HELP! Princess phone lines busy/no answer for past week

[remydiva]

I'm trying to get through to put final payment down on my cruise. Another friend is trying to book a cruise. Phone lines at 1-800-Princess either say phone back before 9 am and after 3 pm PST or you get music then are cut off or nothing (I have picked all three options 1, 2, 3)

I'm in BC with snow but this shouldn't affect Princess phone reps.

Anyone else?

What to do?

[roxievegas]

i have been trying to call for two days also.  I can wait, but if you need to make final payment, you may want to do it online.

[Storm Monkey]

We made final payment on line in the cruise personalizer. I would recommend doing that if it is urgent to get your payment in. 

[idahospud]

They have been slammed. Even the TA line, which is usually pretty quick to get someone to answer, has had long waits. We've been told to do as much as we can online and only call in if we absolutely have to. 

[voljeep]

gotta wonder how much BSE added to their workload since most, if not all of that has to be done directly with Princess or a TA if you're doing the 'add-on' to an existing booking ?

[Ombud]

Calls to my PVP have been routed to support staff for the 1st time ever. (But she calls back. Told her I'd just email for now)

 

I'm wondering what the lines will be link during the 1 week B.S.E. + $200 off air to Europe as according to idahospud the sale is only for 1 week 

 

[Hlitner]

Just one more reason why we love using decent cruise agencies/agents.  When I want or need something it just takes a few seconds to send an e-mail.  No waiting on hold.  And it is also nice to get all that additional OBC.

 

Hank

[remydiva]

**EDIT UPDATE** I ended up phoning our Personal Cruise Planner whom I have never used before as I always seem to book cruises 'after hours'. In any case, she took my payment info and had NOT heard any complaints about the main phone line but said she'd pass the info along. 😒. I said Princess was losing customers as I know a friend of ours new to Princess wanted to book but gave up after one hour on hold. I have since passed along our PCP number so he can book if he still is interested.

 

I didn't know about the BSE...I stop looking at the emails for a while once I've booked something but they've had big sales before and the phone lines haven't clogged up. I wonder whats up?

[pro76]

I had been trying to call for over a week and refuse to be on hold for more than 15 minutes. Yesterday I called and got a recording saying there were over 100 callers ahead of me. I hung up and called right back and they picked up on the first ring. Go figure?

[remydiva]

8 minutes ago, pro76 said:

I had been trying to call for over a week and refuse to be on hold for more than 15 minutes. Yesterday I called and got a recording saying there were over 100 callers ahead of me. I hung up and called right back and they picked up on the first ring. Go figure?

US must have different switchboard. Here in Canada, I never even got that far. Just said 'experiencing longer than usual delays. Try calling back before 9 am PST or after 3 pm PST.' I tried that and got the same message. Today I clicked on Option 1 (for TA) and Option 2 (book shore excursions) as Option 3 gave me the phone back message. Was on hold for Option 2 for 15 min then line went dead. Option 1 nothing.

[dag144]

This is an excellent reason to sail with other lines.  Punish Princess where it hurts in the pocketbook!

[DrivesLikeMario]

Trust me - that rep is not telling you the truth.  The phone problems have been going on for well over a week and some agents are spending up to 2.5 hrs. to get through and if you're lucky, it's "only" been about 45 mins.  It's the worst I have ever seen for any cruise line, ever.  They are WELL aware there's a problem.  Everyone has been in an uproar about it.  The reps are just being told to play dumb.  

Edited January 16, 2020 by DrivesLikeMario

[voljeep]

1 beer  hold time just now … j/s 🍺 … aka 25 minutes

[Hlitner]

3 hours ago, DrivesLikeMario said:

Trust me - that rep is not telling you the truth.  The phone problems have been going on for well over a week and some agents are spending up to 2.5 hrs. to get through and if you're lucky, it's "only" been about 45 mins.  It's the worst I have ever seen for any cruise line, ever.  They are WELL aware there's a problem.  Everyone has been in an uproar about it.  The reps are just being told to play dumb.  

You mean the reps need to be "told to play dumb?"

 

Hank

[pablo222]

8 hours ago, remydiva said:

I'm trying to get through to put final payment down on my cruise.

If you are having this much trouble trying to give princess money...

 

What do you think will happen if you try and call with a problem?
 

[fluffybunny22]

Celebrity is running a sale and picked up on the first ring today.

[mammajamma2013]

I called last Thursday, got the "experiencing longer wait times than usual", was asked to call back before 9 or after 4 (Paific Standard Time), then a hang-up. I called back after 4 on Monday, was on hold for 40 minutes and hung up. I called back Tuesday before 9 and got someone right away and was able to take care of my request. The rep was very polite and helpful, no tension evident in his voice as if he might have been stressed.

 

I don't usually deal with Princess by phone but this was the first time I'd gotten the "call back" request. I didn't think any of this was unreasonable, I figured they were busy and appreciated the help I got.

 

 

[polmcs]

I called Princess late this morning (PST) and got the call before 9, or after 3 message. I was on hold for about 20 mins before reaching an agent. 

[mcrcruiser]

WOW !!😉 is the best word to describe  those phone problems .  We book only with trusted TAs  .We  do use their web site ;but ,I  do not /will not phone them 

[avonlady6390]

I book online at princess web site and use cruise personlizer to make final payment and purchase shore excursions I have rarely had to call princess since the cruises I've booked haven't gone down in price before final payment.

[nasa1974]

The wait time on the Princess 800 number has been going on for at least three weeks. I have had the same experience about long wait times, try calling back tomorrow afternoon the message says. I have called right back and gotten a Princess rep. One said that they have been busy because of the BSE and another told me it was everyone booking last minute Spring Break cruises. Last Saturday my TA and I waited an hour and a half for a Princess rep. He said he has never had to wait that long even with their big sale events and thinks Princess is training new people.

[BigGuy25]

In my opinion, this has been a huge customer service issue for Princess for many years. Exceeding long hold times are unacceptable ... especially for companies like this.  You might excuse this if you’re calling a small company about a small problem with an inexpensive item. But, we’re calling Princess about issues related to a product that we’re spending thousands of dollars on!!  Princess ... you can do better!!

[LB_NJ]

I think it is the new BSE reaching a peak.  This is because it is a great sale and can be applied to previous bookings.  I applied it to a booking I made a year ago.

 

I don't think it helps that the travel agents are also calling Princess about the BSE even though they shouldn't have to.

[Felix331]

It's "WAVE" season (Jan and early Feb) aka when they offer the best deals and the phone lines are always backed up. 

[idahospud]

41 minutes ago, LB_NJ said:

I think it is the new BSE reaching a peak.  This is because it is a great sale and can be applied to previous bookings.  I applied it to a booking I made a year ago.

 

I don't think it helps that the travel agents are also calling Princess about the BSE even though they shouldn't have to.

Yep. It's the add-ons for existing bookings that are gumming up the system.

 

If passengers booked on their own they have to call in to get it added on. If passengers used a travel agent, it's super-easy for the TA to add the codes in online without a call. But the TAs who don't work a lot with Princess are calling in to have them do it for them. Either they aren't paying attention to the directions or just aren't familiar enough with the ins and outs of the online booking system. So yes, you can blame some of the TAs, too.