Price pledge from Fred Olsen

Fred Olsen is offering free upgrades to all-inclusive drinks packages for early bookers.

The first 100 guests who book by September 30 2012, for all cruise departures on or after April 6 2013 in its current 2013/14 Worldwide Cruises brochure, will automatically qualify for a free upgrade.

The offer, however, excludes the 2014 Balmoral and Black Watch 'Grand Voyages' and their sectors, and full-charter Boudicca cruise.

Nathan Philpot, sales and marketing director, said: "We know that many of our guests are on a tight budget in this challenging economic climate, and with this all-inclusive drinks package, our 2013/14 cruise programme is even better value for money.

"Our drinks inclusive package on the four selected 2013 Canaries fly-cruises, which we launched earlier this year, has proven extremely popular, and sold out three times as quickly as our cruises without this valuable add-on."

It is also introducing a price pledge on the same cruises for early bookers, offering them a refund if the price of their trip is later reduced.

Fred. Olsen said it will contact all relevant guests before their departure date to advise them of how they have benefitted, so that guests don't need to monitor prices.

Philpot explained: "We have been discussing a Fred. Olsen Price Pledge with our key trade partners for a number of weeks, and this is one of a range of options that we are introducing to help to restore confidence in the cruise market to encourage guests to book early."