Valor mismanagement

[wanderingjew]

personally i avoid john heald. I'm just not a fan of his prepubescent humor.

 

I don't buy that carnival is not at fault. They are supposed to be the professionals. They have control over what happens at the terminal.

 

Did i hear somebody say, "but it was a weekend!"?? A hurricane is approaching a major port that carnival is the major player at and nobody at corporate wants to bothered on a weekend?

 

For some stupid reason i beleive that.

brilliant !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lol

[MagnoliaFly]

It's a risk you take sailing in hurricane season. I don't know why people are surprised that issues happen when the weather doesn't cooperate. Every time the weather throws a wrench in the works someone complains about the way it was handled.

 

Can Carnival do better? Sure. Will they? Probably not due to budget cuts. So why take that risk?

 

If you don't want to take that risk don't sail in hurricane season. Cheaper fares can be had earlier in the year when you don't have hurricanes to worry with.

[Busy Barge]

The delay etc is understandable. At 4:30 they announced that they were going to take passengers to Double Tree for some food. Nothing happened. At 7 pm they announced food has been ordered and dinner will be served shortly. It's 9:30 pm and there is no food and the ship which has been here for the last 5 hrs is not ready to accept passengers. Food is on board and we have several hundred passengers starving but cannot access food. I guess it will be a riot here shortly out of shear hunger.

 

that sucks ...

 

another mishandled situation

[WiCruiseDreamer]

Personally I avoid John Heald. I'm just not a fan of his prepubescent humor.

 

I don't buy that Carnival is not at fault. THEY are supposed to be the professionals. THEY have control over what happens at the terminal.

 

Did I hear somebody say, "But it was a weekend!"?? A hurricane is approaching a major port that Carnival is the major player at and nobody at Corporate wants to bothered on a WEEKEND?

 

For some stupid reason I beleive that.

 

Actually, most corporations most likely told their staff to not come in, I know ours did.

 

Have any of you that is questioning what could have been done ever been in a hurricane situation? Common sense is not prevalent in this thread at all, which is typical of those that feel that Carnival is substandard, chintzy and other negative connotations. You seem to enjoy bashing a company for no other reason then your own enjoyment.

[BeachChik]

It's a risk you take sailing in hurricane season. I don't know why people are surprised that issues happen when the weather doesn't cooperate. Every time the weather throws a wrench in the works someone complains about the way it was handled.

 

Can Carnival do better? Sure. Will they? Probably not due to budget cuts. So why take that risk?

 

If you don't want to take that risk don't sail in hurricane season. Cheaper fares can be had earlier in the year when you don't have hurricanes to worry with.

 

Why does the customer assume all the risk? The cruise lines know it is hurricane season too and still schedule cruises.

 

Hurricane season is six months of the year. People say no one should cruise during the winter due to snow delays. So between those two things that leaves 3-4 months out of the year to travel without risk? How exactly would that work? Some people, like teachers, have no other option but hurricane season. What do you suggest they do?

[ib4cruzn]

Actually, most corporations most likely told their staff to not come in, I know ours did.

 

 

ROTFLMAO! Yeah, no big deal. Chances are most paid in advance anyway.

 

Now if they could only figure-out a way to sell these people booze...

[BeachChik]

Actually, most corporations most likely told their staff to not come in, I know ours did.

 

Have any of you that is questioning what could have been done ever been in a hurricane situation? Common sense is not prevalent in this thread at all, which is typical of those that feel that Carnival is substandard, chintzy and other negative connotations. You seem to enjoy bashing a company for no other reason then your own enjoyment.

 

I have lived in Florida my whole life. I am pretty familiar with hurricanes.

 

I used to work for a resort on the beach that had to evacuate one year. It was done effectively because it was planned out and organized. All the employees knew what was going on and what to tell customers.

 

Clearly there were communication issues if they were on one hand telling people to go to a hotel and on the other telling those at the port that they would provide dinner.

 

Saying a company handled a situation poorly is not bashing.

[WiCruiseDreamer]

ROTFLMAO! Yeah, no big deal. Chances are most paid in advance anyway.

 

Now if they could only figure-out a way to sell these people booze...

 

Actually no, they had to take it as PTO, not that it should matter to you.

 

[WiCruiseDreamer]

I have lived in Florida my whole life. I am pretty familiar with hurricanes.

 

I used to work for a resort on the beach that had to evacuate one year. It was done effectively because it was planned out and organized. All the employees knew what was going on and what to tell customers.

 

Clearly there were communication issues if they were on one hand telling people to go to a hotel and on the other telling those at the port that they would provide dinner.

 

Very true, there was miss-communication but to compare evacuation to this is like comparing apples to oranges.

[richstowe]

Actually, most corporations most likely told their staff to not come in, I know ours did.

 

Have any of you that is questioning what could have been done ever been in a hurricane situation? Common sense is not prevalent in this thread at all, which is typical of those that feel that Carnival is substandard, chintzy and other negative connotations. You seem to enjoy bashing a company for no other reason then your own enjoyment.

Perfect! During a hurricane most of these haters would have been in their mom's basement bashing away.

This is not meant as a criticism of OP. They were in a lousy situation and felt the need to vent.

[BeachChik]

Very true, there was miss-communication but to compare evacuation to this is like comparing apples to oranges.

 

I'm not saying the severity is the same. But the key is being organized and communicating to the customer.

 

People tend to be more patient when they are constantly informed of what is happening and tend to start getting irritated when they feel they are getting the run around.

 

Seems to me that the situation could have been avoided if they had just told all guests to go to the hotel. By telling them they would provide a meal and not doing it, they created angry passengers.

[Busy Barge]

Actually, most corporations most likely told their staff to not come in, I know ours did.

 

Have any of you that is questioning what could have been done ever been in a hurricane situation?

 

yep, quite a few.

 

while a regular corporate would and should tell all people not to come, not carnival, a corporate whose customers depend on it in real time to physically move forward. at least it should have an emergency crew, a process and decision makers stand by. carnival knew the hurricane was coming and presumably has more experience handling it than an average cruiser. and yeah, some of their corporate senior management might want to consider work weekend for a change when their customers are starving.

 

Tropical Storm Isaac - Itinerary Updates

 

TROPICAL STORM ISAAC UPDATE – 8/27/2012 – 4:50 (EDT)

 

CARNIVAL VALOR and CARNIVAL IMAGINATION – 8/27/12 DEPARTURE

Good news! The Port of Miami has reopened. Check-in is set from 8:00pm to 11:00pm. Due to limited seating, please do not proceed to the cruise terminal any earlier than 8:00 PM. We’ve secured the Doubletree Convention Center in the event you need a place to wait. 711 N.W. 72nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33126, Phn# 305-261-3800. Also, enjoy dinner on us tonight. We will post a $25 per person credit to your Sail & Sign account.

We’re sorry for the delay and are looking forward to welcoming you on board!

 

looks like they sent out the notice at 4:50? was it am or pm? if it was pm, it was most certainly too late for some.

[MagnoliaFly]

Why does the customer assume all the risk? The cruise lines know it is hurricane season too and still schedule cruises.

 

Hurricane season is six months of the year. People say no one should cruise during the winter due to snow delays. So between those two things that leaves 3-4 months out of the year to travel without risk? How exactly would that work? Some people, like teachers, have no other option but hurricane season. What do you suggest they do?

 

All I'm saying is don't travel in hurricane season and then complain when a hurricane happens. People act like it's a big flipping surprise. It didn't just blow up out of thin air.

 

If you have to travel during the time of year when hurricanes are more likely to occur (End of August - November) you take that risk when you sail to the Caribbean. You don't HAVE to sail to the Caribbean during hurricane season - there are lots of other ports to sail out of if that's the only time of year to do it. For that matter you don't HAVE To take a cruise if you can only vacation during hurricane season. There are lots of other vacations to be had if a hurricane can ruin your travel plans.

 

The customer most certainly assumes all the risk when it comes to weather, it says so in your contract. It sucks these folks didn't get food while they waited but at least they got refunds and such for the time they were not on board.

[HarpHarp]

Carnival gave specific instructions not to arrive until 8PM.....

 

now if people are to stupid that they can not follow SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS than that is not Carnival mismanaging anything....

 

it is just stupid people not following instructions...

So if you left your house in Memphis at say 5am for your flight and Carnival wasn't saying 8 pm but 2 when you left, and you had a car service waiting for you when you landed, what would you have done?

Send the car service away & stay at the airport?

I would have figured the people at the port had the most up to date info and headed there. The OP said they were told they would have lunch and dinner. it didn't happen. It was past 9 pm when he posted. As firefly said, if they communicated to the passengers that there would be no boarding til 10 pm, I'm sure most, if not all of them would have made some other arrangements.

Firefly is right. Communication is the key in unusual situations.

[ib4cruzn]

Actually no, they had to take it as PTO, not that it should matter to you.

 

 

You are correct, it does not matter to me. Expecially since I have no idea what PTO is. Other than "Power Take Off" that is.

 

Honestly, unbunch your "barely theres". Right, wrong or indifferent Carnival Cruiseline has 550 paying customers in discomfort just outside their ship and what do they do? They did the equivalent of putting a glass of water just....out.....of......reach.

 

Now, if this is YOUR idea of customer service, perhaps you might consider Haiti as your next vacation stop.

 

Instead of "going above and beyond" CCL went "below and behind".

 

True dat.

[Crusing Nut]

how many places does one need to visit to get correct information from carnival?

 

 

IMO, one should go DIRECTLY to Carnival WebSite to get updated info.

[BeachChik]

You are correct, it does not matter to me. Expecially since I have no idea what PTO is. Other than "Power Take Off" that is.

 

Honestly, unbunch your "barely theres". Right, wrong or indifferent Carnival Cruiseline has 550 paying customers in discomfort just outside their ship and what do they do? They did the equivalent of putting a glass of water just....out.....of......reach.

 

Now, if this is YOUR idea of customer service, perhaps you might consider Haiti as your next vacation stop.

 

Instead of "going above and beyond" CCL went "below and behind".

 

True dat.

 

Paid time off. Vacation or sick days

[gardeningmama]

So what you're saying is, 550 stupid people showed up at the terminal even though Carnival made the ultimate effort in advising them against it?

 

Now, I'm not disputing that one half to one quarter of the passengers on any give CCL cruise are idiots but if Carnival did indeed make the ultimate effort, why offer food and drink and then not deliver?

 

That's kinda sado-masochistic don't you think?

 

That is a good question. Maybe they made the offer and then couldn't get any food.

 

Maybe I'll take off my rose colored glasses now

[BeachChik]

All I'm saying is don't travel in hurricane season and then complain when a hurricane happens. People act like it's a big flipping surprise. It didn't just blow up out of thin air.

 

If you have to travel during the time of year when hurricanes are more likely to occur (End of August - November) you take that risk when you sail to the Caribbean. You don't HAVE to sail to the Caribbean during hurricane season - there are lots of other ports to sail out of if that's the only time of year to do it. For that matter you don't HAVE To take a cruise if you can only vacation during hurricane season. There are lots of other vacations to be had if a hurricane can ruin your travel plans.

 

The customer most certainly assumes all the risk when it comes to weather, it says so in your contract. It sucks these folks didn't get food while they waited but at least they got refunds and such for the time they were not on board.

 

He wasn't complaining that there was a hurricane. He was complaining about how the cruise line was handling it. Big difference.

[Crusing Nut]

You are correct, it does not matter to me. Expecially since I have no idea what PTO is. Other than "Power Take Off" that is.

 

Honestly, unbunch your "barely theres". Right, wrong or indifferent Carnival Cruiseline has 550 paying customers in discomfort just outside their ship and what do they do? They did the equivalent of putting a glass of water just....out.....of......reach.

 

Now, if this is YOUR idea of customer service, perhaps you might consider Haiti as your next vacation stop.

 

Instead of "going above and beyond" CCL went "below and behind".

 

True dat.

 

 

What would you have them do?

[MagnoliaFly]

He wasn't complaining that there was a hurricane. He was complaining about how the cruise line was handling it. Big difference.

 

Yes, I know that. To expect flawless service despite bad weather is misguided when it comes to Carnival.

[sail2sea]

Carnival did a lot of things right. Got ships out of harm's way, got transportation, even got a convention center.

 

All it was missing was handling those who were already at the port. No food or drink as promised and not informed when they could realistically board. Just left in a limbo.

[jonbgd]

With all the hotels in the area. Couldnt they have had some food and beverages brought to the port.

[cruzzette]

I'm new to cruising, so far beit for me to be a "cheerleader", but I can not see how Carnival is at fault here. Does Carnival have control over mother nature? do they have control over the ports out of which they sail?

 

From what I've seen Carnival did a great job in keeping their website updated with the lastest information regarding this issue. A friend of mine is travleling with her famiy on the Imagination and was kept abreast by CCL via text and website. She did get to the port and was sent to the Doubletree where she stayed until she was advise it was time to board the ship.

 

I dont believe Carnival was under any obligation to provide a hotel, food or even OBC to their customer, after all this was not their fault, it wasn't a case of mechanical failure or ship was just last because the crew messed up. So to me what they did was going beyond their obligation.

 

Like I said, I'm new to cruising, so may I ask those of you who beileve carnival could have handled this situation better to list at 2 ways in which they could have done so?

 

Thanks

[Crusing Nut]

With all the hotels in the area. Couldnt they have had some food and beverages brought to the port.

 

 

Calling Subway and ordering 550 subs? I would imagine that since their arrival and turn around time to get out by 1:30am, all staff was busy as all hell. Don't forget they had areas to clean, staterooms to clean, food to make, get luggage on and off and get supplies loaded and checked.

 

I have to wonder if the people who arrived at the port had been informed that there would be no getting on the ship until 9pm. Could they have dropped off their luggage and left for a brief period of time?

 

I would be questioning things if I didn't see the ship in port to begin with, but that is just me.