Cabin Upgrade was a Downgrade, Had Regal M108

[taramichel]

Hello All,

 

I'm a frequent lurker, not too frequent poster. The folks here on Cruise Critic are always so helpful and I'm hoping for some of your wisdom, so please bear with me. My dream Mediterranean cruise was calling (Grand Med on Regal 9/11/2014) and I convinced my sister and daughter to come along with me! Being 3 adults rooming together, our cabin selection is a detail we pay close attention to. We are Platinum members and consider ourselves loyal Princess cruisers. In April we booked, within days of the sailing's announcement, and carefully chose cabin M108, mini suite. I had the booking marked for Meta upgrade only. We were overjoyed and thrilled with our wonderful cabin!

 

On Wednesday I received an upgrade notice which put us in mini suite R519, a much smaller mini. The notice stated that we had 48 hours to refuse the upgrade. We called immediately and we're told that M108 was no longer classified for 3 people and basically it was just too bad for us. We called back that evening and spoke to someone much nicer who said that it was good that we called right away and she would put in an "internal request" to get us back the cabin. Someone was to call us back within 48 hours. They did not. Tonight's frustrating call was more of the "ship is just being built" conversation and ended with asking for a supervisor, which turned out to be voicemail.

 

I recall reading a while ago where this same thing happened to someone on the Royal who fought and eventually got M108 back for their party of 3. I have usually felt Princess gave good customer service and this is quite disappointing. I guess my question is this...do I keep fighting for my cabin back? Is there any special place or department I should call? Any other possible solutions? Any advice at all is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

 

Patti

[CI66774]

Hello All,

 

I'm a frequent lurker, not too frequent poster. The folks here on Cruise Critic are always so helpful and I'm hoping for some of your wisdom, so please bear with me. My dream Mediterranean cruise was calling (Grand Med on Regal 9/11/2014) and I convinced my sister and daughter to come along with me! Being 3 adults rooming together, our cabin selection is a detail we pay close attention to. We are Platinum members and consider ourselves loyal Princess cruisers. In April we booked, within days of the sailing's announcement, and carefully chose cabin M108, mini suite. I had the booking marked for Meta upgrade only. We were overjoyed and thrilled with our wonderful cabin!

 

On Wednesday I received an upgrade notice which put us in mini suite R519, a much smaller mini. The notice stated that we had 48 hours to refuse the upgrade. We called immediately and we're told that M108 was no longer classified for 3 people and basically it was just too bad for us. We called back that evening and spoke to someone much nicer who said that it was good that we called right away and she would put in an "internal request" to get us back the cabin. Someone was to call us back within 48 hours. They did not. Tonight's frustrating call was more of the "ship is just being built" conversation and ended with asking for a supervisor, which turned out to be voicemail.

 

I recall reading a while ago where this same thing happened to someone on the Royal who fought and eventually got M108 back for their party of 3. I have usually felt Princess gave good customer service and this is quite disappointing. I guess my question is this...do I keep fighting for my cabin back? Is there any special place or department I should call? Any other possible solutions? Any advice at all is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

 

Patti

 

If Princess no longer classifies it as housing three, then it's no longer a mini-suite - as all mini-suites hold at least three. Then it's just a balcony as even deluxe balconies hold three. Several posters who have stayed in M107/08 or L107/08 have enjoyed the cabins and verified those cabins DO hold three as there is a rollaway bed stored in the corner. Apparently, the couch is too small to be a sofa couch so they have the rollaway there. Now R519 seems like a perfectly lovely mini-suite in a good location but it's not the one you chose.

 

I would absolutely demand your cabin back or tell them you paid for a mini-suite - you didn't get one as all mini-suites holds three - demand a substantial refund or I would cancel and write a letter. Now Regal may be different than Royal's configuration - I don't know - but I think Princess is pulling a fast one on you or its agents aren't properly informed about these particular mini-suites.

Edited October 12, 2013 by CI66774

[CI66774]

Hello All,

 

I'm a frequent lurker, not too frequent poster. The folks here on Cruise Critic are always so helpful and I'm hoping for some of your wisdom, so please bear with me. My dream Mediterranean cruise was calling (Grand Med on Regal 9/11/2014) and I convinced my sister and daughter to come along with me! Being 3 adults rooming together, our cabin selection is a detail we pay close attention to. We are Platinum members and consider ourselves loyal Princess cruisers. In April we booked, within days of the sailing's announcement, and carefully chose cabin M108, mini suite. I had the booking marked for Meta upgrade only. We were overjoyed and thrilled with our wonderful cabin!

 

On Wednesday I received an upgrade notice which put us in mini suite R519, a much smaller mini. The notice stated that we had 48 hours to refuse the upgrade. We called immediately and we're told that M108 was no longer classified for 3 people and basically it was just too bad for us. We called back that evening and spoke to someone much nicer who said that it was good that we called right away and she would put in an "internal request" to get us back the cabin. Someone was to call us back within 48 hours. They did not. Tonight's frustrating call was more of the "ship is just being built" conversation and ended with asking for a supervisor, which turned out to be voicemail.

 

I recall reading a while ago where this same thing happened to someone on the Royal who fought and eventually got M108 back for their party of 3. I have usually felt Princess gave good customer service and this is quite disappointing. I guess my question is this...do I keep fighting for my cabin back? Is there any special place or department I should call? Any other possible solutions? Any advice at all is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

 

Patti

 

Patti, did you get your cabin back?

[sonnenschein]

M108 is a PREMIUM mini suite and looks much larger with a bigger balcony. I would fight Princess to get this cabin back. The new cruise atlas has the deck plans for the Royal and the Regal,they both look identical. Good luck getting your original booked cabin back.

[Dorset Cruiser]

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1874376

 

This is the thread from the lady who had the same problem on Royal. Hope it works and if it does, that it helps you get your cabin back.

[Coral]

If Princess no longer classifies it as housing three, then it's no longer a mini-suite - as all mini-suites hold at least three. .

 

There are 2 cabins on the Golden and Star (and maybe more ships) that are minisuites that only hold 2. D732 and D733 are the cabins.

 

I am guessing that the cabin is irregular and will not have a couch that accomodates a 3rd person. I don't think the OP will win this one as the cabin NOW has a capacity of 2.

[taramichel]

Thank you all for your support and guidance. My daughter spent a good deal of time on the phone with Princess today. Still no progress, but we hope that good customer service will ultimately prevail. Mostly it seems that the reps have been trained to say "....but the ship isn't even built yet!" (Yes, we are aware of this fact :)

 

At the moment, a supervisor is reviewing the case and has agreed to get back to us. Thank you and I will keep you posted if any progress!

 

Patti

[CI66774]

There are 2 cabins on the Golden and Star (and maybe more ships) that are minisuites that only hold 2. D732 and D733 are the cabins.

 

I am guessing that the cabin is irregular and will not have a couch that accomodates a 3rd person. I don't think the OP will win this one as the cabin NOW has a capacity of 2.

 

Actually, these mini-suites (on Princess.com) reflect capacity for three, not two. The cabins you cited on the Golden and Star clearly reflect they have an unusual layout (two twins) and you can't book these cabins if you list your party as "3." On the Royal, you can book these for three people because they hold three people. The Princess rep is lacking in information or is pulling one over on the OP. Moreover, parties of three people already have stayed in these cabins. Princess has a rollaway for these mini-suites. OP - go get these cabins back!!!!

[najones58]

Hi I was the one who fought with princess over these rooms on the Royal Princess. After many phone calls and lots of arguing these rooms were returned to me. The supervisor did say that these rooms would not accommodate 3 even though there is a small sofa bed. I am also platinum. Now we are going with 4 of us instead of 5 so we will have 2 in each room so it is not an issue. I am not sure if it is a fire code issue. I know when the Royal first came out princess had no idea that these rooms were so large with huge balconies. I also do not want to believe but it may be true that princess tried to give these rooms to someone with more clout than I had. Anyway I hope you resolve this. Be persistent!!!!

[CI66774]

Hi I was the one who fought with princess over these rooms on the Royal Princess. After many phone calls and lots of arguing these rooms were returned to me. The supervisor did say that these rooms would not accommodate 3 even though there is a small sofa bed. I am also platinum. Now we are going with 4 of us instead of 5 so we will have 2 in each room so it is not an issue. I am not sure if it is a fire code issue. I know when the Royal first came out princess had no idea that these rooms were so large with huge balconies. I also do not want to believe but it may be true that princess tried to give these rooms to someone with more clout than I had. Anyway I hope you resolve this. Be persistent!!!!

 

I'm so glad you got your cabins back but other people (parties of three) have stayed in these rooms so it's not credible that Princess is stating they hold two. They bring in rollaways. Look, if they can bring in Pack n Plays and rollaways in much smaller cabins, it doesn't make sense these can't hold three given parties of three are able to book them. I think there is a disconnect b/t Princess agents and these particular cabins and Princess needs to get its act together.

[redtogo]

My new cruise atlas says that M108 accommodates 3 people.

[Coral]

delete

Edited October 15, 2013 by Coral

[Coral]

Actually, these mini-suites (on Princess.com) reflect capacity for three, not two.

 

I am guessing this information will be changed shortly on their website and booking engines.

[CI66774]

I am guessing this information will be changed shortly on their website and booking engines.

 

There's no reason Princess should change it. They've already had paxs stay in those cabins with three in the cabin. Princess has a rollaway that is tucked in the corner for the third pax.

[bulldog on water]

I just pulled the deck plan up and these rooms (L107-8; M107-0) show as mini-suites for 2; when 3 people entered, the rooms show as not available. Again this is on the deck plan page under the cruise ship tab under learn about Princess.

Regardless hope you get your room back.

[CI66774]

I just pulled the deck plan up and these rooms (L107-8; M107-0) show as mini-suites for 2; when 3 people entered, the rooms show as not available. Again this is on the deck plan page under the cruise ship tab under learn about Princess.

Regardless hope you get your room back.

 

I see that but the description reflects "sofa bed" and when booking on the actual Princess.com site, you can book with 3 - and many have.

[CI66774]

"No. When we booked, the agent could not confirm the sofa as a pull out. We didn't mind, as the pull outs are usually less comfortable anyway as beds. The mini suite usually has a pull out, but this layout does not have the space to allow one, so its only a 5 foot wide sofa. They will bring in a rollaway for a 3rd guest. The size of the balcony is really the selling point. M107 below, has an even larger balcony as the balcony extends over the bridge wing, but has less privacy than L107"

 

I didn't know how to cite this link and I hope the poster doesn't mind, but above is one of the posts by the family of three who stayed in L107. They had a rollaway and it worked fine.

[CK57]

I have sailed Royal Princess M107 and the cabin is great. Super for three as there is a wall to separate the areas not a curtain. The balcony is huge. Take it to a higher level. Best cabin on ship for money

[CI66774]

I have sailed Royal Princess M107 and the cabin is great. Super for three as there is a wall to separate the areas not a curtain. The balcony is huge. Take it to a higher level. Best cabin on ship for money

 

Great to hear. Did you sail with three people in the cabin? If so, did the third person have a rollaway bed?

[cherylandtk]

I just pulled the deck plan up and these rooms (L107-8; M107-0) show as mini-suites for 2; when 3 people entered, the rooms show as not available.

How odd. Are you sure you are not mistaking the light gray MF background color for the white (non-available) background? When I look at the deck plans and rooms that hold three, M/L 107/8 show as holding three. Edited October 15, 2013 by cherylandtk

[CI66774]

How odd. Are you sure you are not mistaking the light gray MF background color for the white (non-available) background? When I look at the deck plans and rooms that hold three, M/L 107/8 show as holding three.

 

It's not consistent. When I booked my trip (a few months ago), it reflected that those cabins could hold three. Now it appears it's reflecting only two - although the cabin description indicates there is a sofa bed in the room. I'm booked in L107 (or L108 - can't remember) for a transatlantic next year. It's only me and my child but I want the queen size bed and intended for her to get the sofa couch. They'd better have a rollaway or an extra little mattress available for her.

[cherylandtk]

Where do you see it showing only two? In the interactive deck plans (http://www.princess.com/learn/ships/gp/) it shows three, so I was just wondering where you see it showing as holding two. If it is a different part of the website, Princess has some consistency issues to work out.

[CI66774]

Where do you see it showing only two? In the interactive deck plans (http://www.princess.com/learn/ships/gp/) it shows three, so I was just wondering where you see it showing as holding two. If it is a different part of the website, Princess has some consistency issues to work out.

 

I dummy booked the cabin on Princess.com and it would only allow me to have two people. If I input three people, that mini-suite reflected as "sold." They may be able to catch everyone who booked as three people but what about two people where one wanted the queen bed and the other was going to sleep on the sofa bed? Hope they have enough rollaways!

[cherylandtk]

I dummy booked the cabin on Princess.com and it would only allow me to have two people. If I input three people, that mini-suite reflected as "sold." They may be able to catch everyone who booked as three people but what about two people where one wanted the queen bed and the other was going to sleep on the sofa bed? Hope they have enough rollaways!

Well, shoot. I just tried to do some dummy bookings to see this, and the website let me get as far as selecting the part of the ship and then came up with the "website temporarily unavailable". Before that I had gotten through to room selection on a couple of itineraries using 2 people, but those cabins had sold out for two, so could not check that it differed for three and was hunting for an open itinerary. Either way, Princess needs to fix something. I agree that they've got some work to do to accomodate everyone who already booked. And not by moving threesomes to a different cabin.

[rdsqrl]

Where do you see it showing only two? In the interactive deck plans (http://www.princess.com/learn/ships/gp/) it shows three, so I was just wondering where you see it showing as holding two. If it is a different part of the website, Princess has some consistency issues to work out.

I was looking at the Regal's deck plans for another reason and idly plugged in 3 passengers and L107/108 immediately whited out. So it appears that the deck plans do now in fact indicate those two minisuites are only rated for two people.

 

Sorry, CI -- looks like you'll be sleeping in twin beds. Oh, the humanity.