How Princess lost $100k

[Beechcruiser]

We've taken several cruises with Princess and reached the Ruby level. We booked a future cruise and were planning to book a cruise around the world. On a recent trip we needed to print our boarding passes and used the Internet cafe. The hostess was helpful in assisting us select per minute charge and within around six minutes we were on our way. We figured under $10. After leaving the ship we noticed a $50 Internet charge. We thought this an easy error for Princess to correct and opened a case with them. After several weeks we got a call back from the customer service rep there was no error and the charge would not be removed and there was nobody we cold escalate to. I pointed out that we had planned $100k in future business we would take elsewhere and he didnt care. I wrote a letter to Princess summarizing their error and they never replied. I don't really care about $50 but I'll take my business elsewhere if Princess doesn't understand basic customer service.

[sun&sea]

Seems strange that if you don't really care about $50, you would cancel a trip of a lifetime. :eek::eek:

 

To each his own, I guess. Thanks for sharing. Good luck to you.

[Times Prince]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

Hope you find what you are looking for.

 

You state that you logged on in the Internet Café on the last day of the cruise (judging by the fact that airlines don't let one print boarding passes until 24 hours before flight time), and took "around six minutes" to do so. And this had to be in prime time because an attendant was there.

 

Absolutely, totally, incredibly AMAZING!

 

Even with a very quick online check-in it has never taken me less than 20 minutes to accomplish this task, and most times it takes around 45 minutes. This is because of the number of passengers using the satellite connection bandwidth during prime time (afternoon / evening on the last day).

 

So it may have seemed like around 6 minutes to you , but was likely much, much more.

 

Heck, it even took me more than 6 minutes to type this response.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I haven't had to print out a boarding pass (I'm guessing for a flight) while on a ship so not sure how that works. But for our last cruise we did purchase an Internet package for our two week cruise (especially as our 15-year-old was with us:rolleyes:). Did you ask ahead of time how much this would have cost?

 

BTW, once you've been on at least five Princess cruises, and get Platinum status, you'll get some Internet minutes for free.

[moki'smommy]

On our November cruise (Caribbean Princess) they offered a special package on the last day--$9 for 15 minutes specifically designed for people who needed to check in with airlines or other travel arrangements. It worked very well and we were pleased with the speed. We finished our "business" and had 6 minutes left to download some e-mails. At the end of the 15 minutes, we were given a choice to extend our package or to log off (play time was over.)

[icat2000]

Princess didn't lose anything cause they never had it in the first place.

[MGAfhc]

Are you certain that you logged out correctly? On a November cruise, three times we sat down at a terminal in the internet center and found some one else's time still running.

[AKman2495]

Princess didn't lose anything cause they never had it in the first place.

 

Exactly. Just like when he told them I was planning on spending $100k on a cruise....Big deal. If he had paid of the cruise in full and then threatened to cancel-that might get their attention otherwise...blah...blah...blah...

[Colo Cruiser]

We've taken several cruises with Princess and reached the Ruby level. We booked a future cruise and were planning to book a cruise around the world. On a recent trip we needed to print our boarding passes and used the Internet cafe. The hostess was helpful in assisting us select per minute charge and within around six minutes we were on our way. We figured under $10. After leaving the ship we noticed a $50 Internet charge. We thought this an easy error for Princess to correct and opened a case with them. After several weeks we got a call back from the customer service rep there was no error and the charge would not be removed and there was nobody we cold escalate to. I pointed out that we had planned $100k in future business we would take elsewhere and he didnt care. I wrote a letter to Princess summarizing their error and they never replied. I don't really care about $50 but I'll take my business elsewhere if Princess doesn't understand basic customer service.

 

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!! Post often!! :)

[TracieABD]

You should have received a statement listing your charges sometime in the middle of the last night. It is the cruisers responsibility to review those charges. If you see something that is amiss, you should have taken care of it before you disembarked.

 

I have found that when I am in dispute (I used to be a mediator) that if I am willing to admit my fault, the other party will often admit their fault- then an agreement can be reached. This works much much better in person than over the phone.

 

As to the 100k loss, they will find a way to fill that slot. No worries there.

[RocketMan275]

I don't really care about $50 but I'll take my business elsewhere if Princess doesn't understand basic customer service.

 

When someone claims "it isn't about the money", it's a very safe bet that it is "about the money".

[ar1950]

Losing $100K, huh? Obviously the OP doesn't realize that those world cruises seem to be totally booked up every time they are done. If not from him Princess will still get that $100K from someone.

Edited December 29, 2015 by ar1950

[pmcue]

While I don't know the OP or if this all really happened, I do know the following. You can do a boarding Pass in 5 minutes, you can logoff but have the meter keep running and a one time post is not going to be embarrassing to Princess over internet usage. Maybe someone could have given benefit of not doubting and offered something of value.

[Potstech]

Also the OP doesn't mention the cost to print "boarding passES". If I remeber properly it costs several dollars per page to prnt anything out on board and is not the fastest process. Why didn't he just check in then get his pass at one of the kiosks at the airport when he checked he checked his luggage in. Seems he is not a veray savy traveller.

 

If he can spend 100K on a world cruise for several people why is he complaining about $50.00 on an Internet charge?

 

Wonder if he will ever post back

[Lucky TGO]

We've taken several cruises with Princess and reached the Ruby level. We booked a future cruise and were planning to book a cruise around the world. On a recent trip we needed to print our boarding passes and used the Internet cafe. The hostess was helpful in assisting us select per minute charge and within around six minutes we were on our way. We figured under $10. After leaving the ship we noticed a $50 Internet charge. We thought this an easy error for Princess to correct and opened a case with them. After several weeks we got a call back from the customer service rep there was no error and the charge would not be removed and there was nobody we cold escalate to. I pointed out that we had planned $100k in future business we would take elsewhere and he didnt care. I wrote a letter to Princess summarizing their error and they never replied. I don't really care about $50 but I'll take my business elsewhere if Princess doesn't understand basic customer service.

 

Wow for $100k l will take you on my boat⛵️

Tony

[Fargo55]

Would probably have just waited until I got to the airport and done it for free

[windsor26]

I always check in on line on the last before day of the cruise and print the boarding passes at 50 cents per page no problems at all Usually takes about 10 minutes for everything

[baldercash]

Seems strange that if you don't really care about $50, you would cancel a trip of a lifetime. :eek::eek:

 

To each his own, I guess. Thanks for sharing. Good luck to you.

 

They did not cancel a trip of a life time they canceled their cruise plans with Princess they intend to do the cruise of a life time on another cruise line.

 

"To each his own, I guess. Thanks for sharing. Good luck to you." This likely sounds like what Princess customer service said to them.

 

Cheers

[SadieN]

Do not have to print your boarding passes when you check in. There are three options for boarding passes--print, on your smart phone or print at the airport.

[RDC1]

I wonder if they logged out correctly. If they were not familiar with the system it is possible that they forgot to logoff after they got their boarding passes.

[eandj]

Mistakes happen. On both sides. I'd think not logging off was the problem. It seems to be enough of a problem that there are reminders posted.

 

I agree a threat of "losing 100K" of future business is kind of silly. shrug

Edited December 29, 2015 by eandj

[iceleven]

Is there a maximum time-out for usage when a person forgets to log off? Is it at all possible that there could be a much larger charge if someone forgot to log off?

 

BTW, we printed out 6+ pages of a car rental contract and was not charged anything for the printing.

[coo359a2]

Is there a maximum time-out for usage when a person forgets to log off? Is it at all possible that there could be a much larger charge if someone forgot to log off?

 

BTW, we printed out 6+ pages of a car rental contract and was not charged anything for the printing.

 

Even with Elite minutes I am careful or try to be when logging off. Was on the Caribbean Princess this month and one night I thought I had logged of my iPad around 10pm. Woke up the next morning and had only 38 minutes left instead of about 127 and it did show that I was still logged in. Went right down to the Internet Manager. He check my record and it had 89 minutes used with a log in around 10pm. My past usage times were about 4 - 7 minutes for each of my log ins. Based on that he gave me back 89 minutes. He told me that the server times out after 89 minutes of non use. I had thought it would have continued counting until all the remaining minutes were used.

__________________

Tina & Ken

Edited December 29, 2015 by coo359a2

[rob2102]

Hey a lot of tuff love here, but I don't think it was princess faults. And I wouldn't expect good results from a company thru cheap threats.. Stay or switch over 50 bucks, your choice.

[Brad1185]

Good for you in doing that. Someday I hope the cruise lines will value their customers rather than treat them like you were treated.

 

More people need to do what you have done. I applaud you for taking a stance where Princess easily could have fixed their error and kept a very profitable customer happy.