Princess switched my room?!

[cng062000]

New to cruising and hoping for some answers! I'm going on the Sky Princess and when I booked and made the deposit I picked room L128 (BF). After paying the final balance my room had "automatically" switched to R312 (BB). I was really wanting to be on the Lido deck (I'm a sucker for pools and food lol) and specifically picked L128 during booking/deposit. I'm also not thrilled with the new location on the Riviera deck and the original room is no longer available. I called Princess customer service and they were NO HELP!! They couldn't explain why my room was switched, what the difference was between rooms (besides stating R312 was 30 sq. ft smaller than L128), and offered no real apology.

 

Welcoming any insight on why this happened, what the differences are, or advice on how to best move forward. Thanks! 

Edited December 9, 2019 by cng062000

[1025cruise]

Are the categories different? It might be considered an upgrade.

Does your room hold more people than booked? That might have caused a change.

[cng062000]

Room is only booked for 2 people 😕 

[Host CJSKIDS]

You got upgraded.  You went from a category BF to a BB. 

 

 

[cng062000]

Wooohoo...I'm so thrilled to have a smaller room (according to customer service rep.) in an undesired location now. 😂 At least I have an answer now I suppose. 

[Coral]

In the future - you can mark your room "no upgrade". 

[cng062000]

Thanks! @Coral that's good to know! 

[Colo Cruiser]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

[CynCyn]

15 minutes ago, Coral said:

In the future - you can mark your room "no upgrade". 

How do you do this? I can’t figure it out.

[npcl]

How did you find out that they switched rooms?

 

Usually if you contact them within 48 hours of the change you can get it back. After 48 hours not so much.

 

If you are not happy with the upgrade call and ask to get transferred to the resolutions department.  They have more flexibility in resolving such issues.

 

I once had a booking marked no upgrade and got notified on the way to the airport that my room had been changed.  In my case the room had gotten removed from the pool for "operational reasons". I think that they changed it from passenger to guest entertainer. Because it was no longer in the passenger pool, I was unable to get it back, but I did get a nicer upgrade instead.

 

As mentioned earlier if you pick the room you want, then once you have booked make sure it is marked no upgrade.

[npcl]

2 minutes ago, CynCyn said:

How do you do this? I can’t figure it out.

If you book online through the Princess web site call customer service and have them mark it.

 

If you book through a TA tell your TA to have it marked.

[CynCyn]

Just now, npcl said:

If you book online through the Princess web site call customer service and have them mark it.

 

If you book through a TA tell your TA to have it marked.

Thank you! 🙂

[Shelly97060]

To have your booking marked no upgrade, if you booked directly , you need to ask Princess to note that on your booking. if you used a travel agent they can make the notation. 

 

To the OP, have you asked Princess to put you back in your original cabin? If you booked through a TA they would need to make contact with Princess for you. It still may be possible for them to move you back ( and upgrade someone else instead of you).  But you don’t want to wait too long to request the move back.

Edited December 9, 2019 by Shelly97060

[Thrak]

Don't worry. The new cabin is right by the lifts that take you directly to Lido where your original cabin would have let you out onto the main part of the deck. (Hopefully that made sense to you.) In other words, it's a one deck elevator ride or flight of stairs to get right back to where you like to be on Lido. Enjoy your cruise and try not to stress.

[crystalspin]

2 hours ago, cng062000 said:

 I called Princess customer service and they were NO HELP!! They couldn't explain why my room was switched, what the difference was between rooms (besides stating R312 was 30 sq. ft smaller than L128), and offered no real apology.

 

Welcoming any insight on why this happened, what the differences are, or advice on how to best move forward. Thanks! 

According to the website, the most R312 could be smaller than L128 is 9sq.ft -- R312 is 222sq.ft, L128 is 222-231sq.ft. Customer service does not always know the facts. And those figures include interior and balcony.

 

If Thrak's reassurance hasn't swayed your desire to be on the Lido deck -- call CS back and ask to be connected to a manager (you'll probably have to give all the background multiple times). If they say your Lido room has been rented to someone else, tell them to put you in some other available room on the Lido or move someone else (from Lido) to the upgraded Riviera room and give you their room!

 

If that doesn't work, I got nothing. Riviera appears to be a very nice deck! The rooms are breath-taking! I'm sure on whichever deck.

Edited December 9, 2019 by crystalspin

[sailco]

I'm really sorry for your downgrade. It happened to us once. Our chosen cabin was a perfect mid ship balcony but our upgrade to an aft mini suite with no balcony cover was a horrible cruise experience. For us. Many others would have loved it I'm sure but it taught us a big lesson. Always stress not for upgrade when you book.

Embrace the new cabin if you can. Don't let the change spoil your cruise.

[skynight]

The information you received from Princess is not accurate. Same size cabins, same size balconies, same interiors. You were upgraded to a higher category cabin in a nice location. Convenient to the stairs and elevators. Enjoy you voyage.

All cabin selections default to 'upgrade will be accepted.' If you don't want an upgrade then you must have you T.A. mark your booking 'no upgrade.' If you book on line you have to call Princess after you book to have the booking marked.

[erber]

You can ask to be moved to another location in your new upgraded category. We did that once and it was easy! In fact, it was a cruise that was booked through our travel agent, but we were able to call princess direct to switch  (not sure why, but it worked). 

Edited December 9, 2019 by erber

[GeezLouise1]

12 hours ago, cng062000 said:

Welcoming any insight on why this happened, what the differences are, or advice on how to best move forward. Thanks! 

We had a similar issue.  We got notification that our cabin had been "upgraded" from Caribe to Bahia one week before final payment!  Our Portside Caribe cabin had been specifically chosen and marked No Upgrade.  We were travelling when they sent the notification.  Because we planned to be in Europe ( about to board another Princess ship) we had paid in full,  two weeks before final payment (Seemed like the best way to deal with the final payment date as we would be overseas).  We were notified on a Friday afternoon and told to respond if this was not satisfactory.  With time changes (8 hour difference), etc.  we responded a few hours after the initial email was sent.  Our room was gone.  They said the only Caribe available was one two from the back of the ship.  Our Princess Rep. finally managed to nab one Starboard,  but a few back from the original choice.  They would not upgrade us to a more midship location,  even though they had "upgraded" us to Bahia initially.  All of this went on while we were touring Britain before boarding our ship overseas. A difficult and unnecessary situation on their part.  They refused our request for any compensation.  We very nearly cancelled and this cruise might be our last with Princess.  We are Platinum and really resented the treatment.  Bottom line is that they can do what they want and "do not move" apparently is not fool proof. 

[john watson]

6 hours ago, sailco said:

I'm really sorry for your downgrade. It happened to us once. Our chosen cabin was a perfect mid ship balcony but our upgrade to an aft mini suite with no balcony cover was a horrible cruise experience. For us. Many others would have loved it I'm sure but it taught us a big lesson. Always stress not for upgrade when you book.

Embrace the new cabin if you can. Don't let the change spoil your cruise.

 

The original poster has been upgraded not down graded.  In your own case you were not downgraded either you were also upgraded.  The problem with people new to cruising is that typically they put a lot of consideration into cabin selection and choose an ideal cabin but this is one's personal opinion.   People are often offered the chance of a free upgrade and generally say "yes" or a standard default of upgrades is written in the contract.  When consenting to upgrades you are not agreeing to being given a better cabin, you are agreeing to be given a cabin which is classified as a higher grade. Therefore the cruise line may put people into higher graded cabins as they wish.  In this case an upgrade of 4 grades has been allocated.  The main problems are new people do not understand the complex system, contractual agreements, how to interpret the deck plans and what implications are of being in a specific area or deck.  Most travel agents would not be able to anticipate the implications of your choices as they have not sailed.

 

Regards John

Edited December 9, 2019 by john watson

[JF - retired RRT]

53 minutes ago, GeezLouise1 said:

Bottom line is that they can do what they want and "do not move" apparently is not fool proof. 

 

"Do Not Upgrade" is a request. If Princess wants your cabin, you will be moved.

[jagoffee]

1 hour ago, john watson said:

 

The original poster has been upgraded not down graded.  In your own case you were not downgraded either you were also upgraded.  The problem with people new to cruising is that typically they put a lot of consideration into cabin selection and choose an ideal cabin but this is one's personal opinion.   People are often offered the chance of a free upgrade and generally say "yes" or a standard default of upgrades is written in the contract.  When consenting to upgrades you are not agreeing to being given a better cabin, you are agreeing to be given a cabin which is classified as a higher grade. Therefore the cruise line may put people into higher graded cabins as they wish.  In this case an upgrade of 4 grades has been allocated.  The main problems are new people do not understand the complex system, contractual agreements, how to interpret the deck plans and what implications are of being in a specific area or deck.  Most travel agents would not be able to anticipate the implications of your choices as they have not sailed.

 

Regards John

John, many of us are very experienced cruisers who also put a lot of consideration into our cabin selection.  You refer to it as an opinion, but often the choice is fact based.  The facts may be input from other cruisers, previous cruises in the same or similar cabin location (the most dependable), and the review of deck plans.  Besides air fares, our cabin selection is the main reason we book very early.  It certainly helps that we can get fare reductions if applicable.

[Cruise Raider]

Not sure why you think the cabin on the Riviera deck is smaller ... the balcony cabins are all pretty much standard.  They are built in bulk and installed as a complete unit when being built (or even replaced). 

However, keep an eye open as to what is available.  And, as others have stated, just be sure to mark your cabin as NO UPGRADE if you don't want to be moved at the cruiseline's discretion ... if you get your cabin back or in the future.  You have to call in to get this box checked .. it cannot be done online.  

Princess has an option for upgrades to the next super-category ... it is called a META UPGRADE ONLY.  This means you will accept an upgrade ONLY to the next super-category ... not just a location change.  If you book a balcony, you can only be upgraded to a mini-suite or suite.  These are quite unlikely, though ... most upgrades are turned into upsells now, meaning they will sell you that upgrade instead of giving it to you.  

BTW, to request a META UPGRADE ONLY, that also has to be done via your travel agent or the cruiseline ... you cannot do it online.  In over 2 dozen sailings with Princess, I've only once gotten a Meta upgrade from an inside to an obstructed oceanview.  

[cng062000]

Thanks all! I've learned so much from here! 🙂

[john watson]

38 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

John, many of us are very experienced cruisers who also put a lot of consideration into our cabin selection.  You refer to it as an opinion, but often the choice is fact based.  The facts may be input from other cruisers, previous cruises in the same or similar cabin location (the most dependable), and the review of deck plans.  Besides air fares, our cabin selection is the main reason we book very early.  It certainly helps that we can get fare reductions if applicable.

 

Agree, when I say it is in your opinion the best cabin,   it is to you.  You may well have looked into every aspect of the cabin and from a wide range of factors come to this conclusion quite rightly.  A huge majority of people might agree with you, whether they do or not is immaterial.  In terms of the free upgrade the cruise line unfortunately bases weight on aspects you find not wanted or hate and then grade this unpleasant cabin as top grade.  Grade is King with upgrades irrespective of all other factors.  Accordingly people can end up the creek without a paddle and cant understand how this can happen.

 

Regards John