Oh Bummer! my Princess rep, didn't call me back in time..

[melodyina]

I'm booked for this upcoming July, on the coveted Caribe deck.  Very nice!

But, after doing my income taxes, I decided to treat myself from a balcony to a mini-suite.  My favorite deck is the Emerald for the Mini-suite, as its fully covered, and me being fair skinned and sun sensitive, love it!  There were three staterooms left last Sunday.  I called my Princess rep and left a voice message on her extension Monday morning stating room number and desire for upgrade but wanted a $ quote first.  Monday went by.... no return call... Monday night, 2 staterooms on Emerald left.  (Perhaps she grabbed my room !!  ??)  Nothing changed on my invoice.. ok.. Tuesday came, no call yet.. but I'm  hopeful... Tuesday afternoon, no rooms on Emerald left, but I see there is a 'guarantee ' for that category  (Aft - emerald - MiniSuite).  So here we are Wednesday morning, still haven't heard from my Princess rep.  This will mark 3 days waiting for her call. 

 

I believe my room change dream has dwindled... so looks like i'll try that bidding process after I make final payment..  I wonder if she will call?? Then I wonder if she is still working?? Just how long does one hang on as the voicemail strictly says only leave a message once...  and onwards..but I do love my 'coveted 1/2 covered balcony on the Caribe deck' so I am happy where I am. 

[gottagocit]

I wouldn’t wait that long before call the general 800 number and get the help of their agent you’re connected to. You are not required to use the assigned contact. Give it a try. Maybe they can help. 

[Paula_MacFan]

6 minutes ago, gottagocit said:

I wouldn’t wait that long before call the general 800 number and get the help of their agent you’re connected to. You are not required to use the assigned contact. Give it a try. Maybe they can help. 

Agreed -- just call the customer service line. I've done that many times when my PCP was MIA. Especially if it's time sensitive. Heck one time my PCP said my OBC couldn't be pulled forward from a covid cancelled cruise. I tried the generic line later and the rep fixed me up in about 5 minutes. Never hurts to try!

 

Edit to say I've never experienced the long wait hold times others have reported.

Edited February 15, 2023 by Paula_MacFan

[TN-Mountains]

20 minutes ago, melodyina said:

I believe my room change dream has dwindled... so looks like i'll try that bidding process after I make final payment..  I wonder if she will call?? Then I wonder if she is still working?? Just how long does one hang on as the voicemail strictly says only leave a message once...  and onwards..but I do love my 'coveted 1/2 covered balcony on the Caribe deck' so I am happy where I am. 

How many folks are leaving multiple messages that she needs to tell folks to only leave one message?  That is a red flag.  I would assume that she has a habit of not returning calls promptly.  I'm not saying it is necessarily her fault...Princess might not have enough workers...but it is obviously a problem.  I wouldn't wait long for a return call.  I'd either call back (you don't have to leave another message) or call the 800 #.  

[Lady Arwen]

I’ve had a similar dilemma with wanting an upgrade to a specific cabin.  I go ahead and make a new booking online and put a hold on it.  Essentially, blocking that cabin for booking for a few days until I can get it sorted.  My CVP usually gets back to me within a day, but not on weekends.  She calls me back and works her magic and the hold gets cancelled and my booking now shows my new cabin.  I would be frustrated with a CVP who didn’t call back in a timely fashion.

As others have said you can just call the standard reservation line to secure your cabin choice rather than wait it out and lose it.

[melodyina]

Brilliant Idea - I should have 'booked' on-line to block the room.  Also - i've never had her directly answer the phone, everything is alway an initial voicemail message for first contact, and any subsequent contacts. I can honor the 'first come first served' style she must be adhering to using voicemail as the calllog.. (imho), but I am surprised as its now Wednesday.  On a chuckling note, I brought my phone with my everywhere, everyplace as I just new as soon as I closed that bathroom door, the call would have came.. perhaps I should try to escale the call by taking a shower..:-)   that's just my luck. 

[Lady Arwen]

8 minutes ago, melodyina said:

Brilliant Idea - I should have 'booked' on-line to block the room.  Also - i've never had her directly answer the phone, everything is alway an initial voicemail message for first contact, and any subsequent contacts. I can honor the 'first come first served' style she must be adhering to using voicemail as the calllog.. (imho), but I am surprised as its now Wednesday.  On a chuckling note, I brought my phone with my everywhere, everyplace as I just new as soon as I closed that bathroom door, the call would have came.. perhaps I should try to escale the call by taking a shower..:-)   that's just my luck. 

I would call the main booking number before the cabin category you want is completely gone.  Don’t wait for your CVP.

[claudia814]

My PVP has asked that I always email her because when she’s sitting on the phone, she can readily see and read an email rather than going in and listening to many phone messages. 

[Perky1]

I no longer book with a PVP because then you are limited to only speaking with them or their assistant.  You can no longer call the 1-800 # and speak to anyone… BUT you can put a courtesy hold on the cabin you want until they get back to you.

[memoak]

35 minutes ago, Perky1 said:

I no longer book with a PVP because then you are limited to only speaking with them or their assistant.  You can no longer call the 1-800 # and speak to anyone… BUT you can put a courtesy hold on the cabin you want until they get back to you.

Untrue. Although my CVP usually gets back to me in 24 hours. I have used the regular Princess number wen she was not available. In fact her voice mail message advises that you can call the regular number 

[Perky1]

3 minutes ago, memoak said:

Untrue. Although my CVP usually gets back to me in 24 hours. I have used the regular Princess number wen she was not available. In fact her voice mail message advises that you can call the regular number 

Good to know…before the pandemic I could not talk to someone else.

[gottagocit]

14 minutes ago, memoak said:

Untrue. Although my CVP usually gets back to me in 24 hours. I have used the regular Princess number wen she was not available… 

This is accurate. We’ve done so as well.
Now if you use a travel agent to book then the previous poster is completely correct. In that case they will not even discuss changes etc with you and your TA must contact them on your behalf. 

[billco]

1 minute ago, gottagocit said:

This is accurate. We’ve done so as well.
Now if you use a travel agent to book then the previous poster is completely correct. In that case they will not even discuss changes etc with you and your TA must contact them on your behalf. 

I call the the CVP 800 number (1-800-901-1172), not the regular Princess 800 number. In fact, my CVP tells me to do that in her voice message if I am trying to book a cruise.

 

[HikaruTsuki]

I once wanted to change rooms (due to a dramatic price reduction). I left a voice mail with my Princess rep, and did a dummy-booking to hold the cabin I wanted. She called me back first-thing the next morning--due to the new booking and NOT my voicemail. Looks like the reps prioritize new bookings from their assigned members over checking their messages. 

[Buckeye10640]

12 hours ago, melodyina said:

I'm booked for this upcoming July, on the coveted Caribe deck.  Very nice!

But, after doing my income taxes, I decided to treat myself from a balcony to a mini-suite.  My favorite deck is the Emerald for the Mini-suite, as its fully covered, and me being fair skinned and sun sensitive, love it!  There were three staterooms left last Sunday.  I called my Princess rep and left a voice message on her extension Monday morning stating room number and desire for upgrade but wanted a $ quote first.  Monday went by.... no return call... Monday night, 2 staterooms on Emerald left.  (Perhaps she grabbed my room !!  ??)  Nothing changed on my invoice.. ok.. Tuesday came, no call yet.. but I'm  hopeful... Tuesday afternoon, no rooms on Emerald left, but I see there is a 'guarantee ' for that category  (Aft - emerald - MiniSuite).  So here we are Wednesday morning, still haven't heard from my Princess rep.  This will mark 3 days waiting for her call. 

 

I believe my room change dream has dwindled... so looks like i'll try that bidding process after I make final payment..  I wonder if she will call?? Then I wonder if she is still working?? Just how long does one hang on as the voicemail strictly says only leave a message once...  and onwards..but I do love my 'coveted 1/2 covered balcony on the Caribe deck' so I am happy where I am. 

I would have put one on a 3 day hold and then started emailing and calling. In fact I have done just that before when a cabin I had my eye on suddenly freed up. My PVP is pretty responsive though. 

[txjim09]

5 hours ago, HikaruTsuki said:

I once wanted to change rooms (due to a dramatic price reduction). I left a voice mail with my Princess rep, and did a dummy-booking to hold the cabin I wanted. She called me back first-thing the next morning--due to the new booking and NOT my voicemail. Looks like the reps prioritize new bookings from their assigned members over checking their messages. 

The only time my PVP responded to emails or messages was after placing a cruise on hold.  

[Coral]

23 hours ago, melodyina said:

I'm booked for this upcoming July, on the coveted Caribe deck.  Very nice!

But, after doing my income taxes, I decided to treat myself from a balcony to a mini-suite.  My favorite deck is the Emerald for the Mini-suite, as its fully covered, and me being fair skinned and sun sensitive, love it!  There were three staterooms left last Sunday. 

I am so sorry. I think like you do. I also had a Caribe balcony and did upgrade to an Emerald Mini-Suite recently at final payment. Those are my favorite also! I did mine for Alaska so if the weather is bad, it is covered. I am one that thinks all balconies should be covered (I am sure others disagree with me).

 

Keep checking. It is possible someone put a 2-3 day hold on a cabin.

[Wishing on a star]

Don't ever wait too long for a call back.

Way too many useless AWOL ' princess planners' out there.

Plenty of worse stories online here.

Our next cruise will be booked thru a TA that actually does their job and responds to my needs.

 

PVP's are just trying to meet 'new booking' quotas' and many times will not even respond to any other requests.

 

Edited February 16, 2023 by Wishing on a star

[Coral]

12 minutes ago, Wishing on a star said:

 

Our next cruise will be booked thru a TA that actually does their job and responds to my needs.

 

My TA did handle it quickly. I agree.

[Ombud]

21 hours ago, memoak said:

22 hours ago, Perky1 said:

I no longer book with a PVP because then you are limited to only speaking with them or their assistant.  You can no longer call the 1-800 # and speak to anyone… BUT you can put a courtesy hold on the cabin you want until they get back to you.

Expand  

Untrue. Although my CVP usually gets back to me in 24 hours. I have used the regular Princess number wen she was not available. In fact her voice mail message advises that you can call the regular number

I also use chat. But to OP: I put it on hold, forward that booking to her, and ask for the switch (sometimes room, sometimes price). The only thing she sometimes asks me to do is to resubmit for shareholder OBC. Everything else is carried over (perks, flights, etc)