Cruise Lines to Make Sure Cruise Brochures Reflect More Accurate Rates

Britain's Advertising Standards Authority is working with cruise lines to make sure cruise brochures reflect more accurate rates. Two people contacted the ASA over Fred Olsen's brochure rates saying they were misleading because no-one ever paid the full brochure price. When the ASA contacted Fred Olsen they were told that historically it had always set full brochure prices as a starting point but offered early booking discounts, reverting to full brochure rate after approximately a year, followed by late discounts.

Fred Olsen also said the market had become more competitive and had not sold a single booking at full brochure price for a year and the closest to full brochure price was a 37.5% discount on a Christmas cruise. The cruise line expects to sell cruises at a higher price in future years but selling a full brochure price was highly unlikely, but it would not consider changing its pricing structure because of competition.

The ASA ruled the cruise line had breached the Committee of Advertising Practice Code and was responsible for making sure its own advertisements did not mislead the public. It recommended that agents don't use full brochure prices from the cruise industry or use their own low price in advertisements. Here advertising is geared to the lowest price for an inside cabin but the brochures still print the fairy-tale prices.