Carnival’s email ruined surprise cruise

[cathyhinkle]

I have never really posted on here before. I usually just read post. My husband and I have 130 days sailing with Carnival alone. Wanted to see if this has happened to anyone else. Put deposit on a cruise over Christmas as a surprise to my adult kids and grandkids. Two days later I got an email from carnival saying 168 days until you cruise. Did not think anything about it until my daughter in law texted me So.....I just got this emails from carnival and I am so excited. Then the rest of the family got emails. My surprise was ruined!!! Travel agent only had her and my info on the booking. This was generated by VIFP numbers. Anyone else have something similar happen??

[sparks1093]

I have read of similar things happening, yes.

[asalligo]

I noticed that when I last booked a cruise. They only had the one email address, but everyone listed with a VIFP got an email a few days later.

[Nacwolin]

I wonder if to prevent that, VIFP numbers could be added later...? Do they have to be in the initial reservation?

 

 

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[firemanbobswife]

It goes by the info in the profiles. They automatically send emails for shore excursions and check in reminders. Only way I know to not get them is by changing/deleting the email under each person’s profile or opting out of emails. Has nothing to do with your TA or who paid for it, but rather who is booked. If your TA knew it was a surprise they should have called Carnival and had them change it.

[LuckyStar]

I'm confused. It's sounds lovely, honestly but did you plan a cruise for your whole family but not tell them? It's in 168 days? I assume you had plans to do something together so vacations are planned, plants are set to be watered, pets set to be sitted?

[cathyhinkle]

I wonder if to prevent that, VIFP numbers could be added later...? Do they have to be in the initial reservation?

 

 

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Yes they have to be there to get any discounts.

[cathyhinkle]

It goes by the info in the profiles. They automatically send emails for shore excursions and check in reminders. Only way I know to not get them is by changing/deleting the email under each person’s profile or opting out of emails. Has nothing to do with your TA or who paid for it, but rather who is booked. If your TA knew it was a surprise they should have called Carnival and had them change it.

That is why TA only had her info. We did the same thing a few years ago and did not have a problem. :loudcry:

[cathyhinkle]

I'm confused. It's sounds lovely, honestly but did you plan a cruise for your whole family but not tell them? It's in 168 days? I assume you had plans to do something together so vacations are planned, plants are set to be watered, pets set to be sitted?

Yes we travel together once or twice a year. Kids work for our family business so I know when they can get off. Was planning a Christmas in July party to surprise them for a dec 30-jan6 cruise so they had months to get ready for it. The surprise is the problem.

[firemanbobswife]

That is why TA only had her info. We did the same thing a few years ago and did not have a problem. :loudcry:

 

The issue is that their emails were in their Carnival profiles. Unless she had Carnival remove them or opted them out, it doesn’t matter who paid for it or booked the cruise, the guest is always going to get email reminders. She didn’t have Carnival do either of those things. If she did, then they wouldn’t have gotten any emails.

 

Have one of your family members look under their profile and see what shows as their email address.

[momof4girls]

My cruises get emailed to the other passengers only if I input the VIFP number. I have a Nov cruise planned for Thanksgiving. I haven’t put any VIFP numbers in (except my own). I’ve just put names and birth dates. Once I input my husband’s number, he will get all the same emails as me.

[cathyhinkle]

My cruises get emailed to the other passengers only if I input the VIFP number. I have a Nov cruise planned for Thanksgiving. I haven’t put any VIFP numbers in (except my own). I’ve just put names and birth dates. Once I input my husband’s number, he will get all the same emails as me.

Yes unfortunately their VIFP numbers were used for discounts.

[Lottacruises]

It's not your fault, you just didn't know.

[tallyho8]

I don't believe in surprise cruises for many reasons. The main one is because of what happened to one of my friends.

 

The husband decided to surprise the wife and booked a cruise for their anniversary. The wife decided to surprise the husband and booked a luxury trip to Las Vegas for their anniversary.

 

Flights, hotels, cruise, excursions and none were refundable. They lost a couple of thousand dollars on the surprise.

[Alaskan Joe]

Do you want my DW and I pin #s. I promise we will act surprised:eek:....LoL

[Joebucks]

I don't believe in surprise cruises for many reasons. The main one is because of what happened to one of my friends.

 

The husband decided to surprise the wife and booked a cruise for their anniversary. The wife decided to surprise the husband and booked a luxury trip to Las Vegas for their anniversary.

 

Flights, hotels, cruise, excursions and none were refundable. They lost a couple of thousand dollars on the surprise.

 

There's no better way to kill something as exciting as a vacation as that. Definitely makes me think twice before doing that.

[Doggielover68]

Surprise vacations don't work out for most people. I would be a little annoyed actually if I found out last minute. I have responsibilities to tend to at home, bills to pay, a pet sitter to reserve, and limited vacation time. The gesture is nice, but I think it's better to give notice. Sorry it didn't work out for you but at least they were still surprised!

 

 

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[Alaskan Joe]

I don't believe in surprise cruises for many reasons. The main one is because of what happened to one of my friends.

 

The husband decided to surprise the wife and booked a cruise for their anniversary. The wife decided to surprise the husband and booked a luxury trip to Las Vegas for their anniversary.

 

Flights, hotels, cruise, excursions and none were refundable. They lost a couple of thousand dollars on the surprise.

 

In certain cases I could see that, like my DW and I. However, there are some people out there where only one of the spouses takes care of everything. This could work if that spouse did not work, and just knew she/he was going on vacation.I would have to agree with tallyho8 no surprise cruises here, would be nice but too complicated, and could get very expensive/ wasteful.

[serene56]

Interesting. Both honey and I are platinum. We both have those past guest numbers. Two upcoming cruises I used his number to book him in another cabin He has not received any emails regarding the cruises or anything I purchased

[v3cruiser]

I have never really posted on here before. I usually just read post. My husband and I have 130 days sailing with Carnival alone. Wanted to see if this has happened to anyone else. Put deposit on a cruise over Christmas as a surprise to my adult kids and grandkids. Two days later I got an email from carnival saying 168 days until you cruise. Did not think anything about it until my daughter in law texted me So.....I just got this emails from carnival and I am so excited. Then the rest of the family got emails. My surprise was ruined!!! Travel agent only had her and my info on the booking. This was generated by VIFP numbers. Anyone else have something similar happen??

 

I make sure wife's vfip number is not imputed into initial booking. AL they need to know is there is a second guest which you can add later.

 

I'm sure they were still suprised though!!

[NoDayButToday]

Our next cruise was booked as a surprise for an anniversary gift. I told him about it on our anniversary last year (after booking it 6 months prior). I explained to my PVP that it was a surprise and to make sure he receives ZERO communication about it. They handled it. Even now that he knows about it and we have added the booking number to his account he still hasn't received a single email-even a receipt for the payment he made as a surprise for me-I got the confirmation email for that (which mildly ruined his surprise for me because I woke up one morning to that email).

 

It sucks that the emails ruined the surprise, but it's still something nice you did for them and I'm sure they appreciate it even without the "big reveal".

[SadieN]

They were still surprised, just earlier than you would have liked.

 

 

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[deadmoney]

Look on the bright side.

Now they will be as excited as you for the next 168 days.

[evandbob]

I don't believe in surprise cruises for many reasons. The main one is because of what happened to one of my friends.

 

The husband decided to surprise the wife and booked a cruise for their anniversary. The wife decided to surprise the husband and booked a luxury trip to Las Vegas for their anniversary.

 

Flights, hotels, cruise, excursions and none were refundable. They lost a couple of thousand dollars on the surprise.

 

 

Yep indeed. Years ago O. Henry wrote a short story called "The Gift of the Magi" about surprise gifts, same theme.

[avenger71]

I ran into just the opposite. My friend booked our cruise through her travel agent. My name and VIFP number are on the reservation on Carnival's website but I do not receive any e-mails. No sure why that is.