Princess Crown Waitlist

[Panzer]

Hi,

 

I posted a couple of weeks ago about being on the waitlist for the Princess Crown that is leaving NY next Thursday. Well, now I am #1 on the waitlist! Only one more person needs to cancel in the next week and we can go. Does anyone know how many balcony cabins are on the Crown? Does anyone think that the odds are pretty good that there will be a last minute balcony cancellation? I've only been on one cruise before, with NCL, so I'm just trying to get a feel from someone with Princess cruise experience. We really want to go, but it is hard to shop and get excited about going when we know that it might not happen.

[billet]

Congratulations on getting so far up the list. In my experience it really is 50/50. The primary reason for cancellations is illness or worse so I would not wish that on anyone. However with 900 balcony rooms you might get lucky. This time of year there are lots of families so the recent cruises have tended to be overbooked and those with booked rooms are being offered exceptional deals to delay their cruise.

[Cruisekitty1977]

Hi,

 

I posted a couple of weeks ago about being on the waitlist for the Princess Crown that is leaving NY next Thursday. Well, now I am #1 on the waitlist! Only one more person needs to cancel in the next week and we can go. Does anyone know how many balcony cabins are on the Crown? Does anyone think that the odds are pretty good that there will be a last minute balcony cancellation? I've only been on one cruise before, with NCL, so I'm just trying to get a feel from someone with Princess cruise experience. We really want to go, but it is hard to shop and get excited about going when we know that it might not happen.

 

Well, I am on that particular cruise and I know that they are beginning to offer people credits and upgrades to move to other cruise dates. Don't know if that is just to accommodate people already booked, or to allow more waitlisters on....

[bubbadog]

if there is only one more on the waitlist, then i would think you have a very good chance at getting to go,they must be working on the waitlist people, so keep your fingers crossed:))):p

[hill6]

I have a feeling that the cruise is sold out. Several people from our Roll Call received emails from Princess asking them to go on the 7/23 sailing instead of the 7/5.

 

I have an assigned cabin on the ship and I am also wait listed for two other cabin categories as well.

[sunsetme]

I HAVE A GTY AND AN STILL WAITING wouldn't count on getting on

[Spicey477]

I am booked oceanview on the Crown on 9/6, and 12th on the waitlist for a balcony. I feel like that is a pretty good number. Balconies and minisuites are both sold out.

 

So, here is my question...

 

My parents are considering going with us on the cruise, but would like a balcony. 1. Could they "book" the balcony room, knowing that they are on a waitlist? Some sites don't even give you the option of choosing balconies with it sold out. 2. If they are able to book it, and make a deposit, if a balcony does come available and they choose NOT to take it, is the deposit gone or do they get the deposit back?

 

Just thought you experts would know...:)

[Panzer]

I just called Princess to check the waitlist again and we are number 6 overall and number 1 for a balcony. The guy on the phone told me that Princess could contact us on the day of sailing if a cabin frees up. That makes things hard to plan because we have 3 dogs. Since we are so close on the waitlist, we are considering packing our bags, taking the dogs to their sitters and just going to the ship on Thursday to see if someone doesn't show up (assuming that we don't hear from Princess until Wed). Is that crazy or is that a reasonable plan? I read in another thread something about having a guarantee on a waitlist...what exactly does that mean? We already put a deposit down...is that the same thing? I also read that Princess can take people off of the waitlist and refund their money without even contacting them...is that true? I'm trying to figure out the best plan of action here and we are down to the last few days. Thanks for any responses!

[Toto2Kansas]

Having a gurantee cabin means there will be a cabin on the ship waiting for you in the category you booked or higher. Being on the waitlist for the cruise is a totally different matter as you are not guranteed a stateroom but are waitlisted if one becomes available before sailing due to cancellations.

[hillslife]

I read on another post that cruise ships can't take last minute passengers anymore due to 9/11 security regulations and having to submit your immigration/cruise personalizer information at least a few weeks in advance....so not sure if you went to the port on sailing day that they could take you due to these restrictions..

 

In the good ole days, you could get a last minute cruise by just showing up and hoping for the best. Others may know more about this new restriction than I - just passing along what I had read on CC.

 

Good luck - how disappointing for you - the packing and anticipation are part of the whole experience of the cruise and this is spoiling it for you with all the uncertainty:(

[Panzer]

Thank you Toto2Kansas and hillslife for your replies.

 

Per hillslife's post:

 

"I read on another post that cruise ships can't take last minute passengers anymore due to 9/11 security regulations and having to submit your immigration/cruise personalizer information at least a few weeks in advance....so not sure if you went to the port on sailing day that they could take you due to these restrictions.."

 

Does anyone have anymore information on this? Is this true? I would hate to waste a couple of days transporting my dogs and packing if I wouldn't be allowed on the ship on the sailday anyway.

[Toto2Kansas]

Thank you Toto2Kansas and hillslife for your replies.

 

Per hillslife's post:

 

"I read on another post that cruise ships can't take last minute passengers anymore due to 9/11 security regulations and having to submit your immigration/cruise personalizer information at least a few weeks in advance....so not sure if you went to the port on sailing day that they could take you due to these restrictions.."

 

Does anyone have anymore information on this? Is this true? I would hate to waste a couple of days transporting my dogs and packing if I wouldn't be allowed on the ship on the sailday anyway.

 

I have never waitlisted for a cruise before, so I do have one question. When you are on the waitlist, do you still need to go into 'my princess' and fill out your immigration information while you are waitlisted? That might be the answer to your question if you would be allowed on at the last minute.

I have also read where they must turn the passenger manifest over so many hours/days before sailing for security purposes. Not sure how true that is or how much time before you sail that it needs done as I have never experienced it first hand.

[Luckyroot]

Never did a waitlist, so I'm curious too. Do you pay in full for the cruise then just wait to see if you get on (and if not, get a refund) or are you waiting to find out if there is availability, then when you get the call have to pony up whatever they decide to charge at that time, or is the price of the cruise set once you get on the waitlist?

 

Just curious.

[Panzer]

Hi -

 

I put a $450 deposit down on June 8th (this cruise sails on July 5th). If I get a call that there is an available cabin, then Princess will tell me the price at that time and I will have 48 hours to decide if I want to take it. I'm not sure what will happen if they let me know that a cabin is available on the sail day....they could technically charge anything. I'm assuming that the cost would be the market value...but I am new to this so I really don't know. I will get my $450 back if I don't go on the cruise.

 

Toto - I can go to the Princess site to fill out my info while on the waitlist...so maybe I could technically get on the boat the day that it sails. It will be interesting to see what ultimately happens.

[azdmelani]

Thank you Toto2Kansas and hillslife for your replies.

 

Per hillslife's post:

 

"I read on another post that cruise ships can't take last minute passengers anymore due to 9/11 security regulations and having to submit your immigration/cruise personalizer information at least a few weeks in advance....so not sure if you went to the port on sailing day that they could take you due to these restrictions.."

 

Does anyone have anymore information on this? Is this true? I would hate to waste a couple of days transporting my dogs and packing if I wouldn't be allowed on the ship on the sailday anyway.

 

i believe i have read in previous posts that the list of passengers needs to be in 48 hours before the cruise.

[raydon]

The waitlists are tricky. I would advise you to waitlist every category, even inside if you could do that. We were #1 in several categories for the 5/13 sailing Carribean Princess for a couple of weeks and didn,t get on. We had Kennel reservations, I had clothing lined up in closet, but on Saturday AM I called and they said the waitlist was pulled at close of business Friday for the Sunday sailing. So we headed to the Bahamas instead....have a back up plan and enjoy yourself! Good luck!

[Panzer]

I just called Princess again...we are number five on the overall waitlist now and still number one for a balcony. The guy on the phone was very helpful and I asked him about the immigration paperwork. As long as we have everything filled out they will accept it at the port on sail day (should we be lucky enough to move off of the waitlist). We don't live very far from Brooklyn, so even though it is a longshot, we will pack our bags and head over on sailday with our fingers crossed. If we can't get on this cruise, I just looked up a Royal Caribbean cruise that has cabins available still that sails on Friday from NJ.....so that is our backup plan. Thanks for everyone's responses....it really helped me figure out what to ask the agent.

[sunsetme]

panzer--if you make it on the CC group is meeting at Outriggers at 3. I just got my assigned cabin.