How long on hold??

[Hobbes67]

I called to refare today and was on hold for an hour.  Because one of my obc was from a canceled cruise (by Princess) they had to transfer me to customer relations.  So, now on hold again .  Total hold time so far is 1hr 48 min.  This is getting crazy.  How many people do you really think are working?

[dog]

5 minutes ago, Hobbes67 said:

I called to refare today and was on hold for an hour.  Because one of my obc was from a canceled cruise (by Princess) they had to transfer me to customer relations.  So, now on hold again .  Total hold time so far is 1hr 48 min.  This is getting crazy.  How many people do you really think are working?

Call first thing in the morning. Less people working, busy time, many working from home all across the country. Another thread on this topic 

[JF - retired RRT]

Maybe try the CHAT feature??

[Hobbes67]

Unfortunately on this I have to talk to them.  Tried chat earlier.  Now after 2 1/2 hours I quit!!

 

[Sea Hag]

23 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

Maybe try the CHAT feature??

I found the chat feature to be totally useless. I hope that's not a universal experience.

[PescadoAmarillo]

1 hour ago, dog said:

Call first thing in the morning. Less people working, busy time, many working from home all across the country. Another thread on this topic 

Maybe if most of the threads were about this topic, it might get someone’s attention at Princess. 

[dreaminofcruisin]

1 hour ago, Hobbes67 said:

I called to refare today and was on hold for an hour.  Because one of my obc was from a canceled cruise (by Princess) they had to transfer me to customer relations.  So, now on hold again .  Total hold time so far is 1hr 48 min.  This is getting crazy.  How many people do you really think are working?

 

@Hobbes67 Unfortunately, I think you got a rookie. ☹️

I just got off the phone with them a half hour ago. I waited about an hour to get through. I also (like nearly everyone) had obc from a cancelled cruise and my person was able to do it. She did a lot of muttering and talking different codes while she was doing it, but she figured it out and refared it and transferred the OBC, kept my EZ Air. It's a pain to stay on hold so long....for me it was worth my time eventually since it saved us $745 each or a total of $1490!

 

[Hobbes67]

I'm glad that the person you talked to was able to take care of the codes to refare and provide your obc, mine was not.  After waiting 2 1/2 hours on hold I gave up and if possible will try and call early tomorrow morning (with my hot coffee).  I also have to make final payment in a couple of days so am probably going to be out of luck.  I can't stay on hold for a long time tomorrow.  Does anyone know how early people are starting in the morning?

[dog]

23 minutes ago, Hobbes67 said:

I'm glad that the person you talked to was able to take care of the codes to refare and provide your obc, mine was not.  After waiting 2 1/2 hours on hold I gave up and if possible will try and call early tomorrow morning (with my hot coffee).  I also have to make final payment in a couple of days so am probably going to be out of luck.  I can't stay on hold for a long time tomorrow.  Does anyone know how early people are starting in the morning?

California - 8am, Ontario Canada 11 am

 

 

 

good luck. All the best. 

[dog]

6 hours ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Maybe if most of the threads were about this topic, it might get someone’s attention at Princess. 

very helpful advice

[dog]

9 hours ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Maybe if most of the threads were about this topic, it might get someone’s attention at Princess. 

Delete

[r2d2inltd2]

I called Princess yesterday at 11:00 (8:00 AM in California). The phone was answered in about ten minutes. The agent could not fix the problem with my Captain's Circle account. At 11:45 she transferred me to another department where I remained on hold until 1:08 at which time I hung up without having been connected with the department. I have waited as long as three hours on line with no one answering the phone. I am sick of listening to the headbanging music played on line. This a horrible way to treat passengers. 

[dog]

1 hour ago, r2d2inltd2 said:

I called Princess yesterday at 11:00 (8:00 AM in California). The phone was answered in about ten minutes. The agent could not fix the problem with my Captain's Circle account. At 11:45 she transferred me to another department where I remained on hold until 1:08 at which time I hung up without having been connected with the department. I have waited as long as three hours on line with no one answering the phone. I am sick of listening to the headbanging music played on line. This a horrible way to treat passengers. 

Agree.  

[geoherb]

On 12/20/2021 at 5:11 PM, Sea Hag said:

I found the chat feature to be totally useless. I hope that's not a universal experience.

 

It was my experience this afternoon. "Miriam" just referred me to call the 800 number. When I did, I was on hold for 50 minutes before "Michael" answered. He was friendly but, after checking with his supervisor, still unable to resolve the problem (refunding a charge made in error the last night of the cruise). He said the hold for customer relations would be long and suggested emailing instead.

[Sea Hag]

1 minute ago, geoherb said:

 

It was my experience this afternoon. "Miriam" just referred me to call the 800 number. When I did, I was on hold for 50 minutes before "Michael" answered. He was friendly but, after checking with his supervisor, still unable to resolve the problem (refunding a charge made in error the last night of the cruise). He said the hold for customer relations would be long and suggested emailing instead.

That's exactly the help I got from chat - call the 800 number. My recent experience with emailing customer relations is that it takes weeks for them to get back to you, if they ever do. 

[geoherb]

27 minutes ago, Sea Hag said:

That's exactly the help I got from chat - call the 800 number. My recent experience with emailing customer relations is that it takes weeks for them to get back to you, if they ever do. 

 

I'll give them a bit of time before disputing the charge with my credit card company. 

[Steelers36]

On 12/20/2021 at 5:40 PM, PescadoAmarillo said:

Maybe if most of the threads were about this topic, it might get someone’s attention at Princess. 

 

20 hours ago, dog said:

very helpful advice

My experience is that the poor service in lengthy hold times and then more lengthy hold if call is transferred DOES get mentioned on a lot of the threads.  I am sure PCL is aware, but as usual we customers are like mushrooms as PCL rarely, if ever, acknowledges an issue or what they are doing about it. 

 

[Doug R.]

I have found wait times to be excessive across the board and not just with Princess, some banks, credit card companies, etc. all have long wait times.  The problem is there is not enough people willing to work that kind of job. All one has to do is take a drive around one's town in a populated area to see literally dozens of roadside signs begging for employees.

[cr8tiv1]

I have been in constant communications with my Travel Agent (she is THAT good) since Sunday.  Final payment for one of my cruises is Christmas Day.  She had to directly speak to the revenue department because of some last minute change to my fare.  (no, not reduced fare sale after final payment....something else).  

 

She has been on the phone for hours trying to get resolutions.  Finally, today, the agent told her to call back on Monday.  She tried to explain to them that final payment was due on Saturday and they are closed.  Just a head's up.  Monday is reduced hours (closes at noon).  Agent told her "not to worry", final payment would be extended.

 

Agent, me, and you all...know how much we "trust" Princess Customer Service Reps.  No way was she going to postpone final payment.  It was a very complicated final payment for 3 passengers.  She and I worked out the numbers ourselves and she made the payments EARLY.  I will "collect" differences from the other two passengers and balance out the numbers.  

 

Some have asked, why have a travel agent?  She is one very special lady who has come through for me each and every time. 

[caribill]

5 hours ago, Doug R. said:

I have found wait times to be excessive across the board and not just with Princess, some banks, credit card companies, etc. all have long wait times.  The problem is there is not enough people willing to work that kind of job. All one has to do is take a drive around one's town in a populated area to see literally dozens of roadside signs begging for employees.

 

Or Princess, part of a corporation loosing hundreds of millions of $$$ a month, may not be willing to bring back the needed number of telephone agents.

[cr8tiv1]

39 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

Or Princess, part of a corporation loosing hundreds of millions of $$$ a month, may not be willing to bring back the needed number of telephone agents.

 

It's a catch-22 (or the chicken and the egg).  Volume is picking up.  People want to cruise.  How many are being discouraged by wait time and poorly designed app?  How many passengers are they losing by not having enough agents?  

 

I don't have the answers.  It is a business decision that Princess has to make.  After my next cruise, I am on hiatus until the summer of 2023.  I sure hope to see improvements by then.  I will be cancelling summer of 2022, but that has more to do with COVID overseas.  

 

I have tried the other lines and choose to stick with Princess.  But....

[Centsless_Cruiser]

It took us almost 1 hr on hold yesterday to cancel the 2023 Haw Tahiti cruise after they dropped Bora Bora.  There should be a much easier way to just cancel a cruise.

 

[Hobbes67]

I decided to call right at 8 when they opened and got someone within 5 minutes.  She was extremely competent and handled all of my issues.  I wish I had a direct line for her in the future!!  

[ontheweb]

7 minutes ago, Hobbes67 said:

I decided to call right at 8 when they opened and got someone within 5 minutes.  She was extremely competent and handled all of my issues.  I wish I had a direct line for her in the future!!  

Could you have asked for an extension #?