We currently have 3 cabins booked on the 2/15/03 sailing of the Star Princess. Like good passengers we booked our cabins months in advance to get our choice of cabin and the best price possible. We choose 3 inside cabins on the Caribe deck, one handicapped,in the front third of the ship. Our TA was able to get a price that was better than what others were paying for the Plaza deck (note bowels of the ship). We were very happy with what we had. We then found out that Princess gave us an upgrade. The upgrade consisted of going up 3 decks. No great shakes to me. In fact I prefer the lower decks for stability. On top of that the cabins were more forward and we no longer had a handicapped cabin. At the same time I recieved an email from another TA that balcony cabins were now gong for $23 more than what I had paid for my inside cabin. So I called my TA and told her this. She found 3 balcony cabins together and booked us. Unfortunatley, none were handicapped but she put us on a waiting list. A few hours later she called back and said Princess would not let us have those cabins, even though we're willing to pay the extra money, because it is a special promotion for new bookings. They did change our cabins again. This time to a lower deck, with a window but still no handicap cabin.

I let her know how really displeased I was with Princess. With this next trip I'll be a Platinum
member, that means I will have sailed with Princess 6 times. On top of it I booked 3 cabins months in advance and am now being penalized for it. Of course I already told everyone that we've gotten balcony cabins. My husband and I were going to pay the difference for eveyone as a xmas present and now we can't do that. It would be one thing to not give an upgrade but Princess won't even let me pay for it. My TA said she would keep after them but the more I thought about it the more I fumed, so I called Princess.

I spoke with one woman and told her how very displeased I was and how unfair it is. She couldn't do anything so she called her supervisor. The supervisor couldn't do anything because it is a special promotion but was going to call the Executive Offices to see what they would do. She told me she'd get back to my TA in a couple of hours.

So I sit here waiting to hear from my TA to see if Princess does the right thing. I've sailed with them so often because I've always enjoyed cruising with them but there are a lot of other cruise lines out there to choose from. I hope they don't force me to change my mind about them.

With the first upgrade, they took away the handicapped room, which seems odd, since they must realize that you booked this room due to a need to have this type of room.

I know that by booking 6th months ahead that I miss out on the last minute deals, so maybe Princess sees the balcony offer in this light. For good customer relations, they should let you upgrade, especially since they took away the handicapped room.

The main reason people use TA's is to be sure the details are done and done corectly.

I have not used a TA for many years, I book direct. My last TA moved to another state and I have not found any that can do as good a job as she did. I have also found the level of service from Princess to be better by booking direct.

Have a great trip and Bon Voyage

My "good passenger" statement was a bit of sarcasm. Cruise lines love it when you book early. The more upfront bookings they have the less they have to discount later. As you said, we were a known factor. They no longer had to do anything to get our business.... for this cruise. As good customer relations though for keeping a good repeat passenger coming back it's to their advantage to give me the good prices as well.

We booked the handicapped caabin because my mother is handicapped. Although she's not confined to a wheelchair and can use a walker, the doorways of standard cabins are too narrow, that includes the bathroom. Yes, she can turn the walker around sideways but that means she has to walk sideways as well and that's an invitation to tripping and falling. I realize that if you're not confined to a wheelchair the cruise line can bump you out of the handicapped cabin but Princess didn't know and didn't ask. What a cruise line considers an upgrade might not necessarily be wanted by the passenger. They should check with the passenger first before moving them from a cabin that they specifically chose.

By the way Kevin, what ship are you on? Have a great trip and when we get back we'll have to compare war stories.