Will HAL match Carnival New Policy

[ajcruiser]

Found this interesting:

 

Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines announced Thursday a new vacation guarantee for cruisers traveling aboard its ships, which it called “groundbreaking.”

 

The “Great Vacation Guarantee” offers passengers booked on a Carnival cruise a hassle-free money-back guarantee when booking their cruise, the cruise line said.

 

The new program will allow guests to end their voyage early and receive a 110 percent refund plus complimentary transportation home, along with a $100 shipboard credit for a future cruise, should they be dissatisfied with their cruise for any reason, Carnival said.

 

In a statement Carnival President and CEO Gerry Cahill said the vacation guarantee is “designed to provide an assurance to those consumers who may be considering a cruise that we stand behind our product and, if they are dissatisfied for any reason, they have a simple and hassle-free means for receiving a full refund and more.”

 

To exercise the new guarantee, guests will need to notify the ship’s guest services desk within the first 24 hours of the voyage to receive the 110 percent refund of their cruise fare and other applicable inclusions, Carnival said. The cruise line will handle all the necessary travel arrangements to make it a truly hassle-free experience.

 

The “Great Vacation Guarantee” is valid on all Carnival three- to eight-day voyages to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Canada and New England departing through April 30, 2015.

 

“We are proud to carry nearly 4.5 million satisfied guests each year and are very confident in the quality of the vacation experience we provide on board the 24 ships of Carnival Cruise Lines,” said Cahill.

[taxmantoo]

April 1 already ????

 

Correction: Apparently not! Just checked their website and policy looks real.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Hope not. That policy opens a big can of worms.

[sail7seas]

This is not brand new Carnival policy. The terms may have changed but I am sure I have read of a program in the past where Carnival would refund if you notified them within specified number of hours after boarding and before first port...... something like that. They disembarked the dissatisfied guests at the first port. These may be a 'rework' of an older policy.

 

And, No....... I do not think HAL will be offering this in the near future. JMO.....

 

[Rotterdam]

Trader Joes has the same policy on its products...for quite a while.

[Riversedge]

I'm sure I've read this policy in the past too. They may have changed a word or two and called it new.

[RuthC]

Didn't Carnival have a program similar, if not identical, to this once before? I remember something about a dissatisfaction guarantee, where you left at the first port that did not violate the PVSA, and you were returned home. I don't remember the details, though.

[rafinmd]

This is not brand new Carnival policy. The terms may have changed but I am sure I have read of a program in the past where Carnival would refund if you notified them within specified number of hours after boarding and before first port...... something like that. They disembarked the dissatisfied guests at the first port. These may be a 'rework' of an older policy.

 

And, No....... I do not think HAL will be offering this in the near future. JMO.....

 

 

I agree. I saw this several years ago. I don't know if they dropped and reinstated or just are reworking the policy but it's not really new. I think this may be the new head's response to the Triumph incident and some lesser problems. I don't see it spreading and really don't see it having a very long life.

 

Roy

[RuthC]

Oops. Sorry, Sail. A few of the recent posts were not there when I downloaded the page, so I did not see your post until after I had posted and refreshed.

[Swelldame]

This is just more marketing double-speak that means nothing. They trumpet "innovation" and "value" and every buzz word they can come up with to make people think they're getting a great deal without changing a thing. Look at the useless coupon books, the lame "Mariner benefits!!!"... seriously, it all starts sounding like a late-night infomercial, "But WAIT!! There's MORE!!!" and it's all lipstick on a pig.

 

Check the "fine print":

 

Found this interesting:

 

To exercise the new guarantee, guests will need to notify the ship’s guest services desk within the first 24 hours of the voyage to receive the 110 percent refund of their cruise fare and other applicable inclusions, Carnival said. The cruise line will handle all the necessary travel arrangements to make it a truly hassle-free experience.

 

Seriously, under what circumstances would someone be so upset within the first 24 hours of the voyage to want off the ship? Anything short of a Costa Concordia situation would get a promise to resolve it, and if it went downhill from there, it would be well past the cutoff.

[sail7seas]

Oops. Sorry, Sail. A few of the recent posts were not there when I downloaded the page, so I did not see your post until after I had posted and refreshed.

 

 

No problem, Ruth.

 

That happens to all of us from time to time. :)

 

 

 

This is just more marketing double-speak that means nothing. They trumpet "innovation" and "value" and every buzz word they can come up with to make people think they're getting a great deal without changing a thing. Look at the useless coupon books, the lame "Mariner benefits!!!"... seriously, it all starts sounding like a late-night infomercial, "But WAIT!! There's MORE!!!" and it's all lipstick on a pig.

 

Check the "fine print":

 

 

 

Seriously, under what circumstances would someone be so upset within the first 24 hours of the voyage to want off the ship? Anything short of a Costa Concordia situation would get a promise to resolve it, and if it went downhill from there, it would be well past the cutoff.

 

 

Seriously.......

 

If we had our "SA" Suite, in the Caribbean and we boarded to find no a/c working in our cabin and/or no working toilet. If this lasted for enough hours and we were concerned enough there was not an immnent fix, it is possible we would leave the ship.

 

Neither DH nor I can be in the heat without a/c due to health issues. If we were that warm, there would be no sense in our staying. We'd be ill, uncomfortable, unhappy and may as well go home.

 

Same for out of order toilet for considerable amount of time. One must know oneself/spouse and take care of

themselves in whatever way necessary.

 

[whogo]

I am surprised I have never heard of this on the Holland America board. If I had no air conditioning in my cabin or no hot water or a wet foul smelling carpet and no acceptable onboard remedy, I would ask HAL to send me home and refund my money. I would hope they would do so.

[startwin]

<snip>

 

Seriously.......

 

If we had our "SA" Suite, in the Caribbean and we boarded to find no a/c working in our cabin and/or no working toilet. If this lasted for enough hours and we were concerned enough there was not an immnent fix, it is possible we would leave the ship.

 

Neither DH nor I can be in the heat without a/c due to health issues. If we were that warm, there would be no sense in our staying. We'd be ill, uncomfortable, unhappy and may as well go home.

 

Same for out of order for considerable amount of time. One must know oneself/spouse and take care of

themselves in whatever way necessary.

 

 

I agree with your points but why the reference to 'SA' suite? Does it only apply to those cruising in suites?

[Swelldame]

No problem, Ruth.

 

That happens to all of us from time to time. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seriously.......

 

If we had our "SA" Suite, in the Caribbean and we boarded to find no a/c working in our cabin and/or no working toilet. If this lasted for enough hours and we were concerned enough there was not an immnent fix, it is possible we would leave the ship.

 

Neither DH nor I can be in the heat without a/c due to health issues. If we were that warm, there would be no sense in our staying. We'd be ill, uncomfortable, unhappy and may as well go home.

 

Same for out of order for considerable amount of time. One must know oneself/spouse and take care of

themselves in whatever way necessary.

 

I thought of that circumstance too, Sail. That would make my husband want off for sure. However, I'd be willing to bet they'd promise to fix it, (as the hours tick by), then maybe move you (consider too, that's it's not a HAL ship with limited SA suites). For most cruisers who've traveled a long way to get to the ship they've saved up for and have just boarded, they're going to give more than 24 hours leeway before throwing in the towel on a hard-earned, long-awaited vacation. And Carnival is banking on that while patting themselves on the back for appearing to be offering a guarantee.

[sail7seas]

Most ships are sailing full these days. There are often no cabins into which you can be moved.

 

I wouldn't depend upon promises. Certainly, they'll try the brush off and assurances all will be fixed prompty. They can promise the moon but when we are that uncomfortable and unhappy, we want action and result or we may as well leave. I know myself well enough to know my tolerance and willingness to put up with severe discomfort on my vacation. If we don't have basic mechanical comforts expected in a cruise ship cabin or hotel room, we may as well go home.

 

Not everyone will agree, of course.

Like I said....... Know yourself and your tolerance.

 

I know someone will give the make lemonade advice which is great if that works for you.

For me, in such a circumstance, the lemonade would be sour.

 

[Tampa Girl]

Trader Joes has the same policy on its products...for quite a while.

 

 

I don't see the analogy between a refund on a in-hand product and a refund on a cruise.

[kakalina]

The difference I can see from their past policy is the additional 10% above your cost refund and the OBC on a future cruise. They just polished it up and put it out there.

[indokiwi]

You know, if someone was on my cruise and was that miserable within the first 24 hours, I would WANT them off. Not only for their happiness and sanity but also mine! :D How many cruises have I been on when there was 1 person who was so loud and obnoxious about what a horrible time they were having and trying to bring other people down as well.

[sail7seas]

You know, if someone was on my cruise and was that miserable within the first 24 hours, I would WANT them off. Not only for their happiness and sanity but also mine! :D How many cruises have I been on when there was 1 person who was so loud and obnoxious about what a horrible time they were having and trying to bring other people down as well.

 

 

Were we that unhappy, YOU would not know about it.

We are not known for running around a ship telling people what we think of our experience on the ship. Any comments we would have to make would be done with the appropriate officers/crew in charge of whatever was our issue. Fellow Guests would not be on the list of to whom we would discussing the issue.....

 

No One would ever say my DH was loud or obnoxious....... :D Now me. That could be a different story. :) ;)

 

 

 

 

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Found this interesting:

 

Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines announced Thursday a new vacation guarantee for cruisers traveling aboard its ships, which it called “groundbreaking.”

 

The “Great Vacation Guarantee” offers passengers booked on a Carnival cruise a hassle-free money-back guarantee when booking their cruise, the cruise line said.

 

The new program will allow guests to end their voyage early and receive a 110 percent refund plus complimentary transportation home, along with a $100 shipboard credit for a future cruise, should they be dissatisfied with their cruise for any reason, Carnival said.

 

In a statement Carnival President and CEO Gerry Cahill said the vacation guarantee is “designed to provide an assurance to those consumers who may be considering a cruise that we stand behind our product and, if they are dissatisfied for any reason, they have a simple and hassle-free means for receiving a full refund and more.”

 

To exercise the new guarantee, guests will need to notify the ship’s guest services desk within the first 24 hours of the voyage to receive the 110 percent refund of their cruise fare and other applicable inclusions, Carnival said. The cruise line will handle all the necessary travel arrangements to make it a truly hassle-free experience.

 

The “Great Vacation Guarantee” is valid on all Carnival three- to eight-day voyages to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Canada and New England departing through April 30, 2015.

 

“We are proud to carry nearly 4.5 million satisfied guests each year and are very confident in the quality of the vacation experience we provide on board the 24 ships of Carnival Cruise Lines,” said Cahill.

 

 

Sounds like a great program.

Doubt if HAL will do anything like that -- there was one cruise we would have left if HAL had had such a program.

[IRL_Joanie]

Hope not. That policy opens a big can of worms.

 

Ditto!!

 

Joanie

[Wakepatrol]

You know, if someone was on my cruise and was that miserable within the first 24 hours, I would WANT them off. Not only for their happiness and sanity but also mine! :D How many cruises have I been on when there was 1 person who was so loud and obnoxious about what a horrible time they were having and trying to bring other people down as well.

 

I was thinking the same thing. Perhaps the crew pitching in,getting rid of these PITA passengers and then doing a fireworks show when they disembark:)

[peaches from georgia]

Yes, we would take advantage of this policy if our problem involved cabin a/c on a warm weather cruise, heat if cold weather, or working plumbing, both a consistently working toilet and hot water. We would report such a problem to the concierge or to guest relations in person and in writing for their records by dinnertime the first evening and would be speaking with the appropriate officer first thing in the morning if nothing had been done or if excuses were being made with no guarantee of fixing it quickly. It would be well before 24 hours they would be told we were leaving at the first port if the situation was not 100% corrected at that time.

 

We are very easy to get along with and would go with the flow on most problems, but we would not put up with no working plumbing or no a/c or heat in our cabin. The number of posts on CC by pax who accepted using public showers and/or going to a public bathroom decks away from their cabin at 3 AM for all or most of their cruise and then said they still had a wonderful time and were so pleased HAL gave them a small OBC for use on a future cruise were just beyond me (and probably one of the reasons it took so long for the chronic operating and maintenance problems on several of the ships to get fixed ).

[Typhoon1]

Carnival may be the parent company of HAL. That doesn't mean they follow the polices of the parent company.

 

 

Don't expect things to change at HAL.

[Linda&Vern]

I would think this policy was "rewritten and freshened up" to get it before the press due to the unfortunate Carnival ships problems last year. They are probably tired of Jay Leno's jokes and are trying to reinvent themselves. I don't see this applying to HAL.