When booking this reservation, 11 months before sailing, I was asked if I would like to be put on a list for a possible upgrade. I said yes. I am a platinum member and therefore assumed the cruise line might be able to do something for me. The nearer my departure came, about 2 weeks out, I called and asked if an upgrade might be possible. I called again a week out, then just a few days out. I kept being told that an upgrade list was computer generated, and that ‘I might not know about an upgrade until departure. However, it appeared that an upgrade would be more than likely’. Checking the ship’s cabin availability, I could see that all sorts of rooms were still open and that the ship was not even near capacity.

Also, about two weeks out, it became necessary for me to explain my need for use of a transport assist chair. I was told that Princess did not offer this and that I should contact ‘Special needs at sea’. This organization explained that they did not have a contract in Yokohama and that I would have to pay a concierge fee of $50.00 for the research, whether or not a transport assist chair could be provided. In the end, I got my own transport assist chair and flew it from New York to Tokyo. Princess should not ‘recommend’ a company for services that cannot be promised.

At check in, it became clear that an upgrade had not been made and that I would need to ask about this onboard. Guest services wanted to know if I would be willing to pay for the upgrade. I said no. A little while later, I went back to guest service and asked to speak with the hotel general manager. What I was given was the supervisor of guest services – not at all the same person. I explained my situation and was told that they would not be able to offer an upgrade until they had E-mailed the corporate office – because of the time zone difference. Read more