Beware of "free cruise certificates" from casino

[Port of Tampa]

Do these offers and certs only come from playing in the casinos?

Yes and it's based on you time and wagering...I got mt first offerr on a three day cruise.

[Bases5]

Try calling back, new cruises become available all the time,

Also see what ocean view or balcony are available.

We cruise on the Glory 3/18 on a Free BB offer.

When I called inside was not available, I asked about OV and she said yes $30 P.P. so

we booked it.

$250 total for 7 Days . $190 port fees and $60 up charge.

[poppadevan]

Be patient, good things may still happen for you. The same thing happened to me on a cruise in August 2015. The last night of our family's cruise I received a Bounce Back offer in my mailbox outside my door. So when I arrived at home, I called my Players Club rep at Carnival and asked that he send me an email with all of the cruises that I might select from. I picked out a 5 Day Bermuda Cruise for the end of October. When I called to make the reservation, he checked it out and told me that this cruise was no longer available. He explained that the Players Club was allotted a specific number of cabins for each of the cruises listed and that no cabins were available for this date. I tried several other cruise dates and they also had no cabins available. I was ticked. Had been offered a free cruise but nothing was available of interest. I was not happy with Carnival for getting my hopes up for this quick getaway and then letting me down.

 

Well, several weeks later, I got a Pack n Play mailer from the Players Club. With this one I was to pay $150 dollars for a cabin and then receive an OBC for $100. Again I called my personal planner at Carnival and had him email me a list of cruises. Low and behold, that same 5 day cruise to Bermuda was on the list for the end of October and I was able to book it. Also, I was told that I was not limited to picking just one cruise, so I also booked a 10 Day Journeys cruise to the Southern Caribbean for the same price at the end of January.

 

So be patient. You obviously created enough activity in the Casino on your last cruise to get the attention of the Players Club. My guess is that sometime this Summer you will get the Pack n Play offers for the Fall and Winter. I love the Pack n Play offers and look forward to receiving them again this year. I sail solo and pay only $50 net plus taxes and port fees for the entire cabin.

 

Just got off the Glory a week ago and on the last night a received a certificate for a free inside room for select sailings. I called Carnival today and tried to use it. I am not picky about my ship or where it sails out of. I am very flexible and cruise just to go and get away.

 

Boy, was I surprised when the representative said none of my sailing where available in Sept 2017 out of Florida or New Orleans. So I asked her to find me anything from September thu December and she said nothing was available.

 

 

In other words the certificate is basically useless. Funny thing is that I cruise the most in September thru November because school is back and most people do not want to cruise during hurricane season. I can always get a last minute unreal deal during this time frame.

 

 

So if you get one of these certificates, don't get too excited. Mine was worthless.

[nol4am]

Some replies are comical. I have sailed well over 20 cruises and ALOT were bounce back offers i for one know how they work. When I said nothing was available, I meant it. Now wether or not it was the winter verses summer month to explain I can't say. But after talking with them over this issue after our November cruise, according to the rept. It's getting much more limited. Like title said .... beware things are changing

[coevan]

I just don't understand the "beware" part of the post. They have offered you a free cruise. Sorry it does not fit into your timetable

[IntrepidFromDC]

You just gotta go with the flow, the flow being Carnival's algorithms.

 

In 2016 we were awarded a free cruise which coincided with a complaint (inside cabin) and sailed in July. On the last day of the July cruise we got a certificate slipped under the door for a free cruise up to 15 days, which we used over winter break (kid's school).

 

I was lucky to cruise three times, only paying for one cruise.

 

It's hard to get used to paying for cruises again after being spoiled like that, but if I didn't have a boss who was flexible with my vacation requests coinciding with my kid's time off school I would probably have felt like you - couldn't use it.

 

Better luck next time.