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Use Carnival online booking at your own risk


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I booked a Carnival cruise on-line, paid a $1,000 deposit, and thought my card would automatically be charged for the remainder. It was not, so my reservation was cancelled. When I called to check on it they told me I had to rebook the cruise at higher current prices or lose my $1,000 deposit. I talked to three layers of Guest Solutions personnel and was told that all of this was my fault so I was out of luck.

 

Obviously, this will be my last Carnival cruise but I hope to let others know that if anything goes wrong with your booking, Carnival is going to hang you out to dry.

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why did you think that your card would automatically be charged for the balance? when would this occur?

 

this has not been my experience, so curious what happened...

It has always been my experience that the card that you make your deposit with is the one they will charge for final payment unless they hear from you with other instuctions.

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I booked a Carnival cruise on-line, paid a $1,000 deposit, and thought my card would automatically be charged for the remainder. It was not, so my reservation was cancelled. When I called to check on it they told me I had to rebook the cruise at higher current prices or lose my $1,000 deposit. I talked to three layers of Guest Solutions personnel and was told that all of this was my fault so I was out of luck.

 

Obviously, this will be my last Carnival cruise but I hope to let others know that if anything goes wrong with your booking, Carnival is going to hang you out to dry.

 

If you're talking about your final payment, it's the responsibility of the passenger to make sure it's paid in full. You obviously didn't do what you were supposed to. That's not Carnival's fault. Good luck with other cruise lines holding your hand either. :rolleyes:

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Never heard of having your card automatically charged. I have always had to call and make my remaining payment on any trips I've ever taken. Cruise or other wise. Unless I made a total payment at booking.

Even if they allowed it and if I had authorized an automatic draft, It would still be my responsibility to be sure it was done. If I didn't I wouldn't be upset with them if my reservation was cancelled. It would be my own fault.

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Mine has never automatically been charged. I just keep track of when final payment is due and make sure it gets taken care of.

 

One warning I might make is that by default the entire amount is charged. I checked the box to pay the deposit, then went back to look at something and when I went back and pressed pay now, the entire cruise was billed. My fault. Should have been paying closer attention.

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It has always been my experience that the card that you make your deposit with is the one they will charge for final payment unless they hear from you with other instuctions.

 

You have to be signed up to automatically pay the final payment. My PVP always asks me if I want it and I say no thanks.. its up to you.

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Our upcoming cruise final payment was due 11/15. We received multiple e-mails at regular intervals in the weeks leading up to that date to remind us. I find it hard to believe Carnival does not do the same (although both cruises we took with Carnival were booked fairly last minute and thus paid in full at that time).

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Never heard of having your card automatically charged. I have always had to call and make my remaining payment on any trips I've ever taken. Cruise or other wise.

 

I booked our past Liberty cruise with an online agency I'd used a couple times in the past. This time, tho', my credit card was automatically charged when finally payment was due (I'd tried calling her 2 days in a row before due date but hadn't gotten a call back). When I finally spoke to her she said my CC had been charged. I was rather peeved as this hadn't happened before and I'd wanted to get the points on my Southwest CC, not the one I'd paid the deposit with.

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With a travel agent yes, but never on Carnival's site, at least in my experience.

 

Sent from my Kindle Fire

 

Not a self-booking on Carnival's site no, but my Carnival PVP always asks if I want this set up using the same card as the deposit.

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You have to be signed up to automatically pay the final payment. My PVP always asks me if I want it and I say no thanks.. its up to you.

 

My PVP always ask me too.. I sign up but have always called a few days before to go ahead with payment. I don't want my cruise cancelled!!!

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My experience was the opposite, when i booked my cruise I was expecting to only make a deposit. It wasnt until i looked at my credit card balance did I figure out I had been charged for the whole thing. :rolleyes:

It all is the same in the end I suppose. I only use the card to get frequent flyer miles so....just got the miles sooner. :D

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Not a self-booking on Carnival's site no, but my Carnival PVP always asks if I want this set up using the same card as the deposit.

 

I don't use a PVPbut since that is along the same line as a TA the clearly that would make sense. I Kind figured my comment would be twisted a bit since I made a general statement.

 

Sent from my Kindle Fire

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If you're talking about your final payment, it's the responsibility of the passenger to make sure it's paid in full. You obviously didn't do what you were supposed to. That's not Carnival's fault. Good luck with other cruise lines holding your hand either. :rolleyes:

 

Yeah, heaven forbid a company in the hospitality industry go out of their way to help someone who has spent thousands of dollars with them.

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I booked on line with Carnival. No PVP. The day after final payment Carnival sent me an e-mail reminding me that final payment was due. OP did you not get a e-mail reminder?

I know someone who refuses to read personal email on the weekends and automatically deletes all SPAM mail without looking at who sent it first. I can understand not reading work email...but personal emails? I always peruse the spam addresses before deleting them because many corporate emails that I need to read mistakenly go to spam.

 

You would not believe the important emails this person I know has missed about the schools, the kids...you name it..she has missed it...and all because she has some issue with reading personal email on the weekends.

 

Not saying this is the OP's issue...but I would hope that CCL sent him an email reminder of final payment....and that he diligently checks emails.

 

Someone else I know refused to answer their cell phone because they didn't recognize the number....finally when the caller called the 3rd time it was answered...and good thing...because it was from the emergency room of the hospital telling them that their spouse had just been brought in after being hit by a car while crossing the street!:eek:

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So you just assumed carnival would charge the remainder to your card whenever they felt like it? Or you assumed it would be taken on the final payment date? Either way that is something NO company can do without you specifically agreeing to it. NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING, ask, comfirm, double confirm.

 

This is 100% NOT Carnivals fault.

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I think both OP and Carnival are at fault. Carnival should have sent e-mails (if they didn't) and even follow up with a phone call. After all, they feel free to send e-mails and make calls any other time. I'd say that is about 25% of the fault. The remaining 75% belongs to the OP. It is your money and your vacation so it is up to YOU to MAKE SURE everything is ok. My final payment is always set up to come out automatically. I still check to make sure it came out. Me making sure saved my Mom her cruise this year as Carnival sent an e-mail reminder after the card declined (card expired before final payment). That e-mail is the only e-mail Carnival has sent that went to my spam folder.

 

I do think Carnival should try working something out with the OP since that is just good customer service. Carnival is good for giving great value and great vacations by they do seem to have that "we don't care, take it or leave it" attitude. Just because you would not miss a person's business really shouldn't mean that you just brush them off. OP is not asking for something free and Carnival has to have a record of what happened and see it was a legit mistake.

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Have to agree with most. Aren't we all responsible for our self? I guess we'd rather blame someone else, it's easier that way.

 

E-mail may have gone to spam, and let's face it more times than not we delete without checking the spam folder.

 

Didn't OP print a copy after making reservation, I know I do with any reservation I make.

 

In the end a Costly mistake, but NOT Carnival's fault.

 

NO-ONE gets to automatically charge my Credit Cards. Can you imagine the LIABILITY ? It would be so easy for anybody to say I NEVER AUTHORIZED THAT! Then the hassle becomes between 3 people you, the CC company and whatever company auto-charged the account.

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