What is Princess Package Department?

[Purple Gallinule]

Today, the couple we often cruise with got a call from someone saying he was with the Princess Package Department. He was pushing a package that included cruise credit, OBC, excursions, and a week's vacation at one of several resorts in different locations. He knew about their cruise history and upcoming cruises, so he must have had some actual connection to Princess. He was offering zero percent financing for 3, 6, 12, or 18 months. When my friend begged off (having never heard of this) the caller wanted him to schedule a follow-up call. After we talked about it we thought it might be some kind of timeshare promotion. Have any of you ever heard of a promotion like this?

[EDDY0827]

There has been some discussion about this here and on YouTube.

I haven't heard from anyone whether this is a legit Princess promotion or not.

[Glamother]

My husband and I had the same call two weeks ago and it sounded fantastic but we wasn't sure either. We called princess directly and they confirmed everything to us so we called the guy back and booked the Suite package. We couldn't be happier as we've booked our cruise to Tahiti and used our pre and post stay as well as the 7 night resort stay! We're both so excited as we've never been and if you travel as much as my husband and I, I would certainly look into it and give them a call! 

[JimmyVWine]

30 minutes ago, Glamother said:

My husband and I had the same call two weeks ago and it sounded fantastic but we wasn't sure either. We called princess directly and they confirmed everything to us so we called the guy back and booked the Suite package. We couldn't be happier as we've booked our cruise to Tahiti and used our pre and post stay as well as the 7 night resort stay! We're both so excited as we've never been and if you travel as much as my husband and I, I would certainly look into it and give them a call! 

Sorry, but I am skeptical of someone who joined CC for the purpose of making their first post to cheerlead a telephone offer that many have reported to be a scam. 

[Purple Gallinule]

9 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

Sorry, but I am skeptical of someone who joined CC for the purpose of making their first post to cheerlead a telephone offer that many have reported to be a scam. 

Thanks! I am forwarding your post to my friends. If it sounds too good...

[PacnGoNow]

6 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

Sorry, but I am skeptical of someone who joined CC for the purpose of making their first post to cheerlead a telephone offer that many have reported to be a scam. 

I agree, one post is a little strange.

 

@Purple Gallinulethere are several threads on the PCL forum about this same issue of cold calls, you may want to read.

 

It may or may not be legitimate, but I don’t do business that way.

 

I’ve asked the PR department and CS for clarification, but never heard back.

 

 

 

[Rick&Jeannie]

There's just something about cold calling that rubs me the wrong way...

[azbirdmom]

11 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

Sorry, but I am skeptical of someone who joined CC for the purpose of making their first post to cheerlead a telephone offer that many have reported to be a scam. 

 

Have to agree with you about the post.  Lots to pick at there (such as Princess doesn't cruise to Tahiti other than on very long trips from LA or Sydney and those sailings in a suite would cost a whole heckuva lot more than $6K).  But this is truly something that is being rolled out "selectively" by Princess.  Several have reported hearing from their Princess Planners about it.  Hard pass for me as it is very similar to the timeshare schemes that we've avoided like the plague.

[arizonaperson]

Maybe @Glamother booked a mini suite in their “Suite package” thinking it’s a full suite.?

 Like a few of you posting -if anyone called me on my home phone or my cell phone offering a princess cruise or any other cruise and I don’t know them ,no matter how much information they have, no way  would  I give them any information and heck NO would  I give them my credit card to book .

 I don’t talk to people on the phone that do cold calls for anything, no way . If I want something or want to travel I’ll call /email my “people”

Edited February 19, 2023 by arizonaperson

[wcflats]

On 2/16/2023 at 7:39 PM, JimmyVWine said:

Sorry, but I am skeptical of someone who joined CC for the purpose of making their first post to cheerlead a telephone offer that many have reported to be a scam. 

This is totally a scam 😡

[cruzin4us]

Interesting enough, my go to Princess person for making my reservations said she is now working in a new department.  Apparently, they are now going to be selling cruises as well as resort packages for people that want to either extend their stay either before or after their cruise.    I said "kind of like the packages they have in Denali on the Alaska cruises?".   She said yes, kind of like that.    We didn't talk specifics, so I can't offer anything other than I did ask if she was cold calling people, and she said that she hadn't.   So......maybe there is some truth to this, but I'm with the rest of you and wouldn't do it unless I made the call to Princess myself.

[justafem]

On 2/16/2023 at 7:06 PM, Glamother said:

My husband and I had the same call two weeks ago and it sounded fantastic but we wasn't sure either. We called princess directly and they confirmed everything to us so we called the guy back and booked the Suite package. We couldn't be happier as we've booked our cruise to Tahiti and used our pre and post stay as well as the 7 night resort stay! We're both so excited as we've never been and if you travel as much as my husband and I, I would certainly look into it and give them a call! 

I'm entirely too skeptical of someone who joined CC the same day to sing the praises of a known scam.  

 

Like I've said before, this *princess promotions* isn't a new thing.  And you'll kind of get what you paid for, just not what you expected.  

 

They're going to show you fabulous hotels, with stunning views.  You can get that hotel, but it's an upgrade. The hotel you're staying at, at the price they offer is 30 miles from anywhere you want to be.  

 

They'll show you pictures of a newly built cruise ship.  You can take that ship, but it's going to be an additional charge.  The ship you're on will be an old, sold multiple times, barely floating crowded party boat.  

 

Then there's the dates.  You have to give them 3 dates you'd like to sail.  None of those dates will be available at the price you paid.  Give them more money and you might get that floating barge for 3 days.  Even more money might get you a 5 day carnival, on the oldest ship they have.  

 

I took the bait over 20 years ago.  Prepaid everything.  Never went on the cruise.  Never got my money back. And it was too late to do a credit card chargeback.    

 

And the name of the company will change every couple of years, once they've gotten so many negative reviews.  They start over with a clean slate and keep scamming.  

 

As an update:  Oh look, they've already changed their name (again) from Princess Promotions to Princess Packages. 

Edited February 19, 2023 by justafem

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, cruzin4us said:

I said "kind of like the packages they have in Denali on the Alaska cruises?".   She said yes, kind of like that. 

Big difference is that the packages in Alaska are prominently promoted in the mailers that Princess sends to all of us and are are bookable on their website. You don’t have to receive a sketchy cold call to book one. 

[Mike45LC]

On 2/16/2023 at 6:46 PM, Purple Gallinule said:

Today, the couple we often cruise with got a call from someone saying he was with the Princess Package Department. He was pushing a package that included cruise credit, OBC, excursions, and a week's vacation at one of several resorts in different locations. He knew about their cruise history and upcoming cruises, so he must have had some actual connection to Princess. He was offering zero percent financing for 3, 6, 12, or 18 months. When my friend begged off (having never heard of this) the caller wanted him to schedule a follow-up call. After we talked about it we thought it might be some kind of timeshare promotion. Have any of you ever heard of a promotion like this?

Another thing to note, more than 48 hours later, Purple Gallinule has not returned to the Board to defend itself.

[cr8tiv1]

1 hour ago, Mike45LC said:

Another thing to note, more than 48 hours later, Purple Gallinule has not returned to the Board to defend itself.

@Purple Gallinulewas asking for a friend.  Nothing to defend. 

[caribill]

Other threads have said this is from the company Princess hired to answer customer questions about using the App.

 

As such, they have access to customer's information on the Princess computers.

 

Whether or not Princess authorized that company to represent themselves this way is unknown to us.

 

It seems what is offered is legit, but not necessarily a bargain.

 

Treat it as a cold call from a travel agency you never heard of before.

[PacnGoNow]

4 hours ago, caribill said:

Other threads have said this is from the company Princess hired to answer customer questions about using the App.

 

As such, they have access to customer's information on the Princess computers.

 

Whether or not Princess authorized that company to represent themselves this way is unknown to us.

 

It seems what is offered is legit, but not necessarily a bargain.

 

Treat it as a cold call from a travel agency you never heard of before.

Others have said it is from CVP’s.  Which is it?  Princess should let us know if it’s hired help.

I do not like the fact that a third party has access to my account information. Especially, off shore representatives.  Some of the calls have been reported as harassment type calls.  

 

JMO

[caribill]

4 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

 

I do not like the fact that a third party has access to my account information. Especially, off shore representatives.

 

If you are using a Travel Agent for your booking, that agent is a third party and has access to your account information.

[PacnGoNow]

Just now, caribill said:

 

If you are using a Travel Agent for your booking, that agent is a third party and has access to your account information.

Right, but I’m more concerned if it is a third party, that makes cold calls, whom presents themselves’ as Princess employees.  Also, unsolicited calls are telemarketing calls. 
 

My TA/CVP are known to me and are trusted calls.  

 

 

 

 

[cr8tiv1]

1 hour ago, PacnGoNow said:

Right, but I’m more concerned if it is a third party, that makes cold calls, whom presents themselves’ as Princess employees.  Also, unsolicited calls are telemarketing calls. 
 

My TA/CVP are known to me and are trusted calls.  

I am wondering who are receiving these calls?  My account is tagged that I have a treated agent and thus far have not been called.  (Nor would I answer unknown numbers). 
 

Are these calls going out only to passengers who either use a Princess agent or make their own reservations?  
 

And why isn’t Princess addressing this?  Haven’t a few asked? 

[PacnGoNow]

1 minute ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I am wondering who are receiving these calls?  My account is tagged that I have a treated agent and thus far have not been called.  (Nor would I answer unknown numbers). 
 

Are these calls going out only to passengers who either use a Princess agent or make their own reservations?  
 

And why isn’t Princess addressing this?  Haven’t a few asked? 

I agree it should be addressed.  I sent an email to the PR dept. and customer service when this started happening and never heard back. Not expecting too, but just let us know if it’s legit or spam.

 

Others have also contacted Princess, but no feedback.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Shelly97060]

9 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Are these calls going out only to passengers who either use a Princess agent or make their own reservations?  

 

 

I know several people who regularly book with a TA that have gotten these third party emails and calls. 

[Purple Gallinule]

On 2/18/2023 at 10:52 PM, Mike45LC said:

Another thing to note, more than 48 hours later, Purple Gallinule has not returned to the Board to defend itself.

I was asking for information, not trying to sell a package. I got the call from a friend who does not use CC, so I said I would ask. I am appreciative of all who took part in the thread. It will certainly help others avoid being scammed.

[suzyed]

On 2/16/2023 at 10:06 PM, Glamother said:

My husband and I had the same call two weeks ago and it sounded fantastic but we wasn't sure either. We called princess directly and they confirmed everything to us so we called the guy back and booked the Suite package. We couldn't be happier as we've booked our cruise to Tahiti and used our pre and post stay as well as the 7 night resort stay! We're both so excited as we've never been and if you travel as much as my husband and I, I would certainly look into it and give them a call! 

What kind of cabin did you get?

[suzyed]

On 2/19/2023 at 1:48 PM, cr8tiv1 said:

I am wondering who are receiving these calls?  My account is tagged that I have a treated agent and thus far have not been called.  (Nor would I answer unknown numbers). 
 

Are these calls going out only to passengers who either use a Princess agent or make their own reservations?  
 

And why isn’t Princess addressing this?  Haven’t a few asked? 

The answer to your questions...is yes and no. I use both Princess and a travel agent. I got the impression that it was for elite passengers but I may be wrong.  I recently spoke with someone in the executive offices and she said if I could get the name and ID number of the person she could look it up and see if he is a Princess employee.  It may be possible that they are connected to your travel agency.... I could call the guy myself but maybe I will wait for him to call again. (he's called twice, but once while I was driving so I didn't really talk to him)