Princess Sales Incompetence Again

[Phillip Toddy]

Today I tried to register with Princess, from Australia, so that I can get some brochures etc.

 

Their IT/Sales people have set up the registration screen so that (when set to Country:Australia) it only allows the State/Province Option of "Choose One". Of course they have it set to refuse this choice so I cannnot register, make bookings or even access my Captain's Circle membership informaton,

 

They give no email addresses on their web site (one wondrs why) and the 1800 numbers are not applicable from Australia.

 

If might be a big ask, but it would help if a fellow Cruise Critic in the US (or Canada) was to ring Princess, draw this to their attention and ask them to open communication with me via:

 

philtoddy@yahoo.com.au

 

Regards and, all being well see some of you on Sapphire in late December.

 

Phil

[OzCruise]

Phil

 

Bad news, I'm afraid. Us Australians are non-people so far as Princess US is concerned.

 

We have to deal with P&O Australia (or, of course, through an Australian TA), and pay up to 40% more for the same cruise as our American cousins. We are also not entitled to Captain Circle membership because (according to CC Member Officer on Diamond Princess last week) "I think your government doesn't allow it." :confused: The words 'bull' and 'manure' spring to mind...

 

You'll also see on a number of discount internet cruise sites (US based) where the statement is made that discounted cruises for Princess (and a couple of others) are not available for non-US citizens.

 

Have a look in the Ports (Aus and NZ) threads, and you'll find some useful information regarding this.

 

And don't forget to express your annoyance to Princess at every opportunity!

[haggis]

Its exactly the same for us Brits. They, (Princess) have promised for a long time that we in the UK would be able to register soon our Capts Circle membership and its never happened. They are a good company to deal with but one gets the impression of a two class system within the club. I dont know what information the US Circle members get on their site but very little comes out from Southampton and certainly no Capts Circle info.

Jimmy

[kimba_99]

We also sailed on Sapphire Princess late December/ early January and had a lovely relaxing cruise. We have pics if you're interested, they are in my signature!

Hope you have a great time.

Kim

PS... there are ways around booking Princess cruises through US travel agents at prices that are better than here in Aus.

[Phillip Toddy]

Yes, and dealing with P&O in Australia means dealing with a company:

• whose spin doctor describes arrant drunkenness on nights one and three of a cruise as acceptable and what you can expect
  
• that pretends to restrict misbehaviour by not allowing alcoholic drinks (which they sell) to be taken aboard (drugs, its seems are Ok – they don’t sell them)
  
• that has had nothing to say about the disgraceful case now before the Coroner
  
• consistently fails to respond to emails and other enquiries
  

So, how can we have confidence in any Carnival product? Perhaps all over the world they sell tickets as a result of good service aboard and in spite of very poor service and a lousy attitude ashore.

[kimba_99]

Don't mistake P&O Aust. cruises for Princess (or Carnival, Cunard etc) cruises.... totally different marketing and experiences.

I will never again deal with P&O Aust. they deserve (IMO) the bad publicity they are getting in the press at the moment.