P&O Cruises is launching its start-of-year Wave discounts a month early, on December 1, hoping people will start thinking holiday and cruise as the snow starts to fall.
I suspect they could be right. I certainly am!
But over in the other corner, Royal Caribbean International has different ideas. Dominic Paul, their UK boss, tells me they will be advertising heavily during the Wave period but discounts are out.
"We will be advertising prices as they are and as the ships fill, the prices will go up. There is confusion in the market and it doesn't do us any favours to have offers all the time. The product is so good we shouldn't have to sell on price."
I agree, but what message does their free flights offer send? Surely that only adds to the confusion?
Back at P&O, you can get discounts of up to £2,500 per couple and nearly £1,000 per couple on-board spending money by booking a selection of cruises between December 1 2010 and January 31 2011.
Jane Archer
