Pitiful customer service

[Eglesbrech]

I’m sure if you scroll through the boards there will be complaints on several cruise board about poor service as Atlantacruise above highlights.

 

It begs the question though why for a product that is both discretionary spend and fairly expensive they would inconvenience and annoy their customers like this.
 

Cruise lines try to differentiate their product based on the services they offer onboard but could lose custom based on call waiting times. Someone senior should be looking the call waiting times, dropped call times, on hold etc. For most CRM systems these numbers will be visible to staff and management all day, every day.

[kjg46]

I am on the Regal Princess now Trans-Atlantic. I asked the Future Cruise Consult about the poor phone service. He mentioned the the are about 300 people short. Can’t get Folks to work even from home. He joked and offered me a job. “So there you have it”

[ontheweb]

4 hours ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

Sadly, the long holds and incompetent staff are rife at all the cruise lines!

 

I spent over 16hrs last week, over the course of 3 days, trying to get through to “Flights by Celebrity” to fix a simple air issue for a customer (flight time change by the airline created an illegal connection of 20 minutes) . Once I finally got an “agent” he had to put me on hold multiple times as he had ZERO clue how to make the necessary changes and protect the fare. He kept asking if I wanted to cancel “my” air and rebook…. No I needed to have my clients air schedule modified due to an airline schedule change with the fare protected.  Which is what the email notice I received from Celebrity informed me needed to be done.  Then he kept trying to read me a script about buying stuff on their CruisePlanner each time he came back on the phone. He would not escalate me to a supervisor.

And customers would not have to be on hold if they use you or any other TA. But, I do feel sorry for you and other TAs for what they have to go through.

 

I guess "having control of your booking" does not mean you can get through to a cruise line by phone without a wait and easily get your problem fixed. 🤦‍♂️

[Coral]

7 hours ago, dog said:

That is their choice. My TA now retired never complained about doing her job 

I think long hold times and dealing with inexperienced cruise line staff is something that started recently (with pandemic). My agent never said anything about this previously.

[Coral]

I probably spent 10-12 hours on the phone over a few days period trying to get a computer glitch fixed with my booking. It was a nightmare just getting someone to understand the issue. Most dismissed that it was an issue all together. 

[AF-1]

9 hours ago, emont said:

I am writing this as I continue to sit on hold waiting for “customer service” … 5 hours, 11minutes and counting!  I have been trying to reach a representative to correct an error made by Princess: the destination of my flight booked through Princess was changed without any input from me. I have  spoken to 4 different reps with no answers or explanation. Unable to reach a supervisor. As it is now past 7pm PST and Princess is closed, I will have to try again tomorrow. I have been sailing on Princess for over 20 years, however, this experience leaves me questioning my choice of Princess for this or any future cruise. This is no way to treat a customer!

Have you tried just canceling your EZ Air and then rebook?

[Lady Arwen]

Honestly, everything changed for me when I decided to use a PVP.  Now, if I have issues, I call her and she answers almost immediately, or I Ieave a voicemail message.  She calls me back when the issue has been resolved, usually within an hour.  I refuse to sit on hold for hours and then reach someone who cannot help me.

[Happy2cruise]

It's not just the cruiselines, have you tried calling Jet Blue....there are longer waits with them!!

[billco]

58 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

Honestly, everything changed for me when I decided to use a PVP.  Now, if I have issues, I call her and she answers almost immediately, or I Ieave a voicemail message.  She calls me back when the issue has been resolved, usually within an hour.  I refuse to sit on hold for hours and then reach someone who cannot help me.

I have had the exact same experience. I can't say my PVP answers calls, but she does return calls and she resolves issues. Also, my PVP has access to services that aren't available directly, TA, or even Princess customer services.

[ontheweb]

58 minutes ago, Happy2cruise said:

It's not just the cruiselines, have you tried calling Jet Blue....there are longer waits with them!!

I don't know specifically about Jet Blue, but I do remember calling an airline and being given the option of being called back. I have not heard of any cruise line giving that option.

[ontheweb]

24 minutes ago, billco said:

I have had the exact same experience. I can't say my PVP answers calls, but she does return calls and she resolves issues. Also, my PVP has access to services that aren't available directly, TA, or even Princess customer services.

How do you know that your PVP has access directly to services not available to TAs?

[Marelaine]

If any of you plan to continue sailing with Princess, request to be assigned to a Princess Vacation Planner. I've only sailed Princess twice, had the second cruise cancelled and rebooked a few times due to the pandemic. Whenever I call my PVP, I leave a message and he returns my call within 24 hours. He's been a great time saver, knows the Princess product, always checks to see if the price has dropped or if he can offer any discounts. 

 

 

[Daniel A]

1 minute ago, Marelaine said:

If any of you plan to continue sailing with Princess, request to be assigned to a Princess Vacation Planner. I've only sailed Princess twice, had the second cruise cancelled and rebooked a few times due to the pandemic. Whenever I call my PVP, I leave a message and he returns my call within 24 hours. He's been a great time saver, knows the Princess product, always checks to see if the price has dropped or if he can offer any discounts. 

Does a PVP offer additional OBC as many TAs do?

[memoak]

Just another reason I use a PVP. She takes wonderful care of me

[ehogan]

Do the PVPs get a benefit (ie a commission) if you book with them rather than at the Princess 800 number?  I have a PVP who has not really been satisfactory (no response or slow responses to my emails) so I have been doing my bookings and queries about problems on line or by 800 number.  He is pretty good about sending me emails about world cruises tho!

[billco]

57 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

Does a PVP offer additional OBC as many TAs do?

I checked a recent booking with my PVP and noticed my account did list a small Travel Agent Group Promotion OBC. Not really an issue, since I started booking Princess Plus and also have stockholder and military OBC. My PVP has saved me a great deal in other ways that a TA can't. TA or PVP - it's all good.

[billco]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

How do you know that your PVP has access directly to services not available to TAs?

Because I have had TAs who couldn't do what my PVP has done. I am basing my experience on almost 40 cruises over the past 20 years with booking directly, regular customer service, and various TAs and PVPs.

Edited March 23, 2022 by billco

[generichandle]

PVP!!????

 

I TRIED to get a new PVP,  mine will never, ever respond since the first day she was assigned to me. I too have spent countless hours on the phone, 5+ yesterday, and they just transfer to someone else who refuses after many hours to answer [my evil suspicion is that they tell them who and why and do not pick up].

 

I was always one who extolled Princess, precisely because of it's outstanding service. I am Elite and was happy to be so. Now ................ it's a nightmare. 

 

1. After long waits they forever tranfer, or, worse, *lose the line*, and then never after 4 hour waits answer, leading to my above suspicion. 

 

2. The music! That blaring, crashing sound clearly intended to be irritating and encourage you to give up in order to not hear it. How about a little light Mozart or Chopin. 

 

3. It is especially hard when you have others getting easy accommodation. I have begged for a new PVP, but they KEEP sending me to HER. 

 

After many happy years I admit I am losing hope. I fear a break is coming, and I am not a person easily accepting of this kind of change. 

Edited March 23, 2022 by generichandle

[Molliem]

We requested a transfer to our TA after deposit made but long before final payment.  Guess Princess was so far behind that they didn't address our request until we had to make final payment.  Of course transfer was denied at that time!  Even though we had emails to prove our request for transfer prior to final payment, request was refused!!

[dockman]

3 hours ago, ontheweb said:

I don't know specifically about Jet Blue, but I do remember calling an airline and being given the option of being called back. I have not heard of any cruise line giving that option.

Agree.  I have used the call back feature from american and united and it is great...sometimes takes an hour or two but sure beats sitting on hold listening to horrible music or recordings about how valuable you are as a customer...but obviously not valuable enough for Princess to figure out what it takes to hire train and retain staff...(Idea for princess...pay more and offer couple of free cruises a year as partial compensation and you will get a lot more applicants...heck you might even get a few of us old cruise critic retirees or travel agents who are struggling to say afloat who have done dozens of cruises and been dealing with princess for years to work for you)

[dog]

My assigned PVP, only contacts me when   She sees I put a cruise on hold. Has never returned a call or answered an email I have sent her.

my long time TA retired during the Pandemic & I find dealing directly calling Princess first thing in the morning for FCC bookings has been best for me.

 

[Lady Arwen]

52 minutes ago, dog said:

My assigned PVP, only contacts me when   She sees I put a cruise on hold. Has never returned a call or answered an email I have sent her.

my long time TA retired during the Pandemic & I find dealing directly calling Princess first thing in the morning for FCC bookings has been best for me.

 

I must be so lucky!  My PVP calls me to see if there’s anything she can do to help with either cruises I have booked or future ones under consideration.  Always returns my voicemail messages.  She called recently to see if I needed assistance booking flights for our cruise in September embarking n Southampton.  She’s really the best!

[san diego sue]

2 hours ago, generichandle said:

PVP!!????

 

I TRIED to get a new PVP,  mine will never, ever respond since the first day she was assigned to me. I too have spent countless hours on the phone, 5+ yesterday, and they just transfer to someone else who refuses after many hours to answer [my evil suspicion is that they tell them who and why and do not pick up].

 

I was always one who extolled Princess, precisely because of it's outstanding service. I am Elite and was happy to be so. Now ................ it's a nightmare. 

 

1. After long waits they forever tranfer, or, worse, *lose the line*, and then never after 4 hour waits answer, leading to my above suspicion. 

 

2. The music! That blaring, crashing sound clearly intended to be irritating and encourage you to give up in order to not hear it. How about a little light Mozart or Chopin. 

 

3. It is especially hard when you have others getting easy accommodation. I have begged for a new PVP, but they KEEP sending me to HER. 

 

After many happy years I admit I am losing hope. I fear a break is coming, and I am not a person easily accepting of this kind of change. 

I had the same PVP  that you did. She is one stupid lady. She didn't respond to my emails or phone calls. When I made contact with another one, (a friend gave me the direct number), The new one got it changed for me. I had told her the problem I had with the other one. Well, the original one called me and said she had 500 emails to respond to and had customers to take care of so that is why she didn't email or respond to my phone calls or emails. Stupid moron that she was. I responded that I thought I was a customer. She kept calling with apologies and I didn't bother answering my phone.New one is better but mostly I still prefer to use my regular travel agent. I must say the new PVP responds right away and it has been a pleasure dealing with her.

[Marelaine]

On 3/23/2022 at 10:45 AM, Daniel A said:

Does a PVP offer additional OBC as many TAs do?

I don't believe PVPs offer additional credit because they work for Princess, not another agency. But mine was familiar with current discounts and would do a price comparison every time I called.

The main advantage of having a PVP, right now, is avoiding that hold time for the main customer service number. I could leave him a message and he would call back within 24 hours. 

I'm sad to see that others haven't had the same experience. I wonder if many of the PVPs were laid off during the pandemic.

 

Edited March 27, 2022 by Marelaine

[Coral]

On 3/23/2022 at 9:45 AM, Daniel A said:

Does a PVP offer additional OBC as many TAs do?

They can't.