firsttimecruiser88

2 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

@firsttimecruiser88, most of us regulars on here are well aware of the new Caymus WM Dinner event and we have wondered at the exorbitant price of $140 (which is more than Chef Table Lumiere).  Since it was announced, you are the first poster I have seen mention actually attending one and it has not been clear if they had even begun them as yet.  What ship were you on and what venue was it in?  The original WMD event was only on Royal Class ships and held in the Deck 5 mid-ship DR where there is a center section surrounded by wine bottles.  The used to be $40 and they raised it to $45 when Specialty Dining prices went up.  Obviously, the staff you spoke to on the phone were thinking of the original WMD and not this over-hyped Caymus thing.  Your situation is another example of why the cabin account should be checked every day and also before leaving the ship, so no surprises.  Your only recourse now is to write CustomerRelations@PrincessCruises.com and tell your story, including you would never have booked the event at $140/pp and ask for $95/pp refunded back to you for the excess over the quote you were given.

Yes I figured that was the case too ie the dinning staff mistakened and gave me the quote for the normal WMD instead of the Caymus one. And like you said I would never have signed up if I knew the full price. I will email customer relation, see if I can get a refund back.

I was on Majestic Princess, they only have Caymus WMD and Chef Table, they do not have the normal WMD, however to make it confusing they also have some wine tasting events which cost $19, $29 and $35. Which is why when they told me the Caymus one is $45 I didn’t question it because the price sounds sensible compared to other things.

So I got a shock of my life today when I receive the final journey account bill.

We went for the caymus winemaker dinner after being advised by the dinning line staff on the phone that it’s $45 per person cover charge. Well guess what it was $140!!!!! I wouldn’t haven’t gone had I known upfront it was that expensive (we are both not huge wine drinkers). And the 2 dinning team staff on the phone we spoke to before signing up both told us it’s $45.

So just to warn you, Caymus winemaker dinner is $140 cover charge per person!

I feel like I should make a complaint, but don’t even know how to. We’re already off the ship.

12 hours ago, SightCRR said:

That is great news. Especially if the shuttle is not full and you get a seat. 

The first shuttle we waved down only had 1 seat and there was 2 of us, we waited for the second one and it was no problem, only 30 mins wait, and you’re surrounded by natural beauty anyways so a little wait and you can wonder off to enjoy the sight.

So I did the Nature History Tour yesterday, it’s part of Princess land tour package, prior to this I had try to upgrade for months ahead of the tour to the Tundra Wilderness but was not successful because of the horrid customer service team at Princess who were so clueless, and eventually was told that it was sold out.

Anyways, read on as I have some too for you if you like me was unable to upgrade. So I did the tour, I found it to be very informative, I enjoyed learning about the history of the park and the talk about the Alaskan Natives, all was great. As the tour finished at mile 17 Primrose Ridge ready to turn around to go back, I didn’t board the bus and stayed back. I then waved down the GREEN transit shuttle to EAST FORK (which is the only route available now due to the land slide) and I went all the way to mile 43, as far as what the Tundra Wilderness Tour would have done, FOR NO EXTRA COST. Initially the day before the tour, I was going to buy the extra transit shuttle ticket, but at the Bus Depot the staff told me I didn’t have to, and can just give the shuttle driver the receipt of my Nature History Tour if he asked he would be happy to take me on.

So yeah, there you go, I enjoyed my Nature History Tour and then continued on with the transit shuttle all the way to mile 43, saw 2 bears, 1 wolf, way too many caribous and the beautiful scenaries of the park.

My flightseeing  from Talkeena with glacier landing was cancelled today :(. Due to bad weather. It’s been raining heavy non stop since the morning and unfortunately due to safety reason the flight was cancelled :(, and I’m leaving Talkeena tomorrow morning.

Is there another good alternative from Anchorage or Juneau? I will be in anchorage tomorrow and the next day, and Juneau on Wednesday, I was really looking forward to do a flightseeing tour (plane or helicopter) ideally with glacier landing, and if there’s dog sledding that’s even better.

Would really appreciate recommendations.

I hope I won’t regret this, but after all the advices on here I have cancelled the tour :(. So now I have the full day tomorrow at Fairbanks with nothing to do.

Maybe controversial, but I’m from the UK, we’re not into this “entitled” tipping culture. Personally, I would do this:

- Leave the cruise to deal with the auto gratuities that I have already paid.

- For staff who has gone over and beyond and make things special: extra tips

- For average service ie people just doing their job: none extra

- For bad service: I’ll ask to deduct the auto tipping amount and will give reasons.

14 hours ago, 3Green3 said:

 

I was not. They simply said it was not possible and without drawing breath tried to sell me on a birthday package and transfers 😀

 

I do see old threads where both upgrading and cancelling for credit were possibilities so it may require calling and calling until one finds an agent of some tenure who is familiar with this tour. 

Sounds like you and I had the same experience then. I’m also in Europe (UK), don’t know if it has anything to do with that? I called their US customer service line (expensive phone bill!) but that was also no help.

7 hours ago, 3Green3 said:

 I am having the same issue. We will be there early September. To complicate matters I am in France and so I have been transferred to other teams and brushed off with the lie that this other team should have all answers to my question as it is a Euros booking. Each person has no idea. A question that is not understood at all it seems. I have been on hold for a total of 3 hours 10 mins! across 3 phone calls and I still have no answer. But probably a weighty telephone bill! I finally asked to please remove the tour so I can book directly from the provider but that also led to more holds before a gentleman asked if we would like a birthday package then on noticing we had a pre cruise hotel with transfers already he cut me off as he could not finish a sell on transfers that I have no doubt he must do to satisfy his lead and keep his employment.  

 

A most frustrating experience this week. I think we will just wait and try to upgrade at the lodge if possible. 

 

 

Were you able to cancel? Because I tried that too and they said it’s part of the package (natural history tour) and cannot be cancelled for credit or refund.

1 hour ago, peachykiehn said:

Another option is to privately book the Tundra Wilderness Tour via the park vendor then call Princess and have them refund your tour with them. We did this last September as was told we could not switch to the longer tour with Princess because it was full. The bus stopped to pick us up at the Princess lodge and we were on the same bus as the Princess tour just for a lower cost. 

I tried to cancel but they said that the Natural History Tour is part of my package so I can’t get any refund or credit. :(((!!

6 hours ago, wolfie11 said:

Princess Cruises and the land operations are two different companies each of which doesn't know what the other is doing.  When you get to land, go to the hotel desk to ask for an upgrade.

I will try to call again today, see if any luck. I called 3 times already and spoke to 3 different people who had absolutely no clue. In the end all they cared about was to upswell me the premium/plus add on, or Champaign in the room for special celebrations lol!! It’s so frustrating!

8 hours ago, Paula_MacFan said:

I just did it last week with the assistance of my Princess CVP.  It took about 3 minutes on a phone call and the difference in price was $35 per person.  There have been many reports over the years of people upgrading this tour.  I'd suggest you call back and hope you get a more knowledgeable rep or ask for a CVP to be assigned to you.  

 

Good luck!

What is a CVP? Do you just call the normal customer service line?

Has anyone done this? I called princess customer service to upgrade from Denali Natural History to Tundra Wilderness and it’s so hard!! None of the staff I spoke to  has any clue what I’m saying or any clue how to upgrade my booking.

Has anyone done this? I called princess customer service to upgrade from Denali Natural History to Tundra Wilderness and it’s so hard!! None of the staff I spoke to  has any clue what I’m saying or any clue how to upgrade my booking.