BAD PRINCESS - advance shipboard credit

[2ladies]

We booked on board for a cruise and received the shipboard credit. We were told that this could be applied to any Princess cruise if we cancelled.

 

Now being told that it cannot be moved from this cruise and if we don't take this cruise, can't be moved to another one we are taking!!!

 

Anyone had any experience with this?

[Coral]

What is the nature of the shipboard credit?

 

Was it from a Future Cruise deposit, or a promo from Princess sent to your home?

[2ladies]

Future cruise credit.

[Coral]

Sorry - I guess you said that in the first post (still early).

 

Yes - you should be able to cancel the cruise and that $100 Future Cruise Deposit should go back into your Savings Account and you can then use that $100 later on another cruise and get credit.

 

I would ask that the $100 goes back to "your Circle Savings Account". Then next, book your next cruise and say you have a Future Cruise Deposit.

 

If they are not cooperating on the phone, ask for a supervisor. I believe Princess once said that you could only transfer that money 2x but I have even gotten around that before. I would call back and get someone else or ask for a supervisor. Also, sometimes the weekend people at Princess are not as good as the people who work during the day.

 

The only exception to all this is if you have made final payment and cancel the cruise. In this case, I didn't get it back.

[spongerob]

Did you book a specific cruise while on board or purchase FCC's? FCC's can be transferred, once, prior to making final payments. I'm not sure what the policy is regarding specific bookings - unless you have passed final payment date, I don't see why you can't transfer the booking.

 

Another option (don't give up hope yet!) is to watch some of the on-line sites for monthly booking specials. They often have the same terms as FCC's - $100 pp deposit, with similar OBC's. My TA has these about once per month. It varies by agency.

[Lynda90]

Last year I had to cancel a cruise approximately 2 weeks before sailing and definitely after final payment. FCC was put back in my cruise savings account for future use. Luckily I had insurance and received full refund for remainder of cost. Another time or two I had to cancel before final payment and also received my FCC back in account.

[2ladies]

One fact I forgot to mention - I am in the UK at the moment!!

 

Not for nothing are we called Rip-off Britain!! Everyone tries to rip us off - i.e. Princess deposits not refundable in UK. Cars twice the US price!! etc.etc.

 

I will try a supervisor here - but they are totally hopeless people!! And rude!!

 

I haven't paid up for that cruise and they tell me if I don't go, then I lose this credit!! Will not allow me to move it!! Totally the opposite of what I was told on the ship. I was told it was like banking the money - it seems only if you are a US citizen!!

 

Pre-Carnival it was all different with Princess - such a shame!!

[CruisinChris]

IF I understand everything correctly, I think your issue is that you are trying to transfer the credit to a cruise that you didn't book on board. I think it's a weird technicality, but to get it you might need to cancel what you already have booked (the one you're taking) and re-book using your onboard booking to get the credit. Or sail the trip you're planning and book another cruise using the onboard booking and enjoy the credit on that sailing.

 

You're essentially trying to combine two different bookings which isn't going to work.

[LARGIN]

Last year I had to cancel a cruise approximately 2 weeks before sailing and definitely after final payment. FCC was put back in my cruise savings account for future use. Luckily I had insurance and received full refund for remainder of cost. Another time or two I had to cancel before final payment and also received my FCC back in account.

 

Same here..

[cherylandtk]

I'm guessing it has more to do with being in the UK than the FCC policy--it seems every standard operating procedure and policy we know and understand here in the US has a different application and rule and price in the UK.

[montgomeryfamily]

For those who cancelled and the FCC was placed back in your Circle Savings Account, was this automatic or did you have to do anything specific? Did you book directly with Princess or did you use a TA?

 

I had to cancel a cruise after final payment due to illness and Princess told both my TA and me (when I called Captain's Circle to follow up) that the FCC was not refundable once the cruise passed final payment date because it was used as a part of the deposit (one FCC used for the booking) and they refused to put it back in my Captain's Circle Savings account even if I went ahead and paid the extra $100 deposit. This was in December 2005.

[Lynda90]

For those who cancelled and the FCC was placed back in your Circle Savings Account, was this automatic or did you have to do anything specific? Did you book directly with Princess or did you use a TA?

 

I had to cancel a cruise after final payment due to illness and Princess told both my TA and me (when I called Captain's Circle to follow up) that the FCC was not refundable once the cruise passed final payment date because it was used as a part of the deposit (one FCC used for the booking) and they refused to put it back in my Captain's Circle Savings account even if I went ahead and paid the extra $100 deposit. This was in December 2005.

Did you have cruise insurance? If not, you probably had to forfeit your deposit. I did not have to do anything at all. The credit just appeared back in my cruise savings account after I cancelled.

[2ladies]

Done more research. Their databases are totally separate. In the UK they don't even know I am Platinum and I have a separate number!!

 

The Captains Club rep is e-mailing and has suggested I e-mail Captains Club and ask them to pass on my question.

 

We will probably be cancelling one cruise before final payment due, but here they insist the credit will be lost!!! Will not transfer to the one we are taking.

 

Totally contrary to what we were told on the ship. Difficult for the US people to understand - but we are ripped-off every which way here!! Doesn't mean we have to like it or do nothing about it!!

 

Fortunately, the one we are cancelling is a US booking and we don't lose the deposit!! But disgraceful to have to lose the shipboard credit because we are Brits!!!

[montgomeryfamily]

Lyndabaker, I did have cruise insurance, but not through Princess. Did you have the Princess insurance? Largin, did you have the Princess insurance too?

 

This was after final payment and we had paid the entire cruise cost and so we had to forfeit everything, not just the deposit. The insurance reimbursed us, but they could not give back the FCC and Princess would not even if we paid them the $100 for the deposit in lieu of using the FCC.

 

2Ladies, since you are emailing Captains Club anyway, I suggest that you ask them if they would transfer the credit to the cruise you are taking since the UK office won't do so. I agree it isn't fair to treat the UK cruisers differently, especially since Princess does not disclose this when booking onboard.

[BJS]

We have canceled both before and after final payment. They automatically returned the FCC to the savings account even when I wanted it refunded to us when we canceled before final payment

 

 

When we canceled after final payment, we did have Princess Insurance, the insurance company refunded our entire payment so it was not put back into our savings account.

[bdjam]

Sorry to go against the grain, but y'all know how I am. If you feel you’re being ripped off by Princess, why do business with them? I know about 600 people from the UK who were just on a 15 day Panama Canal cruise on Regal Princess. They certainly weren’t ripped off – in fact they got quite a deal.

[Bestbubba]

2ladies:

 

hi from the rip off capital of the world!!;) We had exactly the same situation last year but just refused to accept it...phoned, spoke to supervisors, no one would do anything. Then I wrote and asked them to send me a copy of ANY document that stated we lost our FCC if we transferred to another cruise. Had great fun with the letter, quoted all the guff they put in the brochure - you know what I mean "Welcome to a world that revolves around you" etc etc. bottom line, we got our credit. Just don't give up! Good luck and let us know how it works out for you.

 

Sue

[Lynda90]

Lyndabaker, I did have cruise insurance, but not through Princess. Did you have the Princess insurance? Largin, did you have the Princess insurance too?

 

This was after final payment and we had paid the entire cruise cost and so we had to forfeit everything, not just the deposit. The insurance reimbursed us, but they could not give back the FCC and Princess would not even if we paid them the $100 for the deposit in lieu of using the FCC.

 

2Ladies, since you are emailing Captains Club anyway, I suggest that you ask them if they would transfer the credit to the cruise you are taking since the UK office won't do so. I agree it isn't fair to treat the UK cruisers differently, especially since Princess does not disclose this when booking onboard.

Yes, I had Princess insurance.

[Coral]

Montgomery Family - I had to cancel a cruise due to illness. I had 3rd party insurance. I got all of my money back as cash - I had no choice about the Future Cruise deposit - it came back as cash.

[spongerob]

Fortunately, the one we are cancelling is a US booking and we don't lose the deposit!! But disgraceful to have to lose the shipboard credit because we are Brits!!!

Could you make your preferred booking through a US agent? You might keep the credit that way.

 

Unfortunately, it's not possible for Princess to do things the same way for you even though it's the same company. My company works internationally also, and laws in different lands force different systems. I do agree that cruise lines in the UK seem to have very restrictive booking policies, and onerous penalties. Sounds like that's something that needs to be addressed to your lawmakers, I'm afraid.

[chasetf]

Not for nothing are we called Rip-off Britain!! Everyone tries to rip us off - i.e. Princess deposits not refundable in UK. Cars twice the US price!! etc.etc.

I would think "Cars twice the US price" are because of GB import taxes and VAT. All through Europe and GB we heard people complaining about how much the VAT raises prices.

[2ladies]

Yes, just cancelled a very expensive Princess Med cruise and booked a Celebrity and Royal Carribean!

 

No, the car price is not just the tax. If we try to buy in Europe where they are cheaper, they try to discourage us and fob us off!!!

 

I hope to get the shipboard credit transferred to my August cruise with Princess - if not - well as a PR person, I just say wait - our turn will come - something will happen and Americans will be put off cruising for a while. Then we will be loved once again!! And yes, I will persevere - but difficult until I return to the US!!

 

I have a good deal on the August cruise - I think. Always think that, but there is always someone who has paid less!!! I just think that Princess's downfall which irritates everyone, is the Customer Relations Department will not accept phone calls or e-mails. You CANNOT speak to anyone except in Reservations!!!

 

I also now have Princess charges on my credit card which I cannot account for - neither it seems can my US TA!! We do cruise a lot though! And I cannot sort it out with Princess - and they are the one putting the charges on the Credit Card.

 

Basically, their method of handling customers, is unsatisfactory and IMHO, requires attention!!

[swimcoach]

2ladies

 

Yes, I agree most definately is it different here in UK. We were on Carribean Princess last August and went and booked a future cruise credit. Told on ship that we would be sent a letter on return because we could not pay the deposit on the ship because we came from the UK. But they gave us a letter of confirmation (because I asked) that we had booked it and was entitled to this. On return we rang and was told we would be getting a letter from UK. After numerous calls and no letter I rang again and was told that the people from the UK do not actually pay any money before hand, but that when the time comes to book another cruise we mention a ref number and it will be applied then. As of yet we have not booked a cruise for this year (I want to go to Tahiti Aug 07) (which we in the UK cannot book yet - no brochure out yet - I believe US can?) so I really can't say if mine will work. But its not because I did not try to give them my money - they just didn't want it yet.!!!!!!

 

I must admit its a bit frustrating here in the UK regarding princess, but last year I booked the whole thing through them - a 5 day stay in Miami, a back to back and it was absolutely lovely, no trouble, no delays, pick up always waiting for us - and I would book through them again, I just wish our side of the company in UK ran a little more like the US on timescales and rules and of course administration!!!

 

Good luck - at least us from the UK keep the Southampton office busy.

 

Gill - swimcoach

[2ladies]

Well, I asked all the right questions on board - received all the assurances one could ever want and guess what? My shipboard credit will NOT go to a reservation made in the UK!!! I asked this very question on board and was assured that Princess was International and dealt with International Pax all the time - that giving them my $200 was like money in the Bank to be used wherever and whenever (5 years) I wanted and that it could be used on a reservation and then cancelled and put back in the 'Bank' twice!!! This was important as we go on very many cruises and book a long way ahead, which sometimes necessitates cancellation!!

 

Oh well, the Princess Cruises are nice - the admin is a total nightmare!! I will go on board the Golden in August, becauseI have paid in full (one of my fave ships), but with a sour taste in my mouth!!! Will I say nice things about Princess? I leave it to your imagination!!! Will I be nice and not complain about the little things that go wrong - for the first time I will be as difficult as Princess when things go wrong!!!

 

Annoying, because after 9/11 we were loyal and went ahead with our Princess cruise, whilst many of the Americans cancelled and she sailed two thirds empty!!!

 

After this, I really will have to rethink Princess - such a shame really, but discriminating against foreigners doesn't sit well with me. RCCL manages not to do this - SHAME ON YOU PRINCESS!!!!!!

 

Oh, and to top it all, although I am a PLATINUM member, I won't get my free internet, because the Platinum status won't count on a UK booking!! Since its my first UK booking, I start at zero!! Howzatt!!!!!!!

[Pam in CA]

I recently cancelled a Grand Princess crusie booked for next summer (the itinerary was changed plus Princess switched from the Sea to the Grand Princess so I booked on HAL instead) and just checked "My Princess." My future cruise booking $ and onboard $ are listed as available.