booking onboard not worth the hassle

[MsMot]

I have never seen the benefit of booking while on board. I always get a very nice OBC from my booking agent. He know what I want and delivers. No waiting in line. JMHO :D:D

 

This really ticks me off. I can't count the times that I have read that someone received an OBC from their TA. We have used the same TA since the early 90s, often our group is up to 55 people and have NEVER received as much as a $5.00 OBC! What's up with that Kimber Johnson?!!

[uncleg]

Sorry you had such a bad experience. I book on board, for the OBC and also I find I get a better rate. I booked ES last September for a 2016 Nov cruise, my cabin category is currently $300.00+ more than I paid for it. The biggest problem I have found booking on-board is not Carnivals, but my fellow cruisers who have no idea where, when, the want to cruise. Last time I booked I stood in line for at least 45 minutes(no big deal to me) waiting on the one person ahead of me to decide on a date, ship and itinerary, I felt sorry for the dude at the counter.

[cruzeluver]

TA's are not required to give their clients anything. Ours usually gives us some OBC, depending on the cost of the cruise. For a really inexpensive cruise she gets such a small commission I would not expect her to give up any of it just so I can have some OBC. But the biggest thing she gives us is amazing service! She can make things happen and get issues resolved far faster than I could. She has been at it a long time and specializes in cruises so she knows all the ins and outs.

[Ready2Cruise2016]

TA's are not required to give their clients anything. Ours usually gives us some OBC, depending on the cost of the cruise. For a really inexpensive cruise she gets such a small commission I would not expect her to give up any of it just so I can have some OBC. But the biggest thing she gives us is amazing service! She can make things happen and get issues resolved far faster than I could. She has been at it a long time and specializes in cruises so she knows all the ins and outs.

 

You're lucky. The TA I used for our upcoming cruise has made so many mistakes that I have had to call her and make her fix. She spelled my dad's name wrong, put my parents in DIFFERENT cabins (they are still happily married... no idea what she was thinking there), CANCELLED our cruise (well, 3 out of 4 of our cabins were cancelled). When I called her about it the next day (when I noticed it), she said "Oh I made a booboo". SOOO glad no one grabbed our rooms!! It's been one issue after another.

 

I think next cruise I'll use a PVP.

[maldenmusic]

I loved the FCC and wish Carnival would bring them back

[Arzeena]

We booked a future cruise recently while on Sunshine. While ultimately it worked out fine, the "specialist" knew almost nothing about the ship we were booking and if I was not an educated cruiser could have wound up very disappointed. She did not disclose she was booking us at Early Saver, insisted that Magic has a Jiji's Asian Kitchen (it does not) and nearly booked us the wrong sailing date. Fortunately I caught her error in time. She was nice enough but very ill prepared for the job she was doing.

 

Thanks for posting this. I was thinking of booking a future cruise on the Magic, while on the Sunshine. I shall do my homework before that.

[crusinpsychRN]

I've always had people who knew their stuff. Made an appointment and had no wait. They will book you ES w/o telling you so be careful. $100 is $100--pays for gratuities with some left over.

[sfaaa]

One reason why the line up can be long is because some people like to ask silly questions or talk nonsense with the cruise 'specialist' and refuse to leave. Just book your cruise, move on and stop holding up the line.

[snedecor]

Agreed they need to bring back the Future Cruise Certificates. We would always buy one or two of these every cruise. It's difficult to always know all the details of a future cruise by the time we board the current one.

 

Unfortunately, the rocky relationship between Carnival and Cruise Critic, primarily fueled by the animosity between CC'ers and John Heald, probably means that our pleas on here will never be heard by the people at Carnival who need to hear it.

 

Sad, really.

[Budget Queen]

These future "cruise consultants" are NOT travel agents. They are order takers. AND people make the mistake of thinning, that they don't have to know- exactly what cruise, date and cabin they want.

 

That frequently is mentioned at the future cruise talks but some don't get it. I always have a couple fake bookings available, as I late book most of the time. You'll find later in the cruise the lines usually get longer, so, it could be a benefit to just book the first day. Easy to cancel.

[storm1507]

We booked 2 cruises while on the Paradise this past Jan. We knew what we wanted and Romona from Romania (easy to remember) was very helpful. One of those booked was over 2 years out.

[katiel53]

On my last cruise I told the specialist that I was booking the cruise for me and my granddaughter and my son and daughter in law. I didn't know if the week I chose would work for them. I specified NO EARLY SAVER because I knew there was the possibility of changing the date. This was on Friday of a cruise that ended Sunday.

 

I booked the cruise and ended up having a fall on the ship Friday night on the way to the show. I spent Friday night in the doctor's office onboard and Saturday in bed being totally drugged. Sunday morning I was sent back to the doctor onboard to be sent to the hospital by ambulance.

 

When I got home, I talked to my son and found that he wouldn't be able to go when I had booked, so I wanted to change the date. I had no info from the ship.

 

I called my Carnival PVP and told her the change of date and she said I had to pay $100 per cabin to change as we were booked ESA. I explained what had happened, but she wasn't able to waive the charge.

 

I ended up talking to someone at Carnival who did waive the charge this one time, but I still feel I didn't/don't want ESA. Since that time, my daughter-in-law's parents have booked the same cruise at the same price but without the OBC and it's NOT ESA.

 

Never again will I book onboard. I also saw some woman come in from outside and fall on the floor about 10 ft from the future cruise desk. The man was booking my cruise and never even asked to see if the woman was ok. She hit her head on the marble floor and there was a loud thud. Passengers helped her up but the employee was not the least bit concerned. I thought that was totally rude.

 

I realize they are busy all the time, but I blame that on Carnival as their hours are very limited. Not good service as far as I am concerned.

[figdu]

I booked one on the Breeze the week before the bloggers cruise last year. The lines were terrible but I was able to get it done. Booking on Vista last month was painless.

[Arzeena]

These future "cruise consultants" are NOT travel agents. They are order takers. AND people make the mistake of thinning, that they don't have to know- exactly what cruise, date and cabin they want.

 

That frequently is mentioned at the future cruise talks but some don't get it. I always have a couple fake bookings available, as I late book most of the time. You'll find later in the cruise the lines usually get longer, so, it could be a benefit to just book the first day. Easy to cancel.

 

Questions:

So does this mean that you book a (fake) cruise with early saver rate, with sail date and ship, and then change it to another ship and sail date?

 

Will Carnival charge change fees if you move sail date and ship?

[forwardcabin]

Not a "fake" cruise--you book a real cruise at some future date, usually as far out as you can. When you book un PG, you can make changes without fees and you can still claim price drops up to final payment date. Under ES, any changes, like ship, date, cabin, cabin mates, etc., will cost you $50 per person but you can also claim price drops up to 2 days before the cruise.

[tandemcruzr]

Questions:

So does this mean that you book a (fake) cruise with early saver rate, with sail date and ship, and then change it to another ship and sail date?

 

Will Carnival charge change fees if you move sail date and ship?

 

Do not book with Early Saver. You will lose $50 pp for the change and remaining deposit will be held for a future cruise.

 

If you plan to do it this way, you should book as Past Guest. No penalties to change at a later date, and you can cancel with no penalty.

 

(forwardcabin, you type faster than i do)

Edited July 15, 2016 by tandemcruzr

[richfret]

I have booked a cruise while on a cruise three times. Had no problems. Don't expect the Carnival Rep to be your Travel Agent. Go to the desk with your cruise picked out. Review all the cruise data prior to your cruise. He then puts in your data and arranges your deposit. That's it! All done in a few minutes.

 

Or you can go to the Carnival travel desk like Elaine did in the restaurant scene in Seinfeld and thump your fingers on the counter top. "Now let's see .................. You do sell cruises! Right? Got any good ones?"

[terri-eddie]

We have never had any problem booking while onboard. We always research our next cruise while we're still home, so I know which cruise, which dates, which cabin. Keep an eye on the cruise desk and when the line is manageable, get in there.

 

Often, the person manning the desk is not very knowledgeable. I have actually told a few of them some things they did not know! But in the end, I get the cabin I want, and a nice bit of OBC to go with it.

[crusinpsychRN]

If you didn't do your research prior to the cruise you can use the computers for no charge to go to Carnival's website to check them out, pick a cabin etc. They are slow though.

[Arzeena]

Not a "fake" cruise--you book a real cruise at some future date, usually as far out as you can. When you book un PG, you can make changes without fees and you can still claim price drops up to final payment date. Under ES, any changes, like ship, date, cabin, cabin mates, etc., will cost you $50 per person but you can also claim price drops up to 2 days before the cruise.

 

Thanks.