Cunard and Princess Have a New Heavy Handed Cancellation Policy – Yikes!

I generally do not post the day to day changes in the dealings with the various cruise lines including such things as Carnival slightly shortening each penalty period.  But I had to write about this one:

Effective Wednesday, December 1, 2010, ALL Princess Cruises and Cunard Line bookings will automatically cancel as soon as the final payment is past due. Additionally, there will be no grace periods or extensions allowed for receipt of final payment. All Electronic Fund Transfers must be submitted and payments by check must be posted by the final payment date.

That’s right.  If you are even a day late you are out of luck, your cruise will be cancelled…and Cunard (you know the line that pretends it is a luxury line) and Princess will take your deposit and your cabin.

I do not know this, but I think they probably are having problems with people that book late, then delay the final payment only to never make that payment.  This obviously leaves Cunard and Princess with unsold cabins and not much time to sell them. 

On the other hand, it is extremely heavy handed and, at least for me, is a huge reduction in Customer Service. 

Next time you are preoccupied at the deli counter and your miss you number being called, just expect to have to go to the back of the line and hope they don’t run out of potato salad.  Selling a personal and emotional experience like a cruise, potato salad, it is all the same thing, right?

That reminds me:  For all of you who have a travel agent you just can’t seem to get in touch with.  You better plan on reaching out to him/her at least a full week in advance of that final payment date.