Major Passenger Service Fail - Bottled Water - Royal Princess

[SteelMagnolia9]

I know you don't want "woulda, coulda, shoulda" but always print out your Travel Summary. That's your documentation/confirmation that whatever your ordered or paid for is in the Princess system.

 

After reading your post, I printed out my Travel Summary to be sure everything to date was correct for my cruise. Yes, it was and thank you for the reminder.

 

Reading some of the comments on this thread, some are not very kind to the OP. Instead of being welcoming, unkind comments run people off the forum, leaving just the ‘regulars’ here to chat among themselves.

[compozer]

Print confirmations as soon as you purchase or receive something. I had an obc I received for something via the phone but figured I would print it later. I did not received an email confirmation but it showed up on my personalizer. Four months later it disappeared from my personalizer. I did call Princess but she could not find it and I had no proof. Nothing I could do and was not worth calling them again.

Now I print everything right away.

[RSF Cruiser]

I totally agree about some of the comments not being very kind. The OP was sharing a customer service experience/issue. The blaming, derogatory and condescending comments certainly have been a turn off for me. I even hesitate posting this comment, but I decided to risk being flamed by others in an attempt to stop the online bullying.

 

 

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[Coral]

 

Reading some of the comments on this thread, some are not very kind to the OP. Instead of being welcoming, unkind comments run people off the forum, leaving just the ‘regulars’ here to chat among themselves.

 

I totally agree about some of the comments not being very kind. The OP was sharing a customer service experience/issue. The blaming, derogatory and condescending comments certainly have been a turn off for me. I even hesitate posting this comment, but I decided to risk being flamed by others in an attempt to stop the online bullying.

 

 

I completely agree.

[thunderbaycruiser]

Love the condescending, sanctimonious responses - especially those concluding "it's a TA problem". OP explained in detail how it was the Princess rep, on a conference call with the TA and the OP, that sold the water. Had nothing to do with the TA making a mistake or forgetting to order something.

 

I think the OP has laid out a detailed explanation of what started out as a minor failure and turned into a major failure by completely incompetent customer service. Princess should make changes to avoid customer service failures like this in the future. How can front line CS be unable to immediately resolve a low cost issue like this?

 

Thank you to the OP for sharing this customer service failure. Stunning.

[billco]

Love the condescending, sanctimonious responses - especially those concluding "it's a TA problem". OP explained in detail how it was the Princess rep, on a conference call with the TA and the OP, that sold the water. Had nothing to do with the TA making a mistake or forgetting to order something.

 

I think the OP has laid out a detailed explanation of what started out as a minor failure and turned into a major failure by completely incompetent customer service. Princess should make changes to avoid customer service failures like this in the future. How can front line CS be unable to immediately resolve a low cost issue like this?

 

Thank you to the OP for sharing this customer service failure. Stunning.

 

 

 

We only get to read the OP side of the story. A story from a person with no prior Princess experience that for many people, myself included, would have been a minor incident. Over the years we have had many many positive experiences with Princess Customer Service from the people at the Passenger Service Desk to those at the corporate office.

[thunderbaycruiser]

Prior Princess experience has zero to do with this. We all have customer service experience. Experience with Princess is not a pre-requisite here. Not at all.

 

OP also explained their 2nd tier customer service work experience. Sounds to me like the OP knows more about customer service than most "experienced" Princess cruisers.

[-Lew-]

Love the condescending, sanctimonious responses - especially those concluding "it's a TA problem". OP explained in detail how it was the Princess rep, on a conference call with the TA and the OP, that sold the water. Had nothing to do with the TA making a mistake or forgetting to order something.

I'm not seeing where the OP states it was a conference call or that he could hear what the Princess rep was saying. I've booked plenty of cruises through TAs and directly with Princess and have never been asked by either whether I wished to order water. Have you?

[leck57]

Interesting to read all views on this thread. Personally a $20 incident for me is not worth chasing, despite the fact that in my opinion Princess customer service should have solved this minor low cost issue in 5 minutes.

It would be interesting to note though, how many posters here who are criticising the OP over a small amount are the ones demanding minor amounts of compensation from Princess because their cruise didn't have a bloody medallion as they had expected.

Neither issue is worth getting worried about but that is just me I guess.

[waltd]

I'm not seeing where the OP states it was a conference call or that he could hear what the Princess rep was saying. I've booked plenty of cruises through TAs and directly with Princess and have never been asked by either whether I wished to order water. Have you?

Lew read post 49

[thunderbaycruiser]

Thanks for the post number waltd.

 

I was just surprised at the tone in some responses to the OP, ChrisInMo. I guess I should no longer be surprised though.

 

Just because someone has never had an up-sell of bottled water while booking a cruise with Princess, does not in anyway mean it does not happen. Jumping to that conclusion implies that the OP made this up.

 

Also, I get that this is a $20 item. However, ChrisInMo was calm and collected when dealing with Princess, did not spend an excessive amount of time trying to resolve it, tried to jump through their hoops (as requested by Princess) and was rightfully disappointed in the outcome. Again, ChrisInMo was clear this did not ruin the cruise.

 

To me, it was Princess that blew a low cost error completely out of proportion. It does not matter that I have had wonderful customer service 100 times before from Princess. They blew it here. Full stop. It happens. Even with our beloved Princess. I hope they take steps to empower their front line staff to handle these minor, low cost incidents with grace and integrity when they arise. It just seems silly to have a guest paying possibly thousands of dollars and when they finally deliver the water they warn "but if we find out otherwise, we're billing you for it". Come on! Princess are the ones that need to "let it go" in a customer service interaction like this.

[-Lew-]

Lew read post 49

Missed that completely. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

[myfuzzy]

I went to PSD, my printout in hand, they tell me that they have no information on items pre purchased. So after I emphasized that I had paid, here is my receipt, credit my account--$14----2 minutes. money credited. done. behind me.

 

Oh, I never have had any problem with the deliver of the water, but last time I swear the bottles were used in a good game of toss the bottle, they were bent and crooked, to the point they wouldn't even stand up.

[oskidunker]

Princess causes more dissatisfaction by not giving personnel on the ship authority to fix minor problems.

 

Why would anyone go through all the trouble you did to fix the problem if you were lying???? They sometimes dont use common sense. They charge thousands and quibble about $20. Ridiculous.

 

Many reading this probably wont pre order water. So they might lose more than $20.

 

Had a similar experience with a coffee card I lost. After many appeals up the line I was told sorry, your fault. Will probably not buy any in the future. Too hard to keep track of a paper card. Yeah, it was my fault but as an Elite maybe they might realize I wasn't trying to cheat them.

 

 

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[Sillyjilly]

You can actually find bottled water in port for .59 cents a bottle? The OP is paying $6.90 per 12 pack.

 

Totally worth it for me as it is just too heavy for me to carry.

[Sillyjilly]

Princess causes more dissatisfaction by not giving personnel on the ship authority to fix minor problems.

 

Why would anyone go through all the trouble you did to fix the problem if you were lying???? They sometimes dont use common sense. They charge thousands and quibble about $20. Ridiculous.

 

Many reading this probably wont pre order water. So they might lose more than $20.

 

Had a similar experience with a coffee card I lost. After many appeals up the line I was told sorry, your fault. Will probably not buy any in the future. Too hard to keep track of a paper card. Yeah, it was my fault but as an Elite maybe they might realize I wasn't trying to cheat them.

 

 

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A lot of sneaky people do a lot of sneaky things. Even if they only let 5 people a cruise slide, it could add up to big bucks in the long run.

I had something similar happen on Carnival. I had the confirmation printed and everything, but how do they know you didn't turn around and cancel it later?

Too many crooks ruin if for all of us honest folk.

[Shadow9612]

Reading some of the comments on this thread, some are not very kind to the OP. Instead of being welcoming, unkind comments run people off the forum, leaving just the ‘regulars’ here to chat among themselves.

 

I totally agree about some of the comments not being very kind. The OP was sharing a customer service experience/issue. The blaming, derogatory and condescending comments certainly have been a turn off for me. I even hesitate posting this comment, but I decided to risk being flamed by others in an attempt to stop the online bullying.

I fully agree and often don't post for this reason... Glad you did.

 

Love the condescending, sanctimonious responses - especially those concluding "it's a TA problem". OP explained in detail how it was the Princess rep, on a conference call with the TA and the OP, that sold the water. Had nothing to do with the TA making a mistake or forgetting to order something.

 

I think the OP has laid out a detailed explanation of what started out as a minor failure and turned into a major failure by completely incompetent customer service. Princess should make changes to avoid customer service failures like this in the future. How can front line CS be unable to immediately resolve a low cost issue like this?

 

Thank you to the OP for sharing this customer service failure. Stunning.

Agree with all of the above.

[Steelers36]

Ditto.

[geoherb]

For my latest booking (made last week), my TA had to turn my call to him into a conference call with a Princess rep. I had placed a hold on the cruise on the Princess website and wanted to complete the booking with him.

 

As for chasing $20, I would do it. I just pursued a $3 refund from a grocery store that overcharged me on an item.

 

Unfortunately, the Princess folks on the ships aren't always as helpful as we'd like them to be. I remember an excursion desk employee who couldn't help me. I ended up getting a satisfactory response after the cruise.