You can now get a balcony for what you paid for an obstructed ocean view?

[goku001]

We have booked some cabins in the Island Princess cruise sailing from Vancouver. Few days after making the payment, Princess came out with a "Special" wherein a Balcony suite now costs around as much as what I have paid for an obstructed ocean view.

 

On calling Princess up, they told us to call the travel agent.. the travel agent told us to contact princess. A great case of passing the buck. Any suggestions of refunds/ Upgrades/ Onboard credit/ free excursions have really not worked.

 

Possibly Princess is legally correct in refusing to upgrade us to a room category which now costs as much as we have paid earlier, or refund us any money. But somehow it seems ethically wrong. I know I will just not be able to enjoy the 7 day cruise knowing that had I booked a couple of days later, I could be in a Balcony for the same amount I paid for an Obstructed Ocean View.

 

Any of you in the same situation? What are you doing about it? My view is that Princess should at least upgrade such cases, as it really does not cost them anything.. and at least will generate good will. Unfortunately contacting princess itself is very difficult... the only way to contact them is the 1800 number.. and I do not believe that the person we are speaking to truly understands concepts of customer serivce and satisfaction (and may not have the powers to do anything).

 

Any suggestions?

[jasl]

Princess will not "talk" to you if you have booked through and agent. I cannot see why the agent is referring you to Princess again!!!

You do not state when the cruise is taking place. If you are within the 'penalty" period, you would loose if you try and re-book. However, if the cruise is quite a ways out and your travel agent does not levy a cancellation penalty, I would cancel the original booking and use the Princess Promo for a balcony cabin. Good luck.

[Toto2Kansas]

I have a feeling what you have run into is a 'flash promotion' after final payment date for 'new bookings ONLY'. Happens all the time when a cruise hasn't sold out.

 

Never been able to get around it...........so it is best not to look at pricing after final payment.

 

Princess totally covers this action with the fact it is for 'new bookings only'.

It is their way to sell the cabins left over so the ship will sail full of passengers.

 

I know, it is painful, but we have all gone through it at one time or another. Just not much you can do about it. Sorry!

 

Edited to say "Welcome to Cruise Critic". Before your next cruise and even inbetween cruises, you can check here and get all that type of info before something like this happens again. It is easier to be informed of some rules before the fact then after. Again, sorry you had to find out the hard way about 'flash promotions'. :(

[can786]

I see this is your first post so perhaps you have not been reading these boards for long. I can understand your frustration but there have been many posts on these boards on this subject and it has been debated over and over again. Unfortunately it is rare that anyone receives any sort of compensation in this case though some have reported really pushing hard and getting either onboard credit or an upgrade. Please don't let it spoil your cruise. You obviously thought the rate you paid was okay when you booked or you wouldn't have booked it so you just have to accept that others may pay less that you but you had your choice of cabins when you booked. Just like on an airplane, the person sitting next to you may have paid a lot more for the same flight that you did and their seat isn't any more comfortable than yours.

 

Like Toto said, don't even check prices after final payment since in some cases ignorance is bliss.

[goku001]

Thanks for this... you are correct... first cruise...think it was a flash promotion soon after the final payment date.

 

Very Painful. There has to be an easier way to enjoy a cruise.

[Colo Cruiser]

If you have a good TA then they should go to bat for you. :rolleyes:

[Toto2Kansas]

Thanks for this... you are correct... first cruise...think it was a flash promotion soon after the final payment date.

 

Very Painful. There has to be an easier way to enjoy a cruise.

 

Don't feel too badly. My first cruise, wayyyyyyyyy back when, I paid brochure price. :eek: :eek: Something that is totally unheard of today. It took a lot of cruises and finally getting online before we found out how to get better rates on everything from flights to cruise fares.

 

Have a great time, and as I said previously, it is just best not to look at prices after final payment and enjoy your first cruise.

Since the first cruise is always so special and the memories really last forever (we have sailed on approx 35+ cruises so far and I can still vividly remember the first one but I can't tell you a lot about one we took several years ago), don't let anything, especially a few $$$ spoil it for you. Just think, if you start with a balcony, there isn't a lot of room to go up for the next one. This will give you something to look forward to on your next voyage, a balcony cabin. :)

[Lynda90]

Don't feel too badly. My first cruise, wayyyyyyyyy back when, I paid brochure price. :eek: :eek: Something that is totally unheard of today. It took a lot of cruises and finally getting online before we found out how to get better rates on everything from flights to cruise fares.

 

Have a great time, and as I said previously, it is just best not to look at prices after final payment and enjoy your first cruise.

Since the first cruise is always so special and the memories really last forever (we have sailed on approx 35+ cruises so far and I can still vividly remember the first one but I can't tell you a lot about one we took several years ago), don't let anything, especially a few $$$ spoil it for you. Just think, if you start with a balcony, there isn't a lot of room to go up for the next one. This will give you something to look forward to on your next voyage, a balcony cabin. :)

Same with me, Toto. I didn't even learn about the different prices until I joined this board. I either booked with the cruiseline or with a local TA. Didn't even occur to me to shop around. Yep, that was me, paying full brochure prices.

 

I also agree with you about not bothering to look at prices after final payment has been made. Since we already know that adjustments will not be made, no point in causing a lot of aggravation. I know there are those who have said their TA has gotten them an adjustment and/or upgrade after final payment, but in 26 cruises, I've never seen it.

[Times Prince]

We have a rule about stock sales and cruise payments - don't look for a while after you've made the transaction so you won't be irritated by the occurences of the next couple of days.

 

Our first cruise was on an outside cabin and was so great it just whetted our appetite for more and for taking advantage of balconies when we can.

 

Many people have said this but I will repeat - When you paid the price of the cruise you agreed on the price of the cruise as acceptable to you. Please, please, please do not let the fact that other people got different deals get in the way of your enjoyment of the cruise. Once you are out of the cabin (which is most of the time) you get the same treatment throughout the ship - same food, same entertainment, etc. as people ranging from inside cabins to suites. That's one of the beauties of cruising with Princess. So relax, put the disappointment behind you, and have a great time !

[SoFloDeb]

I know many people do not like to book a guarantee, however, we have booked obstructed view and have received a mid-category balcony cabin. This time we booked a BE category and have received BA. However, when looking at prices I saw that the BA was at the same price the BE guarantee was when I booked it. So apparently, we were given the BA either because the price came down, or it was the upgrade fairy.

[mii]

I am another one who first started cruising and paid full brochure price until I wised up, found this board and doing alot of researching myself.

 

I also do not look at prices after I have made my final payment. It will just get you upset and hey you please go and enjoy your cruise. Just read these boards and then the next time you cruise you will be that much more informed.

 

Marilyn

[canadiansnowbird]

Don't look after the final payment..... It's just like the casino slots. After you have played a slot machine for a while and nothing happens, I get up and never look back to see what the machine is doing afterwards!!!! It could be a pain I don't want to see.!!!!! :eek: :(

 

Just start looking forward to that fabulous cruise.

 

Snowbird