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

[Who Cares?]

Making a one time payment with a visa debit does not give carnival permission to use it as the main card! I did not authorize th m to make future payments with the card. How do you not comprehend that?

 

http://www.carnival.com/about-carnival/legal-notice/ticket-contract.aspx

See 10.C

 

Come on.....the OP is a veteran cruise. Don't confuse facts with the OP's beliefs. ;)

Edited January 18, 2016 by Who Cares?

[Who Cares?]

10 C in the contract doesn't give carnival the right to use a visa debit card which was used as a one time payment for further payments...

 

Actually, 10c gives Carnival the right to take anything and everything you have on you (including your debit card and your underwear) to make restitution.

[Who Cares?]

Lately, Long Beach has checked in Riviera deck outside then they go into the Dome, thru security and up to the ship. Doubt it though ok but 2 hours

 

Every terminal has multiple check in points based on several different factors....wedding parties, Plats and Diamonds, FTTF, etc... As a Blue card holder, to Carnival, the OP is the MOST desirable cruiser as Blue card holders usually spend the MOST on board.

[RuthlessBoss]

10 C in the contract doesn't give carnival the right to use a visa debit card which was used as a one time payment for further payments...

 

I don't understand your statements about a one time payment. When you gave them the information and left it there, you essentially gave them permission to use it.

[moniquet]

OP - As rufflesmom said, once you saw you had a problem with the Amex card, I would have gone to GS and or call Amex to sort it all out. Not wait a few days later.

 

BTW - You were made aware of the problem with your card when you tried to buy a coffee and were denied.

 

Before your next trip, please check a weather website.

 

Can a credit card be used for a speciality coffee:confused: i thought it was only the sail and sign card?

[nealstuber]

OP - As rufflesmom said, once you saw you had a problem with the Amex card, I would have gone to GS and or call Amex to sort it all out. Not wait a few days later.

 

 

 

BTW - You were made aware of the problem with your card when you tried to buy a coffee and were denied.

 

 

 

Before your next trip, please check a weather website.

 

 

Totally agree with this post as obviously the outstanding balance was not the cost of a cup of coffee.

 

Where did OP think subsequent charges (including the coffee) would be charged?

 

OP HAD to know there was an issue with his payment method at that point and had the rest of the cruise to straighten it out but chose not to do so.

 

We don't really know why OPs AMEX got **** off, but with CC fraud getting worse and worse, there is nothing static about how any of them handle card shut downs and travel notices.

 

And yeah, traveling someplace without knowing what the weather will be when you get there does not strike me as the Hallmark of a veteran cruiser.

[pe4all]

OP - sorry for your travel woes. We always report our out of country travel to whatever credit card company we are using for that trip - and always have a backup credit card or 2 ready "just in case." I can see Amex shutting down a card for suspicious use, as when we were on the NCL Getaway a few weeks ago, I happened to check my email on their computers while onboard, and saw a "fraudulent use" notice sent about the credit card I put down on our ship account- Priority Club MasterCard) The charge was made in Brooklyn around one hour prior to my checking the email- just as we were leaving Cozumel!! As our phones are put away in the safe when we embark, we didn't get the text they left on my cell, so they shut the card down! I hit the "no - this is not our charge" response in the email. I immediately went down to Guest Services and put another credit card down. Had I not done this, Guest Services says we would have been "bonged" as we tried to leave the ship, and sent back to pay our account with another card. They also said we they would let us use their phone to call the credit card company. We do not own a debit card, so I can't say what their practices are, but I would carry more than one credit card with you, and/or make sure you have enough cash/debit card to cover your prospected costs on the cruise. Oh - and the food on Carnival can be hit or miss!:p

[E&B]

I am from the East Coast... Maryland... My thoughts of the cruise leaving LA last Saturday is that it would be warm... I dressed in shorts and a tshirt... They took my luggage as soon as I got off of their airport shuttle... If I had have known I would be standing outside for 2 hours... Have the clouds come in which made it colder and if I had known I wasn't checking in for the cruise inside like every single cruise before I would have dressed differently!

 

 

I'm from the east coast too and am very used to cold weather. I also know that even in LA you may not be able to wear shorts in January. Should have checked the weather.

 

I also know that if I had a problem with my account, I'd talk to a live person rather than try to solve it myself at a kiosk.

 

I also know not to use a debit card for hotels, car rentals, cruises etc so authorizations don't tie up my funds.

 

I also know not to travel without a backup credit card for just these type of occurrences that, while rare, do happen.

 

Sounds to me like you just want to blame Carnival for everything you didn't do to prepare for your trip.

Edited January 18, 2016 by E&B

[rufflesmom]

Can a credit card be used for a speciality coffee:confused: i thought it was only the sail and sign card?

 

OP stated he went to buy a coffee (would have to be specialty coffee) and found out his charging privileges were suspended. He went to a kiosk, found out there was a balance and used debit card to pay that balance. Instead of going to guest services to find out why charging was suspended (later determined to be that AE cancelled card) he paid the balance so he could get his coffee (??? questionable priority). Carnival needed a different card on file for further purchases. He did not use debit/credit card to buy coffee, only to continue charging and making further purchases.

[ObstructedView2]

I am a veteran cruiser.

Hahahaha!!! Hahahaha!!!

Hahahaha!!! Hahahaha!!!

 

 

:rolleyes:

 

 

[RuthlessBoss]

Can a credit card be used for a speciality coffee:confused: i thought it was only the sail and sign card?

 

OP stated he went to buy a coffee (would have to be specialty coffee) and found out his charging privileges were suspended. He went to a kiosk, found out there was a balance and used debit card to pay that balance. Instead of going to guest services to find out why charging was suspended (later determined to be that AE cancelled card) he paid the balance so he could get his coffee (??? questionable priority). Carnival needed a different card on file for further purchases. He did not use debit/credit card to buy coffee, only to continue charging and making further purchases.

 

Step one in this mishap was not finding out why his charging on the S&S card was suspended and even how he was over drawn on it. One would not think it possible using a credit card.

[JLee1973]

10 C in the contract doesn't give carnival the right to use a visa debit card which was used as a one time payment for further payments...

 

Explain then if Carnival couldn't use the Amex card you expected to pay for your charges?

 

 

And somehow it is Carnival's fault you assumed it would be warm. You don't check the weather prior?

 

There is plenty of information on these boards about check in in Long Beach. You failed to plan now it is someone else's fault. You sound like a spoiled millennial.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Edited January 18, 2016 by JLee1973

[nealstuber]

Thanks! This is how bad the evening turned out... I just flew back into MD and went to retrieve my car and the funds still had not been released on my debit card.... It would not accept the $100 parking fee and the state of MD parking lot would not take A CHECK

 

 

OP Am I reading this right? You offered the state of MD a check for an account that at this point you knew was overdrawn?

 

If so, probably best to leave this part out of your complaint to the Feds as check fraud is rather frowned upon.

 

Did you consider what additional costs would be incurred if the check was actually presented to your bank before the hold on your funds was lifted?

 

Odd that you seem to understand completely that hotels and parking lots will not accept payment from a card that is not working but that's exactly what you were expecting Carnival to do. Why the higher standard for them?

[SosaCruising]

If I had set up my account with a credit card and Carnival revoked my charging privileges during the cruise, I would have made DARN sure I knew what EXACTLY happened before I handed over my debit card (which I would never had done) or any other form of payment. It's not like you're on a deserted island with no way of contacting your bank/credit card company.

 

I mean, it's not a happy story. But the blame towards Carnival is misplaced in my opinion.

 

And the other stuff about waiting in line too long and the perceived discrimination because of a cheaper cabin is not due to Carnival and/or just plain wrong.

[hartwickds]

Because the truth doesn't make for a good story to try and wind up the masses.

 

Who the hell are you to,judge me? I have lied about one thing! Everything happened the way I said it did

[RuthlessBoss]

Who the hell are you to,judge me? I have lied about one thing! Everything happened the way I said it did

 

Have lied?:eek:

[crusinpsychRN]

Making a one time payment with a visa debit does not give carnival permission to use it as the main card! I did not authorize th m to make future payments with the card. How do you not comprehend that?

 

Once you change the card they make it primary.

 

25-30 to disembark is not a long time.

[familyglow2008]

" 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. '

 

 

We were once in a sub-basement room on a cruise. I complained there was no air circulation. They told me to open a window.

 

:cool::eek::D

[nealstuber]

Who the hell are you to,judge me? I have lied about one thing! Everything happened the way I said it did

 

 

So you did not check the weather before flying someplace in January in Shorts?

 

So you did present you debit card as payment at the kiosk when you knew your Amex was not accepting charges?

 

So you did not follow up with guest services when the Kiosk indicated that your original form of payment was not working?

 

So you continued to use your card for charges for gratuities and other expenses through the balance of your trip?

 

So you did try to present a check to the State of MD for parking from the same overdrawn account as the debit card?

 

You checked in to a hotel (or timeshare)!without means to pay - even though you had no intention of sleeping (as Carnival was still in business).

 

I won't judge you, but forgive me if I do accept your judgement of Carnival as "the worst cruise line ever." I'd appreciate it if you suspended effort to bankrupt this company as I and many others enjoy sailing them (and Princess, and Costa, and HAL, and Cunard - all of whom are owned by Carnival Corp).

Edited January 18, 2016 by nealstuber

[Synthetic]

So, what you've said is that you opened your account with your AmEx card. At some point during the cruise, Carnival revoked your charging privileges as you started incurring charges. You know now that AmEx cancelled your card and issued you a new one (which is a pretty logical explanation for why Carnival needed a new card number). And you were surprised that Carnival didn't charge your final bill to your now cancelled card?? When they informed you mid-cruise that they needed a new card number? As others have said, if this was Carnival's blunder, you could use your AmEx as your payment now. But this sounds like your real argument is with AmEx for cancelling your one credit card mid-trip and putting you in this bind. I'm assuming you registered with your AmEx as many others do, due to the fact that it's pretty well known that the cruise line puts hold on debit cards that can tie your funds up. I'm sorry you're in that situation, it sounds pretty terrible. But I think your beef is with AmEx.

 

Just as a side note - on my first international trip, I didn't know to notify the bank that I was traveling out of the country so they did put a stop on my card after the first charge. Luckily, when I found this out, I was with others who covered me until I was able to call and have that lifted. I don't know if that was the culprit or if your cc number was just stolen and that was caught by AmEx.

 

Perhaps the OP should get a second brand of credit card if you choose to travel. That or have more money in your checking account OR be able to transfer funds from savings to checking.

 

This was not Carnival's fault, get over yourself.

Edited January 18, 2016 by Synthetic

[swalton85]

Perhaps the OP should get a second brand of credit card if you choose to travel. That or have more money in your checking account OR be able to transfer funds from savings to checking.

 

This was not Carnival's fault, get over yourself.

Maybe he should get a Carnival Master Card? Lol

 

Sent from my LGL41C using Tapatalk

[declansdad]

I traveled with two cards... Amex and Visa Debit which I never put on the account... I went to purchase a coffee midweek and they said my account had a balance due do they wouldn't let me charge anything... Since I was heading out on a shore excursion I had my wallet with the visa debit card... The Amex wasn't in my wallet as it was in the safe... I reviewed my account on the automated kiosk near the coffee place and it said I had a balance of $104.65 so I paid it with the visa debit which was on me... I in no way shape or form attach the visa debit card to the account... Again it was a one time payment so I could get my freaking coffee. I later come to find a few days later that there was some issue with Amex... When I got into port there were messages in my cell which I didn't receive on board advising they were cancelling the card due to irregular purchases and sending a new one... Does everyone get m know?

 

 

So if you couldn't use your credit card, how did you plan on settling the account? They had to charge something.

[billfish]

First and foremost if Carnival was aware of a problem with my card they should have advised me and not authorized any further charges.

 

Confused !!!!!! How was Carnival going to get paid????

[nealstuber]

All the kiosk said was a balance was due... I paid it! I paid it was what I had on me, which was a debit card! I was on my way to an excursion for Christ sake. And had 5 minutes to spare... I was on f**ing vacation! I returned in the middle of the night in Puerto Vallarta as we were overnighting and didn't give it any more thought as I have never had any problems with Amex in the past! I never had an issue the rest of the trip, which I come to learn later was because they were draining my checking account. I am not passing bounced checks jack ass... I was merely explaining how carnival screwed me even at the airport parking facility, and was advised they wouldn't take a check. If they would have taken a check I would have paid in that manner because I could resolve this first thing tomorrow am when my bank opens (closed today).. Once again... Carnival has $1300 or so in holds on my account when they have already presented the bill for payment, and HAVE NOT released the holds! If you know anything about banking when they put a hold on a purchase or transaction there is a code assigned, and when you present the purchase or pay,net for processing you are suppossed to link that code to the payment and it is subsequently released. Carnival FAILED to do this! Screw Carnival! And you for being downright accusatory

 

 

Well as you state here, you went on your shore excursion and "didn't give it a second thought"

 

I often see holds for a corresponding charge on my Credit card so I don't think this is unusual, might be Carnival's fault might not be - especially on a three day banking weekend. Do you know they didn't do it right or is that an unfounded accusation?

 

And writing a check on Sunday against an account that you think will have funds available on Tuesday.. sorry I do know a little about how a bank is supposed to work and it's not that way.

Edited January 18, 2016 by nealstuber

[cruiseonthebrain]

You say you are now stranded with no money. Did you not have a round trip ticket? We're you planning on taking out cash to buy a return flight today?

 

This was the first thing I wondered about.