Administration Fees = Paying for simple customer service.

[saturnsc]

I had to come and vent where people understand.

 

I recently booked a cruise on carnival's site for my partner and myself. This will be my 6th cruise with carnival corp., 5 on carnival and 1 on princess. Upon booking, when I tried to enter my partner's past guest number the system would reject it saying that the information doesn't match up. So I completed the booking then emailed customer service.

 

Their first reply stated that they couldn't help me because I booked through a travel agent. I replied and explained that I booked on their website. The second reply stated that the system shows my partners name as Michael and that I entered Clay. Both of which are correct, let me explain. He goes by "Clay" but his official name is "Michael Clay". The agent then wrote on to explain to me that she couldn't add the past guest number without doing a name change which will cost $50 but after that the past guest number can be added to the booking.

 

Immediately I thought, "this is like having to pay the clerk at the grocery store to ring me up!" How absurd! And I replied back to the agent with my disgust. Is Carnival kidding with this? It's a simple customer service request, nothing more and nothing less. Why do I have to pay $50 addl dollars on top of my booking, on top of the thousands I've spent with this company over the years, on top of non cruisers that I have brought to carnival, for simple customer service?

[halos]

I had to come and vent where people understand.

 

I recently booked a cruise on carnival's site for my partner and myself. This will be my 6th cruise with carnival corp., 5 on carnival and 1 on princess. Upon booking, when I tried to enter my partner's past guest number the system would reject it saying that the information doesn't match up. So I completed the booking then emailed customer service.

 

Their first reply stated that they couldn't help me because I booked through a travel agent. I replied and explained that I booked on their website. The second reply stated that they system shows my partners name as Michael and that I entered Clay. Both of which are correct, let me explain. He goes by "Clay" but official name is "Michael Clay". The agent then wrote on to explain to me that she couldn't add the past guest number without doing a name change which will cost $50 but after that the past guest number can be added to the booking.

 

Immediately I thought, "this is like having to pay the clerk at the grocery store to ring me up!" How absurd! And I replied back to the agent with my disgust. Is Carnival kidding with this? It's a simple customer service request, nothing more and nothing less. Why do I have to pay $50 addl dollars on top of my booking, on top of the thousands I've spent with this company over the years, on top of non cruisers that I have brought to carnival, for simple customer service?

ooops. edited as I read your post wrong. Unfortunately name changes are $50...I would still try to call and talk to someone else to get this fixed as it was just a typo basically. You are not changing passengers.

[firefly333]

You might try escalating it to a supervisor.

 

Sounds like you might have booked ES .. who has a little know $50 name change fee .. for changing YOUR OWN NAME..you cant change to another name.. but if you need to change your own name.. got married, legally changed it .. whatever reason. there is actually a $50 fee on the books for changing your own name you agreed to when you booked and clicked to accept the terms.

 

Good lesson for others .. IF you are having trouble and inputting the name the name is not showing correctly .. dont complete the booking online .. Pick up the phone and get it done correctly the first time. (too late for OP)

[Cgsanders]

They tried that same stuff with us when we booked my daughter on a cruise. Her name second name is Riane, but her first name is Sydni. well the moron put her info in backwards and then tried to charge me for it when I called back to tell her that he put it in wrong. I had to go up the ladder to get them from charging me for THEIR mistake. I told them Syndi Riane, but the booking agent put it in wrong....It still burns me til today about that. They admitted that they put it in wrong but still wanted to charge me...LOL

[firefly333]

They tried that same stuff with us when we booked my daughter on a cruise. Her name second name is Riane, but her first name is Sydni. well the moron put her info in backwards and then tried to charge me for it when I called back to tell her that he put it in wrong. I had to go up the ladder to get them from charging me for THEIR mistake. I told them Syndi Riane, but the booking agent put it in wrong....It still burns me til today about that. They admitted that they put it in wrong but still wanted to charge me...LOL

 

Your case is different as Carnival made the mistake .. in the OPs thread, he booked the cruise, so he put it in without the past guest number and the name not being quite right.

[cruiserNC]

I hope the oP doesn't have to pay that $50 especially when it was an obvious typo since the birth dates are being changed as well.

[Sparky2]

I hope the oP doesn't have to pay that $50 especially when it was an obvious typo since the birth dates are being changed as well.

 

Huh? Where does it say anything about birth dates?

 

When you book a cruise or airfare it is now VERY IMPORTANT to book everything to match your photo ID (DL or Passport).

[boo214]

Your case is different as Carnival made the mistake .. in the OPs thread, he booked the cruise, so he put it in without the past guest number and the name not being quite right.

yes but in the op's case its more like a name correction than a change since the passenger is not changing. . imo the name change fee should apply only if the passenger is being changed, not for misspelling or typos.

[firefly333]

yes but in the op's case its more like a name correction than a change since the passenger is not changing. . imo the name change fee should apply only if the passenger is being changed, not for misspelling or typos.

 

but as I explained .. the $50 fee is ONLY for changing the name of the SAME passenger.

 

If you dont like this rule.. dont book ES by yourself, get a booking agent to do it you can blame.

 

by booking it online the OP agreed to pay $50 to change the name of the SAME passenger (there is no fee to change to another passenger with ES (as in not allowed at all).. only for changing the name of the SAME pax).

 

I think this points up a reason why you should not book things yourself if you might not get it quite right, because you have to click to agree to a $50 fee to change the name of the SAME pax.

[boo214]

but as I explained .. the $50 fee is ONLY for changing the name of the SAME passenger.

 

If you dont like this rule.. dont book ES by yourself, get a booking agent to do it you can blame.

 

by booking it online the OP agreed to pay $50 to change the name of the SAME passenger (there is no fee to change to another passenger with ES.. only for changing the name of the SAME pax).

 

I think this points up a reason why you should not book things yourself if you might not get it quite right, because you have to click to agree to a $50 fee to change the name of the SAME pax.

oh, I did not realize that was the rule. well, it would make more sense to me to have to pay to change passengers than to correct a name. oh well

[BenjiRodney]

Call and ask for a supervisor, kill them with kindness. Whenever I have been told no, I call back and get someone else who can or is willing to help me with the issue.

[cmjb4ever]

I had a similar issue with a carnival rep inputting my DH's name wrong. We have different last names and despite cruising with Carnival together every time we've cruised, she input DH's name with my last name. I was able to just change it on the website and it wasn't a big deal.

 

I am wondering if you could just fix his name on the website yourself. Then you could call in and have the past guest number assigned to it.

[saturnsc]

I hope the oP doesn't have to pay that $50 especially when it was an obvious typo since the birth dates are being changed as well.

 

It's not a birth date change or a name change really, I just want the VIFP number added to his booking.

[saturnsc]

but as I explained .. the $50 fee is ONLY for changing the name of the SAME passenger.

 

If you dont like this rule.. dont book ES by yourself, get a booking agent to do it you can blame.

 

by booking it online the OP agreed to pay $50 to change the name of the SAME passenger (there is no fee to change to another passenger with ES (as in not allowed at all).. only for changing the name of the SAME pax).

 

I think this points up a reason why you should not book things yourself if you might not get it quite right, because you have to click to agree to a $50 fee to change the name of the SAME pax.

 

Here's what I have to say about contracts, blah, blah, blah. The point I'm making is that this is poor customer service!

[saturnsc]

I had a similar issue with a carnival rep inputting my DH's name wrong. We have different last names and despite cruising with Carnival together every time we've cruised, she input DH's name with my last name. I was able to just change it on the website and it wasn't a big deal.

 

I am wondering if you could just fix his name on the website yourself. Then you could call in and have the past guest number assigned to it.

 

Good idea, but I already tried and it's doesn't allow me to make that change. :(

[OnePsychLynne]

Here's what I have to say about contracts, blah, blah, blah.

 

That explains a lot - like why Carnival is telling you that you have to pay $50 for a name change :rolleyes:

[loxley]

Here's what I have to say about contracts, blah, blah, blah. The point I'm making is that this is poor customer service!

 

It is all very simple really. If you do not want to follow their rules, the ones you agreed to btw, don't sail Carnival.

 

I am not saying it is right or fair or good service, I am saying that is the way it is and you can always show your displeasure by taking your money elsewhere.

[Zoedokey]

We had a problem with my husband's name as well. I entered it as it was on his driver's license with his first initial then middle name. When he got his passport for the cruise, it had his full name written out so I had to have the booking name changed to match. A nice Carnival rep agreed to change it for no fee, and we had booked ES. I would try a different rep.

[getfuzzy]

You should be able to go into Your VIFP account to change the name. Hit edit under travel companion. The number should be there under his name and you should be able to just edit his name while the number says the same.

 

Sorry about the people on here whining about contracts, etc. Some of them live to be rude. You came to vent and get some help, not rudeness.

[bplazo]

I think that the $50.00 charge is silly. As others have suggested, I would call and just work my way up with supervisors until I get the result I want.

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

You should be able to go into Your VIFP account to change the name. Hit edit under travel companion. The number should be there under his name and you should be able to just edit his name while the number says the same.

 

Sorry about the people on here whining about contracts, etc. Some of them live to be rude. You came to vent and get some help, not rudeness.

 

 

I think they were just trying to explain the contract to the OP since they obviously didn't read it.

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

Call and ask for a supervisor, kill them with kindness.

 

Maybe if the OP would have this attitude...

 

Here's what I have to say about contracts, blah, blah, blah. The point I'm making is that this is poor customer service!

 

 

...instead of this attitude, they would be able to get the fee waived.

[pulledporky]

Here's what I have to say about contracts, blah, blah, blah. The point I'm making is that this is poor customer service!

I'm %100 on board. Doesn't matter what the who did what when or why, it's a simple data change. They should be gratefull to provide the customer service. I transferred a $1500 Mex Riviera cruise to a $4500 Panama cruise, had to pay $100 "administrative fee" to give them another $3000. My PVP made the change, so it's not like he was paid overtime to do it.

[groo]

I had to come and vent where people understand.

 

I recently booked a cruise on carnival's site for my partner and myself. This will be my 6th cruise with carnival corp., 5 on carnival and 1 on princess. Upon booking, when I tried to enter my partner's past guest number the system would reject it saying that the information doesn't match up. So I completed the booking then emailed customer service.

 

Their first reply stated that they couldn't help me because I booked through a travel agent. I replied and explained that I booked on their website. The second reply stated that the system shows my partners name as Michael and that I entered Clay. Both of which are correct, let me explain. He goes by "Clay" but his official name is "Michael Clay". The agent then wrote on to explain to me that she couldn't add the past guest number without doing a name change which will cost $50 but after that the past guest number can be added to the booking.

 

Immediately I thought, "this is like having to pay the clerk at the grocery store to ring me up!" How absurd! And I replied back to the agent with my disgust. Is Carnival kidding with this? It's a simple customer service request, nothing more and nothing less. Why do I have to pay $50 addl dollars on top of my booking, on top of the thousands I've spent with this company over the years, on top of non cruisers that I have brought to carnival, for simple customer service?

 

Every year we book a condo at Panama City Beach. We have to pay cleaning fee, resort fee, parking fee, administration fee, etc. A booking at $159 a night ends up at $205 a night.

 

My daughter's insurance company charges a fee for every single method of payment. Whether check, cash, debit or credit card there is a fee for paying your insurance payment.

 

It's gotten completely ridiculous.

[klfrodo]

Here's what I have to say about contracts, blah, blah, blah. The point I'm making is that this is poor customer service!

 

I've yet to hear you say "I F%@*ed up. I typed in the wrong name. I accept full responsibility for causing this problem"

 

Then, you might get some customer service to help YOU fix the problem YOU caused.