Never Again! Carnival is the single worst cruise line ever!

[matondo]

Sorry to hear about the credit card issue. I had issues with my AmEx card, reader at a gas station was messed up. I was on a trip. They froze the card but they did not issue me a new one because I called them and was able to prove who I was over the phone. Guest services probably would have let you call AmEx from the ship for "free" to get it straightend out. Any way it is all too late now. Thankfully, I always travel with two credit cards. That time it saved me as I used the back up card.

 

Lessons to be learned: If possible always travel with a back up credit card. Never use a debit card if there is a possibility a charge might be disputed or a hold might be placed ie. rental car, hotel, onboard ship charges, buying excursions anywhere in the world,

 

Hopefully, things will be straightend out soon. Good Luck!

[StolidCruiser]

You couldn't expect much sympathy for a situation entirely of your own making, could you?

 

You pretty much made every rookie mistake a traveller could (despite being seasoned and experienced).

 

Good luck bankrupting Carnival and getting the Feds to prosecute. I want some of what you've been smokin'.

[SMSACE6]

I also always use a credit card to put down for sail and sign, and always one with plenty of open balance. I have never used a a debit card for that, mostly because of the problems that I have heard others have had. And as other posters have said, always have a back up credit card, for just in case. I have never had a problem. I feel quite certain that Carnival had a good reason to put a stop on his credit card, because we all know, Carnival wants us to spend spend and spend more on board.

 

Read post two above mine, and yes I will say that of all cards, Amex is a fickle one, and one that I keep, but no longer use regularly, just like to keep it open. It is not my card of choice, but still good to have as a back up.

Edited January 18, 2016 by SMSACE6

[JLee1973]

Cash account is much easier the using CC unless your are trying to get points.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Edited January 18, 2016 by JLee1973

[dave_k58]

THis whole experience just doesn't add up to me.

[Just Another Member]

You pretty much made every rookie mistake a traveller could (despite being seasoned and experienced).

 

You said exactly what I was thinking.

[RuthlessBoss]

Never use a check card for any type of hotel or cruise payment..

 

In this case, he thought Amex was being charged, but Amex had shut down the account before all transactions were completed. The OP later found this out. I don't understand exactly how the debit card got in the picture, but what the OP didn't realize was all the charges got transferred to the debit card and his funds there were insufficient to cover them causing the account to be overdrawn. No matter how you look at it, it wasn't Carnival's fault as they billed according to the information supplied to them. Amex unintentionally flubbed up while they thought they were helping him.

[Athankfulheart]

OK, not buying the story now. Not buying that AmEx would leave you stranded with hotel and parking charges if your account was in good standing.

 

Enjoy cruising on other lines. Probably would be better for you, Carnival, and other passengers

 

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner ! :p

[Just Another Member]

I can't speak for every AmexCard - but the two I have do not require me to report any out of the country travel.

[Star1]

"It was a cold morning and we were made to stand outside in 40-50 degree weather for nearly 2 hours. I also came to find out that since I was on the first floor (window view) we were treated as less desirable and made to wait outside while nearly everyone else was allowed to check in the dome. By the time I got through the line 2 hours later I was miserable and numb and wanted to go home."

 

Did you not have a jacket with you??? Most people know that it get cold here in California in the winter. I never go anyplace without a jacket, hat and gloves. Even in Mexico the fog comes in and makes it very cold.

I also don't understand why having a cabin on the first floor makes any difference. I have cruised out of Long Beach many times. The let you into the dome after others are off the ship. It goes by zones around 11:30 AM.

I am so sorry that things went very wrong for you on this cruise. I don't believe Carnival is to blame on this one.

Relax and enjoy life,

[kicia]

I was just going to post this. Amex does not require you to inform them when you leave the area or country. Never had a problem with them. Would never use a debit card. A credit card is the safest means of payment in the ports. Much better than cash. Why did Amex think you had a fraudulent charge?

[spyingeyes]

1. Sounds like you got pissed because of your embarking experience and everything else sucked for you because you already had your mind made up that it would based on that negative experience. A cognitive bias, if you will.

 

2. If your checking account was wiped clean by Carnival in a week and you have no other means to even get out of the parking lot, you may want to take a look at priorities. Perhaps you were cutting it a little too close?

 

Maybe if you contact John Heald and tell him how bad Carnival sucks, he will hook you up with some strawberries or something.

 

Good luck with everything!

[bowulf]

Ultimately it sounds like the card you used with your Sign and Sail card was denied when Carnival tried to use it, and then it reverted to using any card it had on file. Should Carnival had notified you of the failure on the original card? Perhaps, but then again what else could you have done at that point to pay your tab?

[tonit964]

It said to arrive between 1 and 3:00pm, which I did

 

This thread is not ringing true to me at all.

 

In your original post you said "it was a cold morning" and you had to wait 2 hours outside.

 

Now you're saying you arrived at your scheduled time between 1 and 3.

 

Which is it?

[swalton85]

This isn't the Titanic! Carnival didn't treat you any differently because you were on the bottom of the ship!

These complaints are ridiculous and it seems as though the credit card problem is your fault, not Carnival's.

 

Sent from my LGL41C using Tapatalk

[spyingeyes]

This isn't the Titanic! Carnival didn't treat you any differently because you were on the bottom of the ship!

These complaints are ridiculous and it seems as though the credit card problem is your fault, not Carnival's.

 

Sent from my LGL41C using Tapatalk

 

 

Lol, next he will be telling everyone how Carnival made him row! I'm surprised he was even allowed to eat in the dining room with the more privileged guests from deck 3 and higher.

[Shih-tzu]

Couple of points/comments:

 

When a friend and I travelled out-of-country her AMEX was declined in a shop. My VISA was fine. I had notified VISA prior to travelling where I was going and dates (advice I got from a friend years ago when we were travelling to Disney). AMEX does have a system that captures "unusual spending" - and it was unusual for my friend to be out of country - their system detected that. (and when she got home she called them - had she advised them ahead of time all would have been fine).

 

I travel a lot for work. Hotels and car rental companies all have holds put on your account (credit cards included). I was chatting to a hotel desk clerk on evening and asked about how long the hold stays. She indicated that different banks have different hold times - mine would be approx. 48 hours after they did what they had to do at the hotel to authorize the release - but some are 5 business days. (once had a rental car company that took 2 weeks before THEY did what they had to do to release the hold on my account....think of all the interest that these rental companies are making......)

 

 

If someone has travelled extensively, they probably should know that. We also travel with 2 different cards just in case there's a problem ....

Edited January 18, 2016 by Shih-tzu
added word

[swalton85]

Lol, next he will be telling everyone how Carnival made him row! I'm surprised he was even allowed to eat in the dining room with the more privileged guests from deck 3 and higher.

Haha yeah really!

 

Sent from my LGL41C using Tapatalk

[Just Another Member]

(once had a rental car company that took 2 weeks before THEY did what they had to do to release the hold on my account....think of all the interest that these rental companies are making......)

 

None.

[Riley's Mom]

How was Carnival able to bill the "wrong" card? Who gave them the numberQUOTE]

 

 

Same thing happened to me a yr and half ago.

I registered online with one debit card, when I got to the pier to check in

I told the check in agent that I was wanting to use a different card for my inboard sign and sail acct.

I was told that in order to have this changed I needed to go to the pursers desk, which I did as soon as I got inboard.

Long story short....my debit card info was never switched and Carnival continued to charge the debit card I told them not to charge.

My bank acct for this card was overdrawn when I left the ship.

I called customer service and was given a credit for the NSF fee's charged to me by the bank. Along with a verbal apology.

Edited January 18, 2016 by Riley's Mom

[kona_wahine]

This thread is not ringing true to me at all.

 

In your original post you said "it was a cold morning" and you had to wait 2 hours outside.

 

Now you're saying you arrived at your scheduled time between 1 and 3.

 

Which is it?

 

Exactly what I was thinking.

[Shih-tzu]

None.

 

If they have $300 of my $$ for two weeks, wouldn't they make interest with it being in THEIR bank account?? You're probably right, but if I had that $$ in my bank account for two weeks, I would get some interest on it (very little - but when you think of ALL the holds they have??). When you turn in a car the attendant checks it all over for even the smallest bug splat so you know if the vehicles is cleared when you finalize the paperwork.

 

I understand hotels and cruise ships having a hold for a bit though - they don't know when you leave the ship if you've cleaned out the bar fridge, taken the robes, towels, damaged room.......

[Jimmy Geegitz]

Typical AC gambler. No money in checking account and maxed out credit cards. Just book with the card you want charged in the first place.

[firemanbobswife]

If they have $300 of my $$ for two weeks, wouldn't they make interest with it being in THEIR bank account?? You're probably right, but if I had that $$ in my bank account for two weeks, I would get some interest on it (very little - but when you think of ALL the holds they have??). When you turn in a car the attendant checks it all over for even the smallest bug splat so you know if the vehicles is cleared when you finalize the paperwork.

 

I understand hotels and cruise ships having a hold for a bit though - they don't know when you leave the ship if you've cleaned out the bar fridge, taken the robes, towels, damaged room.......

 

No. If you notice holds are in "Pending" status meaning they aren't in the vendor's account yet. They are just verifying that amount is available and it is set aside for a potential charge. Only when they are processed and physically deposited in their account do they start accruing interest.

[Just Another Member]

If they have $300 of my $$ for two weeks, wouldn't they make interest with it being in THEIR bank account?? You're probably right, but if I had that $$ in my bank account for two weeks, I would get some interest on it (very little - but when you think of ALL the holds they have??). When you turn in a car the attendant checks it all over for even the smallest bug splat so you know if the vehicles is cleared when you finalize the paperwork.

 

I understand hotels and cruise ships having a hold for a bit though - they don't know when you leave the ship if you've cleaned out the bar fridge, taken the robes, towels, damaged room.......

 

It's not in their bank account if its a hold.