Overbookings and Guaranteed Cabins

[Pipo]

I just booked my first Princess cruise (Discovery, Mexican Riviera), but I selected a guaranteed balcony. I have booked guaranteed cabins before (on Royal Caribbean), and my stateroom has been assigned within days after reservation, and I have been able to sail without issues.

 

But recently I read this article which makes me feel somewhat uncomfortable: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2023/11/30/royal-caribbean-passengers-denied-boarding/71749345007/

 

Are there any previous cases of denied boardings to passengers with guaranteed cabins on Princess due to oversold sailings? What insurance do you recommend that covers plane/hotel expenses in case I cannot board the ship?

 

Thank you.

Edited December 24, 2023 by Pipo

[iamaqt2]

Yes, oversold bookings do happen.  It's rare, but Princess does try to mitigate it by offering Move Over offers to booked guests.   And they usually sweeten the pot enough that they get enough takers to free up inventory.  In the rare case that this isn't possible, any good travel insurance plan would cover you.  I can't recommend any particular insurance plan, but Insure my trip website is a very good starting point for comparing insurance plans for any coverage you would want.

[SCX22]

Princess’ yield management is excellent.  I’ve always book guarantee and have always been assigned a cabin or been given a move over offer.  Depending on how I’ve booked my air decides on whether or not I will accept the move over offer.  If I booked the air through Princess, then I will accept, since the move over offer protects the air portion as well.  If I booked the air independently, I decline because it’s a hassle and not worth my time to deal with the airlines and cancelling/changing my air would involve penalties.  I’ve never experienced or have heard any passenger with a confirmed booking being denied boarding due to an oversold situation on Princess.  Princess usually offers a free cruise at a later date with the fare you paid on the cruise you were bumped from as refundable OBC on the new cruise booked.  It’s sweet enough that many take the offer.  If not enough take the offer, Princess adds even more to the offer to get more takers.  Once I got all that and an extra $1K in FCC.  It’s RARE that move over offers are ever offered because it costs Princess money.

 

No idea what the criteria is for move over offers, but I assume it’s offered to passengers who paid the least in a specific cabin category because it will cost Princess the least.

 

I feel like the RCCL case is an extreme example, but someone on the backend really screwed up.

[TheDawg79]

That event in that article is an anomaly. Does your fear of getting into a car wreck prevent you from diving? Your odds are better to be killed on the way to the port in an accident, then to be left stranded at the port. As was said above, when these things happen those who were left behind were notified of the oversold cruise and given an option to book another cruise. everyone who was left behind on that ship was a “local”…meaning they did not spend thousands of dollars on pre and post cruise travel. 

[Cruise Raider]

So, we have been lucky enough to be offered and have taken 3 move over offers in our cruising history with Princess.  Each time, we had chosen a cabin before getting the offer.  
 

Princess will first make these offers usually on less expensive cabins and those without the packaged fares, as those go along with the offer.  If they don’t get enough takers, they move on up to those with package fares in those categories that have been overbooked.  I have never heard of a case in which they’ve had to cancel others due to a lack of other passengers not accepting the offers.  Our last offer was for an inside cabin with the plus package.  
They will give you a cabin of equal value on a similar cruise in the future and the costs for the original cruise will be given to you as refundable OBC on the new cruise you’ve chosen.  They have been known to pitch in up to $400 for airfare change fees.  
It is a rare cruise that I would be inclined to give up one of these offers.  I’m sure enough people agree with that as there always seems to be enough takers for these offers.  
We cruise locally or usually only book our air on Southwest or Alaska.  Both give you flight credits back for future bookings if you cancel.  We even let them know when responding we have no airfare to deal with, which is why I believe they have accepted our move over replies very quickly.  
Anyway, I don’t think you will have an issue not getting a cabin.