Adding on a cruisetour to my Alaska cruise, how difficult can it be....... ?

[Canberra forever !]

I thought this would be a simple process ! maybe it is in the US not so in the UK!

I phoned my TA first thing this morning to ask him to add on a Princess cruisetour to my existing Alaska booking, several hours later(!) I was told this was very complicated and Princess was making him process this through his own systems as they were unable to do this over the phone !?

Several hours later(!) I chased him again to be told he thought he'd sorted it out with Princess and if that was ok with me he would then ring them back and book it, I told him yes it was still fine (as it was this morning !) although I was a bit confused that the price they'd quoted him, even though it included their £100 admin fee :( Princess UK rules! was actually more than was quoted online (I did a dummy booking to check)

Now here I am at 7pm still wondering if my booking is done (wanted it done before the 3 for free sale starts tomorrow in the US) TA is closed so I rang Princess...wow !! unbelievably rude lady who intitially told me she couldn't do anything and to go through my TA so I pleaded & asked her please to check if my booking had been changed, reluctantly and with a lot of huffing and puffing she checked and said 'no' I asked her what I could do she said 'talk to your TA ' so I asked what if I book it myself online now & cancel my existing booking she said 'you can't cancel your TA has to' no 'I'm so sorry' or anything remotely resembling manners :(

So now I'm left hoping that my cruisetour isn't fully booked by tomorrow !! :( and contemplating sending an email to Princess regarding how unbelievably rude this lady was.

I have cruised for 30+ years I'm Elite with Princess though that clearly counts for nothing .....

[Kamloops50]

You just ran into the wall that is created by using a TA. You can book your own online or with Princess Rep. If you want to book direct ask to have a Personal Vacation Planner. This person handles everything for your reservation.The PVP also has a little more authority then a person in the call center.

[Canberra forever !]

You just ran into the wall that is created by using a TA. You can book your own online or with Princess Rep. If you want to book direct ask to have a Personal Vacation Planner. This person handles everything for your reservation.The PVP also has a little more authority then a person in the call center.

 

Thanks Kamloops :) if it's still available tomorrow I will have to rethink my booking strategy !

I appreciate it creates a wall using a TA but manners cost nothing and she was unbelievably rude :( ....wonder where my £100 admin fee goes..... improving customer service !! ?

[Kamloops50]

Thanks Kamloops :) if it's still available tomorrow I will have to rethink my booking strategy !

I appreciate it creates a wall using a TA but manners cost nothing and she was unbelievably rude :( ....wonder where my £100 admin fee goes..... improving customer service !! ?

 

That fee is probably what your TA charges for their service. In Canada we have similarities at fees except charged when cruise is cancelled.

[cherylandtk]

Well, cannot speak for how U.K. Bookings work, or whether your booking is a US booking or not...but over here one does not add a cruisetour to a cruise booking. It is not cruise + tour = cruisetour. They are separate, distinct and not combinable items; if you want a cruisetour, you must cancel your cruise booking and book a cruisetour.

 

The risk is that cruisetours usually sell out much earlier than the cruise itself for the same timeframe, and if you cancel the cruise, you may not be able to book the same cabin on the cruisetour. Be advised also, that cruisetour pricing is distinct from cruise pricing...if you see the cruise price go down you cannot have that applied to you cruisetour booking.

[Dietemann]

I thought this would be a simple process ! maybe it is in the US not so in the UK!

I phoned my TA first thing this morning to ask him to add on a Princess cruisetour to my existing Alaska booking, several hours later(!) I was told this was very complicated and Princess was making him process this through his own systems as they were unable to do this over the phone !?

.....

Sorry you had such a crabby representative on the phone. It's been a while since we were on an Alaska cruisetour, but at that time you could not add the tour to an already booked cruise. There was a different office to book the cruisetour, so if we wanted to do what you plan, we would have to cancel the cruise and rebook it as a cruise + tour package. It seems that has not changed and it's what you are running into. I'm in the US, so different rules.

Looks like Cheryl answered at the same time I did.

[Canberra forever !]

Sorry you had such a crabby representative on the phone. It's been a while since we were on an Alaska cruisetour, but at that time you could not add the tour to an already booked cruise. There was a different office to book the cruisetour, so if we wanted to do what you plan, we would have to cancel the cruise and rebook it as a cruise + tour package. It seems that has not changed and it's what you are running into. I'm in the US, so different rules.

Looks like Cheryl answered at the same time I did.

 

Thanks for the explanation :) I just wish someone i.e. my TA had explained this to me first thing this morning could have cancelled & rebooked & been sorted by lunchtime !

would really be no worse off financially either !

Still very disappointed in the grumpy Princess rep though :(

Fingers crossed all will be well tomorrow & I'll be booked & sorted :)

[Captain Canuck]

this really bites my biscuits

 

Customer does not really care how a cruise tour is added to an existing reservation..whether you have to cancel an existing cruise or not seems to me to be a matter for TA and Cruise company to deal with. and rudeness should never be tolerated. I would phone back to the cruise line and get a supervisor.

[Canberra forever !]

Well, cannot speak for how U.K. Bookings work, or whether your booking is a US booking or not...but over here one does not add a cruisetour to a cruise booking. It is not cruise + tour = cruisetour. They are separate, distinct and not combinable items; if you want a cruisetour, you must cancel your cruise booking and book a cruisetour.

 

The risk is that cruisetours usually sell out much earlier than the cruise itself for the same timeframe, and if you cancel the cruise, you may not be able to book the same cabin on the cruisetour. Be advised also, that cruisetour pricing is distinct from cruise pricing...if you see the cruise price go down you cannot have that applied to you cruisetour booking.

 

Thanks for the explanation would have been easier if I'd asked the question on cruise critic first, would have been armed with the info before I rang my TA this morning ! Lesson learnt ask on the forum first you get better info and help :)

[cherylandtk]

:DWe're also generally not as crabby....

[Canberra forever !]

this really bites my biscuits

 

Customer does not really care how a cruise tour is added to an existing reservation..whether you have to cancel an existing cruise or not seems to me to be a matter for TA and Cruise company to deal with. and rudeness should never be tolerated. I would phone back to the cruise line and get a supervisor.

 

I totally agree, manners cost nothing and she represents Princess on their 'customer service helpline' ....... :(

[Canberra forever !]

:DWe're also generally not as crabby....

 

 

:D Exactly

[wheezedr]

Thanks for the explanation :) I just wish someone i.e. my TA had explained this to me first thing this morning could have cancelled & rebooked & been sorted by lunchtime !

would really be no worse off financially either !

Still very disappointed in the grumpy Princess rep though :(

Fingers crossed all will be well tomorrow & I'll be booked & sorted :)

Just be cautious when you go back to your TA to do this. You may want to run a dummy booking for a cruisetour to be sure that option is available. If not you should consider keeping your current cruise and arranging a land tour on your own. Not that difficult, you are basically booking transportation and hotels. That is how we did our trip and had a great time. Obviously you do not stay at the Princess lodges, but there are multiple other options.

[Captain Canuck]

:D Exactly

 

Well MOST of the people here...not sure about myself

[SewMuch]

Obviously you do not stay at the Princess lodges, but there are multiple other options.

Independent travelers can book Princess lodges, they are available to anyone

[mexicobob]

Not sure about all of the other stuff....but the cruisetour we are going on next May 22 booked up some weeks ago. Does not matter who you book with.

[Canberra forever !]

Thank you for all your brilliant advice, I love cruise critic :)

I'm delighted to say I've finally booked my cruise tour and have remained in my original cabin :) but I'll know in future ask on here first :)

Happy cruising everyone x

[tompeter]

Well done!