Advertising watchdogs uphold cruise complaint
Saga Holidays has been ordered to amend its advertising after it was found to have misled customers over the price of a cruise.
The operator's parent company Acromas Holidays admitted to advertising watchdogs that the maximum 35% discount off a North Cape Saga cruise was no longer available by the time many customers received its brochure.
A customer had complained to the Advertising Standards Authority that he was told there were no longer any cabins available at the maximum discounted price for the Voyage to the North Cape cruise, even though he called as soon as the brochure was out.
Saga argued that its advertising made it clear that the saving of up to 35% was subject to availability and that the price was current at the time the brochure was printed.
The ASA upheld the complaint and told Saga to ensure that its future advertising did not imply advertised discounts were the prices that were currently available if that was not the case. It said a company should not imply maximum discounts were "currently" available in brochures with a long shelf life.
By Linsey McNeill
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
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