I have developed this web page on my website because I believe it is my duty as the owner/operator of a travel agency to advise everyone of any travel related issues. This involves Princess Cruise Line, yes, The Love Boat.
I currently have a couple whom booked a cruise on Princess in Feb 2009 for a sailing in March, 2010. This was a 48 day cruise on the Ocean Princess sailing Southeast Asia. This is not so much about the ship itself, but the cruise line in general. I hope I have nothing to report about the ship once they return, I will let you know.
I booked, confirmed and made the required deposit for this cruise package which included the air and operational overnight. This included air from Phoenix to Shanghai, one night hotel in Shanghai, and at the end of the cruise, air from Cape Town, So. Africa back to Phoenix. An "Operational overnight", means the passengers will not arrive on the same day as the sail date so the cruise line added in an overnight stay in a hotel of their choosing. This is part of the cruise and is included in the price of the cruise, so is the cost of this hotel. The transfers to the hotel, then to the pier is also included. Please keep in mind, this isn't just something Princess does, this is industry standard if you book the cruise with air included, which I did.
I received numerous invoices showing the hotel stays and the transfers. All is well.
The couple wanted to upgrade their air to business or first. I did that, through the Princess "Air Deviation Desk" adding another $1800.00 to the cost of an already $27,000.00 cruise. The couple have a balcony stateroom.
About a month before the cruise and after final payment was made, we realized that since they were past cruisers on an affiliated cruise line, they were entitled to a "Past Cruiser's VIP Discount". Now keep in mind, they offer this but I really had to fight for it and was given several different scenarios the dozen or so times I called. I finally contacted our agency representative...I use that term loosely, and did obtain an refund of $432.00 for the "Past Cruiser's VIP Discount". The passengers even said they would gladly take it in an on- board credit but Princess wanted to refund the original form of payment.
As the day of departure fast approaches, we are not able to print the sailing documents from the Princess website. I called customer service several times to find out that the site was down and they could pick up their documents at the pier the day of sailing because they don't mail documents any more. These customers are flying from Phoenix to Shanghai, China, being transfered to a hotel and then to the ship, 48 days later flying from Cape Town, South Africa and had not one document to show for it other than the confirmation. Not a luggage tag, not a boarding pass, no transfer information and not even the name of the hotel in Shanghai. I called several times and finally got a supervisor to mail them something after having to hear how they don't do that any more. Now, I am all for saving trees but when you are flying into a Communist country and you have handed over $27,000.00 to a company, I do not think that it is unreasonable to expect some type of documentation. Don't forget, their website was down and we couldn't even print anything from there.
I had Princess mail directly to the clients as we were really out of time. Upon receiving the "documents" that we had to beg for, they noticed there was no hotel confirmation and no transfer information. They are departing March 17, 2010 and it is now March 12, 2010.
I called Princess to discuss this oversight and found out that they have no hotel! A Princess representative proceeded to tell me that because we changed the air, they canceled the hotel...huh??? we didn't change the air, we gave them more money for an upgrade. After going around and around with them, and getting our so called "representative" involved, I was told that they refunded the money for the hotel...ah yes, you remember the $432.00 refund for the "Past Cruisers VIP Discount"? Yes, that, well, Princess said that was really the money back for the hotel. Well, I don't understand this either, if they had said getting this past cruising discount would mean they were sleeping in the airport in Shanghai, I am pretty sure I would have opted out of that but they didn't say that at all, they gave us the past cruising discount via canceling the hotel. I guess times are hard.
So, how has it turned out? In order to get the hotel reinstated for the trip, Princess insisted on an additional payment of $243.10. We found this out today, 3 days before the flight departs.
See below for the email I received from our Rep. I have eliminated the names for obvious reasons.
Subject: Fwd: Princess: From Louann
Here is the info on ---------....................
Pax will be staying at the Longemont, along with the other Cruise Plus pax.
The amount now owed on the booking is 243.10....................... the amount had been refunded to the passengers;
the remainder of the amount refunded was for the VIP discount applied.
I will give you a call later to followup.
--------------------
District Sales Manager/Arizona
Princess Cruises and Cunard Line
Please note: In the above email she mentioned that "Pax will be staying at the Longemont, along with the other Cruise Plus pax." If the other Cruise Plus Passengers got this as part of their cruise, why not my clients? They are wrong, they dropped the ball on this booking in several different ways and I, in order to protect my clients, paid the difference to Princess. When I called Princess, they informed me the additional cost, for the hotel that was suppose to be included for the room, would be $358.00. Yes, that's right, you read the email that said $243.10. I did finally get the rate reduced to the $243.10, but it took some doing. Princess did nothing to rectify this horrific mistake that was their fault.
UPDATE: I did receive a credit of $243.10 on my Credit card, April 1, 2010, while this is greatly appreciated this does not rectify the appalling situation that me or my clients have endured. They are currently sailing and have reported that things are going well and they are having a wonderful time. That is all that matters.
In the 22 years that I have been an agent, this is the worst I have ever witnessed. I have completely lost all faith in Princess Cruise Line and I strongly suggest that you consider avoiding them at all costs.
We were lucky we caught this. With the Princess site being down, and if I had listened to the Princess employee telling me they could just pick up everything at the pier, this could have been a huge disaster for the clients.
These are very good clients of mine and I value their loyalty.
I value and appreciate any opportunity I get to assist anyone with their travel needs, All my customers are of the utmost importance to me and I will do my best to pass along any and all information that may help everyone make an educated decision. Any money that is spend on travel must be used toward the best value out there for whatever the trip is. I would not be doing my job as a Travel Consultant if I did not report this horrible incident.
If you have questions, please email me at LouAnn@PleaseGoAway.biz or call 602 266 4414 or 1866 375 4996
