So long Princess! They just don't care.

[Shoalwater]

To some passengers, the assurance that the ship will wait should there be any delays w/returning from the tour is worth the extra cost.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

We have been on cruises where the ship had to sail and leave behind ship tours to catch up at the next port. Not common, but it does happen.

[sminfiddle]

Charleston is in SC not NC.

 

There wasn't enough time in the tour stop to cover that.

 

I will be sending a sternly-worded letter to Pablo requesting compensation for the COFFEE I just spat out. He's lucky the keyboard still works.

That was unfairly hilarious!

[Grego]

Sorry to see the OP go - not! One less complainer to deal with over a half full glass.

[Hlitner]

The OP just expressed one reason why DW and I seldom to ever take cruise line excursions (we find them overpriced, too crowded, and too commercial). Most of the cruise lines now contract with a private company to staff the onboard shore excursion desks (these folks do not work for the cruise line) and arrange the tours with land-based providers. One big problem we have with these tour operators is that they try to increase their revenue by taking their "charges" to special shops and sites that give kick-backs to the tour company. In Turkey we know of one situation where a land-based tour company actually owns a "jewelry factory" where they take all their tours. It is the same with restaurants used by tours, where they are often special places built to accommodate large groups...and money is kicked back to the tour operators.

 

So what to do? DW and I have been to well over 100 ports on 6 continents and only take tours (public or private) when they do things that we cannot possibly do on our own. And after more then 3 1/2 years of cruising all over the world, we have never missed a ship (came close on 2 occasions) and have had many amazing experiences..without being crammed into a tour bus and being herded like cattle. If you are a person who only feels comfortable on organized excursions, then you must accept that things are not always going to be perfect (it is no different if you do things on your own) and that is just the way it is! A 50% refund actually sounds like a reasonable accommodation for a tour that happened....but did not meet one's expectations.

 

Hank

[cr8tiv1]

OP here - Thanks for everyone's comments. Couple of clarifications. Sorry about the NC/SC typo. We didn't blame Princess for the cold weather and we weren't at all angry about it but even Princess agreed that they should have done the cruise a week earlier.

 

Charleston wasn't cold at all and the tour took us to the first site and gave us only 45 minutes to be back on the bus then had us sit in the parking lot with no explanation for almost an hour before taking us to the second site where we arrived 10 minutes before closing. So on a half day tour we had less than an hour at the sites and saw far less than half of what we had been told we would see.

 

Note also that we weren't the only ones complaining - there were three coaches on the tour and by the time I got to the tour desk to complain there were already dozens others there doing the same thing - and demanding full refunds.

 

As for the credit, AMEX DID resolve it in my favor and issued the credit and then, two months after the cruise, Princess charged my account for it again! They're not giving up so why should I?

 

As to the thought that no other cruise line would issue a complete refund, that's just not so. On Azamara I was given a full refund for a tour that went awry without even asking and even Princess issued a full refund on a more costly Alaska tour that I thought actually deserved at most 50%.

 

But what really frosted me here is that once the dispute was resolved in my favor Princess just charged me again. Elite or not, I just won't do business with a company like that. We've been booking Azamara a lot more lately and been extremely pleased with them.

 

Thank you for returning to your post and for adding your clarifications. I am a newly Elite and worked very hard for this level. I am sorry your experience will keep you from returning to Princess.

[Blk_Amish]

OP here - Thanks for everyone's comments. Couple of clarifications. Sorry about the NC/SC typo. We didn't blame Princess for the cold weather and we weren't at all angry about it but even Princess agreed that they should have done the cruise a week earlier.

 

Charleston wasn't cold at all and the tour took us to the first site and gave us only 45 minutes to be back on the bus then had us sit in the parking lot with no explanation for almost an hour before taking us to the second site where we arrived 10 minutes before closing. So on a half day tour we had less than an hour at the sites and saw far less than half of what we had been told we would see.

 

Note also that we weren't the only ones complaining - there were three coaches on the tour and by the time I got to the tour desk to complain there were already dozens others there doing the same thing - and demanding full refunds.

 

As for the credit, AMEX DID resolve it in my favor and issued the credit and then, two months after the cruise, Princess charged my account for it again! They're not giving up so why should I?

 

As to the thought that no other cruise line would issue a complete refund, that's just not so. On Azamara I was given a full refund for a tour that went awry without even asking and even Princess issued a full refund on a more costly Alaska tour that I thought actually deserved at most 50%.

 

But what really frosted me here is that once the dispute was resolved in my favor Princess just charged me again. Elite or not, I just won't do business with a company like that. We've been booking Azamara a lot more lately and been extremely pleased with them.

 

Thanks for the follow up post. Too many times many don't return which fuel some posters torch to flame and call OP names. Stay or go, there are many other vacation types and lines as you know lines. In most cases, unless you have a personal guarantee from someone to refund the full amount, it probably won't happen. This might be the straw for you to move up, move away and try other things. Good luck because they are always someone to say I got nothing or less but was happy to be able to cruise. Others ask and often get lucky but I would think 50% is fair. I rarely use ship excursions for this particular reason. Happy Cruisin'

 

Pauline

Edited January 13, 2014 by Blk_Amish

[geoherb]

I think a 50 percent refund was adequate, but I also agree with the OP that he should dispute the new charge. I had a Priceline dispute that American Express found in my favor. The hotel was located outside the zone map. I'd be ticked off, too, if Priceline tried to charge me again for something that had been resolved in my favor.

 

And if the OP is happier on Azamara, that will free up suites for someone else on Princess ships.

[gbolton]

We have been on cruises where the ship had to sail and leave behind ship tours to catch up at the next port. Not common, but it does happen.

 

If it is a ship tour, wouldn't the cruise line have to look after you for accommodations and getting you to the next port?

[travelplus]

I booked a tour with Royal Caribbean for Tenerife and it skipped destinations that were advertised in the tour description. There were people with a walker who were not suitable for the tour so we had to change things up a bit.

 

When I got back onboard I spoke with the Tour Desk supervisor and he refunded us for the tour and could not believe that the tour guide would accept someone who could not walk well over the cobblestones and apologized for the different tour. The tour specifically stated"Walking is required over uneven surfaces".

 

The Tour Desk Supervisor took it upon himself to send out a Tour Representative to see if they would offer the tour again in the future or to change the tour description.

 

I was only expecting a portion of the tour to be refunded but was happy to get the full refund.

[Mom33]

Private tours are no guarantee that you will not have problems or disappointments. Try getting a refund from a private tour. I think Princess gave the OP adequate compensation.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[DebJ14]

If you are going to quit a cruise line over a shore excursion then I suggest you jump to HAL. We had a shore excursion with them in Hawaii and saw everything on the itinerary. Apparently, some people on the bus complained that people stayed too long at Hilo Hattie's shopping and they felt shortchanged on the rest of the tour. HAL refunded 75% of the money on the excursion, even to those who's bus did not spend overly long at the shopping portion. We also got 50% of our Luau fare refunded because of rain, that impacted some of the activities. Once again, we did not complain about the excursion and were able to do everything we cared to do at the Luau.

[Mississippian]

The OP just expressed one reason why DW and I seldom to ever take cruise line excursions (we find them overpriced, too crowded, and too commercial). Most of the cruise lines now contract with a private company to staff the onboard shore excursion desks (these folks do not work for the cruise line) and arrange the tours with land-based providers. One big problem we have with these tour operators is that they try to increase their revenue by taking their "charges" to special shops and sites that give kick-backs to the tour company. In Turkey we know of one situation where a land-based tour company actually owns a "jewelry factory" where they take all their tours. It is the same with restaurants used by tours, where they are often special places built to accommodate large groups...and money is kicked back to the tour operators.

 

So what to do? DW and I have been to well over 100 ports on 6 continents and only take tours (public or private) when they do things that we cannot possibly do on our own. And after more then 3 1/2 years of cruising all over the world, we have never missed a ship (came close on 2 occasions) and have had many amazing experiences..without being crammed into a tour bus and being herded like cattle. If you are a person who only feels comfortable on organized excursions, then you must accept that things are not always going to be perfect (it is no different if you do things on your own) and that is just the way it is! A 50% refund actually sounds like a reasonable accommodation for a tour that happened....but did not meet one's expectations.

 

Hank

You have hit the nail on the head several times!

 

My first Princess cruise I arranged a private tour of Istanbul for six. We only got two more people to join us, so there were just four of us. I saw all of my fellow Princess cruisers running around the Blue Mosque with their numbers stuck on them trying to find and hear their guides while we were able to just talk to ours. Many people were eavesdropping on us because they couldn't hear their own guide.

 

I realize many people aren't comfortable making their own plans, but it's getting easier. Most smart phones can get an app like Maps With Me that can download maps that work without a phone connection. So you can drive or walk anywhere and not get lost.

 

I have taken Princess "mini" excursions, such as a bus trip into town or such. But the thought of a "tour" gives me the heeby-jeebies. To me, it's just so much more fun and rewarding to get to do exactly what I want to do exactly when I want to do it.

[Thrak]

What has this $100 dispute really cost Princess? It has cost them the future business of Elite level members who always book at least an Owner's Suite if not a Grand Suite. We will not sail Princess again - our future cruises will be booked with cruise lines that put their customer's satisfaction first.

 

Hope you enjoy your new cruise line - whichever one it is. Goodbye...

[caribill]

Each person decides for themselves what type of touring they wish to do in a port.

 

We usually do a mixture (depending on the port and how familiar we are with the area being visited) of private excursions (arranged by us or members of the roll call), cruise line excursions and just going around by ourselves.

 

On a 41 day cruise from Galveston to Singapore (not Princess) we ended up with:

o 7 private excursions

o 3 ship's excursions

o 5 ports where we toured on our own

 

We were satisfied with the experience we had in every port.

 

The key is doing research in advance and what degree you have of being familiar with the area.

 

For example:

 

o We have been to Barcelona four times. Each of the four times we toured different areas and venues. The first two times were on ship's excursions. The last two were on our own.

 

o We have been to Gibraltar three times. Each time we toured different sights on our own.

 

o We have been to Egypt three times. We have had three private tours and one ship's tour. We would never try any port there on our own.

 

When first time cruisers ask for advice on Cruise Critic I always suggest they check what might be availale through their roll call and for ports where the roll call has no options they like, use a ship's excursion.

 

Sometimes the ship's excursion is the best option. Two examples:

 

o In Istanbul certain of the major attractions are closed to the general public on one day a week but are open for the ship's tours. The only way to see that site is with a ship's tour if that is the day the ship is in port.

 

o Similar situation on the Greek Island of Mykonos. Many wished to visit the nearby island of Delos. We had reserved spots on the ship's tour while many others said on Cruise Critic how much money they would be saving by using a local ferry instead. Turned out we were at Mykonos on the day of the week that Delos is closed to the general public, but open for the Princess tours. Those who had wanted to use the local ferry were upset that Princess had not told them in advance that the private option was not available that day. (The Princess tour had been sold out)

Edited January 13, 2014 by caribill

[Skai]

The OP just expressed one reason why DW and I seldom to ever take cruise line excursions (we find them overpriced, too crowded, and too commercial). Most of the cruise lines now contract with a private company to staff the onboard shore excursion desks (these folks do not work for the cruise line) and arrange the tours with land-based providers. One big problem we have with these tour operators is that they try to increase their revenue by taking their "charges" to special shops and sites that give kick-backs to the tour company. In Turkey we know of one situation where a land-based tour company actually owns a "jewelry factory" where they take all their tours. It is the same with restaurants used by tours, where they are often special places built to accommodate large groups...and money is kicked back to the tour operators.

 

So what to do? DW and I have been to well over 100 ports on 6 continents and only take tours (public or private) when they do things that we cannot possibly do on our own. And after more then 3 1/2 years of cruising all over the world, we have never missed a ship (came close on 2 occasions) and have had many amazing experiences..without being crammed into a tour bus and being herded like cattle. If you are a person who only feels comfortable on organized excursions, then you must accept that things are not always going to be perfect (it is no different if you do things on your own) and that is just the way it is! A 50% refund actually sounds like a reasonable accommodation for a tour that happened....but did not meet one's expectations.

 

Hank

 

[cruiseclues]

I wouldn't call it George or Princess quite yet. If the tour happened, no matter how poorly executed, chances are they won't refund 100%. You got something, just not what you paid for or expected.

 

Pauline

 

When you buy anything that is clearly not what was advertised, the purchase contract is broken and you are due your money back.

[cruiseclues]

50% sounds like a decent amount! Princess cannot make weather behave!

 

I didn't notice where the OP said the weather related to the tour?

[cruiseclues]

What would tick me off about this situation would not be the tour or only getting 50% refund but the fact that after my cruise is over the cruise line is charging my credit card for something.

 

Yes, I agree...Once the charge and the refunds were issued...I would hope it would be illegal to make any further charges to your card.

Edited January 15, 2014 by cruiseclues

[cruiseclues]

The OP took the tour. They had seats on the bus and saw some sights even though they didn't see everything. As Judge Judy would say, "They ate the steak." A 50% refund is very generous.

 

I once took an all-day Princess tour from Casablanca to Marakesh, a 4-4½ hour bus ride each way. The bus A/C didn't work and it was well over 100 degrees inside both ways with no water provided. Our guide gave us a 3-hour lecture on Mohammed and Islam rather than the history, geography and culture of the region. The bus got lost on the way to Marakesh (not easy since it's a 2-lane road in the Sahara) so we missed seeing a palace. On the way back to the ship, we were running late and were stopped by Moroccan soldiers and each of us had to present our IDs. We wound up getting back to the ship almost two hours late, hot, dehydrated and exhausted. We each received a 50% refund because we took the tour, got to see most of the sites and had lunch. And we thought 50% was fair.

 

Another example: a HAL tour in Tunesia. We were driven three hours to an oasis for a 3-hour camel ride in the desert. No bus, we were distributed to 4WD vehicles, four passengers per car. I was in the front seat next to the driver. He didn't speak English, played Arabic music and played with his privates for the whole drive. My friend in the back asked, "Is he doing what I think he's doing?" Yup. Pretty disgusting. When I got back on the ship, I went to the Shore Excursion Desk. Their only response was that this was the only time they were offering this tour so there was nothing they could do.

 

"They ate the steak"? A tour is a service and a tour usually has you at the mercy of transportation and other things...how can you know what is coming next on a tour?...so you can then make a decision to do what...abandon the tour somewhere?

[cruiseclues]

Computers are the source of all evil. You got 50% back on the tour. The rest of your complaint sounds like a book keeping error and you should blame Amex. Will you cancel your Amex card?

 

A lot of guesswork...

[cruiseclues]

Sorry to see the OP go - not! One less complainer to deal with over a half full glass.

 

This forum is named Cruise Critic for a reason...we love cruises and find them the the best vacation for us...however...we welcome all viewpoints, and make our own decisions...and reserve the right to change them at any time...we are pleased that many post what they believe...that would include your post. :)

[audobon_tx]

Host, i suggest this thread has run its course.

Edited January 15, 2014 by flyingshoes

[Blk_Amish]

When you buy anything that is clearly not what was advertised, the purchase contract is broken and you are due your money back.

 

Two days ago I would be the first saying she deserves a full refund but someone thought it was fine to refer to me as a welfare queen. So playing it safe :D

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Forums mobile app

Edited January 15, 2014 by Blk_Amish

[ar1950]

Host, i suggest this thread has run its course.

 

It probably would die on its own accord if people would just quit posting on it.