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Mistake made by Personal cruise agent.

nimiq

By nimiq,
in Princess Cruises

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caribill

caribill

Posted
Posted
People seem to think that if they are on the wait list that they will automatically be assigned the next available cabin. This is NOT the case. If a cabin becomes available, anyone can book it. Waitlists are not automatic. Be proactive and check for availability frequently. Have your TA check several times a day. Don't wait for a cabin to become available.

 

I remember reading that wait list requests are handled manually each day. So if a cabin becomes available before the time they work on these lists, it is shown available on the web site until either someone snags it or the wait list people do their work.

 

Pam and I were on one cruise that was totally sold out for many months, but there were a number of days when cabins were shown as available in the morning but disappeared later in the day, sometimes because someone on the wait list called in to get one assigned.

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caribill

caribill

Posted
Posted
So here is the final verdict our friends never made out of the waitlist and because of this we were offered all 4 of us, So two cabins on an Alaskan cruise departing same date.

So believe it or not we went from a MED cruise to an Alaskan cruise lol.

This should be interesting first time doing Alaska :-)

 

Sea ya

Eric

 

Thanks for letting us know how it turned out.

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Iamcruzin

Iamcruzin

Posted
Posted
Sorry to hear of this. I have a great TA, but things fall through the crack all the time. That's why, IMO it is the responsibility of the person booking the cruise to make sure all factors relating to the cruise (passports, visas, hotels, tours, payments) are done in time. I think the lesson to be learned is to ensure that final payment is made in enough time to see that credit card has been charged.

 

Who cares about your cruise more than you do? No one.

 

Unfortunately if we pay a commission to a TA it's to actually take care of all of that if not I would of done it myself.

 

As for us we did see the final payment go through as I get a text notification as soon a charged has been made on my credit card.

 

Unfortunately our friends did not have that set up and did not know that they had to check if the TA had done his job in the first place.

 

As for now we still stand on the waitlist.

Fingers crossed our friends make it in this cruise.

 

Sea ya

Éric

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I agree with both of you. However the mind set on Cruise Critic is to only use the TA for a discount or On Board Credit. I had a similar situation almost happen to me. I booked through a travel agent who was very receptive to answering questions an adjusting the price of the cruise when I notified her. However she dropped the ball at final payment. I had left my credit card on file with her so when the time came to pay the balance she could just submit the payment. I also set a reminder on my phone to follow up on the day of final payment just incase I didn't receive confirmation. Sure enough when I called her at noon she still hadn't made the payment. I would have thought she would have made it a day or two early. She thanked me for the reminder and made the payment while I was on the phone with her. I didn't receive a thing from her. No discount, no OBC, no wine. She got a commission and I got a thank you for reminding me to make your payment. This happened before I was a member of cruise critic so I was in the dark about the freebies. Now I just book myself through the cruise line. I'm not leaving anything up to chance just for a bottle of wine or a $50 obc. When the price drops I call myself or if a better cabin becomes available I put a hold on it and call myself. There have been times that I was checking prices for a Celebrity cruise at 1:00am and the price dropped $200 total. I called immediately and got the adjustment. The next morning the price went back up. If I would have booked it through a TA I would have had to wait and I would have missed the price drop.

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Newbie Cruiser 2010

Newbie Cruiser 2010

Posted
Posted
So here is the final verdict our friends never made out of the waitlist and because of this we were offered all 4 of us, So two cabins on an Alaskan cruise departing same date.

So believe it or not we went from a MED cruise to an Alaskan cruise lol.

This should be interesting first time doing Alaska :-)

 

Sea ya

Eric

Totally different cruise expectations but I have heard that Princess's Alaskan cruises are some of the best. And you will all be cruising together. Enjoy The TA should comp you all with a free alcohol beverage package!

 

We always do final payment about a week prior to due date and check until it shows on our reservation.

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Pierlesscruisers

Pierlesscruisers

Posted
Posted
So here is the final verdict our friends never made out of the waitlist and because of this we were offered all 4 of us, So two cabins on an Alaskan cruise departing same date.

So believe it or not we went from a MED cruise to an Alaskan cruise lol.

This should be interesting first time doing Alaska :-)

 

So will you be cruising out of Seattle or out of Vancouver?

 

Tom

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  • 3 months later...
travelplus

travelplus

Posted
Posted
So here is the final verdict our friends never made out of the waitlist and because of this we were offered all 4 of us, So two cabins on an Alaskan cruise departing same date.

So believe it or not we went from a MED cruise to an Alaskan cruise lol.

This should be interesting first time doing Alaska :-)

 

Sea ya

Eric

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I would have not accepted Alaska and ask the agency to cover on Cunard NCL or even Windstar Crystal Azamara whoever had the same it8nerary and fork over the difference in airfare and hotels.

 

To me I have my mindset on the MED and you can be certain Alaska is not the MED. If I had wanted Alaska I would have booked it in the first place. You made it too simple to accept Alaska.

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travelplus

travelplus

Posted
Posted
So here is the final verdict our friends never made out of the waitlist and because of this we were offered all 4 of us, So two cabins on an Alaskan cruise departing same date.

So believe it or not we went from a MED cruise to an Alaskan cruise lol.

This should be interesting first time doing Alaska :-)

 

Sea ya

Eric

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

The agrncy owes you a bonus cruise for your friends and you in the MED at a later date with airfare and hotel credit for a sailing of your choice on a ship and cabins of your choice paid for by their Errors and Omission. Alaska is a consolation but the MED is the one you had originally wanted. I would press the agency manager to do this.

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Slugsta

Slugsta

Posted
Posted
There seems enough confusion that it would be best if OP returned and explained the problem better.

 

The thread started some months ago. Since then the OP has been back to explain the situation and to tell us how it was resolved - he and his friends have accepted an Alaska cruise so that they can all travel together.

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RocketMan275

RocketMan275

Posted
Posted
I know a lot of cruisers love their TAs, and many are very good. But I just never use one anymore, and haven't for several years. I hear too many stories of the TA failing to pay the balance in a timely manner, and all kinds of problems ensue, including cancelling of the cruise. I'm in control, and I make the payments myself directly to Princess. I sure hope things work out for the OP. I agree with those who say don't cancel your cruise. There will be other opportunities to cruise with friends.

 

That really isn't a major problem. When I book through a TA, Princess is the one who bills my credit card. One can verify the charge on-line to ensure it has been properly billed. If you book directly with Princess you also have to verify the charge with your credit card company to be safe. You have no more control booking with Princess.

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Coral "Live from...." Rare

Coral

Posted
Posted
Insurance companies usually require included pre existing clause payment due within 21 days of booking. So people who wait to pay for cruise on final date, don't take insurance? Or I guess they're not concerned with pre existing.

 

I book at final payment and have pre-existing conditions covered. Special policy written for my agency.

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Shmoo here

Shmoo here

Posted
Posted
Pre-existing coverage is easy to get if you pay for your insurance within the insurance company's specified time frame. Some insurance companies say 7 days within first deposit but the one I use allows 14 days from initial deposit.

You can get pre-existing coverage later (at final payment date), even on policies that require it to be purchased within a specific time frame. It'll just cost you more.

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Steelers0854 "Live from...." Rare

Steelers0854

Posted
Posted
Pre-existing coverage is easy to get if you pay for your insurance within the insurance company's specified time frame. Some insurance companies say 7 days within first deposit but the one I use allows 14 days from initial deposit.

 

 

 

Our nationwide policy that we usually get covers preexisting conditions if purchased before final payment. Not sure how they can expect you to buy insurance around the deposit date when there are a lot of times you can’t even buy airfare and hotels that far out.

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SFBayAreaShipLover

SFBayAreaShipLover

Posted
Posted
Sorry to hear of this. I have a great TA, but things fall through the crack all the time. That's why, IMO it is the responsibility of the person booking the cruise to make sure all factors relating to the cruise (passports, visas, hotels, tours, payments) are done in time. I think the lesson to be learned is to ensure that final payment is made in enough time to see that credit card has been charged.

 

Who cares about your cruise more than you do? No one.

 

 

 

I think this is so true. A double check always helps, I have learned not to assume, trust but check. Folks make mistakes, A good TA will stand up and solve there mistakes. And yes cruise lines, on line booking companies make mistakes too

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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Pierlesscruisers

Pierlesscruisers

Posted
Posted
Sorry to hear of this... it is the responsibility of the person booking the cruise to make sure all factors relating to the cruise (passports, visas...Who cares about your cruise more than you do? No one.

 

One of the saddest things to see is someone arriving at the pier to go on a cruise and be denied boarding due to not having the proper documentation (e.g. passport, birth certificate, visa, etc.) At that point it makes absolutely no difference whose fault it is, the end result is most often the same, the cruiser not going on the cruise with the resultant loss of enjoyment (the cruise itself) and funds (the money paid for the cruise and transportation to the pier.) Sometimes there are work-arounds that allow the person(s) to cruise but often times there isn't. It's definitely a situation where nobody wins, neither the cruiser nor the cruise line and definitely not the person who has the responsibility of informing the cruiser of the denial.

 

Tom

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  • 4 months later...
moki'smommy

moki'smommy

Posted
Posted

I've been totally unimpressed with my "personal" princess vacation planner. She called me once after I signed in and looked up some cruises. I get an e-mail ever few months. BUT when I attempted to contact her, both by e-mail and by leaving a phone message, I never heard back. Yeah, not likely to do that again. Her failure to respond cost us $150 in OBC.

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