If your like me I save all my old cruise cards and have a collection going back to 1987. I was a little set back when we disembarked the Dawn Princess last week when they collected my card upon scanning out. If you want to keep your old card, plan on "losing" yours sometime before the last day so they can replace it before leaving. I don't know if this is policy on all the Princess ships or not.

Hi RichC.
I think it may be as they kept ours when we left Grand Princess on the 1st July. If I had thought quicker I could have asked why. Must have been too laid back after 12 days on board!

Why collect the old cards? They can't be used anymore. I suppose security is the reason but how would you get past the card reader at the ship's security checkpoint? Seems rather silly to me. Like it was mentioned - anyone who wants a souvenir card badly enough will just lose one sometime during the cruise.

RCI and Carnival still let you keep the cards.

Dave - The only thing I can think of is a security issue but since they can't possibly be used again it couldn't be used for re-entry. My wife thinks it a recycling issue but I don't really think so. I questioned all the Princess personal I saw including security & they had no explanation other than that they were told to do so. I also emailed Princess for an explanation but I doubt if I'll ever receive an answer.

I don't recall which cruise it was, yet we also had to turn in our cards one time at disembarkation. (I had thought it was Princess, but I just went through my cards from my most recent cruises and it wasn't.) Rich, like your wife, I thought it might be for recycling -- but if that is the case, they should give us a choice as not everyone discards them.

Hmm... I kept mine when I got of the Coral Princess in May... maybe it is a new policy since then?

I kept mine from the Caribbean Princess in May as well. Maybe something new.

Star Princess in April took cards both in Acapulco & Seattle. Caribbean princess in May did not take them. Go figure.

I emailed them for an yesterday & asked for an explanation why, but I doubt they'll ever take the time to respond. Their customer service dept needs a lot of improvement. As a mater of fact I've NEVER received answerers to any questions - perhaps they only respond to TA's.

I'm still waiting for a reply from my email, too. I asked them how they figure holds on credit cards.

quote:

perhaps they only respond to TA's

Rich they don't usually respond to general inquiries for T/As either. Unless you call, they'll respond only if they have a form letter appropriate for your question in most cases. It's rare to get a personalized response, for anyone, over anything. When you do call, you have to be lucky to get someone with the right answer as well, unless there is a screen in the system with the right answer. You'll get people trained in the phone center to enter a booking, look at inventory availability, dining times, etc. Anything outside that normal booking process is tough to get straight answers. Some will give you their best guess, often incorrect. Some will simply shoot you straight, "I don't have that information." Whatever the answer, the goal for the person on the other end of the line is to get you booked or get you off the phone so they can book the next incoming call. There are a few who are very knowledgable or who will dig or ask to find the right information but they're the exception rather than the rule.

Cheers, Neil

It's pretty much what I expected & a hell of a way to run a multi-million dollar business. I did receive a return receipt that they opened up my email.

Sadly this is further evidence of the generally mediocre shore-based operations of all cruise lines. Princess isn't alone in this effort, or lack thereof. It is so strange because the ships operate at a much higher level when it comes to competence and responsiveness.

quote:

Originally posted by Dave Beers:
Sadly this is further evidence of the generally mediocre shore-based operations of all cruise lines. Princess isn't alone in this effort, or lack thereof. It is so strange because the ships operate at a much higher level when it comes to competence and responsiveness.

Thank God for that.

BTW a few weeks ago Princess was looking to fill some CSR jobs. No experience necessary

Don't you mean CNSR.

About collecting the old cruise cards when your cruise is over, the only thing I can think of is over port security. In most ports, before being allowed on the dock, everyone has to show a cruise card..wlthough I have never seen anyone scrutinize them. Getting on the ship is another issue but they may just be trying to keep locals off of the piers when the ships are in port and simply have to start somewhere. I've never seen it as a problem but who knows!

I suppose port security is the biggest concern but on our last cruise we stopped at Victoria, Ca on the way home & the security officer was breaking in a new guy & instructing him to carefully check the date of the card. If so, it still wouldn't get you onto the ship as I'm sure they cancel the numbers each week. Again, if port security were the biggest issue, I haven't heard of any other cruise line doing the same.
BTW - still no response from my email to Princess regarding the subject. I doubt if I'll even get one until I corner someone on our next cruise.

quote:

Originally posted by RichC:
Don't you mean CNSR.

Customer Service Representative in Santa Clara, CA

I'm still waiting (not holding my breath).
Has anyone ever received an email from Princess about anything other than ad's for selling a new booking?