Captain's Circle Promotion

[Eddie4Paws]

Hi! I'm hoping to get some input, as this is the first time I've cruised solo. I'm booked on the Sun Princess December 12, 2004 10 night Eastern Caribbean. I've made my arrangements through Travelocity, making a deposit for a category JJ inside. Two nights ago I got a newsletter from the Princess Captain's Circle, offering a deal for previous Princess cruisers, of paying for a category EE ocean view stateroom and getting an automatic upgrade to a BD balcony cabin. I contacted Travelocity, and they told me that I needed to get the promotion code from Princess (there was none on the special offer). After speaking with 3 different agents at Princess (which took 2 days), I was told that at as single passenger, this promotion was not available to me! Princess also spoke with the agent at Travelocity (who is very helpful) and told her the same thing.

This seems like a discriminatory action against single travelers, as I'm willing to pay the upgraded single supplement. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can pursue this?

Thanks!

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=00bfff&cdt=2004;12;02;16;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
12/2/04 Sun Princes
2/27/04 Golden Princess
11/21/03 Majesty of the Seas
Carnival 10/87
NCL 4/93
Norway 4/95
Costa 5/97

[Toto2Kansas]

Some promotions are not applicable for single passengers, why? I have no idea, but there is usually a disclaimer at the bottom of them telling just that.
I would keep trying if I were you, but I doubt that there will be much you can do about it.
Sorry!

[img]http://www.addis-welt.de/smilie/smilie/tier/smilie_hund1.gif[/img]
Tahitian October 14th,2004

[Eddie4Paws]

Absolutely no disclaimer about double passengers, single passengers, or passenger with 3 heads. It had no restrictions on the offer at all, except for the sailing dates and the category to book for the upgrade.

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=00bfff&cdt=2004;12;02;16;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
12/2/04 Sun Princes
2/27/04 Golden Princess
11/21/03 Majesty of the Seas
Carnival 10/87
NCL 4/93
Norway 4/95
Costa 5/97

[Commodore Suzy]

Add a friend to your booking, it will only cost you the tax. Make sure its a real person, so you can put their birthdate and everything in. Then, have your friend "miss the boat". [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Leave your name as the main name on the booking, cause you got the CC mailing. Since its a double occupancy promo, this should work. Of course, I'm assuming you are paying 200% single supplement? If you are getting it for 'only' 150%, then of course its not such a good idea.

Just a thought!

Suzy

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[cattman]

Eddie, this promo may only be available to new bookings only, if so, you should have been informed. You could then cancel and rebook. I have never seen a CC promo that was not available to single passengers(tho only at 200%). Without the promo number it's hard to tell... but trust me these CC promos are problematic and best handled by an agent, as a crop of new people on the reservation lines at princess means a lot of misinformation.

[Johanna7]

If another person was added to the booking who did not show up, as Suzy Cruisy suggested, would you not have to pay twice for the port taxes and government taxes? Twice for tipping? Even if the phantom person didn't show up?

[Lampwick]

Like a previous person stated, just keep trying. Sometimes you get the right person in the right mood and they hook you up with someone that makes the change.

[srphnx]

Take me as your second! I will be very polite, hardly ever be in the cabin and will eat enough for you to feel good about the upcharge.

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[todd-r]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Johanna7:
If another person was added to the booking who did not show up, as Suzy Cruisy suggested, would you not have to pay twice for the port taxes and government taxes? Twice for tipping? Even if the phantom person didn't show up?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
As the fare, port and taxes are all pre-paid, if the other person did not show up and as there is no refund for 'no-shows' you would end up paying this anyway. But on that note, I seem to recall that even if you pay the single supplement, Princess is one of the only lines that also charges 2X the port and taxes anyway. One of the peaves of many solo Princess passengers.

In regards to tips, they are automatically chrged to each individuals ship board account. So, if the other person didn't show up there would be no ship board account set up and thus, no account to charge the tips to. So, no, you wouldn't pay 2X the tips!

Up next - Pacific NorthWest Coastal!

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Navigator of the Seas - 01/05
Dawn Princess - 10/04
Grand Princess - 11/04 (Cancelled)
Grand Princess - 10/04 (Cancelled)
Island Princess - 05/04
Grand Princess - 10/03
Norway - 10/03 (Cancelled)
Wind Surf - Transatlantic 4/02

[cattman]

Actually, lately Princess has not been charging double port & gov for single occupants... don't know how long this will last, but as a habitual single cruiser I have been pleasantly surprised on my last two and upcoming two bookings...
Recent quotes I've offered for singles have come up at 150 - 175% rather than 200, another nice surprise...

The best way to deal with Eddie's predicament is to book double, using the CC promo, with the 2nd passenger a TBD(to be determined). Don't let the agent tell you you must have a name - Princess does not require it at this point. Then at final payment the 2nd passenger is cancelled, and Eddie pays a single supplement of 100%, less 2nd port & gov fees.
These cc promos are usually rather bogus(based on Love Boat Saver Rates - always high)... I've often found a lower rate on the upgraded category without the games, using regional promos, flashes, etc.
Good luck... pressure your agent to get you the best deal...