Princess won't honor price quote!

[Northender]

T2K - good going. That should be a lesson to all of us. It is the only way we have - how we spend our hard earned dollars.

 

So to the OP, I say once this "nightmare" for you is over, run don't walk to another TA. There are so many good ones.:)

[JHB1901]

T2K - good going. That should be a lesson to all of us. It is the only way we have - how we spend our hard earned dollars.

 

So to the OP, I say once this "nightmare" for you is over, run don't walk to another TA. There are so many good ones.:)

 

I don't understand why you're saying that. My travel agent did nothing wrong. I've know him for 10 years and I think he's doing a great job, I wouldn't use anyone else. It's Princess Cruises that screwed up here and they are not taking responsbility for their mistake. I think I'm going to 'run' to another cruise line once this is over!

[MCC retired]

As a TA for 17+ years , I have never seen a booking confirmation from Princess , that was negated a month later , as long as guest info was 100% correct (ages, residency, past guest , etc.).

I also experienced Princess as being the hardest of all cruise lines ,to work with resolving problems (before/during/following) the cruise.

 

That said , OP is upset, TA is upset , time to cancel with Princess.

There are other comperable cruise line choices for almost any itinerary.

[vwlady]

I had kind-of the same thing happen to me when sorting out our Alaska cruise for this summer, although it was discovered before I paid a deposit.

I wanted space for 6 with as many low-level beds as possible (disabled son, husband with bad back etc). A TA quoted a great price for the family suite but before I could ring back to pay the deposit she called and said there had been a mistake and it was a couple of thousand pounds more.

We went for two adjoining balcony rooms and took a chance on my husband's back holding out!

Maybe TAs themselves are rather confused about the pricing for the family suites?

Despite the initial disappointment that our ideal accommodations were outside our financial reach at this time, so much looking forward to the cruise anyway!

[broberts]

. . .So to the OP, I say once this "nightmare" for you is over, run don't walk to another TA. There are so many good ones.:)

 

You are maligning a TA for no other reason than to protect Princess from its own error. Princess made the mistake in writing. It's a fact. Live with it.

 

How that mistake gets resolved is the subject of this thread. Like most cruise lines Princess refuses to accept any responsibility for its error. Regardless of how one wishes to interpret the cruise contract I think refusal to accept responsibility for one's mistakes is abhorrent. I don't like it when people do it and I certainly don't like it when corporations do it.

[JHB1901]

As a TA for 17+ years , I have never seen a booking confirmation from Princess , that was negated a month later , as long as guest info was 100% correct (ages, residency, past guest , etc.).

I also experienced Princess as being the hardest of all cruise lines ,to work with resolving problems (before/during/following) the cruise.

 

That said , OP is upset, TA is upset , time to cancel with Princess.

There are other comperable cruise line choices for almost any itinerary.

 

Yes, that's what my travel agent said. He's been in business for 20 years and said he's never had a cruise line reneg on a price quote when it's been confirmed. He said that Princess has been really hard to deal with and absolutely refuses to budge. They just can't admit that they made a mistake and honor their original price quote. When we filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau of Southern California, we found out that Princess Cruises has a very low rating with them and has numerious unanswered complaints against them! What a surprise!

 

We are thinking of canceling. But, there are almost 20 in our group and there isn't another ship or cruise line that's doing the itinerary we're booked on around that time. We would be really disappointed if we had to cancel. I am so annoyed with how Princess handled this situation I know I'll never sail with them again after this is over.

[angyl]

There is a lot you can do. You can scan and post a copy of the confirmation on travel message boards so that when Princess representatives read the boards, they will see it, you can pay your travel agent the amount that you originally contracted for and let your agent fight it out with Princess, you can forget about it and book elsewhere, you can get an attorney, you can post your story briefly on Princess' Facebook Page, and Princess' Twitter Page....you can write right here because the cruise lines do read these boards. You are not powerless. I am not totally sure what I would do, but if I had a written confirmation, I would expect my travel agent and Princess to honor it. That is the amount I would pay. Period. Unless the original quoted price is an obvious mistake and was ridiculously low, I would expect to pay what I deposited for.

 

Whatever you do, do it with class and don't make enemies. Your goal is to find a satisfactory resolution, not to make trouble.

 

Best of luck in whatever approach you take. Keep us posted!

[JHB1901]

There is a lot you can do. You can scan and post a copy of the confirmation on travel message boards so that when Princess representatives read the boards, they will see it, you can pay your travel agent the amount that you originally contracted for and let your agent fight it out with Princess, you can forget about it and book elsewhere, you can get an attorney, you can post your story briefly on Princess' Facebook Page, and Princess' Twitter Page....you can write right here because the cruise lines do read these boards. You are not powerless. I am not totally sure what I would do, but if I had a written confirmation, I would expect my travel agent and Princess to honor it. That is the amount I would pay. Period. Unless the original quoted price is an obvious mistake and was ridiculously low, I would expect to pay what I deposited for.

 

Whatever you do, do it with class and don't make enemies. Your goal is to find a satisfactory resolution, not to make trouble.

 

Best of luck in whatever approach you take. Keep us posted!

 

Thanks very much for the suggestions and encouragement! You have some very good ideas. I had not thought about posting on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Without giving out too many details as I promised my travel agent I wouldn't do that, I can say that this involves a family suite on the Diamond Princess to Australia early next year.

 

I didn't know that Princess reads these boards. If you are reading this, Princess Cruises, please reconsider and honor your price quote that you gave me through my travel agent. It's the only fair thing to do.

[cherylandtk]

OP - While this is an unusual occurance, Princess holds all the cards in their hand on this one. If you should choose to fight it, I would be afraid that the angst from that fight would overshadow any pleasure from the cruise, 20 friends or not.

 

My suggestion is to cancel the Family Suite booking (not only for your dissatisfaction with Princess' handling of the booking in the first place but also for all the negative location and overpriced comments above) and rebook two cabins, either minis or balconies side by side for your party of four. You get to travel with your group of 20, you save a lot of money in fares, and you decide at your next booking whether to trust Princess with your business. Plus you keep your blood pressure low and your wallet fat.

[JHB1901]

OP - While this is an unusual occurance, Princess holds all the cards in their hand on this one. If you should choose to fight it, I would be afraid that the angst from that fight would overshadow any pleasure from the cruise, 20 friends or not.

 

My suggestion is to cancel the Family Suite booking (not only for your dissatisfaction with Princess' handling of the booking in the first place but also for all the negative location and overpriced comments above) and rebook two cabins, either minis or balconies side by side for your party of four. You get to travel with your group of 20, you save a lot of money in fares, and you decide at your next booking whether to trust Princess with your business. Plus you keep your blood pressure low and your wallet fat.

 

Yes, that is a very good suggestion, thanks! We are definitely considering doing that. It's just that the family suite seemed to be the best way for the four of us to travel together. Although after all those negative posts, I'm now not so sure!

[billet]

I know I'll never sail with them again after this is over.

 

Well that will not inspire Princess to help you! Have you talked to Princess direct, you never know your perfect TA might just have a skeleton to hide?

[COMBOY]

It's unfortunate but travel companies like cruiselines/airlines/hotels generally won't protect mis-quotes (yes, it's in the fine print) prior to sailing even if you received a written confirmation. I'm not sure what happen. I can only speculate that maybe an inexperienced res agent at Princess priced out your cruise using a incorrect code that was programed into the system that should have been deleted. It was later corrected/deleted a month later which repriced your cabin causing a $4000 increase in your cabin. It is probably a very rare situation. This happened to United Airlines who had a flights to London priced at ridiculously low price on their website which many people grab up. United at first wouldn't honor the fare; however, once it got to the attention of the media they relented. Again the same thing happen to someone booking a HAL cruise via Travelocity. It had an incorrect fare that HAL wouldn't later honor even though their credit card was charged the full amount. In the computer world we live in; it's garbage in and garbage out. Princess wouldn't knowingly increase your cruise by $4000 to be greedy; however, they don't have to price protect computer/human errors either. Yes, maybe they should for good PR, but they really don't have too. But whatever the case they would have to give you a full refund if you don't accept the repriced cabin. Princess would then in turn resell that cabin at the correct rate. You have three options either accept the price increase, cancel or down grade to a cabin (if available) that matches your original fare paid. I'm very sorry you have to do through this situation. It really doesn't seem fair.

[cherylandtk]

Is everyone an adult? Family? Two Couples? Do you have young children? If all adults, I would be telling you to go to two rooms even if Princess did not err in the pricing. You will need to be very close friends/family and/or not mind sharing that common living room. With no door between that and the main bedroom, those people cannot sleep in and the other people cannot venture out to the balcony until everyone is up and dressed. Unless everyone goes to bed and gets up on exactly the same schedule, you will be tripping over everyone and wishing for a private space in two days.

[broberts]

Well that will not inspire Princess to help you! Have you talked to Princess direct, you never know your perfect TA might just have a skeleton to hide?

 

I guess you've missed the numerous posts in which it is stated that the OP has a copy of the Princess confirmation. What is your basis for maligning the TA?

 

In any case talking to Princess will achieve absolutely nothing since the booking is through a TA Princess will insist on dealing with the TA.

[broberts]

. . .In the computer world we live in; it's garbage in and garbage out. Princess wouldn't knowingly increase your cruise by $4000 to be greedy; however, they don't have to price protect computer/human errors either. Yes, maybe they should for good PR, but they really don't have too. . . .

 

I don't get this. If you or I make an error we are held responsible for it, we pay the price. Just what is so special about companies that they are not responsible for their errors?

[pg.]

You are maligning a TA for no other reason than to protect Princess from its own error. Princess made the mistake in writing. It's a fact. Live with it.

 

How that mistake gets resolved is the subject of this thread. Like most cruise lines Princess refuses to accept any responsibility for its error. Regardless of how one wishes to interpret the cruise contract I think refusal to accept responsibility for one's mistakes is abhorrent. I don't like it when people do it and I certainly don't like it when corporations do it.

 

I agree,, what is it with people who can't concieve that Princess may have been at fault,,honestly,, what nonsense.

[angyl]

Princess probably is at fault, that is why I suggested telling the story of Princess' facebook page and Princess' Twitter page, myspace etc. But tell the story nicely without judgement and "allow" Princess to respond and do the right thing.

 

Give them a chance to "hear about this story going around" and let them come to you.

 

Be patient. Let this play out. They won't ignore a story that goes global. Just being here on CC message board is a start.

[Duck Duck Cruise]

But, I can tell you:

 

- What categorie of cabin? XS

- What was the original quote for Pass 1, 2, 3 and 4 Original quote was $12,000 for the suite.

- What is the new price Princess has quoted you? They raised the price to $16,000.

- Was the first quote a courtesy hold? Yes, but I authorized a deposit on the booking.

- When was the date of the first quote? Last December.

- When did you make your deposit? A week later.

- Are you at past passenger? Yes!

 

I may be misinformed, but when we have made reservations we had to have the deposit made within a day or two ... not a week later, to lock in the price. Could this be where an error was made?

[Buddy604]

I may be misinformed, but when we have made reservations we had to have the deposit made within a day or two ... not a week later, to lock in the price. Could this be where an error was made?

A travel agent can extend your deposit option up to a week or ten days, depending on the itinerary.

 

To the OP, I truly understand your frustration. Princess certainly has the legal right to make these changes, but it doesn't feel like a good PR move. Unfortunately, errors happen, and those XS suites are where it happens.

 

However, I would take the opportunity to look at the silver lining - those suite are AWFUL! They are at the very front, on Dolphin Deck, and exposed to the head-on wind. Anytime the ship is in motion you'll face at least a 20 knot slapper.

 

If you are 2 groups of adults, or parents with a teen child, I'd really recommend two mini suites and have the steward open the door on the balcony so you can visit back and forth. You won't get some of the suite benefits (breakfast in Sabatini's, unlimited internet, full-menu room service) but you'll save several thousand dollars, enough for plenty of internet, champagne breakfasts for two or four, and ultimate balcony dining as desired.

[imsulin]

I worked as a TA at a local land-based agency (one of five branches of the main agency) from 1999 - 2005. Our agency did yearly commission contracts with different cruise lines (based on volume of booking from the previous year). Each cruise line we contracted with provided us with an "Area Rep.", so that we could communicate with that rep. directly in case of questions or problems with bookings, and we didn't have to go through regular Individual or Group reservation agents. This rep. had a separate phone and fax number. If this TA has been in business for 20 years, he/she SHOULD have a designated area Princess rep. for contacting in situations like this! Over the years, I also got written (faxed) pricing and passenger confirmation, and there were a few times when I got another fax raising the price, but a couple of calls to our area rep. took care of that. Carnival, HAL, and RCI. HOWEVER - it took more than a few calls to our area rep to Princess to correct the problem. Also, I had a lovely older client who loved Princess, and also loved "Aste Spumanti" and a shrimp plate left in her cabin at embarkation. Three times I paid out-of-pocket to Princess' Bon Voyage Dept. to have these items in her cabin. Three times this never happened. It was embarassing to make a follow-up phone call to this client only to find out that they never received my Bon Voyage gift. I faxed the Princess payment receipt and CC receipt to our area rep. and was never compensated. I was only out about $100 or so, but it really soured me on Princess! This was in 2003, and I'd only been on a couple of Love Boat cruises. In 2005, I cruised on the CB and absolutely loved it, especially the food!! I'm just stating my experiences, both as a TA and a passenger.

[JHB1901]

I may be misinformed, but when we have made reservations we had to have the deposit made within a day or two ... not a week later, to lock in the price. Could this be where an error was made?

 

According to my travel agent, we were initially given a week to put the deposit down. Besides, we received a confirmation with the lower prices on it after I had made the deposit. So, we did not make an error. It was the cruise line who admitted they made a mistake in the initial price quote and now refuse to honor their original quote and confirmation.

[JHB1901]

I worked as a TA at a local land-based agency (one of five branches of the main agency) from 1999 - 2005. Our agency did yearly commission contracts with different cruise lines (based on volume of booking from the previous year). Each cruise line we contracted with provided us with an "Area Rep.", so that we could communicate with that rep. directly in case of questions or problems with bookings, and we didn't have to go through regular Individual or Group reservation agents. This rep. had a separate phone and fax number. If this TA has been in business for 20 years, he/she SHOULD have a designated area Princess rep. for contacting in situations like this! Over the years, I also got written (faxed) pricing and passenger confirmation, and there were a few times when I got another fax raising the price, but a couple of calls to our area rep. took care of that. Carnival, HAL, and RCI. HOWEVER - it took more than a few calls to our area rep to Princess to correct the problem. Also, I had a lovely older client who loved Princess, and also loved "Aste Spumanti" and a shrimp plate left in her cabin at embarkation. Three times I paid out-of-pocket to Princess' Bon Voyage Dept. to have these items in her cabin. Three times this never happened. It was embarassing to make a follow-up phone call to this client only to find out that they never received my Bon Voyage gift. I faxed the Princess payment receipt and CC receipt to our area rep. and was never compensated. I was only out about $100 or so, but it really soured me on Princess! This was in 2003, and I'd only been on a couple of Love Boat cruises. In 2005, I cruised on the CB and absolutely loved it, especially the food!! I'm just stating my experiences, both as a TA and a passenger.

 

My TA said he contacted the area regional manager and asked for his help and he refused to offer any assistance at all, even though the agency my TA works for does a lot of business with the line! My TA says that Princess has kind of an attitude and is not as friendly as the other lines he does business with.

[billet]

I guess you've missed the numerous posts in which it is stated that the OP has a copy of the Princess confirmation. What is your basis for maligning the TA?

 

In any case talking to Princess will achieve absolutely nothing since the booking is through a TA Princess will insist on dealing with the TA.

 

I guess you missed all my posts about the weak case Princess has. I was not maligning the TA, just making sure that all the bases are covered.

 

There is another thread which recently started of a passenger having a terrible TA and Princess went out of their way to help her and asked for the TA detaisl, so they do not always insist on dealing with the TA is the request is put correctly.

[billie5]

IMO, OP started out with a sad story, a completely reasonable response, and a request for ideas. Unfortunately, some of OP's later postings went downhill considerably, for example: "So, I AM entitled to that price." A more reasonable followup would have been to note that, 'while legally Princess may very well have a right to correct the price, or just flat-out raise it, what would experienced CCers suggest I do?'

 

Taking legal comments from any blog, not just CC, is best done for amusement. In my experience, any post which refers to small claims court or talks about liability makes little sense 99% of the time. It is always interesting to see how many people assume applying common sense to a legal situation is a good guide to what the law is likely to say. Likewise, the quotes from a first semester law book (or, more likely, Google) ignore both the complexity of the law and the fact that, in the typical situation, case law is far more important than the individual statutes. I am currently involved in a 20 million dollar law suit, and the latest pre-trial court decision (a crucial and precedent-setting decision in fact) depended 100% on case law, not surprising since both sides had no trouble quoting statutes to back up their positions.

 

A lawsuit in this case is silly from so many points of view, not least of which is that $4000 will not even begin to cover the research. I personally would accept that Princess is within the law to do what they did, and try to contact someone up the Princess food chain who will offer a compromise based only on good will. However, if it makes OP feel better to twitter, Facebook, or whatever, then why not? I doubt if Princess will react -- it is not quite the same as a 60 Minutes special -- but it may make OP feel empowered, and that is never a bad thing.

 

Bill

[imsulin]

My TA said he contacted the area regional manager and asked for his help and he refused to offer any assistance at all, even though the agency my TA works for does a lot of business with the line! My TA says that Princess has kind of an attitude and is not as friendly as the other lines he does business with.

 

An area regional manager may not be the same as a designated area rep. specifically assigned to an established travel agency. Like I said before, our agency did yearly contracts with cruise lines and land vacation companies. We had written yearly contracts, and were provided an area rep. to contact, and gave them our IATA number upon contact. That being said, Princess WAS one of the more difficult lines to deal with if it involved pricing, but I always got it worked out. Except for the Bon Voyage Dept., where my out-of-pocket payments for items to be left in cabins resulted in non-delivery, and I was never reimbursed. It didn't matter who I called. I still have the receipts after seven years, but no longer work as a TA. Still miffed, but I did enjoy my CB cruise. The very best at honoring deposited prices were Carnival and HAL! RCI was also usually pretty good. NCL also did a good job at honoring deposited booking prices. There was a land vacation company that we did a ton of business with, and faxed me set prices for a group of 20 going to an AI in Cancun. But, the res. agent left off the taxes! I called our area rep. about it to get adjusted prices and was told it was THEIR mistake, so they covered the price discrepancy, even though our clients offered to pay the actual price! It's all about good business. I once made an adding mistake of $50 on a client's final payment for a Disney World trip. I paid it because it was my mistake, even though the client recognized the mistake and offered to pay. Like I say - it's all about good business, and the "sue" word just chaps my hide!