Flooded Cabin & OBC Compensation not received

[aussiebossyboots]

Thanks in advance for your comments & suggestions.  Members of the Australian & New Zealand forum have recommended that I post this issue on this forum as well to get some assistance.  Most importantly the Ruby Princess email address if anyone has it.

 

We were on a cruise to New Zealand in November/December on Ruby Princess and our cabin was flooded - like seriously.  Concurrently, I was also extremely sick with two visits to the doctor during the cruise.

 

As compensation we were relocated to another cabin for 24 hours, given a free specialty dinner, our wet laundry done and in addition were advised that $400 OBC would be added to our account.  All OK at this stage.  We are pretty easy cruisers but have never had this type of problem on any of our other cruises.

 

Unfortunately when we disembarked - because I was still very ill - and hubby really leaves all this organisation up to me, I didn't check our account.  When we returned home, I noticed that Princess Cruises had taken out a substantial amount from our credit card and also realised that we were not given an account of our expenses on board on the last night as we have previously received on other cruise lines.  This was our first Princess Cruise.

 

I contacted Customer Relations via email and received the account only to find that the $400 OBC promised was not on the account.  In addition, they charged me for laundry for all the clothes that were at the bottom of our wardrobe that were saturated.  

 

After 5 phone calls, numerous emails (not answered) I was finally instructed to use the web contact page to lodge my complaint (today) and have received an automated email response that it is now lodged.  This has been going on since our return on 5 December.

 

Their customer service is really unacceptable, there has been no one who has returned my email requests and when I have called I have been told that it is being investigated.  Every time I call I have to go through the whole story and all the security questions etc.  Very disappointed.

 

The Aus/NZ forum has suggested that someone may have an email address to contact the Ruby Princess to assist expedite the resolution of this problem.

 

Hoping someone can assist and again thanks.

[Steelers36]

Have you directly written customerrelations@princess.com?  Suggest you do so as you cannot call them directly.  I'd start with a calm letter outlining the story and explain what steps you have done, etc.  Be firm and see what happens.

[aussiebossyboots]

Thanks for the input, I have been corresponding with solutions@princesscruises.com.au  I will try your customerrelations@princess.com suggestion.

[Colo Cruiser]

.

[aussiebossyboots]

Unfortunately not on FB.

 

[brisalta]

5 minutes ago, aussiebossyboots said:

Unfortunately not on FB.

 

 

Wise move.

[brisalta]

35 minutes ago, aussiebossyboots said:

Thanks for the input, I have been corresponding with solutions@princesscruises.com.au  I will try your customerrelations@princess.com suggestion.

 

If that does not help then you may need to

contact the  CEO.  Follows what I think is the email address and postal address:

 

jswartz@princesscruises.com

Jan Swartz
Princess Cruise Line
24844 Rockefeller Ave
Santa Clarita, CA  91355

 

 

[aussiebossyboots]

Just as a follow up, I received a call today (and confirmation email) that this issue has been resolved.

 

The $400 + laundry charges will be added to our OBC account on our Sea Princess cruise to Papua New Guinea which we will board this Sunday in Brisbane.  My patience paid off.

 

Finally, happy with the outcome but really had to work for it.  For future reference it's best to get on their website and fill in the contact form for better service, don't bother calling them - hopeless.

 

Thanks everyone for your comments, much appreciated.

On 1/2/2020 at 4:17 PM, brisalta said:

 

If that does not help then you may need to

contact the  CEO.  Follows what I think is the email address and postal address:

 

jswartz@princesscruises.com

Jan Swartz
Princess Cruise Line
24844 Rockefeller Ave
Santa Clarita, CA  91355

 

 

 I didn't have to contact the CEO, was leaving this for the last resort.  But have saved the information should anything go wrong in the future.

 

Thanks Again.

[leck57]

Thanks for coming back and letting us know the outcome. I was on that exact cruise and fortunately we had no problems (other than three days of barely warm showers) like you had to endure.

[CATGUY7]

Thanks for letting us know the outcome. 

[Nebr.cruiser]

I am going to try that email, as my husband's suitcase was lost or stolen somewhere between putting it out at night and picking it up in the terminal.  Numerous calls to the number we were given; have only had a call answered once and that person knew nothing/did nothing.  We just can't get any kind of response.

 

We have turned in the claim with all information required but still have heard nothing.  At this point we don't expect that his bag will turn up, but hope for at least some compensation.

 

I'm glad your story ended well.-

[Nebr.cruiser]

Well, that didn't work.  My email came back as undeliverable with fatal errors.  I have gone back and triple-checked that I used the right email address given above.

[bonsai3s]

Aussieboosyboots...glad to hear it was resolved.  Just wanted to share our story.

It's been over 20 years, but my parents also suffered through broken plumbing on a Princess ship.

No emails back in the day...just made numerous calls and sent letters to Princess.  Waited months and no resolution from Princess.

Ultimately, I just happened to have a "videotape"...yes, an actual camcorder used...of the flooding inside my parents cabin.  I decided to send a copy of the videotape, showing the leaking pipes, soaked bed, flooded floor, etc...to Princess.  Much to our surprise, Princess finally responded and gave my parents.....a free cruise.  The video was worth a thousand words.

[mellon1]

1 hour ago, bonsai3s said:

Aussieboosyboots...glad to hear it was resolved.  Just wanted to share our story.

It's been over 20 years, but my parents also suffered through broken plumbing on a Princess ship.

No emails back in the day...just made numerous calls and sent letters to Princess.  Waited months and no resolution from Princess.

Ultimately, I just happened to have a "videotape"...yes, an actual camcorder used...of the flooding inside my parents cabin.  I decided to send a copy of the videotape, showing the leaking pipes, soaked bed, flooded floor, etc...to Princess.  Much to our surprise, Princess finally responded and gave my parents.....a free cruise.  The video was worth a thousand words.

Would love you to post that to see it what could happen.  We had water in our room from rough seas and the aft pool overflowing, but a fan took care of it and it was not major, but wet..still an inconvenience.

[Daniel A]

5 hours ago, Nebr.cruiser said:

I am going to try that email, as my husband's suitcase was lost or stolen somewhere between putting it out at night and picking it up in the terminal.  Numerous calls to the number we were given; have only had a call answered once and that person knew nothing/did nothing.  We just can't get any kind of response.

 

We have turned in the claim with all information required but still have heard nothing.  At this point we don't expect that his bag will turn up, but hope for at least some compensation.

 

I'm glad your story ended well.-

Did you have travel insurance?

[Nebr.cruiser]

Well, that didn't work.  My email came back as undeliverable with fatal errors.  I have gone back and triple-checked that I used the right email address given above.

 

 

[aussiebossyboots]

7 minutes ago, Nebr.cruiser said:

Well, that didn't work.  My email came back as undeliverable with fatal errors.  I have gone back and triple-checked that I used the right email address given above.

 

 

If this is the email you used - customerrelations@princess.com -  the same thing happened to me - returned and undeliverable!!!!

I had success by going to the Princess Website and clicking on 'Contact Us' at the bottom of the website home page, it's in a Black Band.  Then use this section:  

 

If your issue does not fit in with the options just choose: Topic not listed

 

Then write out the whole story.  This was suggested to me after I spoke with the fourth customer relations person at Princess.  After I logged the complaint on the website I was contacted after about 5 days by telephone.  Hope it works for you too.

 

[frugaltravel]

I always try to resolve things in writing. Phone leaves too much without a paper trail.

 

Glad that it finally got resolved.

 

[mcrcruiser]

Glad things worked out  .Unfortunately Princess does not realize nor care how it hurts their reputation  by ignoring  what  is  a important problem for a customer 

 

 Any company who continues the non service attitude eventually will pay the price  . It does get around 

Edited January 8, 2020 by mcrcruiser

[1emerald1]

10 hours ago, Nebr.cruiser said:

Well, that didn't work.  My email came back as undeliverable with fatal errors.  I have gone back and triple-checked that I used the right email address given above.

The correct address is customerrelations@princesscruises.com.  Also, did you take out Princess' insurance?  If so maybe you could get one day reimbursed under the trip interruption clause, just an idea.

[aussiebossyboots]

Now we didn't take out Princess insurance, we have an annual insurance travel policy and they were fantastic with reimbursing my doctor's bills on the cruise.  Received the reimbursement within 4 hours of logging the claim.

 

I am not one for 'working the system' just wanted what was promised and fair.  Also, just chasing this up was so time consuming.  All done now and we are happy.

[1emerald1]

21 minutes ago, aussiebossyboots said:

Now we didn't take out Princess insurance, we have an annual insurance travel policy and they were fantastic with reimbursing my doctor's bills on the cruise.  Received the reimbursement within 4 hours of logging the claim.

 

I am not one for 'working the system' just wanted what was promised and fair.  Also, just chasing this up was so time consuming.  All done now and we are happy.

Very glad it worked out, and I would never suggest that anyone work the system.

[Aus Traveller]

32 minutes ago, 1emerald1 said:

Also, did you take out Princess' insurance?  If so maybe you could get one day reimbursed under the trip interruption clause, just an idea.

I don't know if Australians can buy Princess insurance. I haven't heard that we can. The most common types of insurance used by Australians is

1.   Single trip insurance though an insurance company

2.   Annual insurance through an insurance company -covers all trips for the year

3.   Free travel insurance that is attached to a credit card.

[leck57]

12 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

I don't know if Australians can buy Princess insurance. I haven't heard that we can. The most common types of insurance used by Australians is

1.   Single trip insurance though an insurance company

2.   Annual insurance through an insurance company -covers all trips for the year

3.   Free travel insurance that is attached to a credit card.

 

I haven't seen Princess insurance offered here either but I understand that they don't cover flights (unless EZ air) hotel bookings etc, so why would you bother. I just take out single trip insurance and as I have had cancer I now use one of the few companies here that offer cancel for any reason. I'm not usually specifically covered for cancer related reasons including any effects from my treatment (Immunotherapy) so now having cancel for any reason gives me piece of mind. 

As for credit card related insurance that is a minefield and the fine print needs close examination. It often means you have to pay for your trip using the card which can mean fees of up to 1.5%, which is avoided if you direct bank transfer the funds. That sometimes cancels out the cost of arranging your own insurance which I think is less risky.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Thanks everyone--will try all the new suggestions.  We take out an annual medical policy for all travel for a year rather than comprehensive insurance--our choice.  We may also have some recourse through our credit card but trying to wait for Princess to step up first.