Princess took away my OBC

[jt58203]

I knew the deal I had was too good to be true! I booked (direct with Princess) my very first cruise ever on September 14. I knew I was getting $100 OBC for booking a balcony. While booking, it came up as $125—later which I discovered the $25 was for a missing brochure. On September 23 while making a payment I noticed our OBC was now $325. When I clicked on the breakdown there were three $100 Promotions of some sort (booking by November 30 for one, don’t recall the others but each had different #'s). I figured since I was a first time cruiser with Princess they were really being generous with me! Sometime after that I discovered that I was also getting the luggage. On October 17 I received an upgrade notice—going from a BF to a BB. (The notice also said $325 OBC). Tonight I was going to make a payment and the Cruise Personalizer said OBC for the entire cabin is $125. Well, I was going to call Princess tomorrow (or whenever I get a chance) as my husband didn’t get $25 for the missing brochure (I do have the letter saying $25 per person). Would it be rude to ask what happened to the $200? I was wondering if they will take away the luggage (nice gesture, but I really don’t need it). How about downgrading me back to a BF? I promise to be nice to them on the phone :) . Has anything similar happened to anyone else?

[Toto2Kansas]

It never hurts to ask the question, the worst that can happen is they tell you they have no idea but it must have been a computer glitch or something. Just be polite and ask them, the only wrong question is the one that was never asked. And best of luck!

[cactusrose]

I would politely mention that you had $325 before the upgrade and your notice of upgrade showed it was still there but it seems to be missing on your Cruise Personalizer and see what they say. I'm assuming you still have the email showing that amount. After you get a satisfactory answer either way, then I would mention the other $25.

[sashas_mom]

My recommendation is to politely ask to speak to a supervisor. I have found that the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing when dealing with Princess customer service. You will get one answer, not be happy with that answer and call back and get an entirely other answer from a different customer service rep. It can be frustrating, but if you stay calm and speak to someone who has some authority, they will usually work it out for you.

[FlorenceItaly]

Upon reading your post, I checked my personalizer. And, my $300 ob is now $100!! I too, am a new Princess cruiser, and will be sailing on the Dawn in April. I booked directly with Princess and will be calling them. I have a booking confirmation that shows $300 and plus it was verbally confirmed by a rep at one time as I have talked with them several times. I originally booked an inside, and then upgraded myself to a balcony. They also said I was getting the luggage. I too, thought this was a genuine prospect offer and a big part of the reason I booked.

 

 

Marie

[jt58203]

Upon reading your post, I checked my personalizer. And, my $300 ob is now $100!! I too, am a new Princess cruiser, and will be sailing on the Dawn in April. I booked directly with Princess and will be calling them. I have a booking confirmation that shows $300 and plus it was verbally confirmed by a rep at one time as I have talked with them several times. I originally booked an inside, and then upgraded myself to a balcony. They also said I was getting the luggage. I too, thought this was a genuine prospect offer and a big part of the reason I booked.

 

 

Marie

 

Keep us posted. I prefer not to call from work--will get home at 5:30 pm (3:30 pm on the West Coast), so will call Princess then and post here later tonight.

[GottoCruise]

I hope you printed out the web page from your Personalizer where it said $325 and Luggage (It would have had all the Promo 'codes' as "Applied to Booking #XXXX).

In my case, I did print out the webpage, however, when 1 Promo was "Applied to Booking #XXXX" the other Promos disappeared :rolleyes: .......

When I called, I was told you have a choice of $100 for the Goldmine Promo (pp if it is in EACH account) OR the Luggage (Luggage Promo is (1) per cabin NOT pp - even it is in EACH account)

Did you use a "Share the Wealth" certificate from a friend?? - that would account for another $50 pp for a 7 day cruise in a Balc. ?

There is also a $100 OBC now on the website for all Alaska cruises - but Princess would not apply it to our Booking because they said my cruisefare (from TA) was discounted.

I didn't check, but perhaps it is also on Princess website for 'other cruises' as well?? Anyone know???

I hope you have luck in getting ALL your OBC back!

Keep us posted.

[FlorenceItaly]

I got it straightened out, but I am still not convinced it is going to stay that way. They took the luggage promotion away, but that is okay. I do understand where certain promotions can not be combined. In fact, even though I was mailed a luggage promotion I never asked for it because I just figured it couldn't be combined with other promotions. THEY are the ones that told me I had it!! I am just glad I booked directly with Princess so I am not having to go through a TA for this. I got a great prospect offer so there was not much incentive for me to use a TA.

 

 

Marie

[FlorenceItaly]

Btw, will my OBC amount show when I receive my cruise documents? Is it anywhere in writing?

Thanks.

 

 

 

Marie

[StrikeEagle]

Has anything similar happened to anyone else?

 

Before we sailed on Princess, I noticed that I have a $25 OBC within my account on Princess.com web site. During the sailing I checked the purser desk on the ship for the spending statement on the ship and I did not see the $25 OBC. I asked the purser desk about this OBC and how do I apply to my account, they told me that they don't know anything about my $25 OBC. After returning home from the trip, I called Princess on the phone and they saw that I have the $25 OBC under my account, but right now they can not apply it to my previous sailings because it's their policy that they can not give that credit to a previously sailing. Am I suppose to call before the sailing to ask them to apply that OBC to that upcoming sailing?

 

Thanks

[jt58203]

I got it straightened out, but I am still not convinced it is going to stay that way. They took the luggage promotion away, but that is okay. I do understand where certain promotions can not be combined. In fact, even though I was mailed a luggage promotion I never asked for it because I just figured it couldn't be combined with other promotions. THEY are the ones that told me I had it!! I am just glad I booked directly with Princess so I am not having to go through a TA for this. I got a great prospect offer so there was not much incentive for me to use a TA.

 

 

Marie

 

When you called Princess did you select option 3 for existing booking? Then did that first person help you or were you transferred to another person? Did you have to fax/email them anything? Have you checked your cruise personalizer after the call to make sure it was back on there? Sorry for so many questions--I'm really not that good about dealing with issues over the phone.

 

Jill

[FlorenceItaly]

Yes, I pressed 3 for existing bookings. I booked directly with Princess so they will talk with me. If you booked through a TA she will need to handle this for you, I believe. I was not transferred to another person, but put on hold while she talked to someone else, I assume. I did not have to fax or email them anything.

 

 

Marie

[jt58203]

Yes, I pressed 3 for existing bookings. I booked directly with Princess so they will talk with me. If you booked through a TA she will need to handle this for you, I believe. I was not transferred to another person, but put on hold while she talked to someone else, I assume. I did not have to fax or email them anything.

 

 

Marie

 

Thanks for the info. It'll be a few hours until I call. I did book direct through Princess. My original booking summary shows only $125 but I did print off a couple of documents showing $325 (copy of deposit payment info page and also it showed up on my Upgrade Notice). Unfortunately I did not print off that part "Promo 'codes' as "Applied to Booking #XXXX)."

I saw it online once a while back, but don't see that anywhere now. I also want to let everyone know that this issue is not going to make my cruise experience less than a perfect one. Just a matter of seeing something and now it's gone, probably one of those "can't complain about something you never had" deals.

Jill

[jt58203]

I called Princess tonight and got some of the OBC back. I was on hold off and on for about a half hour. The lady told me that it looked like one of the $100 promotions per cabin was applied as $100 each. (I really should have printed off the promotion #s so they could have been double-checked, my fault for not doing this). They took away the luggage (no big deal). So my OBC that originally was $125, which climbed to $325, now is $250--I'm happy.

[FlorenceItaly]

Jill,

 

I am glad you got it resolved to your satisfaction. Have a wonderful cruise!

 

 

 

Marie