Big bad Princess

[nbsjcruiser]

Posted this on the Royal board, should have posted it here too.

 

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/video?playlistId=1.2001659

 

I feel bad for them and their loss but the surviving partner got more than I would have expected he would have. He should be taking what he can get and move on with his life. To bad mouth the cruise line for doing something that they did NOT have to do is not right. They could have told him to go pound sand but they gave him $1500. As I said, I feel bad for his loss but he does not come off so good in this piece.

[princessfan12]

I agree. While I really feel for him losing his partner, I think princess was more than fair. If you book a hotel that doesn't have a cancellation policy, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't do the same, yet the cruise lines are being dragged through the mud again! Really surprised by the news anchors responses also, terrible reporting. Again, sorry for his loss.

Edited September 11, 2014 by princessfan12

[Ethel5]

I'm sorry that a young man died, but I'm please with the way Princess handled this. They gave him a credit of $1500 and he's still wanting more. What really gets me is the anchor person who was bashing Princess. What happened to her impartiality?:( The reporter was fair and warned people to get insurance.

[geoherb]

Anyone who knows anything about cruises would see Princess's offering him the credit as being more than generous. I hope people who don't know about cruises will learn the lesson of always purchasing insurance from this story.

[baggal]

Cruise lines would not be able to stay in business if they handed out refunds to everyone who asked for them - when they are not entitled to them according to the terms of the cruise contract (which everyone should read).

 

The anchor was just plain ignorant and probably trying to create further controversy (and ratings) when there should be none.

[greenie082756]

I'm sorry that things did not work out for him.

When you book a cruise its a contract.

Bottom line, travel insurance is offered when you purchase a cruise. The reason they gave why he did not purchase it was because it was "too confusing". I read it, slowly and understood it perfectly (well I did scan over parts quickly- legalize and all;)).

 

 

I think he just didn't want to pay the extra cost for it.

 

When you spend that much money on a vacation, why not spend just a bit more for the "just in case" scenario? Even my husband who is careful with his money said that absolutely pay for the insurance as you don't know why lies ahead.

Princess was very generous in my opinion.

[tserface]

Yes, that is a tragic thing to happen. I think Princess was more than fair. A lot of people just include the insurance as part of the cost of the cruise.

 

It's not just cruise lines that will give non-transferable credits. I had one from SouthWest Airlines and I'm sure others do as well.

 

If cruise lines were like many hotels and allowed people to cancel up to 24 hours before then they would sail with a lot more empty rooms because people tend to just change their minds at the last minute. Hotels get a lot of walk ins to make up the difference, but a cruise line can't react that quickly to people just dropping off at the last minute. I think any "resort" type of vacation works the same way.

 

Frankly, I think Princess has one of the more fair policies. If they were on RCI they may have lost $$$ for prepaid excursions, prepaid tips, etc. which are also nonrefundable. Also, other cruise lines may not have even done the credit that this person got.

 

So, instead of thinking Princess was doing him a solid by giving him the $1500 credit he throws them under the bus for not treating it like cash. I've seen so many people treating OBC the same way on many cruise lines.

 

I think when you compare them all Princess still wins for customer caring.

 

Tom

[EightFurryPaws]

It is sad that his partner passed, but I have no sympathy for the complaining passenger. Insurance is just that, insurance just in case

something unexpected occurs.

 

Imagine if no passengers purchased insurance and then expected compensation from the cruise company. Eventually the costs would be

passed down in fares.

[Colo Cruiser]

It is sad that his partner passed, but I have no sympathy for the complaining passenger. Insurance is just that, insurance just in case

something unexpected occurs.

 

Imagine if no passengers purchased insurance and then expected compensation from the cruise company. Eventually the costs would be

passed down in fares.

 

 

 

I agree.

[PescadoAmarillo]

What people who don't buy insurance don't seem to realize is that when something goes wrong, as it did in this case, and a cruise line makes concessions, it's horribly unfair to those of us who always buy insurance. Should we all whine and complain to our local media outlet when we read of such concessions?

[lor74]

When you consider the high number of seniors that cruise, the industry would not be able to keep up with these types of requests if they were to be "flexible". Go through any of the roll calls, and you will see posts from people who had to cancel for medical reasons. In 2014, how do people book travel without insurance?

[cruzsnooze]

Why bother paying for insurance, just hit the media circuit.

[dfields1814]

It is sad that the man's partner died.

 

Confusing ... Insurance???? How confusing can that be. I don't think this man is being completely honest. I think he he just did not buy insurance.

 

Princess was more than fair in this case. When he got the credit I am sure he got information about its limitations. He probably didn't bother to read it. Or maybe it was too confusing for him?

 

But on the other hand hand Princess got a lot of bad PR for just a $400 dispute. Most people who saw that report do not understand the ins and outs of cruise cancellation policies and insurance programs like the members of CC. Therefore Princess comes out as the bad guy.

 

This whole situation is sad.

Edited September 11, 2014 by dfields1814

[hawkeyetlse]

What people who don't buy insurance don't seem to realize is that when something goes wrong, as it did in this case, and a cruise line makes concessions, it's horribly unfair to those of us who always buy insurance. Should we all whine and complain to our local media outlet when we read of such concessions?

Every one of us should complain, whether we buy insurance or not, because it drives cruise fares up for everybody.

[JF - retired RRT]

The picture of the ill partner shows him as looking quite unhealthy. If that was his condition when they booked the cruise, they were foolish for not buying insurance.

He had nothing to complain about.

[Caribensun]

This guy does not realize how fortunate he is to even get any kind of credit, outrageous that he would still be complaining and run to the media. Media bad for running story- just should have focused on need for cruise/travel insurance.

This is the reason we purchase insurance, a cruise/ vacation is an investment and the only way to protect from unforeseen circumstances is to purchase insurance no matter where or how traveling.

Feel bad for Princess as they went way out of their way to assist and the person is so ungrateful. Of course the credit should be for him only- unbelievable!

Seadeck2

[elliair]

Trip Insurance!! Hello, do your homework as the man stated. Anything can happen, and that's the first thing we do when we book a cruise, we buy trip insurance. While it's sad that he lost his friend, Princess did right by giving him the $1500 - they didn't have to. As for never cruising on Princess again, well, that's alright with me. One less person to have to get in line behind.

[elliair]

One more thought, I wish the article was open to comments. I'm sure they'd get an ear full from CC members. They don't want to hear the other side of the story and make the media look foolish.

[Caribensun]

If anyone is bad probably should consider agent who booked the cruise, either person wasn't informed or declined it- either way guy is bad.

Seadeck2

[Jasperdo]

One more thought, I wish the article was open to comments. I'm sure they'd get an ear full from CC members. They don't want to hear the other side of the story and make the media look foolish.

The article on CTV Vancouver is open for comments. And most of them said what's been said here ... buy insurance:

http://bc.ctvnews.ca/cruise-line-accused-of-being-unfair-after-death-of-would-be-traveller-1.1997548

[elliair]

The article on CTV Vancouver is open for comments. And most of them said what's been said here ... buy insurance:

http://bc.ctvnews.ca/cruise-line-accused-of-being-unfair-after-death-of-would-be-traveller-1.1997548

 

 

Thanks for the link! So many at the link left the same thoughts I had. Not much sympathy for the couple.

 

The amusing part of this article, is that the guy after he complained to Princess, he wanted to take another friend on a Princess cruise. What really got him going was the fact he couldn't use that $1500 on his friend. This is why Princess and other cruise lines have policies. Don't like it, don't purchase a cruise.

Edited September 11, 2014 by elliair

[anthonyy7]

If you spend thousands on a cruise, why not pay the little extra for insurance? I'm sure the cruise lines deal with this situation everyday when people have to cancel. $1500 is alot and it pays for his cruise but why should they pay for a 3rd party as well? I feel really bad for this person however it's usually tragic situations that force people to cancel their cruise.

[PescadoAmarillo]

While it's sad that he lost his friend, Princess did right by giving him the $1500 - they didn't have to.

Actually, I think Princess did very wrong by doing that.

[CATGUY7]

I have to ask this question, as I have not been fortunate enough to take back-to-back cruises, but for those of you who do, do you purchase trip insurance for each leg?

 

 

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[mollyanne]

We have purchased trip insurance for each of our 13 cruises as well as for a land trip overseas. The most we've ever had to collect was about $100 for a hotel after a canceled flight. I will NEVER regret the money spent as it was money WELL spent - just in case.

 

Tomorrow I will probably be canceling a cruise for which trip insurance was purchased. I just have to suck it up and know I made the correct decision when we booked.