Future Cruise Package: Any Experiences?

[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.  

[Carla3]

I’m trying to fully understand the benefits of the new future cruise package. Here’s my offer. For $7000 I get $6000 FFC plus $300 OBC plus $750 hotel credit. $6000 plus $300 plus $750 = $7050. So the first part is only really a $50 value. The second part of the package is 1 week stay certificate plus 2x 2 day certificates to be used at “highly rated hotel throughout the world”. I’m trying to find out the fine print on the “certificate” stays. Doesn’t seem realistic I could book a 5 star Honolulu hotel that’s $900 a night (7 x$900 = $6300) for “free” as an example. How is Princess or whoever the third party is making any money? My suspicion is the “stay certificate” is a time share property that’s hoping to reel you in

[Steelers36]

There was at least a couple of threads discussing this telemarketing offer from a 3rd party company that may seem to some folks as directly from Princess.  Not so.  I seem to recall a couple of posters mentioning going for the offer program, but most seemed skeptical and were bypassing it.  You might find these threads, but perhaps not easily as it was a while ago now this deal was discussed.

 

[Carla3]

35 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

There was at least a couple of threads discussing this telemarketing offer from a 3rd party company that may seem to some folks as directly from Princess.  Not so.  I seem to recall a couple of posters mentioning going for the offer program, but most seemed skeptical and were bypassing it.  You might find these threads, but perhaps not easily as it was a while ago now this deal was discussed.

 

I found one thread that didn’t give any insight to the hotel package part. Since the package has been available now for a few months, I was hoping someone had used ALL the benefits in the package and had some thoughts they could share

 

[SCX22]

As the saying goes...If it's too good to be true, then it probably is.

 

I think O.N.E. is banking that whoever buys these packages won't make use of the land portion; either because they forgot or they can't get a date that will jive with their schedule.

[PacnGoNow]

6 hours ago, SCX22 said:

As the saying goes...If it's too good to be true, then it probably is.

 

I think O.N.E. is banking that whoever buys these packages won't make use of the land portion; either because they forgot or they can't get a date that will jive with their schedule.

That sounds like old tour packages or fly and drive packages for Europe that were offered years ago.  The hotel or car portions were considered throw away packages. Very old package concept.

Interesting…

I’ve not seen any feedback.  OP might post a question on the old thread Or hopefully, someone will answer here.

 

[Luv2cruz1000]

8 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

There was at least a couple of threads discussing this telemarketing offer from a 3rd party company that may seem to some folks as directly from Princess.  Not so.  I seem to recall a couple of posters mentioning going for the offer program, but most seemed skeptical and were bypassing it.  You might find these threads, but perhaps not easily as it was a while ago now this deal was discussed.

 

Not sure who it is through but I had this sales pitch from my personal vacation planner when I contacted him with a question regarding my cruise. I should say former, I ended up getting a better price and canceling the one booked through him....partly because I don't need sales pitches!

[Rick&Jeannie]

Color me SKEPTICAL!  I NEVER do business with anyone based on a "cold call" method.  I've received 2 such calls from whoever it is that is running this "promotion".  There were a few very vague references on the actual Princess website about promotions being offered...but the wording left it up in the air about these being "fully" endorsed by Princess.  I guess the fact that there was anything at all on their site means that the firm is "legit"...but as @SCX22 stated above: "If it sounds too good to be true..."