I want Princess to Know - Worst Customer Service and "On Hold" Time

[cruzsnooze]

I used to love Princess and sailed 3-5 times a year with them. Today was the straw that broke the camels back. I have a Greenland cruise Aug 15 so only 2 weeks to resolve any issues. After an unreasonable time on hold the CSR couldn't and wouldn't help. I wanted to make a payment with a Princess gift card for some services and she ERIKA would only take a credit card. I told her I know I can use my gift card and she said NO I can't hung up. I wonder what the difference in seconds are between a quick two minute hold vs a regular 2 minute hold which she put me on several times. She refused to transfer me to a resolution rep.  I've decided to cancel the Japan Cruise Tour because I can't get it serviced properly either and I'm before final payment.  I have to call again and spend a hour or two on hold to cancel the cruise but will do that later today.

  I have other cruises booked but am thinking why? Right now the ability to call Princess is almost non existent and the phone reps are not knowledgeable enough. With 65 cruises I know as much and sometimes more then they do. 

  Here's what I want.........................Princess, answer your phones and resolve the issues regardless of how minor or major. STOP selling gift cards if they won't take them over the phone.  

     I won't download your APP so stop asking me to when I call and clearly state I won't use the APP. Stop your reps from antagonizing me by saying I HAVE TO USE THE APP. I have time and money to travel and many choices where to use it. I'm close to closing the door on Princess.

     Does anyone here know who to email with this complaint and file a complaint against the rep who was so nasty? I think Princess already knows they problems with the issues I've brought up but no progress seems to be made since cruising began post pandemic.

[partybarbie]

If you have already decided to “close the door on Princess”, don’t waste more time complaining to management.

 

Many of your issues can be resolved online via a laptop, etc. The on-line chat feature can also be utilized.

 

 I’m not sure if you are looking for help with your booking, or just want to vent. Most of us don’t like the app, but that’s life. Perhaps find a travel agent or friend to help you with it.

[JT1962]

Sounds like the best option is to either use a travel agent who will make the changes for you or move on to  another cruise line. Although most of them have the same issues with long waits on hold for customer service as well. It’s not just cruise lines, but all businesses now have issues with long waits due to staffing shortages and cutbacks.  The fastest way to get anything done is to use their app or online tools.

[Coral]

I agree about using a Travel Agent. I can get a response quickly from her.

[Steelers36]

I think they already know they have long hold times.  Monday is also THE worst day to call them.

[PacnGoNow]

It’s too late now for a TA, as OP is leaving in 2 weeks.  If OP booked with PCL directly, then I would ask for a CVP.  I know they can take GC’s and so can PCzl agents.  Maybe she didn’t know how?

 

Believe me, the other lines are struggling, just like the airlines with staff and hold times.  It’s not just PCL.

BUT, absolutely no excuse for rude behavior and lack of servicing the call.

 

I would call in and ask for a CVP for this trip.  Explain what happened.  

Customerrelations@princesscruises.com

 

JSwartz@princesscruises.com

 

 

[cr8tiv1]

That says it all.

 

THE END

[CineGraphic]

I hate to say this, but I'm not surprised.

I'm sorry that you've had to deal with this.

There is nothing more frustrating than dealing with a hospitality company that has forgotten they are in the hospitality business.

 

Collin Steinke, Director of Customer Relations, csteinke@princesscruises.com

 

Mario Siebaldi, Senior Vice President Guest Experience, msiebaldi@princesscruises.com

 

 

[cruzsnooze]

28 minutes ago, CineGraphic said:

I hate to say this, but I'm not surprised.

I'm sorry that you've had to deal with this.

There is nothing more frustrating than dealing with a hospitality company that has forgotten they are in the hospitality business.

 

Collin Steinke, Director of Customer Relations, csteinke@princesscruises.com

 

Mario Siebaldi, Senior Vice President Guest Experience, msiebaldi@princesscruises.com

 

 

Thanks for understanding. I'll use your address'

The thing that irks me is that Princess has time to turn this around with just a little of that hospitality. If I were in business (which I'm not) I'd try to keep customers and gain referrals. It's my opinion that Princess along with other companies are blaming everything on short staffing - supply chains - and anything they throw in but I think it's an excuse mostly to save costs.

  During a recession those like myself in retirement with wealth are the customers they'll be clamoring for because we'll be the ones with the discretionary $$$$$$ for travel. 

 

[CineGraphic]

9 minutes ago, cruzsnooze said:

The thing that irks me is that Princess has time to turn this around with just a little of that hospitality. If I were in business (which I'm not) I'd try to keep customers and gain referrals.

 

It's hard to find someone answering the phones these days with any sense of comprehension.

All they know is what's on the script, and there are too many hoops to jump through to get to someone who not only understands, but can do something to correct the situation.

 

[SomewhereGirl]

2 hours ago, cruzsnooze said:

STOP selling gift cards if they won't take them over the phone.  

 

In my recent experience in using gift cards for the first time for gifts and services, I don't think Princess trains the reps on the process.  They have to log into some other system that's different than the regular cruise payment system.  One rep put me on hold for quite awhile to ask his supervisor, and when he came back on the phone he basically had to read through some training materials about how to do this.  He said it was like entering in DOS.  Something old.  I knew the system was separate because a previous lady had an "ah ha" moment when she helped me.

 

I did run into a roadblock when trying to use a giftcard to prepurchase WiFi at the Platinum discount.  But the reps that made the effort were eventually able to apply the giftcards to OBC purchase.

[LTCruzer]

Why is it that so many people will complain on a website that they don’t want to use a technology option that would be much faster to resolve an issue than talking to a representative on the phone (who probably won’t have the knowledge to assist)?  They obviously are using technology to post online.  A chat box online or app are usually much faster than getting someone on the phone and usually can take care of the issue. 

[DallasGuy75219]

Just now, LTCruzer said:

Why is it that so many people will complain on a website that they don’t want to use a technology option that would be much faster to resolve an issue than talking to a representative on the phone (who probably won’t have the knowledge to assist)?  They obviously are using technology to post online.  A chat box online or app are usually much faster than getting someone on the phone and usually can take care of the issue. 

Because some people just want to complain and/or get attention. 

[njkate]

It’s not just Princess. I just booked my first princess cruise I usually sail ncl and the wait time there is just as long. Call first thing in am when they open and avoid calling on weekends 

[tml1230]

2 hours ago, partybarbie said:

Using on-line live chat, it's possible to cancel a cruise in about five minutes.  It would mean using modern technology though. 😂

today I ...(totally me !) ...screwed up and PAID OFF a cruise scheduled in 2024. $ 15000 ! YUP $15000! instead of $800 deposit which was my intent. I corrected my stupidity by calling Princess and got help from a great customer service rep.....but it took awhile....

 No one has ever accused me of being a " bill gates " kind of guy...but I could NOT  find the process on the princess website to get to the " live chat " page.... I got lost at the " contact us page " but alas...could not get to "live chat"  ...please understand I am 70 years old and not the sharpest knife in the drawer!...can you walk me through the pages to get to " live chat" during their business hours?....thanks in advance!

[partybarbie]

6 minutes ago, tml1230 said:

today I ...(totally me !) ...screwed up and PAID OFF a cruise scheduled in 2024. $ 15000 ! YUP $15000! instead of $800 deposit which was my intent. I corrected my stupidity by calling Princess and got help from a great customer service rep.....but it took awhile....

 No one has ever accused me of being a " bill gates " kind of guy...but I could NOT  find the process on the princess website to get to the " live chat " page.... I got lost at the " contact us page " but alas...could not get to "live chat"  ...please understand I am 70 years old and not the sharpest knife in the drawer!...can you walk me through the pages to get to " live chat" during their business hours?....thanks in advance!

No worries.  It's easy to miss. It's on the very first page, bottom middle and is highlighted in blue.  

[JT1962]

8 minutes ago, tml1230 said:

.can you walk me through the pages to get to " live chat" during their business hours?....thanks in advance!

There should be a box at the bottom of the main webpage in Blue that says Chat. Just click on it to begin. 
 

 

 

[DallasGuy75219]

1 hour ago, njkate said:

It’s not just Princess. I just booked my first princess cruise I usually sail ncl and the wait time there is just as long. 

Where has OP been the last 2+ years?  If you call an airline or cruise line and don't have top tier status, be prepared to wait on hold for someone who may not be able to address your issue, may transfer you to someone else, or may just hang up on you.

 

In today's labor market, whether at home on a cruise, if OP wants his/her rich retired ego stroked by having someone else do something he/she could just as easily do him/herself online or in an app, he/she needs to be sailing Silversea, Regent, Seabourn, Windstar, Oceania, etc.

Edited August 1, 2022 by DallasGuy75219

[azbirdmom]

20 minutes ago, tml1230 said:

can you walk me through the pages to get to " live chat" during their business hours?....thanks in advance!

 

This is where it is on my laptop using a Chrome browser (tried to circle in yellow highlight but with the dark background it doesn't work well)

 

[tml1230]

thanks very much to party barbie and JT 1962!.. very much appreciate  your responses and help.....

but when I pull up "princess .com" website ...not logging into my princess account! ...I get a completely  different  web page that is different from the photo  JT1962 sent me.... mine has no "chat " ... and the pictures are different.... do you think princess has something against us folks from Florida?....again thanks for your patience with  me!

[tetleytea]

I just jumped ship and sailed Norwegian, and I didn't particularly have any issues with NCL's customer service like I did on Princess.   (their art auctions, however ..different story)

[tonit964]

27 minutes ago, tml1230 said:

thanks very much to party barbie and JT 1962!.. very much appreciate  your responses and help.....

but when I pull up "princess .com" website ...not logging into my princess account! ...I get a completely  different  web page that is different from the photo  JT1962 sent me.... mine has no "chat " ... and the pictures are different.... do you think princess has something against us folks from Florida?....again thanks for your patience with  me!

I'm in Southern California and I don't have the Live Chat on any of my devices.

[SomewhereGirl]

Do you have an ad blocker extension on your browser?  I only get the chat option if the ad blocker is OFF.

[VAWCB]

   I too was having trouble finding Live Chat.  As soon as I checked the box to accept cookies, it appeared.

[PacnGoNow]

31 minutes ago, tonit964 said:

I'm in Southern California and I don't have the Live Chat on any of my devices.

Florida and California residents are banned from the Chat button!

 

Just Kidding!  LOL 😂 

 

I have it on my iphone bottom, 2nd frim the left.

The Chat is not always available. It’s off and on during the day too.