CB delay cb delay and 100% refund and 25% credit on another cruise

[OCruisers]

Too bad they changed the offer. :(

[Frugalist]

Too bad they changed the offer. :(

They have gone back to offering the original terms of refund + FCC for all.

[matj2000]

This is a total wash.

If it was me, I would just get off and go home.

But I live 60 miles away..

[billco]

I feel terrible to all the people who felt rushed and left today on almost no notice to get their 100% refund and might have had to book a hotel / car and inncured other expenses only to now find out they could have stayed on the ship.

Just shows it doesn't always pay to be greedy.

[bluesea321]

The oil spill is turning out to be a major environmental disaster for the Houston/Galveston area. This is the largest oil spill in the history of Galveston Bay. Luckily no one was seriously injured during the ship/barge collision but the impact to wildlife and the economy will be substantial. This comes at a very bad time when hundreds of migratory birds are arriving in the area. The Audubon Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary is right on the path of the spill and is reporting damage already. The evening news showed substantial amounts of oil on beaches and birds. In addition thousands of people depend on the bay for their income, from fishing vessels to local industry. The refineries along the upper channel handle about 12% of the oil consumed in the US and at the moment no oil is arriving by ship. One large refinery announced a cut in production today due to limited crude supplies with more expected unless the channel reopens. While I can understand the frustration of cruise passengers stranded onshore a real tragedy is occurring around them. I would like to suggest that we focus our energies on that and say a prayer for the people and wildlife truly impacted by this disaster.

 

From the Houston Chronicle as of Monday 7:29 pm CDT:

“The Houston Ship Channel, where up to 168,000 gallons of oil was spilled after a barge and a tanker collided last weekend, will remain closed until Tuesday, Coast Guard officials said late Monday. Officials said they will evaluate on Tuesday whether to open the channel.” “As of 6 a.m. Monday, the command said in a statement, 43 outbound vessels and 38 inbound vessels were waiting for the channel to be reopened.”

Additional details here:

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Ship-Channel-remains-closed-after-oil-spill-5342986.php?cmpid=bna

[Frugalist]

My wife and I would treat this as an almost-free stay at a land resort. Free room. Free food (except for optional specialty restaurants). I don't know the Texas liquor law, but I gather it's a bit unusual. We're not big drinkers so I doubt that would impact our enjoyment of our week on board.

 

We've had some fun trying to figure out how we could've best taken advantage of this situation had we known about it in advance. We would've booked a fancy suite for about $3000 per person. Enjoyed the suite life for the week, then gotten our entire fare + port fees + gov't taxes refunded. Then we would've used our $750 FCC to book a balcony cabin on another 7-day cruise. 2 7-day cruises practically for free. ;)

 

The above is not intended to take away from the seriousness of the situation faced not only by thousands of cruise passengers, but also faced by the environment and economy in the Galveston/Houston region. Things are pretty serious in that regard.

Edited March 25, 2014 by Frugalist

[audobon_tx]

My wife and I would treat this as an almost-free stay at a land resort. Free room. Free food (except for optional specialty restaurants). I don't know the Texas liquor law, but I gather it's a bit unusual. We're not big drinkers so I doubt that would impact our enjoyment of our week on board.

 

We've had some fun trying to figure out how we could've best taken advantage of this situation had we known about it in advance. We would've booked a fancy suite for about $3000 per person. Enjoyed the suite life for the week, then gotten our entire fare + port fees + gov't taxes refunded. Then we would've used our $750 FCC to book a balcony cabin on another 7-day cruise. 2 7-day cruises practically for free. ;)

 

in hindsight that would have been a genius strategy! only way to improve on it would have been to book the biggest suite on the ship.

 

ps. do you think "suite people" got the same offer as the rabble?

Edited March 25, 2014 by flyingshoes

[Loonbeam]

Good to hear, obligation wise it wasn't necessary but PR wise they made it so.

 

They have gone back to offering the original terms of refund + FCC for all.

[Frugalist]

ps. do you think "suite people" got the same offer as the rabble?

I can't imagine why they wouldn't.

 

I wonder if passengers are getting cruise credits/days for the Captains Circle loyalty program, since their fares are being refunded?

 

I wonder if/when the FCC expires?

 

Neither of the above affects me. Just curious.

[likeadisguise]

The statement at Princess.com in the News section says they have to book the cruise by the end of 2015.

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

[ar1950]

The statement at Princess.com in the News section says they have to book the cruise by the end of 2015.

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

If that is true, then, over a year and a half time frame. Talk about a nice, flexible condition to take advantage of the credit. Hope it is a fact for everyone! :cool:

[rgmacm]

Just shows it doesn't always pay to be greedy.

 

Have you thought that it might NOT have been greed? For those with limited vacation time, they might have preferred to go home and back to work so they COULD plan a cruise at a later date. If you've driven to the port (so won't incur airline change fees) and vacation time is 'precious', you might prefer to give up ship time in the Houston port in exchange for ship time in the Caribbean on a later cruise.

Edited March 25, 2014 by rgmacm

[Frugalist]

The statement at Princess.com in the News section says they have to book the cruise by the end of 2015.

Which means they could conceivably book a cruise that sails as late as early 2017. Very liberal IMHO.

[JustinPlusLauren]

The oil spill is turning out to be a major environmental disaster for the Houston/Galveston area. This is the largest oil spill in the history of Galveston Bay. Luckily no one was seriously injured during the ship/barge collision but the impact to wildlife and the economy will be substantial. This comes at a very bad time when hundreds of migratory birds are arriving in the area. The Audubon Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary is right on the path of the spill and is reporting damage already. The evening news showed substantial amounts of oil on beaches and birds. In addition thousands of people depend on the bay for their income, from fishing vessels to local industry. The refineries along the upper channel handle about 12% of the oil consumed in the US and at the moment no oil is arriving by ship. One large refinery announced a cut in production today due to limited crude supplies with more expected unless the channel reopens. While I can understand the frustration of cruise passengers stranded onshore a real tragedy is occurring around them. I would like to suggest that we focus our energies on that and say a prayer for the people and wildlife truly impacted by this disaster.

 

From the Houston Chronicle as of Monday 7:29 pm CDT:

“The Houston Ship Channel, where up to 168,000 gallons of oil was spilled after a barge and a tanker collided last weekend, will remain closed until Tuesday, Coast Guard officials said late Monday. Officials said they will evaluate on Tuesday whether to open the channel.” “As of 6 a.m. Monday, the command said in a statement, 43 outbound vessels and 38 inbound vessels were waiting for the channel to be reopened.”

Additional details here:

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Ship-Channel-remains-closed-after-oil-spill-5342986.php?cmpid=bna

 

This sounds terrible! Oil spills are a major disaster for wildlife and our ecosystem. :( This seems to happen all too often....

[chipmaster]

Too bad they changed the offer. :(

 

The consensus with everyone I talked to on board was not the offer, either the very generous first one or the second or the third. It was with the offer and the inherent conditions they themselves said and then to change them and then to change them again and again. I like many others were dealing with the bad luck and most understood it had nothing to do with princess's offer it was with the changes in a bad situation that shot princess's own foot off. Look at it now all most will remember is that they changed it on them not how generous it was. Case study in customer service gone bad, who do they have in the PR group :)

[Host CJSKIDS]

Obviously - I am in the minority.

 

This cruise should be free. I realize it is not Princess's fault but giving 100% refund on this cruise makes perfect/logical sense as the ship is not going anywhere.

 

As far as future cruise discount - It is adequate IMO, I thought they could do better. For those who are retired or have an extremely liberal vacation policy, this probably is fine. A lot of people who cruise are still working and may only get 1-2 weeks vacation per year. Their first week is over and their 2nd week may be accounted for doing other things. 25% may not be enough to get people to change their 2nd week to a cruise when there are other obligations (weddings, graduation, etc...) that these people take vacation time for. I assume they probably have a year to use it.

 

Like others, I am entitled to my opinion also. Remember, not everyone on these ships are retired or have unlimited vacation.

 

I think that everyone has gotten so jaded over the offers that have been given out these last few years when issues arrive over cruises. It's just my opinion.

 

I look back to what happened to the Star Princess and realize that all we were offered with what we all went through was 100% refund and 25% towards anther sailing. And back then everyone said how incredibly fair and generous that was.

 

It's awful when a vacation gets ruined as this did. At least those who didn't get to sail did get to enjoy the ship a bit and thankfully got all of their cruise fare refunded.

[Cindy]

The statement at Princess.com in the News section says they have to book the cruise by the end of 2015.

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

If that is true, then, over a year and a half time frame. Talk about a nice, flexible condition to take advantage of the credit. Hope it is a fact for everyone! :cool:

 

I think the cruise lines are being very generous considering this event was completely out of their control.

[jcw0313]

The oil spill is turning out to be a major environmental disaster for the Houston/Galveston area. This is the largest oil spill in the history of Galveston Bay. Luckily no one was seriously injured during the ship/barge collision but the impact to wildlife and the economy will be substantial. This comes at a very bad time when hundreds of migratory birds are arriving in the area. The Audubon Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary is right on the path of the spill and is reporting damage already. The evening news showed substantial amounts of oil on beaches and birds. In addition thousands of people depend on the bay for their income, from fishing vessels to local industry. The refineries along the upper channel handle about 12% of the oil consumed in the US and at the moment no oil is arriving by ship. One large refinery announced a cut in production today due to limited crude supplies with more expected unless the channel reopens. While I can understand the frustration of cruise passengers stranded onshore a real tragedy is occurring around them. I would like to suggest that we focus our energies on that and say a prayer for the people and wildlife truly impacted by this disaster.

 

From the Houston Chronicle as of Monday 7:29 pm CDT:

“The Houston Ship Channel, where up to 168,000 gallons of oil was spilled after a barge and a tanker collided last weekend, will remain closed until Tuesday, Coast Guard officials said late Monday. Officials said they will evaluate on Tuesday whether to open the channel.” “As of 6 a.m. Monday, the command said in a statement, 43 outbound vessels and 38 inbound vessels were waiting for the channel to be reopened.”

Additional details here:

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Ship-Channel-remains-closed-after-oil-spill-5342986.php?cmpid=bna

 

.....that your fuel costs are going up due to this spill. We all will suffer, whether on this cruise or not, over this situation. And the haters will still be complaining about "I only got 100% of my cruise back and 25% on a FCC"! How simple minded we all are!!!

[jcw0313]

The consensus with everyone I talked to on board was not the offer, either the very generous first one or the second or the third. It was with the offer and the inherent conditions they themselves said and then to change them and then to change them again and again. I like many others were dealing with the bad luck and most understood it had nothing to do with princess's offer it was with the changes in a bad situation that shot princess's own foot off. Look at it now all most will remember is that they changed it on them not how generous it was. Case study in customer service gone bad, who do they have in the PR group :)

 

....that the changing offers were elicited by the changing circumstances on the ground....dictated by the Coast Guard and the local authorities that have control over the port, and by proxy Princess?

[Oh2B@C]

.....that your fuel costs are going up due to this spill. We all will suffer, whether on this cruise or not, over this situation. And the haters will still be complaining about "I only got 100% of my cruise back and 25% on a FCC"! How simple minded we all are!!!

 

Great job Princess for giving WAY MORE compensation than required in this instance, IMHO. So the ship isn't sailing. People are still treated to food, entertainment, music, lounging by the pool, sitting in hot tub, games, lectures; all for free PLUS a generous discount on their next cruise. Even those who don't end up using that 25% will end up with a free week on a floating hotel. This is all about PR for Princess. The real value of what the pax are missing out on must be less than 100% of the cruise fare...

[fishin' musician]

So... we have a great offer; then, oops, we may have to sail... back pedal, back pedal! Then, ah, not sailing, back to the great offer...

 

It appears that the PR folks are the same ones that came up with the sleepy TV ads.

 

So how is Carnival stock today?

[douglinc@msn.com]

Carnival Magic is leaving now 11:35 (Webcam) and the Triumph is scheduled to leave later this afternoon. Maybe the CB will also leave this afternoon.

 

Doug

[Loonbeam]

The CB will have to take a different route. The Carnival ships are in Galveston which is on the other side of the spill.

 

Carnival Magic is leaving now 11:35 (Webcam) and the Triumph is scheduled to leave later this afternoon. Maybe the CB will also leave this afternoon.

 

Doug

[kbubbles]

We disembarked from the CB Monday evening. We live 60 miles north so it was an easy trip home for us.

This situation is very unfortunate on so many levels. After getting up to date with the local coverage of the incident it appears the oil barge's company has a history of accidents.

We based our decision to leave on the fact that we did not believe the CB would be able to go anywhere for the remainder of the week. I hope we are wrong and the remaining passengers get at least 1 port of call.

When the original offer was made my DH and I were shocked. I don't think we were alone as the dining room erupted in cheers. Happy passengers all around singing Princess's praises. When the offer was made the captain said he hoped we would at least still receive 1-2 ports of call. When the offer was retracted is when the grumbling began. We felt so sorry for the staff, who had to deal with all the animosity. We felt that this was bad PR for Princess at this point and maybe the original offer was made prematurely. However, at this point we were thinking woo hoo 2 ports of call and 50% future CC up to the price of our cruise! Within 2 hours we weren't sailing again and we felt the original offer would return, but that maybe the positive PR from the original offer had been somewhat diminished. We decided to return home and save vacation days for another time. Before we finished packing, the original offer was back in place, as we predicted. We tipped our cabin steward and exited.

We really enjoy sailing with Princess and this experience hasn't changed that fact. The crew was wonderful and the home office took care of their passengers for a situation totally out of their control. We would and probably will book this itinerary again.

[Swappie]

Guess they're leaving for Cozumel in 15 minutes! Fingers crossed!