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Avoid pre-drydock cruises


JackTor

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May 25, 2009

 

To: Princess Cruises

Re: Golden Princess, 2 week Hawaiian cruise, April 1-15, 2009

 

On April 14, 2009, I registered a complaint at the purser’s desk on the above-mentioned ship. Yesterday, I called to follow-up on the complaint because it is over one month and no Princess representative has contacted me, as promised by the purser staffer.

 

The Princess representative I spoke with yesterday told me that I should have contacted customer relations. Enclosed is a PowerPoint presentation of the photos I showed at the purser’s desk. The forty (40) photos document the following complaint.

 

· Cruise Critic posted that the Golden Princess was going to dry dock following our cruise.

 

· While waiting to check-in and board the ship, we overheard Princess staffers arguing about where to have the contractors line up.

 

· The Captain announced there would be minimal construction on the back of the ship during our cruise.

 

· The Atlantis Casino closed halfway into the cruise and never re-opened.

 

· Three days into the cruise there was a shortage of deck chairs. At the same time, stacked deck chairs began appearing on the top observation deck.

 

· Halfway into our cruise, I noticed contractors getting food in the buffet restaurant.

 

· The contractors also sat in groups in the buffet seating area…along with the passengers

 

· Shrink-wrapped gambling equipment was stored in passenger areas on deck.

 

· Construction materials like plywood and lumber were stored on deck in the passenger areas.

 

· Many areas were taped-off thus denying passengers access to large parts of the ship.

 

· Fun Zone closed for deck chair storage.

 

· FX, wedding chapel and Internet Café closed.

 

· Garbage cans and barf bags removed from elevator areas. We had rough sea, too.

 

· Large wood pallets were being hauled in passenger elevators and stored in passenger hallways. We had to use the stairs because the passenger elevators were occupied by pallets, materials, garbage, and contractors.

 

· Plants were ripped out leaving big craters where people threw garbage.

 

· Stores were closed for demolition. Not in port, either.

 

· The store windows were covered with roll paper that made the main atrium area look tacky.

 

· Plants were bagged all over the ship and left planted. It was like cruising in a construction zone.

 

· Contractors roved the halls and passenger areas in groups of 2-4 while off-duty. They ogled the female passengers, including my teenage daughter. They took pictures of “their” cruise with phone cameras. One “woo-hooed” with his arms in the air when he went past the main lounge.

 

· The contractors stood on deck and smoked. They threw matches and cigarette butts overboard even though there was a smoking station 6 feet away.

 

· Construction debris blew down from the deck onto our balcony. I still have a “souvenir” piece of construction tape that I picked up off the balcony.

 

We overheard many passengers complaining about the pre-dry dock work as we left the ship in Los Angeles. One man said he called his travel agent to complain. He said Princess lied to his agent and denied that there were contractors on board. The person I talked to at the purser’s desk also denied that there were contractors on board the ship. I pointed out to her that there was a ship-wide page for “contractor so-and-so” right after we left Los Angeles. Additionally, “someone” demolished the casino and stores. We saw all the pallets of debris off-loaded at Ensenada.

 

I booked our “dream cruise” for 2 weeks to Hawaii in August 2008. Our total cost for 3 passengers came to $14, 200. We did not get our money’s worth, in fact; it felt like we were just in the way of Princess’ grand ship re-construction.

 

Cruising is about the experience. It’s about being pampered and enjoying the finer things in life. The passengers aboard the Golden Princess should not have been exposed to any of the construction.

 

This cruise severely cheapened Princess’ image.

 

On the Greyhound bus to take us to LAX airport the bus driver stood up and shouted, “Did everyone have fun?” The entire population of the bus shouted, in unison, “NOOOOO!” The bus driver was dumb-founded and said she has never had that kind of a response before.

 

If a picture is worth a thousand words, find enclosed 40,000 words. After viewing these photos ask yourself the following questions?

 

· How would you feel about your dream cruise that you waited 7 months to go on?

 

· Did we get our money’s worth ($14,200)?

 

· Would you cruise with Princess again? (or any cruise associated with Carnival)

 

· What would you tell everyone you know?

 

· Did Princess save enough money doing pre-dry-dock work during our cruise to justify the loss in future revenue?

 

· Does the current economy support the loss of customer-base?

 

Whose decision was it to ruin our cruise? That person(s) should be fired. The person who was supposed to keep the contractors in line should be fired, too.

 

Expensive Lesson Learned:

 

Never cruise a ship before it goes into dry-dock, and never cruise Princess.

 

The Princess representative called. She said senior management decided to give a $75 future cruise credit for our experience. I told her to tell them what they can do with their offer. I also told them we would not be cruising with Princess or Carnival ever again (add Holland America), but that had already been said in the letter. Apparently, as a "number" Princess is not interested in earning our business back.

 

Additionally, I asked if they had decided to change their policies. No. They reserve the right to have contractors on board and do construction.

 

Hmmm, which cruise line do we try next?

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I agree that your cruise was severly compromised, and you are entitled to financial compensation. And that compensation should be a cash refund for a major portion of the expense of this cruise, not a credit toward a future cruise.

 

But what does this have to do with Carnival and HAL? Why add them to the list, when it is Princess that caused the harm? They are not the same companies.

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JackTor. I would expect Princess to give you the same cruise at a date of your choice, simply not good enough. When serious issues like these come up it is no good just going to the front desk, you start with the hotel manager and work your way up the chain of command but make sure it is sorted out before you leave the ship.

 

What cruise line to use next? HAL or NCL and thank you for posting this valuable information it does not matter how often you cruise you are always learning.

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WOW! I would have been hot about this. I am so sorry this happened to you, OP. What a waste. I view the ship as the destination and would have been incredibly disappointed in your shoes.

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JackTor ~

 

I agree with your advice. We made the same big mistake (actually didn't realize at booking that is was the final cruise before drydock). NEVER EVER again will we do that. It was HUGE money for construction to be going on in the suite next door not to mention many other problems. But it was a lesson learned and I'm a more savy consumer now. "Buyer Beware".

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We were on the pre-drydock cruise on the Oosterdam. While not as bad as the Princess situation it did impact our cruise. When we got to Europe the construction crews came on and since we were in the area to be cut off (a wonderful aft cabin) we were affected more than others. The payoff was returning to our room one day to find little pieces of tape with the room number on every surface--they were getting ready to take everything out--but we were still on our cruise and this was unacceptable. So I would not cruise on any ship on any mainstream line before a dry dock. I would not cruise HAL on the first cruise after a drydock. I would check other boards to find out how other cruiselines handle things--but in general would be wary.

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Pallets in passenger hallways and garbage being thrown every which way.

Yikes. $14,200 down a rat hole. disinhearting.........how sad for you. It's quite possible that you will enjoy Holland America next time you cruise.

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We were on the pre-drydock cruise on the Oosterdam. While not as bad as the Princess situation it did impact our cruise. When we got to Europe the construction crews came on and since we were in the area to be cut off (a wonderful aft cabin) we were affected more than others. The payoff was returning to our room one day to find little pieces of tape with the room number on every surface--they were getting ready to take everything out--but we were still on our cruise and this was unacceptable. So I would not cruise on any ship on any mainstream line before a dry dock. I would not cruise HAL on the first cruise after a drydock. I would check other boards to find out how other cruiselines handle things--but in general would be wary.

Did you take the tapes off? ;)

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I was on the 5 day Veendam cruise just before drydock.

 

No contractors were in sight and no work was begun (that passengers could see) until the morning of disembarkation.

 

Most passengers didn't even know the ship was going into drydock after their cruise.

 

The only thing I could say might have made a difference was the service in the dining room for AYW, and since this was our first HAL cruise, we wondered if it was always so slow or a result of the upcoming retrofit. We were told that some of the crew had left (time off?) or been reassigned prior to drydock.

 

Anyway, everything was open and operational during our cruise and if they were doing prep-work ahead of time it was behind the scenes and didn't affect the passengers enjoyment.

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But what does this have to do with Carnival and HAL? Why add them to the list, when it is Princess that caused the harm? They are not the same companies.

 

Perhaps because Princess is also owned by CCL?

 

It's not something that hasn't happened on HAL too.

I've been told of a similar occurrence aboard Amsterdam at the end of a South America run a few years back - very similar situation.

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Greetings -- I was on a Costa ship in the Mediterranean late last year two weeks before a scheduled drydock. They had major airconditioning problems the entire trip, but the worst part was in Tunisia when both the water to the cabin was terminated for the entire ship as well as the ventilation for over 48 hours! It was about 93 degrees down in my cabin, with no air and my heart condition, and I developed a major respiratory infection which took almost four weeks to resolve after I returned to the states. After disembarking in Savona, I spent a night at a hotel in Genoa, and fortunately I was able to purchase some strong meds at a nearby Pharmacia, that I would need a prescription for here. But the entire trip was a disaster including Costa's cancellation of 6 out of 7 pre-scheduled excursions because they did not have enough English-speaking passengers. Never again will I take Costa! Never Never Never Neber Never!!!!!!

 

ZU

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I was on the 5 day Veendam cruise just before drydock.

 

No contractors were in sight and no work was begun (that passengers could see) until the morning of disembarkation.

 

Most passengers didn't even know the ship was going into drydock after their cruise.

 

Anyway, everything was open and operational during our cruise and if they were doing prep-work ahead of time it was behind the scenes and didn't affect the passengers enjoyment.

 

This was exactly my experience on the pre-drydock cruise on the Maasdam. As it should be, I may add. That Princess experience was completely unacceptable!

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