Princess Blacklisted by MSNBC columnist

Interesting article that lists Princess as the cruise line to avoid. I would think NCL would have gotten more complaints. See link below:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20322844/

Yeah, but look at the paragraph, nothing legitimate. He even says himself if was impossible to pick and that the complaints are hardly legitimate.

That's true, but you would think he would have a better tittle then to avoid the line. It seems it's Princess's response to complaints more then the complaints themselves.

I think the article could be more accurately described as "Princess Blacklisted by MSNBC columnist's readers".

Interesting article that lists Princess as the cruise line to avoid. I would think NCL would have gotten more complaints. See link below:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20322844/

I read the info. on the link. I don't feel it's a general complaint about Princess as a crusie line to go cruising with but rather it's multiple complaints regarding the unfriendly to NO customer service that exists in the Princess offices. As to all the things the cruise line offers, I didn't notice any significant comments about people having a bad time. I think it's mainly when passengers have a complaint, it falls on deaf ears and that's VERY annoying. I have read several related message board comments about the inconsiderate, rude, even nasty reaction by Princess cruise lines customer service reps. We've been on 8 Princess cruises with #9 coming up on the Emerald, 11/26 - 12/06, have enjoyed everyone of them and am lookinh forward to the one coming up! I GUESS I HAVE TO HOPE I DON"T HAVE A COMPLIANT ABOUT SOMETHING! :( We're crusing!:)

What did I get myself into.....I should have stuck w/ Disney or RCI. :(

They probably read some of the threads on this board regarding proper attire while @ dinner.

Interesting article, however, he admittedly has absolutely no backup for his alleged complaints of Princess - he could have picked any cruise line and been just as accurate or innaccurate as the case may be.

Perhaps he just saved all the posts on CC by the TROLLS.

Ron

I think I hit a homerun.

I use US Air, Day's Inn, Thrifty and Princess. Not a lot to really complain about for any of them.

Either I'm lucky or too easygoing. :p

Companies in the travel industry hate negative press, especially in the traditional media. This will hopefully rattle some cages at the corporate level. It's not a bad thing for companies to hear these complaints made public.

Companies in the travel industry hate negative press, especially in the traditional media. This will hopefully rattle some cages at the corporate level. It's not a bad thing for companies to hear these complaints made public.

I think it is actually good for travelers if a company is under tight scrutiny by media.

I think he is absolutely right with this line:

"I’ve found that cruise complaints tend to be among the most frivolous — long laundry lists of nitpicky items that don’t always rise to the level of legitimacy." !!!!

That being the case, why single out any particular line???

What did I get myself into.....I should have stuck w/ Disney or RCI. :(

 

They probably read some of the threads on this board regarding proper attire while @ dinner.

I have only cruised Princess and love the cruise line. :D Otherwise, I would have cruised with other cruise lines by now!

I do agree that they have opportunities with their service, especially on board at the pursers desk!! Hopefully someone at Princess headquarters will read this -- I sure wouldn't want this type of publicity! :eek:

What the author basically says is, "Although I have no data to make objective comparisons, I'm making a list anyway, and will use anecdotes and isolated examples so I can fill the required column-inches." National Enquirer does more research than that!

Fortunately, almost no one watches MSNBC, and I think that alone tells the real story.

Fortunately, almost no one watches MSNBC, and I think that alone tells the real story.

__________________

This says it all. MSNBC like so many of the other so called MSM, loves to report bad news and when they don't have facts to work with, they just make it up. The author had no concrete facts but he had an agenda for his story. Most astute consumers recognize this and so the MSM market share keeps dropping. What a surprise! The basic laws of economics work.

I think I hit a homerun.

 

I use US Air, Day's Inn, Thrifty and Princess. Not a lot to really complain about for any of them.

 

Either I'm lucky or too easygoing. :p

I don't think you're too easygoing, but I think you've touched on something that is interesting. What might make me complain isn't even an issue for some people. Conversely, things that I take as a regular part of doing business can cause some folks to go off the deep end.

Sounds like Christopher Elliott is the one who is ticked off. Maybe it has to do with a personal experience that he had with Princess. ;)

It is very vague. :confused:

I think it is actually good for travelers if a company is under tight scrutiny by media.

I totally agree this is good for those of us who like Princess. :)

Basically, the article is worthless... Once the author doubts his own conclusions you know it a line of garbage.

I agree with the sentiment of a number of the posters that the media puts their own spin on things and of course negativity sells! (Here in Chicago the media loves to stretch the truth and put a spin on things to satisfy some uninformed agenda in the editorial room - of which I have first hand experience of. But I digress.)

That being said, I would hope that Princess would look into their customer service and pax relations departments. I do not know what it is like with other cruise lines in this regard. I simply do not read those boards. However, there has been here on CC a few posts where Princess simply disregarded some legitimate complaint too easily. Whether they actually do a better or worse job in responding to complaints is something I cannot fairly judges, but if I were Princess, I would go out of the way to demonstrate that the accusation is false.

In the end, I hope it will be a win, win situation for Princess passangers.

I was pretty irritated when I read that article this morning before I had any caffeine. I sent him an email in response, agreeing with him about Days Inn, semi-agreeing about US Air, which I fly only when no other connections work as well, and totally disagreeing with him about Princess.

But, since I have now had quite a few shots of caffeine, it occurs to me he might have done me a favor - perhaps it won't be quite as hard to get a cabin on the most popular of the Princess voyages in the future!:D

I used to subscribe to Chris Elliott's daily emailing list but have stopped it after I found almost everything in his articles reflects on the negative and there is virtually no balance with the positive. I prefer a glass half full attitude and thought his emails were not helpful to me.

Certainly this article is so unbalanced and unsupported that it is almost comical.

chris elliot is a travel writer, widely syndicated, and travel omsbudsmen. of course he only writes about the negative. that's his business. i certainly don't believe everything i read. i've experienced poor customer service with HAL and CCL, too. terrible customer service from celebrity - so bad that i wouldn't sail with them for free.

I was pretty irritated when I read that article this morning before I had any caffeine. I sent him an email in response, agreeing with him about Days Inn, semi-agreeing about US Air, which I fly only when no other connections work as well, and totally disagreeing with him about Princess.

 

But, since I have now had quite a few shots of caffeine, it occurs to me he might have done me a favor - perhaps it won't be quite as hard to get a cabin on the most popular of the Princess voyages in the future!:D

I thought the same thing! Stay away from Princess! Leave those horrible cabins for those who want them!:)

As with all complaints, you have to consider the source. What might drive Person X crazy will not disturb me at all. Even the reporter says: >>>And even if it did, I’ve found that cruise complaints tend to be among the most frivolous — long laundry lists of nitpicky items that don’t always rise to the level of legitimacy.<<<< I will stick with Princess cruises.