Star Princess going or not?

[CruisinFinsUp]

Yeah... thanks for nothing! I'm on the phone now with Princess and they're saying they won't allow us to keep our flights. If they were to let us do that, then we could book on an alternative cruise leaving from the same port on the same date. As it is, while it's possible to find an alternative cruise option... good luck with finding flights that aren't $1,000 per person.

 

Are these booked yourself or thru "Princess Air"?

 

 

I'm wondering because we have 2 nites hotel "precruise" booked thru Princess, and if they don't let us keep those, we'll have noplace to stay on Easter weekend (totally fully booked mostly everywhere) in FLL after our self - booked flights. I've been counting on that hotel reservation to start of our alternate vacation plans!!

[cruisingmen]

Are these booked yourself or thru "Princess Air"?

 

 

I'm wondering because we have 2 nites hotel "precruise" booked thru Princess, and if they don't let us keep those, we'll have noplace to stay on Easter weekend (totally fully booked mostly everywhere) in FLL after our self - booked flights. I've been counting on that hotel reservation to start of our alternate vacation plans!!

 

The $1,000 flights I was referring to are if you try to book them now (and can find them.) I'm sure price may be less expensive depending on where you are coming from, but we're finding there are hardly any flight options left. Also, the cruise lines are no longer selling air for cruises leaving next weekend.

 

When I talked to Princess this morning I asked them if we could keep the flights booked through them for the 4/2 cruise. They said absolutely NOT. Cruise and flights would be cancelled. If that's true then I would assume they will be cancelling your hotel room too if your cruise is cancelled.

[CruisinFinsUp]

Just phoned Princess, yes anything booked thru them is considered part of the cruise package, and if they cancel then they will cancel the whole thing.

So we will lose our precruise reservation at the FLL 17th st Renaissance.

 

So, now I'm thinking about hotel options for Easter Weekend in FLL. Yikes.

 

I guess if my timing is right I can call mariott just at the exact time princess releases the bookings (whenever that will be:rolleyes: ) and reserve one of the just released Princess block of rooms .... at current prices for a holiday weekend....:rolleyes:

 

Well, at least I have my flights.

[cruisingmen]

cruisintoddler, I would contact the Marriott hotel directly and explain the situation. Someone there should be able to work something out so you don't lose your reservations.

[CruisinFinsUp]

cruisintoddler, I would contact the Marriott hotel directly and explain the situation. Someone there should be able to work something out so you don't loose your reservations.

 

Thanks - I will, however I'm skeptical - I've called twice already and they have told me twice that all they have is a block of bookings under "Princess" which covers all the pre-post cruise stays for all the ships.

They do not get individual customer names until about 5 days prior to the actual stay. Princess has been unable to give me a Marriott confirmation number. Somehow I doubt that Marriott will give me the Princess rate on Easter Weekend when they can rent the room for a lot more, on just my "say-so" that one of the block of rooms was supposedly mine.

 

Thanks for the idea - its worth a try though!!! Can't get if you don't ask!!

 

(we booked directly thru princess so no other TA involved).

 

No doubt though, I'll find something somewhere in south florida, even for a few days til the Easter rush is over, then we'll get beachfront someplace to replace the cruise. Booking that is the next task. Today however, I was able to secure a second car rental reservation so that even if we don't cruise, we'll have wheels. My initial reservation was only for post-cruise as we are staying in Florida for 4 days after the cruise.

 

One step at a time......

[CrusinAgain]

Sometimes I have had wonderful success for hotels and car rentals with the name your own price online booking place. Might want to try that.

[CruisinFinsUp]

Sometimes I have had wonderful success for hotels and car rentals with the name your own price online booking place. Might want to try that.

 

Yep Its a great idea and I've read lots and lots about other people's successes (great prices!!), however, we are unimportant Canadians whose money doesn't actually count, and from what I understand, you have to fudge your address to a US address for these sites to work. I'm not nearly that talented!!!;)

 

We'll be fine I'm sure!! Theres always room in Orlando!!

[ssbeagle]

I have been reading all the previous posts on this thread and I am amazed at how some people are so impatient that they want answers now and they are not available. Patience is a virtue. If you booked through a TA then that person should be the one handling your changes. Princess is doing the best they can with the major problem they are having. This doesn't affect just one cruise--this affects every cruise between now and when they can get the ship sailing again. We have two cruises booked on the Star (Apr 9th and Oct 21st) and I am in a wait-and-see mode. I will be very disappointed if we can't go at this time as we were going with family members on spring break; however, we will be able to go with them at another time if this doesn't happen. We have had 19 cruises with Princess and they have always made things right with us. We just have to be adaptable.

 

By the way, airline travel has become one of the worst ways to travel. Planes are always late, overbooked and crowded. Airfares are unbelievably high and you get very little for your money. I have seen gate attendants who were very rude and didn't care about the passengers and some who were very helpful. At least Princess will do the best they can for their passengers.

 

If I had my choice, no, I wouldn't want to go on the ship if it were smoke-smelling or areas cut off and services limited. But if that happens, maybe they will compensate those that do go if they decide to sail the ship after it is cleaned up enough to take passengers again.

[potzie2]

CruisinToddler,

 

I live in Burlington, ON and use Priceline all the time. I'd be glad to help set you up and give you some guidance if your interested.

 

Anyway I can help a fellow Canadian/Cruiser, I'd be glad to.

 

Cheers,

 

Potzie

[D4]

The $1,000 flights I was referring to are if you try to book them now (and can find them.) I'm sure price may be less expensive depending on where you are coming from, but we're finding there are hardly any flight options left. Also, the cruise lines are no longer selling air for cruises leaving next weekend.

 

When I talked to Princess this morning I asked them if we could keep the flights booked through them for the 4/2 cruise. They said absolutely NOT. Cruise and flights would be cancelled. If that's true then I would assume they will be cancelling your hotel room too if your cruise is cancelled.

 

That is terribly unfair! I can't believe they won't let you keep the flights you booked through Princess! That policy is basically causing you to not have any cruise substitution options. I feel for you.

[cusyl]

Have you tried airtran.com? For instance they have a fare from Newark NJ to FLL for $104., don't know where you live, but perhaps you could get a flight to one of their hub cities.

[TNTLAMB]

Princess buys the rooms as a block and the airline tickets as a block they can't do it piece by piece. What probably happened or is about to happen is that they or their insurance carrier will sell those blocks to a consolidator at a deep discount to recoup some of their loss as it is unlikley that either the Hotels or Airlines will release them from their contract at this point. Priceline is one of the largests so whoever suggested them made a wise suggestion. A large online cruise consolidator may also have an in.

[CruisinFinsUp]

CruisinToddler,

 

I live in Burlington, ON and use Priceline all the time. I'd be glad to help set you up and give you some guidance if your interested.

 

Anyway I can help a fellow Canadian/Cruiser, I'd be glad to.

 

Cheers,

 

Potzie

 

Cool! We are in Oakville!! It really is a small world - I've found at least 3-4 others from Oakville on cruise critic Princess board the past few months!!

 

Thanks for the offer. Hubby and I have a few ideas in our heads - mostly beachfront resorts with lotsa facilities (not that many in Florida where our flights goto!!) - (gotta replace that cruise somehow!!!) - but he is SOOO busy at work now that I have to wait to talk to him about re-doing our whole vacation.

 

Is there a website that explains how CDN can use priceline? I've tried it myself, and there is a section that asks for a US address, and when you put in "no" it cuts out to a page with a phone number. I can't be bothered with that cause so far I'm just shopping around. Do you have to phone them to use Priceline? We are travelling Easter weekend which is spring break for most of the north-east USA, so I'm pretty skeptical about any deals at top resorts during that time, priceline or other, especially at this late date. We may just "hole up" someplace inland for the weekend, and then head to the beach later on. There's always rooms in Orlando!!

 

Thanks much!

[christinelee]

It is very probable that the Star will not sail for at least two months.. Start making other plans!

 

Pretty Close.:eek:

[JohnCW]

We ended up landing on our feet no thanks to Princess. We are on the Carnival Legend leaving from Fort Lauderdale April 2nd. My wife had to plead for another day off work to do it, it cost us more, and I would prefer the Stars itenarary, but beggers can't be chosers.

 

It makes me wonder, since Princess has everybody's money for the Star whether they are using the money as a line of credit. The sooner they announce a refund, the sooner they need to return it. Each cruise probably grosses 2-3 million dollars, interest on that money adds up(expecially if Princess would need to borrow money if the receipt from canceled cruise wasn't there). They might figure that no matter what they do people on canceled cruises are going to be happy, so let's do whats best for us.

 

My other thought is they are trying to get other equipment to cover the Stars cruises. They would give the people on the cruise the option of another ship or a refund. If people were in my shoes yesterday, I'm pretty sure another option would be welcome, even it represented a lesser value.

 

Last thing I will say is the 25% toward another cruise doesn't do much for me. I like Princess, but in selecting my next cruise, destination, cruises dates, originating port, airfare, accomodations, value will take presents over my choice of cruise line. Princess Cruise lines is only one fish in a big pond.

[blga]

"Last thing I will say is the 25% toward another cruise doesn't do much for me. "

 

Ditto. No luck finding anything at even close to the same price at this date, even with the 25%

[ssbeagle]

Some people really want something for nothing. Princess does not have to give anyone 25% on a future cruise; it's not required. Be happy you are getting that and a full refund to boot as well as a refund on airline tickets. We were on the Apr 9th sailing of the Star and, yes, we are paying more to go on an RCL ship the same week. I would have been disappointed to not go on any cruise and spend a week with my grandchildren but my son doesn't want to disapppoint anyone in his family so he is footing the extra expense. I would have been happy just to spend some time with tme visiting local sites or going up to Orlando. We have 3 more Princess cruises booked already and I am hoping to get a nice discount on what we have booked for at least one of them. Thank you, Princess. Keep up the good work!

[bflowngs]

We were booked on the Star for 3/26 sailing. I booked my own air and overnight hotel for 3/25. Because of this, I was able to keep my air reservations. I contacted several cruiselines that Thursday night and was able to book RCL Jewel of the Seas for 3/25 sailing. I was lucky that my flight got in on time to do this.

 

Now....if I had booked my air through Princess, I wouldn't have been able to take the cruise, which was fantastic!! It also was $300 cheaper for an 8 day cruise to the Eastern Carib (which is in better shape right now than Coz, Caymans and Jamaica.) I did have to take an outside cabin instead of a balcony like i had on Star.

 

I am not sure if I will get my money back for the hotel and car rental I couldn't use since this cruise left Saturday instead of Sunday. (I used Priceline....so they are non-refundable)

 

In this case, booking my own air worked great for me. If I wasn't able to make the other cruise, Princess would have refunded that as well. I have never seen the cruiselines offer airfare lower than I can get on my own, so I don't see the point in letting them do that.

 

If you guys can tell me the advantages, if any, of using Princess air, i would appreciate it!!

[TexasMom2]

We were booked on the Star for 3/26 sailing. I booked my own air and overnight hotel for 3/25. Because of this, I was able to keep my air reservations. I contacted several cruiselines that Thursday night and was able to book RCL Jewel of the Seas for 3/25 sailing. I was lucky that my flight got in on time to do this.

 

Now....if I had booked my air through Princess, I wouldn't have been able to take the cruise, which was fantastic!! It also was $300 cheaper for an 8 day cruise to the Eastern Carib (which is in better shape right now than Coz, Caymans and Jamaica.) I did have to take an outside cabin instead of a balcony like i had on Star.

 

I am not sure if I will get my money back for the hotel and car rental I couldn't use since this cruise left Saturday instead of Sunday. (I used Priceline....so they are non-refundable)

 

In this case, booking my own air worked great for me. If I wasn't able to make the other cruise, Princess would have refunded that as well. I have never seen the cruiselines offer airfare lower than I can get on my own, so I don't see the point in letting them do that.

 

If you guys can tell me the advantages, if any, of using Princess air, i would appreciate it!!

 

Glad everything worked out and you were able to take your vacation. Now, change your signature to the Jewel. ;) Are you going to post a review on the RCI board?

[bflowngs]

I know....I need to change the signature!!

 

People over at RCC are very sensitive. If I would write anything negative about their ships, they would flame me!!!

 

It was an excellent cruise....but the food was marginal at best!!

[TexasMom2]

Some people really want something for nothing. Princess does not have to give anyone 25% on a future cruise; it's not required. Be happy you are getting that and a full refund to boot as well as a refund on airline tickets. We were on the Apr 9th sailing of the Star and, yes, we are paying more to go on an RCL ship the same week. I would have been disappointed to not go on any cruise and spend a week with my grandchildren but my son doesn't want to disapppoint anyone in his family so he is footing the extra expense. I would have been happy just to spend some time with tme visiting local sites or going up to Orlando. We have 3 more Princess cruises booked already and I am hoping to get a nice discount on what we have booked for at least one of them. Thank you, Princess. Keep up the good work!

 

I'm not sure why people wouldn't expect a full refund? The 25% future discount and airfare refunds aren't required, but good business practice.

 

I don't think people are asking for a handout, just help finding passage on other Carnival family ships during their original sailing week. I don't recall anyone posting any outrageous demands.

 

It was fortunate that you and your family had time to make new plans and could afford the higher prices. I hope you have a wonderful vacation. However, a 25% towards a future cruise doesn't mean much right now when families are scrambling to rebook on Princess or other cruise lines at higher rates. I try to imagine myself in their situation and can understand their frustration.

 

Happy sailing to all,

[TexasMom2]

I know....I need to change the signature!!

 

People over at RCC are very sensitive. If I would write anything negative about their ships, they would flame me!!!

 

It was an excellent cruise....but the food was marginal at best!!

 

Nah, you would be surprised...they are pretty tame over there, actually.