Changing Staterooms - Cruisetour Headache

[zenworks911]

We booked a South American Cruise -tour Iguazu Falls/Cape Horn) on the Star Princess for next January. Our room for the cruise portion of the trip that we booked is ok but after looking its location next to an elevator, we thought we would change to a different available room with only guest staterooms flanking it. Princess customer service said it was not possible and that the Cruise-tour has blocks of rooms assigned to it and that all of them were taken.

 

Has anyone figured out a way to get them to budge on that policy? I can see online that the room we want is "bookable", they just won't do it because of the red tape that the cruisetour apparently adds to the booking.

 

Thanks,

 

zenworks911

[skynight]

We booked a South American Cruise -tour Iguazu Falls/Cape Horn) on the Star Princess for next January. Our room for the cruise portion of the trip that we booked is ok but after looking its location next to an elevator, we thought we would change to a different available room with only guest staterooms flanking it. Princess customer service said it was not possible and that the Cruise-tour has blocks of rooms assigned to it and that all of them were taken.

 

Has anyone figured out a way to get them to budge on that policy? I can see online that the room we want is "bookable", they just won't do it because of the red tape that the cruisetour apparently adds to the booking.

 

Thanks,

 

zenworks911

 

A few years ago, 2008 cruise, we had an cabin/cruisetour issue similar to yours, except Princess wanted to move our cabin and increase our cabin price because we added the cruisetour. We had a 3 way phone conversation TA/Princess/Myself. I insisted that we wanted to keep our original cabin and Princess finally agreed. I also remember I spoke directly with the cruisetour department about the pricing and the cruisetour department agree that our cabin fare portion should not be increased. At that time the cruisetour department was in Seattle. Princess was not friendly about this, but we never gave up, and it turned out the customer IS normally right. Princess needs to be reminded sometimes that we are their customers, and without us they would not have a business.

[skynight]

We booked a South American Cruise -tour Iguazu Falls/Cape Horn) on the Star Princess for next January. Our room for the cruise portion of the trip that we booked is ok but after looking its location next to an elevator, we thought we would change to a different available room with only guest staterooms flanking it. Princess customer service said it was not possible and that the Cruise-tour has blocks of rooms assigned to it and that all of them were taken.

 

Has anyone figured out a way to get them to budge on that policy? I can see online that the room we want is "bookable", they just won't do it because of the red tape that the cruisetour apparently adds to the booking.

 

Thanks,

zenworks911

 

One more point. We took the Star SA this past Feb. A number of people on the ship arranged private pre cruise tours to Iguazu. Maybe that's the best way to go and just avoid Princess. Just arrive back in BA the evening before the sailing. If you have this info in your back pocket then you have a better position speaking with Princess.

 

Pam in CA was on the same cruise with us, maybe she has additional info regarding private tours.

[paul929207]

Why the objection to the elevator? We have been near them several times and never had a problem.

[Pam in CA]

Pam in CA was on the same cruise with us, maybe she has additional info regarding private tours.

I boarded in Santiago. :) However, I'd taken a Rio to Santiago cruise on HAL a few years ago and did the HAL pre-cruise to Iguazu Falls. Absolutely one of the best trips/cruises I've ever taken. It's in my Top 3.

 

I suspect that the OP is experiencing the same cruise/tour issues people experience in Alaska whereby once you book as a combination cruise tour, you can't change anything nor even be able to re-fare if fares drop. You book, it's set in concrete.

 

Chances are probably between slim and none that the OP will be able to change their cabin but it's always worth trying. If you have an inside cabin next to the elevator, you might hear banging noises. If you have any other type of cabin that's near an elevator, I've never had a problem.

[newparks]

I boarded in Santiago. :) However, I'd taken a Rio to Santiago cruise on HAL a few years ago and did the HAL pre-cruise to Iguazu Falls. Absolutely one of the best trips/cruises I've ever taken. It's in my Top 3.

 

I suspect that the OP is experiencing the same cruise/tour issues people experience in Alaska whereby once you book as a combination cruise tour, you can't change anything nor even be able to re-fare if fares drop. You book, it's set in concrete.

 

Chances are probably between slim and none that the OP will be able to change their cabin but it's always worth trying. If you have an inside cabin next to the elevator, you might hear banging noises. If you have any other type of cabin that's near an elevator, I've never had a problem.[/quote

We are experiencing a simliar problem with Princess. we are booked in March on the China land tour then cruising from Beijing to Bangkok. The cruise portion of the trip has gone down $675 for the balcony we have.

Princess is refusing to make an adjustment which makes no sense to me to me!! the cost of the land tour has no bearing on the cost of the cruise.

I tried to get my TA to use that logic but got nowhere!

[Bowie MeMe]

Is it possible to cancel the cruise tour? We have done that through a TA and then did a new booking as a separate transaction. We never use the cruise tour now because we want to spend a week in the pre city and a week in the post. I enjoy arranging the hotels, the private guide and the tour to my standards and I can usually do it cheaper than the cruise line. I sometimes start with the cruisetour and change if my own tour works out better.

[newparks]

Is it possible to cancel the cruise tour? We have done that through a TA and then did a new booking as a separate transaction. We never use the cruise tour now because we want to spend a week in the pre city and a week in the post. I enjoy arranging the hotels, the private guide and the tour to my standards and I can usually do it cheaper than the cruise line. I sometimes start with the cruisetour and change if my own tour works out better.

 

 

No, the land tour is and has been sold out for weeks. The itinerary for the land tour is fantastic so we will stay Princess. I just don't why they refuse to budge!!!

[Pam in CA]

Is it possible to cancel the cruise tour

Yes, you can but if you do, you lose the spot on the pre-cruise tour to Iguazu Falls. On our cruise, all 40 spots were gone in six hours. My friend and I got in only because our TA got us on a list before it opened up. There's a long wait list. If you cancel the cruise tour, you go to the end of the wait list and your only option is to go independently.

 

Unlike other pre- or post-cruise tours, space is very limited. There's only one hotel in the park and it's right on the rim so you really want to stay there. There's a lot of coordination between flights in and out, transfers, going from Brazil to Argentina and back so you can see both sides, which means you go through immigration twice, etc. Some people are willing to organize all that but it's not for everyone. Which is why for this particular cruise tour, some opt to take the cruise line tour.

[caribill]

No, the land tour is and has been sold out for weeks. The itinerary for the land tour is fantastic so we will stay Princess. I just don't why they refuse to budge!!!

 

I think you have answered your own question. The reason they refuse to budge is "the land tour is and has been sold out."

 

Reducing the price of a sold out cruisetour is not a good financial practice.

[Aussie Gal]

We are also on a Cruise tour to New England in October. The cabin prices on the Emerald all went down hugely about 6 months ago but because the Cruise tour is fully booked, we were unable to get any money refunded for the difference in the price of the cabins.

 

Again, it is a good tour and I couldn't find anything suitable that would take its place so we are paying the higher price for our cabin and the tour.

 

Jennie

[Loonbeam]

I covered this in detail on another thread a while ago, will see if I can find it if needed. The short answer, while most of us think of the cruise tour and cruise as separate products, Princess' system sees them as a single product, distinct from the other two.

 

Cabins assigned to the cruisetour 'product' in each class are not part of the general pool and vice versa.

 

If the elevator is your concern, you might ask to see if there is something else in the cruisetour block, but given the cruisetour is sold out, that's not likely.

 

But its very very difficult for them to cross the blocks as far as the yield management system

 

 

 

No, the land tour is and has been sold out for weeks. The itinerary for the land tour is fantastic so we will stay Princess. I just don't why they refuse to budge!!!

[highheel girl]

Why the objection to the elevator? We have been near them several times and never had a problem.

 

If it is an inside and shares a wall with the elevator shaft its pretty bad.:(

[Loonbeam]

Most Princess ships seem to have a service space between the elevator and the cabins adjacent or some form of sound protection...

 

For example if you look at Aloha and Baja decks on the Coral you will see a spacer..

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/ships/deck_plan_pdf/Coral_Princess_Deck_Plans.pdf

 

 

If it is an inside and shares a wall with the elevator shaft its pretty bad.:(

[highheel girl]

Most Princess ships seem to have a service space between the elevator and the cabins adjacent or some form of sound protection...

 

The OP was talking about the Star? Not the Coral/Island.....

Most Grand class have at least 2-4 cabins on each deck next the aft elevators. There is no service space, believe me we were in them.

[Loonbeam]

I had the Coral link handy. But I looked at the Grand's layout as well and other than the aft Caribe deck, they do show spaces (and in one case the laundry was the spacer)

 

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CFYQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.omnitours.travel%2Ffilebin%2Fimages%2Fpartners%2FGrand_Deck_Plans.pdf&ei=ign9T_7_JaWJ6wH0vODmBg&usg=AFQjCNGlrF0ymGSBZK7t9GV3EOoe37c0Aw

 

The OP was talking about the Star? Not the Coral/Island.....

Most Grand class have at least 2-4 cabins on each deck next the aft elevators. There is no service space, believe me we were in them.

[biker1972]

While the Iguazu cruisetour may be full, a DIY trip to Iguazu is very easy whether from BA or Rio. Flights, hotels and transfers can be booked from the home computer at a huge savings over what is paid to Princess. If you are obsessing over price drops for a cruise but no price drops for a cruisetour then the simple thing to do is not cruisetour but cruise and tour separately. Switching cabins may simply be finding the right person with authority to take action. Princess has these people, but it is sometimes difficult to get to them.:confused:

[zenworks911]

Hi Everyone,

 

Thanks for the tips. I haven't figured out exactly what I will do. Baja 425 is the room on the Star Princess. It is an interior stateroom next to the Panoramic lifts.

 

zenworks911

[Loonbeam]

If I am right, the lift tubes should provide some insulation against noise (as the lifts move inside them. I would assume on the Baja deck they are not the transparent material below.

 

Honestly, while I would expect some possible noise around peak dining times and maybe at end of shows, I can't imagine it would be a constant thing even at worst. One advantage is that Princess ships do not use motor driven lifts in the cabs, help keep down operating noise.

 

Being on Baja, the lift traffic should be less frequent as well.

 

Hi Everyone,

 

Thanks for the tips. I haven't figured out exactly what I will do. Baja 425 is the room on the Star Princess. It is an interior stateroom next to the Panoramic lifts.

 

zenworks911

[seamwoman]

What are your favorite cruises?

[sunsetbeachgal]

I usually book less expensive cabins...insides or obstructed outsides and mostly guarantees...I have never had a problem with noise from elevators...I have had noise from other cabins next door and noise/vibration at night from lounges on the deck below...for me, I would far rather share one only one wall with another cabin than two. Good luck...your cruise sounds wonderful! :)

[Bowie MeMe]

Yes, you can but if you do, you lose the spot on the pre-cruise tour to Iguazu Falls. On our cruise, all 40 spots were gone in six hours. My friend and I got in only because our TA got us on a list before it opened up. There's a long wait list. If you cancel the cruise tour, you go to the end of the wait list and your only option is to go independently.

 

Unlike other pre- or post-cruise tours, space is very limited. There's only one hotel in the park and it's right on the rim so you really want to stay there. There's a lot of coordination between flights in and out, transfers, going from Brazil to Argentina and back so you can see both sides, which means you go through immigration twice, etc. Some people are willing to organize all that but it's not for everyone. Which is why for this particular cruise tour, some opt to take the cruise line tour.

 

I guess that I did know that since the Iguazu Falls tour before the cruise was the why I had to cancel it -- I was afraid for my health in that it is so hot and humid. We instead did 4 days Rio and 4 days Santiago before and after the cruise. In Rio when it get very hot, our guide would head to that beautiful national park with 32 different overlooks where it was at least 10 degrees cooler.

 

I agree with Pam in that for some experiences the cruiselines have all the cards in their hand and you can not duplicate that experience. I think this is also very true on some shore excursions even though CC is a dedicated group of do your own. I would love to see the falls but I don't think I probably will (unless they move the falls just for me:p)

[zenworks911]

Looking into it just a little bit more I think I am not going to worry about it. Seems like the vast majority of posts in regards to elevator noise say not to worry about it and that it will be fine.

 

Thanks for the tips and suggestions,

 

zenworks911

[zenworks911]

What are your favorite cruises?

 

They were all very good for different reasons.

 

Probably my overall favorite was the Grand Med Trip on the Ruby Princess though. I really like Venice and the chef/food was way beyond normal cruise food. Our waiter Martin from Bulgaria was also excellent.

 

zenworks911