Website Chat to Cancel Cruise

[PH2]

We booked a cruise for next year but unfortunately we have to cancel. It's not exactly unfortunate, because my daughter is getting married next year. But that means no funds for cruising...

 

In any event, we've never cruised with Princess before so what I thought would be an easy online cancellation process is anything but. I don't see any way to cancel a cruise through the reservation (which is honestly sketchy), and I'm just not interested in calling in if I can help it because I assume the only reason they force this method is to put on a high pressure sales pitch.

 

So I thought I would just do it by chat. However, for the past 3 days, every time I have connected to someone by chat and told them I want to cancel a booking, I get the exact same message - our system is down so you'll need to call. THREE DAYS.

 

Has anyone else tried using the chat feature during the past 3 days and been helped? Or are they just lying to me to force a call? If it's the latter, I wish they would just be honest about it instead of telling me the system is down. If the system really is down, 3 days seems excessive and Princess needs to fire its IT director.

 

This has left a pretty sour taste in my mouth about Princess. Not exactly a great first impression...

[tonit964]

Whenever I need to cancel, I call and it’s done in a matter of minutes with no questions asked. That’s been my experience anyway. 
Congratulations on the wedding. 

[PH2]

Thanks! I guess I'll find out how the call goes tomorrow.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

1 hour ago, PH2 said:

I'm just not interested in calling in if I can help it because I assume the only reason they force this method is to put on a high pressure sales pitch.

that is an incorrect assumption.

[Arizona Wildcat]

Have called to cancel and all completed in 5 minutes.  Nothing discussed.  Was offered the opportunity to move my deposit.  Said no thank you.  Nothing else suggested by CSR.

[capriccio]

How did you make the booking?  If you used a travel agent, you must cancel through the agent.  If you used a Princess Cruise Vacation Planner (CVP) reach out to her/him.  If you just called the main number do so again and it should only take a few minutes as others have reported.

[PH2]

I made the booking myself online. I will call tomorrow but I don't understand why they can't make online cancellation easy, and I have no idea why their systems would be down for 3 days via chat. 

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, PH2 said:

3 days seems excessive and Princess needs to fire its IT director.

 

I tried to get that fellow fired back in 2021, but they eventually promoted him to President.  Go figure.

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, PH2 said:

I made the booking myself online. I will call tomorrow but I don't understand why they can't make online cancellation easy, and I have no idea why their systems would be down for 3 days via chat. 

IDK about other cruise lines, but Princess doesn't work like airlines and hotels - you have to contact a rep to do the cancellation as there is no self-serve option.  If you book with a TA, then they can do it online in the reservation system (called POLAR).  Princess has internal agents called CVPs and they are much easier to reach and would also instantly cancel using POLAR.  If you do not plan to use a TA (which I would advise to save money), then at least connect with a CVP in future and do bookings with them and not the regular telephone reps.

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

How do you get in contact with a CVP...? never done that before.

[Ombud]

3 hours ago, Snaxmuppet said:

How do you get in contact with a CVP...? never done that before.

Their phone number is 1-800-901-1172

[FLAlaska]

7 hours ago, PH2 said:

I made the booking myself online. I will call tomorrow but I don't understand why they can't make online cancellation easy, and I have no idea why their systems would be down for 3 days via chat. 

I know NCL and Carnival don’t  let you cancel online either 

[PH2]

Thanks for the comments, everybody. I'm most familiar with Celebrity, and they do have online cancellation. They also separate bookings into refundable and non-refundable deposits, so it makes sense that maybe they don't care if people can easily cancel because if it's a NF deposit, they get to keep it!

[JGmf]

@PH2 Congrats on your daughter's upcoming wedding.  My son's is next year too.

 

I'm just chiming-in to generally say the chat is consistently horrible, not working, and/or more effort than calling....so yeah, make the call!

 

 

 

 

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

8 hours ago, Ombud said:

Their phone number is 1-800-901-1172

Is there a UK number?

[Ombud]

1 hour ago, Snaxmuppet said:

9 hours ago, Ombud said:

Their phone number is 1-800-901-1172

Is there a UK number?

🤷‍♀️

[d9704011]

1 hour ago, Snaxmuppet said:

Is there a UK number?

Try -  United Kingdom: 0344 3388 663.

[FLAlaska]

8 hours ago, PH2 said:

Thanks for the comments, everybody. I'm most familiar with Celebrity, and they do have online cancellation. They also separate bookings into refundable and non-refundable deposits, so it makes sense that maybe they don't care if people can easily cancel because if it's a NF deposit, they get to keep it!

I get  ya. Im a control freak and love to be able to control my own reservations. Its probably my biggest peeve with Princess and other lines. Wish I could change, move rooms, cancel, etc  myself without having to reach out to someone

[Jnsplace1]

I've used the chat 3 times in the last few weeks, zero issues with it myself.  /shrug

 

The website is another matter.......

[PH2]

5 minutes ago, Jnsplace1 said:

I've used the chat 3 times in the last few weeks, zero issues with it myself.  /shrug

 

The website is another matter.......

 

I suppose that's my point. I tried one more time this morning. System still down. I cancelled by phone, which was fine. But something tells me the chat system issue might be related to the reason I wanted to chat. I can't believe a company as big as Princess would not have resolved a basic issue in 4 or 5 days. 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

10 minutes ago, PH2 said:

But something tells me the chat system issue might be related to the reason I wanted to chat

what's wrong with the chat? Seems to be working.

 

[PH2]

I've used the chat 8-10 times over the past 4 days. Every time I get through to a person and tell them I want to cancel, they tell me the system is down and they can't help me and to call. 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

49 minutes ago, PH2 said:

I've used the chat 8-10 times over the past 4 days. Every time I get through to a person and tell them I want to cancel, they tell me the system is down and they can't help me and to call. 

oh, I thought the chat itself was down.