Future Cruise Packages - scam?

[landnsea]

Hello, we got a call unsolicited with the id caller as Princess Cruises stating they are doing a promotion for Elite and Platinum members to purchase Future Cruise Package, a 7 day all inclusive land vacation, 2 2 night stays at any named hotels and OBC with Promotion points.  They had all our information from Princess including OBC on file.  Has anyone else been contacted?  The email with this information states Princess promotions and only has half the Sea Witch as their logo.  Tried calling Princess a guy named Raul called us back (placed in call back line).  When he called, we tried to explain this to him and he simply hanged up on us!!  Has anyone else been called with this Future Cruise Package promotion?

[PacnGoNow]

23 minutes ago, landnsea said:

Hello, we got a call unsolicited with the id caller as Princess Cruises stating they are doing a promotion for Elite and Platinum members to purchase Future Cruise Package, a 7 day all inclusive land vacation, 2 2 night stays at any named hotels and OBC with Promotion points.  They had all our information from Princess including OBC on file.  Has anyone else been contacted?  The email with this information states Princess promotions and only has half the Sea Witch as their logo.  Tried calling Princess a guy named Raul called us back (placed in call back line).  When he called, we tried to explain this to him and he simply hanged up on us!!  Has anyone else been called with this Future Cruise Package promotion?

No. Did you notice… 

if the area code was Santa Clarita, CA?

A promo would come…

out of there probably.  

You could try to call headquarters to inquire?  Not sure if there is a fraud dept.

Should be after a breach they had a while back.

I would try to reach them, as someone may have your information?

Please post if you find out.  TIA

 
Data breach was 2019.

 

https://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/data-breach-affects-princess-cruises-holland-america-line-guests

Edited January 17, 2023 by PacnGoNow

[PacnGoNow]

2 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

No. Did you notice… 

if the area code was Santa Clarita, CA?

A promo would come…

out of there probably.  

You could try to call headquarters to inquire?  Not sure if there is a fraud dept.

Should be after a breach they had a while back.

I would try to reach them, as someone may have your information?

Please post if you find out.  TIA

 
Data breach was 2019.

 

https://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/data-breach-affects-princess-cruises-holland-america-line-guests

Phone line (if still working)

for information of data breach Princess:

1-833-719-0091

[Shelly97060]

If you have a TA have them pull up your information in Polar and they can see all the promotions that are currently associated with your Captains Circle number (Princess or PVP can do this as well).

 

My sister got a similar targeted promotion like this about 6 months ago. It was via email though, not phone calls, and the fine print on potential costs of the land vacation made it no bargain at all. It looked like something running through a 3rd party and it seemed sketchy because it directed you to call a specific number (rather than saying call Princess or you’re a travel advisor as most Princess promotions do).  It was listed as an offer sent to her when we checked her captain circle offers so we knew that it wasn’t a data breach but overall the offer seemed out of the ordinary for sure.

[wallyworld583]

Had this phone call also.  Person did not seem to have any answers as she had to constantly ask her supervisor.  When all was said and done it really didn't seem like all that much of a bargain so politely declined.  Caller id said Princess but that can be spoofed.  

[landnsea]

We notified Princess regarding this initially by phone, was on the phone with them for over an hour got  nowhere with it.  They gave us an email for Customer relations and no one has responded.  The more I think about this I am pretty sure it has to do with that medallion.  We have over 34 cruises with Princess and never got a call like this.  Our last cruise was in November and it was with the medallion.  The solicitor even mentioned the last cruise we were on and also had the information of the number of cruises we have been on with Princess and that we were Elite members,  Nothing was mentioned about our NCL cruise.  This is the logo that this company is using.  Partial sea Witch logo.    

[PacnGoNow]

11 minutes ago, landnsea said:

We notified Princess regarding this initially by phone, was on the phone with them for over an hour got  nowhere with it.  They gave us an email for Customer relations and no one has responded.  The more I think about this I am pretty sure it has to do with that medallion.  We have over 34 cruises with Princess and never got a call like this.  Our last cruise was in November and it was with the medallion.  The solicitor even mentioned the last cruise we were on and also had the information of the number of cruises we have been on with Princess and that we were Elite members,  Nothing was mentioned about our NCL cruise.  This is the logo that this company is using.  Partial sea Witch logo.    

You think it could be someone connected to the MedallionClass now called Princess App team?

 

Whatever happened to those Princess Promoters who last year, were sending us emails about buying wine and all sorts of items?  Where did they go?  Wonder if it’s someone from that promo?

 

At any rate, that’s concerning and I would report it to Princess headquarters.  Maybe HR department.  It does violate your privacy,  if that person has your personal information and also they are impersonating a Princess employee.

 

I saw a report from another Princess guest on the Fodor’s website from Nov 25, 2022.  That person thought it was a scam also.

 

Keep us posted.

[suzyed]

On 1/16/2023 at 7:38 PM, landnsea said:

Hello, we got a call unsolicited with the id caller as Princess Cruises stating they are doing a promotion for Elite and Platinum members to purchase Future Cruise Package, a 7 day all inclusive land vacation, 2 2 night stays at any named hotels and OBC with Promotion points.  They had all our information from Princess including OBC on file.  Has anyone else been contacted?  The email with this information states Princess promotions and only has half the Sea Witch as their logo.  Tried calling Princess a guy named Raul called us back (placed in call back line).  When he called, we tried to explain this to him and he simply hanged up on us!!  Has anyone else been called with this Future Cruise Package promotion?

We have not.

[caribill]

5 hours ago, landnsea said:

The more I think about this I am pretty sure it has to do with that medallion. 

 

My lazy brain cells recall that last fall the company that was handling some support for pre-cruise use of the Medallion app was going off on their own without Princess knowledge or approval offering various travel packages to Princess customers.

 

Being a support company for use of the app, they had access to the Princess customer data base.

 

The offer of these Future Cruise Packages should be considered as just an offer from a travel agent and not at all directly from Princess or with the approval of Princess.

 

 

[fpsphil]

Sounds scammy

[justafem]

It's not exactly a scam, they'll give you what you ordered at the nonbargain price.  It'll end up costing more than it would if you did the booking yourself, used a TA or a PVP.  

 

It's just a half a step above legal.  Cruise companies will never admit they work with these kinds of companies, but they do.  They let them block out rooms like any other TA.  How a TA sells their bookings doesn't matter as long as the room is filled at the price agreed. 

 

Any TA can see your cruise history.  

[PacnGoNow]

2 hours ago, justafem said:

It's not exactly a scam, they'll give you what you ordered at the nonbargain price.  It'll end up costing more than it would if you did the booking yourself, used a TA or a PVP.  

 

It's just a half a step above legal.  Cruise companies will never admit they work with these kinds of companies, but they do.  They let them block out rooms like any other TA.  How a TA sells their bookings doesn't matter as long as the room is filled at the price agreed. 

 

Any TA can see your cruise history.  

Then they should not present themselves as Princess cruises or as an employee.

 

They also are making unsolicited calls.

[justafem]

31 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Then they should not present themselves as Princess cruises or as an employee.

 

They also are making unsolicited calls.

They're salespeople making cold calls.  Just like any other sales related job  They're going to make it seem like seem like they work directly for the cruiseline to get us to book those cruises. There are people who are going to book, then those those that know it's not the best deal and won't.  

 

Ever notice brand knock-offs? Look and kinda sound like the brand you were going for and you grab it by mistake or think it's a cheaper version of the product you already use.  Same thing.  

Edited January 19, 2023 by justafem

[PacnGoNow]

43 minutes ago, justafem said:

They're salespeople making cold calls.  Just like any other sales related job  They're going to make it seem like seem like they work directly for the cruiseline to get us to book those cruises. There are people who are going to book, then those those that know it's not the best deal and won't.  

 

Ever notice brand knock-offs? Look and kinda sound like the brand you were going for and you grab it by mistake or think it's a cheaper version of the product you already use.  Same thing.  

I get that.  But, third party companies should not have or use our personal information.  Do they have access to all our information on our Princess accounts?  

They people that are calling seem to be shady and not very professional.  
 

 

[justafem]

1 minute ago, PacnGoNow said:

I get that.  But, third party companies should not have or use our personal information.  Do they have access to all our information on our Princess accounts?  

They people that are calling seem to be shady and not very professional.  
 

 

I agree.  BUT, they are TA's who have access to that information, all just under the cruise lines blessing.

 

They've existed for years. 

 

Treat them like any other cold calling sales agency.  Hang up or say 'do not call'.  Or listen to their spiel.  We're the ones with the control.    

[Calif. Cruisers]

Would be nice if someone from Princess Cruises could confirm whether this is a legitimate promotion they are offering or not.  The caller I spoke to was calling from the UK and sent a link to what looks like it could be a legitimate website and has an @princesscruises.com email address.  

Yet, I am suspicious too- so would like to know more before considering these offers.

Here is the fine print in the email, so it makes me even more suspicious....:

The information contained in this email and any attachment may be confidential and/or legally privileged and has been sent for the sole use of the intended recipient. If you are not an intended recipient, you are not authorized to review, use, disclose or copy any of its contents. If you have received this email in error please reply to the sender and destroy all copies of the message. Thank you.

To the extent that the matters contained in this email relate to services being provided by Princess Cruises and/or Holland America Line (together "HA Group") to Carnival Australia/P&O Cruises Australia, HA Group is providing these services under the terms of a Services Agreement between HA Group and Carnival Australia.

[Ireleth]

The Princesspromotions.com website is probably a fake as the company/person that registered the domain name has retracted their name on the register, where as Princess.com clearly shows the Princess name as the owner on the register. Why would they hide their name if it was genuine.

[Caribensun]

Similarly Casino Dept agent transferred me to something like this trying to sell me this plus time share like offer also.  

[rubyred1952]

Today, We received a phone call about New Princess Future Cruise Promotion. I reported the phone call/emai  with same info as #16 note to TA & Princess customer service. We are concerned that private information was available to this person. 

[Sulialto]

On 8/22/2023 at 9:23 PM, rubyred1952 said:

Today, We received a phone call about New Princess Future Cruise Promotion. I reported the phone call/emai  with same info as #16 note to TA & Princess customer service. We are concerned that private information was available to this person. 

SO, believe it or not, it’s not a scam but a 3rd party (Open Network) working with PCL offering you this “deal”. We were forced to use them (Open Network) by getting a $1000.00 gift certificate for a Princess Cruise from Verizon. Most of the staff was pleasant, but lacked any detailed knowledge about Princess… I certainly knew more than they did! In any event, “IF” you “REALLY” think you’ll use ALL they are offering and can put up with using them as your TA, go for it.

[PacnGoNow]

54 minutes ago, Sulialto said:

SO, believe it or not, it’s not a scam but a 3rd party (Open Network) working with PCL offering you this “deal”. We were forced to use them (Open Network) by getting a $1000.00 gift certificate for a Princess Cruise from Verizon. Most of the staff was pleasant, but lacked any detailed knowledge about Princess… I certainly knew more than they did! In any event, “IF” you “REALLY” think you’ll use ALL they are offering and can put up with using them as your TA, go for it.

It is real, but it has taken months of cold calls and some not as nice as others.  Acting as though they were PCL employees.  They are not. They are a 3rd party TA (O.N.E).  It would have been nice if PCL would have announced that they would be calling or emailing us.

 

We had to figure it out.  They have access to our information and now in the day of identity theft, we should have been told.

 

No transparency again.

 

JMO

[Melonn]

I got an unsolicited phone call today.  I asked caller for location & he said "Scottsdale AZ".  I felt the deal was very poor.  I have been disappointed in the pre-pandemic Princess but that's the new reality...get less but pay more.  The agent had access to my cruise history and even knew how much shipboard credit I was given on my most recent cruise.  Bah humbug!

[IndyKid]

I smell a  rat....

[dog]

On 1/20/2023 at 1:33 PM, Calif. Cruisers said:

Would be nice if someone from Princess Cruises could confirm whether this is a legitimate promotion they are offering or not.  The caller I spoke to was calling from the UK and sent a link to what looks like it could be a legitimate website and has an @princesscruises.com email address.  

Yet, I am suspicious too- so would like to know more before considering these offers.

Here is the fine print in the email, so it makes me even more suspicious....:

The information contained in this email and any attachment may be confidential and/or legally privileged and has been sent for the sole use of the intended recipient. If you are not an intended recipient, you are not authorized to review, use, disclose or copy any of its contents. If you have received this email in error please reply to the sender and destroy all copies of the message. Thank you.

To the extent that the matters contained in this email relate to services being provided by Princess Cruises and/or Holland America Line (together "HA Group") to Carnival Australia/P&O Cruises Australia, HA Group is providing these services under the terms of a Services Agreement between HA Group and Carnival Australia.

My email says this too.

[Sulialto]

36 minutes ago, dog said:

My email says this too.

Hard to say - there ARE indeed Princess Packages, being offered by a third party, but identify themselves as Princess- Not sure why they’re allowed to do that. In the future cruise area on our ship they actually have a brochure (albeit a photo copied sheet), with the packages on it. I’ll try and get one and take a pic. Being you’re in the UK, I just don’t know. The actual company in the US is called Open Network Exchange, they’re basically a travel agency.