How Do I Change Cabins?

[Kellyann]

I've only been on one Princess cruise many years ago but I've been on 15 cruises.  Booking this Caribbean Princess for a May 4 fifteen-day TA was the worst experience I ever had.  I was so stressed by the incompetence of the many Princess staff that I was reduced to tears at one point.  I ended up choosing a balcony on the Baja deck just to make the 2 1/2 hours end.  I want to change to a lower deck and I dread talking with those people again.  My final payment is not due to 2/4/24 so please tell me if there is an easier way and what are my chances of getting another cabin.  I talked to so many people that day trying to book cruise and air so I don't know who I spoke with.

[startedwithamouse]

Looks like you don't have a TA. 

 

Use Live Chat on the Princess website and tell them the exact cabin you want. 

[Lady Arwen]

2 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Looks like you don't have a TA. 

 

Use Live Chat on the Princess website and tell them the exact cabin you want. 

Many of our members have been reporting lately that live chat is basically useless.  Some folks waited for up to three hours and still no response.  I would try to get a reliable travel agent or call the CVP main number and get assigned to someone who can help.

[startedwithamouse]

1 minute ago, Lady Arwen said:

Many of our members have been reporting lately that live chat is basically useless.  Some folks waited for up to three hours and still no response.  I would try to get a reliable travel agent or call the CVP main number and get assigned to someone who can help.

Well that's not good at all! 

 

I wanted to suggest transfer to a TA, but with final payment due in a couple days, the reservation might be too old for transfer.

[d9704011]

2 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

Many of our members have been reporting lately that live chat is basically useless.  Some folks waited for up to three hours and still no response.  I would try to get a reliable travel agent or call the CVP main number and get assigned to someone who can help.

I changed my cabin using the chat feature yesterday.  I was first in line at 0900 and it took aboout 10 minutes.  I wouldn't try this anytime after 0930!!

[Lady Arwen]

6 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

I changed my cabin using the chat feature yesterday.  I was first in line at 0900 and it took aboout 10 minutes.  I wouldn't try this anytime after 0930!!

Yay!  Thank you, I guess there is hope if you’re willing to call early.

[d9704011]

7 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

I changed my cabin using the chat feature yesterday.  I was first in line at 0900 and it took aboout 10 minutes.  I wouldn't try this anytime after 0930!!

Oh.... Don't even contemplate doing this if you're planning on changing cabin category or if the fare or other conditions hqve changed.

[Cruise Raider]

1 hour ago, d9704011 said:

Oh.... Don't even contemplate doing this if you're planning on changing cabin category or if the fare or other conditions hqve changed.

If she picks the exact same category she is currently booked in, she shouldn’t have any issues.  But, I get what you are saying! 

[BamaVol]

4 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

If she picks the exact same category she is currently booked in, she shouldn’t have any issues.  But, I get what you are saying! 

The first thing I would tell the chat agent is “I do not want to downgrade categories, lose perks or pay more.”

[memoak]

1 hour ago, Lady Arwen said:

Many of our members have been reporting lately that live chat is basically useless.  Some folks waited for up to three hours and still no response.  I would try to get a reliable travel agent or call the CVP main number and get assigned to someone who can help.

We can never get through on chat. It will tell us we are next in line for 15 minutes  and then say 30 in line   Better to get a decent CVP

Edited January 31 by memoak

[TAW1963]

53 minutes ago, memoak said:

We can never get through on chat. It will tell us we are next in line for 15 minutes  and then say 30 in line   Better to get a decent CVP

I haven't been able to get through on chat lately either, even if I try and the 9:00 am EST starting time.  I can be the next in the queue, but it puts me in a loop and keeps asking me if I am still waiting and to type "Yes" if I am.   However, in the past I have used the chat and the staff on chat have all been very competent.  I have had some very competent staff by calling and some utterly incompetent staff by calling.  I called two days to re-fare a future booking and the staff member, although really nice, confused things to the point that she wasn't even looking at the correct booked cruise anymore and was trying to change a cruise I have booked for March.  She wasted an hour and a half of my time.   I called back the next morning and the agent had my booking re-fared in just a couple of minutes.   My suggestion to the OP is to kindly (finish call) hang up if the staff is not competent and call back and hope you get a more competent one.  I know that this a burden, but some are far better than others.   

[FLAlaska]

It was on and off for me.  One day I got the you are next in line and never got someone one and the following day got someone one within about 10 minutes

[occruiselady]

I change cabins by calling Princess, I just did this last week. They can tell you if the change is going to affect the price and credits for your cruise. I give them the cabin number I want and have the deck plans on the computer in front of me while we’re talking. They sometimes have available cabins that are not showing up online they can offer you. My fare actually went down, which surprised me.

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

29 minutes ago, occruiselady said:

I change cabins by calling Princess, I just did this last week. They can tell you if the change is going to affect the price and credits for your cruise. I give them the cabin number I want and have the deck plans on the computer in front of me while we’re talking. They sometimes have available cabins that are not showing up online they can offer you. My fare actually went down, which surprised me.

 

What Princess # did you call?  Everytime we call "princess" it goes to the offshore Call center.

And we know how good they are?🤨

Many of us have changed to CVP and haven't looked back.  CVP can easily change cabin

for you by call or email.  If yours doesn't? Get a new one.  Cuz we will never go thru the

hours long confusing drama of princess Call center anymore!

 

[ChristopherTracy]

TBF I called the call centre a couple of weeks ago, it literally rang three times and they picked up and sorted my query (prebooking the wifi at the old rates).

 

Competence doesn't correlate with where you are in the world. I don't have any issue with offshore call centres. I would rather have a human in the Phillippines than an AI chatbot!

[Kellyann]

Thank you all for great info.  I must have been dealing with the Call Center because too many of them were clueless.  I don't know what a CVP is or how to reach them.  I have a booking so would a CVP help me change cabins, add insurance and cancel air?   Please tell me the Phone # to reach a helpful person.  

 

[Wishing on a star]

Usually, when you make a booking,  a.Princess Vacation Planner. or the 'system' will contact you and offer you a Planner to help you and be your 'contact'.   

It really should be easy, easy, to switch to a cabin that is the exact same category as you have booked.

Perhaps there are other details that are involved here????

 

I have no idea... but I would think that you could cancel your air and the insurance online on the Princess web-site????

 

PS:  our Princess Planner was useless and went AWOL...

We found a good TA with one of the major agencies...

Now she has been promoted to a management position.

I would give anything if somebody here could help out with tips to find a good TA or even a good Princess Planner.

Edited January 31 by Wishing on a star

[Cruise Raider]

6 minutes ago, Kellyann said:

Thank you all for great info.  I must have been dealing with the Call Center because too many of them were clueless.  I don't know what a CVP is or how to reach them.  I have a booking so would a CVP help me change cabins, add insurance and cancel air?   Please tell me the Phone # to reach a helpful person.  

 

While we can’t report a specific CVP (Cruise Vacation Planner) on cruise critic, they have a main number which can be found on Facebook and you can request one for booking a cruise for you.  They work for Princess but one is unlikely to do all of that for you if the cruise has already been booked.  If you do get one, perhaps they can put it under their name and get credit for the booking.  A cabin change within the same exact category is easy for them to do, as is adding the insurance.  You are able to cancel the airfare on your own via the website if you chose flexible fares and it’s not within 45 days of the flight.  
 

I would try to give you the name of mine but she is no longer taking on any new clients.  But, any time you are going to book direct with Princess, definitely try to use a CVP that is responsive to your needs.  

[Crystabel]

I googled Facebook Princess CVP and it came up with phone numbers and a lot more information. Good luck! 

[Wishing on a star]

Thanks Crystabel,

I notice that the one Princess Planner that totally 'ghosted' us has a Facebook page...

I did go thru dozens of these listings of planners, and I did see one that actually looks very good.  A very engaged and interactive and positive Facebook page.

[sandancer]

4 hours ago, ChristopherTracy said:

TBF I called the call centre a couple of weeks ago, it literally rang three times and they picked up and sorted my query (prebooking the wifi at the old rates).

 

Competence doesn't correlate with where you are in the world. I don't have any issue with offshore call centres. I would rather have a human in the Phillippines than an AI chatbot!

I have also had a good response from the UK Call Centre when I had queries. 

[wandb]

Yesterday I changed several cabins on our upcoming Princess Cruise with the help of our TA. Don't think I could have done this on my own. We were able to get 3 cabins together that did not show up as available on the Princess site. I was so frustrated before our TA took over. Maybe I can help.

E-mail me at 2thesea2thesea at gmail dot com. 

[arizonaperson]

11 hours ago, Kellyann said:

I've only been on one Princess cruise many years ago but I've been on 15 cruises.  Booking this Caribbean Princess for a May 4 fifteen-day TA was the worst experience I ever had.  I was so stressed by the incompetence of the many Princess staff that I was reduced to tears at one point.  I ended up choosing a balcony on the Baja deck just to make the 2 1/2 hours end.  I want to change to a lower deck and I dread talking with those people again.  My final payment is not due to 2/4/24 so please tell me if there is an easier way and what are my chances of getting another cabin.  I talked to so many people that day trying to book cruise and air so I don't know who I spoke with.

Definitely an easier way, transfer your booking to an experienced travel agent that cruises with Princess. Might be too late to do this since final payment due soon?? Might not be many cabins left to choose from though? , since final payment soon.You should never be reduced to tears when booking a vacation.

just my opinion- I like Baja deck,but only cabins 400 or higher for me.

Next cruise use a experienced travel agent and hopefully no tears.

Edited February 1 by arizonaperson

[Itchy&Scratchy]

11 hours ago, Kellyann said:

Booking this Caribbean Princess for a May 4 fifteen-day TA was the worst experience I ever had.  I was so stressed by the incompetence of the many Princess staff that I was reduced to tears at one point.  I ended up choosing a balcony on the Baja deck just to make the 2 1/2 hours end. 

why didn't you just book online on princess site?

[Rick&Jeannie]

7 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

why didn't you just book online on princess site?

I was going to ask the same thing but decided they probably had their reasons for doing so...