Cloud 9 Spa A Different Company?!

Did you know that the Cloud 9 Spa is a different company? I got off the Dream a week ago and there were many problems with the spa including over and double-charging and they just kept playing the blame game. Carnival blamed Cloud 9, Cloud 9 blamed Carnival, and no one fixed anything.

Yup, they even tell you when you take the tour.

Steiner operates most of the spas at sea.

http://www.steinerleisure.com/main/Page.aspx?PageID=3011

Steiner operates most of the spas at sea.

 

http://www.steinerleisure.com/main/Page.aspx?PageID=3011

Good to know.

There's nothing like someone wearing a Carnival nametag saying "I don't work for Carnival".

Are there any other companies operating on their ships?

Good to know.

 

There's nothing like someone wearing a Carnival nametag saying "I don't work for Carnival".

 

Are there any other companies operating on their ships?

Steiner operates spas on 15 cruise lines so it isn't just Carnival. Many cruise lines outsource various operations. The shops on the ships is another area.

Good to know.

 

There's nothing like someone wearing a Carnival nametag saying "I don't work for Carnival".

 

Are there any other companies operating on their ships?

From the Carnival ticket contract

(b) Guest acknowledges that the ship’s masseuse, barber, hair dresser, manicurist, fitness or golf instructor, videographer, art auctioneer, gift shop personnel, wedding planners or other providers of personal services are employees of independent contractors and Carnival is not responsible for their actions. Guest further acknowledges that although independent contractors or their employees may use signage or clothing which contains the name “Carnival” or other related trade names or logos, the independent contractor status remains unchanged. Independent contractors, their employees and assistants are not agents, servants or employees of Carnival and have no authority to act on behalf of Carnival.

From the Carnival ticket contract

 

(b) Guest acknowledges that the ship’s masseuse, barber, hair dresser, manicurist, fitness or golf instructor, videographer, art auctioneer, gift shop personnel, wedding planners or other providers of personal services are employees of independent contractors and Carnival is not responsible for their actions. Guest further acknowledges that although independent contractors or their employees may use signage or clothing which contains the name “Carnival” or other related trade names or logos, the independent contractor status remains unchanged. Independent contractors, their employees and assistants are not agents, servants or employees of Carnival and have no authority to act on behalf of Carnival.

I never noticed that clause before, thanks.

So they have no authority to act on behalf of Carnival but can charge random amounts to your card at will with no accountability? Dodgy arrangement, that.

The Spa, the Art auction, the gift shop, the casino, and the duty free shop are all typically concessions.

The Spa, the Art auction, the gift shop, the casino, and the duty free shop are all typically concessions.

The contract doesn't mention casino staff...not that I ever go to the casino but some of my friends do...it would be nice if they were a bit more upfront about who you're dealing with. The fact that these folks can do whatever they want with impunity is disturbing...

It also probably explains this one time when a woman in the gift shop starting talking to me about someone on the ship she wanted to sleep with...

Medical staff are also usually contractors.

Medical staff are also usually contractors.

Also not mentioned in the contract. It's almost as if they're not cleaning your room or serving you food then they're not Carnival.

Also not mentioned in the contract. It's almost as if they're not cleaning your room or serving you food then they're not Carnival.

Doctors and nurses are mentioned in this part of the contract

(f) All rights, exemptions from liability, defenses and immunities of Carnival under this contract shall also inure to the benefit of Carnival’s facilities, whether at sea or ashore, servants, agents, managers, affiliated or related companies, suppliers, shipbuilders and manufacturers of component parts and independent contractors, including, but not limited to, shore excursion or tour operators, ship’s physician, ship’s nurse, retail shop personnel, health and beauty staff, fitness staff, video diary staff, and other concessionaires, who shall have no liability to the Guest, either in contract or in tort, which is greater than or different from that of Carnival.

Also not mentioned in the contract. It's almost as if they're not cleaning your room or serving you food then they're not Carnival.

Have you ever actually read the contract? One of the requirements of cruising on Carnival is that you have read and agree with the contract.

Compare it to other mass market cruise lines. Carnival is not any different than the rest.

Have you ever actually read the contract? One of the requirements of cruising on Carnival is that you have read and agree with the contract.

I read it once in 2013, I'm no legal expert, and I didn't commit it to memory. Do you read every clause of the contract each time you sail?

I never noticed that clause before, thanks.

 

So they have no authority to act on behalf of Carnival but can charge random amounts to your card at will with no accountability? Dodgy arrangement, that.

Even the people that decorate the Christmas trees are independent contractors, but i never read the contracts either ;)

I read it once in 2013, I'm no legal expert, and I didn't commit it to memory. Do you read every clause of the contract each time you sail?

I do before I pop off about things I should know but don't.

The only guaranteed way to not get ripped off with impunity is to not buy anything anywhere at any time.

The only guaranteed way to not get ripped off with impunity is to not buy anything anywhere at any time.

Some organizations take accountability for their actions. For example when something goes wrong at a Hilton, they make it right.

All this talk of contracts is all fine about legal matters and not getting sued but what about customer service? What about the guest experience? If you have to cite the 12th and 13th clauses of a lengthy contract to avoid responsibility and accountability you've protected yourself well, congratulations, but you lose customers. I'm not looking to sue anyone, I'm not talking about legal liability, I'm talking about the customer experience and if that involves memorizing a lengthy contract and no one taking responsibility then that experience, frankly, sucks.

I read it once in 2013, I'm no legal expert, and I didn't commit it to memory. Do you read every clause of the contract each time you sail?

I sometimes keep a pdf copy of each one I agree to. Too many passengers ignore their personal accountability and try to shift all responsibility onto the cruise line.

The only reason the contract keeps growing/changing is the number of ambulance chasers and sue happy people who try to pick the pockets of the cruise line.

The customer is not always right. Hotels might have to suck up to business people, but cruise lines don't.

I sometimes keep a pdf copy of each one I agree to. Too many passengers ignore their personal accountability and try to shift all responsibility onto the cruise line.

 

The only reason the contract keeps growing/changing is the number of ambulance chasers and sue happy people who try to pick the pockets of the cruise line.

 

The customer is not always right. Hotels might have to suck up to business people, but cruise lines don't.

Well I'm sorry if I don't meet your high standards of personal accountability but I don't see how independent contractors mischarging me and insulting my travelling companions is somehow my responsibility. The contract seems to allow them to do whatever they please, if you call reversing a fraudulent charge "sucking up to business people" then I think we have very different definitions of basic customer service.

I think refusing to provide services paid for, then making false charges, insulting people, and refusing to do anything about it and then blaming your business partner (the spa blamed Carnival, Carnival blamed the spa, no one did anything) is not acceptable and hiding behind buried clauses in contracts is poor service. I think perhaps we should agree to disagree here and move on.

Well I'm sorry if I don't meet your high standards of personal accountability but I don't see how independent contractors mischarging me and insulting my travelling companions is somehow my responsibility. The contract seems to allow them to do whatever they please, if you call reversing a fraudulent charge "sucking up to business people" then I think we have very different definitions of basic customer service.

 

I think refusing to provide services paid for, then making false charges, insulting people, and refusing to do anything about it and then blaming your business partner (the spa blamed Carnival, Carnival blamed the spa, no one did anything) is not acceptable and hiding behind buried clauses in contracts is poor service. I think perhaps we should agree to disagree here and move on.

I consider the mistake that may have happened on your account to be an isolated incident and not worthy of further discussion.

If the spa incorrectly charged you for something, you need to take it up with the spa.

Did you know that the Cloud 9 Spa is a different company? I got off the Dream a week ago and there were many problems with the spa including over and double-charging and they just kept playing the blame game. Carnival blamed Cloud 9, Cloud 9 blamed Carnival, and no one fixed anything.

Yeah and I get over-charged from time to time at Walmart, Lowes, etc. When imperfect people (that would be all of us) are involved, mistakes are bound to happen. Just deal with it, forget about it, and move along with life.

As for the Cloud 9 Spa, I could care less if the operator is Carnival, Steiner, or that guy Butch who lives with his mom....whoever it is they are doing something right as I have had wonderful experiences on both the Magic and Breeze...so much so that No Cloud 9 Spa = No cruise for me!

I consider the mistake that may have happened on your account to be an isolated incident and not worthy of further discussion.

 

If the spa incorrectly charged you for something, you need to take it up with the spa.

If it's not worthy of further discussion why do you keep commenting on this thread? Did you seriously take the time to come here just to tell me not to talk about something?

I DID take it up with the spa, repeatedly. They did nothing, hiding behind the excuse they were a separate company. That's what this whole thread is about. Maybe you should read what someone writes before telling them what to do and telling them not to discuss something.

Yeah and I get over-charged from time to time at Walmart, Lowes, etc. When imperfect people (that would be all of us) are involved, mistakes are bound to happen. Just deal with it, forget about it, and move along with life.

If you're cool with being overcharged and treated badly that's fine for you. I'm not. Mistakes do happen, all the time, which is why a structure to address them needs to be in place for me to have confidence in a business.

You love the spa, that's cool. You do you. I'm not telling anyone not to use the spa. I'm actually not telling anyone to do anything. I just wanted to let people know if they, like me, didn't know these things so they can make informed decisions.

My life isn't exactly on hold over this.

I made a video about my experience

[YOUTUBE]J5I65kBC2O0[/YOUTUBE]

Did you know that the Cloud 9 Spa is a different company? I got off the Dream a week ago and there were many problems with the spa including over and double-charging and they just kept playing the blame game. Carnival blamed Cloud 9, Cloud 9 blamed Carnival, and no one fixed anything.

I thought Steiner operates Carnival's spas. That is what I've encountered from 20+ years of cruising Carnival.

I don't particularly care for them. They're more worried about marketing to you than they are about providing great spa treatments.

The last time I booked a spa treatment with them, which had been a very long time from the previous time I did so due to poor service, I purchased a massage package for X number of minutes. I only got about half of the so-called minutes I purchased, so I'm sure it will be a long time again before I consider stepping foot into another Steiner spa.