This may sound terrible but....

[Luckybee]

I am a new Princess customer but have sailed on other cruise lines. I've called Princess 3 times within the last week to sort out a couple of issues and have been waiting for a call back from to no avail and have been totally unable to understand the various phone reps I have spoken with because of their extremely poor English. 

I explained my queries to one rep who didnt even understand what I was saying and it wasnt complicated , had to get another rep to repeat what they were saying 3 times before I could barely understand them and now when I called back to see why I hadn't as of yet heard back I have no idea what I was just told. 

In my profession I often deal with people whose first language is not English but they are not generally in first line customer service positions. Is this the norm for Princess or am I just not calling the right number or at the right time?

Very frustrating !

[MTNest93]

Use a TA and you won't have to deal with Princess directly. Meanwhile, are there specific questions that maybe the group can help answer for you?

 

[Bemidji Ty]

We have about 25 Princess cruises.  I have experienced this in the past and now go through a TA.  In the past, when I got someone who was not helpful, I would say goodbye and call again. It is becoming harder to accomplish this. I agree. Very frustrating. 

Edited April 10 by Bemidji Ty
Govt regulations

[mtnesterz]

Yours is a common experience and complaint about the new Princess overseas call center.

I don't know where you are in the booking process. If you can, call and get a Princess Cruise Vacation Planner (CVP.) They care pros and can sort it out. Then just go through them in the future. A pro TA is good suggestion too. 

[dog]

Yes, it is becoming the norm.  Good advice above to find a travel agent and not deal directly with Princess.  I do not deal with Princess CVP, others do.

[jeromep]

Did you book the cruise directly with Princess or did you use a travel agent?  Sounds like you booked through Princess, so you are dealing with their call center.  If I'm wrong I'm sorry.  However, if you booked through a travel agent, you should direct your queries through them, no matter how large or small.

 

Have you made final payment?  When did you book the cruise?

 

If you have not made final payment and you booked the cruise less than 90 days ago, you should be able to transfer the cruise to a travel agent.

 

Mentioning travel agents by name in the forums is terra non grata, so I can't provide you any specific guidance or a recommendation.  But generically, I can tell you that you can transfer your booking to a travel agent if the cruise is not fully paid for and you booked it less than 90 days ago.  Once you have found a travel agent you like, they have forms they can use to request the booking transfer to them, and once Princess transfers the booking to the agent, from there your customer service needs pre-cruise, along with any remaining payments, will go through the travel agent.

 

I hope this helps a bit.  But I don't disagree, Princess' reliance on offshore call centers has done terrible damage to their brand, and has reconstituted some travel agent's client lists.  The Princess product is excellent, and their web site is excellent, booking a cruise through their web site is super easy, but the call center support is generally terrible.  By investing in a really great web site, they are able to get bookings at their normal rates and are able to keep the commission they would normally pass back to travel agents for the booking.

 

If you do look for a travel agent and transfer your booking, then the travel agent will get the commission for your cruise, and you'll get better service from somebody that you can build a relationship with.

Edited April 10 by jeromep

[MTNest93]

Just now, jeromep said:

Did you book the cruise directly with Princess or did you use a travel agent?  Sounds like you booked through Princess, so you are dealing with their call center.  If I'm wrong I'm sorry.  However, if you booked through a travel agent, you should direct your queries through them, no matter how large or small.

 

Have you made final payment?  When did you book the cruise?

 

If you have not made final payment and you booked the cruise less than 90 days ago, you should be able to transfer the cruise to a travel agent.

 

Mentioning travel agents by name in the forums is terra non grata, so I can't provide you any specific guidance or a recommendation.  But generically, I can tell you that you can transfer your booking to a travel agent if the cruise is not fully paid for and you booked it less than 90 days ago.  Once you have found a travel agent you like, they have forms they can use to request the booking transfer to them, and once Princess transfesr the booking to the agent, from there your customer service needs pre-cruise, along with any remaining payments, will go through the travel agent.

 

I hope this helps a bit.  But I don't disagree, Princess' reliance on offshore call centers has done terrible damage to their brand, and has reconstituted some travel agent's client lists.  The Princess product is excellent, and their web site is excellent, booking a cruise through their web site is super easy, but the call center support is generally terrible.  By investing in a really great web site, they are able to get bookings at their normal rates and are able to keep the commission they would normally pass back to travel agents for the booking.

 

If you do look for a travel agent and transfer your booking, then the travel agent will get the commission for your cruise, and you'll get better service from somebody that you can build a relationship with.

Just to add, you don't pay extra when using a TA, in fact you can sometimes get a better deal and/or OBC added.  

[lahlah57]

9 minutes ago, MTNest93 said:

Just to add, you don't pay extra when using a TA, in fact you can sometimes get a better deal and/or OBC added.  

I will only go thru a travel agent. I get a great OBC from her agency when an agent is used. I pay the agent no money.

[dreaminofcruisin]

26 minutes ago, jeromep said:

 

If you do look for a travel agent and transfer your booking, then the travel agent will get the commission for your cruise, and you'll get better service from somebody that you can build a relationship with.

 

YMMV. I have had 3 different TAs and finally given up on that route as I found I knew more about cruising on Princess than they did..... 😟

[LACruiser88]

1 hour ago, dreaminofcruisin said:

 

YMMV. I have had 3 different TAs and finally given up on that route as I found I knew more about cruising on Princess than they did..... 😟

Sounds like you haven't found the right TA.  We have been with our TA for 20 yrs and she is worth her weight in gold!!!

[MTNest93]

1 minute ago, dreaminofcruisin said:

 

YMMV. I have had 3 different TAs and finally given up on that route as I found I knew more about cruising on Princess than they did..... 😟

I LOVE my TA, but then again, I did give birth to her 🤪

[memoak]

46 minutes ago, MTNest93 said:

Use a TA and you won't have to deal with Princess directly. Meanwhile, are there specific questions that maybe the group can help answer for you?

 

Or a CVP located in the US

[voljeep]

2 minutes ago, dreaminofcruisin said:

 

YMMV. I have had 3 different TAs and finally given up on that route as I found I knew more about cruising on Princess than they did..... 😟

but ... you no longer get that fabulous TA discount 😥

[dreaminofcruisin]

Just now, voljeep said:

but ... you no longer get that fabulous TA discount 😥

The most 'fabulous' discount I ever saw from a TA was $75 OBC on a 14 day cruise.

I 'get' that some people have great TAs, but count yourself fortunate as they are more difficult to find than some seem to believe.....and yes....done the "ask someone onboard who loves their TA" thing....She was my last one and never did find any advantage to her either. 🤷‍♀️

[Luckybee]

I booked through the casino department as I was given a cruise certificate for a free suite from my local casino so I dont have the options that many have suggested. 

When I did my original booking a couple of months ago I didnt have any issues with the rep I dealt with. When I call now on the "already booked" line this seems to be where the problems arise.

I have travelled extensively but not with Princess. I think what surprised me the most is that I have dealt with companies all over the world for bookings since I always book without an agent and I have never seen the language issue this bad even when Im dealing with a hotel in Timbuktoo where one might expect a language problem

[lahlah57]

9 minutes ago, LACruiser88 said:

Sounds like you haven't found the right TA.  We have been with our TA for 20 yrs and she is worth her weight in gold!!!

Yes me too. I don't use an internet agent but a true travel agent.

I dont expect them to know everything about a cruiseline. I can figure that out myself and I tell them what room, what deck, what date and they wrangle it for me from there.

[LACruiser88]

1 hour ago, lahlah57 said:

Yes me too. I don't use an internet agent but a true travel agent.

I dont expect them to know everything about a cruiseline. I can figure that out myself and I tell them what room, what deck, what date and they wrangle it for me from there.

Our TA was a long-time Princess HQ employee and knows ALL of the Princess in's and out's!  Over the years, we have referred many fellow Princess cruisers to her and they all have expressed their satisfaction with her.

[Luckybee]

In the meantime I wonder if anyone knows the following ...

When I first booked on a certificate (which I had to cancel because of expected surgery) I was able to get a PH on the Dolphin deck where the balconies look huge. This time there was only one suite available on the Aloha deck which has a much smaller balcony. The cruise is not until Febuary of next year so Im hoping to be able to move to any of Marina, Riviera, Baja or Dolphin decks and I have been stalking the website but of course I could miss an opening. Can one waitlist within a category ?

[voljeep]

8 minutes ago, lahlah57 said:

Yes me too. I don't use an internet agent but a true travel agent.

I dont expect them to know everything about a cruiseline. I can figure that out myself and I tell them what room, what deck, what date and they wrangle it for me from there.

yeah, it was great back in the day, huh?  book your own cruise, monitor fare drops, use the princess resources to get the discounted fares, change cabins, etc ... then swoop - transfer the booking to the TA who does nothing but give you the great benefits that Princess gives them, that you can't get when booking with Princess directly.

 

 

[Wishing on a star]

Ohhhh,  I wanted to add...  to the OP, LuckyBee...  We are all. here because we truly enjoy the Princess product, once onboard!   That is why we find ways to deal with this one issue.  

Yes, it is almost sad that this situation is how every new cruiser is introduced to Princess Cruises.  

See if you can use these tips to work around the customer service issues,  and you should really enjoy your cruise!

[karatemom2]

@Luckybee sorry you are having issues. I totally understand - we have had similar frustrations. We book our cruises through the Casino Department and generally have better experience with their team. Do you have a number for them? It may be the number you used to book as opposed to the general Princess Customer Service line. If you do, you might try reaching back out via that line and speaking to someone in the Casino Sales Department.

 

Best of luck!!

[Luckybee]

Thanks Karate...the number I have was the number on my certificate which is 1-800-819-3906.

When one calls that number the recording asks that you choose between Princess, Carnival, and Holland America for booking your cruise certificate then once chosen takes you to an agent. I had assumed, perhaps wrongly, that the was just for the original booking but I will try them...Thanks for the idea !

[Sprocket]

I have many cruises on Princess and have never seen that number or had the option of multiple cruise lines.

The number I have always used is 1 888 772-6697 and that takes you to Princess Casino bookings only.

 

Curious with that number are you able to book on Holland America?

[Luckybee]

My certificate was good for any of Carnival, HA or Princess. When I first called I had checked with the sub line for HA (had to push different extesions for each)but the cruises and suites I could get were more limited so I chose princess because I was able to book the suite I wanted (at least the category). 

[kywildcatfanone]

Princess only cares about your money, not your issues.  Get your TA to sort it out