Help - Princess booted us out of our cabins

[Wehwalt]

Not sure about that...but I DO know once we made it clear that this family was stuck between two muster stations they quickly rectified it by a swap out. Obviously, there was no need and we were fine...but just for headcount and availability, we needed to make it known that NONE of us were leaving if we could not verify by having the rest of the family with us on the same muster station should the need arise. The crew did their magic, and it was all a distant memory as we enjoyed one of the best cruises we ever took!

 

Princess must "know" what cabin goes to what muster station as that is a part of emergency preparedness. However, that info may not be at the fingertips of Princess agents.

 

Regarding the suggestions to go to social media and so forth. I would wait at least until you have the opportunity to speak with them on Monday. They are undoubtedly used to speaking with anxious passengers, but starting a Facebook campaign seems unnecessarily provocative. I'd get what I want from them first, or a firm "no".

 

I would not suggest an upgrade directly. I would say something like "even if it means a different class of stateroom" and let them be the ones to think of an upgrade as a solution.

 

I suspect this will be resolved once the right people have a chance to look at it. The OP is rightly upset, but my impression is that it is better to woo Princess into a solution.

Edited December 7, 2013 by Wehwalt

[The4OfUs]

Regarding the suggestions to go to social media and so forth. I would wait at least until you have the opportunity to speak with them on Monday. They are undoubtedly used to speaking with anxious passengers, but starting a Facebook campaign seems unnecessarily provocative. I'd get what I want from them first, or a firm "no".

 

I agree about not starting a "campaign" - actually that wasn't what I was suggesting, and I can assure you that those types of interactions on Social Media do not help those that think they'll shame companies into getting what they want. However, these days many brands are Social Media savvy after watching other brands get ripped apart online, and they have a very different customer service group watching their social properties - and these groups often have triage plans that might allow for a different path to people that could help. I know my company does - calls are elevated one way, directly through customer service, and social issues come through me, and I'm higher up in the chain so can get answers quicker.

 

But I also agree to give them a call - I'm hopeful this will work out! *crossing fingers for the OP*

[inghilch]

Just back from the Royal Nov24 to E Caribbean. We had the same thing happen.. 3 cabins booked in MAY together,,, and 2 cabins were NEWBIES!!

They put 2 in the front of the ship & we got to stay in aft.

TA was really ticked off!... Princess told her that the 2 cabins they changed are considered *an Upgrade*,,,, we are loyal cruisers ,, if that is an upgrade,, I'd say UP something!... where was our upgrade? HA!

not all, but alot of people love the aft cabins & we happen to be part of that group. My sis in law 's fangs came out on the cruise ,, she went down 4 x' s after the 2 I did, but the passenger services basically said it was the TA's fault.

NO one got an email from Princess regarding the changes!:mad:

 

SO,, we finally got a plate of chocolate strawberries n a note of apology.

whatever!

lesson- SPECIFY* DO NOT CHANGE* -- and maybe you will get the cabin u want!

 

beside from that fiasco-- it was lovely ship, food was better than ever.:)

we have a trip to the Baltics in Aug on Royal,,,,, not so sure .. looking @ different cruise lines,, too bad!

donnakg

 

I agree about not starting a "campaign" - actually that wasn't what I was suggesting, and I can assure you that those types of interactions on Social Media do not help those that think they'll shame companies into getting what they want. However, these days many brands are Social Media savvy after watching other brands get ripped apart online, and they have a very different customer service group watching their social properties - and these groups often have triage plans that might allow for a different path to people that could help. I know my company does - calls are elevated one way, directly through customer service, and social issues come through me, and I'm higher up in the chain so can get answers quicker.

 

But I also agree to give them a call - I'm hopeful this will work out! *crossing fingers for the OP*

 

You are all right! I'm looking at the Princess Facebook page right now. That may be the way to get a quicker response. I will also call and email all those phone numbers posted. THANK YOU EVERYONE!!

I tried saying to the Princess agent - why can't you give someone else my upgrade?? Please downgrade back to if not my cabin ANY cabin that will bring our family closer. The Princess agent said I need to speak to inventory. That's all she kept saying. When I called two days ago and they needed 48 hours to work on the situation. I thought this was all done. The agent said no the request was to give you back the cabins you booked. I politely said you've got to be kidding.. I just need for our family NOT to be located on three different decks. It all very disconcerting. We did pay top $ for 3 cabins two being Mini Suites and I wonder if I even offer to be downgraded to a balcony? Would that help?

As far as the munster station situation, good point - it hasn't been an issue on other cruises because our cabins were always connected or side by side. I hadn't even thought about that but wow.. what if there is an emergency.. we wouldn't be together. This just keeps getting worse..

[mamaboss]

Princess could & should have a "NO UPGRADE & DO NOT CHANGE MY CABIN FOR ANY REASON" button for those with a particular cabin in mind. After the customer has gone to all the trouble of locating their choice, I do not see why they would make this kind of change

 

if people could tick the box no upgrade for any reason they should not be offered an upgrade

 

I totally agree! Guess I was just lucky when it happened to me. I have cruised princess the last 8 years, spend many hours researching and never knew you had to tell them at booking not to upgrade. I also think they should have a place in the online booking you would have to check and when you book over the phone they should ask you. However I use a TA and she never explained it can happen. Just my opinion. :)

[geocruiser]

As far as I know Mr. Buckelew is now the EX CEO.

 

 

Theo

 

This was post by Eroller on 11/4. I just found the info. So, they could still write to Buckelew or Swartz?

 

2. Alan Buckelew, the current current President and CEO of Princess Cruises will take on the new role of COO Carnival Corp., reporting to Carnival Corp. President & CEO Arnold Donald.

 

3. Jan Swartz, currently EVP Sales & Marketing of Princess Cruises is promoted to President of Princess Cruises, reporting to Stein Kruse the CEO of The Holland America Group.

Edited December 7, 2013 by geocruiser

[Wehwalt]

You are all right! I'm looking at the Princess Facebook page right now. That may be the way to get a quicker response. I will also call and email all those phone numbers posted. THANK YOU EVERYONE!!

I tried saying to the Princess agent - why can't you give someone else my upgrade?? Please downgrade back to if not my cabin ANY cabin that will bring our family closer. The Princess agent said I need to speak to inventory. That's all she kept saying. When I called two days ago and they needed 48 hours to work on the situation. I thought this was all done. The agent said no the request was to give you back the cabins you booked. I politely said you've got to be kidding.. I just need for our family NOT to be located on three different decks. It all very disconcerting. We did pay top $ for 3 cabins two being Mini Suites and I wonder if I even offer to be downgraded to a balcony? Would that help?

As far as the munster station situation, good point - it hasn't been an issue on other cruises because our cabins were always connected or side by side. I hadn't even thought about that but wow.. what if there is an emergency.. we wouldn't be together. This just keeps getting worse..

 

I think you should put your laptop in a safe with a 48 hour time lock! Sending more communications over the weekend, perhaps, is not productive. I looked at the availability map for the voyage in question and there are very few specific cabins available, but there seem to be a fair amount of guarantee choices. Inventory is the department that assigns guarantees to their cabins. They are the people who can solve this.

 

I would not suggest a downgrade. There were mini suite guarantees available. The odds are there will be a solution to this once you speak to the right people.

Edited December 7, 2013 by Wehwalt

[inghilch]

I think you should put your laptop in a safe with a 48 hour time lock! Sending more communications over the weekend, perhaps, is not productive. I looked at the availability map for the voyage in question and there are very few specific cabins available, but there seem to be a fair amount of guarantee choices. Inventory is the department that assigns guarantees to their cabins. They are the people who can solve this.

 

I would not suggest a downgrade. There were mini suite guarantees available. The odds are there will be a solution to this once you speak to the right people.

 

Okay.. I'll take all your advice. I'll stand down until Monday. Sounds like the last 48 hours were spent trying to get my cabins back. This time I'm waiting to see what inventory can do to get us closer together. The person I spoke to "Alina" even went as far to say, I may have to wait until boarding. She told me there are always cases when people simply don't show up for the cruise and don't cancel. I'm prepared to post to Facebook or Twitter but It sounds like I haven't been speaking to the right people and now have to wait until Monday to see if I can get some resolution.

[caber]

Good luck. I hope you can get your family together.

[Cruise Junky]

Okay.. I'll take all your advice. I'll stand down until Monday. Sounds like the last 48 hours were spent trying to get my cabins back. This time I'm waiting to see what inventory can do to get us closer together. The person I spoke to "Alina" even went as far to say, I may have to wait until boarding. She told me there are always cases when people simply don't show up for the cruise and don't cancel. I'm prepared to post to Facebook or Twitter but It sounds like I haven't been speaking to the right people and now have to wait until Monday to see if I can get some resolution.

 

The Princess Facebook site isn't manned on a weekend anyway. Sit tight until Monday. Good luck

[caribill]

The person I spoke to "Alina" even went as far to say, I may have to wait until boarding. She told me there are always cases when people simply don't show up for the cruise and don't cancel.

 

That is not a solution as Princess would not know who would not show up until after you had boarded and all check-in has ended.

 

She is basically saying get to your assigned cabins, do not unpack and settle in, and hope people in three cabins near each other do not show up.

 

You have a better chance of winning the lottery.

[DrivesLikeMario]

I do not believe you get to put conditions on upgrades. You either make yourself eligible for upgrades, in which case you may get one, or you do not.

 

No, that's not true. You can say you'll accept an upgrade to:

the next type of cabins (aka "Meta Upgrade" ex.: balcony to mini)

any upgrade

OR

no upgrade

AND

more information can be put in the notes. I've added "only on starboard side" for example, many times.

Edited December 8, 2013 by DrivesLikeMario
sp

[Arwen]

Princess upgraded our cabin but then said we had 48 hours to let them know if that was not acceptable. We preferred the upgrade so we did not respond. The point is that they did not just unilaterally change our rooms without letting us know.

 

Ummm, no they do not need to let you know. A year ago, after an 8 day land based tour of China pre-cruise and upon embarkation, we learned our selected stateroom (veranda) had been taken away and we had been given an 'upgrade'.

 

We had booked our cabin 9 months out and it was a specific cabin on a specific deck. The crazy part is that a mother and daughter standing behind us in line to get registered to board (they were part of our tour group) wanted to stay in touch with us.

 

We read them our stateroom number off of our documents. They said...we have that same room! Long story short, they had a guarantee and quite by coincidence were assigned ours. We did not even find out until we received our key card that we had been 'upgraded'.

 

We did not want the upgrade, but when I went immediately to the Hotel Front Desk, I was told nothing could be done unless the couple given our stateroom was willing to switch. So, I did the running around, the footwork, and everything else...and the mother/daughter agreed to take our upgrade.

 

And the strangest part, is that when we checked our original stateroom name tag...it STILL had our name on it. Princess pulled a VERY last minute switch. I now make sure our document states 'no upgrade'. You will get one unless you specifically say you do not want it.

[inghilch]

Well after another couple of hours again on the phone today and Princess again telling me there is nothing they can do. The solution is to downgrade. Probably to WORST cabins but being together is what is important to us. They are considered premium Balcony's all the way back on Deck 8. They will refund us the change in price from our mini suites. My parents are still located on deck 12, the original deck booked. It doesn't sound like I had any other choice. Also sounds like the only major change from the mini suite is a couple of hundred square feet from the combined cabins and a tub.

[baronessk]

As someone who recently had the opportunity to inspect 5 ships in a week, and someone who usually books an obstructed view cabin and has never had even a balcony, I am very much looking forward to my first ever mini-suite. But after all those inspections, looking at everything from interior cabins to suites, I came away thinking that it does not matter what cabin you are in. It's the cruise that counts! Enjoy!!!

[Seafoam Green]

Well after another couple of hours again on the phone today and Princess again telling me there is nothing they can do. The solution is to downgrade. Probably to WORST cabins but being together is what is important to us. They are considered premium Balcony's all the way back on Deck 8. They will refund us the change in price from our mini suites. My parents are still located on deck 12, the original deck booked. It doesn't sound like I had any other choice. Also sounds like the only major change from the mini suite is a couple of hundred square feet from the combined cabins and a tub.

 

Will going without the tub for the kids be a major nuisance?

 

It's nice that 3 together with balconies are still available to you.

 

If things aren't to your liking on this cruise, continue to speak up, and make sure your needs are met.

[Pam in CA]

Well after another couple of hours again on the phone today and Princess again telling me there is nothing they can do. The solution is to downgrade. Probably to WORST cabins but being together is what is important to us. They are considered premium Balcony's all the way back on Deck 8. They will refund us the change in price from our mini suites. My parents are still located on deck 12, the original deck booked. It doesn't sound like I had any other choice. Also sounds like the only major change from the mini suite is a couple of hundred square feet from the combined cabins and a tub.

I think this is awful. It doesn't matter that the computer did the selection: your bookings were linked (I sure hope they were) and you have minor children. I would go on FaceBook to "Princess Cruises" and succinctly explain what's happened and that Princess has forced you to downgrade because you're traveling with minor children and have refused to reinstate your original cabin.

[CI66774]

Well after another couple of hours again on the phone today and Princess again telling me there is nothing they can do. The solution is to downgrade. Probably to WORST cabins but being together is what is important to us. They are considered premium Balcony's all the way back on Deck 8. They will refund us the change in price from our mini suites. My parents are still located on deck 12, the original deck booked. It doesn't sound like I had any other choice. Also sounds like the only major change from the mini suite is a couple of hundred square feet from the combined cabins and a tub.

 

Well, that stinks. I wouldn't stop. I'd keep going until I was satisfied and demand a generous OBC. Just because some peon says it isn't possible, that doesn't mean someone higher up can't utilize some authority and change it back.

[lindy56]

Premium Mini-Suites M108 & M106 and M105 & M107 are showing as available on Deck 15 and they are next to each other, so if they truely were giving you an upgrade, ask why you can't have two of those. Good luck.

Edited December 9, 2013 by lindy56
stated the wrong deck

[inghilch]

Well thank you. I did actually notice those cabins and they told me I would have to pay more $$ and we could only have M106 or M105 (I think) which are not next to each other. My husband said ok but the TA talked me out of it and told me to go with the Emerald deck because those cabins are next to each other. My head is spinning from all these phone calls and I had to decide right there on the spot. I couldn't remember if it was better to be forward or Aft.

[inghilch]

I thought about to keep going.. asking to speak to someone even more superior than the supervisor but with so few cabins left I wasn't sure it was worth the risk of losing the opportunity to be close together. I'm not thrilled by any means with the outcome but wasn't sure I would really get anywhere else.

[CI66774]

I thought about to keep going.. asking to speak to someone even more superior than the supervisor but with so few cabins left I wasn't sure it was worth the risk of losing the opportunity to be close together. I'm not thrilled by any means with the outcome but wasn't sure I would really get anywhere else.

 

M106/M108 are adjacent to each other and M105 is just a few doors down. I would demand these cabins for NO extra charge. I would demand to speak to the head of the department. This is unacceptable. Your reservations were linked. Up until a couple of months ago, these particular mini-suites were MF (the least expensive mini-suites). Princess, just raised the prices on them arbitrarily. So, at the end of the day, these were considered the "worst" mini-suites but now they're considered the "best." I think these are great cabins and would take them in a second. Keep pushing (if you have the energy). What Princess did was not right!!!

[meemeec]

i believe your TA needs to be much more of an advocate for you!

I would take Pam's advice and go on Princess's Facebook page and complain loudly!

[kylea_s]

Take a deep breath, a bit of eggnog or your favorite drink and then take Pam's advice. That facebook Princess page does get looked at by a lot of people. Remember what you want is your cabins together. Ive been forward, aft, port, starboard, higher deck and lower deck and truly it doesnt matter all that much. You shouldn't have to pay anymore and perhaps should get some OBC for all of this stress. Be diplomatic which Im sure you will. You might be surprized what will happen on the facebook page.

[CI66774]

OP-I hope you don't mind, but I just posted (nicely) about your situation on the Princess Facebook page. I suspect they want to make this right as they've already acknowledged my post. PLEASE POST on the Princess Facebook page, I predict your issue will be resolved.

[inghilch]

Thank you. Okay I will also make a note there too. On FB. The travel agent also just left me a message my third cabin was moved down the hall also on deck 8. So they moved us (all 3 cabins) to the same deck but I hear all your points. Moving to deck 15 was not an option when I was on the phone with them without paying the up charge in all 3 cabins.