Steakhouse problem

[tree.critter]

You got a free bottle of wine, an apology for their mistake and that's just not good enough. Go ahead, file in small claims court, make your otherwise pleasant vacation into something that you have horrible memories of. Don't ever sail on Carnival again, they have humans working for them that aren't perfect and they are known to make mistakes from time to time. It could happen again!

[LBroxon]

I never said it ruined my vacation, nor that I would never sail with Carnival again, because I will. I'm not trying to get something for nothing, I'm trying to get my dinner for what I was told it would be four times. If your told the price of something on land or sea, do you not expect it to be honored? Do you expect a charge to be sneakily applied to your credit card after you were told it was free, only to see it whne you get the bill? I appreciate your opinion, which I asked for. I don't appreciate you presuming things about the situation that I never said.

[graphicguy]

I'm with the OP....if it was given, why take it away?

 

If no receipt was signed, as the OP states, how are they going to charge them....especially if their sign and sail card was not given to the waiter?

[klfrodo]

I never said it ruined my vacation, nor that I would never sail with Carnival again, because I will. I'm not trying to get something for nothing, I'm trying to get my dinner for what I was told it would be four times. If your told the price of something on land or sea, do you not expect it to be honored? Do you expect a charge to be sneakily applied to your credit card after you were told it was free, only to see it whne you get the bill? I appreciate your opinion, which I asked for. I don't appreciate you presuming things about the situation that I never said.

 

1. You made reservations at the Steakhouse with full intention of paying for said meal.

2. You were "pressured" into a bottle of wine.

3. You were innocently mislead into believing that the entire meal was comped. (You knew in your heart of hearts that this was not correct.)

4. The mistake was acknowledged.

5. The cost of the wine was removed from your bill.

6. You are being asked to pay for meal. (which you were fully prepared to do 48 hrs. prior.)

7. A mistake was made. A mistaked was admitted to. You were made whole again.

8. If they comp the meal,,, now you've profitted on the mistake. Is that what you want? the profit? Or are you satisfied that a mistake was made and admitted to and your bill charged properly?

[LBroxon]

No sail and sign card was given and no receipt was signed. I presume that we were charged by our cabin number which was attached to the reservation AND was used to confirm whose meal the casino was comping.

[racegrrl]

I think due to the fact the OP tried and tried to rectify this AT THE TIME, and was more than honest that they didn't believe this was due them, yet it was insisted, then for their efforts and honesty Carnival should step up and absorb this. What started as a gesture of appreciation and good will has turned completely on it's head and the smart business would just eat it. Maybe the OP would have considered spending time and money in the casino in the future, I would guess that's not the case now.

 

OP, I feel your pain and feeling of being slighted, even if you did intend to pay for your meal, a gesture was offered then YANKED away, insulting after you made efforts to correct it at the time. I would complain, just to make them doubly aware and more careful in the future....you would think they would want the opportunity to fix this customer service fiasco.

[klfrodo]

You know in your heart and how your were brought up and raised what the "right" thing to do is?

 

You might have a "reason" to think the entire bill should be written off, but you know you're mistaken. You got a free bottle of wine, thank your lucky stars you're in a position to take a cruise vaction, feel blessed, and move on.

[racegrrl]

You know in your heart and how your were brought up and raised what the "right" thing to do is?

 

You might have a "reason" to think the entire bill should be written off, but you know you're mistaken. You got a free bottle of wine, thank your lucky stars you're in a position to take a cruise vaction, feel blessed, and move on.

 

I understand what you are saying, but the OP is asking a fair question, and Carnival is pretty dumb to handle something like this in this way. No one from Carnival could have called the cabin and left a message on their phone? They tried to sneak the charge on the S&S card, and as someone else brought up, what if they went over budget now due to this? Carnival has really dropped the ball on this, someone in upper management needs to know this so it would never be handled this way again. The OP might not get anything for it, but management needs to know how this was handled and how it affected the passengers if nothing else to prevent it from being handled this poorly in the future. What if Carnival loses future cruisers due to this screw up?

 

Most businesses want a chance to fix a mistake. At least the chance to acknowledge it with the customer, learn that they need to correct their employees, and prevent a future problem. I would call and let them know. It wasn't handled correctly at all.

[Waterloomarc]

This should not have happened. However, you were prepared to pay for the steakhouse anyway, so you are really not out any money that you didn't intend to spend. Therefore I understand the logic of the Steakhouse manager and don't feel like you are entitled to any further refund.

 

This. Your time is worth something too, if it were me I'd let it ride.

 

 

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[Pine Bluff]

"incompetence" really? It was a simple mistake. Someone was given a wrong name and cabin number. Last I knew the crew on a cruise ship were humans and all humans make mistakes, not one of us is perfect. They refunded what should not have been pushed on the guest and the OP paid for what they originally wanted and expected, end of story.

 

I can't understand this feeling of entitlement some people seem to have over a simple error. No one got injured, there was no damage and the excess cost was taken care of. :confused:

 

Actually there were two mistakes.

 

The incompetance is occuring at their handling of mistake 1.

 

I just came back from the market. I just bought 2 boxes of mallomars for $2 each.

 

I got charged $2 for one, and $3 for the oher.

 

They gave me the $3 box for free.

 

When I went back to the register, if they told me I was really supposed to pay the $2, even though I expected to pay the $2, I would have challenged it. It didn't happen. The business took care of me.

 

And the other customers did not come up to me telling me that I should have paid the $2, because I expected to pay the $2. I would have told them to sod off.

[cruising maniac]

I'm wondering if they have your signature on that $70.00 charge. If not, how can they justify making you pay. I hope you have a fantastic time otherwise. Don't let this ruin your cruise.

[crusinpsychRN]

OP, you explained it much better the second time. Tell them you want to see the signed charge slip and you'll pay, otherwise, it was comped, like they told you.

 

Contest the charge through your credit card company so it won't be paid. If you used a debit card, it will be harder but can be contested.

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

I disagree with the others who are saying that you were going to pay for it anyway so let it go. I understand that logic, but that is disregarding the fact that it is very poor Customer service to do that to someone. I would write a letter to Carnival indicating that what happened was very tacky - comping a meal for someone and then taking it back is bad manners and tacky - and that you are disappointed in being treated that way. Then I would leave it at that. Maybe they'll care, maybe they won't but at least you will have shad an opportunity to relay the situation and make your thoughts be known.

[dperki1]

Sorry, I don't understand, you were refunded for the wine which you possibly would not have purchased and only accepted when it was insisted, makes sense. However, you must have planned and expected to pay for the steakhouse when you went there. If nothing was said about the casino you would have paid correct? Why should you get a refund for the restaurant? It was obviously a mistake, you said so yourself, and you had the meal you expected except for the wine. Just my opinion and I'm sure others will disagree, but I don't see any reason for a refund of the dinner and I don't see anything else that needs to be handled.

 

That is how I would view it. Bottle of wine refunded and you had planned the steak house anyway. Sorry you had the upset which should not have happened, but I hope your dinner was wonderful, I have always enjoyed the steak house.

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

I never said it ruined my vacation, nor that I would never sail with Carnival again, because I will. I'm not trying to get something for nothing, I'm trying to get my dinner for what I was told it would be four times. If your told the price of something on land or sea, do you not expect it to be honored? Do you expect a charge to be sneakily applied to your credit card after you were told it was free, only to see it whne you get the bill? I appreciate your opinion, which I asked for. I don't appreciate you presuming things about the situation that I never said.

 

You are absolutely right, and as someone else pointed out there is no slip saying you bought anything, you did not sign, so you should refuse to pay. The others on here who are saying you are making something out of nothing are just the usual naysayers. I've heard you say nothing about it ruining your vacation, you'll never said with Carnival again, blah, blah, so throwing that in just shows that there is no valid reason for anyone to think there's something wrong with you wanting what was given to you. You are in the right for sure.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

I would pay for the dinner as you had originally planned upon entering the Steakhouse to dine. As far as the bottle of wine, I would allow them to comp that as they basically " prompted you to enjoy it" based up thier assumption that it was a Casino perk.

 

JMHO :)

 

 

 

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[LBroxon]

Everything else was truly wonderful. The entertainment and service was excellent! We are excited to start planning an Alaskan cruise next year. Thank you all for taking the time to respond.

Is there anyone specific I should contact at Carnival, or just start with customer service?

[Tithonus]

Everything else was truly wonderful. The entertainment and service was excellent! We are excited to start planning an Alaskan cruise next year. Thank you all for taking the time to respond.

Is there anyone specific I should contact at Carnival, or just start with customer service?

 

Carnival has taught us the past couple of years that their customer service lines of command are broken, that you must bypass them to get anything accomplished. Send your complaint to Mischele Beatty at cclsupport@carnival.com

 

Good luck!

[LMaxwell]

It seems to me you committed to buying the meal in the Steakhouse before the "casino comp" business came up. They are not charging for the wine. They are only charging for what you originally wanted. They admitted their mistake. My opinion is stop trying to get something for nothing!

 

Disagree. In my opinion if a company make an error in the customers favor (especially after the customer verifies the company offer to them) the company should follow through on that offer! Of course OP was prepared to pay for the meal. No one is under the impression OP tried to do something to get a free meal. But once the offer by Carnival was made it should have been honored.

 

OP just got back from a vacation and the number one thing on their mind to discuss here is the bad taste left in their mouth by this circumstance. What a way to end a cruise; ticking off a customer over a nominal charge. This should have been handled better by Carnival.

[racegrrl]

Disagree. In my opinion if a company make an error in the customers favor (especially after the customer verifies the company offer to them) the company should follow through on that offer! Of course OP was prepared to pay for the meal. No one is under the impression OP tried to do something to get a free meal. But once the offer by Carnival was made it should have been honored.

 

OP just got back from a vacation and the number one thing on their mind to discuss here is the bad taste left in their mouth by this circumstance. What a way to end a cruise; ticking off a customer over a nominal charge. This should have been handled better by Carnival.

 

Exactly! Well said!

[prattmom]

I can understand why they'd want the dinner comped as well. They probably relied on the fact that the meal had been comped and then spent the money they had set aside for the steakhouse. It's not fair to the customer to now go over their budget bc they relied on the offer they were given.

 

This is my thought as well...

 

 

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[samiam0403]

I can understand why they'd want the dinner comped as well. They probably relied on the fact that the meal had been comped and then spent the money they had set aside for the steakhouse. It's not fair to the customer to now go over their budget bc they relied on the offer they were given.

 

This is exactly what I was thinking when I read the OP's post. If they were told (repeatedly) that it was comped, they may have spent that extra $70 elsewhere on the ship that they wouldn't have spent otherwise. Carnival should have honored the offered comp.

[deborahjo]

OP where on Carnival's information did you find that is meal is $20 and the tip is $15? Everything I have read for the last 5 years has been $30 til it was raised last year to $35. There has NEVER been a split amount.

[careycouponer]

Before I even finished reading your post, I thought, "I sure hope they comp'd the bottle of wine!"

 

If you'd gotten an invitation to your stateroom and went to the steakhouse because of that, I would have expected the dinner to be comp'd. But you made reservations and expected to pay. I don't think the dinner should have been comp'd as well.

 

So I think you got what was appropriate.

[elliair]

Maybe the OP upon learning that they got a free Steakhouse meal including the wine, they went back to the casino and blew their Steakhouse money they had set aside for their dinner. They got the bottle of wine which I think goes for around $25. If you eat in the Steakhouse the first night of the cruise, they give you a free bottle of wine. We did this on the Miracle to Alaska last month. Carnival admitted their error and I don't think the OP will receive anything back from Carnival - except for another apology. I would drop it, it's a no win situation.