Nightmare - what would you do? RESULT!

[sandbag7]

G- I don't know what the fine print says, but when I book a cruise I also get a specific cabin reservation, and sometimes these cabins have very specific benefits; unless you're in the guaranteed category, the supposition at least is that you've got a specific cabin. I don't think the hotel analogy is quite right. Then again, the large print giveth and the fine print taketh away.

Sponge-you're right, I've seen you protecting BD's back so often I didn't read all your posts here. My apologies-You were wearing a white hat.

[julieh]

Cori thank you for trying to help and who knows perhaps thats what did it!

 

No we did not get the cabin back for next year but they have upgraded us to the suite next door and we don't have the girls with us so it was not a problem. Have never seen this cabin but a previous poster on the other thread thought it was wonderfull.

 

 

Julie

[bplazo]

Gramps,

 

I don't know about fine print but we always book our cabins way in advance so we get the location we want. Usually we like the afts with the larger balconies and we like a certain deck. There are also people who will booke several rooms in a row for family members. I would like not to moved unless I am asked about it.

[Roboat]

No we did not get the cabin back for next year but they have upgraded us to the suite next door and we don't have the girls with us so it was not a problem.

Julie

Hey, now THAT could be interesting.:D

Actually, as Sandbag alluded to, there is the possibility that LA lady is not to be blamed at all for this. She may have no idea that the cabin was already booked.

 

OR.....

 

Did we ever even CONSIDER that that particular cabin MAY be haunted?:eek: I'm sure I read or heard this somewhere. Or almost heard it. And if so, why did it take Princess almost a week to bust the ghost(s) out of the cabin and get this matter resolved? Could it be that LA lady herself is not, technically, alive? :confused: And could FEMA be behind the cover-up? I'm just saying.

 

Just gettiing ready for Hallowe'en. :)

Again, I'm so glad this has been resolved.

[Opinions]

What you are actually paying for is a Cabin Category and as long as you are placed within that category or better, they are fulfilling their obligation to you.

 

 

I always thought that was when you booked a "Guarantee" category...Isn't the whole purpose of picking your cabin is to ensure you get a particular cabin?

[Gramps25]

I always thought that was when you booked a "Guarantee" category...Isn't the whole purpose of picking your cabin is to ensure you get a particular cabin?

 

 

That's my whole point. There is no place that promises you a specific cabin, regardless of your selection of one. The Cruise Contract basically states that in exchange for your fare, the cruise line is obligated to let you on board, put you in a room, feed you, sail you around to different ports and return you home. That is the legal extent of their obligation.

 

In fact, in Section 20 they state: "This Passage Contract constitutes the entire understanding and agreement between You and Carrier and supersedes any prior oral, or implied or other agreements between You and Carrier and this Passage Contract can only be modified by a writing signed by Carrier."

 

To me that says unless it is written in the contract, it is not set in stone. And as there is absolutely no provision in the contract to guarantee a room assignment, it is never to be a 100% assurance. Only a request that they will honor as often as possible.

[jbrambach]

julieh, so happy to hear that you got your cabin back. I have been sailing with Princess since 98' and did not know that they could change a confirmed cabin. As a result of your post I check the personalizer regularly for my upcoming jan 06' cruise. Thanks for the info.

[julieh]

Have to say I am checking mine daily as well from now on. Thanks for your good wishes everyone

 

Julie

[critterchick]

Julie, congratulations on getting your original cabin back! As for being upgraded to the suite next door, that couldn't possibly be a problem, could it????:D We had C749 on the Sun, and it is a fabulous room. Enjoy!

[julieh]

No its no problem at all Jean! Glad you liked it

 

Julie

[redrobin]

First, congrats Julie!!!! I believe a lot of us were thinking along the lines of Cori and ready to contact Princess on your behalf.

 

Also, I think Gramps brings up a very interesting topic. I've read enough threads about missing a port to know that, although cruise lines don't want to miss ports, it does happen and they have no legal obligation to get you there.

 

As evident on this thread, cruise lines would take a lot of heat if disregarding cabin selection became a regular event, but do they have some sort of legal obligation? For instance, what recourse, if any, does a passenger like Julie have after making final payment if your cabin assignment goes away?

 

Hotels are similar, but people usually don't select a particular room. You pick a type of room, and online can often request things like being on an upper floor, close to an elevator... However, there's usually a disclaimer that says that while requests can be made, they may not always be honored.

 

What does that small print say? I'd like to hear from TAs or others in the know, or those who have an opinion! :)

[bdjam]

Sponge-you're right, I've seen you protecting BD's back so often I didn't read all your posts here.

While I certainly can take care of myself, I do appreciate ‘rob’s support. You’d be lucky to have such good friends.

Julie, congratulations on getting your original cabin back! As for being upgraded to the suite next door, that couldn't possibly be a problem, could it????

So is Princess still the big bad cruise line?

[Lobbylin]

Hi everyone,

 

I HAVE GOT MY CABIN C744 BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HURRAY

 

Julie

 

Julie - I was delighted to see this post! As everyone has said, none of us would want to have experienced this, so there is a kind of bond here in knowing everything has worked out OK in the end.

 

Do have a wonderful time!

[DonLou]

In response to Gramps25, Red Robin and others, this is my take on the legal obligations. I am not a lawyer or in any related legal field. So here it goes.

 

Princess offers staterooms on a ship at a specific rate. You like a particular stateroom and rate. You then book the stateroom (this is your "offer"). Princess accepts your offer. You plunk down your deposit and the deal now becomes a legal obligation. The passage contract is part of that legal obligation. The contract doesn't have to spell out that the cabin is specifically reserved. That is done in the offer. You say "I want stateroom A123 for $2000". Princess says "sold". You have stateroom A123. This is all verified in the confirmation that you receive from the TA. The confirmation then becomes a legally binding document.

 

There are a couple of things that might trip up this agreement. One is that Princess appears to have an automatic upgrade policy. If you don't tell them that you don't want an upgrade, they may change your stateroom. Another thing that might happen is if you change the number of passengers in the stateroom. This could cause a change in stateroom assignments.

 

Another thing to consider is the differentiation between those passengers who select their staterooms and those who choose a guaranteed stateroom.

Those selecting a stateroom pay a higher price. This is the extra cost of choosing a specific stateroom versus choosing a category. If Princess were to ignore this difference and start assigning staterooms willy-nilly, they would essentially be "stealing" money from those who paid more.

 

Whew! Sorry for the long-windedness. Hope that sounded reasonable.

[Ethel5]

Another thing to consider is the differentiation between those passengers who select their staterooms and those who choose a guaranteed stateroom.

Those selecting a stateroom pay a higher price. This is the extra cost of choosing a specific stateroom versus choosing a category. If Princess were to igIn response to Gramps25, Red Robin and others, this is my take on the legal obligations. I am not a lawyer or in any related legal field. So here it goes.

.

 

Princess does NOT charge less for those who choose a GTY catagory. The only "perk", if there is one, is a chance of an upgrade and lately they have been few and far between!

Sometimes the only cabins available are those listed as GTY only.

[Maryfred]

Great news Julie. I bet the gal that wants to live in that cabin informed Princess that she would be off the ship for Christmas, so you could have it back. She'll probably be back on ship soon after, and others in that cabin will get booted.

 

So happy for you. It's great how people all over the world were on your side.

[DonLou]

Princess does NOT charge less for those who choose a GTY catagory. The only "perk", if there is one, is a chance of an upgrade and lately they have been few and far between!

Sometimes the only cabins available are those listed as GTY only.

 

:o Thank you, Donna. I stand corrected on that point.

[sunprincess]

Julie,

 

Congratulations :)

Hope you have a fabulous cruise.

 

Cathy

[bardgal]

Cabin assignments: It behooves a cruiseline to sell a specific cabin, just like an airline or theatre sells a specific seat. People have different tastes, and there are some people who prefer a window to an aisle, close to the stage or back of the house, or large balcony aft to a midship on a higher deck. Assigning cabins make the cruise itself easier to sell, especially the premium cabins.

 

Do airlines "reserve the right" to re-assign your seat? Yes. But they do this only if someone is late and the flight is overbooked, or there is a problem with the physicality of a passenger in opening an emergency door, or being too tall/handicapped and the passenger needs a bulkhead. I've never heard of a business doing what Princess did to Julie, especially a cruiseline.

 

Now, you all know what an überPrincess cheerleader I am, but my thought was that some SUPERSUIT™(like Lord Sterling, who I imagine no longer has any affiliation with the company now that Carnival owns it, but I could be wrong) was wanting that cabin, in which case, Princess should have made a much better offer to accomodate Julie in the first place.

 

The whole thing was a F-UP in the first degree. I'm so glad they've given you back your cabin, especially for initially handling it so poorly (which is the part that really surprised me.)

 

Don't ya just love the power of the web?

:D

[Cruisin' Chick]

I have neve heard of being able to reserve a specific hotel room, just a type (oceanview, nosmoking, etc). Maybe regular customers of a hotel may be able to call the desk and get a specific room. But when most people reserve a room, they are not given a room number.

 

In the case of cruiseships, many of us do book a specific cabin. When you're talking to your TA or princess and book a specific cabin with the order not to upgrade, that means just that. If the cruiseline wants that cabin, they need to offer you some enticement, such as an upgrade, etc. I'm not a lawyer either but I don't think the hotel analogy works here.

[Gramps25]

Actually, the hotel analogy does work as there are some customers, though not many, that request specific rooms (repeat customers, as you said). But it also works in that you can request non-smoking and not get it do to availability. You can request a king bed and get two doubles or vice-versa. The point that is analogous is that you are simply requesting and the hotel/cruise line will do its best to honor the request but--and here is the actual crux--they are under no legal obligation to fulfill that request.

[bardgal]

The difference is that most hotels do NOT OFFER you a specific room number upon booking your reservation, and most mention it depends on availability "at time of check in" and that it's not a guaranty, which is something that cruise lines do not do.

 

Do hotel guests often request the Honeymoon or Presidential Suite? Of course, but try to get the same random room number you had at say the MGM Grand in Vegas that you had when you and your SO first went there five years ago - they'll tell you, "If it's available, you can ask when you check in." They also pay a premium for those specific über-suites, as did Julie when she booked the mini-suite. Bumping a passenger from a premium cabin should be damn near verboten. And the mini-suites on the Sun class are the same as PH/VS suites are on the Grand/Diamond class, not a balcony cabin with extra seating and a tub.

 

I'm not saying that the cruise line is legally obligated by the contract to give you that specific cabin, but they sure as hell stongly imply that is what you're spending all your money on, and I unless there is a very, very good reason, like the toilet or AC doesn't work, then they had better damn well give you what you paid for, or else they should stop offering to book specific cabins altogether, which would never happen because it's too big of a sales tool for them.

 

Just MHO.