Disappointment in Princess

This is just to vent because it's nothing that happened to me before on any other line. I tried to upgrade my cabin on the Regal from a balcony to a mini suite for more room. I wasn't looking for any discount or upsell price, just an upgrade, dollar for dollar.I had booked this cruise, which is fully paid for way before final payment date, when they gave free gratuities. I asked if the booking would remain the same, including the grats, and was told it would not.The grats would come off to the current pricing. I politely told her to forget it.I'll stay where I am.I could understand if I was down grading, but it makes no sense for an up grade.The only reason I'm even booked on this is because my wife wanted to sail Princess. OK, but never again.

You have a choice of either the offer you are currently booked on (price, perks, etc) or the current offer (again, the price, perks, etc currently available). Princess has never allowed people to select part of one offer and part of another.

Since pricing is set taking perks into account, I am surprise any cruise line would allow you to use parts of different offers.

Sounds like you booked under a promotion that included the free gratuities. Not sure why you couldn't upgrade and keep the promotion but it's possible that in order to do so, it required a new booking. When you create a new booking, any promotion or perks are lost.

I'd call back and as to speak to a supervisor. Perhaps the Princess rep didn't understand what you want.

This is a case where a good TA could help you and save you money. Princess allows TAs to discount fares so with one who does, you can save 10% or more.

Unfortunately, the rep understood exactly what I was asking. I wasn't trying to get pieces from each booking. The new booking was higher than mine, cabin to cabin, but I was willing to pay the price increase plus the upgrade.As I said, the first and last cruise with princess. I'm not talking to a supervisor because i really doubt it would change anything.By the way, the cruise is in December, so nowhere near final payment.

Unfortunately, the rep understood exactly what I was asking. I wasn't trying to get pieces from each booking. The new booking was higher than mine, cabin to cabin, but I was willing to pay the price increase plus the upgrade.As I said, the first and last cruise with princess. I'm not talking to a supervisor because i really doubt it would change anything.By the way, the cruise is in December, so nowhere near final payment.

Well if it's not near final payment and you are this un-happy with Princess already, then you might as well cancel now, get your deposit back and book with another cruise line eh!?:confused:

I would call back again. Princess reps have given people different answers.

I would call back again. Princess reps have given people different answers.

I would love to, but my wife would be disappointed. This cruise is for her. I'm sure I'll get over it and have a great cruise.

I would love to, but my wife would be disappointed. This cruise is for her. I'm sure I'll get over it and have a great cruise.

I don't know the price differences involved but I think I would seriously consider upgrading to the mini even without the included gratuities. A happy wife might be well worth the extra funds.

BTW, looking for a Travel Agent that would discount this cruise might save you the difference. A TA that discounts Princess cruises can save you 10% or more. The right credit card can save you 3% or so.

No need to get upset at Princess. Princess is just following their policy which is pretty much the same policy all the mainstream cruise lines follow. Contacting a supervisor is very good advice. They might have more leeway in what they can do than just other employees. After all, it can't hurt.

I'm not sure why your cruise is "fully paid for way before final payment date", but did you ask if you could just cancel and rebook a new reservation in the mini suite?

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You'll find this with all cruise lines. If you tried this with Holland America . You would get the same answer.

I'm not sure why your cruise is "fully paid for way before final payment date", but did you ask if you could just cancel and rebook a new reservation in the mini suite?

 

 

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He could but he would lose the free gratuities perk and that's what the problem is.

This is just another reason why we do not book directly with any cruise line...but rather book through reputable high volume cruise agencies. Not only do we always save money, but in a situation such as this we would simply send an e-mail or make a quick call to our cruise agency and ask them to if they could negotiate an upgrade deal to a higher category. Perhaps we get it....perhaps we don't....but the agencies with whom we deal know who to contact at the cruise line....and they have some clout.

The problem with Princess and just about every other cruise line (and we have cruised on 14 lines) is that the folks who work for the cruise lines are not always that well informed. As somebody said, if you call Princess 3 times with a question you might get 3 different answers. It is the same with HAL, Celebrity, RCI, etc. When you deal directly with a cruise line you become your own advocate. But if you have a decent cruise/travel agent you have a professional advocate...and one with incentive to help you out. In this case, if you pay more money for an upgrade....the Agency gets an higher commission. In this particular case, the OP needs an "upsell" which will allow him to keep the original promotion. Rebooking with a new booking number would likely cause him to lose all the perks from the previous booked promotion.

But in this case, the die is cast. So the OP can just quietly stew...and live with what he originally booked. Or he can take a deep breath....turn on the charm....call back Princess...and very nicely ask, "is it possible to get an upsell to a higher cabin category?"

Hank

You have a balcony with free gratuities and you are upset because the promo is not valid if you purchase a mini instead? :confused:

The loss of the promo when changing cabins/fare is pretty standard. Not really sure why you are so upset with Princess.

I will say a TA will not change the minds or policy of Princess.

As stated by another poster you probably should cancel because once onboard you may be really unhappy. :(

Unfortunately, the rep understood exactly what I was asking. I wasn't trying to get pieces from each booking. The new booking was higher than mine, cabin to cabin, but I was willing to pay the price increase plus the upgrade.As I said, the first and last cruise with princess. I'm not talking to a supervisor because i really doubt it would change anything.By the way, the cruise is in December, so nowhere near final payment.

If you are going from a balcony to a mini-suite, the new booking would be higher. I'm trying to understand how this is "cabin to cabin" when it's two different categories of cabins.

I will use my upcoming cruise as an example. I booked an inside room for $799.00, it includes the gratuities. After the free gratuity promotion ends, the cabin price drops to $699. Now I want to book a balcony. The balcony is $1300, with no free gratuities. If I had booked the balcony with the free gratuity promotion, it would have been $1450. Princess is not going to give me the free gratuities, because the pricing has been discounted.

What was the price of your mini-suite when the free gratuities were offered? What is it now? That is the difference that you need to know. It's probably a cheaper fare, and that's why you cannot carry-over the free gratuity promotion.

What was the price of your mini-suite when the free gratuities were offered? What is it now? That is the difference that you need to know. It's probably a cheaper fare, and that's why you cannot carry-over the free gratuity promotion.

Exactly what I was thinking too and also with the grat promo over, the new grats are at a higher price for mini-suite (only a $1 but still not apple to apple grat costs either)

Exactly what I was thinking too and also with the grat promo over, the new grats are at a higher price for mini-suite (only a $1 but still not apple to apple grat costs either)

Exactly!

If you are going from a balcony to a mini-suite, the new booking would be higher. I'm trying to understand how this is "cabin to cabin" when it's two different categories of cabins.

 

I will use my upcoming cruise as an example. I booked an inside room for $799.00, it includes the gratuities. After the free gratuity promotion ends, the cabin price drops to $699. Now I want to book a balcony. The balcony is $1300, with no free gratuities. If I had booked the balcony with the free gratuity promotion, it would have been $1450. Princess is not going to give me the free gratuities, because the pricing has been discounted.

 

What was the price of your mini-suite when the free gratuities were offered? What is it now? That is the difference that you need to know. It's probably a cheaper fare, and that's why you cannot carry-over the free gratuity promotion.

Yes

I think this explanation hit's the nail on the head

It's never been apples to apples

Srpilo

I would love to, but my wife would be disappointed. This cruise is for her. I'm sure I'll get over it and have a great cruise.

It reminds me of when my T/A called and said Princess wants to UPGRADE you to a mini suite for $500 more per person. It was never meant to be an upgrade but it was later clarified as an upsell. We didn't take the hook as I felt they should have given us the upgrade for free. For $1,000 more all we would get is an extra TV and a sofa, big WHOOP! Princess doesn't really do anything for the passenger, it's all about the money and what they can get out of you. Be happy with what you have, free gratuities is a good deal. I haven't seen any of those deals offered lately.

This is just to vent because it's nothing that happened to me before on any other line. I tried to upgrade my cabin on the Regal from a balcony to a mini suite for more room. I wasn't looking for any discount or upsell price, just an upgrade, dollar for dollar.I had booked this cruise, which is fully paid for way before final payment date, when they gave free gratuities. I asked if the booking would remain the same, including the grats, and was told it would not.The grats would come off to the current pricing. I politely told her to forget it.I'll stay where I am.I could understand if I was down grading, but it makes no sense for an up grade.The only reason I'm even booked on this is because my wife wanted to sail Princess. OK, but never again.

You probably booked under a promotion where free gratuities only applied to certain cabin grades. You cannot take the free gratuities with you when you decide to pay for an upgrade to a cabin grade that did not have them included in the original promotion. You should wait before deciding you will never sail with them again if you have not been with them before. You might be surprised.

You probably booked under a promotion where free gratuities only applied to certain cabin grades. You cannot take the free gratuities with you when you decide to pay for an upgrade to a cabin grade that did not have them included in the original promotion. You should wait before deciding you will never sail with them again if you have not been with them before. You might be surprised.

Even if they had the promo for mini's as well it's a moot point if the promo is over. ;)

Princess basically treats it as a new booking or starting over when changing fares.

y l

I will say a TA will not change the minds or policy of Princess.

As stated by another poster you probably should cancel because once onboard you may be really unhappy. :(

That's why I said cancel as well.... they are referencing it as their first and last Princess cruise and they haven't even gotten on board....:o

Try not to be discouraged because you are going to LOVE the Regal!

I think possibly the reason they can't rebook under his original booking is because he has made final payment (even though it wasn't required). It seems that I've seen or heard that you don't want to make the final payment to pay in full until the required date...just in case you want/need to make changes. 🙄

Unfortunately, the rep understood exactly what I was asking. I wasn't trying to get pieces from each booking. The new booking was higher than mine, cabin to cabin, but I was willing to pay the price increase plus the upgrade.As I said, the first and last cruise with princess. I'm not talking to a supervisor because i really doubt it would change anything.By the way, the cruise is in December, so nowhere near final payment.

The only way you can make that change is if the terms you want are being offered at the time you want to make the change. It sounds like you booked under an offer that had free gratuities and at the time you wanted to make the change that offer did not exist for the cabin class that you wanted to switch to on the day you wanted to make the switch.

That is pretty standard on all of the cruise lines. When you make a change they can only book what current offers are available.