Princess Customer Service (your experience - mine was awful!!!!!)

[voljeep]

21 minutes ago, riffatsea said:

I will repeat this only 1 more time.

Stop calling the folks who answer the 800 number "customer service reps"

They are sales people!

They can do very little or almost nothing as far as service goes

Once you book the cruise they can cancel or maybe change your cabin or book another cruise

Anything else is just a waste of your time

they can refare after final ... even if you have a PVP that states you can't ...

[MikeD4134]

This information is from the Princess website.  Nowhere does it state that Foriegn Birth Certificates are acceptable. The Last sentence on this page clarifies that this information is guidance and who you should contact for official answers.  There are many places and times as one goes thru the process of booking a cruise, the cruiser is notified that it is their responiblity to have all proper documentation.  Including warnings that if not in posession of proper documents you will be denied boarding and no refund given.  This OP's problem is not a Princess problem it is his problem for not doing enough to assure that his brother had the right docs.  There is a link in the middle of this information to U.S. Customs and Border protection website, Princess makes it pretty easy to get the correct information.

 

Travel Document Requirements*

Ensure your name appears exactly as shown on your travel document. If the name does not match, contact your Travel Advisor (Travel Advisor must call in corrections if the booking was made through a travel agency) or the Princess Cruises Reservations Department if you booked directly with Princess, at 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237). Please provide Princess Cruises with this information at least 45 days prior to your cruise. Failure to do so will result in delayed check-in and, possibly, denied boarding.

For non-US passport or non-US permanent residents disembarking in a US Port, the US Department of Homeland Security requires that before your cruise, you provide the address at which you will be staying in the US, post-cruise.

Travel Document requirements vary by destination and your citizenship. Below are document guidelines for both domestic and international voyages. Once a booking is made, you may view voyage specific requirements on the Cruise Personalizer.

Document Requirements for US and Canadian Passport Holders

A valid passport is required for all international itineraries including Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, India, Central and South America, Panama Canal (partial and full transit), Caribbean voyages that visit Martinique or Guadeloupe, South Pacific, Tahiti and World Cruises. Although US and Canadian passport holders are not currently required to sail with a passport on most domestic itineraries (including Alaska, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Hawaii, and Mexico), Princess highly recommends they are carried.

If your cruise requires international air travel, including flights between the US and Canada, the Caribbean, Bermuda or Mexico, you will be required to present a valid passport when departing from or returning to the US by air. Even if your cruise does not involve air travel outside the US, should you be required to unexpectedly depart a vessel prior to the end of the sailing, a passport would be required to re-enter the US by air.  As such, Princess Cruises continues to strongly recommend that all guests are in possession of a valid passport.

For domestic itineraries for which a passport is not required, US and Canadian passport holders must present one of the following valid Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant travel documents at cruise check-in:

• Passport Book: Recommended travel document
• US Passport Card
• US or Canadian Issued Enhanced Driver's License (EDL)
• US or Canadian Issued Identification Card (issued to minors and non-drivers)
• NEXUS Card Air travel is limited to participating airports
• SENTRI and FAST cards
• I-872 American Indian Card or Enhanced Tribal ID Card (ETC)

PASSPORT REQUIREMENT WHEN MINORS TRAVEL WITH ONE ADULT ON VOYAGES GOVERNED BY THE U.S. WESTERN HEMISPHERE TRAVEL INITIATIVE (includes travel within BERMUDA, CANADA, CARIBBEAN, HAWAII, MEXICO, UNITED STATES) When minors are traveling with only one adult 21 years of age or older, Princess requires that all guests must be in possession of a valid passport. We have implemented this requirement because we want to ensure that your party remains together should an emergency arise that requires one or more in your party to be disembarked in a non-U.S. port. We cannot guarantee that all members of your party will be allowed to disembark with just a WHTI-compliant document or birth certificate. Failure to present a valid passport for all guests traveling together will result in denial of boarding without refund of the cruise or cruisetour fare.

US citizens traveling on U.S. roundtrip or “closed-loop” voyages may also travel with an original certified birth certificate presented together with a valid government-issued photo identification. These voyages include:
 

• Alaska roundtrip from San Francisco or Seattle (roundtrip Seattle cruisetours excluded)
• Canada/New England roundtrip from New York
• Caribbean roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale^ or New York
• Hawaii roundtrip from Los Angeles or San Francisco
• Mexico roundtrip from Los Angeles or San Francisco

^Voyages that call to Central or South America are excluded and only Passports or WHTI compliant documents are accepted. All voyages that call to Martinique or Guadeloupe require a passport.

For information regarding WHTI compliant documents, visit the US Customs and Border Protection website.

US Permanent Residents are required to present one of the following at cruise check-in:

• Permanent Resident Card (ARC/I-55 card)
• Temporary ARC/I-55 card and valid government-issued photo identification
• Expired ARC/I-55 card and form I-797 and valid government-issued photo identification
• Passport with “ARC” stamp in the passport

Canadian Permanent Residents are required to present a valid passport and Landed Permanent Resident Card at cruise check-in.

Non-US/Non-Canadian Passport Holders: A valid passport is required for all non-US and non-Canadian citizens for all itineraries.

Passport validity: Many countries require passports be valid for six months after the completion of your travel. Check your passport to verify it will be valid for this period of time. Please ensure the name on the passport matches the name on the booking. Additionally, make certain that your passport contains blank pages for entry and exit endorsements and any visas that may be required. If necessary, allow sufficient time to renew your passport and/or obtain additional pages. US and Canadian passport holders sailing on a domestic cruise should ensure passports or other travel documents are valid through the completion of travel. There may be occasions where we retain your passport at check-in. This is to ensure that you are not inconvenienced by immigration clearance during your cruise and where face to face inspection is not required. We recommend you bring a second government issued photo ID if you wish to have one with you while in port.

There are over 7,000 Application Acceptance locations in the US. You may locate the one closest to you by going to the US Department of State website. The United States Postal Service also provides passport services. To obtain this information, go to the US Postal website to find a Post Office location, fees, and to download a passport application.

For information regarding Passport applications, please visit Department of State travel website or call the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778 (M-F, 5am - 5pm PST).

*This information is provided as general guidance. Because governmental travel requirements change periodically, you must check with your Travel Advisor or the government authorities for all countries you will visit to determine or verify the actual requirements at the time of sailing. Princess assumes no responsibility for advising guests of such requirements.

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, brisalta said:

@Nykr9595 It is stated at https://www.princess.com/learn/faq/pre-cruise/prepare-for-your-cruise/ in the "Travel Document Requirements" section what documents to bring. Unfortunately it does not state that the birth certificate must be issued by a US based jurisdiction.

I recommend that you go the FAQ and expand the section mentioned and print it with a time stamp. It may be useful in your dispute resolution.

PLC's FAQ's are famously outdated in multiple areas.  Not that this is a recent issue.

[brisalta]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

PLC's FAQ's are famously outdated in multiple areas.  Not that this is a recent issue.

 

Except the FAQ is not out of date but just plain incorrectly worded in this case.

[atexsix]

On 4/30/2022 at 11:49 AM, PhotoFlo said:

I am guessing that my planner didn't want to spend her day on hold either which is why she dissappeared off the face of the earth. 

When I last called Princess customer service it was one of the strangest business interactions ever.  The CSA had a peculiar habit of raising her voice at the end of every sentence, so it sounded like she was scolding me. 

 

So much for recording our calls.  Quality assurance seems to have also disappeared off the face of the earth.

[pris993]

On 4/30/2022 at 9:49 AM, atexsix said:

Yes, it's bad.  My customer service interaction with Princess makes me want to run screaming back to Holland America, which isn't exactly a day at the beach, but better than Princess.  

 

If we cruise Princess again, key word IF, we're going to be using a planner or TA.  

If you are counting on a planner or TA, good luck.   They are simply salespeople too.

 

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, pris993 said:

If you are counting on a planner or TA, good luck.   They are simply salespeople too.

 

But there is a difference. The TA represents you while the planner works for the cruise line.

[pris993]

3 hours ago, ontheweb said:

But there is a difference. The TA represents you while the planner works for the cruise line.

 I would not count on a TA representing me.  For that reason, I have not used any TAs for 10-15 years now.   I have caught TAs in lies and mis information enough that I decided I could do just well for myself and have for years now.   But that means you need to invest your own time to do your own research.

[cr8tiv1]

1 hour ago, pris993 said:

 I would not count on a TA representing me.  For that reason, I have not used any TAs for 10-15 years now.   I have caught TAs in lies and mis information enough that I decided I could do just well for myself and have for years now.   But that means you need to invest your own time to do your own research.

 

I totally agree with your last sentence.  I trust my TA and she points me in the right direction.  I do not know enough about the travel (cruise) business to keep up with all the changes.  Now, I do take care of ALL my flight bookings.  That is something I am very familiar with.

 

It looks like OP did not have a TA to advise her of the necessary documents.  It looks like OP relied on one (erroneous) source for her brother's documents.  As my doctor tells me...please do not rely on Dr. Google to answer my medical questions.

Edited May 2, 2022 by cr8tiv1

[caribill]

On 4/30/2022 at 3:36 PM, MikeD4134 said:

This information is from the Princess website.  Nowhere does it state that Foriegn Birth Certificates are acceptable.

 

"US citizens traveling on U.S. roundtrip or “closed-loop” voyages may also travel with an original certified birth certificate presented together with a valid government-issued photo identification."

 

 

If the brother is now a US Citizen, the quoted sentence does not indicate the birth certificate could not be a foreign one.

 

It does not say "US citizens by birth". It just says "US Citizens".

 

So if the phone rep read that information, it is no surprise that the phone rep said it would be acceptable.

[Ronnieslady]

I think the OP will win the dispute with the credit card company.  The bank will try to reach out to Princess to see their side of the story.   American Express told me if they don’t hear back from Princess,  we win.   And do you think Princess will get back to the bank, with everything that is going on right now.    Not in a million years .   I hope the OP follows thru with the credit card company.  Princess for sure will not.

[Ombud]

On 4/30/2022 at 9:44 AM, ontheweb said:

Right, both the FAQ and the customer service representative said one thing, but it turned out to be the wrong information. However, the cruise line can fall back on its contract language that basically says it can do whatever it wants. That may be technically right, but it still stinks. And it is not a way to keep customers repeating.

Yes but it does also give a link to US Customs & Border Pritection as WHTI can be confusing (For information regarding WHTI compliant documents, visit the US Customs and Border Protection website.) 

[ontheweb]

7 hours ago, pris993 said:

 I would not count on a TA representing me.  For that reason, I have not used any TAs for 10-15 years now.   I have caught TAs in lies and mis information enough that I decided I could do just well for myself and have for years now.   But that means you need to invest your own time to do your own research.

Just like everything else in life, there are excellent TAs, good TAs, mediocre TAs, and downright bad TAs.

 

And even with the best you should be doing your own research as you know your needs and desires the best.

[pris993]

4 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Just like everything else in life, there are excellent TAs, good TAs, mediocre TAs, and downright bad TAs.

 

And even with the best you should be doing your own research as you know your needs and desires the best.

Yes, you are right, doing your own research is critical. 

[pris993]

10 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

I totally agree with your last sentence.  I trust my TA and she points me in the right direction.  I do not know enough about the travel (cruise) business to keep up with all the changes.  Now, I do take care of ALL my flight bookings.  That is something I am very familiar with.

 

It looks like OP did not have a TA to advise her of the necessary documents.  It looks like OP relied on one (erroneous) source for her brother's documents.  As my doctor tells me...please do not rely on Dr. Google to answer my medical questions.

The OP may have done better to use google to research the issue.  It is amazing what you can research on your own using our computer.  

[voljeep]

8 hours ago, Ronnieslady said:

I think the OP will win the dispute with the credit card company.  The bank will try to reach out to Princess to see their side of the story.   American Express told me if they don’t hear back from Princess,  we win.   And do you think Princess will get back to the bank, with everything that is going on right now.    Not in a million years .   I hope the OP follows thru with the credit card company.  Princess for sure will not.

nothing to stop Princess even after that if it happens - Princess will send collection letter(s) and possibly report to credit bureaus

[MikeD4134]

10 hours ago, caribill said:

 

If the brother is now a US Citizen, the quoted sentence does not indicate the birth certificate could not be a foreign one.

 

It does not say "US citizens by birth". It just says "US Citizens".

 

So if the phone rep read that information, it is no surprise that the phone rep said it would be acceptable.

You need proof of U.S. citizenship, a German Birth certificate is not proof of U.S. citizenship. 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 4/30/2022 at 12:28 PM, brisalta said:

Unfortunately it does not state that the birth certificate must be issued by a US based jurisdiction.

that is probably because pretty much every foreign born US citizen knows and understands that their foreign birth certificate in no way proves that they are US citizens and is not valid for reentry into the US. Neither does the US driver's license alone.

 

[caribill]

12 minutes ago, MikeD4134 said:

You need proof of U.S. citizenship, a German Birth certificate is not proof of U.S. citizenship. 

 

I agree with you 100%.

 

My point is that the Princess web site does not say that.

 

Princess says if you are a US Citizen you can board with a birth certificate and a diver's license on eligible cruises.

 

Princess does not say on its web site:

If you were not born a US Citizen, you must also produce proof of naturalization along with the birth certificate and driver's license.

 

Thus a phone rep relying on the information Princess provides will give incorrect information to someone asking about about using a foreign birth certificate.

 

 

[Ombud]

On 4/29/2022 at 7:52 PM, Nykr9595 said:

The Passport office told us  the closest appointments available for my brother was Arkansas and Puerto Rico.

It is unfortunate that they did not refer him to an expediter like the SF, Clayton, and Walnut Creek office does. Yes it's an extra $100 but they supposedly can get one. Grandson has an appointment with them when he returns from current tour ($130 application fee + a $35 execution fee + $100 expedite = $265). The LA offices are at

1.  Los Angeles Passport Agency, Passport office in Los Angeles County, California

2. 24 Hour Passport & Visas Los Angeles, 11022 Santa Monica Blvd #100

3. 24 Hour Passport & Visas Los Angeles, 8170 Beverly Blvd #101

I'm not posting that to chastise OP for not knowing but in case others will need an expediter. 

 

11 hours ago, Ronnieslady said:

..... do you think Princess will get back to the bank, with everything that is going on right now.    Not in a million years .   I hope the OP follows thru with the credit card company.  Princess for sure will not.

 

Yes Princess will respond. This is 2022 not 2020. Refunds are coming through in days not months. In fact, PVPs can get them transferred while the cruiser is on the phone! So yeah, they will state that the person did not cancel but showed up without proper documentation.  Sucks!! 🤬🤬

[brisalta]

35 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Yes Princess will respond. This is 2022 not 2020. Refunds are coming through in days not months. In fact, PVPs can get them transferred while the cruiser is on the phone! So yeah, they will state that the person did not cancel but showed up without proper documentation.  Sucks!! 🤬🤬

 

Regards time to get a refund. I had to cancel a cruise last Wednesday and the port fees and taxes were refunded to my credit card the next day. (I have to work with travel insurance to make a claim for the fare).

[Nykr9595]

OMBUD - A family friend is an expediter in Los Angeles and told me that since the pandemic started they can no longer do same day, same week or even multiple week expediting. The way it works is that you can not go to the passport office in person unless you have a reservation no more than 5 days out.  Then you call an 800 number and they tell you the earliest appt. In our case there were none in Los Angeles or within 1300 miles.  So I suppose if your expediter happens to have an office in Arkansas or wherever an office is available at that time and can Fedex the documents there and return them it's kind of unlikely - and certainly not for $100. What they used to do is combine a bunch of applications and send a person to the passport office that morning  - The passport office no longer allows that - except for a death in the family.  We did try quite a few avenues to get the passport without luck.  We even tried to get an enhanced DL in time - but could not.

[Nykr9595]

For those who haven't read the passage contract it does say to contact the Travel Advisor as an option.

Whether I should have taken that advice is a lesson learned.

 

"It is the Guest's sole responsibility to obtain and have available when necessary the appropriate valid travel documents. All Guests are advised to check with their travel advisor or the appropriate government authority to determine the necessary documents. You will be refused boarding or disembarked without recourse or liability for refund, payment, compensation, or credit of any kind if You do not have proper documentation, and You will be subject to any fine or other costs incurred by Carrier which result from improper documentation or noncompliance with applicable regulations, which amount may be charged to Your stateroom account and/or credit card."

[Nykr9595]

FYI - I got a very nice call from Princess this morning.  They said they were going to refund my brothers fare.  Will update my post if that happens and provide more details.

[cr8tiv1]

@Nykr9595Thank you very much for returning to this thread and providing an update.  I am glad Princess will be refunding your brother's fare.  I hope, once onboard, you were able to relax and enjoy your cruise.  I know that I, unexpected, had my cabin mates cancel at the last minute AND enjoyed my solo time much more than I had anticipated.