Princess "MoveOver" offers.

My clients received a "moveover offer" for their upcoming Sep. Med cruise. Princess says that the Sep cruise is over booked and thus they are making this offer. It has been a nightmare to try to work with the Inventory Department as they seem to be understaffed for the number of offers they have sent out. You call the only number provided and it goes to voicemail. When they finally call you back they can't answer questions concerning air changes and other changes necessary to make the move. It is no so simple when folks have air with other providers, hotels, excursions and transfers. involved. Customer service isn't a service when dealing with this department.

It's a fact of life in this period of time that cruise lines have to protect themselves by overbooking when situations occur resulting from last minute cancellations. If those cancellations don't occur, the ship is oversold. One solution is to provide a move over incentive which, if the offer is attractive enough and the change in plans isn't a factor will work for both cruise line and passenger.

If the cruise line is using this program to solve the problem, then they should be structured to handle it in a quick and responsible manner. As you have indicated, it can be very messy with situations that include air fare cancellations and re-booking, hotels, excursions, etc.

I hope that Passenger Relations and the Inventory Department get a handle on this soon.

You are so right Grego. In many cases it is not a simple yes or no. Lots of other factors are involved in the decision but it seems like Inventory Department only wants a yes or no at the time you call. The offer talks about air change fees being covered but what if the client has to cancel the air? If they book Princess EzAir flex fee is the complete payment now due immediately or upon Paid in Full Date for the future cruise?

Cruise lines have a pretty strict policy concerning refunds after paid in full dates so they are protected from a lot of last minute cancellations and as you say, need to be staffed to handle questions concerning these offers. Needless to say, my clients are upset with their Customer Service and say they won't book Princess again.

We did a move over several months ago. There is one woman in the inventory dept. and she is very condescending. We got minimal amount for our flight. However, you usually get a replacement cruise and a full refund of your money.

I agree with you KevintheirIrishDJ concerning condescending. She needs a new job because Customer Service is not her strong point. More staff might help but the current method leaves many with a bad taste about Princess even before they cruise.

I could easily deal with a few minutes of condescending attitude if it means I'll end up with a free cruise.

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The client also has the option of saying "no" to the offer. That's pretty simple. No changes or hassles for anyone.

Of course they do partybarbie, however any decision should be a well informed decision and one whould expect the company making the offer to be able to respond to questions the client might have in a timely manner.

I could easily deal with a few minutes of condescending attitude if it means I'll end up with a free cruise.

 

 

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I agree 100% if the agent were willing to answer the client's questions but that wasn't the case. She hung up claiming a bad connection but wdidn't call back. I called but never got a reply even after leaving voice mail and repeating the questions. We have been trying to get answers for 3 days, involved the BDM who is on vacation and left no additional contact while she is away. Just really poor customer service.

I have a different view: If it was easy and convenient, they wouldn't make such generous offers.

It's only because there's too much rearranging for most people that the few who can say "What the hell" and do it make out so well.

Similarly, if the narrowly focused "inventory" person on the phone took the time to turn into our personal travel agent, it wouldn't be economical for Princess. A rude phone rep is obviously another matter and should not be tolerated by Princess.

So, as Barbie said, you can make the changes and adjustments and get a phenomenal deal, or you can just say no.

Jim

I'm not sure it is good business practice to not provide customer service to Customers, especially first time customers, jasbo49, especially when Social Media can gain many other's attention when they are making decisions. We were discussing Princess EzAir policies so the agent should have been able to answer the clients questions. In this case Princess has already lost one customer and I as an agent will promote other Cruise lines over Princess. Do they care? Probably not. Do I care? Yes I do since I wasn't able to help my client make an informed decision.

I'm not sure it is good business practice to not provide customer service to Customers, especially first time customers, jasbo49, especially when Social Media can gain many other's attention when they are making decisions. We were discussing Princess EzAir policies so the agent should have been able to answer the clients questions. In this case Princess has already lost one customer and I as an agent will promote other Cruise lines over Princess. Do they care? Probably not. Do I care? Yes I do since I wasn't able to help my client make an informed decision.

Since it appears that you are a travel agent, I'm wondering why you are stating your dissatisfaction with the Princess office handling your questions here on a public forum rather than contacting the Princess customer service department itself and expressing your displeasure with the service you received from them directly? It sounds to me as if they certainly didn't have answers to your questions, which they should have had it seems bu discussing it here doesn't do you any good at all and, to be quite honest about it, makes me wonder about you as a professional in the field of travel. Maybe you are just really frustrated with the service you received, or more properly, didn't receive, but nobody here can do anything to help you so why express your displeasure here to us?

One person's thoughts.

Tom

We were discussing Princess EzAir policies so the agent should have been able to answer the clients questions.

I'm surprised to hear this. We accepted a moveover offer about one month ago. We shifted our cruise from this August to August 2018. The agent said to call back to the same number in September (when flights opened up) and they would take care of our EzAir arrangements, including up to $500 per person in additional air charges if necessary.

But my main point remains that if it was easy, if it was no hassle, they wouldn't have offered us a free cruise in a Penthouse Suite.

Jim

Well Tom I and my client as well as my business manager have been in contact with Princess Customer Service Department and as you have put it, didn't get the answers. An attempt to contact our Princess Business Development Manager got an auto reply that she was on vacation but left no contact number for another associate to provide assistance.

My objective with posting here on Cruise Critic is to make folks aware of a seriously lacking customer service department, not to solve my problem. We all have choices as to who we choose to cruise with and as I said earlier we should make informed decisions; not just a yes or no without facts. I'm sure other love Princess and have posted so on Cruise Critic but in my opinion their customer service needs serious upgrading. Cruise Critic is a Forum to inform others, not necessarily get solutions.

I'm surprised to hear this. We accepted a moveover offer about one month ago. We shifted our cruise from this August to August 2018. The agent said to call back to the same number in September (when flights opened up) and they would take care of our EzAir arrangements, including up to $500 per person in additional air charges if necessary.

 

But my main point remains that if it was easy, if it was no hassle, they wouldn't have offered us a free cruise in a Penthouse Suite.

 

Jim

It seems that it was pretty easy for you Jim and I'm glad to hear that. Have a wonderful Penthouse cruise and enjoy.

I am booked on a cruise next week with a guarantee cabin, on our roll call it looks like several of the people have been offered a downgraded cabin to open cabins for the people that have booked guarantees. They were offered an inside cabin and will receive their full fare in refundable OBC. No one has mentioned any difficulty in dealing with the people at princess. I hope that I get a lovely upgrade since my fellow passengers are giving up their cabins for people like me.

I was told by the Agent that even thought they are "overbooked" that my Clients in a Guarenteed Balcony will get their Balcony although they sail on Sep 2nd and haven't gotten an assigned cabin yet. As I told them, it can be up until the day before embarkation when they get their assignment.

Hope you get that lovely upgrade too. Let us know.

We sail October 8 for 28 days on Emerald Princess to Hawaii and the South Pacific. We have a great Caribe balcony and have been looking forward to this cruise for a very long time. We booked under the previous Sip and Sail last year so we have the AIBP included.

If Princess were to offer us a move over, say the same cruise next year, in a comparable cabin with the AIBP, and offered to refund all of our money and give us the cruise next year absolutely free it would probably take us about 30 seconds to be on the phone saying, "YES!!!". Screw the cost of the flight. That would be a separate issue but nothing compared to the cost of the cruise and the benefit of the move over offer. The rep could condescend to me all she likes.

I'm not sure it is good business practice to not provide customer service to Customers, especially first time customers, jasbo49, especially when Social Media can gain many other's attention when they are making decisions. We were discussing Princess EzAir policies so the agent should have been able to answer the clients questions. In this case Princess has already lost one customer and I as an agent will promote other Cruise lines over Princess. Do they care? Probably not. Do I care? Yes I do since I wasn't able to help my client make an informed decision.

So based on one experience, with one uninformed, rude employee, you have come to the decision to not recommend Princess? I seriously wonder what will happen when you encounter the same thing with Celebrity and Royal Caribbean? Believe me, they also have uninformed, rude employees.

In 59 cruises with Princess, I have received one move-over offer. Thank you very much for your "warning", but it really is something that most passengers will never have to concern themselves with.

My objective with posting here on Cruise Critic is to make folks aware of a seriously lacking customer service department, not to solve my problem.

If you are not looking for answers or to solve your problem, what's the point? Wouldn't each person be able to draw their own conclusions as to the quality of customer service based on their own experiences? I have had nothing but positive results in dealing with Princess. I am not so naive as to think that everyone has had the same experiences. But reading about your issues (or, more accurately, your client's issues) isn't going to color my view. In reading the first post, I scratched my head and wondered aloud: Is this post really about:

• Move Over offers (as the title suggests);
  
• A general complaint about customer service (as the direction has taken);
  
• An attempt to "out" or embarrass PCL in a public forum as in "social media shaming"; or
  
• A way to advertise that you are a travel agent (as the cynic in me wonders).
  

I would agree Thrak. Make it pretty easy when considering what you have paid for a 28 Day cruise. Not quite the same when looking at travel to the Med. for a 7 day cruise, especially if your funds are already allocated to a flight.

So based on one experience, with one uninformed, rude employee, you have come to the decision to not recommend Princess? I seriously wonder what will happen when you encounter the same thing with Celebrity and Royal Caribbean? Believe me, they also have uninformed, rude employees.

 

In 59 cruises with Princess, I have received one move-over offer. Thank you very much for your "warning", but it really is something that most passengers will never have to concern themselves with.

Actually it is the second major issue I have had with Princess that went unresolved for over a week before client cancelling an Alaska cruise because they refused to honor her all inclusive beverage package that was part of her deal. It's not just one person. It is the fact that you can't get answers when you have to elevate the issue. That client went over to NCL. Yes, others have uninformed and rude employees but I have been able to elevate and solve the issues when they happen. I'm pleased to hear that you have not had issues in your 59 cruises but it hasn't been that way with me. I would rather book with companies that I have gotten great service from.

Canceling and rebooking is not easy for a customer. There are a number of factors to make the decision. I don't expect the Princess rep to know my considerations and guide me in making an informed decision. I recognize their limitations and their primary job of accepting the customer decision and initiating the change in booking when accepted.

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I would agree Thrak. Make it pretty easy when considering what you have paid for a 28 Day cruise. Not quite the same when looking at travel to the Med. for a 7 day cruise, especially if your funds are already allocated to a flight.

Actually still pretty simple to me. I would simply pass on the offer and enjoy the cruise I had booked. ;)

This client was a first time cruiser with Princess and has told me that it will be her last. So yes JimmyVWine, customers will draw their own conclusions based upon their own experience and what others have had. Cruise Critic exists to be a forum for both the bad and the good so that customers can make informed decisions so don't scratch your head any more. I want people to have information and be able to make their own decisions.