Re: Princess itineraries

[PICKLEBALL WIDOW]

OK fellow Cruise Critters...LISTEN UP because if you don't read this information and book a Princess Cruise, you might regret it.

 

I am one of many people booked on the Caribbean Princess this Sunday, December 11th. We made plans according to the itinerary PRINCESS had posted on their website.

 

Today, December 7th, one of our fellow Cruise Critics discovered that our itinerary had changed and NO ONE had been notified! You can see the posts if you check on our board for the December 11, 2011 sailing on the Caribbean Princess. We're pretty "upset" to put it mildly.

 

Although it was only a port swap, one day for the other, I can't help but wonder if this is yet another way the cruise lines are trying to get money from us by making it very inconvenient to book excursions outside of the cruise line. Many of us had private excursions in Tortola and Antigua and now people have to get credits back onto their credit cards and find other things to do in port.

 

When I called Princess myself I was told that, even though they never bothered to notify my TA or change their OWN website to show the correct itinerary, their "OUT" is to state that the itineraries are "schedule to change." Change it sure...but to not notify anyone? To have this change in effect for over a year? You'd think they could afford some decent webmasters to fix little tweaks like this, huh?

 

I think it's super-cheesy. They KNEW about the change and just chose not to tell anyone. I, for one, will NOT take another Princess cruise again, which is unfortunate because they're coming to Texas. I want to know where I'm going and on what day. I told the Princess Rep I spoke to that I would post this warning to all potential Princess clients and she just replied, "That's fine." aka "Who Cares."

 

OK. You've been warned.

[srphnx]

I don't share your out rage or assumption that it was done to threaten your plans for port excursions.

 

Things happen on itineraries all the time it's part of the cruise process. They don't change the website every time it does but they should notify passengers of a specific cruise of significant changes.

[Bob Winters]

Despite your feelings about having things change and it would have been nice to know about it, there is most likely a much better reason than they wanted to make more money with their own tours. I am not sure if their reason has something to do with Tortola but as someone else on cruise critic called it, it is better known as Tortoilet. We booked al 4 ahour tour their and afater 20 minutes we were already regretting it. Combination of old old old busses and bumpy bumpy bumpy roads made both of us miserable. That combined with a shortage of rest rooms made for a terrible day.

I hope you enjoy this cruse and always remember that you are on a great cruise and think of the people who would give anything to be where you will be.

 

Bob Winters

[sunsetbeachgal]

I am sorry...hope by venting that you can now move on and enjoy the cruise...

 

On our Med cruise in Sept 2010, they moved three ports to different days and cancelled Portofino, Italy and in it's place put in Tunisia. NOt exactly an even swap IMHO! and like you we had to redo private exursions...BUT...with cruising or any travel for that matter, you need to be able to roll with the punches and not let something like this ruin your trip or if you are traveling with others not to ruin their trip with negativity..

 

Try to regroup, move on and enjoy!

[caribill]

Did you look in the "Travel Summary" or "Important notices" part of the Personalizer

 

You find this when slecting "View Travel Summary, Boarding Pass & Luggage tag"

[EddieCruzer]

Things happen and if you can't roll with the punches you are going to make yourself miserable. Do you honestly think threatening to never sail Princess again is going to phase them? Best you sail with another line, I don't think you will get too much sympathy here.

[geoherb]

We received notification through our TA when the itinerary for one of our cruises changed. For our next cruise (10 days away on the Crown), I received a notification that our sailing time had changed through my TA. The notification is also on the Cruise Personalizer.

 

I think it's best that anyone who threatens never to sail with Princess again to stick to their word.

[DeloreanGirl]

I was just reading a cruise blog where, on a British Isles sailing, the ports were changed at the last minute from Belfast to Dublin, Ireland.

 

However, there was a small mix-up on Princess' website that had me almost accidentally book the wrong cruise (also on the Caribbean Princess). They had the picture of one itinerary and the text of another. I wasn't sure which was the true itinerary -- the photo of the country with the red arrows and cities? Or the text listed alongside it? Luckily I re-scheduled for a week later when the itinerary (both photo & text) was correct.

 

I'm not complaining about it. It was just a glitch I noticed. I wrote Princess and notified them about the error on the website.

 

I'm sure there are rearrangements due to port/weather/financial/etc. reasons. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful cruise regardless! :)

[Woodmnky]

Sorry this is so bothersome for you. Honestly, if I were REALLY concerned about ports visited or exact dates, I would book a land tour rather than a cruise.

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

OK it would have been nice to know, however when booking private tours

 

most companys check port times and dates, may be if just a taxi they might not check.

 

we once boarded to be told we were going clockwise around the caribbean not anti clockwise, every port was on the wrong day

 

reason was a good one there was a huricane heading towards us.

 

 

 

yours Shogun

[cruisemom42]

I think there are two issues here and they are getting confused.

 

First, cruise ships absolutely can and do change their itineraries. Ports can be dropped, swapped, or substituted for a variety of reasons and this is pretty clearly stated in all the literature -- and, by the way, it is not limited to Princess. It's done by every major cruiseline. As others have said, if any particular port is of overwhelming importance, cruising probably is not the best choice.

 

HOWEVER, I do think cruiselines should communicate significant changes in itinerary to passengers who are booked on that cruise. That would include the above (dropped, swapped or substituted ports) and also significant changes in arrival/departure times. This can have an impact beyond simply the havoc it creates with private tours (which can be a big headache).

 

For example, when I book a cruise I always look closely at the itinerary to find out where we will be and on what day we will be there. Many major museums are closed Mondays in Europe. The Vatican museum is closed Sundays. Topkapi Palace in Istanbul is closed Tuesdays, as is the Naples Archaeological Museum. All of these things will play into what I decide to do on a given day in port, and I put in a HUGE amount of research in order to be able to DIY most of the time. I would not be very happy to get onboard ship only to find that my careful research is for naught and that I can't do what I had planned due to a change in dates. Whereas, if the cruiseline would at least notify me in advance, I would have time to rearrange my plans or (for some people) rebook private tours to a different day, etc.

 

Edited to add: And lest those who don't do private tours or DIY think that it won't affect them, here's an example: Even Princess tours cannot get you into the Vatican museum on a Sunday, so you won't see the Sistine chapel if that is the day you will be in Rome. Apparently the Pope only answers to a higher authority.

[spunkie4]

While I understand some of your feelings, I can't understand your rage against Princess and thinking they changed due to excursions and profits they could make.

 

A change in the date of the port is much different than eliminating a port altogether prior to leaving. I am sure the vendors used to booked the excursions understand this and will be willing to accommodate your group. Several years ago an excursion we booked in Alaska, on the land portion through Princess, was cancelled. Princess reps worked with us and we chartered a plane so we could see the Kennicott Mine.

 

Everyone wants their cruise to be perfect, myself included. However, change happens and it must be dealt with.

 

Put on a happy face, count your blessings in that you are able to cruise and healthy enough to enjoy it.

 

Shirley

[RickEk]

Did you look in the "Travel Summary" or "Important notices" part of the Personalizer

 

You find this when slecting "View Travel Summary, Boarding Pass & Luggage tag"

 

My thoughts too... On our New Year's cruise last year on the Crown Princess, ports were shuffled, but the corrected itinerary was in the Personalizer along with a notice of what had changed.

[bhawkcruiser]

As long as the ship is not taking me back to work, I dont care where its going!!!

[sunshine nana]

I understand your feelngs. We have already been on several European and Med cruises, so I choose the new ones based on the ports. I understand if there is a safety issue once the cruise is underway, but to not notify people and allow them to cancel if a port has been eliminated or chaged before the cruise starts or not allow a visit to the Vatican etc, is not right. With the high price of air from the US, pre-cruise hotels, transfers etc., we are spending a lot of money to see the ports. It's not like a Carribean cruise where people go to just enjoy the cruise.We chose Celebrity for our next cruise because the Ruby Princess eliminated Istanbul after final payment but many weeks before the cruise began.

[MCC retired]

Itinerary change notification. Just one of the services a good TA provides for free.

[G8RH8R]

From the Passage Contract:

 

"Carrier may, at any time, without notice or liability for refund, payment or compensation or credit except as provided herein, cancel the Cruise, change the date or time of sailing or arrival, change the port of embarkation or disembarkation, shorten the Cruise or substitute ships, aircraft or other transportation or lodging."

 

This is boilerplate for all cruise lines, not just Princess. I hope you are able to enjoy your cruise despite your disappointment.:)

[srphnx]

Years ago we drove to the pier in Seattle to board Diamond for Alaska. She wasn't there, in fact she had run aground in Victoria the day before and was limping into port late, like 12 hours late.

 

Repairs had to be made to the prop before we could leave again. The passengers were shuttled to the Seattle civic center and later caught a goodly dose of noro from a community ice bath for drinks.

 

Anyway, about midnight the captain passed out a memo that we were missing 2 of 3 ports and the other would be abbreviated. Only a few pax were awake at the time but there was a no kidding revolt on the part of a couple hundred who opted to leave the ship at about 2:00 AM.

 

They issued a $500 per cabin credit and still some people were FUMING as if it was the fault of the line that while doing a medical evac a gust of wind pushed a prop into a shoal and chipped the tips.

 

Lesson learned that cruise was that if you keep your attitude in line, the world takes care of itself. We still got our 7 days on a beautiful ship, there were fewer passengers and the grumpiest self-solved themselves.

 

The OP has not checked to answer the excellent question about whether they had checked cruise personalizer and found the notification, I suspect it was and is there.

[Pam in CA]

While I sympathize with the OP, changes happen all the time, sometimes at the last minute. That's the nature of cruising and something you know and accept when you book. If you book directly with Princess rather than through a TA, you assume all responsibility for knowing this and informing yourself.

 

As for notification, I haven't seen anything so far that Princess made this change a while ago. If you've booked through a TA, your TA will let you know. If you booked directly, it's your responsibility to check your booking and be aware. You have elected to be your own TA and all part of the responsibility you assumed by booking directly.

 

If the port is that important on that particular day, then perhaps a land vacation is a better fit. As has been said, the tour operators know about itinerary changes and will accommodate you.

[mycruz]

Itinerary change notification. Just one of the services a good TA provides for free.

 

I agree! I find it hard to believe that this was not communicated by Princess to the OP's TA. Perhaps the TA didn't "see" the notice. :rolleyes:

[luvtheships]

You can defend the cruiselines all you want...but when they schedule their port call in Istanbul on a Tuesday...when they know that the only way to see the Topkapi Museum is thru their ship's tour as they can get you in there on a closed day......you have to suspect something funny.

[bhawkcruiser]

My thoughts exactly! What?

[Love.II.Cruise]

It also seems to me it would have shown in your cruise personalizer. I can honestly say that I do not think my TA would have noticed - but that's why I'm looking for a new one.

 

Hopefully you still have a good cruise. If you can't let this go, you should consider cutting your losses and not going. There's a chance that any other things that go wrong will make you enjoy your vacation even less. The point of a vacation is to relax, not stress.

[flamomo]

I don't know if OP booked via a TA or directly with Princess.

But, I book directly with Princess, and on both cruises that I completed recently, I was notified of the changes to both itineraries well in advance of both cruises by email from Princess. Others I talked with on the cruises, received the same info, whether directly from Princess or from their TA.

As someone else mentioned, maybe OP's TA failed to make him aware?

[lovevacadays]

My thoughts too... On our New Year's cruise last year on the Crown Princess, ports were shuffled, but the corrected itinerary was in the Personalizer along with a notice of what had changed.

 

I've had a few changes on cruises as well and it was always in the Personalizer including one that was just a one hour difference in arrival time. I wonder why this OP didn't have any notices in the Personalizer.

 

And, I certainly don't think Princess shuffles ports around just so passengers have to book excursions through them.