No response from Carnival management after being denied boarding in error

[firefly333]

It happened in Los Angeles over the Christmas holidays. My mom and I were supposed to leave on the Inspiration on January 2nd. I haven't posted until now because I wanted the Visa dispute to be over. And as I said, I at least got my fare back. I lost my mom's fare because she understandably didn't want to go on a cruise by herself so I couldn't dispute that.

 

So I'm done with Carnival and all of Princess too, unless or until someone with the authority to resolve the situation actually intervenes.

 

My mom and I were disappointed to miss the cruise for sure, but that was nothing compared to being just left there to find our way back home with absolutely no help.

 

Right there, you won the dispute, you managed to get carnival charged back and got your money back.

 

Now you are done with them unless you get specialized attention (apology?? aint happening, because then in case you sue them thats admitting wrong).

 

I honestly understand why you are upset, but think there is nothing else you will or can get from carnival on your own.

 

I am sorry, and would be mad too.

[djcass4199]

If I had my passport, I would have showed it. Having a NEXUS is proof that I do have a passport though. And keep in mind that Carnival and I aren't bound by these FAQs. We were bound by the contract. There is nothing in their contract that says that I had to produce a passport specifically--I followed my contractual obligations.

 

Are you sure about that? This is from the Carnival cruise contract.

 

"(d) Guest acknowledges receipt of Carnival’s applicable brochures and travel information and agrees to abide by the terms and conditions of not just this Contract, but also the information contained in Carnival’s brochures and website, including but not limited to the information contained in the “Frequently Asked Questions” and “Embarkation Information” sections."

Note that it says you will abide by the information in the Frequently Asked Questions section, which is where in my prior post that I showed you can't travel with just a NEXUS card. So, yes, you are bound by the FAQs. Unfortunately, you shot yourself in the foot and Carnival doesn't owe you anything. You had a passport, you chose to not bring it. That's on you.

[firemanbobswife]

I think the difference is what you were going off of was what the US Customs and Border Protection require as far as documentation. However, I believe the cruise line has the right to instill stricter guidelines and it appears they do. In fact, it says so on their website that as a Canadian Citizen you must present a valid Passport. You also get reminders before your cruise telling to you make sure you have proper documentation or you will be denied boarding and from what I remember it directs you to Carnival's requirements. So they were correct in not letting you board if you didn't also have a Passport as stated on their website. It stinks that you didn't get to go, but I don't see why you wouldn't bring your Passport if you had a valid one. True you needed one to get the card, but that doesn't mean it was still valid at the time of sailing. Better safe than sorry and you should have brought it with.

 

I wonder if Carnival could/might still fight the charge back being it wasn't their fault you didn't bring the proper documentation. I'm also not sure why you would still want to give Carnival Corp your business if you are so displeased with them. Pretty sure their other cruise lines have the same documentation requirements.

 

From Carnival's website:

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1405

TRAVEL DOCUMENTATION: NON-U.S. CITIZENS

 

Carnival requires guests to provide proper travel documentation in order to travel. The documentation is required at embarkation and throughout the cruise and is the responsibility of the guest. Our policy states that any guest traveling without proper documentation will be denied boarding the ship and will be under full penalty, and therefore, will not be offered a refund or a replacement cruise. Guests must contact the appropriate embassy or consulate of the countries they will be visiting for specific travel documentation requirements. Carnival assumes no responsibility for advising guests of Immigration requirements.

On occasion, Non-U.S. Citizens may be asked to surrender their passport at time of check-in. It will be returned upon completion of the immigration inspection at the time of debarkation.

Carnival highly recommends that all guests travel with a passport valid for at least six months beyond the completion of travel unless otherwise noted differently.

Cruises that include travel to Cuba

If your cruise includes travel to Cuba, click here to view required travel documentation as well as a Travel Affidavit, required for all guests, including children.

 

 

Domestic Cruises that do not include travel to Cuba

• Non-U.S. Citizens are required to carry a valid, unexpired passport and a Multiple Entry Visa, if applicable. In addition, guests must contact the appropriate embassy or consulate of the countries they will be visiting for specific travel documentation requirements. Carnival assumes no responsibility for advising guests of Immigration requirements.
  
• Visa Waiver Program (VWP): Non-U.S. citizens that are eligible to apply for admission under the Visa Waiver Program must have a valid, unexpired machine readable passport that includes specified security features (biometric identifiers). In addition, travelers are required to have an electronic travel authorization via the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). Details on this program as well as the participating VWP countries can be found below.
  
• Mexican citizens who are traveling with a Border Crossing Card must also present a valid, unexpired Mexican passport. Please click here for more details.
  

[VeronicaWallace]

Are you sure about that? This is from the Carnival cruise contract.

 

"(d) Guest acknowledges receipt of Carnival’s applicable brochures and travel information and agrees to abide by the terms and conditions of not just this Contract, but also the information contained in Carnival’s brochures and website, including but not limited to the information contained in the “Frequently Asked Questions” and “Embarkation Information” sections."

Note that it says you will abide by the information in the Frequently Asked Questions section, which is where in my prior post that I showed you can't travel with just a NEXUS card. So, yes, you are bound by the FAQs. Unfortunately, you shot yourself in the foot and Carnival doesn't owe you anything. You had a passport, you chose to not bring it. That's on you.

 

I really wish I had the passport, absolutely. And it looks like I was lucky to win the dispute. I had only initiated it to get Carnival to respond to me which they repeatedly failed to do. I'm lucky that I'm only out about $2500 which was the extra cost of the flights home and my mom's cruise, more or less. We managed to get home safely which was my main concern after I knew we wouldn't be sailing.

[skiingj]

Sorry this happened to you. Not sure why you wouldn't have brought a Passport? As you mentioned NEXUS is a US/CAN travel program. I have GE and would never think of not bringing a passport. You have to use a passport in conjunction with GE... How did you think you would get into Mexico? NEXUS is NOT a MX program.

[firefly333]

as someone who worked disputes with credit cards, let me explain the process more.

 

You are assuming since you were able to get the charge reversed that Carnival was in error. It might not have even been a Carnival employee at the port who turned you away. It might not even be Carnival's fault but some other company's

 

I cant tell you how many times i charged back a merchant and the card hold called me back to tell me the merchant had put it on their credit that they were not paid and sent a collection agency after them. they wanted me to tell that merchant that we decided the card member was in the right.

 

No, we carefully word it saying things like "the credit will remain on your account" ... and i cant say those words or id have been fired. In fact i could be looking at the dispute and see the merchant did not reply in the # of days allowed by law so was charged back. The merchant certainly did not agree to the chargeback or they would have given a credit in the first place.

 

All this about how you did not post until the chargeback was made, (maybe the merchant got charged back on a technicality tbh), so you assume you were right, or that Carnival was at fault when it coould have been another company who denied you boarding..

 

its just not as easy as you want this to be to make it right. Carnival lost your money, so they arent happy and now you want more money from carnival promising to pay princess.

 

again never ever ever tell a merchant you wouldnt ever be a future customer ... you already lost right there.

[glittergal1]

Ladies, if you are married, make sure the name in your passport and driver's license match, or you may experience problems when asked for a second government ID.

Ok someone posted this above in a comment and now its got me worried

we have never sailed with Carnival before and are flying in from the UK we have applied and been granted our ESTA

We recently got married and the Cruise and flights are booked in my Maiden name because that is what my Passport is still in however my Drivers licence is now in my Married name

This cruise will be to celebrate our first wedding anniversary so to be denied boarding would be devastating

Would taking a copy of the marriage certificate be enough ???????

[BigCruze]

Wait a second so your mother was okay to travel but you were not? Is that correct?

[BigCruze]

Ladies, if you are married, make sure the name in your passport and driver's license match, or you may experience problems when asked for a second government ID.

Ok someone posted this above in a comment and now its got me worried

we have never sailed with Carnival before and are flying in from the UK we have applied and been granted our ESTA

We recently got married and the Cruise and flights are booked in my Maiden name because that is what my Passport is still in however my Drivers licence is now in my Married name

This cruise will be to celebrate our first wedding anniversary so to be denied boarding would be devastating

Would taking a copy of the marriage certificate be enough ???????

 

Use your passport.

[glittergal1]

Use your passport.

 

 

I will have my passport its just my passport and drivers licence are different names

[LuckyZ]

I have documentation from the Embarkation staff, actually. It says on it that I failed to provide WHTI documentation on it.

 

 

 

I’ve read that you have a passport , correct?

 

I hate to say it but as a fellow Canadian, I always carry my passport regardless.

 

From what I’ve read, a nexus card proves identity and citizenship and thereby acts as a substitute for a passport for entry into Canada for U.S. citizens (and vice versa). But it doesn’t seem to cover other countries.

 

Sounds like that is the lesson learned from many posters (carry your passport). Maybe no need to give up cruising all together, right ?

 

Forums

Edited May 27, 2018 by LuckyZ

[Retired_to_Cruise]

It's been an hour and a half for a first time poster. Lets give him a chance to explain what happened. Jumping all over him right off the bat is just going to scare him away and we'll have zero clue what happened.

 

It has to be something with the documentation. I have never heard Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative referenced before. To me that screams unusual circumstance. Not your usual passport or ID/birth certificate situation. Visa, green card or some other perfectly legal but at the same time extremely unusual circumstance the workers rarely if ever see. Or the the OP dropped the ball and didn't have the paperwork they should have. Just need to see if he/she comes back with some more details of what happened.

 

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) is a United States legal framework from 2007 that requires all travelers to show a valid passport or other approved secure document when traveling to the U.S. from areas within the Western Hemisphere.

[sparks1093]

I will have my passport its just my passport and drivers licence are different names

 

They don't need to see your drivers license.:)

 

OP, I'm sorry this happened to you but at the end of the day you did end up getting more than you were legally entitled to. Yes, it would be nice if CCL responded to your correspondence but they likely felt there was no reason to because they 1) had refunded your cruise fare and 2) there was nothing else they could do for you since by your own words you wouldn't be sailing with them again. I can understand your feelings but really this was a self-inflicted wound by not bringing your passport, which would have avoided all of the unpleasantness. You certainly have the right to not give your business to CCL again and Princess too because they are under the same corporate umbrella but I think that's cutting off your nose to spite your face.

[Stick93]

Ladies, if you are married, make sure the name in your passport and driver's license match, or you may experience problems when asked for a second government ID.

 

 

If you have a passport and a nexus/global travel - they will never ask for your license. If you have a passport they have no reason to ask for your license period. Have been with my wife for 20 years and passport/license have different name in it. Passport and name on cruise ticket need to match or you will be in the port like this situation .

 

 

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[Thorncroft]

What did you use to get on all of your other cruises?

[bnorris10]

Ladies, if you are married, make sure the name in your passport and driver's license match, or you may experience problems when asked for a second government ID.

Wrong if you have a passport you are not required to show your driver's license

 

I will have my passport its just my passport and drivers licence are different names

 

That does not matter as you only have to show your passport when boarding

[nascarcruiser]

You keep saying you will sail Princess but not Carnival again because of this. Do you realize Princess is owned by Carnival?

[E&B]

You’re obviously an experienced cruiser. Have you ever traveled on a cruise out of the US without your passport before? I think you were lucky they refunded your fare.

 

 

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[moondog73]

Clearly the OP was in the wrong...Period!!!! Not sure why they think Carnival owes them anything. Personally, the credit card company should not have approved their dispute. They obviously did it simply to not have to deal with people. Carnival is so large they probably don't even worry about disputes. Next time read all the rules and fine print.

[firemanbobswife]

The only reason they wouldn’t have brought their Passport with yet managed to bring their NEXUS Card along with “Other supporting ID” would be that it expired or was lost. So they were trying to travel without a valid Passport when Carnival clearly states Non US Citizens need one. OP should feel fortunate they got any money back as they weren’t entitled to a penny. Carnival doesn’t owe them any response besides one saying they are still owed the amount that was charged back to the Credit Card and that they expect payment. Sometimes it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie.

 

If the OP ever wants to cruise again from the US, they best bring a valid Passport. There’s no two ways about it.

[Purvis1231]

I have attempted unsuccessfully several times to have someone at Carnival with the authority to resolve my situation to get back to me. Nobody there seems interested.

I had Western HemisphereTravel Initiative documentation as specified by both Carnival's rules and byHomeland Security. Unbelievably, the crew on shore would not let me board theship! I was literally dumped at the curb in a strange city with no safe placeto go. Eventually I was forced to spend $2000 getting back home. I disputed thecruise charges with my credit card company and after an investigation the dispute for the cost of the cruiseitself was of course resolved in my favor. I had the right documentation and the pier staff was 100% wrong for not letting me board.

You'd think Carnival would want to makethings right for the airfare, my loss of vacation time, the potentially unsafesituation they put me in, the way I was treated at the pier, etc. NOPE! THEY DON'T CARE! I sent correspondence tothe executive team after getting nowhere with the customer service folks andI've offered to eat part of the airfare for a some future credit on Princess(there is no way I'd ever trust Carnival staff with my personal safety andsecurity). Additionally, I promised to book with them to Alaska or Hawaii within six monthsand also keep sailing with them in future. All I get are form letters back denying the error.

I'm Platinum on Princess and you'd think withthe cost of customer acquisition combined with my youngish age that they'd wantall of my future business instead of handing it all on a silver platter to RoyalCaribbean. NOPE! THEY DON'T CARE!

So here's my warning to others. The cruise looks inexpensive and fun. Butplease, please, please don't trust Carnival to do right thing by you, to knowit's own rules and policies, to respond if you have any sort of problem, tokeep you safe, or to show that they care about you even as customer let alone ahuman being. Choose a different cruise line. You deserve better.

 

 

 

Platinum on Princess but no passport?

[NotThePest_Too]

NEXUS is only for Canadian Border Crossing both from USA and to USA for US and Canadian residents (I'm not sure if you have to be a citizen). It was meant for business travelers; truck drivers who routinely cross the border. Now If one crosses into the US with a NEXUS card, gets on a cruise ship going to another country, gets off the ship and then tries to Board without a Passport … well … you're just out of luck. I'm doing a 49 Day S.A. cruise leaving in Feb 2019 and one of the stops, well three ports, are in Brazil. Guess what, even if I don't get off the ship, I have to have a Brazilian Visa or else it's a non-boarding issue for me and I can't get on the ship.

 

Ramona

 

 

By the way ...the in error part of your title is your error not Carnaval

 

Here is the wording from US Customs and Border for NEXUS:

NEXUS

 

The NEXUS program allows pre-screened travelers expedited processing when entering the United States and Canada. Program members use dedicated processing lanes at designated northern border ports of entry, NEXUS kiosks when entering Canada by air and Global Entry kiosks when entering the United States via Canadian Preclearance airports. NEXUS members also receive expedited processing at marine reporting locations.

Edited May 27, 2018 by NotThePest_Too
Added more Infomation

[spleenstomper]

Ok, so Nexus is like our passport card? Yes, can be used for ID but not for flying, etc.

[FSHLOT]

Ok, so Nexus is like our passport card? Yes, can be used for ID but not for flying, etc.

 

Couldn't help but notice your signature date for the Dream, That is today, right? Have fun and bring your passport...:cool:

[dd likes to cruise]

I hope in your communication to the big shots at Carnival you are not mentioning Los Angeles as being a dangerous city. Prior to your explanation, I assumed you were left in some poor 3rd world country or drug ridden Mexico at the least, where you couldn’t speak their language or someting. Not a large mondern city in the USA.

 

And if you have a passport, why in the world would you not bring it?