Now a charge for Cabin Selection?

[Kay S]

25 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

 

 

Don't understand why people are obsessed with picking their cabins.  .

Some people are just weird that way.  They are paying for something and they want to get the thing they paid for.  🙄🙄🙄 

[Rhode Island Red72]

This is not obsession- We prefer to choose our room for many reasons that do not matter for this conversation. We are a seasoned group who know where we are comfortable . Our issue is about implementing a significant change to SOP for booking without communicating the change or the rationale for it.  The range of upcharge for a 14 day cruise is outrageous. Again- this is not the way Princess has historically implemented significant changes over the past 20 years. 

[PrincessLuver]

Looks like John Padgett has his hands all over this and since he took over Princess is just being more and more Carnivalized.  I am sure there is plenty more to come so hang on to your life boats beause we will need them.

Edited April 26, 2023 by PrincessLuver

[SCX22]

1 hour ago, Kay S said:

Some people are just weird that way.  They are paying for something and they want to get the thing they paid for.  🙄🙄🙄 

 

The passenger would still be getting what they paid for in guarantee booking OR BETTER.  The only way the passenger wouldn't be is on an oversold sailing in which case Princess would refund the fare paid or offer to move them to a different sailing.

[2 cruises a year]

1 minute ago, SCX22 said:

 

The passenger would still be getting what they paid for in guarantee booking OR BETTER.  The only way the passenger wouldn't be is on an oversold sailing in which case Princess would refund the fare paid or offer to move them to a different sailing.

BETTER is in the eye of the beholder.  And as far as cabin selection goes, Princess and I don't see eye to eye.  Overall, I really like Princess, and when Princess and I saw cabin "value" differently, there wasn't any problem as long as I could choose what I like, not have to accept what Princess thinks that I should like.

[SCX22]

13 minutes ago, Rhode Island Red72 said:

This is not obsession- We prefer to choose our room for many reasons that do not matter for this conversation. We are a seasoned group who know where we are comfortable . Our issue is about implementing a significant change to SOP for booking without communicating the change or the rationale for it.  The range of upcharge for a 14 day cruise is outrageous. Again- this is not the way Princess has historically implemented significant changes over the past 20 years. 

 

Well it's about money and Princess needs the money after having been shut down due to the pandemic.  Like I said before, Princess is aligning themselves with the competition.  Remember when one airline started to charge for checked baggage for economy and all followed suit, except Southwest?

[SCX22]

4 minutes ago, 2 cruises a year said:

BETTER is in the eye of the beholder.  And as far as cabin selection goes, Princess and I don't see eye to eye.  Overall, I really like Princess, and when Princess and I saw cabin "value" differently, there wasn't any problem as long as I could choose what I like, not have to accept what Princess thinks that I should like.

 

That's why the cruise lines can get away with charging for things like self selecting cabins and cabin location.   The passengers booking BELIEVE that there's a difference and are willing to pay.  

[Rhode Island Red72]

My point exactly… we have always felt that Princess was so much better than the competition and we sailed them exclusively. We expect to pay for our choices (Mini suite ; Plus) but this just seems over the top.

[MissP22]

11 hours ago, Kay S said:

The "new" Princess is very adept at wringing every last cent out of you.  

You haven't seen the last of it. Stay tuned for even more crazy ideas.

I'm sure they don't want to introduce all of them at one time.

 

 

9 hours ago, 2 cruises a year said:

I don't understand why you don't understand why people are obsessed with picking their cabins.  One very simple, very significant choice, of many good reasons to choose:  POSH, port out and starboard home.  If you don't understand this, you need to get out more.

You'll find out someday. 

[PrincessLuver]

11 hours ago, SCX22 said:

 

Well it's about money and Princess needs the money after having been shut down due to the pandemic.  Like I said before, Princess is aligning themselves with the competition.  Remember when one airline started to charge for checked baggage for economy and all followed suit, except Southwest?

 

Yes this is true but the airlines also give their Elite flyers breaks on the additional costs which would be a plus for Princess if they followed suit too.

[mtnesterz]

14 hours ago, Kay S said:

Some people are just weird that way.  They are paying for something and they want to get the thing they paid for.  🙄🙄🙄 

As far as unobstructed balcony type cabins go, yeah, I don't get it. Those who find obstructed view cabins a value are over on cruisedeckplans looking at the views out the window before booking. This can either be staring at the side of a lifeboat or wondering if Princess meant there's a railing two decks down. Big difference in view, same price/class cabin. 

[kywildcatfanone]

6 hours ago, MissP22 said:

You haven't seen the last of it. Stay tuned for even more crazy ideas.

I'm sure they don't want to introduce all of them at one time.

I just booked, and went to look at wifi on the app, and see that the price has doubled.  These kinds of increases, are going to cause me to rethink my vacation type in the future.  

 

I have a Celebrity cruise booked as well, and as high as Princess is now on everything onboard (drinks/packages, wifi, etc), Celebrity is even higher still.

[SCX22]

2 hours ago, PrincessLuver said:

 

Yes this is true but the airlines also give their Elite flyers breaks on the additional costs which would be a plus for Princess if they followed suit too.

 

Airlines aren't cruise lines so there would be no reason for Princess to align themselves with those companies.  Airlines get people from point A to point B, and don't provide vacation experiences.

 

If passengers want more perks out of loyalty, they can cruise with Royal Caribbean which has the one of the most generous loyalty programs.

 

Princess' Captain Circle has a major flaw, in which it rewards the number of cruises taken in addition the number of days cruised.  A solo passenger could take 8 short (less than 5 night cruises) and attain Elite status.  Not fair to those who have really worked their way up the ranks.  Changing the loyalty program terms would also ruffle a lot of feathers.

 

Again passengers have choices, and the lack of loyalty perks don't seem to deter most Princess cruisers from taking Princess Cruises.  They are willing to bear the prices and perks set forward, so from the business stand point, no need to change.

[MissP22]

30 minutes ago, kywildcatfanone said:

I just booked, and went to look at wifi on the app, and see that the price has doubled.  These kinds of increases, are going to cause me to rethink my vacation type in the future.  

 

I have a Celebrity cruise booked as well, and as high as Princess is now on everything onboard (drinks/packages, wifi, etc), Celebrity is even higher still.

It all depends on what you want out of a cruise. Myself, I go for the food, entertainment and itinerary. All the rest is considered as extras and I've come to the conclusion I can do without all the things that the packages buys. 

[kywildcatfanone]

18 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

It all depends on what you want out of a cruise. Myself, I go for the food, entertainment and itinerary. All the rest is considered as extras and I've come to the conclusion I can do without all the things that the packages buys. 

Yep, us too.  We took on 3 packs of drinks and didn't buy any package and it was fine for us, and our new norm.

$15 vs $500, I'll take every time.

[Princessfan20]

25 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

 

Again passengers have choices, and the lack of loyalty perks don't seem to deter most Princess cruisers from taking Princess Cruises.  They are willing to bear the prices and perks set forward, so from the business stand point, no need to change.

History is riddled with many many great businesses that did not listen to their customers or changed too radically that their customers did not follow.  Princess is trying to become a more profitable business but all the up charges are becoming a turnoff and are still no guarantee of economic success with this new model for Princess.

[SCX22]

7 minutes ago, Princessfan20 said:

History is riddled with many many great businesses that did not listen to their customers or changed too radically that their customers did not follow.  Princess is trying to become a more profitable business but all the up charges are becoming a turnoff and are still no guarantee of economic success with this new model for Princess.

 

With corporations, as Princess is a part of, you have to please the board, shareholders, employees, and customers.  It's all give and take. 

 

If the Carnival Corporation ever decides to fold up Princess, there's always another cruise line to take the passengers.  Also, the hit wouldn't be on Princess; they took that hit a long time ago when they were bought out by P&O.  The hit would be on the Carnival Corporation.

[CaptainPedantic]

On 4/24/2023 at 1:03 AM, Dunk said:

Have you ever considered that choosing your own cabin is the “regular” price and that guaranteed cabin is at a discount? 

I was going to say exactly the same thing, and this is actually what I saw when this change was brought in - although note that I am in the UK where all deposits are non-refundable.

I was watching the price of a cruise this summer for a while, and when this policy was brought in the price to choose a cabin was the same as before, but the price for a guaranteed cabin was £21pp less. Not a great difference, but I certainly thought of it as a discount for the guarantee rather than a premium for choosing a cabin.

[Trash Queen]

I'm at a loss.  Have read all this thread and didn't find what I was looking for.  I have about 30 Princess cruises under my belt, and have successfully booked a lot of cruises online since my TA retired a few years ago.   However, I am having a hard time meshing together what I've been reading on this thread and what I currently see on the Princess website for a specific cruise I have in mind.

 

We do like to select our own cabins; we love aft balconies where we can sit, watch the wake in peace all day, and not have a care in the world.  I'm willing to pay extra for those cabins, but the vast majority of them on any of the sailings I've checked out are now guarantee only; on a cruise that opened up this morning, only two aft balconies are available to choose--and they are the smallest of all aft balconies on the ship.

 

People on this thread say that they can pay a lot more to select their own cabin.  How do you do that?  That's my question?  Is that available only through a TA and not online?  That's my second question.

 

Charlotte

Edited April 26, 2023 by Trash Queen

[TAW1963]

18 minutes ago, Trash Queen said:

I'm at a loss.  Have read all this thread and didn't find what I was looking for.  I have about 30 Princess cruises under my belt, and have successfully booked a lot of cruises online since my TA retired a few years ago.   However, I am having a hard time meshing together what I've been reading on this thread and what I currently see on the Princess website for a specific cruise I have in mind.

 

We do like to select our own cabins; we love aft balconies where we can sit, watch the wake in peace all day, and not have a care in the world.  I'm willing to pay extra for those cabins, but the vast majority of them on any of the sailings I've checked out are now guarantee only; on a cruise that opened up this morning, only two aft balconies are available to choose--and they are the smallest of all aft balconies on the ship.

 

People on this thread say that they can pay a lot more to select their own cabin.  How do you do that?  That's my question?  Is that available only through a TA and not online?  That's my second question.

 

Charlotte

Hello Charlotte, this past thread may help.  It discusses this very topic that you are interested in.  We too like the aft-facing premium deluxe balcony cabins and they are difficult to book for 2 people, although if you read the thread there are ways that often work.

 

 

 

Edited April 26, 2023 by TAW1963

[Happy2cruise]

2 hours ago, kywildcatfanone said:

I have a Celebrity cruise booked as well, and as high as Princess is now on everything onboard (drinks/packages, wifi, etc), Celebrity is even higher still

 We had one booked too and cancelled it.  The Celebrity drink package has a small menu to pick from unless you upgraded, while Princess Plus had more drinks included.  Celebrity is now charging for room service and their specialty restaurants are sky high. Another factor for us is luggage valet on celebrity, they can't decide whether to have it or not while Princess has always offered it. 

[Trash Queen]

45 minutes ago, TAW1963 said:

Hello Charlotte, this past thread may help.  It discusses this very topic that you are interested in.  We too like the aft-facing premium deluxe balcony cabins and they are difficult to book for 2 people, although if you read the thread there are ways that often work.

 

 

 

Thank you; that was very helpful,

 

Charlotte