More than one booking after Princess misinformation

[cusematt4]

Hi All,

 

We were misinformed by Princess about the option to be able to add on a land tour to a cruise for Alaska.  We had booked cruise only, and since then, prices for the cruise have doubled.

 

Prices for the land + cruise have also doubled from what they originally would have been.  We typically would never ask or do this, but we want to take a week to figure out whether we want to go the cheap cruise route and do land on our own vs the significantly high cruise + land tour.

 

To buy us a week - if deposits are refundable, can we have a booking for the cruise only, with a separate booking for the cruise + land tour?  I imagine these technically are for different "sailings" since they are coded different for the cruise vs cruise + land whereas a double booking for the same sailing typically may result in an error or auto cancel?

 

Again, we typically would never do this, but given the misinformation by Princess, we may want to try and secure the cruise + land for just a week while we figure everything out without risk of rates going up even further.

 

Thanks!

[cusematt4]

Any chance anyone has any information on this?  Thanks so much.

[sunviking90]

I would contact a Princess Vacation Planner, if you don’t already have one or a travel agent. Our PVP can usually hold things, and extend holds for us when requested while we decide.
 

[ldubs]

 Are you saying Princess told you the land tour could be added when in fact it can't?   If so and rebooking the cruise+tour would double prices, I might consider looking for a private land excursion.  

 

Hope if works out for you.  

[cusematt4]

Thanks.  The hold for the cruise + land is just 24 hours max, no extension.  If I put down a refundable deposit, would that cancel out my booked cruise-only reservation?  Or can I keep both for 1-2 weeks until figured out?

 

For clarity, 2 separate Princess representatives told us we can book the cruise only and add on a pre-cruise land tour at a later time.  We later learned this was very incorrect information. 

 

We are incredibly frustrated with Princess agents and customer service who are located in other countries and have provided multiple pieces of significant incorrect info, this being the most costly to us.  In addition, there is over an hour hold to speak to someone or for extensive holds to get answers (which have been incorrect answers), with many of their call centers having poor connections with disconnected calls and no callbacks.  They also are very reluctant to connect us to a manager, when we are in need to speak with someone regarding these issues and to get correct answers.

[dickinson]

I don't see why you can't.  We have booked two cruises that overlap until we decided which one we wanted.  We had no problem with that. 

 

Sorry you got such wrong info from CS.  Since they outsourced it seems their training is very much lacking.

[SargassoPirate]

13 hours ago, cusematt4 said:

Hi All,

 

We were misinformed by Princess about the option to be able to add on a land tour to a cruise for Alaska.  We had booked cruise only, and since then, prices for the cruise have doubled.

 

Prices for the land + cruise have also doubled from what they originally would have been.  We typically would never ask or do this, but we want to take a week to figure out whether we want to go the cheap cruise route and do land on our own vs the significantly high cruise + land tour.

 

To buy us a week - if deposits are refundable, can we have a booking for the cruise only, with a separate booking for the cruise + land tour?  I imagine these technically are for different "sailings" since they are coded different for the cruise vs cruise + land whereas a double booking for the same sailing typically may result in an error or auto cancel?

 

Again, we typically would never do this, but given the misinformation by Princess, we may want to try and secure the cruise + land for just a week while we figure everything out without risk of rates going up even further.

 

Thanks!

Matt, if I were you, I would leave that now-half-price cruise alone and then set about booking the a land tour on my own.

 

SWMBO and I did that several years ago and we were able to experience a lot more of the real Alaska than we could've with the Princess land tour and at quite a savings.

 

Think about it.  Alaska has rental cars, motels, paved highways, and you can book your extras right from the operator. You are on your schedule and with a car you can go where the tour buses can't.

 

JMHO. 

[Steelers36]

16 hours ago, cusematt4 said:

Hi All,

 

We were misinformed by Princess about the option to be able to add on a land tour to a cruise for Alaska.  We had booked cruise only, and since then, prices for the cruise have doubled.

 

Prices for the land + cruise have also doubled from what they originally would have been.  We typically would never ask or do this, but we want to take a week to figure out whether we want to go the cheap cruise route and do land on our own vs the significantly high cruise + land tour.

 

To buy us a week - if deposits are refundable, can we have a booking for the cruise only, with a separate booking for the cruise + land tour?  I imagine these technically are for different "sailings" since they are coded different for the cruise vs cruise + land whereas a double booking for the same sailing typically may result in an error or auto cancel?

 

Again, we typically would never do this, but given the misinformation by Princess, we may want to try and secure the cruise + land for just a week while we figure everything out without risk of rates going up even further.

 

Thanks!

IMO, you need a good TA In the future.

 

If you prefer to work directly with Princess, you need a CVP.  If you have that, you won't be dealing with an overseas call center.  A CVP is like an internal TA.  They may not all be stars, but many members here report having a good experience.  Call in and ask for one.  And then talk to them about your situation.  There may not be a good solution dollar-wise, but at least you will have a better resource.

 

I'd go the independent route now.

[cusematt4]

Thanks so much.  Appreciate everyone's responses and advice.

[SargassoPirate]

6 hours ago, cusematt4 said:

Thanks so much.  Appreciate everyone's responses and advice.

Let us know how it turns out for you.  Best of luck to you.