Beachandcity

Thank you all very much for the help. Great advice- sorry for lack of response but all the notifications were getting stuck  in my spam.

   The issue was that they quarantined us for our entire Denali stay due to a faulty Covid test- I respected the test and would have packed up and left but we had back up tests we brought that came out negative- and their testing in Denali was a joke to say the least. It was a packed unventilated room with a buffet style process- very very nice temp workers doing it/ even few teenagers with stacks of the tests like dominoes on their small portable table. 
   But took full day and night for them to even provide how they would send us home/ then agree to come test and of course PCR negative- so we got cleared in time to board ship but lost two days of our land and have to pay 200 for the PCR. 
    Then in Vancouver- bus had short staff and missing busses (maybe due to short staff) so they were not able to accommodate riders- kept apologizing/ so we had to get a own ride to airport- why pay 500 for bus service wasn’t able to transport us.   We merely asked for partial refund on these two items. 
   

We had a miserable experience with Princess Cruises- and have made 25 attempts to reach anyone. No one answers the customer care phone. The agent we booked through is useless- says to email customer care and nothing back. 
    It’s unreal- does anyone have any idea how to escalate an issue regarding a Princess Cruise? We hate to get attorney and go that route but never had no way to reach any human. It’s unreal. 
 

 Any help or advice on how to get someone to respond to our issue??

Understatement of the world…. Don’t go on Princess at all!!!! They are a hot mess with Covid.  I could tell you our tale but too long- suffice to say, I’m very laid back experienced traveler. And never in 30 years of traveling, had worse customer care experience than with Princess. Was ridulous.

    They should be on hold u til Covid is in rear view mirror becusre they seem to be managing the situation so poorly. Don’t travel Princess- I’m really serious with that admonitionment. It’s a gamble with your money.

So to give the follow up. I did believe when we first got the positive it was probably correct because I agree easier to get false negative than positive. However if you Google, the test results actually have a pretty high percentage of wrong results either way. Not like a pregnancy test that is like 99 % accurate for positive lol!

   The only reason we tested back in our room is that we had them ( two types and tests -doubt two would be wrong) so really we did to confirm. Both being negative convinced us their testing was wrong. Also let me add the testing at Denali was a hot mess. Super super nice people but short staffed and they were stacking the tests like dominoes. . So we did feel more than justified in pushing for another test.

  It was a bit of battle. - and we were isolated missing all our Denali events- finally we got the call to retest with PCR which they charged us $155 for. And as we thought it was negative and we continued our trip. 
   Honestly we thought Princess handled this all very badly- the third party group has two numbers to call and neither works. 
    The testing that could eventually end a many thousand dollar trip was disorganized and complety likely to cross contaminate- and for any positive at all, the standard protocol should be an automatic retest of PCR by Princess.

   We felt they ruined a significant part of our trip- unnecessarily.

No not at McKinley. . I think the testing can be wrong- or at least maybe they mixed up our tests.  I mean, I wouldn’t normaly question it at all, but we just happened to have the home tests ( we worried airline would require them to travel home so we took -how can two home tests come back negative? We did the tests like mad scientists we were so Uber carful. We figured it would validate test and we could make plans to head home. Never thought they would all be negative. 
  So just seems like another test shousk be offered. 

So texted Monday negative for land portion at cruise at urgent care- 6 of us. Negative-  Today tested to board ship and our 5 year positive. So super upset but fortunately we brought 3 home tests (from my sister a doctor ) and one government issued one. Just to be sure we tested three times. All three separate tests negative.  
    The testing here at Princes is hot mess. Like assembly line and chaotic. 
    So now we feel their test was invalid. 
   What can we do? And my best excursion is tomorrow. I feel confident their test is wrong so I hate to miss as it’s a once in lifetime and I’m clearly negative. 
     No one at cruise line answering Phone at the hotline number. 

In way over my head..... planned quick - thinking this would be a great vacation- but instead I have no idea where to begin and if I’m getting bad deal. Booked last June princess sapphire to Alaska - that canceled and got put on grand Princess Bermuden to Alaska this summer. Wasn’t happy with the change but so complicated.  First, I’m fine with princess - was recommended- but I can’t figure out what all these ships mean- like princess / grand princess- bermuden- sapphire- what..???? I try to google these names and I can’t figure out.  I’ll see parts of each name- what gives. 

  Then the excursions- omg - would take a year to figure these out. I have been frozen with even how to begin. I should have paid for a travel agent.  

  Cruise critic may be a wealth of info but again, so much info I can’t even figure out - But can anyone give me the lowdown on what to do and how to maneuver? Just want to know how to get info on if I’m on a good ship or not- how to pick excursions- 5 of us- mom dad 3 kids (12, 5, 16 year old).

 Also trying to figure out cruising with covid precautions- th better not be packing these ships so we are all like sardines with no space to see the balcony.