Refunds After Final Payment?

[arb18]

I have read that it is rare to get a refund after final payment, if the rate has dropped. Has anyone had any luck after final payment, either getting a refund or OBC, to compensate for the change?

[willysgrandma]

Not me.

 

Other cruise lines do it, but in my experience with Princess, I've never seen it. I'd love to know too if anyone has experienced it.

[ma_in_ak]

I haven't cruised on Princess before, but I got 2 rate decreases on my NCL cruise last November before final payment, but once I paid my final payment, they wouldn't do anything after that.

[MercedMike]

On a recent Princess cruise, the price on our cabin dropped 1200 bucks after final payment. Princess absolutely dug in their heels and refused to give us any consideration whatsoever, in spite of us being Platinum pax and my DW being a TA! We wound up cancelling, paying the penalty, rebooking and still saving $600.

 

Net result -- Princess generated a lot of bad feeling and bad press for itself -- obviously, since we are STILL posting about it!

 

The cruise itself, however, was wonderful!

[Colo Cruiser]

I have received a refund on a lower fare twice from Princess. $600 the first time and $400 the other.

Both within 30 days of the cruise and long after final payment.

No problem. ;)

[jasl]

COLO: Good for you...... Was this booked through a travel agent who went to bat for you or had you made the booking direct with Princess????? Thanks . . . . . . .

[Diane F]

The price of my cruise,for April,has gone down several hundred dollars.TA called and they said new rates are a flash promotion and for new bookings only.Colo,how long ago did you receive your credits?Was wondering if anyone ever know of a flash promotion going off and been adjusted for new prices.TA says if they drop flash promotion,she can refare.We will see. I do not know if they run a flash promotion for a month will they ever open it up say old bookings get a refare?

[from the desert]

Just wondering....We purchase a cruise months in advance so that we can schedule an air flight, take time off from work, get the cabin we want, etc.

 

Princess fills 90% of the ship with advanced bookings and now they need to fill the remaining 10%. They offer a reduced last minute rate to new passengers. Sound economics.

 

Now, all of you who have booked in advance want the last minute reduced price. Getting a refund, unsound eonomics. Why offer advanced booking- lets just all take our chances and book a few weeks before the cruise. Airline rates are higher, our boss may say no, and we get whatever cabin is next in line.

[Protirees]

Princess told me to continue calling after my final payment to have my booking refared. I queried this and more than one Princess agent told me that they would definately adjust my price, if the price dropped after final payment. I haven't had experience with the price dropping but am continuing to monitor prices for an upcoming trip.

 

That said, they won't drop the price for special "flash" promotions or new promotions to try to sell off cabins in certain categories. They will only reduce the price in the same promotion or booking type that you originally made, if that price changes.

 

That might be part of the confusion why some people say they have had their prices reduced and others say they have not.

[sept10dsm]

I just noticed your location and wanted to say what a lovely port that St. John was on our Canada/New England cruise. The people were absolutely great and welcomed the ship as well as sent us off playing bagpipes!! We were given a long stem rose (women) the men a small token ( don't remember what). Halifax also extended a warm welcome. We did visit ports in the US and did not experience the same hospitality. Just a thank you from an American living in NJ!!

[RealDeal]

I had an issue with this and, trust me, investigated thoroughly. Certain Princess customer service reps will say, "Yes, we will honor any price drop, even after final payment. That is our policy." However, they neglect to inform you that this doesn't include "flash fares," and I suspect that any price drop after FP is going to be called a flash fare. I went nuts a few months ago because I booked a Canada/N.E. trip early and had absolutely no reason to. Had the bottom of the barrel inside cabin, was flexible on dates, didn't need air. My logic was, "They told me they'll honor the price if it drops, so no problem." WRONG. After FP I believe it dropped SEVERAL times, and for an inside cabin I could've saved in the area of $600. I kid you not. I fought like heck with them, but it didn't matter. I even had the name of at least one of THEIR REPS who gave me this info and they had the nerve to say, "Well, do you have her extension? If you don't, we don't know who you spoke to." I screamed, "Why don't you look at your company directory???? What do you want next, her social security number?"

 

Anyway, that was my experience. I was really angry, but I'm still a Princess fan, and now that I know the "rules," I'm OK with it. I just didn't appreciate being given false information.

 

Good luck!

[RealDeal]

I had an issue with this and, trust me, investigated thoroughly. Certain Princess customer service reps will say, "Yes, we will honor any price drop, even after final payment. That is our policy." However, they neglect to inform you that this doesn't include "flash fares," and I suspect that any price drop after FP is going to be called a flash fare. I went nuts a few months ago because I booked a Canada/N.E. trip early and had absolutely no reason to. Had the bottom of the barrel inside cabin, was flexible on dates, didn't need air. My logic was, "They told me they'll honor the price if it drops, so no problem." WRONG. After FP I believe it dropped SEVERAL times, and for an inside cabin I could've saved in the area of $600. I kid you not. I fought like heck with them, but it didn't matter. I even had the name of at least one of THEIR REPS who gave me this info and they had the nerve to say, "Well, do you have her extension? If you don't, we don't know who you spoke to." I screamed, "Why don't you look at your company directory???? What do you want next, her social security number?"

 

Anyway, that was my experience. I was really angry, but I'm still a Princess fan, and now that I know the "rules," I'm OK with it. I just didn't appreciate being given false information.

 

Good luck!

[LUCY55]

Yea, our balcony room went down $200 after final payment. FLASH FARE--no adjustment. Last year on Carnival got the price reduction after final payment as an onboard credit. If you go to CC's Carnival boards you can read that this is common. Not so for Princess.

[Diane F]

Realdeal,my situation was the same.We had six cabins booked and there waslots of space left at final.We had no air involved and was not fussy about cabin location.Three different Princess reps told me no reason to cancel.If prices go down,we will adjust.I was convinced so we stayed booked.Now it is down $700 a person with 6 1/2 weeks before sailing.Every week the prices seem to go down.I don't understand if other cruiselines adjust,why they don't.Even the difference in shipboad credit would be okey,if need be.

[Toto2Kansas]

This is just one of Princess 'rules'. That is why they advertise the promotions after final payment as "For new bookings only". Yes, I agree, it isn't what we want, but it is their rules and they normally don't bend on this. It is the same for everyone.

If you want to do something, the best I can advise is to get your TA to fight for an upgrade for you, this is something that we have been able to do in the past, but never have been able to get a refund.

[Colo Cruiser]

COLO: Good for you...... Was this booked through a travel agent who went to bat for you or had you made the booking direct with Princess????? Thanks . . . . . . .

 

 

Booked through a TA that can deal with most inept CSR's at Princess. They did a great job for me. :)

[Colo Cruiser]

.Colo,how long ago did you receive your credits?Was wondering if anyone ever know of a flash promotion going off and been adjusted for new prices.TA says if they drop flash promotion,she can refare.We will see. I do not know if they run a flash promotion for a month will they ever open it up say old bookings get a refare?

 

One of mine was a flash promotion within the last 6 months, what ticked me of the most about this one was they sent me an e-mail on it (on the Princess e-mail list) about 28 days out and the price dropped a bunch. I would not have bee a happy camper if I would not have been able to take advantage of that new fare. :)

[Diane F]

Colo,are you saying that they had a flash promotion 6 months out,when you could have cancelled without penalty and then about 28 before sailing they ran another sail,which was not a flash promotion and gave you a refund?That is what I understand it to be? IF so,maybe there is still hope.They did upgrade us a couple of decks higher,but to me that is not an upgrade.It is the same type of cabin.We will wait it out and will still go and have a good time.Princess reps should not say they will reprice after final payment,as it seems by so many,that is almost impossible.

[Colo Cruiser]

Colo,are you saying that they had a flash promotion 6 months out,when you could have cancelled without penalty and then about 28 before sailing they ran another sail,which was not a flash promotion and gave you a refund?That is what I understand it to be? IF so,maybe there is still hope.They did upgrade us a couple of decks higher,but to me that is not an upgrade.It is the same type of cabin.We will wait it out and will still go and have a good time.Princess reps should not say they will reprice after final payment,as it seems by so many,that is almost impossible.

 

 

For the most part yes.

 

Did you book through Princess or TA?

[Diane F]

Colo,yes I booked through a TA.She keeps checking to see if the flash goes off,but until it does,or if it does,she says nothing can be done about refaring.

[Colo Cruiser]

Colo,yes I booked through a TA.She keeps checking to see if the flash goes off,but until it does,or if it does,she says nothing can be done about refaring.

 

 

All I can say is keep on them about it. ;)

[LuvRVacay]

We booked our trip on the Regal Princess last year directly through Princess. Some time after we had made final payment we noted that our cabin had dropped in price $600 p/p. (19 day trip). My husband called Princess hoping they would do something for us - at least room credits or something. He did not expect a refund because if the price had gone up we certainly wouldn't have wanted to pay an additional fee. We were happily surprised when the cruiseline gave us the entire $1200.00 credit. At that point we had cruised with Princess 5 times previously and perhaps that was why they were so accomodating or we just got lucky with who answered the telephone. This is one of the many reasons we are huge Princess fans.:)

[SissasMomE]

I was offered a $150 OBC for my 4/8/07 cruise on the Caribbean Princess, but I had to switch cabins because my cat was sold out. I like our cabin choice, so I didn't take it, even though the cabin offered was a higher cat. I really wanted my aft cabin! My TA said Princess doesn't usually kick back money after the final, or offer OBC, but if the TA is persistent, they can usually get a OBC for the pax.

[63musicgirl]

I just did this. I was paid in full about a month ago and the price was lower the other day. I called and the refund should show up soon.

 

It was only $200, but hey it's $200.

[Diane F]

LucrVacy: the cruise I am talking about is also the Regal,19 day.It is now $700 per person cheaper than what we paid.MyTA is a big Princess booker and she has called,each time I told her the price has dropped,and they keep saying it is flash promotion.We started with an inside,changed to outside when prices went the same(before final payment) and then the put us up three decks,which does not really matter to us.Was this on the Sept. cruise on the Regal?They did not try and say it is a Flash Promotion?Maybe there is hope for us.TA says this Flash is till Feb. 28.Maybe after that they will do more for us.We are willing to change cabins,again,if need be to save over $1000 .