Live - Sky Princess - Norway Fjords - 11 June - 14 nights

[Milaandra]

2 hours ago, nini said:

The crazy issues on the ship truly had nothing to do with you getting covid.

That isn't what I said.  I was just describing the cherry on top of a pretty crappy ending to the cruise.

 

The biggest issue is the lack of timely communication.  One of our roll call members found out about the delay in Haugesund from her private tour guide on the 10th.  Didn't Princess tell us on the 12th?  Some passengers knew about the covid outbreak a full 24 hours before we were informed officially.  And they must have known there was a good chance they were going to miss their window for disembarkation docking...why not tell us of the possibility so we could try and make alternative arrangements before everything was closed for the day?  And what was with the unexpected information about the ship being too big for the shorter way to Lofoten?  Why wasn't that anticipated?

[India2017]

We were on this cruise also unfortunately tested positive for Covid 

just wondering if anyone is aware of how many cases there were

Were others abandoned by Princess at disembarkation like us

no knock on door as promised

so we finally left our cabin and went down to gang way to find scores of other Plague Victims leaving the Ship with no Covid safety protocol being observed

when in the terminal we mixed (of course wearing masks) with (non plague) passengers and indeed new arrivals who were not wearing masks 😷 to find we had descended into absolute chaos we had 3 taxi drivers abandon their journey to us finally the 4th bless him preserved and we finally got to our car and arrived home (Leeds) at midnight !!!

 a very strong 3 page letter of complaint (email) on its way or it would be if I could find a email address anybody?
many thanks 

[ozscotart]

13 minutes ago, India2017 said:

 

We were on this cruise also unfortunately tested positive for Covid 

just wondering if anyone is aware of how many cases there were

Were others abandoned by Princess at disembarkation like us

no knock on door as promised

so we finally left our cabin and went down to gang way to find scores of other Plague Victims leaving the Ship with no Covid safety protocol being observed

when in the terminal we mixed (of course wearing masks) with (non plague) passengers and indeed new arrivals who were not wearing masks 😷 to find we had descended into absolute chaos we had 3 taxi drivers abandon their journey to us finally the 4th bless him preserved and we finally got to our car and arrived home (Leeds) at midnight !!!

 a very strong 3 page letter of complaint (email) on its way or it would be if I could find a email address anybody?
many thanks 

Guestrelationsuk@princesscruises.co.uk 

[India2017]

Thank you very much for this 

we have posted letter as well but at least with a email address we know it has arrived even if they never reply haha 

 

Sandra 

[nini]

This link may also be of assistance. It contains e-mail and Executive contacts.

 

https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/princess-cruise-lines/

[nini]

I would send it certified/ return receipt (or the UK version of such). It may get more attention if it has to be signed for.

[brynmelyndavid]

On 6/28/2022 at 9:55 AM, Milaandra said:

That isn't what I said.  I was just describing the cherry on top of a pretty crappy ending to the cruise.

 

The biggest issue is the lack of timely communication.  One of our roll call members found out about the delay in Haugesund from her private tour guide on the 10th.  Didn't Princess tell us on the 12th?  Some passengers knew about the covid outbreak a full 24 hours before we were informed officially.  And they must have known there was a good chance they were going to miss their window for disembarkation docking...why not tell us of the possibility so we could try and make alternative arrangements before everything was closed for the day?  And what was with the unexpected information about the ship being too big for the shorter way to Lofoten?  Why wasn't that anticipated?

The issue as I understand it with the route between Tromso and Lofoten is that there is a narrow channel which Sky Princess can navigate but which requires a pilot ship. If the pilot ship is not available, as seems to happen occasionally, the ship is deemed too large for the channel and has to take the long way round, causing a late arrival in the Lofotens. It has happened on at least one other cruise I was following this year. 

[capriccio]

57 minutes ago, brynmelyndavid said:

The issue as I understand it with the route between Tromso and Lofoten is that there is a narrow channel which Sky Princess can navigate but which requires a pilot ship. If the pilot ship is not available, as seems to happen occasionally, the ship is deemed too large for the channel and has to take the long way round, causing a late arrival in the Lofotens. It has happened on at least one other cruise I was following this year. 

That happened on our June 2019 Land of the Midnight Sun cruise on the Sapphire Princess.  We didn't get into Gravdal (Lofoten Island) until 1 pm IIRC and then disembarkation was by tender.  We were lucky our excursion company was able to reschedule but the tour was shortened and rushed.

Edited June 29, 2022 by capriccio

[bbtablet]

On 6/28/2022 at 4:29 PM, ozscotart said:

Guestrelationsuk@princesscruises.co.uk 

are you sure that shouldn't be:

Guestrelationssuck@princesscruises.co.uk?

[KikiKruiser]

(Also asked on the June 11 thread)

Anyone here from the June 11 cruise still quarantined at a Heathrow hotel?  Mainly the U.S. guests. Wondering if Princess has been checking up on you at all, or did they just drop you off and let you know when you could fly home?  

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, KikiKruiser said:

(Also asked on the June 11 thread)

Anyone here from the June 11 cruise still quarantined at a Heathrow hotel?  Mainly the U.S. guests. Wondering if Princess has been checking up on you at all, or did they just drop you off and let you know when you could fly home?  

Answered in your other post.

No one needs to quarantine anymore.

[KikiKruiser]

58 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Answered in your other post.

No one needs to quarantine anymore.

My friends and others were bussed by Princess to a hotel at Heathrow to finish out the quarantine they started on the ship!  DR gave them letters with the dates they were OK to fly home to the U.S. They are not happy campers...

 😔

Edited June 29, 2022 by KikiKruiser

[wowzz]

6 minutes ago, KikiKruiser said:

My friends and others were bussed by Princess to a hotel at Heathrow to finish out the quarantine they started on the ship!  DR gave them letters with the dates they were OK to fly home to the U.S. They are not happy campers...

 😔

Seems a nonsense. They did not need to stay in a hotel, and could have flown back to the US whenever they liked. 

Princess are making up their own rules,  that are totally different to the rules of the US and the UK.

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, KikiKruiser said:

My friends and others were bussed by Princess to a hotel at Heathrow to finish out the quarantine they started on the ship!  DR gave them letters with the dates they were OK to fly home to the U.S. They are not happy campers...

 😔

Princess is just following the guidelines set by the CDC.

 

From the CDC website for travel dated Jun 12, 2022.  That is when the test was dropped to fly back to the US. 

 

Quote:

 

 

When should I travel after testing positive for COVID-19?
You tested positive for COVID-19. Do not travel until a full 10 days after your symptoms started or the date your positive test was taken if you had no symptoms.

Jun 12, 2022

https://www.cdc.gov › travelers

Travel | CDC

[Northeastcruiser007]

12 hours ago, bbtablet said:

are you sure that shouldn't be:

Guestrelationssuck@princesscruises.co.uk?

Very probably. But it really doesn't matter where anyone sends their emails as they are rarely answered. 😦

[Aulanis]

On 6/28/2022 at 2:25 AM, Milaandra said:

Let us know if you ever get a response.

I certainly will, though it could take them some time,   I will  chase them up

at some point. I didnt book direct and the TA is as bad as Princess  in responding

to even simple questions let alone  problems.

We have another cruise already booked in August  so as it was ONLY!  £60 for the

taxi and no hotel  I  said I would accept OBC on that cruise.

If I dont get a reasonable reply I will try an claim from the TA under abta ( Chocolate fireguard)

Then threaten them with a Small claims court claim.

Whilst they have enough small print to sink a ship  ( Pun Intended)   I think there should be

something in this  ( Maybe the service to answer Chat calls for help   or the  service to get

us back to port on time.  Failure to give adequate notice of Covid outbreak  so perhaps many more cases than there should have been) 

We were on Sky  6 weeks before and the same thing happened - they didnt tell at all that  there were

cases and despite wearing a mask  almost all the time  caught covid  as the other 3000 pax were not.

Theatre was the worst.

Doubt if anyone in Princess UK will have the  say on refunds  when we (  All Passengers)) were dumped off a ship in OZ  at the beginning of the  Covid outbreak  all negotiations seemed to go via the US HQ

 

Princess Promise – We Make It Right

The promise of great service on your cruise vacation

We’re so confident about our service, if you’re not satisfied, we’ll make it right, or we’ll refund the value of that service. That’s the Princess Promise. 

 

 

 

[insidecabin]

 

Pincess is a member of ABTA and often  in breach of their code of conduct.

 

UK booking package travel regulations apply they cover failure to perform, satutory provisions are an implied part of the contract that cannot be overridden by other terms.

 

[Fjord4Fun]

On 6/26/2022 at 6:25 PM, Aulanis said:

I would agree with what you are saying, I assume from your  CC name you  are from Northumberland/ Durham. We are from  North West - Preston not  as far but found ourselves in a  similar position.
Daft as it might sound it was lucky there was a rail strike as we held advance  tickets which without the strike would have been useless and a total loss.

I anticipated most of the problems and sent this "chat"   

checked as we left the ship and it was not answered 15 hours  or so later.
I will be sending a complaint to Princess as otherwise they will not be doing  anything to improve.
  When the Captain first came on air regarding being an engine/generator short  and unable to reach full speed he seemed to suggest it was something that they  had no control over and thus we could not complain about it?
 OK it seems it is not an easy repair but  they could  have left Bergen hours  before rather than put almost everyone under some stress.  As well as delay the next cruise another 3000 unhappy pax.
 The ship being able to reach full speed  would also be important should an  emergency  or severe weather occur.  Wasnt that part of the problem with the  Virgin ship that floundered  off the Norwegian coast?  
   There was also the detour at Lofoten Islands  because the ship was TOO BIG to
go through the inside passage???  
 I cant see there being ANY excuse for that faux pas.

When we did get ashore at Southampton  our luck improved.  I had spent  an hour or two looking for a hotel  in Southampton or London  but prices  were crazy - travelodges that were not full were around £150  most were £200  I couldnt see Princess wanting to reimburse that.
Got the local  bus to the station and a train to Waterloo was sat in the station.  
They barely glanced at the tickets which were not for that time - .  Took the tube to Euston and  found the LAST Preston train had gone 30 minutes  before.   Spoke to a "helper" on the station and asked if we could go to Manchester  instead.  Reply was if you have a ticket you can  try to get home any train any route adding that that was the last train. Had hoped we could then do a short  hop to Preston  which is  normally served by 2 train companies but  they had none  running by the time  we would get there.
 Well hotels were cheaper  in Manchester so that seemed a plan,  On the train I thought to ring the taxi people we use from time to time and yes they would   send a car for us. £60 but still less than a hotel and we would actually get home. 
  Got off the train and taxi arrived 15 minutes later.  So got home around 7.30pm.
I am going to ask Princess if they will reimburse the taxi fare.   
 

Viking NOT Virgin.