New Princess Documents Policy - 11/16/06

[Pam in CA]

This is posted on my TA's website:

 

NEWS!!!! Document changes at Princess. Starting 11/17/06 Princess will be sending pre cruise documents direct to passengers and these packages will include tour info, immigration info, and luggage tags, etc. and will be sent 75 days prior to the cruise. You MUST go online at http://www.princess.com prior to final pmt. and complete the Cruise Personalizer in order to receive this package properly. You will not be receiving a second mailing with final documents anymore. You can get on the ship with just your passport in hand. If you want a boarding pass you will be able to go to your Cruise Personalizer and print out a boarding pass. Platinum, Elite, and Suite passengers will be issued preferred boarding passes. The boarding pass will also be available 75 days before the cruise. No more lost documents in the mail....no more waiting and wondering where your documents are.

 

While this is overall a good thing, it assumes that all Princess passengers have Internet access, which just isn't the case and I don't see them buying a computer and arranging for Internet access just to fill out the Cruise Personalizer. My guess is that Princess is going to have to modify this at least slightly to allow passengers without Internet access to complete their info.

 

We're on this board a lot and we're used to, and familiar with, the Internet. But there are still many people out there who aren't Internet-savvy.

[stoneharborlady]

Thanks for sharing this Pam. Tell me, how many days before the cruise is final payment due? Surely they would not send these papers before final payment? Karen

 

 

 

 

This is posted on my TA's website:

 

NEWS!!!! Document changes at Princess. Starting 11/17/06 Princess will be sending pre cruise documents direct to passengers and these packages will include tour info, immigration info, and luggage tags, etc. and will be sent 75 days prior to the cruise. You MUST go online at www.princess.com prior to final pmt. and complete the Cruise Personalizer in order to receive this package properly. You will not be receiving a second mailing with final documents anymore. You can get on the ship with just your passport in hand. If you want a boarding pass you will be able to go to your Cruise Personalizer and print out a boarding pass. Platinum, Elite, and Suite passengers will be issued preferred boarding passes. The boarding pass will also be available 75 days before the cruise. No more lost documents in the mail....no more waiting and wondering where your documents are.

 

While this is overall a good thing, it assumes that all Princess passengers have Internet access, which just isn't the case and I don't see them buying a computer and arranging for Internet access just to fill out the Cruise Personalizer. My guess is that Princess is going to have to modify this at least slightly to allow passengers without Internet access to complete their info.

 

We're on this board a lot and we're used to, and familiar with, the Internet. But there are still many people out there who aren't Internet-savvy.

[Pam in CA]

Thanks for sharing this Pam. Tell me, how many days before the cruise is final payment due? Surely they would not send these papers before final payment? Karen

I have no idea. We'll have to keep our eyes and ears open.

[stoneharborlady]

My final payment is due 77 days before the cruise, surely they will wait till they have it before sending out papers, dont you think? Karen

[Pam in CA]

My final payment is due 77 days before the cruise, surely they will wait till they have it before sending out papers, dont you think? Karen

Maybe it applies to documents due to be sent by 11/16/06 since that would be past the final payment due for all cruises when the new Passport requirements are in place.

[cactusrose]

Well Pam. . . now I know we use the same TA ;) . You're right. We have friends who will be on their first cruise with us in two weeks and they don't have Internet access. I had to fill out their information in the cruise personalizer for them and I have printed it out so they can review it for changes. They also didn't have their passports until just a couple of weeks ago, so we wouldn't have been able to complete the on-line info. I'm thrilled that we will be able to print our boarding pass on-line but Princess needs to rethink this for those that don't have Internet access.

[Toto2Kansas]

WOW! No more waiting for those final documents? Woopeeeeeeeee, great news.

Hopefully this info will end up on a 'sticky' on the top of this page so that all will see it.

Thanks for the info!

[Coral]

My guess is that users who do not have internet are probably using local travel agents and they can help with the personalizer.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Not so nice for those without Internet access. My mil isn't planning to take a cruise but she wouldn't know the first thing about getting on the Internet so she would have to ask us to print out whatever she needs. And there's the public library, but with a charge to print out each page. Maybe when booking, people can be asked if they have access to the Net. If not, they can be given the option to be sent the paperwork to fill out and return. Also they can be sent the shore excursion book for their cruise so they can start planning like the rest of us do.

[OuiOnboard]

Hey!..that is progress. I'm sure Princess will have a workable solution for those who aren't internet savvy.

Some might complain about dress code and alcohol policy enforcement, but last time I checked they were pretty good at collecting the money and getting the pax on board. :)

[Psee]

Except for the second mailing of the boarding passes and luggage tags it appears to be the same as their current procedure. On our last group cruise those without internet access mailed the immigration, tour, and other forms back to Princess and received the passes and tags in the mail so it will probably be the same now.

 

Just like the airlines internet based ticketless travel is a lot easier and cheaper for the carrier so it makes since the cruislines are following suit. The snail-mail paper document route will still be available for those without access. (Hopefully)...:)

[mii]

Well Pam it seems we also have the same TA. I just went into the site and there it was. I would assume that the people who do not have internet will probably go through their TA. It obviously will work as Celebrity now does that. You only get one set of documents about 2-4 weeks prior to cruise with the luggage tags, ticket etc. You then go online to print onboard pass. So I think that all cruiselines will be doing this no doubt to save some money.

 

marilyn

[flamomo]

I just counted out the days on my calendar re: our Feb 2007 cruise, and 75 days before the cruise is just 2 days after the final payment is due.

I can't imagine that Princess would send out the docs before they receive and record the final payment. Of course, if one does not make the final payment, that name would not be on the manifest on sail-away day. And I would also think that Princess (or the TA) would contact the passenger if the final payment is not made by the appropriate time.

 

I do think it's great that Princess will mail the docs directly to the passengers, instead of to the TA, for those who booked thru a TA. On our first cruise, the final docs went to the TA, who just happened to be on vacation when they arrived at the agency AND who did not arrange for a backup to get the docs sent out, so we were really worried when we had not received our docs and were getting real close to our sail date. The docs ended up having to be overnighted to us. It was a worrisome time. That'll no longer be a concern.

[Charliesmom]

Nobody has mentioned that the info says "you can go to board the ship with just your passport" or did I read it wrong. If you have your passport, have made final payment and have informed Princess of your passport number, etc. in advance of the sailing, I think they are saying that is enough.

 

I think the mailing will be like the 1st mailing now - with forms to be filled out for immigration and person to be notified in case of emergency, etc. which you can mail, fax or fill out on line.

 

It will be like getting etickets from the airlines when you do not have a computer - all you have to do is prove who you are and they find your tickets for you.

 

Still and all, without that boarding pass in hand, I would feel a bit insecure.

 

Roberta

[mountains to sea]

Except for the second mailing of the boarding passes and luggage tags it appears to be the same as their current procedure. On our last group cruise those without internet access mailed the immigration, tour, and other forms back to Princess and received the passes and tags in the mail so it will probably be the same now.

 

Just like the airlines internet based ticketless travel is a lot easier and cheaper for the carrier so it makes since the cruislines are following suit. The snail-mail paper document route will still be available for those without access. (Hopefully)...:)

 

Alas! Pam is preaching to the choir. However, it would be nice if Princess gave back the money they save by not mailing all of those documents many of us don't need. Aah! probably save us $5.

[OuiOnboard]

...gave back the money they save by not mailing all of those documents many of us don't need. Aah! probably save us $5.

Perhaps they will subtract that amount from the next fare increase. :)

[Ethel5]

This will put a serious crimp in the Docs Dance! :(

[Toto2Kansas]

My guess is that users who do not have internet are probably using local travel agents and they can help with the personalizer.

 

You have it Coral. Without internet access, you wouldn't be booking through an internet TA which would mean you would have to book either with a local TA or Princess directly. Then the paperwork can be filled out and either mailed or faxed back to Princess after they receive it snail mail.

No different then booking flights these days.

But there will be those that think they have to have those documents in hand. Printing off the info and boarding pass from the Princess website should be enough so they have something to hold in their hands. LOL

[cusyl]

I m sure those without internet access can fax their information to Princess.

[bluefintuna]

Last year we sailed Jewel of the Seas, no documents sent at all. When we got to the pier a porter handed us luggage tags and we filled them out there and he took the bags. Hated not getting our package, at first I couldn't believe it. But hey, we had a piece of paper (e mail) from the airlines, so we were good to go.

[2Ports]

Just got our "Pre-cruise" envelope from Princess (mailed 2 days after final payment/75 days before sailing) which included blank immigration forms etc. but no luggage tags or boarding docs - filled out immigration etc. months ago online - now you've got me a tad worried.:confused:

[West Coast]

If Princess has not received passenger immigration information (either on-line or mailed/faxed in) they call the TA on record who in turn gets in touch with the client to follow-up.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I m sure those without internet access can fax their information to Princess.

 

I think if somebody doesn't have a computer, they most likely do not have a fax machine.

[patlanta]

I believe public libraries have PCs for internet access. That's what that extra charge on your telephone bill was suppose to be used for.

 

At opening time at our library folks are lined up to get in and use the internet PCs. I even heard them asking each other which cubicle they would prefer.

[Toto2Kansas]

Just got our "Pre-cruise" envelope from Princess (mailed 2 days after final payment/75 days before sailing) which included blank immigration forms etc. but no luggage tags or boarding docs - filled out immigration etc. months ago online - now you've got me a tad worried.:confused:

 

If you take a look at the OP, it states this will not take effect until November. Sounds like your inside that date, no worrys.