Use Carnival online booking at your own risk

[Cuizer2]

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.

 

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.

 

This is the point I would like to make. Things don't just happen. You have to make them happen. You cannot assume that you will be automatically charged unless you actually sign up for an automatic charge. If you didn't do that, then it is your responsibility for making the final payment on time.

[Cuizer2]

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.

 

Don't you have any responsibility for making sure things are set up properly? Did you sign up for automatic payments? If not, why would you assume that it would happen?

 

You came to this site to express you complaint. Did you ever bother to come to this site before to ask questions and do the research necessary to get the most out of your $1,000 investment?

[Cuizer2]

Although just about everyone else thinks "it was your responsibility" I agree 100% with you.

 

The only reason I am aware of this policy, is because I read these boards. Otherwise, I would have just assumed that the final payment would have been automatic.

 

Because it isn't...they should have it set up where you receive a notice or a bill...or some kind of reminder. Other businesses do....

 

OP-perhaps they will give you some OBC to compensate

 

So you know about this policy because you read these boards. Apparently the OP was able find this board to complain, but never bothered to come here to do research and ask questions before hand. Who is responsible for that?

[Cuizer2]

Other companies automatically charge the credit card you give them when payment is due unless they receive alternate instructions from you. You're booking a cruise months in advance and they expect you to count back 75 days from your cruising date and then let them know you want to make final payment? OF COURSE you want to make final payment! What would be so difficult about them sending an e-mail reminder?

 

I have always been told when final payment is due when I book a cruise. If you read the documentation you get or are referred to when you book, you will find this information. As to 75 days, that is easy - it is 2 1/2 months. No need to count. Just mark your calendar for three months prior, which gives you two weeks to make sure the final payment is made on time.

[Billzilla66]

Not hard to spot those who only take short cruises and or only cruise as a couple.

 

A 7 day cruise is a $250 deposit per person ergo the deposit for a family of four is a thousand bucks.

 

Actually, first cruise to come. Anyway, now I get it, though the op didn't mention any party, so I just assumed he was talking $1,000 per person.

 

Oops, see what happens when one "assumes".:p

[sheshe1]

My final payment is always automatically paid for with the credit card I made my deposite with, we were told the date the final payment is due and the card was charged for the amount owed, we were never asked, we were just told the date the final payment would be due.

[big_duck]

Oops, see what happens when one "assumes".:p

 

A lot of that going on in this thread. Like some folks assuming that Carnival never attempted to contact the OP, or my assumptions towards you ;)

[jks336]

my pvp also asked me this past booking if i wanted it set up to automatically charge my same card. told her know I would do it, don't know why i did, since i'm 99% positive it will be the same card lol. As to email reminders, in 3 cruises i've never recv'd one. I just know when i book my cruise and i get my email confirmation, both my PVP and my confirmtion tell me when the final payment due date is, and it is MY responsibility to pay it by that date.

 

Sorry you didn't read more of your confirmation, and just remember not all lines are the same, but then again, could be with this situation, just pay attention to your paperwork!!

 

also, just reading some of the other posts i hadn't gotten to yet. Why do people never accept responibility?? Always need to blame it on someone else, their mistake, their responsibility? They should have reminded me. blah blah etc. Geez, i've said this before, i'm giving someone MY money, I want to know the ins and out's. due dates, cancellation policies, etc.... Think people

[azpilot]

Always pay the standard deposit, have never missed final payment yet. Have no problems with Carnival online booking, or others for that matter.

 

Sorry you didn't pay attention to final payment date.

[LMHSRN]

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.

 

Wait, do I understand that because you screwed up it is Carnivals fault? Why would you think it would be automatically billed to your credit card. You didn't notice for 75 days that it was not on your statement?

 

Yikes - not Carnivals fault!

[LMHSRN]

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.

 

Obviously he hadn't spent anything. Where do you get thousands of dollars with the industry. Seems like maybe the next time he will pay attention to his won business and make sure things happen as they should. Only 4 posts. I'm just saying......

[tobylars12]

Carnival does send out a Final Payment notice, if the payment has not been made. There is then 5 day grace period to get it paid. IAlot of times the e-mail does go to SPAM, so if you are one of those that never read your SPAM, or don't make Carnival a trusted e-mail address, you will never see it. Who's fault?? Hmm, I wonder. :rolleyes:

[micro yaya]

we have always used our ta, on our upcomming cruise we spotted the price drop on a week-end so we booked by calling carnival direct. the young fellow who took our booking deposit, told us our ta had 30 days to takeover the booking, and this was fine with us, as we get points from our ta. the carnival rep. then asked us if we would be using the same card for the balance, and we said yes, but to be sure we wanted the balance paid 77 days before the cruise date. he said it would be paid AUTOMATICALLY using the same card. on the 77 day prior to the cruise i checked my american express card to be sure that the cruise was paid in full, i then checked online to DOUBLE CHECK that the cruise was paid in full. never assume, you know what they say about people who assume.:)

[Vanessa L]

we have always used our ta, on our upcomming cruise we spotted the price drop on a week-end so we booked by calling carnival direct. the young fellow who took our booking deposit, told us our ta had 30 days to takeover the booking, and this was fine with us, as we get points from our ta. the carnival rep. then asked us if we would be using the same card for the balance, and we said yes, but to be sure we wanted the balance paid 77 days before the cruise date. he said it would be paid AUTOMATICALLY using the same card. on the 77 day prior to the cruise i checked my american express card to be sure that the cruise was paid in full, i then checked online to DOUBLE CHECK that the cruise was paid in full. never assume, you know what they say about people who assume.:)

 

If the Carnival rep asked you this, then he set the card up to be automatically deducted at the proper time. This just "doesn't happen" magically. You either have to set it up with someone, or call and pay the balance when due. I've never known anyone who booked online without ever talking to an individual during the entire process that had their card set up to be automatically deducted at the proper time. I believe a human has to program that into the system. It seems to me that it would be against the law to just arbitrarily charge someone's card without their authorization. As someone else has pointed out, on the paperwork Carnival sends out after you book, you are sent to the place on the website where you can see the due date and amount for the final payment but there is no option, without talking to a human, to have it "automatically" deducted in that paperwork or on the website.

[LMHSRN]

And a phone call.........!

 

I know this is hard to understand, but there are people who book a trip and simply go on it....they don't obsess for months.

 

Logically...if someone put a deposit down and didn't cancel it before final payment...why would Carnival assume that the passenger wants to cancel?

 

When this happens...then Carnival should give an automatic refund of the deposit...less the ES penalty, if any.

 

This is a very bad policy that Carnival has...and I wouldn't blame the OP for not wanting to do business with Carnival again.

 

Keep after them...and ask for that OBC. It's only fair.

 

They would assume you wanted to cancel since you didn't pay for it!!!!! Hello!

[LMHSRN]

My final payment is always automatically paid for with the credit card I made my deposite with, we were told the date the final payment is due and the card was charged for the amount owed, we were never asked, we were just told the date the final payment would be due.

 

Really. What cruise line was that or did you go through a TA?

[Vanessa L]

Really. What cruise line was that or did you go through a TA?

 

The operative words here are, "....We were told..." again, whether they were "told" or "asked", or whether it was a TA or cruise line rep, it takes a human to program into the computer system that automatically withdraws the funds, that it needs to do so. Being "told" or "asked" and saying, "OK," implies the authorization needed to make the transaction.

[buddylover]

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.

 

So sorry everyone is so unsympathetic on these boards....but maybe they have never used a TA. Most TA's, including the one associated with CC, will watch out for you and automatically charge the balance due on the date due to the charge card you made your deposit on. Carnival does not do that when you book on your own online. I am just in the habit, even if it will automatically be charged on the date due by a TA (as most of our bookings have been), of calling in to make sure the transaction occurs. I am so sorry that this happened to you and feel for you....it is a terrible feeling when something like this happens....hope it all works out.

[cruisinfanatic]

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.

NEVER with any line.

[MsTabbyKats]

They would assume you wanted to cancel since you didn't pay for it!!!!! Hello!

 

Why would someone not bother to officially cancel, if they wanted to cancel...and get their money back? Anyone/organization who "assumes" someone wants to forfeit $1000 is rather...um....well...not much better than a thief.

 

Carnival follows up with phone calls where boosting their profit is concerned, such as insurance & upsells. I guess these "assumptions of cancellation" is just another way to boost their profits......HELLO!

 

I just don't understand the lack of compassion towards the OP.

[MsTabbyKats]

So sorry everyone is so unsympathetic on these boards....but maybe they have never used a TA. Most TA's, including the one associated with CC, will watch out for you and automatically charge the balance due on the date due to the charge card you made your deposit on. Carnival does not do that when you book on your own online. I am just in the habit, even if it will automatically be charged on the date due by a TA (as most of our bookings have been), of calling in to make sure the transaction occurs. I am so sorry that this happened to you and feel for you....it is a terrible feeling when something like this happens....hope it all works out.

 

Did you forget.......Carnival can do no wrong.

 

Suppose the "human" TA /PVP accidentally forgets to enter the the data for final payment...or the credit card expires before final payment....and the booking gets canceled and the cabin goes to someone else. Wonder what a "Cheerleader" would say then?

 

Happy Thanksgiving.......

[Vanessa L]

Did you forget.......Carnival can do no wrong.

 

Suppose the "human" TA /PVP accidentally forgets to enter the the data for final payment...or the credit card expires before final payment....and the booking gets canceled and the cabin goes to someone else. Wonder what a "Cheerleader" would say then?

 

Happy Thanksgiving.......

 

Which circles us back around to PERSONAL responsibility. Even though I always book through the same PVP I've used for years and I know without a doubt that she is not going to let anything happen to my reservation, ULTIMATELY, it is my responsibility to ensure my reservation is in order. Even though I trust her, I always make note of important things like you know, when final payment is due. You are absolutely correct--the humans at Carnival have and do make mistakes, this is why, in the end, I have to be the one responsible. And this isn't about cheerleading for Carnival or any other company. This is about common sense and not letting someone who wants to pass the buck when he dropped the ball continue to pass blame where there is no one to blame but himself.

 

And Happy Thanksgiving to you too :D

[coldweathergirl]

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).

 

Sorry but didn't really want to read the whole thread but when we booked Carnival, even though it has my email contact information linked to my reservation, I never once received an email regarding final payment or changes in the cruise. I check my spam daily as well and it didn't go there. When I called Carnival, they told me that they usually send final payment reminders but he noted that mine never got sent....maybe there was a glitch in the system and this is what happened with the OP. Luckily I knew when final payment was due and paid by that date. Often if you're on a roll call, people start talking about the final payment date as well so that should be a reminder.

[RuthlessBoss]

Obviously he hadn't spent anything. Where do you get thousands of dollars with the industry. Seems like maybe the next time he will pay attention to his won business and make sure things happen as they should. Only 4 posts. I'm just saying......

Yes, 4 posts, but only 2 were for Carnival, the other 2 were pertaining to NCl the first of the year.

[lady_cruiser]

To the OP -

FYI - Royal Caribbean DOES NOT automatically charge your credit card for your final payment either. So I suggest that you don't book with them either excepting them to automatically charge your credit card.