Princess Cruises says it will no longer discount cruises booked close to departure, saying that customers who book the earliest will get the best deals.
Princess called it a "dramatic shift in its pricing strategy."
"A Princess cruise vacation is the best value in travel, but with continuing increases in consumer demand, our new pricing approach will always reward guests who lock in their Princess vacations well in advance," said Princess chief commercial officer Terry Thornton. "Gone are the days of last-minute deep discounts close to departure dates. The best time to secure a spot on a 2024 or 2025 Princess cruise is right now."
Underscoring its commitment to the new pricing model, Princess introduced a best price guarantee, offering to match any lower price found for the same cruise and stateroom category.
Cruise Planners CEO Michelle Fee applauded Princess' new pricing strategy.
"This will encourage the right behavior to stop or minimize price reductions," she said. "The introduction of the best price guarantee will instill confidence in clients, helping them feel confident that they are getting the best price by booking early."
Correction: An earlier version contained an incorrect spelling of chief commercial officer Terry Thornton's last name.