BIZARRE booking ordeal - 4 CVPs & 6 booking confirmations?? 😳

[dixiejen]

We noticed in early Feb. on the Princess site that cruises were up to 40% off and $100 deposit. Hmmmmm. Not bad. Then we received an email thanking us for our recent Princess cruise and offered us OBC and $100 deposit on our next cruise booking. (See attached photo for actual wording.). It also said to contact our Cruise Vacation Planner (a male) to take advantage of this deal. So sure - why not? I emailed our assigned CVP over the weekend, sent him some pertinent info he would need to book us a Panama Canal cruise in 2026 and asked him to call me at his convenience. Our newly assigned CVP didn’t call on Monday — but a different one did!  And so it begins…

‘But before I continue the rather lengthy saga, if you guys and gals received this offer and said, “Heck yeah! You can’t beat this deal! Book it!”, what steps would you take, based on how the email is worded? What would you do??

[cr8tiv1]

It is similar to the future Cruise Deposit (FCD) without buying an FCD on your past cruise for $100 (cost to purchase).

 

Key…”up to…..$125” will probably be limited to either length of cruise or stateroom category.  
 

Shareholders have length of cruise.  Longer voyage/more OBC.

FCDs will get you $125 if booked in a suite, I think.

 

Another marketing ploy to get you to book within 60 days and get your monies.  I prefer to just buy FCDs and have them available when “I” choose to book.

Edited February 13 by cr8tiv1

[arizonaperson]

Does the wording refer to take & complete next cruise in 60 days or just book the cruise within 60 days for future? That part looks confusing to me but…..

[Rick&Jeannie]

19 minutes ago, arizonaperson said:

Does the wording refer to take & complete next cruise in 60 days or just book the cruise within 60 days for future? That part looks confusing to me but…..

I interpret it to mean "make a $100 deposit for your next cruise within 60 days"...meaning just the deposit.

[Rick&Jeannie]

9 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I interpret it to mean "make a $100 deposit for your next cruise within 60 days"...meaning just the deposit.

But then...I've been criticized for stating my opinion..."I don't know for sure!"

 

[beg3yrs]

1 hour ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I interpret it to mean "make a $100 deposit for your next cruise within 60 days"...meaning just the deposit.

^^ This! ^^

If you had to cruise within 60 days you'd be paying in full!

Edited February 13 by beg3yrs

[arizonaperson]

19 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

^^ This! ^^

If you had to cruise within 60 days you'd be paying in full!

So true,thanks.

[Rick&Jeannie]

3 hours ago, beg3yrs said:

^^ This! ^^

If you had to cruise within 60 days you'd be paying in full!

Hah!  Good point!  I totally missed that one.

[SCX22]

The first thing I do when I receive one of these offers is to scroll down to the footnote that explains what the "1" at the end of the phrase "onboard spending money" entails.

[Ombud]

This the "WELCOME HOME" promo / offer to buy FCD that has less OBC than if bought onboard.  You get it if you have a 'recently' completed voyage. Nothing new. @dixiejen did you recently disembark?

Edited February 13 by Ombud

[Ombud]

Oops forgot to answer: I called my CVP & bought 2 way back on 7/26/23. I submitted the unused one on my next cruise and bought 2 more bumping up my OBC 

ONBOARD FCD: 15-150 OBC

WELCOME HOME FCD: 15-125 OBC

[dixiejen]

8 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I interpret it to mean "make a $100 deposit for your next cruise within 60 days"...meaning just the deposit.

Exactly how I interpreted it, @Rick&Jeannie - and that’s exactly what I was attempting to do!  Yes, @Ombud - we had just recently sailed on the Sky and we did not visit the Future Cruise people (although we will in the future!). And yes - the Welcome Home is a type of FCD for goobers like me who didn’t purchase while onboard. So we all seem to be interpreting the offer in at least a similar manner…
 

So on to the saga. This involved LENGTHY conversations w/a variety of CVPs over the course of 5 days, but I try to keep it as succinct as possible, but it’s gonna be a long one! And let me also mention that ALL of these CVPs seemed to be trying their best to help me. Lots of “Let me go speak to my supervisor…” (Too many chiefs??  Hoping all of you can help me figure out why this became such an ordeal. And awaaaaaay we go!

 

2/4 — We decided we might as well take advantage of the $100, emailed the dude who was listed as “our CVP w/our personal info and cabin details.

 

2/5 — Got a call from a female who stated she was assigned as “our CVP” and she would be glad to help. Not sure why CVP#1 Dude didn’t call but ok. Told her we wanted to take advantage of the Welcome Home Deposit. She starts putting stuff in the computer….then she says, All set! I just need to get your $1600 deposit! ( WHAAAAAAT??)

Me: Ummm, what happened to the $100 deposit?

CVP#2 : Oh, that doesn’t apply to full suites. Now, I can put you in a mini-suite and you can do the $100. But the $1600 is completely refundable!

Me: Ummm - that’s not what the disclaimer says.  (@SCX22 — I’m with you! I ALWAYS read the fine print first!  I’m attaching the disclaimer for full transparency. 🤪)  

CVP#2: Well, I’m showing that it doesn’t apply to full suites.

‘Me: Well, the disclaimer only says it doesn’t apply to 45+ days cruises, etc. The Princess website is offering $100 to everyone AND we have this offer so….

CVP#2: Well, here’s the problem - there are only a couple Owners’ suites, so they like to get the full deposit since you are less likely to tie it up and then change your mind before full payment is due.

‘Me: Well, we had an Owners’ suite on the Sky, so doesn’t that suggest that we aren’t likely to back out? AND if it’s refundable, can’t I still change my mind? So what’s the difference? 

CVP#2: Let me talk to my supervisor… (LMTTMS from here on out😉)

     ****HOLD< HOLD<HOLD…

CVP#2: Good news! They are going to make an exception! But would you be willing to put down, say, another $400?

Me: No thanks. 
CVP#2: LMTTMS… HOLD<HOLD<HOLD< Okay, we should be good. They are going to make an exception this time. (🙄) I’m sending you your booking confirmation now. Check your email.

ME: Got it! Oh, wait — it says we must pay the $1600 by 2/5 which is today. Ummmm….

CVP#2: Oh, give me a minute… (tick tock…) Okay - check now.

‘ME: Yes!! That looks right! Thank you!

 

Thought we were all set until….

2/6 — I get a call from Princess, and our NEW???  CVP introduces herself and says she’s been assigned to us.

CVP#3: I see you were interested in booking a Panama Canal cruise?

Me: Well, yes but it’s already booked! I got the booking confirmation yesterday.

CVP#3: The problem is, the $100 deposit doesn’t apply to suites, and at some point the system will kick out your booking and just cancel it.

‘ME: Really? But the lady who said she our CVP said her supervisor approved it. It’s actually already listed in my online account AND on the Princess app.

CVP#3: But it wasn’t coded properly since it doesn’t apply to suites, so the system will kick it out.

‘ME: I had this discussion about suites with CVP#2 and I pointed out x and y and they approved it. But I didn’t even think until now that, not only are we supposed to get the $100 deposit, we are supposed to get OBC as well. And that’s determined by cruise length AND type of cabin. It specifies that SUITES get x $, so doesn’t that show that the Welcome Home Deposit offer definitely applies to suites?

CVP#3: LMTTMS… HOLD<HOLD<HOLD… My supervisor isn’t sure where you are getting this information. So you got this offer in an email?

ME: Yes. Would you like me to forward to you?

CVP#3: Yes! I’ll look over it and pass it on to my supervisor and I’ll call you tomorrow.

🙄🙄🙄🙄

2/7 — Princess calls again…

CVP#3: We think we’ve figured out the problem! You can’t just put $100 down on a cruise — you were supposed to buy Future Cruise Deposits while you were ONBOARD! And since you didn’t, the system will cancel your booking at some point, and I can’t keep watching it to fix it when that happens.

ME: But that is not what it says! Princess sent US the email. They obviously know we didn’t purchase FCD onboard and are offering the lower deposit - like a 2nd chance - to entice us to book again. It says, “…when you place a refundable $100 deposit on your next cruise in 60 days…. And that’s what we did. And a Princess supervisor approved it, right? There’s a Welcome Home Deposit code in the disclaimer. Have y’all tried that?

CVP#3: Yes, but they shouldn’t have and the system will cancel it. And I don’t think that code will work. We need to have you call and buy $100 FCD each, then we can apply it correctly and we’ll refund the $200 you’ve already paid.

‘ME: (Grrrrrrrrr!!) Let me talk to my husband and I’ll call you tomorrow.

2/8 — I call her back and say, okay. 😖 

CVP#3: Great! I’m going to connect with a booking specialist(?). Tell her you want to buy FCDs and then I can book it properly…..TRANSFER….

BS: (🤣) How can I help you?

ME: I relay what I was told and what I needed to do regarding my current booking.

BS: Ummmm…I’m not sure what they are thinking. They’ve done it all wrong.  I just need to code it properly…(type, type, type). And they were supposed to give you OBC and didn’t do that either.  (Type, type type…) Now it’s correct and you’re all set.

‘ME: I don’t need to buy FCDs? 
BS: Nope! You’re all set and I’ve sent you a new booking confirmation. You’ll see that you have already paid your deposit and you have $60 OBC each b/c you’re in a suite.

‘ME: YAAAAAAY!! Thank you!  

 

So all done - right? Almost… but not quite….

 

2/9— Get yet ANOTHER call from Princess😡

CVP#4: Hi - I see you’ve been through the wringer trying to book your cruise, and I apologize for all this! But they’ve kicked it up the ladder to me and from here on out, I’ll be your CVP.

ME: But….but…I thought it was all taken care of!  The BS told me I was all set and I’ve got yet another booking confirmation and it’s all correct. Right deposit amount, OBC, correct cabin # — it’s correct on my online account and the app! And you will make the 4th CBP assigned to us in less than a week!

CVP#4: It was still not done correctly and I’m afraid it will be cancelled. I’m REALLY sorry. There’s already a waitlist on your suite so you will not be able to get it back if they bounce it. We need to get $200, purchase FCDs, and then I’ll refund your original $200. I promise when we do that, it will be secure once and for all. And they didn’t give you enough OBC - it’s supposed to be $75. (**The fine print said $60 for suites, but whatever…)

‘ME:😫😫😫😫 OMG, here’s the CC number. But this is the last time. There are too many other cruise lines out there to go through this!

CVP#4: I really am sorry. This will take me awhile and I’ll call you when it’s completed.

(tick tock, tick tock)

** I receive a new booking confirmation with a DIFFERENT CABIN # - NOT the same suite. She had added cruise protection…WHAAAAT??🤬 I call her and leave a message to PLEASE call me back ASAP! And she does…

CVP#4: Don’t freak out!!  It’s all fine! I had to do x and y and z…create a different booking number and cabin, add the new FCD, then go to reservations and move your original cabin to your new booking number, etc, etc, etc… But you’ll be getting a new booking confirmation in a minute and it will all be corrected.  If you have any questions, or you don’t see your refund in a couple days, call or email me and I’ll take care of it. And by the way, if you’d like to request that I be assigned as your permanent CVP, just shoot me an email and that can be arranged. Thank you for your patience.

😳😳😳😳

 

Whew! If any of you made it through all of that — have you EVER experienced anything like this?? I expect lack of knowledge and nincompoopery from the foreign call centers, but I thought the CVPs were supposed to be the cream of the crop on customer service! What do you think the problem is? Poor training on their promos? Are these CVPs competing with each other? Can they swipe customers from other CVPs? Do they drop persistent customers if they get TOO persistent?? I promise, despite my frustration, I tried very hard to be polite and understanding b/c, as I said earlier, I think these CVPs were doing their best but were at the mercy of their supervisors. Are the supervisors the problem? Lack of consistent knowledge?? I am just baffled by the whole experience. In retrospect, I should have said thanks but no thanks after the 1st day of back and forth.  @cr8tiv1, I hear ya! IF this cruise actually comes to fruition, we’ll be purchasing FCDs so there will be no more promos that NOBODY seems to understand!

btw… I’ll report back as to whether we get that $200 refund! 🤨 Fingers crossed! And my apologies for the ridiculous lengthiness!  

 

 

 

[cr8tiv1]

You have more patience than 100 passengers.  I sure hope this is the last of the last.  Time to get yourself a good travel agent  (although not sure TA could have applied the promotion).  
 

I mentioned elsewhere that the “holds” are used to text the higher uppers.  Really inefficient chain of command and use of personnel.

 

At least you will have a fantastic voyage in your owners suite.  Lots of promotions do not apply to suites. 

[Cruise Raider]

OMG .. you certainly have been through the wringer for that reservation.  
I hope your new permanent CVP is worth her weight in gold.  I know mine is .. but they are definitely not all created equally.  
I hope everything is sorted out and you get your CC refund back pronto. 

[Ombud]

How on earth did you get transferred to the O.N.E. Princess Promotions Dept?? My CVP just sent me to 1 person where I bought 2 FCD. No mention of what kind of room I would buy (red flag #1), need to book a particular cruise (red flag #2), or multiple points of contact (red flag #3). Just "how many FCD would you like and you know they have less OBC than what you buy onboard "

[Arizona Wildcat]

14 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

You have more patience than 100 passengers.  I sure hope this is the last of the last.  Time to get yourself a good travel agent  (although not sure TA could have applied the promotion).  
 

I mentioned elsewhere that the “holds” are used to text the higher uppers.  Really inefficient chain of command and use of personnel.

 

At least you will have a fantastic voyage in your owners suite.  Lots of promotions do not apply to suites. 

Absolutely.   A good travel agent can handle everything without all the CVP shuffle AND they will likely offer OBC or put you into a group block at a lower fare.

[dixiejen]

21 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

You have more patience than 100 passengers.

 Thanks @cr8tiv1! It’s really not patience as much as it is an unreasonable sense of right and wrong and determination to get what’s advertised!! 🤣 Definitely some serious inefficiency going on!  I will never understand why I got a SERIES of CVPs! 
 

Thanks, @Cruise Raider! I guess I’ll stick with the last CVP who apparently brought an end to all the phone calls!  Hope that refund shows up quickly, too! It’s my husbands card and I don’t want to hear about it if it doesn’t!😖

14 hours ago, Ombud said:

How on earth did you get transferred to the O.N.E. Princess Promotions Dept??

I have no idea @Ombud!  But this lady really seemed to know her stuff — and everything showed up correctly on my acct and the app when she finished. Still don’t understand why I ended up so so many different CVPs!  This was some serious CVP SHUFFLE!  (Thanks for my new favorite Princess term, @Arizona Wildcat!🤣)

 

Does anyone know if “the system” will really kick out/cancel a confirmed booking if it’s not coded a certain way?? Especially if a supervisor “okays it”?? 
 

Thanks for all the responses! Our previous cruise was our first on Princess, so I’ve learned a lot about the tricks and tips for the next- especially about buying those FCDs while ONBOARD!!!😆❤️
 

 

[Ombud]

@dixiejen there are some CVPs who really know there stuff, like mine. Once you find a good one .... stick with them