Waitlisting Question

[Embracedbylife]

I'm trying to book a somewhat last minute cruise through Chile/Argentina for March 2nd on the Star Princess. As of today the entire cruise is waitlisted and the 75 day deposit deadline is this Thursday 12/17/09. I called Princess and they told me to get on the waitlist, that if any cabins do open up from cancellations by thursday's cut off they would be issuing them to waitlisted people first.

 

After reading old posts here on cruisecritic regarding Princess waitlisting, I have read that sometimes people who put a deposit for waitlist don't even get an email of an offer for a cabin but that the rooms open up on the website for anyone to purchase wtihout being on the waitlist. Anyone have any experience with this?

 

Also, if we do put a deposit down for waitlist can we cancel it at anytime and get our money back even if they offer us a room and we decline the offer?

 

I only want to be waitlisted until Mid January at the latest, then would give it up if we can't get it confirmed by then. Can we just cancel the waitlist in January if they dont' offer us what we want and get the deposit back?

[paul929207]

Put yourself on the waitlist, but also contact some of the larger TA's to see if they have cabins.

[Colo Cruiser]

I'm trying to book a somewhat last minute cruise through Chile/Argentina for March 2nd on the Star Princess. As of today the entire cruise is waitlisted and the 75 day deposit deadline is this Thursday 12/17/09. I called Princess and they told me to get on the waitlist, that if any cabins do open up from cancellations by thursday's cut off they would be issuing them to waitlisted people first.

 

After reading old posts here on cruisecritic regarding Princess waitlisting, I have read that sometimes people who put a deposit for waitlist don't even get an email of an offer for a cabin but that the rooms open up on the website for anyone to purchase wtihout being on the waitlist. Anyone have any experience with this?

 

Also, if we do put a deposit down for waitlist can we cancel it at anytime and get our money back even if they offer us a room and we decline the offer?

 

I only want to be waitlisted until Mid January at the latest, then would give it up if we can't get it confirmed by then. Can we just cancel the waitlist in January if they dont' offer us what we want and get the deposit back?

 

We have experienced the waitlist with Princess many times and it always works like a charm.

I read all those posts about that issue and was quite surprised.

I think if you waitlist for as many cats as possible you will have no problem clearing. :)

 

Unless otherwise noted you can cancel the waitlist anytime and get a full refund.

[Embracedbylife]

thanks so much for the positive words! :) I am thinking we'll waitlist for balcony and/or mini suite. If they come back to us with an offer but the price is too much for us can we cancel and get the deposit?

[Colo Cruiser]

thanks so much for the positive words! :) I am thinking we'll waitlist for balcony and/or mini suite. If they come back to us with an offer but the price is too much for us can we cancel and get the deposit?

 

Yes, you would have to accept the booking that was offered.

[Embracedbylife]

Ok, so hopefully the price we could work with. I'm afraid they'll offer us the room but at a very hefty price last minute on waitlist...i guess that's what you have to do to get the cabin, pay the price ! :)

[BosoxI]

Ok, so hopefully the price we could work with. I'm afraid they'll offer us the room but at a very hefty price last minute on waitlist...i guess that's what you have to do to get the cabin, pay the price ! :)

Not necessarily so, I'm happy to report from recent experience. I waitlisted and was warned that the price would probably be $500 higher for DW and me. But when the call came, the offer was not jacked up and it was for a cabin 4 categories higher than the lowest balcony cost, which is what we paid for. Our TA would have saved us an additional $200 had we used him, but I figured waitlisting would be better done directly with Princess. It cost me the $200 but it was very well worth it.

[Embracedbylife]

Great to hear! I also waitlisted directly with Princess. I wish there was some way to find out what number I am in line though. They told me #14 when I put down my deposit for balcony categories, but the agent said if I also waitlisted for mini suites it would perhaps be faster to get a call, as he said i'm #14 overall but perhaps a smaller number for those who want balconies and/or mini suites. I'm so anxious now, but hopeful!!

[Colo Cruiser]

Ok, so hopefully the price we could work with. I'm afraid they'll offer us the room but at a very hefty price last minute on waitlist...i guess that's what you have to do to get the cabin, pay the price ! :)

 

I am afraid you are at their mercy as far as the price is concerned. Don't expect any flash promo prices. :(

[Embracedbylife]

Yes, at this point I think i'll just be happy if we get onboard! :)

[Embracedbylife]

just phoned princess and i've moved up from overal waitlist #14 to #13, one spot in one day, not bad!

[paul929207]

just phoned princess and i've moved up from overal waitlist #14 to #13, one spot in one day, not bad!

Keep up the good work!!!!!

[BosoxI]

just phoned princess and i've moved up from overal waitlist #14 to #13, one spot in one day, not bad!

 

Take heart. We were #11 the day we waitlisted. 6 weeks later we were still #11. I figured it was a lost cause. But I am now sure that many, maybe all, of the 10 in front of us had made other plans during those 6 weeks and turned down the Princess offer when it finally was made. Presto, we became #1. In April we had waitlisted on a Celebrity TA ,cruise but found an even better Princess TA, When Celebrity finally called, we said no, so someone behind us in the line probably benefited. Don't give up the ship:p

[Embracedbylife]

Thanks for your encourging words. I'm really anxious now, calling each day to get my waitlist number LOL. As of today we are still #13 and the 75 day full payment was due yesterday. I was hoping we'd move up a few spots with the 100% due yesterday but no such luck...:mad: We did get vacations approved at work for those days, and i'm working on the dog sitter situation, so by January even if we can't get confirmed on the cruise we'll still just buy the airfare for those dates and if we can't get on the ship we'll hoof it around on our own through Chile and Argentina. I'm sure i'll cost a lot more to fly from town to town than to be on the ship, but it's our own fault for planning this so last minute! :)

[paul929207]

Thanks for your encourging words. I'm really anxious now, calling each day to get my waitlist number LOL. As of today we are still #13 and the 75 day full payment was due yesterday. I was hoping we'd move up a few spots with the 100% due yesterday but no such luck...:mad: We did get vacations approved at work for those days, and i'm working on the dog sitter situation, so by January even if we can't get confirmed on the cruise we'll still just buy the airfare for those dates and if we can't get on the ship we'll hoof it around on our own through Chile and Argentina. I'm sure i'll cost a lot more to fly from town to town than to be on the ship, but it's our own fault for planning this so last minute! :)

I believe there is a few days grace before they start cancelling those who fail to make final payment. So it will probably be next week before you start seeing movement.

[Embracedbylife]

Even better news!! Thanks!

I also just noticed that my cruise is 11 days leaving on March 2 via Star Princess and they are also offering a 14 day cruise leaving March 2 via Star Princess - so it would appear some of the poeple are staying on for for 3 more days. When I called princess to waitlist for the 14 days also, they said i'd be #44 on that list! So I wonder if they are going to fill up that waitlist first for the 14 days to fill it up and then do ours? It makes more sense for them to have someone pay for 14 days then 11 days right? Or do they leave some rooms empty to rennovate on those 3 days? How does that work I wonder??

[jagoffee]

Your statement is logical. I would think that the 14 day reservations would have priority. I appears that you can make a booking on the 14 day on line as a waitlist, but not the 11 day. It does appear that inside cabins are available. You might consider booking an a confirmed inside (inside looks to be available) and then waitlist for the other categories? This might be better than a land tour. Good luck.

[Embracedbylife]

Yes I see that online also. I did my waitlist over the phone for the 11 day. I really can't book an inside cabin as I am too used to the balconies and have a tendancy of being seasick without being able to just look out from bed to the horizon which I always can do with my balcony room and have never been sick so far! Being inside would be too hard for me. So I think i'll just wait out my 11 day waitlist and pray it all works out! :)

[woody73]

 

I also just noticed that my cruise is 11 days leaving on March 2 via Star Princess and they are also offering a 14 day cruise leaving March 2 via Star Princess - so it would appear some of the poeple are staying on for for 3 more days. . .

 

It makes more sense for them to have someone pay for 14 days then 11 days right? Or do they leave some rooms empty to rennovate on those 3 days? How does that work I wonder??

Princess would rather sell the 14-day cruise to Rio de Janeiro.

 

But they also offer the shorter cruise to Buenos Aires, particularly for passengers who do not have a Brazilian visa.

 

Woody

[jagoffee]

Yes I see that online also. I did my waitlist over the phone for the 11 day. I really can't book an inside cabin as I am too used to the balconies and have a tendancy of being seasick without being able to just look out from bed to the horizon which I always can do with my balcony room and have never been sick so far! Being inside would be too hard for me. So I think i'll just wait out my 11 day waitlist and pray it all works out! :)

 

Good reason not to book the inside. You might have to stay with it and be unhappy. I have never sailed in an inside cabin, but I am just the opposite. I trend to feel like I am getting sick when I look at the horizon. You cannot do much else than waitlist both the 14 or 11 day cruise as you did. I think you have a better chance at the 14 day even with the higher number. The only other things you could do would be to consider a different time or a different ship with a slightly different route.

 

Good luck.

[Embracedbylife]

Thanks. Unfortunately the other times/routes are also waitlisted. I heard someone say that usually Princess updates their waitlists on Tuesdays. Anyone heard of this?

[Embracedbylife]

As an update - we decided to cancel our waitlist with full refund and have booked a 7 night cruise out of San Juan for 2/28/10 - Southern Carribean. Thanks though to everyone for their advice! I couldn't handle the pressure of waiting for our Chile cruise, and the airfare kept going up. So maybe next time!

[paul929207]

As an update - we decided to cancel our waitlist with full refund and have booked a 7 night cruise out of San Juan for 2/28/10 - Southern Carribean. Thanks though to everyone for their advice! I couldn't handle the pressure of waiting for our Chile cruise, and the airfare kept going up. So maybe next time!

Glad you have gotten something. Have a great cruise.

[Johanna7]

thanks so much for the positive words! :) I am thinking we'll waitlist for balcony and/or mini suite. If they come back to us with an offer but the price is too much for us can we cancel and get the deposit?

 

We were on a waitlist for a 28 day cruise and paid $125 to be on it. Yes, it was available but at double the price. I refused to pay double and got a full refund. I would not pay twice as much for a lesser cabin than what was available earlier on.

[paul929207]

We were on a waitlist for a 28 day cruise and paid $125 to be on it. Yes, it was available but at double the price. I refused to pay double and got a full refund. I would not pay twice as much for a lesser cabin than what was available earlier on.

It would seem to me that if the cruise is waitlisted and a cabin becomes available, the price will be high.