Is this the new Princess Customer Service attitude?

[Greyhound3]

Okay, so I'm filling out the info in the Personalizer and notice that the bed setup is listed as a twin configuration. Not a big deal, the same thing happened last year... one call to 1-800-PRINCESS and the matter was addressed in minutes.

 

So I grab the phone, make the call... and am told repeatedly in no uncertain terms that my TA has to make the change. I ask if this isa change in policy and don't get an answer. I ask again - no answer, only "your agent has to make the change". Apparently the CSR (and I use the term loosely) did not want to be bothered with making the change.

 

Here's a heads-up to Princess - my agent isn't paying for this trip, I am. And if this is an example of your "customer service", I will certainly explore other options in the future.

 

<rant off>

[Coral]

\\ Apparently the CSR (and I use the term loosely) did not want to be bothered with making the change.

 

 

I doubt this is the case. If you book through an agent - you are supposed to go through an agent for any modifications. The Princess agent was just following rules.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

I called there a couple of weeks ago as for some reason my DH was listed as MS. It was corrected and the person was really pleasant and helpful, declined my request for an upgrade though:D :D :D

[cruznliz]

I agree with Coral. The Princess representative was following the Princess procedure. (If you were able to change the bed configuration on a previous cruise it was a fluke. You must have gotten someone who believed it was easier to make the 10 key strokes to make the change than to argue with you.) This procedure has been in effect for a long time. It comes up in many threads here on Cruise Critics. If you make your booking through a TA, Princess is instructed to only speak with the TA - NOT you.

 

I'm not a TA but I would imagine most TA's approve of this rule. If this is a problem for you, then you are welcome to book directly on the Princess website. Personally I think it is silly that the bed configuration can't be changed on the Cruise Personalizer. How hard could that be to set up?

[sonomaphil]

Same thing happened to me after a guarantee was assigned a room. No big deal, I just called my TA and all was taken care of in seconds.

[Toto2Kansas]

I don't quite understand the confusion here. Princess has had this rule in place for quite some time. If you want to deal directly thorugh the cruise line, then you must book with them. If you book through a TA, then Princess rules say any changes must be made via them on your booking.

 

And just an FYI-The glitch in the Princess online system normally says two twin beds for many bookings, even though they have requested a queen. Also, this is not something that actually needs taken care of now, a simple word to your room steward upon boarding and before bed, he will take care of the twins and presto, they will become a queen. No biggy!

 

As most CSR's are, they can be a bit short if the customer on the other end of the line isn't pleasent to them, which is sounds like might have happened in this case. Just guessing of coarse. ;)

[Greyhound3]

I agree with Coral. The Princess representative was following the Princess procedure. (If you were able to change the bed configuration on a previous cruise it was a fluke. You must have gotten someone who believed it was easier to make the 10 key strokes to make the change than to argue with you.)

 

I prefer to think they exercised a bit of common sense...

 

There was no problem changing it last year, the CSR didn't hesitate. It was done in seconds and I was left with a very good feeling about it.

 

Personally I think it is silly that the bed configuration can't be changed on the Cruise Personalizer. How hard could that be to set up?

 

Precisely... although half the time (in my experience), the Personalizer doesn't work correctly, either.

[IKE]

This happened to me a few times on not only Princess but other cruiselines. I requested a certain bed configuration and it was listed correctly on Personalizer etc and when We boarded and went to our Cabin, the configuration We requested was incorrect. We spoke to our Room Steward and He apologized and changed the bed configuration. Maybe not that moment but always when We returned to our Cabin for the evening. So don't worry. Your Room Steward will change it for you. Ike

[MsJ]

hi...we had the same thing last year on the Grand..beds were twins..we spoke to the steward and by the time we rtuned to the cabin...we had a queen all made up!!

[Clutterlady]

Don't understand the fuss? We always seemed to get twin beds! Told the steward and had them turned into queen's by the time we got back to our room for the night! So what seems to be the big problem????:confused:

[PaulnBetts]

I understand what everyone is saying here. I would personally rather deal with my TA 'cause I can get face to face if necessary

 

BUT...

 

why then does the cruise personalizer clearly say: Please contact your Travel Agent or 1-800-PRINCESS to change your Booking Summary.:confused:

Just an observation;)

[MaryPoppinz]

Here's a heads-up to Princess - my agent isn't paying for this trip, I am.

 

If you prefer to speak directly with Princess, you can do that if you don't use an agent to make your arrangements. Just book your cruise directly with Princess.

[Toto2Kansas]

I understand what everyone is saying here. I would personally rather deal with my TA 'cause I can get face to face if necessary

 

BUT...

 

why then does the cruise personalizer clearly say: Please contact your Travel Agent or 1-800-PRINCESS to change your Booking Summary.:confused:

 

Just an observation;)

 

I understand that to mean just what it says as some book through their travel agent and some direct with Princess. So, maybe a different wording, although I doubt that some would even read it so it would be useless.

Please contact your Travel Agent (if booking was made through an agent) OR 1-800-PRINCESS (if booked directly) to change your booking Summary.

[Apri]

Huh, I just did this exact thing - called the 1-800 number and the whole call was just seconds long. I think the rep actually hung up on me at the end. I checked online and it was changed.

[jennew]

If you get a CSR who won't help, hang up and call back. Every other time I call they are willing to help me out. The only time they would not help me was when I needed to make sure they did not upgrade me (I have the corner Aft balcony!!).

[Quilting_Cruiser]

For our cruise a month ago we booked through a TA, but when I was completing the personalizer I saw that our bed configuration was twins, so I also called Princess. Our TA had entered some other information incorrectly on our DDs' cabin, so the rep changed that for me as well. It was no problem at all...she was very helpful and polite.

[chasetf]

Don't understand the fuss? We always seemed to get twin beds! Told the steward and had them turned into queen's by the time we got back to our room for the night! So what seems to be the big problem????:confused:

Why a federal case when it can be accomodated when you arrive. Same thing with the egg crate mattress. We have had them make the adjustment on arrival.

[denneym1]

I don't understand the fuss either. With a few keystrokes, the customer "service" rep could have fixed it right then. No fuss, no more phone calls. Done deal. The passenger is the one who will be sleeping in the bed, not the TA.

I can understand the need to go through the TA if its a significant change in the booking, like changing a cabin category or something that will result in more charges. But a bed configuration? How much trouble would it be for them to just fix it? And what could it hurt? Yes, its not a big issue to fix even after you're on board, but lets use some common sense, the customer service person could have and should have fixed it right then. That's why they are called "customer service" people, although that term does not mean much in many industries anymore, cruising included.

There are sure a lot of people on this board that think Princess can do no wrong, no matter what.

MD

[JLC@SD]

So I grab the phone, make the call... and am told repeatedly in no uncertain terms that my TA has to make the change.

<rant off>

The CSR was correct....the TA has to make the change......regardless of what happened before......:)

 

We always have our TA take care of issues like this.

[Crown Prince]

The T.A. has a FUDICIARY relationship with the Pax and Princess protects that relationship.

 

The whole idea is that the T.A. must be knowledgeable of all things concerned with the booking.

 

When the Pax calls Princess directly, this Pax is by-passing the T.A.

 

The T.A. is being paid a commission to act on behalf of the Pax, so let her do her act. :D

[dean8844]

i have to agree with kirbyrox sounds like u were being a B_ this is my 1st princess cruise and 1st time booking with a TA and i would never call princess thats what my TA's job is duh, sounds like someone needs to climb off her high horse and smell the roses :eek:

 

Dean

[Nliedel]

Wow, I would never assume the passenger sounded like a "B."

[spongerob]

-

There are sure a lot of people on this board that think Princess can do no wrong, no matter what.

MD

I don't think that's what is being expressed. When you call Princess, it's luck-of-the-draw who you talk to. Phone reps aren't always the cream of the crop, employee-wise. I have to say, though, that all that I have dealt with have been very pleasant to work with. I think the more seasoned travelers here realize it's much easier to get things done on the ship.

 

I've got the twin beds thing on every one of my bookings recently, and the beds have always been in queen configuration. This issue really isn't one to get worked up about.

[terrierjohn]

The T.A. has a FUDICIARY relationship with the Pax and Princess protects that relationship.

 

The whole idea is that the T.A. must be knowledgeable of all things concerned with the booking.

 

When the Pax calls Princess directly, this Pax is by-passing the T.A.

 

The T.A. is being paid a commission to act on behalf of the Pax, so let her do her act. :D

I still don't understand why these sort of rules exist, other than to annoy fare paying passengers. If a customer has the time, inclination and wants to make minor amendments to his booking, then why should it matter if the TA does it, or he does it. I would expect my TA to respect my desire to make a change on my own and if he didn't like it, then next time I would change my TA.

John.

[RetireeWannabee]

I'm a novice but the way I understood it, if I go thru a TA, I no longer get to deal directly with Princess. That's the deal. I booked directly with Princess and have called several times and always received good service.

 

Sounds like the rep on the phone was following orders: if a booking is made via TA, do not change anything. Please don't blame the person doing the job as what you see as gray area may be clearly black or white to the person whose calls may be monitored. Perhaps they changed such a thing in the past and were disciplined.

 

Bottom line for me, no problem with customer service at Princess.