United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Fred Olsen price pledge rubbished by advertising watchdogs
A Fred Olsen early booking offer that appeared in last year’s brochure was misleading, the advertising watchdog has ruled.
Upholding a complaint against the cruise line, the Advertising Standards Authority ordered Fred Olsen not to repeat the ad.
Two customers complained to the ASA after they booked cruises with the company from the brochure after seeing the offer which stated "Book now and get the best deal – guaranteed", only to find that the cruises were subsequently available for less in a 2-for-1 offer.
Fred Olsen argued that as the 2-for-1 offer required payment in full and imposed 100% cancellation charges, those booked under its early booking price pledge were more flexible and therefore offered a better deal.
In its ruling, the ASA acknowledged that exclusions which applied to the price pledge had been stated in the ad and in the small print "several pages further on". "We considered, however, that consumers were likely to interpret the claim "best deal – guarantee" to mean the price they paid for their cruises would not be bettered," it said.
"We understood the subsequent "Two For One" offer meant that the cruises could have been booked at a cheaper price. We therefore considered that the claim was likely to mislead consumers into believing they would always pay the best price."
Related News Stories:
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Storm Lilian travel chaos as bank holiday flights cancelled