Paid in Full, Carnival Won't Print My Boarding Pass!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Hoping the OP will check back in.

 

 

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yes, me too! She has been online today but maybe she didn't speak with her TA yet.

 

Bill

[Shaded Lady]

Hi everybody- good news. I booked 3 weeks ago and due to the problem with my credit card I described earlier (the Target fiasco), they had to resubmit the charge to Chase, but the person who does that was unexpectedly out sick so it took longer. It just went through on Friday. So it's being processed by Carnival today, paid in full.

 

Phew! Glad that worked out. I'll check my boarding passes tomorrow.

 

And by the way, thanks for your interest- it's nice to know that the grumps on Cruise Critic are still in the minority!

Edited March 17, 2014 by Shaded Lady

[mishka422]

And that explains that.

 

And people who are bashing agents, just wait until that first time something goes wrong with your trip and you are left to your own devices to figure out how to fix it. With no one else in your corner, it can add to an already stressful situation.

 

I'm sorry that a few people who have had bad experiences with agencies have decided to wreak havoc on an entire profession by badmouthing at every turn.

 

Like any other service industry, do your due diligence first. Get recommendations from friends, check with the chamber of commerce in your city. Don't just run your finger down a list in a directory and expect 'the best'. That rarely happens.

 

Travel agents are professionals who work very hard for very little all for the satisfaction of making other people's wishes and dreams of the closest to perfect vacation come true.

 

I'm glad there was a very simple explanation to your issue.

[Shaded Lady]

Thanks Mishka!

 

I used the Marriott Cruise Dept last time and had a wonderful experience. I also knew that the concerns some raised about them absconding wouldn't be an issue.

[Midwestgal]

And that explains that.

 

And people who are bashing agents, just wait until that first time something goes wrong with your trip and you are left to your own devices to figure out how to fix it. With no one else in your corner, it can add to an already stressful situation.

 

.

You are so right. People think your safer booking with the line directly is just not true. Most of the PVP have been with the line less than 6 months and never cruised, your calling a call center. If something goes wrong who do you think they represent ....not you!

 

A TA knows who to call in the upper levels of management and usually gets the problem resolved where you would fail to do so. I'm not trying to convince anyone to us a TA but don't knock a TA's value. The problem was with the op not her TA.

[elliair]

And that explains that.

 

And people who are bashing agents, just wait until that first time something goes wrong with your trip and you are left to your own devices to figure out how to fix it. With no one else in your corner, it can add to an already stressful situation.

 

I'm sorry that a few people who have had bad experiences with agencies have decided to wreak havoc on an entire profession by badmouthing at every turn.

.

 

Get burned once, you never put your hand back on the burner. If you take people telling of their experiences as bashing agents, then I would say agents give agents a bad name. I've done a lot of traveling and deal directly with airlines, hotels, cruise lines, etc., and I've not one time had a problem. There's not one single travel agency in our town, something went wrong some where, as there use to be at least 4. If you want to use a travel agency, there's AAA located 30 miles away. Too far to drive when you can do it yourself.

[loxley]

That is an excellent question but no, I used my credit card. Which just got me thinking! It is a credit card that I've been watching because I bought something at Target after Thanksgiving when that huge credit card issue happened... They told me 2 weeks ago they were replacing the card on speculation, but I wondered if that was part of the problem.

 

So I just went online and confirmed that the charges are there on my credit card, so that wasn't the problem. Good thought though!

 

I debated whether I'd pay it all off right away, but I had the money from my annual bonus and I was afraid I'd fritter it away if I didn't just pay for it now.

 

I'll just call them Monday and ask them nicely to please go ahead and pay the whole amount off.

 

Hi everybody- good news. I booked 3 weeks ago and due to the problem with my credit card I described earlier (the Target fiasco), they had to resubmit the charge to Chase, but the person who does that was unexpectedly out sick so it took longer. It just went through on Friday. So it's being processed by Carnival today, paid in full.

 

Phew! Glad that worked out. I'll check my boarding passes tomorrow.

 

And by the way, thanks for your interest- it's nice to know that the grumps on Cruise Critic are still in the minority!

 

So what posted on your credit card before.

[DebJ14]

You are so right. People think your safer booking with the line directly is just not true. Most of the PVP have been with the line less than 6 months and never cruised, your calling a call center. If something goes wrong who do you think they represent ....not you!

 

A TA knows who to call in the upper levels of management and usually gets the problem resolved where you would fail to do so. I'm not trying to convince anyone to us a TA but don't knock a TA's value. The problem was with the op not her TA.

 

I would especially recommend using a CLIA certified TA. They have to not only take courses, but also have to take a number of cruises across multiple cruise lines and of varying lengths. By the time they become an Accredited or Master Cruise Counsellor they have thousands of their own money invested in the additional training.

[mrrobb]

Anyways...... Good for you for getting it paid off!! I'll be making my final payment soon. Only thing to now is count the days!:)

[nana541]

So what posted on your credit card before.

 

 

Ya that was my first thought too... Gee they had trouble with my credit card 3 weeks ago. But they got it to run in the name of the Agency (TA) but never bothered to share this trouble with the OP or pay the Cruiseline.

I am a real believer in using a travel agent and absolutely think it's a very bad idea to book direct. The entire transaction is very fishy and I'm glad the OP figured out there was a problem. Had she not the TA likely would have continued to use the OP's money for their own purposes.

JMHO

 

 

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Edited March 18, 2014 by nana541

[pbsteve]

I would call the credit card company, and see if the stories match up with them... This sounds like nothing I've ever heard of. Once your card is charged, they have the funds. Re authoring it would be running it again, as the transaction to your account has posted... unless it says pending.

 

As far as TA, the first two cruises I was on, it was all done by a TA, the last one was solo, and I'm glad I did, even when I called the TA about another cruise they admitted there's no reason for them to book it because it will cost me more due to the fact they wouldn't make anything on it and have to charge fees. They typically do group cruises where I would save, but wanted a normal just me and the wife thing on a ship they didn't have a group planned for.

 

There's nothing a TA can do for me that I can't myself. My old TA wasn't open 24 hours, and I printed my info online just like now. Someone please let me know a valid reason for a TA.

 

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[LadyDAC]

In the old days the TA's would get all of the documentation for you and mail it to you. Now days, even though you go through a TA you go online to your Cruise account and print out the documents and luggage tags yourself. This goes for Carnival and Princess not sure about the others but been this way for several years with them. I believe this all changed when the cruise lines stopped mailing out the luggage tags and cruise documents.

 

We used a TA this past July and she printed out everything for us - even laminated the luggage tags. She gave us everything in a red pouch that I now use for all my cruise documents.

Edited March 18, 2014 by LadyDAC

[Midwestgal]

I would especially recommend using a CLIA certified TA. They have to not only take courses, but also have to take a number of cruises across multiple cruise lines and of varying lengths. By the time they become an Accredited or Master Cruise Counsellor they have thousands of their own money invested in the additional training.

 

My TA is a cruise specialist and is a million dollar cruise agent ....can I say cruise planners.

 

To whomever said they will have to pay more using a TA ....you shouldn't be. In fact you should be getting OBC in many cases.

Edited March 18, 2014 by Midwestgal

[AussieDale]

Most documents can't be printed until 45 days before sailing. Your boarding Pass can't be printed this early.

Just paid in full for my August 2014 sailing to Australia and printed boarding pass within 2 minutes.

[keywest1]

I switched my booking to an online travel agent. I had some credits built up due to booking flights and hotel rooms. I had booked a cruise with them with no problems before. This has been an absolute nightmare!! A couple of days after switching my booking, I couldn't access my booking on Carnival website. I figured it was website problems, and wasn't too concerned. The next day I decided to check prices, and my cabin was back in inventory. I called and was told that the previous agent hadn't applied my deposit correctly. My booking was reinstated--no harm, no foul. I have been asking for an email receipt forever. They kept saying it was sent, so I thought our email provider change with work was the issue. I switched agents after the first fiasco because she never returned my call to even explain or apologize. My new agent quit the next week. I got a third agent, and immediately paid my cruise in full. He sent me a receipt, showing that a cruise credit from Carnival was pending, but all other payments were processed. I waited a few days, still couldn't print my boarding passes, called back, only to be ignored again. I called a different department and asked them to send me to a cruise supervisor. She called Carnival, and said that everything was straight, and I could print my passes the next day. Three weeks later, after more unreturned calls, I still can't print them. I got a very sarcastic call today explaining that it was their practice to wait until final payment date to send the money to Carnival. I explained that my credit card has been charged for several months now, and I am not happy. He promised Carnival will be paid tonight, and my passes will be available tomorrow. He also told me that Carnival told him docs couldn't be printed until 60 days before cruise. I called him out on that lie, telling him I already have my luggage tags and other docs. He stuttered, and told me he hoped I have a good cruise. I told him he would be hearing from me to prepay my gratuities, and also again tomorrow if my docs don't print. I intend to wait until after my cruise, and then report them to BBB. Never again!!!!!

[nana541]

What a mess! Hope your cruise is uneventful!!

And wonderful :)

 

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Edited March 18, 2014 by nana541

[keywest1]

What a mess! Hope your cruise is uneventful!!

And wonderful :)

 

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Thank you :) As long as I get on board that ship, it will be a wonderful cruise :)

[Leo's Rule]

So what posted on your credit card before.

 

I guess I read extra information that wasn't there. I thought she confirmed that charges she already had were on the card, but now that I read it again, it does read like she confirmed the charges for the cruise were on her card.

 

Perhaps the charges were pending and hadn't truly posted? But if that's true, it wouldn't explain why her TA's office had to rerun the card; unless of course, the Target fiasco card was cancelled and another was issued????

 

But I'm speculating at this point. I'm just glad everything worked out for her. I would however make sure I wasn't charged twice for one cruise.

[nana541]

I guess I read extra information that wasn't there. I thought she confirmed that charges she already had were on the card' date=' but now that I read it again, it does read like she confirmed the charges for the cruise were on her card.

 

 

 

Perhaps the charges were pending and hadn't truly posted? But if that's true, it wouldn't explain why her TA's office had to rerun the card; unless of course, the Target fiasco card was cancelled and another was issued????

 

 

 

But I'm speculating at this point. I'm just glad everything worked out for her. I would however make sure I wasn't charged twice for one cruise.[/quote']

 

 

That's how I read it too :)

 

 

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[keywest1]

I just checked my booking and got my boarding passes printed :D It's amazing what happens when people do their job!!!

Thanks to all who posted on this thread--I might have caved to the pressure if I hadn't read where others had misgivings about TAs holding money.

I don't mean to diss all TA's, and my previous agent with this company was nothing short of awesome. I just want to encourage anyone who is not comfortable with how things are going to be the squeaky wheel.

[nana541]

Boy we really really need a "like" button!

 

 

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[maldenmusic]

Most documents can't be printed until 45 days before sailing. Your boarding Pass can't be printed this early.

I always print my boarding pass out immediately after final payment and it is a lot more than 45 days prior to the cruise.

[Freedom2014]

Why would you want to print it out this early?

[keywest1]

Why would you want to print it out this early?

OCD LOL I have had concerns about my cruise from the beginning, and I was not going to relax until I had boarding pass in hand.

Otherwise, I like to do it early and get all my paperwork together and in a folder. I just like to get everything organized early. Now, if we are talking packing, I am a last minute packer and have to be dragged kicking and screaming to the closet and suitcases. :o

[Freedom2014]

OCD LOL I have had concerns about my cruise from the beginning, and I was not going to relax until I had boarding pass in hand.

Otherwise, I like to do it early and get all my paperwork together and in a folder. I just like to get everything organized early. Now, if we are talking packing, I am a last minute packer and have to be dragged kicking and screaming to the closet and suitcases. :o

 

I'm going on a cruise on Saturday and I'm leaving tomorrow for miami and I still have not even opened the suitcase lol