Very Disappointed with Princess

[CI66774]

OP- if, in fact, the customer service person was rude - then that was wrong and uncalled for.

 

However, did you cancel within the penalty period or not? Was your deposit non-refundable? Only you know the answers to this. If, in fact, you were in the penalty period or your deposit was non-refundable (look at your cruise invoice, etc.), then Princess was correct in keeping the money. If not, then Princess made a mistake. But to criticize a company for following its cancellation policy (if, in fact, the company did), is ridiculous.

[TracieABD]

Princess already DID make an exception and offered a credit for their next cruise. The OP refused that. End of story.

 

You are right.

[Pam in CA]

Princess already DID make an exception and offered a credit for their next cruise. The OP refused that. End of story.

Yup. Not much more to say.

[Times Prince]

It is in the contract you agreed to when you made the deposit for the cruise. All the cruise lines do it to protect themselves from having an empty cabin or a heavily discounted cabin when they sail. Hotels do the same thing although not the 75 days. From your statement it suggests that you were within the 75 day window. All of the cruise lines would have told you no refund.

 

Princess tried to satisfy you by offering to give you a credit good for one year. That was a generous gesture as most cruise lines probably would not have made that offer. It was your choice to not accept the offer. It is proof that Princess really tries to take care of their clients. This is not Princess's fault. If you had insurance which Princess certainly tries to get pax to buy, it may have covered the deposit depending on why you decided to cancel.

Agreed that Princess' customer service was bending over backwards to attempt to satisfy this customer. I am sure that was the limit that a customer service person was authorized to offer, and even a supervisor could offer no more.

 

The OP's response of refusing the offer seemed ill considered. As time goes by they will probably regret having passed up a chance to recoup $200 on another cruise. Personally I would have accepted the offer, no matter how upset I was as it was better than nothing, which is what the OP ended up with.

Edited December 28, 2015 by Times Prince

[AKman2495]

I guess I don't understand.

I don't see what you feel that they did wrong.

 

 

Well, it's obvious what they did wrong. They didn't react like this:

 

OMG!!!!!!!! YOU HAVE TO CANCEL!!!!!! WE ARE SO SORRRY!!!!! PLEASE TAKE BACK YOUR DEPOSIT IN FULL!!!!! AND PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T POST A NEGATIVE COMMENT ABOUT US ON CRUISE CRITIC!!!!!!!!!!

[Magellan321]

OP...while i'm sure you feel your request was reasonable, keep in mind that most people that have to cancel also feel their reason is worthy of a refund. So, that being said Princess might as well get rid of their cancellation policies and cancellation schedule. While I hope the rep wasn't rude....if they were there is no excuse. Keep in mind they did bend the policy by at least offering you a credit that they were not contractually obligated to give.

Edited December 29, 2015 by Magellan321

[RocketMan275]

It really isn't about the $200, but really how rudely the Princess was to us.

 

 

 

Anytime someone says "it's not about the money", you can bet real money that it is about the money.

[caribill]

I think the "nickel and diming" remark was in addition to the cancellation fee thing, not part of it. Just "one more thing" in the eyes of OP, I suspect.

 

Hard to be "nickeled and dimed" on a cruise you did not take.

[floridalover5623]

I can't understand why anyone would think they wouldn't hold back money according to the refund policy. It something you know when you book so why is it a shock when they actually do it?

I'm not familiar with other cruise lines but I'm thinking they would probably be similar.

[mmckm]

She also seems to think being Platinum she should have gotten something that others shouldn't. Platinum has nothing to do with it.

[latebloomer56]

What am I missing? I had to cancel a trip early last year before final payment and didn't lose anything they just gave me back my FCC. Does Princess have a no refund policy for deposits? Or is it on only some bookings. I don't remember ever seeing this up to final payment then I know you would need the insurance to get some of it back.

I have 600.00 on the trip in May and final is due in a few weeks maybe I better look into this. Heaven forbid something happens and I lose the 600 even though we keep the Princess insurance.

[FritzG]

What am I missing? I had to cancel a trip early last year before final payment and didn't lose anything they just gave me back my FCC. Does Princess have a no refund policy for deposits? Or is it on only some bookings. I don't remember ever seeing this up to final payment then I know you would need the insurance to get some of it back.

I have 600.00 on the trip in May and final is due in a few weeks maybe I better look into this. Heaven forbid something happens and I lose the 600 even though we keep the Princess insurance.

 

Yes, on some cruises especially with a sale promotion deposits are not refundable. Since we always have FCC's we're only risking $100 each rather than the usual deposit.

[Magellan321]

What am I missing? I had to cancel a trip early last year before final payment and didn't lose anything they just gave me back my FCC. Does Princess have a no refund policy for deposits? Or is it on only some bookings. I don't remember ever seeing this up to final payment then I know you would need the insurance to get some of it back.

I have 600.00 on the trip in May and final is due in a few weeks maybe I better look into this. Heaven forbid something happens and I lose the 600 even though we keep the Princess insurance.

 

You cancelled before final payment on a refundable deposit booking. Princess does run some non-refundable deposit sales and also has a clear schedule as to what you get back on regular fares post final deposit.There appears to be a bit of a question as to if they were before final payment of after and if they had booked one of the non-refundable deposit sales.

[mmckm]

If you have a refundable deposit the insurance is a waste of money unless you go past the final payment date and the cruise is payed for. We never purchase insurance until final payment is do. If you cancel you get your deposit back. Airfare may be a reason to get insurance before final payment but you may not

be covered depending why you cancel. If your using a FCC for your deposit the insurance will cost more then the refund you will get back normally. you don't get the insurance money back. You should always compare and understand the rules before you book or buy any insurance to cover your butt. Insurance works but only if your within there rules in the small print. They will look for reasons not to pay out.

[pablo222]

If you have a refundable deposit the insurance is a waste of money unless you go past the final payment date and the cruise is payed for.

 

Sometimes, there are special rules for pre-existing conditions,

that might make you want to purchase insurance within a few

days of booking (or what ever the rules are)

[RocketMan275]

Sometimes, there are special rules for pre-existing conditions,

that might make you want to purchase insurance within a few

days of booking (or what ever the rules are)

 

Furthermore, you don't have to insure the full value of the cruise. If you buy insurance at the time you book, insure the cruise for the amount of the deposit. Then, when you make additional payments, ie, final payment, then call and increase the amount of insurance. Your initial insurance price will be small but will increase as you increase the value insured.

 

Yes, I this is what my insurance agent told me to do.

[mmckm]

Sometimes, there are special rules for pre-existing conditions,

that might make you want to purchase insurance within a few

days of booking (or what ever the rules are)

 

Thats why I said you have to understand their rules and whats in the small print to know if your covered before you buy. Pre-existing conditions are the hardest to get a clarification for from insurance company's when talking to them or reading the small print.

[azbirdmom]

What am I missing? I had to cancel a trip early last year before final payment and didn't lose anything they just gave me back my FCC. Does Princess have a no refund policy for deposits? Or is it on only some bookings. I don't remember ever seeing this up to final payment then I know you would need the insurance to get some of it back.

I have 600.00 on the trip in May and final is due in a few weeks maybe I better look into this. Heaven forbid something happens and I lose the 600 even though we keep the Princess insurance.

 

Guessing the OP cancelled after final payment date. Assuming the cancelled trip is the one in the OP's signature, it is 46 days away and OP probably cancelled within 57 - 74 days which according to the passage contract means a loss of deposit. All I can do is guess though because the OP has not been back to provide further details.

[RocketMan275]

What am I missing? I had to cancel a trip early last year before final payment and didn't lose anything they just gave me back my FCC. Does Princess have a no refund policy for deposits? Or is it on only some bookings. I don't remember ever seeing this up to final payment then I know you would need the insurance to get some of it back.

I have 600.00 on the trip in May and final is due in a few weeks maybe I better look into this. Heaven forbid something happens and I lose the 600 even though we keep the Princess insurance.

 

I've only encountered a No-Refund-Deposit one time. I had booked an aft balcony (refundable) for $1350 PP. A price drop took it down to $1150 PP. It went back to $1350 a week later. About a month later, the price dropped to $850PP. The PCP said that if I re-booked, the deposit would become Non-Refundable. I rebooked to save the $600.

[Viesczy]

Princess already DID make an exception and offered a credit for their next cruise. The OP refused that. End of story.

 

Quoting above for TRUTH.

 

While it stinks that they're not going to be able to do that cruise, Princess gave them a chance to "save" the $ by moving the deposit to a future cruise and they said no to the offer, so they said no to their money.

 

Honestly, that's all on the OP and not Princess. Princess tried to accommodate them.

[satxdiver]

I have had cruises where the deposit was not refundable. The cruise was booked during a sale where Princess clearly stated the deposit (always a FCC for us) was not refundable. The alternative was to book under the normal price and the deposit would be refundable but the sale price was just too good to pass up. What it boiled down to was a lot to gain while risking a small deposit of $200.

 

The OP who has not been back since the first posting was unreasonable. Princess held out a reasonable compromise in allowing the deposit to be transferred within a year to another cruise and the OP refused and then ranted on CC. The few times I and Princess have had a problem, they have always tried to compromise so that each got something which I have found acceptable. It simply is good business policy on their part.

[RDC1]

I used to have a customer service department report to me. One would be amazed how many people feel that any response except giving them exactly what they want is a rude response. As often as not rude represents the attitude of the caller more so than the customer service agent.

 

In all of my dealings with Princess customer service, most dealing with bookings, a few dealing with problems, I have never run into an agent that was not professional, and very friendly. I have been amazed at that aspect of their customer service organization. There have been times where they could not give me what I wanted, but they always have done so in a friendly manner and have explained exactly why.

Edited December 29, 2015 by RDC1

[pcur]

This is the second post in 10 minutes on this Princess board where I've read someone complaining about Princess' customer service not bending the policy for the poster's "special" situation. I'm getting the impression people think that the more cruises they taken, or the more money they've spent, or the more money they are going to spend in the future, that it entitles them to special treatment.

 

I've got cruises booked on Azamara, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, NCL, and Princess right now, and I'm seeing this frequently as I read these boards, so it's not just Princess.

[geoherb]

The good thing I think of when I read complaints such as the OP's is that I hope he keeps his promise to never sail on Princess again. That way I won't have to endure running into him on one.

[tazza_0712]

This thread makes Princess look good! They have been slowly edging their way to my favourite cruise line and this has helped move them up one more rung. Thanks OP!

 

It's nice to read that they actually offered you the ability to reuse your deposit on a future cruise booking, despite being under no obligation to return your deposit to you. Well done, Princess!

 

 

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