in fuel and tax but why not break that down. Show the customer what the tax and fuel charges are and advertise they may change but the cabin fare wont. Maybe, just maybe people will book in advance to avoid disappointment not to miss out and have confidence the price won’t change. We’re all different, some like to book in advance to budget over time to pay for it, some like last minute and can pay up front as usually the price isn’t as much. I’d like to see one of the big ocean liners experiment this and be bold, just do it make the promise of a price freeze and just for one season or year see if it works. What do you think?
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About Me
I'm Steve, I've spent nearly Sixteen years in travel. Working for a big high street travel agent before moving to be a Cruise specialist homeworker. I've visited some amazing places through out the world. My personal favourite place has to be the United States of America. Having been no fewer…
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Hi Steve
It used to be the case with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity that if the price of your cabin was reduced after you had booked but before you sailed you could contact your travel agent and get the difference back. I have done this many times but not in the last 5 years, has this policy changed?
Mark