Beware Of Princess Cruise Line

[geoherb]

Mumeof3: Princess refunds any charges for excursions that have to be cancelled. Unfortunately, it seems like the excursion company Princess customarily uses for this excursion had mechanical difficulties. That's something that could have happened had the original poster chosen to have booked an excursion on his own.

 

In general, we prefer to book excursions on our own because the ones through the cruise lines tend to be pricier and don't provide much more in value--except a promise that you won't miss the ship if there's a delay. That peace of mind is worth a lot to some people.

 

On our most recent cruise (Sun Princess for Christmas), the ship had mechanical difficulties plus responded to the Coast Guard's request to help in a search and rescue that caused the ship to be late arriving in St. Thomas. The captain, very generously in my opinion, gave every passenger a $100 shipboard credit.

 

I'm sure some similar gesture would have gone a way to make the original poster feel better (since he mentioned not even being offered a glass of champagne).

[Nymue]

There *Are* certain exceptions. There are some extraordinary sights that people choose a cruise to see, if the excursion is cancelled due to the contractor, I should think that the cruise line would at least make an attempt to find a back up plan.

 

Had I selected a cruise because the itinerary would give me a somewhat safe traveling opportunity to see the Great Pyramid, and the jeep broke an axel, resulting in a canceled occasion.......I would be MORE than a bit peeved!

 

Why is it people on this board are so quick with the blow torch if someone doesn’t think the way they think :confused: ? Yet I do have to say that people here, on the Princess boards, are kinder and gentler than the others.

 

 

doing this sets you up for huge disappointments. If you really wanted to see the Great Barrier Reef then a cruise was not the way to do it. Things happen and it can get cancelled.

Small disappointments can make a cruise a terrible thing.

[ggprincess2004]

OK I guess I didnt' read all of the fine print. I understand the ports and excursions can be canceled heck the Navy does it all the time. That has become a way of life with us lol.

So if "they" cancel do you get your money back if other arrangements aren't made?

 

The charges for the shore excursion are removed from your onboard account. Missing a port does not generally result in compensation of any form.

 

The best missed port experience we ever had was during Wilma when it hit the Canadian maritimes. We were supposed to go ashore in Nova Scotia, but the seas were extremely bad. Our shore excursion would have been cancelled anyway. The cruise director and staff added a piece of afternoon entertainment to the schedule, it was hilarious. They did a "radio" kind of show, and the script was tremendous. The jokes about bad seas seemed to coincide with extreme ship motion. High point of our cruise - and we really loved that cruise.

 

We also missed Nawiliwili on Kauii - a day or two later the earthern dam broke and took out part of the pier, as well as taking some lives. Instead, the captain chose to circumnavigate the island and onboard naturalist provided commentary during the "alternative activity". Unfortunatley, the weather was too bad to really be able to see very much.

 

We've had Cartagena removed as a port of call - state department warning I believe. We've had shore excursions cancelled due to rough seas - it just goes with the territory.

 

IMHO, get over it, and get on with the fun.:D

[cruzinchris]

oops!

[cruzinchris]

Well, if you were as patient and calm when you talked to the shore excursion people as you were in your beautiful OP, then no wonder they were curt and rude to you.

 

Herschel Dirtwater,

Just wanted to tell you that I like your "Salieri" avatar. Cool!

Chris

[delta_glenn]

My first thought, " How DARE they cancel ME?" Then I found out that the ferry was out of action. I went to the SE desk, they were very helpful and took 25 minutes with me to get me and wifey into a "next best SE". We ended up doing the Natural Wonders of St. Maarten and really enjoyed it.

 

Still want to go to St. Barth's but I also want to be sure I have a way back to the boat when I go. Want to visit the islands but also want to return to my life in the States.

 

As other posters have said, you're on vacation - why worry? At least you ain't in the office....

[rigs32]

Ladies and gentlemen - this is a perfect example of what can happen when you don't read the fine print. Friends and family constantly call me with questions and issues that could have been avoided if they had simply read what they were signing or signing up for (in the case of a cruise).

[fredthecarman]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. :eek:

Really.

[Casshew]

 

 

Dear Duped, did you still enjoy Australia?

 

I have a cruise booked solely because it goes to Egypt, I would be terribly disappointed if for some reason we can't get into port, however I understand the risk involved.

[MaryPoppinz]

I have had excursions cancelled last-minute by both cruiseline and direct-booked tour operator. It's disappointing, but it's something you have to accept if you are going to cruise. You will not be able to make every port or every excursion.

 

Sorry you had to miss that excursion, I hope you get another chance!

[tazmanaf]

I have to echo the sentiment from all on here - things happen that are beyond the control of the cruiseline. I went to St Maarten (my first visit to the island) and there was a taxi strike. None of the passengers on the 6 ships at the pier could get past the dock unless they wanted to walk a few miles. I knew the risk, and even though I was upset I couldn't see it, I chalked it up to experience and spent the day exploring parts of the ship I haven't seen yet and just plain ol' relaxed.

[NAS-KARR]

Your BIO states your favorite cruise line is "Crystal and Celebrity".........what are you doing on Princess ??

 

CIAO,

[pg.]

Well, if you were as patient and calm when you talked to the shore excursion people as you were in your beautiful OP, then no wonder they were curt and rude to you.

 

:confused:

 

Good point, some people are so rude when talking to the staff they refuse to listen to the explanation, and go off with both guns blazing, then, get treated curtly.. like their boots should have been licked for the abuse instead!

[pg.]

I will also add that since the contractor cancelled the tour only the night before that doesn't really give Princess time to contact all the other contractors in the port and rebook with them. Keeping in mind that a large group may have had to been split between two or three smaller contractors.

 

I hardly think the venom directed at Princess over ONE missed excurision is inproportion to the loss the OP experienced.

All cruisers know excursions and PORTS can be changed or cancelled at will, and that in the case of cancelled shore exs all one can expect is a simple refund.

 

I also doubt this poster will reappear as posters like them tend to shoot off and run.

[smeyer418]

I can understand about being upset about not making to the Great Barrier reef. Going to Australia is not something you can do every year its waaaay to far, so missing this tour because such a late concellation would be upsetting. I suspect the poster started off upset with the excursion desk but that is no excuse,,,I have great sympathy for the poster even though I know if you want to go see something for sure a cruise is NOT the way to do it.

[isujim]

So how was the food and entertainment?:rolleyes:

[dutrie]

We were delayed in Antigua a few years ago due to problems with the ship and didn't leave until midnight, causing us to miss our next port, Barbados. I missed an excursion on Barbados that I had looked forward to for months. I was disappointed, but due to the delay, I got some photos of the sunset in Antigua that made the delay worthwhile.

 

On a cruise, you have to go with the flow. Things happen that are beyond anyone's control. Make the best of it.

 

David

[ma_in_ak]

Hmmm... Seems like the poster is not very resourceful. If it had been me and htere was no other excursion to the Barrier Reef available to book on the ship, I would have gone to the internet room and tried to book somethingonline myself. If that wasn't possible, I would've gotten off the ship in the morning and tried to book something on the dock. It seems like there is always something available on the dock, even if it isn't the best one. I can't imagine getting THAT upset over ONE excursion on a whole trip. If my primary interest was to see that one thing, I might plan a trip surrounding that one thing rather than a cruise that leaves only one day for that thing, with the chance of missing out because of weather, missing a port, etc.

[Suzanne123]

I was also just on the Sapphire Princess, had not one but two excursions canceled, and still had a wonderful time. Calm down. Life is too short.

[Cruise Junky]

If the GBR was that important, you should never have done a cruise. You're taking a huge risk that the one day you're there, the weather conditions are going to allow you to go out. We'd love to see the GBR which is why we're doing a land trip and spending 4 days there.

[smeyer418]

Hmmm... Seems like the poster is not very resourceful. If it had been me and htere was no other excursion to the Barrier Reef available to book on the ship, I would have gone to the internet room and tried to book somethingonline myself. If that wasn't possible, I would've gotten off the ship in the morning and tried to book something on the dock. It seems like there is always something available on the dock, even if it isn't the best one. I can't imagine getting THAT upset over ONE excursion on a whole trip. If my primary interest was to see that one thing, I might plan a trip surrounding that one thing rather than a cruise that leaves only one day for that thing, with the chance of missing out because of weather, missing a port, etc.

 

 

LOL exactly what my wife said :)

[kenexx]

I'm sure the "tiny little worthless town" was real happy to have you wandering their streets :rolleyes:

[crossstitcher]

On our last cruise (November, Crown Princess) we ran into major bad weather in Aruba. This was the first time we had ever been to this port and we were looking forward to our excursions. The lightning was so fierce and the rain so heavy that the captain would not allow any passengers off of the ship and ALL excursions were cancelled. Very dissapointed to say the least. We did get to leave the ship by noon and walked to the center of town only to find it flooded out and cars stranded all over the place. We were refunded the full price of the excursions and made the best of a bad day anyway. We are booked on the Crown for the same cruise next November, hopefully we will finally tour Aruba!!

 

to the OP (if he/she actually reads these comments) Sometimes these things happen so don't go bad mouthing Princess or any other Line because you took the cancellation as a personal insult. I am sure the other couple of thousand passengers were dissapointed about the last minute changes as well. What were you expecting them to do, give you a free cruise to compensate?

[shellbeachjim]

On our last cruise (Pacific Princess) we stopped in Chennai, India. Not having been to India previously we were both looking forward to it. Unfortunately I developed an ear infection a few days earlier and had 2 trips to the ship's doctor. On the second visit he told me I had to go see an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor at our next port. Yep, that would be at Chennai. So we had to cancel our excursions. As it turned out, my trip to the doctor allowed us to see a part of Chennai the tours didn't go on. The taxi ride itself was like no other taxi ride I've ever been on. I'm convinced there are no road rules in India. The way I look at it, the other passengers went on excursions, I went on an adventure. It's all a matter of perspective and how you deal with life as it comes at you.

[Pam in CA]

I will also add that since the contractor cancelled the tour only the night before that doesn't really give Princess time to contact all the other contractors in the port and rebook with them. Keeping in mind that a large group may have had to been split between two or three smaller contractors.

This is true. Also, going to the Great Barrier Reef is not just a matter of finding another bus company. This is an intensive excursion on the water that requires expertise. Even if Princess did not have an exclusive with their tour operator, they would have wanted to research alternative companies if only for the safety of their passengers. The safety of their passengers comes first.

 

As for missed ports, I've missed many. It's not something you can control. As an opposite example, we disembarked at Lahaina a couple of years ago when in retrospect, we shouldn't have. It was clear, warm and beautiful as we left the ship onto the tenders. When I was at the top of Haleakala, I noticed quite a few clouds coming in but it was still sunny and warm where we were. By the time we got to the dock to go back to the ship, it was overcast and threatening. As I boarded the tender, the storm hit -- very strong winds and sheets of rain. We left the dock and it just got worse. By the time we were just minutes away from the dock, the tender was climbing mountainous waves. We couldn't go forward and we couldn't go back since there was already another tender at the dock and we couldn't go back safely. The rain was streaming into every tiny opening in the tender and people were getting very seasick with the rough motion. I knew that we weren't in any danger but it was very, very rough. Even our tender crew were getting sick and without air, it was just getting worse. We had to stay in those conditions for almost an hour and a half as the ship raised anchor and turned around to provide a safe landing platform for us. We all arrived safely albeit cold and wet. People were extremely upset and angry at Princess. The Captain said that if he'd known the weather conditions were going to be that bad, he wouldn't have let anyone off the ship. And you can bet that if he had, people would have been seriously pissed since they'd be looking at a beautiful sunny, warm day.

 

If I couldn't go to the Great Barrier Reef, I'd be disappointed but it wouldn't ruin my cruise.