Two different bookings for the same time

[Cruise Raider]

12 hours ago, neverbeenhere said:

Hmmm..

Cruiselines offer $1 and $25 deposits. The 49er hater relative can book as many cruise staterooms as she likes. If she booked the stateroom you wanted, next time you will book earlier. 

 

 

49er hater ... you may have that right!!  hahaha

Believe it or not, I actually favor the green and gold ... Go Pack Go!!  

[Coral]

38 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

Maybe the solution to this whole issue that would make people happy would be if Princess created 'wait lists' for cabins which are already booked.  This way if the cabin is not available because it is reserved for travel agents or it has been booked by a PAX making multiple bookings and the cabin becomes available, the first person on the list would be offered the cabin.  This seems fair to me.

 

With computer systems being as sophisticated as they are, it shouldn't be a huge expense to implement.

 

Princess's current waitlist for categories don't seem to work right now. Their strengths are not in IT.

[Cruise Raider]

39 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

Maybe the solution to this whole issue that would make people happy would be if Princess created 'wait lists' for cabins which are already booked.  This way if the cabin is not available because it is reserved for travel agents or it has been booked by a PAX making multiple bookings and the cabin becomes available, the first person on the list would be offered the cabin.  This seems fair to me.

 

With computer systems being as sophisticated as they are, it shouldn't be a huge expense to implement.

 

 

Celebrity already does this ... so, yes, it is possible.  

[Steelers36]

14 minutes ago, Coral said:

Princess's current waitlist for categories don't seem to work right now. Their strengths are not in IT.

The last sentence seems true from many experiences I have had.  In terms of a WL, we are WL on a cruise for first time (one of the Island WC segments in 2021 that they only opened up very few cabins on originally).  Our wait shows IF, but I was told it would be any Inside.  I am not so sure about that.  I still check it periodically, but I figure they wanted to sell out 2020 first.

 

 

[Coral]

Just now, steelers36 said:

The last sentence seems true from many experiences I have had.  In terms of a WL, we are WL on a cruise for first time (one of the Island WC segments in 2021 that they only opened up very few cabins on originally).  Our wait shows IF, but I was told it would be any Inside.  I am not so sure about that.  I still check it periodically, but I figure they wanted to sell out 2020 first.

I was waitlisted for a mini suite as I was doing a B2B2B. I happened to see the same cabin available I had for the other 2 legs available on the website. I called and got it. A few weeks later I was on the phone with Princess - they said "do you still want this waitlist?". I had never been notified a cabin had become available and several had.

 

This has been several years but I remember reading that Princess laid off a lot of their IT staff and outsourced it to another country. Sad.

[Cruise Raider]

I guess the issue at hand is that anytime someone books a cruise with a refundable deposit, they are blocking others from booking that same cabin.  Thus, whenever someone cancels any cruise, whether it be for work, family, health, jury duty, weather, travel, marital or financial issues, etc ... or even just someone changing their mind, that cabin was essentially off the market for others to book into it.  

Some cruiselines do not allow you to book two different sailings that occur at the very same time ... Princess is more than ok with it, though.  🙂 

 

[beg3yrs]

24 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

.....

Some cruiselines do not allow you to book two different sailings that occur at the very same time ... Princess is more than ok with it, though.  🙂 

 

It might be simply another IT issue. It may be beyond the capabilities of the IT staff to write some code that detects simultaneous bookings.

[ontheweb]

So should there be any limit? Is it ok to have 3 cruises booked at the same time? 5? 10? 50? 100?

 

And if I'm not mistaken the cruise line will not let you have more than one excursion booked at the same time. No one will get shut out while you take your time to decide.

[Potstech]

Does not seem to be that big of a problem so why establish something to solve a nonexistent problem.  Other than a few posters here where is the big out cry for this?

[Cruise Raider]

1 hour ago, beg3yrs said:

It might be simply another IT issue. It may be beyond the capabilities of the IT staff to write some code that detects simultaneous bookings.

 

I was perfectly honest with them down at Princess.  They told me it was truly not a problem!  It may stem from an IT issue, however there is nothing in their policy to disallow this.  

[capriccio]

1 hour ago, Potstech said:

Does not seem to be that big of a problem so why establish something to solve a nonexistent problem.  Other than a few posters here where is the big out cry for this?

 

How many cruisers (who don't read cruise critic) even realize that multiple bookings are possible?  I am sure if their preferred cabin was not available and they were told by the cruise line that it was because another cruiser had multiple bookings for the same cruise, they would complain.

 

As a frequent reader and sometime contributor to the Florida Departures board, I've seen a similar problem with hotel bookings during prime periods when some posters are desperate to find a hotel and others post that they have reserved 2 or more different hotels for the same period and will 'cancel one when we make up our mind closer to the date.'  Of course there is nothing stopping someone from doing that either but it is awfully self-centered.

[OzKiwiJJ]

10 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

I guess the issue at hand is that anytime someone books a cruise with a refundable deposit, they are blocking others from booking that same cabin.  Thus, whenever someone cancels any cruise, whether it be for work, family, health, jury duty, weather, travel, marital or financial issues, etc ... or even just someone changing their mind, that cabin was essentially off the market for others to book into it.  

 

 

Exactly. Using the logic that some people are using nobody should be allowed to book a cabin using a refundable deposit if there is the remotest chance they might have to cancel, just in case they choose a cabin that someone else might want. 🙄 Since none of us can predict the future that means that no-one should be allowed to book cruises until the cancellation penalty period starts. 🙄

 

Of course that would cause chaos with the booking systems! 

 

Let's use a little common sense and realize that there will always be some early bookings that are subsequently cancelled. Princess has tightened up the FCD issue where people could cancel right up to final payment date without losing their FCD  - now the FCD is treated like a cash deposit which is lost once the cancellation penalty period starts. Presumably this has resulted in less multiple same-period bookings now, and those that still happen are resolved earlier.

[Daniel A]

21 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

I guess the issue at hand is that anytime someone books a cruise with a refundable deposit, they are blocking others from booking that same cabin. 

 

 

11 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Using the logic that some people are using nobody should be allowed to book a cabin using a refundable deposit

I just want to clarify my position and correct the premises of the above quotes.  What I believe is wrong is not someone who books a cabin they fully intend to use and subsequently needs to cancel due to a change of circumstances.  That is completely understandable.  What I believe is wrong is when people intentionally book cabins they know they will not use solely for the purpose of keeping them away from others until they decide what they want to do.

 

I'm not looking to further the discussion with this post, but I didn't want the point of the discussion being cast retroactively as a matter of refundable deposits - the issue here is when people deliberately keep cabins away from others because of indecisiveness.  My belief is that this practice is unethical and just because Princess doesn't block the practice doesn't make it fair to others.

[Potstech]

You are entitled to your belief as others are if theirs. Princess has the final say so and they have spoken by allowing this to occur.  Nothing unethical about it at all. As you probably know life isn't fair at all. Doubt this will change anytime soon.

[Kingofcool1947]

On 8/1/2019 at 12:08 PM, Cruise Raider said:

I know this is frowned upon and wouldn't let it go on for a long time period,  but I see some great prices on a couple of different cruises for which I am interested.  Is it possible to carry two different bookings on Princess that have refundable deposits for the same time period?  I would like to get the cabins I prefer and look for feedback from those that will be travelling with us as to which one sounds better.  Both are over a year from now but it might take others a month to make their decisions.  I wouldn't be booking for everyone, just one cabin on each... 

What do you think?  

 

Why not?  It is no one’s business how many bookings you do for the same time period.  They are just placeholders anyway.    Gives you time to consider the best deal.  Princess does not care.   There is no limit imposed by Princess.   Sometimes up to 10  bookings, so 2 is no problem.   Just cancel the bookings you are not going to use expire before final payment is due..  You will get refunds on all your deposits anyway.

Good luck.  And enjoy your cruise.

 

Edited August 4, 2019 by Kingofcool1947

[Colo Cruiser]

5 hours ago, Daniel A said:

 

I just want to clarify my position and correct the premises of the above quotes.  What I believe is wrong is not someone who books a cabin they fully intend to use and subsequently needs to cancel due to a change of circumstances.  That is completely understandable.  What I believe is wrong is when people intentionally book cabins they know they will not use solely for the purpose of keeping them away from others until they decide what they want to do.

 

I'm not looking to further the discussion with this post, but I didn't want the point of the discussion being cast retroactively as a matter of refundable deposits - the issue here is when people deliberately keep cabins away from others because of indecisiveness.  My belief is that this practice is unethical and just because Princess doesn't block the practice doesn't make it fair to others.

Agree.

[Kingofcool1947]

1 hour ago, Potstech said:

You are entitled to your belief as others are if theirs. Princess has the final say so and they have spoken by allowing this to occur.  Nothing unethical about it at all. As you probably know life isn't fair at all. Doubt this will change anytime soon.

 

 

Agree. 👍.  As long as Princess slows this practice.  

Edited August 4, 2019 by Kingofcool1947

[Colo Cruiser]

On 8/3/2019 at 12:14 PM, capriccio said:

 

How many cruisers (who don't read cruise critic) even realize that multiple bookings are possible?  I am sure if their preferred cabin was not available and they were told by the cruise line that it was because another cruiser had multiple bookings for the same cruise, they would complain.

 

As a frequent reader and sometime contributor to the Florida Departures board, I've seen a similar problem with hotel bookings during prime periods when some posters are desperate to find a hotel and others post that they have reserved 2 or more different hotels for the same period and will 'cancel one when we make up our mind closer to the date.'  Of course there is nothing stopping someone from doing that either but it is awfully self-centered.

Agree.

[Cruise Raider]

4 hours ago, Kingofcool1947 said:

 

Why not?  It is no one’s business how many bookings you do for the same time period.  They are just placeholders anyway.    Gives you time to consider the best deal.  Princess does not care.   There is no limit imposed by Princess.   Sometimes up to 10  bookings, so 2 is no problem.   Just cancel the bookings you are not going to use expire before final payment is due..  You will get refunds on all your deposits anyway.

Good luck.  And enjoy your cruise.

 

 

Will do ... and thanks!!  

[Potstech]

3 hours ago, Kingofcool1947 said:

 

 

Agree. 👍.  As long as Princess slows this practice.  

They won't.