Frustrated with double charge

[freedom750]

We were on the beautiful Discovery Princess for a B2B from April 24 - May 4.  We were given a complimentary free specialty dining coupon for each cruise.  We called Princess and made a reservation for each cruise.  I checked my CC statement and saw that I was charged for it.  They told me that it would be refunded once we cruised and used the restaurant.  I went to customer services on the ship and they said that they didn't have access to any charges that were done by Princess for the restaurant.  While on the ship, I called Princess and the agent waited with me for an hour to get through to customer relations but after an hour we were cut off.  He said that if you don't get through in an hour that they cut you off but that once on land I should keep trying.  So I've been trying to get through and after hours of waiting on line over a number of days I finally got through.  They said that the complimentary free dining was not actually for the dining.  It was for the cover charge to get into the restaurant.  Once in the restaurant,  we still had to pay for the meal.  That was why we were charged.  After 30+ cruises with Princess I have never heard such a thing but the person on the line said that she had it on her screen.  Has anyone else had this experience?  Book a cruise that says you get a complimentary specialty restaurant meal but it actually  just means that they pay for the cover charge to get into the restaurant, not for the meal?

[JimmyVWine]

5 minutes ago, freedom750 said:

They said that the complimentary free dining was not actually for the dining.  It was for the cover charge to get into the restaurant.  Once in the restaurant,  we still had to pay for the meal.  That was why we were charged.  After 30+ cruises with Princess I have never heard such a thing but the person on the line said that she had it on her screen.

I can 100% guarantee that this was not on her screen.  Not only is it not the policy, there is no such thing as what she was saying.  It makes absolutely no sense.  There is no such thing as a cover charge to get into a restaurant, and then a separate charge for the meal.  The concept simply does not exist.  There are certain restaurants where you have to put down a deposit in order to secure the table, but the deposit is always, ALWAYS credited against your final bill.  But that is beside the point because the Specialty Restaurants on Princess ships do not operate on this premise.  I don't have any sage words of wisdom other than that what you were told was wholly made up and I hope you got the name of the person who said it so that you can follow up and get that person canned.  And as always, if you call Princess 10 times you will get at least 7 different answers.  So maybe if you keep trying, you will find someone who can reverse the charge for you. 

[Crystabel]

You’ve given the wrong answer once again from a Princess rep. Did you book your cruise directly through Princess or through a TA? Were your complimentary dinners a perk for booking the cruise or because you were in a suite? 

[freedom750]

We booked through a Princess rep.  I emailed her the information about what had happened to us and she wrote back - hope you had a great cruise.  Please contact me if you want to book another one with your FCC.  

The complimentary dinners were a perk for booking the cruise.  When we got to our rooms we had a card saying that we had a complimentary meal on (date).

I recorded the last part of the conversation and had her verify what she said to me about the cover charge.  She was being very matter of fact with me but when I mentioned that on my over 30+ Princess cruises I had never heard of anything like this, she became much more pleasant and thanked me for my loyalty. 

[dog]

20 minutes ago, freedom750 said:

We booked through a Princess rep.  I emailed her the information about what had happened to us and she wrote back - hope you had a great cruise.  Please contact me if you want to book another one with your FCC.  

The complimentary dinners were a perk for booking the cruise.  When we got to our rooms we had a card saying that we had a complimentary meal on (date).

I recorded the last part of the conversation and had her verify what she said to me about the cover charge.  She was being very matter of fact with me but when I mentioned that on my over 30+ Princess cruises I had never heard of anything like this, she became much more pleasant and thanked me for my loyalty. 

Start emailing customer relations.

you got ripped off!! 

[Crystabel]

First of all, I would never book another cruise through your current Princess rep. Next, I would dispute the charges on my credit card. I hope you have a copy of your original booking confirmations showing the free specialty dining. Did you save the cards you received in your cabin showing the free meals showing date and time? That should be all you need to get a credit. Try going to the Princess web site and reaching out to someone through the “Chat” feature. I’ve had good luck recently getting a problem ironed out to my satisfaction. 

[Bgwest]

As @Crystabelsaid, contact your credit card company. 

 

Stop wasting time with the lackeys at Princess. Having the proper back up, which it sounds like you have, and submitting to your credit card company will put it to rest. 

 

customerrelations@princesscruises.com at one time was a useful point of contact. This has become totally worthless. 

[freedom750]

15 minutes ago, Crystabel said:

First of all, I would never book another cruise through your current Princess rep. Next, I would dispute the charges on my credit card. I hope you have a copy of your original booking confirmations showing the free specialty dining. Did you save the cards you received in your cabin showing the free meals showing date and time? That should be all you need to get a credit. Try going to the Princess web site and reaching out to someone through the “Chat” feature. I’ve had good luck recently getting a problem ironed out to my satisfaction. 

The credit charges were taken off over a month before the cruise (with the understanding that they would be refunded once I was on the ship) so it's too late to go back on them now.  I had to give my cards with the complimentary dining to the restaurant when I went there.  I did the chat feature and they said they couldn't help me.  So I went on the Princess site to get the phone # for Customer relations and after a long wait I got on and this is what I was told.  BUT it must not have been Customer relations because she said that I should call them but she didn't have a phone number for them.  

[Crystabel]

Check the cruise confirmation email you received from the Princess rep. It should say that you have complimentary specialty dining. Even if you’ve deleted the email, you should be able to pull it up on line. 

[dog]

5 minutes ago, Crystabel said:

Check the cruise confirmation email you received from the Princess rep. It should say that you have complimentary specialty dining. Even if you’ve deleted the email, you should be able to pull it up on line. 

If the travel summary was printed out it should say complimentary dining. 
 

re: customer relations HAVE helped me, so it is worth a try.  Phone, chat, email? Really not much more you can do. 
credit card dispute after you have made an effort to resolve issue- which you have.

[Popeye19]

I have the same issue of double charging on Ruby Princess - Alaska cruise 4/30 - 5/10 with complimentary specialty dining. On 4/29 I made a reservation for specialty dining to reserve a spot for our complimentary meal. We found the complimentary dining vouchers in our cabins and used them on 5/4. Our post cruise shipboard folio receipt listed a $58 charge and $58 credit on 5/4 for using the complimentary dining voucher (the Maitre d' took our vouchers). Our post-cruise folio but did not list any other $58 charges. On 5/10 after the cruise, I checked my credit card and saw Princess charged us $58 on 4/29. I immediately called customer service asking them to reverse the charge - they suggested I email them with the details - which I did, and I attached to my email a copy of my pre-cruise confirmation showing I had complimentary specialty dining.

 

I called customer service again on 5/19 for an update - they said wait a few more days, customer service is swamped. She told me if you have complimentary dining, you're not suppose to make reservations on line or thru the Medallion App, you have to use the voucher in your cabin and go to the restaurant to make the reservation. She added - Princess doesn't tell you that.  As of 5/26, no resolution, no refund, and no replies from Princess yet.

[JimmyVWine]

I know that many here have been told to go ahead and book with the charge to the card, and then have PSD remove the charge once on board, and I know that several people have been successful accomplishing this.  Others have been successful booking through the app and having the charge show up as $0 on the final screen of the booking process.  I have not been so lucky and have been toying with the idea of doing the "pay first and get it reversed later" route.  This thread has moved me off of that.  I will wait to book on board and take my chances. But I have a feeling that there is going to be a mad dash to the Specialty Dining Rooms the minute boarding starts.  If anyone sailed with Disney at the beginning of its venture, that was the only way to book Paolo, their Specialty Italian restaurant.  I did the mad dash and waited in the long line, and I swore that I would never do that again.  But here we are 25 years later, and history might have to repeat itself.

[freedom750]

27 minutes ago, dog said:

If the travel summary was printed out it should say complimentary dining. 
 

re: customer relations HAVE helped me, so it is worth a try.  Phone, chat, email? Really not much more you can do. 
credit card dispute after you have made an effort to resolve issue- which you have.

My summary account says:

Redemption Summary:

23 - Apr     Medallion Net 1-device Discount 

25 - Apr     Specialty Restaurant Cover Charge

29 - Apr     Medallion Net 1-device Discount

01 - May   Specialty Restaurant Cover Charge

And the same for my wife

 

Which in my understanding means that I redeemed my Elite status discount on internet and I also redeemed my complimentary Specialty Restaurant Cover Charge  

(But the agent said that a cover charge does not cover the cost of the meal.)

[freedom750]

30 minutes ago, Popeye19 said:

I have the same issue of double charging on Ruby Princess - Alaska cruise 4/30 - 5/10 with complimentary specialty dining. On 4/29 I made a reservation for specialty dining to reserve a spot for our complimentary meal. We found the complimentary dining vouchers in our cabins and used them on 5/4. Our post cruise shipboard folio receipt listed a $58 charge and $58 credit on 5/4 for using the complimentary dining voucher (the Maitre d' took our vouchers). Our post-cruise folio but did not list any other $58 charges. On 5/10 after the cruise, I checked my credit card and saw Princess charged us $58 on 4/29. I immediately called customer service asking them to reverse the charge - they suggested I email them with the details - which I did, and I attached to my email a copy of my pre-cruise confirmation showing I had complimentary specialty dining.

 

I called customer service again on 5/19 for an update - they said wait a few more days, customer service is swamped. She told me if you have complimentary dining, you're not suppose to make reservations on line or thru the Medallion App, you have to use the voucher in your cabin and go to the restaurant to make the reservation. She added - Princess doesn't tell you that.  As of 5/26, no resolution, no refund, and no replies from Princess yet.

I'm trying to be very patient as I know that the last 2 years have been hard on all of us and many of the new staff are untrained.  I'm hoping that the administrative service gets better because I don't want my shares to go even lower.  lol   Service on the ships has always been good for us.  Sorry to hear that you too are getting the same run around as us.  

 

[Tiggerontheseas]

2 minutes ago, freedom750 said:

(But the agent said that a cover charge does not cover the cost of the meal.)

 

I agree with everyone else who has posted saying that is nonsense.  That is one very confused agent.

[dog]

9 minutes ago, freedom750 said:

My summary account says:

Redemption Summary:

23 - Apr     Medallion Net 1-device Discount 

25 - Apr     Specialty Restaurant Cover Charge

29 - Apr     Medallion Net 1-device Discount

01 - May   Specialty Restaurant Cover Charge

And the same for my wife

 

Which in my understanding means that I redeemed my Elite status discount on internet and I also redeemed my complimentary Specialty Restaurant Cover Charge  

(But the agent said that a cover charge does not cover the cost of the meal.)

The Travel Summary I am talking about was in your cruise personalizer on princess website pre cruise. It is details of your booking.

[dog]

For the first time we were given a free specialty dinner because we were in a suite.

we were able to reserve it precruise on the app with the charge showing as $0

 

i am watching my credit card to make sure there isn’t a charge.

we did not receive a card in the room, nor anything to sign in the Crown Grill.

[Crystabel]

I’ve learned to save EVERYTHING, whether it be by a photo, printout or a screen shot. Sounds like I don’t trust Princess… 

Edited May 26, 2022 by Crystabel

[cr8tiv1]

23 minutes ago, dog said:

For the first time we were given a free specialty dinner because we were in a suite.

we were able to reserve it precruise on the app with the charge showing as $0

 

i am watching my credit card to make sure there isn’t a charge.

we did not receive a card in the room, nor anything to sign in the Crown Grill.

 

I have heard of others being able to reserve suite first night dinner pre-cruise.  I have never been able to do that without Princess trying to charge me for the Crown Grill.  Even....if I scroll down to the very bottom.  I have learned to just go to the venue on embarkation day (since my muster station is also there). 

 

I have been able to make reservations for free voucher credits using the app.  I highly recommend making pre-cruise reservations IF...IF...IF you have a promotional free dinner associated with your booking statement.  It is getting harder to book reservations once on board.  Too many "free" dinners.  Not enough staff to open both restaurants.  NOW...if only Princess knew which restaurants they are going to close, when.  Can't help you there.

[jagoffee]

36 minutes ago, dog said:

For the first time we were given a free specialty dinner because we were in a suite.

we were able to reserve it precruise on the app with the charge showing as $0

 

i am watching my credit card to make sure there isn’t a charge.

we did not receive a card in the room, nor anything to sign in the Crown Grill.

The reservation was for the first night?

Edited May 26, 2022 by jagoffee

[Papa Yoda]

 

I agree with waiting until you board to redeem and make resers, just off the Grand and Sabatini's and Crown were not swamped with folks making reservations. 

 

In all our cruises, I've rarely had more than a few people in line at the venue making reservations on embarkation.  And in a suite, no issues moving the reservation in person to another night.  We never get anything to sign for suite dinners.  Wish there was sometimes to make tipping easier.  But then we never get anything to sign when we do pay the "cover charge", it just shows up in the folio.

 

And of course, it is confusingly called a cover charge by Princess - which does indeed "cover" the cost of the meal...

[pris993]

We had a complimentary dinner on a recent cruise. My family did prebook and prepay for some dinners when they made reservations.  We did not try to mix the complimentary or prepaid dinners.  I don't think that will work at all.

 

We decided to use the complimentary dinner the first night on board.  No problem.   We told staff we would be returning the next night and wanted the same table, that reservations were in family name with different cabin number.  

 

Day 3 we discovered we got charged for 2nd night that had been prepaid.  We went to Customer Service, they did correct it but told us we had to remind folks at Crown Grill that dinners were repaid each time when we went.   There did not seem to be any communications between the prepaid reservations and ship/Crown Grill, even though initial reservation included all guest names with each reservation.  Doing so we avoid being charged twice. 

 

 

 

[freedom750]

With so many of exactly the same complaints you would think that they would have a process in place to resolve them rather than having agents keep telling their loyal patrons all kinds of things that aren't true.   

And I must say that the frustration that I have gone through is not worth the price of one dinner out so I'm close to walking away from my claim, chocking it up as an experience and continue to look on the bright side and all the wonderful experiences I have had with Princess over the years.  There's enough serious injustice in this world that I am putting time and effort into compared to this minor inconvenience.  I know - it's the principle of it.  But I don't like to live there.

Thanks to all of you for letting me vent.  And for sharing your similar stories.  Now I am looking forward to an Alaskan cruise on RC this Sunday and another Alaskan cruise on HA mid June.  It's great to live in the Vancouver, BC area and to catch the sky train right to the cruise terminal dock.  I save the cost of several specialty meals by not having to park a vehicle or fly.  In the end it all works out!

[caribill]

Obviously the rep was poorly trained as the cover charge is basically there to pay for the meal and that reason only.

[deliver42]

Princess's customer service is starting to sound like MSC. That means zero.