A tough booking procedural question!

[septrack]

Let's see if I can stump the panel here!

 

I am booked as a BD guarantee for a 14 day cruise this fall (also can be booked as 2 seven day). We prefer a BD level Caribe balcony. There is none available for the 14 day trip (hence the current guarantee). I noticed that there is a BD Caribe balcony available for each of the two separate segments and am willing to move cabins after 1 week. My TA called and Princess says cannot be done. Has anyone had experience with a similar situation, and gotten a more favorable response from Princess in the past. I know some times it depends on who you speak with.

 

FYI, I don't think I could rebook as 2 seven day trips without losing $200 in onboard credits so I'm not wild about that.

 

TIA,

 

Mark

[Astro Flyer]

Let's see if I can stump the panel here!

 

I am booked as a BD guarantee for a 14 day cruise this fall (also can be booked as 2 seven day). We prefer a BD level Caribe balcony. There is none available for the 14 day trip (hence the current guarantee). I noticed that there is a BD Caribe balcony available for each of the two separate segments and am willing to move cabins after 1 week. My TA called and Princess says cannot be done. Has anyone had experience with a similar situation, and gotten a more favorable response from Princess in the past. I know some times it depends on who you speak with.

 

FYI, I don't think I could rebook as 2 seven day trips without losing $200 in onboard credits so I'm not wild about that.

 

TIA,

 

Mark

I had the same situation & our TA was able to get Princess to give us our preferred cabin booked as one longer cruise which didn't show available.

 

There are so many variables used to determine if it's possible particularly 'supply & demand'. My experience was on the 1st day booking was available 20 months prior to sailing. Your cruise is closer to sailing so there are undoubtedly fewer available cabins & booking agents may not be able to get the computer's "yield management" formulas to be flexible. They're designed to maximize income which I understand but sometimes like in my situation human intervention has worked for me.

 

Hopefully your TA will find another Princess rep who is able to get your prefered cabin like my TA did for me. :)

[skynight]

Let's see if I can stump the panel here!

 

I am booked as a BD guarantee for a 14 day cruise this fall (also can be booked as 2 seven day). We prefer a BD level Caribe balcony. There is none available for the 14 day trip (hence the current guarantee). I noticed that there is a BD Caribe balcony available for each of the two separate segments and am willing to move cabins after 1 week. My TA called and Princess says cannot be done. Has anyone had experience with a similar situation, and gotten a more favorable response from Princess in the past. I know some times it depends on who you speak with.

 

FYI, I don't think I could rebook as 2 seven day trips without losing $200 in onboard credits so I'm not wild about that.

TIA,

Mark

 

Here is what I understand. You booked a 14 day b2b as a single cruise and have a single booking number. Princess calls this a "logical" voyage. If my search is correct you are sailing RT Vancouver to Whittier and returning during September, you have already paid your fare, and thus you are inside of the penalty period. You also have a GTY BD cabin. What you want to do now is change your cabin selection to Cat. BD with specific cabins selected and mark your booking "No Upgrade."

 

Under Princess' practices on GTY cabins you will receive a cat. BD cabin or higher for the entire cruise. This cabin will most likely be the same cabin for all 14 days, but I have spoken to passengers that had to change cabins for the 2nd leg even when they booked as a single cruise. Princess will do this to maximize revenue and capacity. It will take lots of effort to do what you want, and the probability of success is low.

 

Almost all balcony cat. cabins on the Princess Alaska route ships have the same interiors, and on an Alaska cruise you will not be spending too much time on your balcony. The better views are from the open decks. If you cancel your 14 day voyage and re-book two 7 day voyages you probably will be charged a penalty, and will have to pay the current 7 day pricing, which could be higher or lower. You would have to do the math. But, remember if you want a specific cabin with no upgrade, you must have your booking marked "No Upgrade" otherwise Princess may change you anyway.

[septrack]

Here is what I understand. You booked a 14 day b2b as a single cruise and have a single booking number. Princess calls this a "logical" voyage. If my search is correct you are sailing RT Vancouver to Whittier and returning during September, you have already paid your fare, and thus you are inside of the penalty period. You also have a GTY BD cabin. What you want to do now is change your cabin selection to Cat. BD with specific cabins selected and mark your booking "No Upgrade."

 

Under Princess' practices on GTY cabins you will receive a cat. BD cabin or higher for the entire cruise. This cabin will most likely be the same cabin for all 14 days, but I have spoken to passengers that had to change cabins for the 2nd leg even when they booked as a single cruise. Princess will do this to maximize revenue and capacity. It will take lots of effort to do what you want, and the probability of success is low.

 

Almost all balcony cat. cabins on the Princess Alaska route ships have the same interiors, and on an Alaska cruise you will not be spending too much time on your balcony. The better views are from the open decks. If you cancel your 14 day voyage and re-book two 7 day voyages you probably will be charged a penalty, and will have to pay the current 7 day pricing, which could be higher or lower. You would have to do the math. But, remember if you want a specific cabin with no upgrade, you must have your booking marked "No Upgrade" otherwise Princess may change you anyway.

 

Yes it is a logical voyage. Actually it is a Caribbean cruise in Nov. and I want them to allow me to book two different cabins, both on Caribe deck for one week apiece. Both are BD's and show as available for each of the one week trips. There are no Caribe BD's available for the full 14 days. Also we have not entered the 75 day nonrefundable window although the deposits are nonrefundable. Thanks!

[DrivesLikeMario]

I don't understand why you can't change your booking to an assigned Cat. BD vs. the Guarantee BD. :confused: If you haven't paid your final payment, you can cancel and completely rebook it any way you want. You may lose the OBC you mentioned, but they will have other specials, promos and most likely, lower prices after the final payment date.

[Pam in CA]

As I understand it, some cabins are held for the full voyage, some for each segment. A good TA can get you what you want. They have to be persistent... and know what they're doing and who to speak to. It can be done. Make 'em fight for you.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Yes, Princess does hold a certain amt. of cabins in a variety of categories for each sailing: the 14 night one and the two 7 night ones. They won't release these until sometime after final payment unless your TA is able to sidestep their normal procedure. My opinion - just cancel and rebook after final payment.

[calita]

Pam,

You are so knowledgeable about cruising things I have wondered if you are a TA? I live so close to you I keep hoping to see you around somewhere....

[PescadoAmarillo]

We've actually done this in the past two months, and persistence was required. We booked a cruise both ways- one way with the exact cabin we wanted, and the other as a guarantee in that same category. We couldn't have booked the cabin we wanted (even if we didn't already have it reserved) because Princess had it blocked out for the logical B2Bs and only bookable as single cruises. But the price was much better for the logical B2B. So, with it booked both ways, my TA called Princess- no luck with that CSR- and then called Princess again to get them to move the cabin from the individual cruises to the logical B2B (which had previously been a guarantee) and then cancel the individual cruises.

[Pam in CA]

Pam,

You are so knowledgeable about cruising things I have wondered if you are a TA? I live so close to you I keep hoping to see you around somewhere....

Nope. Not a TA; never have been, never will. I'm happily retired. You're nearby so who knows? I'm around and about the area all the time. :)

[septrack]

The TA said that Princess told him that they set aside so many cabins in each category for the logical cruise and that had sold out of BD Caribe balconies, and there was nothing they could do. There is only one BD Caribe balcony left on the first leg and I held that online with a ficticious booking until I can see if there is anything I can do. I will call back tomorrow and see if another TA with the company will have any better luck. The problem with cancelling and rebooking as 2 7 day trips, besides from the non refundable deposit (which maybe they would waive if I immediately rebook) was we have two FCC's. On the 14 day that's worth a total of $200 and using it on the separate weeks its only worth $100. Also we lose $50 on the shareholder credit. I think my TA would also charge either $50 or $100 for the cancellation. Altogether I don't think that is an option. I know Princess CSR will not make changes to TA booked travel, but does anyone know if they will talk to you about situations like this. It may take a manager to bypass the rules, (then have the TA call to confirm). How bout the Captain Circle hotline. Is it worth a try!

 

Thanks for all your comments.

[Pam in CA]

If your TA charges a change fee, it's time to run, not walk, to another TA. Never, ever use a TA that charges a fee. Just a word of advice.

 

Since you booked through a TA, the Princess reps can answer general questions but cannot make any change to your booking nor advise you as to which would be better for you. That's because TAs are allowed to discount fares and Princess doesn't get involved with that.

 

I'd keep escalating your request with your TA. If they are unable to help you or will charge you a change fee, find another TA who will not only take care of this for you but discount the fare(s) as well. You can save 10-20% with a good TA.

[caribill]

As I understand it, some cabins are held for the full voyage, some for each segment. A good TA can get you what you want. They have to be persistent... and know what they're doing and who to speak to. It can be done. Make 'em fight for you.

 

If the same cabin was available on the individual segments but not on the b2b booked as one cruise, then a good TA can get that cabin assigned for the one cruise booking.

 

However, per the OP there is no cabin that itself is available for each segment, only different cabins.

 

When a b2b is a single booking, only the same cabin can be assigned foir each segment. Even a great TA cannot get different cabins assigned to a single booking number.

 

(If nothing else, I am sure the Princess software cannot handle different cabin numbers for a single booking number.)

[septrack]

I think Caribill is right. At this point it all is mute anyway. The cabin could only be held online till midnight last night and this morning it appears to be gone. The second leg has BD Caribe balcony's still but not the first. Oh well!

 

Pam, I do use a discount TA. Have for many years. I never had to cancel and rebook so I am not so sure how they would handle this. They may have exercised their contract rights to charge me, but then again they may not have. I do a search on the TA competition quote website and they almost always are the cheapest. I know some other advertised no cancellation/change fees but I elected to go with the cheapest rate and an agency I have had much experience with. It's like not purchasing travel insurance. I haven't for 30 some cruises and have never been burned yet....BUT... you roll the dice and take your chances.

 

Thanks for everyone's responses. I will just have to hope the upgrade fairy strikes. If not it will still be a great cruise.

[caribill]

Thanks for everyone's responses. I will just have to hope the upgrade fairy strikes. If not it will still be a great cruise.

 

The good news is that you will be on the cruise, in the same cabin for both segments, and in the category you booked or higher.

[septrack]

Will wonders never cease! We were just upgraded to a cat B2 Caribe balcony for the entire 14 day cruise.

 

The single available Caribe BD balcony reappeared yesterday so I called Princess just to ask if there was someway my TA could get us assigned to different balconies each week. Answer -sorry no! I then emailed Princess customer relations just to ask if something could be done. Didn't really expect anything. Last night I checked and the BD Caribe balcony was gone again. Deflated, I checked our personalizer and saw we were upgraded to a B2 Caribe balcony. At first I thought it was because of the letter, but then I saw that the numerous B2's previously available were now all but gone. I think I just caught the normal wave of upgrades to make room for cheaper balconies being available, since the cruise doesn't leave for 107 days. I also saw my parents who are joining us were similarly upgraded from a BD to B2, even though they asked "no upgrades". (No problem, they too were thrilled to get a Caribe balcony even though its a little forward for their ideal location.)

 

Thanks again for everyone's responses. It just goes to prove: Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good!

[caribill]

The good news is that you will be on the cruise, in the same cabin for both segments, and in the category you booked or higher.

 

Will wonders never cease! We were just upgraded to a cat B2 Caribe balcony for the entire 14 day cruise.

 

 

Just as predicted.

 

Congrats.