Room Upgrade Troubles

Its easy to move your booing to a travel agent - I would as them what value they would add. Often onboard credit or specialty restaurants are pers they offer.

As for the laundry location. I find the closer the better! Never troubled by noise and so easy to pop a load in!

First, thanks so much for all the advice and encouragement! While I have done several Disney cruises, I am still relatively new to all this. I will now admit that we booked our cruise without using a travel agent. When we've tried to use one in the past, it seemed like all she did was make mistakes, and that she wasn't helpful. Should we try to use one now or is it too late being that we're already booked? Would a TA be helpful reserving shore excursions? Or air transportation? And again, showing my ignorance, how would I find a good one and is there a large fee?

Again, thanks for the help and I do feel better about the upgrade location. Sorry to bother you again. You, guys are great!:o

Hi Edwy

I am glad that you are starting to feel better about the situation. We have travelled with Princess in the past and would do so again if it fit our plans.

You certainly could transfer your booking to a TA, but the important thing to consider is that if your TA is not a " very good " one, you may regret it in the end. You have to consider what you are capable of doing and if you want to do the required research.

What you have seen from this experience is that you can learn from a mistake. A crappy TA might just not be worth it. If you aren't aware, you won't know what your TA is missing. The only people that I believe are benefitting from using a TA are those that have done their homework and know what is available and then challenging the TA to do better.

have a great cruise

I took a chance booking a guarantee cabin for our upcoming Princess cruise. The cabin we received was an upgrade from the category booked but is not ideal--far from it in most people's eyes. But we'll be on a lovely ship and try to make the best of it. That's the chance I took in booking a guarantee.

Whenever I book a specific cabin, I ask my travel agent to mark it "no upgrade."

I took a chance booking a guarantee cabin for our upcoming Princess cruise. The cabin we received was an upgrade from the category booked but is not ideal--far from it in most people's eyes. But we'll be on a lovely ship and try to make the best of it. That's the chance I took in booking a guarantee.

 

Whenever I book a specific cabin, I ask my travel agent to mark it "no upgrade."

I have always wondered what makes a cabin 'not ideal'?

To me any place on the ship is ideal.

So to those who cruise with Princess, is this normal practice for them? To inform a guest that an upgrade is being given and even if they decline they may not be able to keep their original stateroom? Strange.

First, I wouldn't worry about being across from the laundry, especially if this is an upgrade from an outside view or inside to a balcony. I'd say thank your lucky stars. I've been across from the laundry before and never had a problem.

Regarding moving your cabin, there might be a reason you were moved that you are unaware of.

I was in an obstructed view cabin a few years and of course did a lot of research before booking to find the obstructed view cabin that still had a partial view. I found one and was thrilled that the view was only marginally obstructed.

All of my docs had the chosen cabin number. I had marked, no upgrade, no changes. Imagine my shock when I arrived at port and found out I had been moved to a different obstructed view cabin down the hall. When I got home I called Princess and discovered that there was a family group with minor children booked and their cabins were separated, so they moved me so the family group could be together. When I called Princess, they verified the info that I had marked the do not move box. They apologized and gave me a credit toward a future cruise.

So I guess, what I am trying to say, is that the reason you might have been given the upgrade and may not be able to get your original cabin back is that there might be a similar situation in which Princess was trying to accommodate a passenger or passenger group with specific needs. Don't know, but if you call Princess customer service you might get more info.

Further, I have cruise Princess 12 times and this was the only time I have ever been moved.

Imagine my shock when I arrived at port and found out I had been moved to a different obstructed view cabin down the hall. When I got home I called Princess and discovered that there was a family group with minor children booked and their cabins were separated, so they moved me so the family group could be together. When I called Princess, they verified the info that I had marked the do not move box. They apologized and gave me a credit toward a future cruise.

 

For you to have selected your cabin and then find out, upon boarding, that you were moved to another cabin, with no notice or contact, is completely unacceptable, no matter what the reason. And you had the "no upgrade" box checked, so it's even worse that they didn't have the decency to contact you. If a family needed to book cabins next to each other, then it is there obligation to book in a timely fashion to secure the cabins they needed, and not because the cruise line decided to move someone out of their selected cabin and down the hall, with no notice. And to only get an explanation after the fact, even if they did give you something towards a future cruise, is still unacceptable.

I agree totally, which is why I called Princess to complain. Especially since by moving us to the other side of the ship she separated us from our family group (my daughter and her husband).

After looking into it, the Princess rep agreed that I should not have been moved, especially without asking me beforehand and at the port. (I guess I could have understood if there was something wrong with the room such as the plumbing.)

She apologized then gave me a generous credit toward another cruise.

That would be a great upgrade. We always do a balcony guarantee, usual get a couple category upgrade, once got a mini-suite, but I think our TA arranged that. She was a top agent with that cruise line and a really good friend of ours.

Have had it once, have also had a balcony to a mini suite, but these are rare.

The default on Princess is yes to upgrades. I started emphasizing a few cruises ago that we want to keep the specific cabin we've booked, and haven't been moved. I do check the cruise personalizer every so often to make sure we haven't been moved... but there's some people who don't mind an upgrade. To us, it's location. Even if we keep an inside cabin.

as long as the laundry room door is kept closed, you shouldn't have a problem. and there are posted hours. A couple of cruises ago, we were right near the elevator bank, and didn't have a problem, but some people will avoid cabins near elevators.

I hope the OP won't allow this happening to cause them to embark on their cruise with negative feelings toward Princess, and possibly allow it to "ruin" the whole Princess cruise experience for them. Needless to say, changing cruise lines isn't an easy choice to make, as there will be some things done a little differently from what they are accustomed to on their previous cruise line.

Over 12 years of cruising with Princess on 25+ cruises, and always booking my cruises directly with Princess, I have found the Princess agents to be helpful in resolving concerns, and the staff and crew on the ships to be very passenger satisfaction oriented.

I have always wondered what makes a cabin 'not ideal'?

 

To me any place on the ship is ideal.

Only time we had a "not ideal" cabin was on deck 1 directly above where the garbage was kept and it was very very stinky the whole cruise. Can't even remember the ship, but it was pretty "not ideal" :eek:

Again, thanks so very much for all the kind replies. I have learned a lot and will definitely apply that knowledge to future trips. And yes, I am feeling a bit better about the room "upgrade", and a little less negative towards the Princess line, but I am still toying with the idea of calling a representative and asking again for a lateral upgrade move. At least I'd feel like I tried and I did get a chance to register my less than enthusiastic reaction to their procedures.But, I understand the point about how each line will be different and have different ways of doing things and different rules. We knew that when we decided to venture forth from Disney.

I am still looking forward to this trip and will do my darndest to let this part of it go. Maybe I can make some money charging a fee for "babysitting" people's washing. Fluff and Fold anyone? Jokey, jokey...

By the way, has anyone used the special adults only spa area on Princess? Is it worth it? I may need it...

Thanks again. I always recommend all of you to everyone. I've gotten a lot of good advice and support from you, Cruisers!

The Sanctuary is fantastic in my opinion. Many have no interest in it and someone referred to it as "The hospice"! We loved the quiet, the service and having a reserved lounger available every day.

Its in high demand. You have to go directly there to try and snag chairs for the week.

Some on Cruise Critic will say: "Every time we went by it was empty" But that does not mean it was not fully booked and paid for.

Before you switch to a travel agent, decide whether an incompetent or uncaring TA is better than no TA.

Lots of people here have gotten great service from TAs. I used one for our first cruise and got nothing, no perks, not even decent service. And like you, I have no idea how I could find a good one. CC's policy is to not allow mentioning specific TAs, none of my friends use one, so I make my own arrangements and bookings.

I suspect that the people who have excellent TAs either had used TAs for frequent travel for years or just lucked out. But that is just a suspicion.

I have always wondered what makes a cabin 'not ideal'?

 

To me any place on the ship is ideal.

I take it that you have never been under the galley! lol

I take it that you have never been under the galley! lol

I agree, there is a reason why cabin types have many categories at various pricings.

No, I have not yet been put under the galley, (Notice that I say not "yet".), but we have had the dubious honor of being under the swimming pool! Grrrrr:eek:

No, I have not yet been put under the galley, (Notice that I say not "yet".), but we have had the dubious honor of being under the swimming pool! Grrrrr:eek:

Was it noisy or did it leak?

Luckily it did not leak, but it was very, very, very noisy. :eek:

I read here on CC quite a while ago that a good way to find a helpful TA is to ask people on board! Do they like their TA? Did they get any "extras" from them, etc. I did that on my next cruise and have now discovered a TA who specializes in selling cabins on our favorite cruise line. She has given us free gratuities and on board credit. You have to check with more than one or two people, but those who love their TAs are usually more than willing to discuss it!

Luckily it did not leak, but it was very, very, very noisy. :eek:

I suppose it was the deck chairs being moved and everyone walking etc , or did the pool actually make a lot of noise as well.

I read here on CC quite a while ago that a good way to find a helpful TA is to ask people on board! Do they like their TA? Did they get any "extras" from them, etc. I did that on my next cruise and have now discovered a TA who specializes in selling cabins on our favorite cruise line. She has given us free gratuities and on board credit. You have to check with more than one or two people, but those who love their TAs are usually more than willing to discuss it!

Good work on your part and good advice for anyone looking for a TA or a better one. Just don't ask prices of other passengers, that may seem rude. Likely they may tell you in any case.

Didn't have time to read page 2 or 3 but just want to say that we were across from the laundry on our Royal Princess cruise and absolutely LOVED it. Quiet and so convenient when doing your laundry. We specifically chose a cabin on the Crown Princess that was right by the laundry for our recent 28 day cruise. Again, quiet! Never saw any signs saying times. We heard that someone did laundry at 3 am because they could not sleep. My dh did laundry around 4:30 am. This particular laundry had two sets of doors before you were actually in the laundry. No one slammed the doors. I would book a room there again in a heartbeat.

BTW, enjoy your BI cruise. We did it last year as our first trip abroad and loved it!