Future Cruise Consultant screwed up - need help!

[Infi]

On the last day of our cruise, we bought two FCCs from the Future Cruise Consultant. We used one of them immediately to put a hold on Island Princess in December 2010, and purchased the other one for later use. The consultant quoted us $1925 for a balcony on the sailing, and said our travel agency had purchased group space which allowed us to get such a low rate. Great. He said there would be a sheet delivered to our cabin with the booking details and the FCCs purchased before the end of the cruise. He also assured us our travel agent would be calling us shortly after we got home to verify the booking and review the details.

It was the consultant's first week aboard and judging from the way the senior consultant had to help him actually input the booking, I should have known he wasn't dealing with a full deck. Long story short, we never got the sheet confirming the FCC or the cruise we booked. Of course, the cruise consultant is nowhere to be found on disembarkation morning, so I was out of luck. Since he assured me my TA would have all the details, I wasn't too worried and decided to call when I got home.

 

After we got home, it was an ordeal trying to get ahold of our TA. When I finally did, she had no idea we had even booked a cruise. I had to give her the booking # and all the details - the consultant had never passed on the info to her, although the cruise was booked. Our TA proceeded to quote us $2300pp for the same exact cruise. She knew nothing of the rate we booked at, and referred us back to Princess.

 

I called Princess and explained the situation. At first they refused to talk money with me at all, saying it was through a TA and they couldn't help. Eventually I managed to get through. The first person I spoke with disconnected me after hearing the story, and the supervisor I got on my second try was unapologetic. She said they cannot honor what the future cruise consultants say on the ship. Excuse me? They're Princess employees! I realize that I would be a lot better off if I had the sheet with the details, but I never even got one in the first place (and not for lack of trying, either!) I feel pretty screwed by the consultant's ineptitude - I'm basically going to have to pay $800 for his mistake.

 

I'm really frustrated and I'm about ready to cancel this cruise altogether. What should I do?

[helpmesailaway]

Infi - that is terrible. Is there a way to get the name of the FCC that was on your sailing. Maybe someone from your roll call would have the name.

 

We had to wait and wait once to get the FCC papers and they finally arrived on the last night of the cruise even though we submitted the papers in the beginning of the cruise.

 

We have had so many wonderful Princess cruises but some of the Future Cruise Consultants seem not as interested in future cruise planning as one might think.

[Toto2Kansas]

Did you find your FCC's purchased charged as a seperate charge to your credit card? One thing we never do is to wait until the final day onboard to purchase FCC's. It sometimes takes more than a day before the paperwork hits our mailbox at our stateroom.

 

Sorry there was a mix up, but without any paperwork as proof, it is just your word what was said in the conversation. It's possible the Future Cruise Consulant looked at the wrong rate for the cruise you wanted to book, especially since your travel agent couldn't come close to that amount. If I am reading your message correctly, the consultant said this was your travel agents rate?

 

I don't think you would have gotten that price no matter what if your TA can not match it now. Maybe the consultant looked at a different screen by mistake? Mistakes do happen, but afraid there isn't much you are going to be able to do about this one, sorry!

[Infi]

Did you find your FCC's purchased charged as a seperate charge to your credit card? One thing we never do is to wait until the final day onboard to purchase FCC's. It sometimes takes more than a day before the paperwork hits our mailbox at our stateroom.

 

Sorry there was a mix up, but without any paperwork as proof, it is just your word what was said in the conversation. It's possible the Future Cruise Consulant looked at the wrong rate for the cruise you wanted to book, especially since your travel agent couldn't come close to that amount. If I am reading your message correctly, the consultant said this was your travel agents rate?

 

I don't think you would have gotten that price no matter what if your TA can not match it now. Maybe the consultant looked at a different screen by mistake? Mistakes do happen, but afraid there isn't much you are going to be able to do about this one, sorry!

 

Thanks, helpmesailaway and Toto. Toto, you do have the details right, and I'm really beginning to think he screwed up the pricing in the first place. To add insult to injury, I have another beef with him. We purchased two FCCs and we were charged $400 as a separate charge on our credit card. Now, I understand the first $200 of that, but where the other $200 came from is a mystery to me! Something wasn't done right, that's for sure. My credit card company is investigating it, hopefully this will expose the other screwup he left us with.

I just feel like this guy was so completely...clueless and now I'm paying the price here. I just wish I'd been able to get that booking statement out of him! :(

[Ken076]

infi - You're caught up in a finger pointing exercise that probably won't work out as you want.

 

But...I'd write a concise, polite letter containing all the details you can remember (including the two $200 billings which maybe they can trace back to an employye ### or name), and your wished for resolution, to "Manager-Customer Service" at Princess corporate Headquarters. I've had two situations where this was my last resort, and in both cases within 10 days or so a Supervisor empowered to rectify the situation called and in both cases resolved the situation(s) better than I had expected. ken

[flamomo]

Maybe he sold you 2 FCCs apiece for a total of 4 charged to you credit card for $400.

Have you looked in your Captain's Circle account to see how many FCCs you each have?

[DaisyRose]

Infi,

On my recent cruise, I wanted to purchase two future cruise credits. I knew from reading the threads here that we could use one fcc for the two of us to reserve a room, with DH just then paying the additional $100 deposit when we actually booked. I filled out two forms for what I thought were two FCCs - one from each form. The form said "One future cruise credit for ___# of passengers." I put in "2". It then asked for passenger names, and I put down my name and my husbands name. The next day, I received four future cruise credits and a $400 charge on my credit card. So, I guess I misunderstood the form. Perhaps you did the same thing I did? I'm really not upset - we can either each use one of the credits for our next two cruises, or we can use one FCC for four future cruises. Either way, I get to go on more cruises! If you log into your Princess accounts, see if you can find four future cruise credits listed there between you and your honey.

 

As for the booking you made, if you don't have anything in writing, I doubt you can get the price the future cruise consultant quoted you. Chalk it up to an inexperienced crew member giving you inaccurate info.

[wizard-of-roz]

Cancel this cruise and re-book through your agent.

We had a similar circumstance happen to us, onboard the Oosterdam.....until it was rectified, I felt I was in FCC hell!!!!!

I stayed away from doing FCC's again. I get the OBC's through my travel agent and I don't get so aggrevated because I don't allow "Murphy's Law" to kick in!!!! :(

I will try again, on our cruise in September. It's all about using the services early enough in your cruise so that you have the time to demand that you get a copy of what is promised to you......Just what I love, while I'm vacationing, a battle with an agent....NOT!!!!! :o

[Coral]

I would do this:

 

I would send an email to starprincess@princesscruises.com and under subject put the guy's name or to David @ Future Cruise Sales or something like that.

 

I would explain the situation. Maybe he still has paperwork concerning your cruise - it is worth a try and see if he responds. I did meet him - he did seem like a nice guy. Hopefully he still has information on your cruise and can help the situation.

[Infi]

Thanks everyone for your advice. Ken076 - I think I will be going the letter route next and keeping my fingers crossed.

 

Re: the FCCs. I have checked my CC account, and all that's there is one (which is correct). I sail with my teen daughter, so there's no way the FCCs went to her - I'm the only one with a CC #. It's not like we can't afford it (and if we do have 4 FCCs, they'll end up used...I think :rolleyes:). But, it's the sticker shock of another screwup - I expected a $200 charge, not a $400 one :eek:

DaisyRose - I agree the wording is confusing. I saw quite a few people asking about the wording on the sheets. But the consultant filled out the FCC worksheet for me while I was sitting there, and it was correct, so whatever happened after that is a mystery to me.

[spingal]

Cancel this cruise and re-book through your agent.

We had a similar circumstance happen to us, onboard the Oosterdam.....until it was rectified, I felt I was in FCC hell!!!!!

I stayed away from doing FCC's again. I get the OBC's through my travel agent and I don't get so aggrevated because I don't allow "Murphy's Law" to kick in!!!! :(

I will try again, on our cruise in September. It's all about using the services early enough in your cruise so that you have the time to demand that you get a copy of what is promised to you......Just what I love, while I'm vacationing, a battle with an agent....NOT!!!!! :o

 

I always buy the FCC and leave the booking open. Then when I get home, I work directly with my TA to determine when I want to use it. The OBC's are so nice and it would be a shame if you missed out on them! For example, I will have a $100 OBC for my November Hawaii cruise because I used a FCC to book it. :D:D

[Toto2Kansas]

Thanks, helpmesailaway and Toto. Toto, you do have the details right, and I'm really beginning to think he screwed up the pricing in the first place. To add insult to injury, I have another beef with him. We purchased two FCCs and we were charged $400 as a separate charge on our credit card. Now, I understand the first $200 of that, but where the other $200 came from is a mystery to me! Something wasn't done right, that's for sure. My credit card company is investigating it, hopefully this will expose the other screwup he left us with.

I just feel like this guy was so completely...clueless and now I'm paying the price here. I just wish I'd been able to get that booking statement out of him! :(

 

 

Give Princess a call about the double charge on the FCC's. I had this happen not long ago. I bought two FCC's and was charged $400. I called Princess and when they checked, it seems that another gentleman on our sailing bought a bunch of FCC's for family traveling with him and somehow someone put it in the computer wrong and two of them were charged to us by mistake. Princess took care of this within 5 minutes and the credit was placed back on my credit card within three days of the call. They admitted the mistake, and to protect the man who actually purchased the two FCC's I was charged for, they put a note on his account so that if/when he called, he would be able to reinstate the FCC's by allowing them to put the charge on HIS credit card.

I would give this a try and see if this may have also happened to you if your account only shows that you purchased two FCC's but were charged for four.

[Colo Cruiser]

Why don't you e-mail the FCC person on the ship IslandPrincess@princesscruises.com putting the FCC in the subject line and copying it to the PSD.

[bhopal21]

Why don't you e-mail the FCC person on the ship IslandPrincess@princesscruises.com putting the FCC in the subject line and copying it to the PSD.

 

Best suggestion I have seen so far, and do it pronto.

 

Mike:)

[Devil Dog]

I think the 400 dollar charge is correct. You said two people for 2 cruises and that's 400 dollars. One hundred deposit per person per cruise equals 200 and you booked one a have another FCC for 2 people.

[Toto2Kansas]

I think the 400 dollar charge is correct. You said two people for 2 cruises and that's 400 dollars. One hundred deposit per person per cruise equals 200 and you booked one a have another FCC for 2 people.

 

Very possible if each has two FCC's showing in their circle savings account, minus what was used for the booking onboard. When we buy 4 in both our names, two are assigned to each of us and only show up on the appropriate circle savings account. The OP needs to check both accounts to see what they are showing.

[Lynda90]

Please let us know what you find out. We will all be waiting to hear what the final outcome is. Hopefully it will be to your satisfaction. :p