Excursion rip-off

[trvlwrld]

Princess just changed my $200 pp excursion to Brussels by removing lunch and substituting 2 hours of shopping but kept the price at $200.  I would book a private tour but it is a 2 hour drive back to the port and I don’t want to have to worry about getting back in time (yes-I have seen them leave late comers running down the dock).  When I called to cancel,  their answer was to give me $400 OBC even though I have paid over $1100 total on my credit card toward excursions for this cruise.  I know their refund policy, but when they change the excursion, it seems like the rules shouldn’t be applied in only their favor!  I’m certainly going to think twice about booking anymore excursions with them!

[capriccio]

Are you on the ship now or is this for a future cruise? 

[TRLD]

Let me get this straight, They offered $400 dollars in OBC if you kept the excursion.  Since the change was eliminating lunch and replacing it with on your own time that seems pretty reasonable.  I can certainly find a nice lunch on my own in brussels for 4-5 people for far less than $400.  I would be very happy to find my own lunch for $400 OBC

 

So did you cancel or take the $400 OBC?

 

 

[Treasure Hunter]

There are many wonderful outdoor restaurants in the main square that will be more fun and tastier than a communal lunch in a back room. The Belgian fries, mussels, beer are great. Don’t stress, part of travel is going with the flow 

[Treasure Hunter]

And get the big waffle with strawberries and whipped cream!

[TRLD]

1 minute ago, Treasure Hunter said:

There are many wonderful outdoor restaurants in the main square that will be more fun and tastier than a communal lunch in a back room. The Belgian fries, mussels, beer are great. Don’t stress, part of travel is going with the flow 

I would pay them a couple of hundred to eat at Le Roy d'Espagne on Grand Place on my own, instead of whatever venue they were going to use.  It has been a couple of years but their Canelloni stuffed with lobster was excellent in the past.  If not there plenty of other very good place close to Grand Place.  If they were willing to give me $400 to find my own venue, no contest.

[shiner6]

I think she meant that Instead of refunding cash to her, they were offering the OBC. Doesn't sound like they were offering OBC if she kept the excursion?

[TRLD]

1 minute ago, shiner6 said:

I think she meant that Instead of refunding cash to her, they were offering the OBC. Doesn't sound like they were offering OBC if she kept the excursion?

That makes sense since the Brussels excursions is usually $199 per person.  Since he mentioned $1100 I was thinking that it may be been for a group of 5 not just the two.  

 

If he is on board then normal process to provide a refund for a purchased excursion in the form of refundable OBC.  So nothing unusual about that.  Since it is refundable he would get his cash after the cruise if he did not spend it.  

[trvlwrld]

The cruise is in June.  They will not refund my money, will only give me OBC instead of a refund to my credit card

[tetleytea]

I don't know whether it is unusual or not, since I've only taken one non-independent Princess excursion ever, but I will say that if they bait-and-switch what the excursion is after you've paid for it, AND it is not unusual to issue OBC instead of a refund because you no longer want to go on that excursion which Princess just changed, then I would say we have here a very bad thing.   And I am glad that I have gone independent.  

 

edit:   I will also add that I booked independent NON-refundable excursions for a Princess cruise before, which we were unable to actually cruise on because United Airlines ended up unable to fly us to the port.   The independent tour operators offered us REFUNDS on their NON-REFUNDABLE tours, because of those circumstances beyond our control.

Edited January 30 by tetleytea

[roomba920]

1 hour ago, trvlwrld said:

The cruise is in June.  They will not refund my money, will only give me OBC instead of a refund to my credit card

NCL did this to us for an excursion at a port they dropped, but we were already onboard. Have you made your final payment yet? If not, I don't see why they wouldn't refund you for June 2024.

btw, NCL did say if we didn't use the onboard credit, they would refund us, and they did. I think they just hope you'll overspend and use it.

Edited January 30 by roomba920

[nini]

2 hours ago, trvlwrld said:

The cruise is in June.  They will not refund my money, will only give me OBC instead of a refund to my credit card

If the cruise is in June, then just cancel the excursion. This does not make any sense. Ultimately, you can contest it with the credit card company.

[cr8tiv1]

50 minutes ago, nini said:

If the cruise is in June, then just cancel the excursion. This does not make any sense. Ultimately, you can contest it with the credit card company.

Agree.  You are months out.  According to the terms of cancellation (read your fine print), they should refund payment to credit card.  Now…it gets more complicated if…you have other outstanding excursions.  
 

I have been fighting with Princess for a cancelled excursion this summer.  After getting different answers from different agents over 2 weeks, the last one said she would escalate refund to supervisor. It will take ANOTHER 10 to 14 business days to see the refund.  Still waiting and checking my credit card every day,
 

it is very clear that you will get your monies back if cancelled before getting on the ship.  Once on the ship, it becomes OBC.

 

I am not clear what spending $1100 on excursions has to do with $400 credit card refund.  

Edited January 30 by cr8tiv1

[PacnGoNow]

I just cancel an excursion if it is no longer wanted and it goes back on the credit card.  Takes about a week to see it on the cc.  That is if it is at least 3 days before sailing.

 

I have only been given obc if we cancel once OB.

 

 

[capriccio]

4 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

I just cancel an excursion if it is no longer wanted and it goes back on the credit card.  Takes about a week to see it on the cc.  That is if it is at least 3 days before sailing.

 

I have only been given obc if we cancel once OB.

 

 

 That has been our experience too.

[ontheweb]

6 hours ago, roomba920 said:

NCL did this to us for an excursion at a port they dropped, but we were already onboard. Have you made your final payment yet? If not, I don't see why they wouldn't refund you for June 2024.

btw, NCL did say if we didn't use the onboard credit, they would refund us, and they did. I think they just hope you'll overspend and use it.

NCL dropped a port before we sailed. When I asked for a refund for my pre-booked excursion that I had already paid for, I was first told that I would get non-refundable OBC. When I kept arguing that that was not right, the rep decided to put me on hold and went to another department. She came back and said since I was still within the days allowed to cancel the excursion, I would be getting the refund.

[dog]

Some excursions through Princess like private vehicle will not be refundable and it clearly states it.

 

But,

I have gone into the Personalizer and cancelled excursions and refund has always been to my credit card within a few days.

There is usually terms stated that you can cancel up to a certain date.

 

One time I phoned agent suggested OBC  and I firmly said No, refund to credit card.

[Steelers36]

My understanding (from another thread on excursion refunds) is that PCL will first "refund" to OBC is any OBC was used to pay for ANY excursion - up to the amount of OBC used - and only then issue a refund to credit card for any excess.

[trvlwrld]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

My understanding (from another thread on excursion refunds) is that PCL will first "refund" to OBC is any OBC was used to pay for ANY excursion - up to the amount of OBC used - and only then issue a refund to credit card for any excess.

They have indicated that even though I paid over $1100 on my CC, they will apply the OBC last (when refunding) and so will only refund as OBC.  My other choice is now to cancel all excursions ( some are sold out) and start over again.  This policy is so frustrating…I guess they chose to save money by substituting lunch for shopping and save $$$ to put back in their coffers!

[Rick&Jeannie]

Have you tried to just cancel the excursion yourself via the cruise personalizer? Unless they have changed the system, you should be able to do so online.

 

Also, I'm a bit unclear about the money amounts that have been mentioned. It sounds as if the excursion in question was $200 a person, yet  $1100 keeps coming up. How many people were booked and was this a combination of OBC and credit card?

 

I have always been able to cancel and get everything put back to the original form of payment. We seem to missing a key piece of information. 

[dog]

37 minutes ago, trvlwrld said:

They have indicated that even though I paid over $1100 on my CC, they will apply the OBC last (when refunding) and so will only refund as OBC.  My other choice is now to cancel all excursions ( some are sold out) and start over again.  This policy is so frustrating…I guess they chose to save money by substituting lunch for shopping and save $$$ to put back in their coffers!

Need to know:

 

1) Did you use ANY OBC to book any excursions?

 

2) Do you want to cancel one excursion for 2 passengers in same Booking?

 

3) Were there terms stated that this excursion had cancellation restrictions?

[azbirdmom]

2 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

My understanding (from another thread on excursion refunds) is that PCL will first "refund" to OBC is any OBC was used to pay for ANY excursion - up to the amount of OBC used - and only then issue a refund to credit card for any excess.

 

Yes, that is what they tend to do although the T&C don't mention this.  https://www.princess.com/en-us/legal/excursion-terms-conditions  

 

I've kept track of what I've paid and what has been refunded in the past to make sure it's alright on the folio when we board.  It's always been fine.  If the OP cancels the excursion themselves and rebooks another one, the money for the cancelled excursion should be there for the other excursion.  I've done "mock" excursion bookings in the past just to confirm the balance applied and somehow it all works our in the crazy world of Princess accounting.

[LeeW]

I've seen a few European tours lately where you are buying the tour guide just for your group.  Kind of like tours by locals.  Think some of them are not candelabra.  Not worth it for us.

[BamaVol]

I don’t imagine it is Princess behind the changes.  I’m under the impression that Princess contracts with vendors who provide the excursions.  Princess has nothing to gain from a change. It is not Princess trying to line their pockets by substituting shopping for lunch.  I realize that the OBC vs. credit refund is on them, but don’t blame them for what is not under their control.

[Daniel A]

4 hours ago, trvlwrld said:

They have indicated that even though I paid over $1100 on my CC, they will apply the OBC last (when refunding) and so will only refund as OBC.  My other choice is now to cancel all excursions ( some are sold out) and start over again.  This policy is so frustrating…I guess they chose to save money by substituting lunch for shopping and save $$$ to put back in their coffers!

If that particular excursion was booked by using OBC which you already had, then they're just returning the refund to the original source of payment.  Is the $1100 being used for other excursions or additional packages or specialty dining experiences?

 

Whatever, if you don't spend the $400 OBC and it is refundable OBC then it will come back to you either in the form of a check or credited to your original source of payment after the cruise.  If non-refundable OBC was used to book the Brussels excursion, then you use the OBC or lose it.

 

I had 5 excursions cancelled on a Holland America Cruise (actually it was ten because it was excursions for both of us) and Holland put it all on my folio as OBC.  I didn't spend that money and got a check in the mail about two weeks after we returned home.

 

I'm sure you will be made whole.