EZ Air -- different pricing shown on Princess website than quoted by EZ Air representative :(

[GirlWriter]

Hi there. I have my first cruise booked with Princess for summer 2025. I was very excited to try the EZ Air program -- we normally sail NCL, whose air program doesn't let you pick your flights, so to be able to choose my own flights on Princess was a huge plus!

 

However, I have a problem. I was unable to complete the EZ Air booking myself on the website, because our passport names differ from the names shown on the website. When I called EZ Air to book, their price for the same flights that I was looking at online at the same time was $1,300 more! The representative couldn't offer me any explanation about the discrepancy but just kept saying she could only book it at the price she quoted. She cautioned me against booking it myself at the lower price, because the name differences would give us trouble at the airport.

 

Has anyone else had this situation with EZ Air? If so, did you figure out a way to get the lower price? Thanks in advance.

[Rick&Jeannie]

@GirlWriter  Well...she is DEFINITELY correct about having issues with the different names!  You need to get this resolved ASAP or you risk not sailing.  I've never booked EZAir so I cannot help you there.

Edited August 5 by Rick&Jeannie

[skynight]

You need to have your Princess records changed to match your passport names. It may cause other difficulties beyond EZ Air. You probably have to write to Princess

[GirlWriter]

21 minutes ago, skynight said:

You need to have your Princess records changed to match your passport names. It may cause other difficulties beyond EZ Air. You probably have to write to Princess

I did that last week, but the changes don't propagate to the EZ Air website. Per the EZ Air representative, their field sizes aren't long enough to accommodate my middle name (which on my passport is my middle name + maiden name), and they don't have a suffix field for my husband's "Jr". So the only way for me to make EZ Air reservations that have the correct name is by letting them do it manually so they can put the correct names directly on the reservation instead of having the names flow through from Princess.

Edited August 5 by GirlWriter

[dog]

There are a lot of glitches with Princess online.

I found a Vista suite priced the same as a DB cabin yesterday.

Airfares change constantly and EZ air can be a deal, so call back and see if you can get a better fare.

Yes, you need names corrected now.

[PacnGoNow]

37 minutes ago, GirlWriter said:

I did that last week, but the changes don't propagate to the EZ Air website. Per the EZ Air representative, their field sizes aren't long enough to accommodate my middle name (which on my passport is my middle name + maiden name), and they don't have a suffix field for my husband's "Jr". So the only way for me to make EZ Air reservations that have the correct name is by letting them do it manually so they can put the correct names directly on the reservation instead of having the names flow through from Princess.

Ask the EZAir rep…to change your name to match the Princess website.  Call and get another rep or a supervisor.  If not, call your TA and ask for help.  They should have the same prices that show up on the PCL website.

 

You say, you did change your name on the Princess website.  Imperative it matches your passport, as well as airline tickets.  Don’t worry if your first name and middle name run together…that is normal on some airline computers and TSA, etc are all used to it.

Like:

JaneElizabeth Jones

NP.

 

Keep us updated.

 

Welcome to the Princess forum.

[GirlWriter]

21 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Ask the EZAir rep…to change your name to match the Princess website.  Call and get another rep or a supervisor.  If not, call your TA and ask for help.  They should have the same prices that show up on the PCL website.

 

You say, you did change your name on the Princess website.  Imperative it matches your passport, as well as airline tickets.  Don’t worry if your first name and middle name run together…that is normal on some airline computers and TSA, etc are all used to it.

Like:

JaneElizabeth Jones

NP.

 

Keep us updated.

 

Welcome to the Princess forum.

Thanks for your response.

 

I'm not using a TA. I have booked everything myself up to now on Princess.com.

 

When I said I changed my name, I didn't do it via the website. I did it by calling Princess, and they are the ones who told me I would need to book air directly with EZ Air and not use the website because the names wouldn't match.

 

It is all very confusing.

 

What I may do, based on what you said, is try to engage a TA and see what they can do for me. Thanks!

[IrieBajan54]

GirlWriter, I have the same problem with Princess. Every time I book EZAir, I have to call that dept so that they can manually enter my two middle names so it matches my passport. Furthermore if there is a price drop, I have to do it all over again. The excuse is that Princess software has limitations that don't have enough slots to spell out my FULL name. Bottom line is that regardless of who I've talked to, they say nothing can be done about it.

 

At NCL, a smaller cruise line, my full name matching my passport is on my account. Go figure!

Edited August 5 by IrieBajan54
correction

[GirlWriter]

Thanks, all. I don't mind calling to book it -- I do mind paying $1300 more for the privilege than I would have to pay if I could do it online. 😞

[JF - retired RRT]

49 minutes ago, GirlWriter said:

Thanks, all. I don't mind calling to book it -- I do mind paying $1300 more for the privilege than I would have to pay if I could do it online. 😞

As suggested...get a TA or try a Princess Vacation Planner (they have direct access to the Princess computer that may be different from a TA)

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, GirlWriter said:

Thanks, all. I don't mind calling to book it -- I do mind paying $1300 more for the privilege than I would have to pay if I could do it online. 😞

Don’t blame you.  I would call and ask to be assigned to a CVP cruise vacation planner at Princess as was suggested by @JF - retired RRT

 

Phone:

1 (800) 901-1172
 

You may get a great one!  

[[Big Z]]

5 hours ago, GirlWriter said:

I was unable to complete the EZ Air booking myself on the website, because our passport names differ from the names shown on the website. When I called EZ Air to book, their price for the same flights that I was looking at online at the same time was $1,300 more! The representative couldn't offer me any explanation about the discrepancy but just kept saying she could only book it at the price she quoted. She cautioned me against booking it myself at the lower price, because the name differences would give us trouble at the airport.

As someone with two middle names, I just use one of my middle names (even fitting everything together would be too long) and I've never once had an issue with EZ Air or flying in general. That and when I get tickets, the names really get smashed together. My next ticket has it being FirstnameMiddlenameMR Lastname

 

5 hours ago, GirlWriter said:

Has anyone else had this situation with EZ Air? If so, did you figure out a way to get the lower price? Thanks in advance.

 

Also, the airfares really fluctuate. I booked airfare on a Sunday at X dollars and then I decided to check a few hours later and it more than doubled. Also, when I had to call into EZ Air, they actually offered me a flight that wasn't available on my end to pick from. Airfares sometimes are a roll of the dice.

 

I too wouldn't want to pay more than necessary but perhaps try and find something you could live with and book a refundable fare and should a better price come along, try and snag that one.