Be wary when asked if you want to book hotel/air/transfers

[cruzin4us]

I called Princess to get help with the Medallion App on my DH iPhone.    I got him registered and signed up and all was good UNTIL the Princess Rep asked if we had booked our travel arrangements yet.    I told him "yes" we've booked both the hotel and flights.   He said he could probably beat whatever price I had gotten.   

 

Since I had nothing better to do we went thru different hotel options and he finally found me a hotel in San Fran for $149.....he said it would include transfers (airport to hotel, hotel to pier and pier to airport).    I looked up the hotel and it had good enough reviews so I decided to book it.   

I asked 2 questions:   

 

1.  Is it refundable?   Answer:  Yes

2.  Does it include all three transfers   Answer:  Yes

 

I gave him my cc info, and while we were still talking I got my email confirmation:     Guess what?   It's a non refundable booking and there is a $17/pp charge for airport transfers.   Argh.......I told him that was not what he quoted me.   He admitted he F'd up and said he needed to get his supervisor at which time he proceeded to hang up on me (deja vu of calling AT&T).    Of course he didn't call me back.   I've made 5 phone calls trying to get it resolved.

 

I've called the hotel, and they said to call Expedia.   I called Expedia and they gave me a number to call and of course it was an invalid number.   I tried calling Princess and they were perplexed saying they only have 2 hotels to choose from in SF and the one I'm booked at isn't one of them.    I was told the Medallion App Reps are 3rd party contractors and not part of Princess......really?   So in other words, they Medallion Rep was working independently and getting a commission from Expedia.   No wonder he was such a used car salesman and kept pushing me.   Why would Princess even allow this?   I feel like I just fell off the turnip truck.     

 

After 4.5 hours on the phone, I've FINALLY gotten a hold of the Medallion App Dept Supervisor and here's the scoop:    Princess Cruises couldn't keep up with all the phone calls regarding the Medallion App, so they hired a 3rd party contractor(s) to help with phone calls.   Since that time, they have branched out into selling hotel/flight/transfer packages.    One of the "things" they are never supposed to do is sell a hotel that is non-refundable.    I could feel the supervisor rubbing his head at what happened.   He pretty much said "our people aren't trained well enough".

So, learn from my mistakes.......

 

 

[cr8tiv1]

I hope you got this "error" resolved.  Also...when booking a hotel with. Princess, it is usually quoted PER PERSON.  

 

What a nightmare.  I think you need to get some OBC for "fixing" this obvious Princess problem.  

 

And how does hiring a 3rd Party Contractor (who knows nothing about the Medallion Class App) help?

[cruzin4us]

11 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I hope you got this "error" resolved.  Also...when booking a hotel with. Princess, it is usually quoted PER PERSON.  

 

What a nightmare.  I think you need to get some OBC for "fixing" this obvious Princess problem.  

 

And how does hiring a 3rd Party Contractor (who knows nothing about the Medallion Class App) help?

Actually the Rep was very helpful with the App problem it's when we went down the hotel/transfer tunnel is when things went sideways.

No OBC was offered nor did I ask for any.   

I just "expect" when I call the Princess Phone number, that I get actual Princess employees not 3rd party contractors.   In defense of the Supervisor, I could tell he was upset as this isn't how "Princess".    does things and Princess has higher standards than what I was given.   

The price quoted for the hotel was $149 which was a good price (if I try to book it on my own it's $259/night).   It's the non-refundable/no transfers that I have issue with.

[Steelers36]

47 minutes ago, cruzin4us said:

.................................................

 

After 4.5 hours on the phone, I've FINALLY gotten a hold of the Medallion App Dept Supervisor and here's the scoop:    Princess Cruises couldn't keep up with all the phone calls regarding the Medallion App, so they hired a 3rd party contractor(s) to help with phone calls.   Since that time, they have branched out into selling hotel/flight/transfer packages.    One of the "things" they are never supposed to do is sell a hotel that is non-refundable.    I could feel the supervisor rubbing his head at what happened.   He pretty much said "our people aren't trained well enough".

So, learn from my mistakes.......

 

 

This is simply unbelievable.  But, in a way it is believable for Princess and their useless MC App IT team..  How is some third party supposed to be able to actually help people?  Unreal to be operating a side business.

 

You should write every executive you can at Princess.  I'd have fired <withdrawn>.

Edited March 9, 2022 by Steelers36

[Steelers36]

5 minutes ago, cruzin4us said:

Actually the Rep was very helpful with the App problem it's when we went down the hotel/transfer tunnel is when things went sideways.

No OBC was offered nor did I ask for any.   

I just "expect" when I call the Princess Phone number, that I get actual Princess employees not 3rd party contractors.   In defense of the Supervisor, I could tell he was upset as this isn't how "Princess".    does things and Princess has higher standards than what I was given.   

The price quoted for the hotel was $149 which was a good price (if I try to book it on my own it's $259/night).   It's the non-refundable/no transfers that I have issue with.

Often non-refundable hotel rooms are discounted compared to the regular rates with a cancellation policy.  I never book those unless a good one a few days ahead and I know I am going to use it.

[Coral]

Wow. 

 

Glad you persisted.

[pms4104]

Wonder if this is the only 3rd party person with a side hustle ... or maybe Expedia is providing tech help and giving those peeps extra $ to book hotels, transfers, etc.

 

Princess seems to be stooping lower and lower since restart.

 

[dickinson]

54 minutes ago, cruzin4us said:

Actually the Rep was very helpful with the App problem it's when we went down the hotel/transfer tunnel is when things went sideways.

No OBC was offered nor did I ask for any.   

I just "expect" when I call the Princess Phone number, that I get actual Princess employees not 3rd party contractors.   In defense of the Supervisor, I could tell he was upset as this isn't how "Princess".    does things and Princess has higher standards than what I was given.   

The price quoted for the hotel was $149 which was a good price (if I try to book it on my own it's $259/night).   It's the non-refundable/no transfers that I have issue with.

 

So, what exactly did the manager do?  Refund the hotel?  Buy the transfers for you?  What?  Please don't keep us hanging. 😉

[cruzin4us]

3 minutes ago, dickinson said:

 

So, what exactly did the manager do?  Refund the hotel?  Buy the transfers for you?  What?  Please don't keep us hanging. 😉

He said the fastest way to get it corrected would be to dispute my cc charge.   I have to wait until it moves from pending to posted (probably tomorrow).   

 

He said he was going up the food chain with my problem.   He took all my info (phone/email) so the higher up could contact me.   I'm not holding my breath.

[Mikel1733]

I called  EZAir today and got through fairly quickly but was basically told they won't ticket the actual tickets until 45 days out and they couldn't help me.  We are 71 days out yet and I got a seat assignment on 1 out of 4 legs of trip coming and going.  That leg shows a seat assignment on a seat the actual seating chart doesn't show exists and it show my wife and I split apart on a flight from Dallas to London Heathrow.  But I guess until 45 days out it doesn't matter.

[007colocruz]

Thanks for the warning 

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Something is definitely off here. Princess hotel packages are usually limited to one or two properties in each port city.  There is an internal team that makes the contracts and Princess has a block of inventory guaranteed for each specific sailing date, both as pre and post options.  Hotel packages are priced per person, include all taxes and include airport to hotel and hotel to ship transfers (or reverse if a post cruise package).  Hotel packages are added by reservations team (not the IT department), paid with cruise balance due and follow the same cancellation terms as the cruise fare. There should be ZERO involvement from a third party like Expedia.  
 

I hate to say it but I think the OP “got got” by a scammer running a side-hustle and a CC dispute is definitely in order. 

[cruzin4us]

7 minutes ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

Something is definitely off here. Princess hotel packages are usually limited to one or two properties in each port city.  There is an internal team that makes the contracts and Princess has a block of inventory guaranteed for each specific sailing date, both as pre and post options.  Hotel packages are priced per person, include all taxes and include airport to hotel and hotel to ship transfers (or reverse if a post cruise package).  Hotel packages are added by reservations team (not the IT department), paid with cruise balance due and follow the same cancellation terms as the cruise fare. There should be ZERO involvement from a third party like Expedia.  
 

I hate to say it but I think the OP “got got” by a scammer running a side-hustle and a CC dispute is definitely in order. 

My first thought was I did get "got got", until calling Princess again and speaking with the EZ Air Rep.   She was the 1st person to confirm that Princess hired 3rd party contractors.  Then after speaking with the Supervisor of the Medallion App Help Line, he also confirmed this was the case.  He stated that the training of the "New Help" was where the problem was.   They went back and listened to my conversation with the "Salesman" (I guess my call being recorded actually worked).    So Princess does know what's going on.   

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, Mikel1733 said:

I called  EZAir today and got through fairly quickly but was basically told they won't ticket the actual tickets until 45 days out and they couldn't help me.  We are 71 days out yet and I got a seat assignment on 1 out of 4 legs of trip coming and going.  That leg shows a seat assignment on a seat the actual seating chart doesn't show exists and it show my wife and I split apart on a flight from Dallas to London Heathrow.  But I guess until 45 days out it doesn't matter.

They will certainly ticket early as long as you pay the airfare when you want to be ticketed.  Your res then turns into a restricted one and subject to air carrier change & cancellation policies.

[caribill]

a) Princess hotel packages are booked with Princess, not with Expedia.

 

b) A Princess pre-cruise hotel package will include transfers airport to hotel and hotel to ship, but will never also include ship to airport at the end of the cruise.

 

In most cases, since the Princess price is per person, the hotel itself can be booked directly or with travel web sites for significantly less $$$ than the Princess price, but will not include the transfers.

[Reina del Mar]

10 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I hope you got this "error" resolved.  Also...when booking a hotel with. Princess, it is usually quoted PER PERSON.  

 

9 hours ago, cruzin4us said:

.   

The price quoted for the hotel was $149 which was a good price (if I try to book it on my own it's $259/night).   It's the non-refundable/no transfers that I have issue with.

 

A nightmare!  One you certainly should not have to sort out via a credit card dispute..

 

I would check the hotel price to see whether it is per person or per room.

 

in your circumstances, I would take it further up the change of command untilI got the issue solved to my satisfaction.

[cruzin4us]

6 hours ago, caribill said:

a) Princess hotel packages are booked with Princess, not with Expedia.

 

b) A Princess pre-cruise hotel package will include transfers airport to hotel and hotel to ship, but will never also include ship to airport at the end of the cruise.

 

In most cases, since the Princess price is per person, the hotel itself can be booked directly or with travel web sites for significantly less $$$ than the Princess price, but will not include the transfers.

a) What you state is correct above, however I called a Princess phone number and was quoted a price thru Princess.   I did not know they were booking the hotel thru Expedia until I got my confirmation. 

 

b)  I know that Princess pre-cruise package will include transfers to the hotel and hotel to ship that's why when my confirmation came back and stated it was $17/pp I was doubly confused and questioned the Princess Rep (who disconnected/hung up on me).

 

My issue is:  If you call a Princess phone #, you should expect to be talking with someone that works for Princess and is not a 3rd party person.   NEVER was I told that he was booking a room outside of Princess.   I've cruised over 35 times, and I'm not new at this but others may get into this trap without knowing better.   

 

Update:   I have emailed my concern to Princess Customer Relations but I'm not sure that's going to go anywhere.   

 

[007colocruz]

9 minutes ago, cruzin4us said:

a) What you state is correct above, however I called a Princess phone number and was quoted a price thru Princess.   I did not know they were booking the hotel thru Expedia until I got my confirmation. 

 

b)  I know that Princess pre-cruise package will include transfers to the hotel and hotel to ship that's why when my confirmation came back and stated it was $17/pp I was doubly confused and questioned the Princess Rep (who disconnected/hung up on me).

 

My issue is:  If you call a Princess phone #, you should expect to be talking with someone that works for Princess and is not a 3rd party person.   NEVER was I told that he was booking a room outside of Princess.   I've cruised over 35 times, and I'm not new at this but others may get into this trap without knowing better.   

 

Update:   I have emailed my concern to Princess Customer Relations but I'm not sure that's going to go anywhere.   

 

This is enough that I would cancel the whole thing if I was within free cancellation period!  
I have found so much incorrect information being given when I have called Princess in the past year 

[JF - retired RRT]

1 hour ago, cruzin4us said:

Update:   I have emailed my concern to Princess Customer Relations but I'm not sure that's going to go anywhere.   

 

I emailed PCR a week ago & so far all I've gotten was the canned "we got your email". Don't hold your breath.

[cruzin4us]

Well, I just received this email stating my room has been cancelled and I will be receiving a refund.   If you notice, this comes from Princess Medallion Class Market.     I find this interesting "Hotel Operations".    See how a new person could be confused?

[Coral]

3 minutes ago, cruzin4us said:

Well, I just received this email stating my room has been cancelled and I will be receiving a refund.   If you notice, this comes from Princess Medallion Class Market.     I find this interesting "Hotel Operations".    See how a new person could be confused?

I have never heard of Medallion Class Market. Bizarre. Thanks for making us aware of the situation! Glad it was resolved. 

 

Yes - people would be confused! This should never have happened.

[juniper berries]

Thanks for posting this information. Just a thought maybe keep a watch on your credit card for any unusual charges.And maybe give your credit company a call. There are so many scams out there lately. 

Hope everything  gets resolved and you have a wonderful  cruise.

[dickinson]

Glad it was finally resolved.

[caribill]

9 hours ago, cruzin4us said:

a) What you state is correct above, however I called a Princess phone number and was quoted a price thru Princess.   I did not know they were booking the hotel thru Expedia until I got my confirmation.

 

My issue is:  If you call a Princess phone #, you should expect to be talking with someone that works for Princess and is not a 3rd party person.   NEVER was I told that he was booking a room outside of Princess.   I've cruised over 35 times, and I'm not new at this but others may get into this trap without knowing better.   

 

 

Agree 100% that whether it was a Princess rep or one with an outside company, Expedia should not be involved in any way.

[cr8tiv1]

On 3/9/2022 at 11:01 AM, Coral said:

I have never heard of Medallion Class Market. Bizarre. Thanks for making us aware of the situation! Glad it was resolved. 

 

Yes - people would be confused! This should never have happened.

 

There's a new thread on Medallion Class Market.  No one seems to be able to get past the sign in.  I realize this thread is old and resolved.  Just glad you got it fixed.  

 

Just when you think things can not get any worse on Princess.....