Phone call from Princess today

[Scauronga]

Wondering if anyone else, who's sailing tomorrow on the Island, received a call from Princess offering us, a full refund and airline change fees, and the opportunity to rebook another cruise of same duration? I asked why they were calling, if there was a problem with the ship, mechanical or medical? The reply was no, everything fine, but they're overbooked, and are reassigning some cabins. Seemed a little odd. This has never happened in years of cruising. I have received calls at last minute to upgrade but never to cancel. Thoughts?

[GRAYTech]

...a full refund and airline change fees, and the opportunity to rebook another cruise of same duration?...

 

Not sailing tomorrow and never had a call to cancel but I'm wondering - is the re-book a free cruise? If it was I would do it in a heartbeat if the timing worked.

[Coral]

This is more common than one thinks. Sort of like asking for volunteers to take a later flight but it is a cruise at a later date. We have had many move over offers.

[paul929207]

Cruise lines book cabins expecting a few last minute cancelations. Apparently, not as many cancelations on your cruise as projected. Therefore, the ship is oversold.

[hpeabody]

This is a move over offer and Princess is known to do this. Nothing to worry about. If you like the terms and have flexibility it's a nice offer. But if your heart is set on the cruise just do not accept it. It is Holiday time, so I am not really surprised.

[easyboy]

Received move over offers before by email weeks before sailing, but not thru a phone call a few days before.

 

 

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[Nashna]

This does frequently occur when a holiday cruise is oversold. I have had clients offered a totally free cruise in addition to a full refund to cancel. Typically, the calls are to travel agents first who are also offered an incentive to get their clients rebooked on another cruise. Many times the cruise line will contact guests within driving distance of the port first as they do not need to cancel flights. The closer to the sailing the sweeter the deal.

[bonship]

This has happened to us two times but via email about a week before cruise. We took one offer to South America and passed on the other cruise that went to Baltic. Great deal if you can make it work and nothing to worry about.

[pandora518]

Yes, it just happened to friends of ours. They got full refund, free cruise, and airfare. Sweet deal.

[eclue]

We got a move over offer about a year ago - and we took it !!

 

Got the free cruise - I would take it in a heartbeat if work schedules, etc allow..

 

eclue:rolleyes:

[satxdiver]

The ship is oversold and this is an act of desperation by Princess to solve the problem before they have to involuntarily bump some pax resulting in very hard feelings and a PR disaster. It happens occasionally and sounds like the TA appeal did not cause enough to move over. If I were to get one, depending on the cruise, I would definitely jump on it as I have flexibility being retired.

 

I used to fly every week for my job. One Friday night as we all sat on the plane waiting for takeoff, heavily populated with business people most with elevated status and going home for the weekend, they had oversold the aircraft. The gate agent came on the airplane 5 times, each time offering a sweeter deal and promises of the last offer to get 6 to leave and take a flight the next day. It finally took $500 in cash and a ticket on the plane tomorrow (ticket cost was around $150 r/t at the time) to get the 6 to volunteer. As an American, I would never identify the airline however.

[Coral]

The ship is oversold and this is an act of desperation by Princess to solve the problem before they have to involuntarily bump some pax resulting in very hard feelings and a PR disaster. It happens occasionally and sounds like the TA appeal did not cause enough to move over. If I were to get one, depending on the cruise, I would definitely jump on it as I have flexibility being retired.

 

 

I always thought I would take advantage of it. I was called on probably 50% of my cruises (and I live in the midwest, so much for those close to the port). Every time I was offered it, I turned it down. A lot of times I was using FF miles, was cruising over a holiday to save vacation time or had nonrefundable hotel or tours that would be difficult to re-arrange. Flights was the biggest issue. Of course they are offering this a week or a few days before when I am already packed and in vacation mode. One time it was a coastal in May and the alternative cruise was the coastal in the September. I didn't want to wait 4 months for a cruise.

 

I used to fly every week for my job. One Friday night as we all sat on the plane waiting for takeoff, heavily populated with business people most with elevated status and going home for the weekend, they had oversold the aircraft. The gate agent came on the airplane 5 times, each time offering a sweeter deal and promises of the last offer to get 6 to leave and take a flight the next day. It finally took $500 in cash and a ticket on the plane tomorrow (ticket cost was around $150 r/t at the time) to get the 6 to volunteer. As an American, I would never identify the airline however.

 

Too funny. I do remember several times when they would be on the plane with everyone seated begging people to take a bump. I think now they handle it so much better before people get on the plane (or maybe they don't).

Edited December 20, 2016 by Coral

[Colo Cruiser]

It happens quite often. Not desperation but part of their business. Princess has this down to a science. Depending on how sweet the deal is made they always have takers. It works well for Princess and those that choose to move over.

[riclop]

Wondering if anyone else, who's sailing tomorrow on the Island, received a call from Princess offering us, a full refund and airline change fees, and the opportunity to rebook another cruise of same duration? I asked why they were calling, if there was a problem with the ship, mechanical or medical? The reply was no, everything fine, but they're overbooked, and are reassigning some cabins. Seemed a little odd. This has never happened in years of cruising. I have received calls at last minute to upgrade but never to cancel. Thoughts?

 

They sound like an airline.

[eagletwo]

We were contacted by our TA two days before our cruise leaving on December 3rd, Princess wanted our cabins, E731 and R731. We were offered D106/D102, family suite plus $2100 on board credit. Wow! We took the deal. Great cruise! This suite is on the port side up front. Balcony gets very windy at sea. If Princess ever offered us this same deal, we would take this family suite in a New minute.

[jrzebird]

It happens quite often. Not desperation but part of their business. Princess has this down to a science. Depending on how sweet the deal is made they always have takers. It works well for Princess and those that choose to move over.

 

I've been asked several times to take a move over on a flight. Sometimes at the airport and a couple times in the plane. I never took it because I wanted to go, NOW!

 

The only time I got a move over offer from Princess was unbelievable. I still don't understand it. It was 2 or 3 days before I was to leave on a 4 day cruise to Bermuda, followed by the 10 day repo. It was the cruise right before Superstorm Sandy. Somehow they offered me a good deal on a moveover, although I don't recall exactly what it was. We all knew Sandy was on the way and would most likely hit us hard, yet they offered a moveover, indicating they were full! The cruise was quite empty (probably down 25%) when she sailed. Go figure. The repo was much emptier. But a wonderful cruise, superstorm and all. Oh, and we never did do the 4-day to Bermuda, we diverted to Boston for 6 days!

 

Maureen

Edited December 20, 2016 by jrzebird

[Cruisin' Chick]

Back in 2003, the day before we were going on Princess for the first time, we got a call like that. full refund and an upgrade from the lowest category cabin to a balcony if we postpone our cruise for a few weeks. the message on our answering machine was basically: don't worry you still have your cabin, but your cruise is overbooked..."

 

We didn't have any flights or hotel booked (we were an hour's drive from the port), but we were packed, had our girl's kinder homework already in hand, and anxious to see how different Princess was from carnival...so we didn't call the number back.

 

Our other moveover offer was for one of our Hawaiian cruises. Got an email offering a 50 per cent refund if we take a later cruise. That was the only time we could go (during winter break from school) so we didn't respond.

 

I think Princess will increase the incentives if they don't initially get a bite.

[Lucky TGO]

It happened to a friend of mine and he took the offer and is still happy he did.

Tony

[RotaryMike]

We've got a "B2 guarantee" booked on the Coral next month, never done it before but we decided to join friends on the cruise late, maybe we'll get bumped up to a mini !! :):cool::)

[spyro1952]

the deal that the OP was offered wasn't an incentive (IMHO) to change any plans. A refund of a cruise that was already paid for and money that goes to the airlines to change ticket dates?? What's in it for their inconvenience? Nothing - go on the cruise!!!

[GRAYTech]

the deal that the OP was offered wasn't an incentive (IMHO) to change any plans. A refund of a cruise that was already paid for and money that goes to the airlines to change ticket dates?? What's in it for their inconvenience? Nothing - go on the cruise!!!

 

I think the OP got a move over offer which includes a refund of what was paid, flight change fees AND a re-book for the same length of cruise for free.

 

I would take that if it worked / wasn't cruising with others etc.

[geoherb]

the deal that the OP was offered wasn't an incentive (IMHO) to change any plans. A refund of a cruise that was already paid for and money that goes to the airlines to change ticket dates?? What's in it for their inconvenience? Nothing - go on the cruise!!!

I think what the OP meant by "the opportunity to rebook another cruise of same duration" was that the new cruise would be free. Otherwise, there's no reason for the cruise to be of the same duration.

 

The only time we received a move-over offer was on a holiday cruise on the Sun several years ago. We heard about offers being made from people at our meet and greet. When we got home, I saw that we had such an offer in my emails. It didn't matter that I did not see it before our cruise. We wouldn't have taken it even if we had known about it before the cruise since DH's vacation schedule from his teach job at that time wouldn't have allowed us to take one of the cruises Princess was offering.

[Coral]

the deal that the OP was offered wasn't an incentive (IMHO) to change any plans. A refund of a cruise that was already paid for and money that goes to the airlines to change ticket dates?? What's in it for their inconvenience? Nothing - go on the cruise!!!

 

Some of my offers have been a refund of booked cruise and the next cruise free. The refund is OBC on the next cruise and then whatever is not spent will be refunded.

[Thrak]

When we were working it likely never would have worked for us. Now that we are (finally!) retired we would very definitely consider a move over. A free cruise isn't something to take lightly. :D

[dchip]

Our 1-24-17 cruise on the Grand has been sold out for a week. We are hoping we get a move over offer. Finally being retired, and an hour from the port, has its benefits.

 

Cheers, Denise