What happens if things go wrong

[Toto2Kansas]

Just in case I have a complaint - what does CEO stand for?:confused:

CEO=Chief Executive Officer

[Shogun]

Hi Caber,

 

CEO = MD

 

 

yours Shogun

[regnig]

Hi Caber,

 

CEO = MD

 

 

yours Shogun

 

Ok Shogun make those of us on this side of the pond (or just little ol' me) a bit smarter please.

:confused::confused: ??? CEO = MD ???? :confused::confused:

Does MD stand for something other than Medical Doctor to you?

[kenexx]

MD = Managing Director

[Shogun]

Hi Larsen,

 

One family divided by a common language,

 

Medical Doctor = Dr,

 

We tend not to use this title for anything other than Medical Doctors while many other people have reached the level of Doctor we do not give them there title, eg Chemists , vets etc

 

yours

 

Shogun

[drumline13]

Hi everyone,

 

I was on the Star Princess when it caught on fire back in March 2006, and when something "big" goes wrong, the crew is definitely there to take care of things (see my Star Princess "Fire" post at: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=6203610)

 

That was our "bad" experience, but we were so impressed with the Princess onboard crew that we sailed with Princess multiple times after.

 

If they can handle something big like that, I would like to think that Princess can also handle any "small" problems that anyone encounters.

[caber]

Ok Shogun make those of us on this side of the pond (or just little ol' me) a bit smarter please.

:confused::confused: ??? CEO = MD ???? :confused::confused:

Does MD stand for something other than Medical Doctor to you?

It`s not just your side of the pond. That was my next question. My other half could have answered that one but it depends what business you are in.:)

[LegalEagle2012]

My problem is pre-cruise related. It concerns misdescriptions in the UK first edition Mediterranean brochure for 2009. In fact, my complaint has led Princess UK to re-print the brochure. I was also given incorrect information by a Princess Reservations Agent in Southampton and this has resulted in me being stuck in a Catch 22 situation with them at present.

 

I have also made a complaint following the inconsistencies relating to price drops being honoured in the US and not in the UK!

 

As a Group Tours Organiser - I was using my first Princess cruise to see if it would be suitable to add to my list of suppliers. I am not asking for special treatment - just to be given the truth!

 

K

[Shogun]

hi There,

 

Folks in the US just do not understand the differences between Princess UK and Princess US, almost every extra or freebie applys to US bookings only.

 

The same is true for AUS and Canada. folks

 

every deal you can think off has small print saying US folks only.

 

As for Princess the more you know the more you find they make mistakes in the advise they give out, and as far as booking flights, well these change every few days on my last cruise Princess had to put us in hotels etc at their cost because they moved the charter flight so we could not fly same day, while many others who were making there own way to the airport had to pay for hotels high air fares for last minute bookings as well as the cost of lost tickets already booked.

 

I always take Princess transfers so that I do not get caught by this.

 

If you think I can help in some way please contact me.

 

 

yours Shogun

[regnig]

Hi Larsen,

 

One family divided by a common language,

 

Medical Doctor = Dr,

 

We tend not to use this title for anything other than Medical Doctors while many other people have reached the level of Doctor we do not give them there title, eg Chemists , vets etc

 

yours

 

Shogun

 

Boy on our side of the pond that would p_ss off a lot of folks who feel once they have earned their PHD that they deserve the title Doctor. I had an Aunt and an Uncle who both had their PHD and were full professors at universities and all their colleagues called them Doctor although they never referred to themselves using that term. Can't offer an opinion one way or another as to which is correct.

[fiona page]

Shogun

 

As your experienced with Princess. Advice - booked cruise for April 6 of us 3 cabins inside - having an issue if ive done the right thing as would prefer outside, couldnt afford the £300 difference at the time. Price has come down now since we booked and the difference is only £100 I called princess and they say would have to pay £500pp to change. There are outsides available but insides full. I thought about cancelling and loosing £100 dep and re booking but the flight is full. We could end up cancelling altogether and they will loose the sale of 3 cabins because they wont let us pay them £200 more does this make sense in the current economic climate. Have even said just one cabin change and would have obstructed view. Any thoughts

[Shogun]

Hi there,

 

Have booked direct with Princess,

 

Is it one booking in one name or three bookings with different names per cabin.

 

 

yours Shogun

[Raven 1954]

July 2009 Compliant

It would be hard for a company to fix a problem that hasn't happened yet. If your cruising in July of 09, and you have lodged a written, formal complaint???

 

There will always be some things that are not just right. Thats because we all live differnt lives and expect differnt things.

 

I have been in the travel industry for many years and in "almost" every case, the person has done everything they can to remidy the problem.

 

There are certian people that start a vacation looking for a problem, they will find it. I had a customer that complained for 2 weeks that she needed extra hangers. I was on vacation with them and I heard about it on the 12th day. I went to the front counter and had a handfull of hangers in under a minute. She said it ruined her vacation and she sent a formal complaint to the hotel. She was looking for a problem....

 

I am not saying that problems don't happen, I am just saying its a vacation....ask for help and 98% of the time the issue will be fixed.

 

Enjoy your vacation....thats why we go on them.

[RickEk]

On our last cruise, there was a full bottle of Skyy vodka in the cabinet under the mini-bar sink! :D I guess the previous occupants forgot it, or left it for us as a present. It WAS much appreciated...:cool:

[California Native]

"now I have had $1000's of on board credits, free meals, bottles of wine, dinner with officers, meeting with captain etc etc"

 

How does one person (or couple) get so many credits, etc.? Does something bad happen every time you cruise? When I've encountered problems, I've asked for them to be fixed and then said "thank you" once the problem was solved, never thinking I should have asked for something extra for my "troubles". What have I been missing? :rolleyes: What kind of problems get you something in return from a cruiseline, or is it that if you make a big enough stink about it with the right people, you get something to quiet you down? Inquiring minds want to know.:confused:

 

 

We received a 1,000 dollar credit AND a 900 credit.

Here's the cliff notes...

When Princess only posted 12.00 instead of 1200.00 for our honeymoon cruise and then it was auto cancelled after we received a deposit paid email.

I found this out 3 months before our wedding, on a cruise, on a sea day which was SUPPOSE to be my relaxing spa day.

my mom took me on this cruise as an escape from the craziness of wedding planning to RELAX. while booking another cruise with the Future cruise consultant I asked her to check our honeymoon booking to make sure it was noted that it was our honeymoon...

the look on her face...

she didn't know how to tell the stressed out bride in front of her that her HONEYMOON cruise to Scandinavia/Russia was cancelled.

there were no more cabins..

we had to come up with another honeymoon plan

in just weeks.

I was barely coping with a Nasty, PSYCHO soon to be MIL,

the Catholic church who wouldn't marry us because I can't have children (swear to god, on that one) 1 reception place was sold and went from a sophisticated brunch offering to a Taqueria (at the point I did need the tequila...so I considered it) the list goes on and on and on...

Princess nearly sent me over the edge on this one..

we rebooked this cruise for the following year...

Our 1st anniversary.....

it was a HORRIFIC cruise experience my only one in sailing for 30 years (started as a child) 50+ cruises under my belt.

it was also my DH's 1st cruise

if you hunt out 5/22/07 Star Princess sailing on old roll calls you can read just a little bit about it...

We were then give another 900 dollars in credit..I used mine last year but it's going to be tough to get my DH on another cruise

I promise you I would have been MUCH happier if we never needed to be compensated.

You asked why I would return. I sail about 30 days on Princess a year.

I know how often they surpass themselves.

I also know what to expect and not expect. I know how to calmly document and present the issue onboard and to customer service on land.

I can tell you on the 5/22 sailing my focus file and my letter were circulated around Princess Headquarters. I received numerous calls from higher ups and began a wonderful "relationship" with my assigned customer service rep.

It was funny at times to have people read my letter with me while I was on the phone...

there was at least 3 OH SH-T exclaimations ...it was that bad!

Once again Princess made it right

They took ownership, apologized, and asked us to return.

That is all we can hope for when it comes to our business or personal relationships.

[fiona page]

Hi there,

 

Have booked direct with Princess,

 

Is it one booking in one name or three bookings with different names per cabin.

 

 

yours Shogun

 

Booked via TA 3 different names per cabin

[Toto2Kansas]

There is no need to worry. And you don't have to whine, plead or threaten to have things made right.

 

Case in point:

Sea Princess cruise a few years ago. A quite expensive aft mini suite booked for a 14 day sailing. The moment we set sail we know there is a problem as everything on the tables is knocked to the floor, glasses are crashing off the bar and bathroom items are scattered everywhere.

 

OK, no problem we can handle this. It continues from before dawn each morning (love those 5-6 AM unplanned wake up calls) as we pull into port and again each night as we leave the port. Not a normal aft shudder but violent shaking to the point you knew you had to be in the stateroom so you could 'pick up the pieces' at least twice each day on this port intensive cruise.

We enquire if there is a problem, with both the room steward and the pursers desk, and told, no problem, don't know what your talking about.

Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, OK we have had aft staterooms before and this is not normal. We enquired several times as it seemed to be getting worse as the cruise went on. No sleeping late on this voyage. ;) We make due.

We returned home and several months went by and I honestly didn't give it much thought. We had looked into the Sea Princess for a future cruise (as we really loved this ship), but were again worried about the violent shaking in the aft section (which is our preferred location). So, I write Princess a nice letter (keep in mind this was 5-6 months after we returned home). I asked them if the 'problem that wasn't a problem' had ever been repaired as we would like to book this ship again, but not unless the 'problem that wasn't a problem' has been fixed. :) It was a polite letter and just an enquiry.

 

Within two weeks I noticed a very very large future cruise credit on my princess account, but had no idea what it was for. Figured it would disappear and was a mistake.

A week later a letter arrived from Princess with an apology and a refund (in the form of a future cruise credit) of 25% of our fare paid on the last Sea Princess cruise. This was a substancial amount. Not an apology for the ship in need of a repair, more of a general apology.

 

So, if you have an honest problem, and it was the fault in some way of the cruise line (not the weather or something totally out of their control), Princess will take care of you, no need to worry. And you don't have to become hateful, threatening or nasty for this to happen. My experience proves that.

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

Princess booking follow the rules and are not much use,

 

you need a good TA, one that is used to dealing with them,

 

what you ask can be done they will charge £100 to alter the booking.

 

However the rules say that if you cancel and rebook there is no way of holding the seats, again a good TA can get two girls at Princess to work together,

 

not sure how it works but I think one needs to be on line or be holding the seats while another does your new .booking , it they says no seats , she cancels your first booking frees the seats the second girl then allocates you the freed seats, bit of a risk

 

if you have booked with a big national TA you might have a problem in getting them to go that extra bit, but keep on at them.

 

I have just cancelled my planned cruise to Aus because some one pulled out a cruise to the Carb, all TA,s said charter flights were full, but I called Princess direct got them to check the flights there was two seats so I with my other phone got my TA on the line he made the booking cheaper this way, he had Princess holding on the line, I had Princess holding the end result a very cheap cruise.

 

Another thing you can do on a 14 day cruise is check to see if it is made up of two 7 day cruises some times sold to us as only 14 days but US folk as 7 days. I have called and been told ship is full, then ask is there empty cabins and you get told yes on each 7 day cruise, so you take a different cabin each week,

 

again look at flying out from one air port and returning to another,

 

bottom line do not take the first sorry can not do that, beg

 

 

 

Good Luck

 

yours

 

Shogun

[TucsonRick]

I have made a formal written complaint concerning my cruise booked for July 2009.

 

Had nothing but "nothing" responses - and yes I was polite and kept my complaint to the facts.

 

Perhaps, once again, this is the difference between the US Customer Service and the lack of the same afforded to us in the =UK.

 

My complaints are now with ABTA and the Princess CEO

 

K

You are complaining about a cruise you have not yet taken??? Perhaps you should tell us more!

 

Rick

 

OOPS, you already did. I just didn't read far enough down the thread.

[Shogun]

Hi Folks,

 

Some questions for you,

 

who complains the most young or old, US or Brits, First Time Cruisers or Old Sea Dogs.

 

 

yours Shogun

[dot73]

Who complains the most? Canadians are generally known as good, easy going tourists, and I know that I try to be when travelling. However, I made a mistake a few years ago to do a bus trip in Europe with other Canadians. Yiiiikes - never again. The complaints started at the airport with one couple and spread like wildfire. Our Spanish guides could do nothing right. It partially spoiled the vacation for us. Whenever we got off the bus, we tried to get away on our own as soon as possible. My German cousin, on the other hand, had the same experience on a trip with other Germans. She has improved her English so that when she needs to take a guided tour, she goes with the English-speaking crowd. I think any time you have a group of tourists from one country together, it's not a good idea. Nothing is every as good as it is at home and one always tries to outdo the other with their comments. My favourite trips and excursions have been when you have a mix of people from other countries. Everybody seems to be on their best behaviour as not to embarass themselves or their country. I have met some fabulous Americans, Brits, Scots, Germans, etc. I have also met some real jerks from all across the world, including my fellow Canadians. What I love the most about being around people from other cultures is how much you learn.

[cruiser113]

Who complains the most??

 

I think unhappy people. It doesn't matter if you are young or old /a newbie or a seasoned traveler. Nothing is always perfect. You also have to keep a positive attitude and try to make the best of the situation. You can spend your time complaining and be reactive. Or you can spend your time being pro active and looking for the rainbow.

 

We can color our own rainbow by the company we keep. When you surround yourself with negative complaining people your rainbow is dark and overcast.

When you surround yourself with happy and positive people your rainbow is bright and colorful.

 

Don't get me wrong........sometimes there is a reason to complain. It just depends on the way we do it!