Carnival stock and onboard credit! :(

[BlerkOne]

1 minute ago, mz-s said:

 

There are reports of people who paid the normal early saver rate getting denied. Granted that seems to be isolated at this point but it may be a portent.

In my experience, there is often more to the story than is being told.

 

I've been on 3 cruises this year and no trouble obtaining the shareholder credit. Another cruise next month that I just applied for. No clue what rate, but no OBC is associated with. I just picked the cheapest rate available to me.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, mz-s said:

Are we heading to the days where unless you pay brochure rates you're not getting shareholder benefits applied? That would be a shame for sure.

And does anyone actually pay the brochure rate?

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, BlerkOne said:

You are correct - the rules didn't change - just enforcement. It is not unreasonable to think Carnival won't enforce rules, it is unreasonable to blame Carnival.

 

It is the same. Tomorrow is promised to no one. Gamblers understand.

 

 

Oh. please. I realize that you think that nothing Carnival does can ever possibly be wrong, but have you been reading the posts? A "benefit" that has always been seen as a marketing tool is now being seen as a negative by it seems everyone but you.

[Schoifmom]

3 hours ago, sfaaa said:

Well this is disappointing.  I wonder if Princess and HA are also cracking down on shareholder OBC request or is it just Carnival acting up and trying to be difficult.

 

Princess IS a Carnival Corporation brand.

[Schoifmom]

6 hours ago, BamaMomRollTide said:

 

Dang, we already prepaid tips, excursions, and reservation for the steak dining. 

 

I wonder how I can find out if any is refundable.  

 

You can cancel all of it and get refunded.  I did.

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Yes, if they keep this up the law of unintended consequences will bite them. People will sell their stock (which no longer pays a dividend), and people will be more apt to look at other cruise lines to book . Actually, since we bought the stock we have only cruised on Princess, Carnival, and Holland America, but we now have a cruise booked on Norwegian (as it had an itinerary too good to pass up.)

Gee, I quote someone who is ready to sell their shares, and I also post that we are switching away from cruises on Carnival owned lines, and @BlerkOne gives me a Ha ha. I just do not understand his sense of humor.

[BlerkOne]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

Oh. please. I realize that you think that nothing Carnival does can ever possibly be wrong, but have you been reading the posts? A "benefit" that has always been seen as a marketing tool is now being seen as a negative by it seems everyone but you.

It's a corporate shareholder credit - not a Carnival cruise line benefit. Just like the dividend was corporate - not Carnival cruise line.

[vwrestler171]

6 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Yes, if they keep this up the law of unintended consequences will bite them. People will sell their stock (which no longer pays a dividend), and people will be more apt to look at other cruise lines to book . Actually, since we bought the stock we have only cruised on Princess, Carnival, and Holland America, but we now have a cruise booked on Norwegian (as it had an itinerary too good to pass up.)

 

You do know that selling your stock does nothing to Carnival, right?  Yes it may make prices fall, but others will buy it.

4 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

There are reports of people who paid the normal early saver rate getting denied. Granted that seems to be isolated at this point but it may be a portent.

If a normal ES rate gets denied, I would be applying again and if denied, ask how it is a discounted rate since it is a rate that is publicly available on their site.

 

Carnival needs to come out with a clear statement of what is/isn't a discounted rate.  Seems it is still pick and choose who gets it.

[ontheweb]

13 minutes ago, vwrestler171 said:

 

You do know that selling your stock does nothing to Carnival, right?  Yes it may make prices fall, but others will buy it.

If a normal ES rate gets denied, I would be applying again and if denied, ask how it is a discounted rate since it is a rate that is publicly available on their site.

 

Carnival needs to come out with a clear statement of what is/isn't a discounted rate.  Seems it is still pick and choose who gets it.

Yes, I realize that. But the purpose of the program is obviously to foster loyalty to the various lines owned by the corporation and to encourage people to buy the stock. What they are doing seems to me to be totally counterproductive.

 

As for your second statement, I agree 100% that whatever they do they should be consistent in doing it. From different posters having opposite experiences with the same circumstances, it sounds like it is almost the luck of the draw whether it is granted or not probably depending on which employee gets you request.

[BlerkOne]

1 hour ago, vwrestler171 said:

 

Carnival needs to come out with a clear statement of what is/isn't a discounted rate.  Seems it is still pick and choose who gets it.

I don't think they do. What they have has worked for decades. Perhaps a better explanation in a rejection note when they decide to enforce. I don't think the price paid has anything to do with it.

[BlerkOne]

47 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

 

As for your second statement, I agree 100% that whatever they do they should be consistent in doing it. From different posters having opposite experiences with the same circumstances, it sounds like it is almost the luck of the draw whether it is granted or not probably depending on which employee gets you request.

I don't know that there are opposite experiences with EXACTLY the same circumstances. Booking codes, OBC amounts, and other details probably factor in.

[Colorado Beach Bum]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

Yes, I realize that. But the purpose of the program is obviously to foster loyalty to the various lines owned by the corporation and to encourage people to buy the stock. What they are doing seems to me to be totally counterproductive.

 

As for your second statement, I agree 100% that whatever they do they should be consistent in doing it. From different posters having opposite experiences with the same circumstances, it sounds like it is almost the luck of the draw whether it is granted or not probably depending on which employee gets you request.

It’s purpose is to encourage you to book more cruises.  Yes, you have to buy the stock, but Carnival doesn’t make any money when you buy the stock. You are buying stock on the open market from those selling the stock. 

[BlerkOne]

1 minute ago, Colorado Beach Bum said:

It’s purpose is to encourage you to book more cruises.  Yes, you have to buy the stock, but Carnival doesn’t make any money when you buy the stock. You are buying stock on the open market from those selling the stock. 

I don't book more cruises because of a $50, $100, or $250 bonus. I don't even consider it. I also don't refuse it.

[ontheweb]

10 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

I don't know that there are opposite experiences with EXACTLY the same circumstances. Booking codes, OBC amounts, and other details probably factor in.

How would you characterize the experience some have mentioned of being granted the credit, but then after boarding finding out that it has been rescinded? What part of their circumstances (booking code, OBC amounts, and other details) do you think have changed between the approval and the taking it back?

[BamaMomRollTide]

16 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

Interesting. I feel like I got a deal on my Panorama cruise last month and they did approve my OBC.

 

This is the million dollar question.  Doesn’t everyone get some deal?  I don’t think I got an amazing deal at all.  I got some discount probably, but nothing to brag about. Yet my stock OBC was denied.

[Saint Greg]

16 minutes ago, BamaMomRollTide said:

 

This is the million dollar question.  Doesn’t everyone get some deal?  I don’t think I got an amazing deal at all.  I got some discount probably, but nothing to brag about. Yet my stock OBC was denied.

Yeah mine wasn’t a special deal. It was just a really low price. People who dont have cruises booked definitely have some better offers than others. I have a friend who was looking to book a cruise. Logging into his account gave him a price that was less than half the price I see. And he’s never cruised before. He booked one and canceled.

[ajm]

27 minutes ago, BamaMomRollTide said:

 

This is the million dollar question.  Doesn’t everyone get some deal?  I don’t think I got an amazing deal at all.  I got some discount probably, but nothing to brag about. Yet my stock OBC was denied.

 

This is the same for me.  It was a discount but nothing great.  We did apply our on board credit that we got when our previous cruise was cancelled due to the pandemic.  I now wonder if that played into their decision somehow.  It would have been nice to understand what went into their thinking.  Even a "hey we are being a little more strict now because of all the losses we had when shut down" would have gone a long way into understanding and accepting the decision.  It's just the apparent randomness that raises my eyebrows.

[IntrepidFromDC]

17 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

Interesting. I feel like I got a deal on my Panorama cruise last month and they did approve my OBC.

Same here - approved for Sep. and Oct.  But denied for Nov. cruise.  All three cruises were the same F5V I think... $100/pp balcony plus $200 obc and $250 funchips.

[Saint Greg]

29 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

Same here - approved for Sep. and Oct.  But denied for Nov. cruise.  All three cruises were the same F5V I think... $100/pp balcony plus $200 obc and $250 funchips.

Now I’m not talking anything that good. Just a really good rate on an interior guarantee. But double what you paid for that balcony. No fun chips or anything. $50 OBC.

 

Edited November 17, 2021 by Saint Greg

[balcony bound]

1 hour ago, ajm said:

 

This is the same for me.  It was a discount but nothing great.  We did apply our on board credit that we got when our previous cruise was cancelled due to the pandemic.  I now wonder if that played into their decision somehow.  It would have been nice to understand what went into their thinking.  Even a "hey we are being a little more strict now because of all the losses we had when shut down" would have gone a long way into understanding and accepting the decision.  It's just the apparent randomness that raises my eyebrows.

I had the OBC from my cancelled cruise on the booking that was approved for the shareholder OBC so that isn't it.  I do fully expect them to take it away once onboard based on the reports of that happening.

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, ajm said:

 

This is the same for me.  It was a discount but nothing great.  We did apply our on board credit that we got when our previous cruise was cancelled due to the pandemic.  I now wonder if that played into their decision somehow.  It would have been nice to understand what went into their thinking.  Even a "hey we are being a little more strict now because of all the losses we had when shut down" would have gone a long way into understanding and accepting the decision.  It's just the apparent randomness that raises my eyebrows.

re the randomness--it almost seems like it depends on which employee gets the request. And then if it is approved, it may disappear while onboard. This is not a way to run a business. 😒

[LHARTWICK]

17 hours ago, ontheweb said:

As for your second statement, I agree 100% that whatever they do they should be consistent in doing it. From different posters having opposite experiences with the same circumstances, it sounds like it is almost the luck of the draw whether it is granted or not probably depending on which employee gets you request.

My observation has been the same.  Seems to depend on who receives the request on the other end at CCL.  Definitely should be more consistency.  My response when they rejected my request was "The promotion you are booked with is a reduced cruise rate which is not combinable with the Shareholder Benefit. Therefore the on board credit cannot be applied for this sailing."  However, I have yet to read where the cut-off point is dollar wise for not receiving the shareholder OBC. Their current policy just says "anyone cruising on a reduced-rate or complimentary basis are excluded from this offer". I understand CCL wanting to adhere to the rules, but it would be nice to have more info from them re: discounted rates & shareholder OBC.  

[rj59]

I didn’t see any threads on refused obc on Princess and HAL boards. So for my $330 Jan. Panorama sailing, I could book Majestic Princess for $530 and get $200 in shareholder and military obc. So it’s an easy choice for me to replace Carnival, especially with Navigator of the Seas doing the same 4-nt cruises I’ve done on Carnival in the past, at competitive rates and with maskless venues. Both Princess  and RC also got me onboard in under 15 minutes, whereas I spent an hour sweating in a non-distanced line in Long Beach to get on the Miracle. 

[BlerkOne]

7 hours ago, ontheweb said:

How would you characterize the experience some have mentioned of being granted the credit, but then after boarding finding out that it has been rescinded? What part of their circumstances (booking code, OBC amounts, and other details) do you think have changed between the approval and the taking it back?

Not enough details.

[BlerkOne]

1 hour ago, LHARTWICK said:

My observation has been the same.  Seems to depend on who receives the request on the other end at CCL.  Definitely should be more consistency.  My response when they rejected my request was "The promotion you are booked with is a reduced cruise rate which is not combinable with the Shareholder Benefit. Therefore the on board credit cannot be applied for this sailing."  However, I have yet to read where the cut-off point is dollar wise for not receiving the shareholder OBC. Their current policy just says "anyone cruising on a reduced-rate or complimentary basis are excluded from this offer". I understand CCL wanting to adhere to the rules, but it would be nice to have more info from them re: discounted rates & shareholder OBC.  

Supports my theory the price you pay is irrelevant. Booking code (which would identify benefits) is more of a factor. If you pay full fare, but receive a drink package and/or OBC and/or..., amounts to a reduced cruise rate.

 

I think the way the shareholder offer is worded is deliberate and allows Carnival to change interpretation as conditions warrant.

 

It is not cruising like 2019 and likely won't be for a long time, if ever.