Disgruntled Former Carnival Cruiser

I just returned from the Carnival Valor and was totally disappointed in almost everything at there. I've been on 12 Carnival cruises and was shocked at how they 'nickel and dime' you. :mad: In addition as an Ocean Players Club member, I was used to receiving several perks throughout the cruise. Those are now gone. I am done with Carnival and will never go back.

On the brighter side, I am booked on Freedom of the Seas July 2nd and am getting very excited reading all of these boards. Thanks to everyone and I look forward to seeing you there.

Welcome!

You will not be sorry. I have sailed carnival in the past, but I will not again, it is just a better feel on RCCL.

Enjoy!

Well I hope you have a great cruise. It's been awhile since I sailed Carnival, but RCI is pretty good at the nickel-and-dime game too...

Am I wrong but didn't Carnival buy RCL about 4 years ago? I remember at the time being worried that RCI would become just an extention of Carnival and turn their ships into party boats. Can we see this happening? Don't get me wrong, RCI is still my cruise line of choice, having sailed a couple of times more recently on Princess, but RCI has made some considerable changes over the past few years and not all of them for for the good of their passenger.

No Carnival did not buy RCCL. It's not so much the nickel and dime, it was how rude they were when I tried to complain after the cruise. I really got the feel that they didn't care and 'felt' that they didn't need me. I know business is good for the cruise industry now, but I met several people who lost alot of respect for Carnival.

RCI has made some considerable changes over the past few years and not all of them for for the good of their passenger.

like what? just curious...

I like RCI. I can't vouch for the ship yet but I think she will be great. I will be finding out at the same time you are.

I look forward to meeting you on the 7/2/06 cruise. I'll be the one at the 'Let it Ride' tables starting after the wife & kids go to bed and staying into the wee hours of the night.

I'll be the one at the 'Let it Ride' tables starting after the wife & kids go to bed and staying into the wee hours of the night.

When you come across Owmz and Michael, tell them Tracy with the pink hat says "hello from Virginia!" :)

Have a fantastic time!!

Tracy

Thanks, will do Zotzer. I can't wait. With all the people they meet, you must have some story for them to remember you 4 weeks after you left. Anything you can share?

Take care

I was on Carnival Valor July 10, 2005 and I didn't find it a bad experience. I enjoy switching between Royal Caribbean and Carnival. I am going on Freedom of the Seas on July 9, 2006. Right after the July 2nd cruise. :)

Thanks, will do Zotzer. I can't wait. With all the people they meet, you must have some story for them to remember you 4 weeks after you left. Anything you can share?

LOL! You are good!

Well, Owmz is from Radiance, and I had met him there. He remembered me out of context on hall-monitor duty the first hour I was on the ship, so he won't be a problem.

And Michael...well, tell him his future wife, who he met on the inaugural, says she misses him.

They'll know! :)

Tracy

I was on 2 Carnival cruises last year and did not have any issues. This is something very recent with them and I am not alone in noticing changes. I am even very close with a Carnival Cruise consultant who told me, even they are very frustrated by inconsistancies and the 'cheapness' displayed. I'm telling you they are so full of themselves and are taking their customers for granted. I will never return.

Am I wrong but didn't Carnival buy RCL about 4 years ago? I remember at the time being worried that RCI would become just an extention of Carnival and turn their ships into party boats. Can we see this happening? Don't get me wrong, RCI is still my cruise line of choice, having sailed a couple of times more recently on Princess, but RCI has made some considerable changes over the past few years and not all of them for for the good of their passenger.

Sorry to tell you, but you are wrong. Carnival didn't buy Royal Caribbean. It bought Princess. I wonder if you have noticed any changes when you have sailed on Princess. I can't say that I have noticed any that I would attribute to Carnival's ownership. I am interested in knowing what those 'considerable' changes are that you mention having taken place on RCI over the past few years. Most of the changes that I have seen seem to be aimed at meeting the tastes and expectations of their target audience. Their loyalty program has added a number of benefits, especially access to the concierge lounges on those ships that have them, and a number of extra benefits for those who have achieved Diamond Plus status, and the new bedding on Freedom and eventually all of the ships in the fleet is wonderful and long overdue.

LOL! You are good!

 

Well, Owmz is from Radiance, and I had met him there. He remembered me out of context on hall-monitor duty the first hour I was on the ship, so he won't be a problem.

 

And Michael...well, tell him his future wife, who he met on the inaugural, says she misses him.

 

They'll know! :)

 

Tracy

Tracy - I'll remember and do it just for you. Hope it brings me some luck at the tables.

Tracy - I'll remember and do it just for you. Hope it brings me some luck at the tables.

I brought lots of luck to the tables...just didn't manage to keep any for myself. Here's hoping it's still holding true! :p I was the "Queen of Sixteen" at blackjack for the week, but kept on hitting. Ol' reliable! LOL

Have a great cruise!!

T

Hey Tracy - don't you know, never hit on 16. lol. What's with this merging of boards. I enjoyed the 'Freedom' only hang out and I was looking forward to the posts from those returning from the 2nd voyage.

Hey Tracy - don't you know, never hit on 16. lol.

Oh lordy...you had best stick with "Let it Ride" for sure, if you don't want a raving pack of angry little old ladies to beat you senseless! ROFL

Freedom is just "another ship" now...back with the masses we go! :p

Tracy

I just returned from the Carnival Valor and was totally disappointed in almost everything at there. I've been on 12 Carnival cruises and was shocked at how they 'nickel and dime' you. :mad: In addition as an Ocean Players Club member, I was used to receiving several perks throughout the cruise. Those are now gone. I am done with Carnival and will never go back.

 

On the brighter side, I am booked on Freedom of the Seas July 2nd and am getting very excited reading all of these boards. Thanks to everyone and I look forward to seeing you there.

What happened to all the perks with the ocean players club:confused:

Welcome!

You will not be sorry. I have sailed carnival in the past, but I will not again, it is just a better feel on RCCL.

Enjoy!

Dizzy, I totally agree with you! So far, we've only saied on Carnival and RCI - four times on each. Our last cruise was with Carnival, and it was DEFINITELY our last with them. The nickel-and-diming, you'll find on every cruise ship, I imagine. It was the fact that they reneged on half of the onboard credits AFTER we got home from the cruise! When we left the ship, our bill was actually a two cent credit, but when our credit card bill arrived later on, they'd billed us for half of what they'd promised us as onboard credits. Add to that the air conditioning going out, the nonworking elevators, and the terrible dining room service, and you can see why Carnival is history for THIS cruiser! We've already booked our holiday cruise for December on RCI, and I couldn't be more thrilled!

I'm not sure what happened to the promised perks. In my case it was a collective case of memory lose by the entire casino division. It will be their lose though in the long run, as I love to gamble but have the worst luck in the world. To tell you how bad it was, as a platinum card member, we were entitle to priority deembarkation. They sent us all to a room and then forgot about us, as people who should of gotten off after us, started leaving. We had to call to 'remind' them that we were not yet given any priority.

To me it's all about Carnival just taking the customers for granted, and thinking they will always return.

One cruise and things didn't go your way and you have swore off the entire cruise line??? Your choice obviously and if thats what you want, more power to you. Makes more room for some of the rest of us. I always have to chuckle when I see comments like "Never Again...." Have seen them for every cruise line on this board. Tells me people have different tastes and make decisions based on those tastes. That's a good thing by the way - if it weren't so, there wouldn't be a need for more than one cruise line. Enjoy your RCL cruises (as many do) but I'd be careful and not try another line - you might then have to swear off RCL. :)

One cruise and things didn't go your way and you have swore off the entire cruise line??? Your choice obviously and if thats what you want, more power to you. Makes more room for some of the rest of us. I always have to chuckle when I see comments like "Never Again...." Have seen them for every cruise line on this board. Tells me people have different tastes and make decisions based on those tastes. That's a good thing by the way - if it weren't so, there wouldn't be a need for more than one cruise line. Enjoy your RCL cruises (as many do) but I'd be careful and not try another line - you might then have to swear off RCL. :)

Amen! I personally wouldn't swear off a cruise line just because of one cruise. We want to try all lines. Have been on 3 Carnival, 2 Norw., & have an RCI scheduled. Had a great time on all cruises with no major complaints about any of them. Really enjoyed Carnival & Norwegian & feel sure we'll think the same about RCI. The lines are different as is each individual cruise, but that's what we like. Just put us on a ship!!

For us, it was not just that one cruise. The first on Carnival was great - we had nothing to compare it to. The next was okay, the third was disappointing, and the last was - well, not something I'd want to do again. Since we'd been getting more and more disappointed with the cruises we took on CCL, and we've never been disappointed with RCI, why SHOULD we go back to a line that we've already outgrown?

As I mentioned. No need to go back. If you like A instead of B - stay with B. My only real point was those definitive "I'll never" statements. Maybe its just me but they always seem to indicate that anyone who would do A instead of B is somehow "not as good." Just different tastes and obviously different experiences. Again I have seen those statements relating to every cruise line on this board - so is one to assume they all stink? Don't think so. Do what feels right for you. That's why we have choices.