P&O and Cunard do a U-turn on single and family Getaway deals

These new Getaway deals are from sailings beginning  September 2013 to the end of the year.

For people that don’t know what a Getaway deal is, I will explain…

P&O and Cunard have two main different types for fare-codes for their cruises, these are called Vantage or Getaway fares.

Here are the differences :-

Getaway Fares
– These may, or may not be offered on any cruise, normally closer to the departure of a cruise.
– These are restricted fares, which are not covered by the cruise lines Price Promise. There are no additional benefits such as on board spending money, car parking or coach transfers on the ‘Getaway’ promotion.
– These fares also require 100% of the cost of the holiday to be paid at the time of booking.
– If cancelled, 100% cancellation fee will be applied.
– Any amendments to your booking will be treated as a cancellation.
– In addition, a transfer of your booking will not be permitted.
– Other booking conditions otherwise remain unchanged.
– With Getaway Fares you can choose a cabin grade, but not a particular cabin number.
– Your cabin number will be allocated by the cruise lines at any time up to departure.
– Getaway promotion bookings are part of the cruise line’s ‘Automatic E-Documentation Programme’ therefore all pre-cruise documentation will only be available online.

Vantage Fares
– The cruise line promise that, should they reduce the Vantage Fare for a holiday that you have already booked, (for your cruise and cabin type with the same terms and conditions) the cruise line will pass on the value of the reduction to you automatically in the form of a complimentary benefit such as on board spending money or a cabin upgrade. (This does not apply if a Getaway fare is released)
Vantage Fares benefit from all of the following advantages:
– Price Promise Protection
– Your choice of cabin type, location and number
– Your choice of family and single cabins
– One of the following benefits included in your fare:
On board spending money
or Car parking in Southampton
or Return coach travel to Southampton
or Airport parking on selected fly-cruises.
– Access to family and Share Saver reductions
– Flexibility to make amendments to, or even change your cruise entirely up to 90 days prior to departure, subject to the cruise lines booking terms and conditions.

Originally it was stated by P&O and Cunard that their Getaway deals would only be available for cabins of two, not for one, three or four.  P&O and Cunard said that single passengers or people wanting family cabins would have to book on their Vantage fares, no matter when they booked.  Because of this I’m sure there have been many examples where P&O and Cunard must have lost out on business to their competitors, as other cruise lines often include single and family cabins in their late reduced deals.

On the release of this new latest batch of Getaway deals P&O and Cunard have done a U-turn saying that these new Getaway deals will be available to all (the previously released Getaway deals are still for cabins of two only).

I think that this is great news and definitely the right decision in my opinion, it will mean that singles and families won’t feel left out when it comes to getting the best deals.