FREE upgrade on all P&O Cruises!

Well it’s that time of year again, P&O are releasing some insanely cheap prices for their winter cruises! 12 nights for £499!? It costs more to stay at home – and you have to stare at the same four walls! I’m sure you will agree that this price is sensational, and you’re right! It is! So how do they do it!? Let me explain a little theory I have…

When booking a P&O Cruise you have the choice of two different types of fare, the Select fare, and the Saver fare. Let’s go through each one.

Select Fare:

So P&O Cruises Select fare enables you to pick not only your EXACT cabin number, but also the time you chose to dine in the main dining room, you may think ‘well yes Ed but I can do that on all my cruises’, but the fact of the matter is – NOT ANYMORE! You will pay a higher price for this fare but they will gift you with a little something, on board spend, free car parking, or maybe if you’re really lucky, a coach transfer to Southampton! This fare is better for the fussy ones that like to know where they’re going to be, when they’re going to dine, and like to have a free lift to Southampton, but as I mentioned you will pay (most likely) considerably more for this fare.

Saver Fare:

Now with this little delightful fare, you can pick your GRADE of cabin, but not your cabin number. Your dining time is confirmed on board, and you will pay 100% cancellation charges. Now this fare has no gifts but can be perfect if you want a cheap getaway! 12 nights for £499? Yes, that is a saver fare, and what do you expect for £499? I’ve cruised with P&O a few times now and I have only EVER booked a saver fare.

So I hear you asking, this does not explain how there prices are so cheap! Well, P&O have one monumental feature that could make or break your holiday, it’s called auto-upgrade… P&O will actually let YOU decide whether you are open to a free upgrade or not! Now this is where my theory comes in, I believe they are selling these cruises at fantastic prices because they know they won’t fill the ship. I think the only reason they offer these prices is to upgrade the passengers to the next grade of cabin, therefore freeing up more space for customers to be enticed in by their fantastic saver fares!

WOW! A great price, but you guessed it – SOLD OUT!

P&O, since being swallowed by Carnival UK is real about making that all important money, and they have indeed taken more steps to ensure you’re spending more and more once you’re finally on board. Photos, shop offers, drink offers, buy this for this and this for only this! You get my idea. It’s something I think about a lot, and for the customers that have been loyal to P&O for many many years? I think P&O have a serious danger of losing them to the likes of Cunard, Celebrity, and Princess, to name a few.

What are your thoughts? Do you think P&O have cut too many corners, and are not rewarding their most loyal customers? Let me know.

Happy cruising!

Ed x