Referal fee of $25 denied

[canuck1946]

I have had enough of Princess' bad customer service (oxymoron if there ever was one) both personally and through my agent being put on hold for hours. It is now a principle that I fight for.

 

In short I referred a co-worker in July 2004 and he subsequently booked and sailed in a suite. For this I was to get a $25 on board credit. Fair enough.

 

I have booked a cruise in Feb 2007 and tried to get this credit applied to my upcoming cruise and Princess now claims the passenger didn't complete a form properly when he was on board. Both I and my agent were not aware of any forms that had to be filled out on board! Another of the customer service canned responses was that that passenger doesn't exist in their records. This passenegr was not only was booked by my agent but he was also my boss and I happen to know he both exists and went on the cruise.

 

Princess makes an offer of $25 for a referal and they book out a suite and then dispute the validity of my claim for $25. I am a cruise-a-holic and have done 27 cruises to date and 9 of them on Princess but I sure don't want to do any more if that's how they make their money.

 

I hope the monitor this board and realize that for a measly $25 they have expended a few hours of a customer service persons time that I'm sure costs way more the the $25. Not to mention the 2 emails from me that they have so far ignored for about 9 days.

 

Wake up Princess!

[cherylandtk]

I am sure that has got to be frustrating, especially after running into two apparently clueless phone CSRs. And I understand the desire to follow up, even if it is 'only $25', just on principle. With that in mind, gather the following facts and call again:

 

1.Was this an email or regular mail referral? Either way, you should have received an acknowledgment from Princess. As soon as you make the referral, it shows up in your CC account as a "Pending Booking" referral. Did you receive this back in 2004? If not, and this is your first inquiry into the matter, I fear it may be too late to track down, but you can still try. If you did get a pending booking status credit, make note of the credit number that shows on your CC account.

 

2.Are you positive that your boss met all the qualifications? (Had never previously booked or taken a Princess cruise, and in some cases had not previously signed up online to receive cruise information). Most important is that he did not book the cruise until AFTER Princess acknowledged your referral of him.

 

3.I have no clue what this 'onboard form' is supposed to be, either. Never heard of that myself, and have to wonder if the CSR was getting a Referral Reward confused with a Share the Wealth coupon from a Future Cruise Credit/Booking. Go up the chain if you get this reply again.

 

3. Does your boss have his Captain Circle number, or perhaps your TA? Just politely keep asking for the next level supervisor if the one on the phone is not helping you. With his #, your # and the specifics of the cruise (date referred, date booked, date taken, they should be able to fix this for you. Best of luck, be persistent.

[Host Caroline]

Please don't ask others to email you for information about your travel agents; see the CC community guidelines for clarification.

Your cooperation will be appreciated.

[FuzzyMelton]

Please don't ask others to email you for information about your travel agents; see the CC community guidelines for clarification.

 

Your cooperation will be appreciated.

 

Before you post something like this again you might want to read the previous posts again! There is no request for e-mails from TAs, and no guidelines were violated. Take a min. to ensure you fully understand the e-mail before makeing blanket statements like the one above that do nothing except get people angry and more frustrated.

 

I have no problems with the guidlines just the wrong enforcement of them.

[cactusrose]

Good advise from Cheylandtk. One more thing to look into. Did your boss complete his form after you referred him? He would have received this by email or mail and would have to send it back in order for the referral to qualify. Also, did your boss receive his $25 for the referral? You should each get the $25 off if the referral was completed.

[LARGIN]

You do not receive $25 room credit for referrals. You get $25pp credit on your next cruise. If you are talking about a $25 dollar room credit, you must be talking about the Princess Share the Wealth coupon. For that to be paid, you or your boss would have to send in the coupon with your name, booking number and the cruise number of the cruise you were on that you received the coupon plus his information. You both then would have to be sailing on the same cruise.

 

For referrals you have to submit the names of friends that have never sailed with Princess. You do that via Email or on the website.

 

So far I have had no problems with referrals. I had friends interested in our dawn sailing. The first thing I did was to confirm that they never sailed on Princess. Secondly I filled out the referral forms on the Princess website. After I made sure that their names were listed as a "Pending Booking" and told them to book the cruise with my agent. At that time I told my agent that I referred them to Princess and to let them know. Since I already paid for my cruise, I received a $25pp charge back to my credit card.

 

 

[Toto2Kansas]

An explanation of the referral reward program straight from the Princess website:

 

"You can refer up to two people in a household. They will each receive a $25 discount off their first Princess cruise. After they sail, you will also receive $25 for each of those referrals, up to $50 maximum for the new household you have brought to Princess. You need not travel together. Referral Rewards will not be applicable to certain fares such as Travel Agent, Interline, Corporate Affiliate and Friends & Family rates"

 

This $25 pp that will be given back to you in the form of a credit IS towards your next sailing, after they have finished their cruise. Those that replied that it is not in shipboard credits ARE CORRECT!

[cherylandtk]

Before you post something like this again you might want to read the previous posts again! There is no request for e-mails from TAs, and no guidelines were violated. Take a min. to ensure you fully understand the e-mail before makeing blanket statements like the one above that do nothing except get people angry and more frustrated.

 

I have no problems with the guidlines just the wrong enforcement of them.

Fuzzy, Caroline is a HOST, and there was a post in this thread in violation of the guidelines, which she pulled. Her post is a reminder to all, especially the person who may wonder what happened to their post. You simply came along after the fact. :)

[Plant]

:) Hi FuzzyMelton,

 

Before you post something like this again you might want to read the previous posts again! There is no request for e-mails from TAs, and no guidelines were violated. Take a min. to ensure you fully understand the e-mail before makeing blanket statements like the one above that do nothing except get people angry and more frustrated.

 

I have no problems with the guidlines just the wrong enforcement of them.

 

It's possible that Host Caroline deleted the post that asked about a travel agent :rolleyes: .

 

Edited to say, "what cherylantk said", a minute before me :) .

[FLACRUISER99]

Fuzzy, Caroline is a HOST, and there was a post in this thread in violation of the guidelines, which she pulled. Her post is a reminder to all, especially the person who may wonder what happened to their post. You simply came along after the fact. :)

Give me a break

[cherylandtk]

Give me a break

Huh?

[Sandytoes]

Rewards or discounts claimed under the Referral Rewards program may not be combinable with other offers and promotions including, but not limited to, reduced rate fares such as employee space available, travel agent, journalist, guest lecturer and other promotional fares or sailings as Princess may designate from time to time in its sole discretion. Please note that a successful referral must be made prior to your friend or relative making their booking in order to qualify for Referral Rewards.

 

In addition, you can not claim rewards for any individual to whom you recommended prior to the date the Referral Rewards program became effective (February 1, 2004)

In short I referred a co-worker in July 2004

 

It really doesn't matter how much, it's the fact that if they offered this special promotion, it should be honored. As long as the terms & conditions were met.

 

Please let us know what the outcome is.....

Good Luck...

[Fblack]

I got a referral fee last December and never filled out any form. But we were on the same crusie as the person I referred. You cannot just talk to a Princess reservations agent. Ask for Customer Relations. Ask for Roberto. But you better have some proof.

[ciana]

I too had a problem with referral program. We referred two people who later sailed with us on the Sun Princess. They had been noted on our captain's circle referral program. We dealt with an on-line agency. When we asked about our $25 off for our cruise/ or future cruise we were told by Princess that they had given the $25 to our on-line agency and we were expected to get it from them. Our friends were also told the same. Our on-line agency said we got the best deal they had and would have charged us each $25 more if they knew we expected a $25 rebate. In short we got nothing! Moral of the story: Forget about a referral.. never again will we go through that procedure. We have not done a Princess referral since.. we will not ever do it again unless they provide a $25 onboard credit.

 

Ciana

[tequilasunrise]

I've had the same problem with the referral program. My friends got their money but when we sailed later, Princess told us we didn't fill out the form right <sigh>

[iancal]

Hardly worth the time. Divide that $25. by the time you have spent on hold, speaking, or fuming.

 

Simple, don't recommend or recommend someone else. I am a big believer in 'voting with your feet'. That is the only way many companies can truly get the message.

[canuck1946]

Wow, this is one active board. First of all in defense of the moderator there was a post that has since been removed that was recommending their travel agent if I contact them so we can cool down on that one.

 

As for the proof I do have a screen print of my circle account identifying the person I referred but it appears to have been misplaced on the Princess records!!! Go figure. The gentleman in question was my boss but just retired so no longer available.

 

I think my best course of action and to avoid higher blood pressure than I already have is to take the screen print and all the info on board and present it to the futurre cruise agent of the Captain's Circle representative in person. That way I simply don't take out another future cruise booking until they fulfill their obligation.

 

I guess my past business of 9 previous Princess cruises and the upcoming one with another couple are insignificant when you talk about saving the company $25.

 

Thanks all for your comments but it will come back on them.

[cruze610]

I know what you mean about the referral. I was also denied after referring someone. I was told that because the person that I refered was sharing a cabin with a past Princess cruiser, I was not elegible for the credit. It really makes me wonder what Princess priorities are. I can understand that they want to keep any unnecessary spending to a minimum. but think about it, they can lose customers over things like this. All they need to do to make up for the $25 referral, is sell another overpriced photo in the gallery. I have been on Princess for all but 1 of my past cruises. The Last was on the Caribbean Princess. I remember thinking, WOW Princess has really gone down hill. It feels too much like Carnival. I have two more cruises booked with Princess. Ill see how they go. If no improvement, I think its time to try another line.

[tclowe]

I'll weigh in with my recent experience with the referral credit. I first thought it was a shipboard credit as well. I had referred two friends (Husband and wife) and they signed up on the website before booking the same cruise as myself for April 2007. The $25 pp credit was pending on their booking and my $50 credit ($25 for each person referred) was also pending on their booking. I asked Princess Capt. Circle on the phone about the referral credits and they mentioned they see it on the Princess computer BUT I needed to contact my internet TA and have them apply it against my final payment in January 2007.

 

I called my internet TA last week, told them about what Princess Capt. Circle rep. said, and the TA took care of it. Within two days, I got a new invoice for my April sailing minus $50 from my total final payment due in January. My friends' total final payment was reduced by $50 as well for the same sailing.

 

So it worked for me.

[LARGIN]

I'll weigh in with my recent experience with the referral credit. I first thought it was a shipboard credit as well. I had referred two friends (Husband and wife) and they signed up on the website before booking the same cruise as myself for April 2007. The $25 pp credit was pending on their booking and my $50 credit ($25 for each person referred) was also pending on their booking. I asked Princess Capt. Circle on the phone about the referral credits and they mentioned they see it on the Princess computer BUT I needed to contact my internet TA and have them apply it against my final payment in January 2007.

 

I called my internet TA last week, told them about what Princess Capt. Circle rep. said, and the TA took care of it. Within two days, I got a new invoice for my April sailing minus $50 from my total final payment due in January. My friends' total final payment was reduced by $50 as well for the same sailing.

 

So it worked for me.

 

And that is the way it is supposed to work.. See my post #6

[jennew]

I also hit a brick wall with the referral credit, even though we "referred" and cruised with two other families, we never got the credit. We were told that we did not follow the guidelines exactly....and I just got tired of worrying about it.

 

Yes, it is the principal...however most of us make at least $25/hour at our places of emplyment. Why spend more than an hour on THIS?

 

It reminds me of this offer I got on a bottle of wine I bought tonight. Around the neck was a coupon that said $2 off. I decided to buy it since it was a wine I would normally buy anyway.

 

I get to the counter and ask about the coupon...clerk said "read the back of the coupon"

 

oh boy....to get the $2 I will need to soak off the back label and send it in with the receipt and the coupon. Sounds like too much trouble to me...especially when you consider the first class stamp I would need to use.

 

I think they make these types of "offers" to attract people and then make cashing in on them difficult on purpose. Just my opinion.

[fti]

If the OP is still not satisfied, s/he can always file a complaint with the BBB. The BBB takes complaints seriously and tries to resolve them with the company in question. I have never done it but I have heard of others who have had good results with legitimate complaints to the BBB.

[FuzzyMelton]

Fuzzy, Caroline is a HOST, and there was a post in this thread in violation of the guidelines, which she pulled. Her post is a reminder to all, especially the person who may wonder what happened to their post. You simply came along after the fact. :)

 

OOPS:eek: Sorry Caroline, as you can see I am a sort of new at posting (numbers low). Please accept my apology, Caroline and anyone else who read my previos post.:o

[spongerob]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I read on this site that the $25 credit was taken out of the TA's commission...or am I just having a bad memory day? It was a late night watching the Cards win... :o

 

FWIW, the only time we've used the referrals, we've had no problem simply by following the instructions.

[Ethel5]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I read on this site that the $25 credit was taken out of the TA's commission...or am I just having a bad memory day? It was a late night watching the Cards win... :o

 

FWIW, the only time we've used the referrals, we've had no problem simply by following the instructions.

 

The way it worked for me was that Princess lowered my final payment by $25pp and it didn't come from the TA's commission.