My impressions of cruising with a Platinum card

[jbhcw]

Another thought, if you're getting ready for your 10th cruise, call Carnival to make sure they've got the right number recorded. They also had my past guest number wrong on my Carnival currents. Really looking forward to our April cruise, especially the new ports.

[LHP]

They just implemented the various card colors within the past year or so. So if you cruised prior to that, all the cards would have been the standard ones.

 

From 2 - 9th you will receive a Gold card. (Again, if all your past Carnival cruises are properly recorded.)

 

One way to check this is to go to their website, sign in, go under My Profile and check your cruise "history". All your past cruises with Carnival should be listed there.

[Sailfish]

I just got off the Pride, and although we got some of the perks mentioned, most people, including the Cruise Director, know nothing about this! I am hoping by the time we take our cruise in December aboard the Valor that the program will be implemented fleet wide.

 

We did receive VIP priority boarding and disembarkation tags, a bottle of champagne and two nights of special "treats". But we got no letter in our cabin and no other perks were offered; when asked, the people at the Purser's desk were clueless. I'm guessing they are implementing this program ship by ship. It might help to take a copy of the article in the past guest magazine, though it didn't help me.

 

I am happy that Carnival is making an effort - it's about time!

 

Suzi

[LHP]

I just got off the Pride, and although we got some of the perks mentioned, most people, including the Cruise Director, know nothing about this! I am hoping by the time we take our cruise in December aboard the Valor that the program will be implemented fleet wide.

 

We did receive VIP priority boarding and disembarkation tags, a bottle of champagne and two nights of special "treats". But we got no letter in our cabin and no other perks were offered; when asked, the people at the Purser's desk were clueless. I'm guessing they are implementing this program ship by ship. It might help to take a copy of the article in the past guest magazine, though it didn't help me.

 

I am happy that Carnival is making an effort - it's about time!

 

Suzi

 

I know this thing is new, but isn't that irritating??? The initial trial was suppose to be on the Valor only through February 12th. I understand why it started to "leak" to other ships..but once they saw they could not contain it...they should have gotten it in gear. There is no excuse for a cruise director to know less than the passengers on board. Maybe we should send him a "subscription" to Cruise Critic so they can keep up!!!!

[msolberg]

I know this thing is new, but isn't that irritating??? The initial trial was suppose to be on the Valor only through February 12th. I understand why it started to "leak" to other ships..but once they saw they could not contain it...they should have gotten it in gear. There is no excuse for a cruise director to know less than the passengers on board. Maybe we should send him a "subscription" to Cruise Critic so they can keep up!!!!

I hear ya! Can't understand why it would be so difficult to send out a memo to everyone.

 

Diane

[jbhcw]

Starting to get a bit irritated, called Carnival again today re my past guest number and Platinum status. The rep I talked to today stated it went fleet wide on 02-23-06 but questioned my statement, taken from a previous rep I had spoken with that it would begin with the 10th cruise. Anyway, I will try again and see what a third person tells me. They do have my number of cruises correct but DOB is wrong and still am unable to plug in past guest number on-line. Oh well, whatever, we will be cruising shortly and if I have to book another shorty to get some platinum perks, I will!!!!

[LHP]

JBH: I have searched and searched for the fax number we went our "proof" to along with the name of the person and I just can not find it. Have you tried going to the Carnival website, signing in, go under My Profile, then under Cruise History and there is an option to add to your cruise history. If I remember correctly, when our old cruise dates did not register in their system, they emailed us and told us what to do next. We faxed proof for 8 cruises that they did not have listed starting as early as 1982.

 

Hope this helps...I will keep looking for that fax number.

[msolberg]

JBH: I have searched and searched for the fax number we went our "proof" to along with the name of the person and I just can not find it. Have you tried going to the Carnival website, signing in, go under My Profile, then under Cruise History and there is an option to add to your cruise history. If I remember correctly, when our old cruise dates did not register in their system, they emailed us and told us what to do next. We faxed proof for 8 cruises that they did not have listed starting as early as 1982.

 

Hope this helps...I will keep looking for that fax number.

 

I found it LHP - I remember you posting it for someone else so I just searched for "fax." Here is the thread that you listed it in:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=280416&highlight=fax+number

 

PS - I wished you a happy birthday the other night but the hosts moved my post to the float away lounge. (I hate when they do that). Happy Birthday anyway.

 

Diane

[wanderingjew]

I called carnival today the Club is onall ships now

[LHP]

I found it LHP - I remember you posting it for someone else so I just searched for "fax." Here is the thread that you listed it in:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=280416&highlight=fax+number

 

PS - I wished you a happy birthday the other night but the hosts moved my post to the float away lounge. (I hate when they do that). Happy Birthday anyway.

 

Diane

 

 

Good work. Thanks so much for the bd wish. (If they remove yours, they will have to remove mine and maybe they will think that is just to much work!)

[Naismith]

That was a great summary of the Platinum perks.

 

However, I have to wonder, is someone's opinion "valid" if they are getting all these extra perks that rank-and-file cruisers do not? It doesn't seem their cruise would be representative of the product line, and would tend to skew opinions towards a more positive experience than most can expect.

 

(Personally, I think EVERYONE's opinion is valid, but I was recently told on another thread that my opinion has no validity since I hadn't cruised on Carnival enough, and I am trying to figure out the rules on this forum.)

[rpsinnj]

it is great that carnival is doing this about time

[jbhcw]

LPH, Msolberg, thanks, am still working on this. Cannot get the past guest number correct. I'll be calling Carnival again today. When I click on my profile my history does not come up, think it's got to be linked to the past guest #.

[Cotton]

......It doesn't seem their cruise would be representative of the product line, and would tend to skew opinions towards a more positive experience than most can expect.

 

I don't think that would be the case...as long as everybody realizes these perks are for folks w/10 cruises or more.

 

(Personally, I think EVERYONE's opinion is valid, but I was recently told on another thread that my opinion has no validity since I hadn't cruised on Carnival enough, and I am trying to figure out the rules on this forum.

 

:eek: Aww, it's a shame that somebody said that to you. You have as much right as anybody else to voice your opinion - if you've had one cruise or a dozen! Keep on posting.

[LHP]

[

 

:eek: Aww, it's a shame that somebody said that to you. You have as much right as anybody else to voice your opinion - if you've had one cruise or a dozen! Keep on posting.

 

Cotton:

 

As Paul Harvery would say "Now for the rest of the story".

 

The following is the exact post given by NAISMITH:

 

February 28th, 2006, 03:33 AM

Naismith

Cool Cruiser Join Date: Dec 2005

Posts: 67

 

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Cruiser

I have only heard this from people that have never sailed Carnival. They did not get to be the largest cruise line in the world for no reason. It's perception and ignorance plain and simple.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

This reasoning does not impress me at all.

 

The Microsoft Windows operating system is far more prevalent than the Mac OS, but that doesn't make it better. (And yes, I use Windows every day at work; I am not ignorant.)

 

The VHS video format beat out Beta, but that didn't make it better. And the Ford Escort was the best-selling car in the world, despite being a piece of--well.

 

There are indeed reasons that Carnival got to be the largest cruise line in the world, but those reasons may not be a reflection of a quality product.

 

I would do a Carnival cruise again if the port, itinerary and price were favorable, for all those reasons others have mentioned. But I woudn't delude myself about it--I would be settling for mediocrity.

 

A lot of people settling for mediocrity can cause a business to become the "largest in the world" without them offering that great of a product.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

Cotton:

This was on a board discussing basically why Carnival gets bad rap.

This is not a person who went on a cruise and came back listing the faults and disappointments. People who do that have every right and validate their opinions by listing the facts. This was not the case.

 

My statement was that her opinion (that the entire Carnival cruise line is mediocre) was not valid, because she had only been on one 4 day cruise on the Celebration. Of course this is a "fact" that she never admitted to.

 

I never said her opinion of that one cruise was not valid. I did say (and still say ) her opinion that the entire Carnival cruise line is mediocre based on one cruise is not valid. She is making assumptions about an entire line with insufficient data. Therefore her opinion about the entire Carnival cruiseline is not valid. period

 

She believes that we (Carnival cruisers) are all settling for mediocrity, which is an insult and she was told so!!

 

Now you know...the rest of the story! For future reference, if someone is going to complain about their "treatment" on this board, IMO the mature thing to do is list "all the facts" . I mean, that is what mature people do! And that's the end of that.

 

Thank goodness!!!

[Cotton]

:eek: WOW, thx LHP - I guess I missed that thread altogether. Probably just as well, huh?:D

[bucket_O_beer4john]

Yup - just as well. I saw it, and there was quite a bit of name calling back and forth, as well as several attempts to kiss and make up, and clarify points that didn't seem to work. Typical flame war - lots of stuff being typed that would (I like to believe) never be said to someone's face.

 

I certainly don't think it needs to be brought up again on this thread.

[LHP]

Yup - just as well. I saw it, and there was quite a bit of name calling back and forth, as well as several attempts to kiss and make up, and clarify points that didn't seem to work. Typical flame war - lots of stuff being typed that would (I like to believe) never be said to someone's face.

 

I certainly don't think it needs to be brought up again on this thread.

 

 

Yep - That is why I said that is the end of that! Hopefully, it won't continue to be dragged from topic to topic. As for saying to someone's face, sorry - I would do it in a heartbeat! Someone tells me I am to ignorant to know a mediocre cruise line when I see it, is gonna get told... nuff said!

 

now pass the bucket - or at least one beer!! : )

[LHP]

LPH, Msolberg, thanks, am still working on this. Cannot get the past guest number correct. I'll be calling Carnival again today. When I click on my profile my history does not come up, think it's got to be linked to the past guest #.

 

 

When we could not get the other 8 cruises listed on our history, that is when we used this fax number. It helps if you can get just one person on the look out for your proof. I would contact that particular department and not just Customer Service in general, before sending the fax.

 

Remember that their idea of proof (ideally) is a copy of the embarkation picture. (which we had for 7 of the cruises) But for one cruise we only had an old luggage tag and a regular picture in front of the shop and they accepted that.

 

Good luck on your request.

[bucket_O_beer4john]

now pass the bucket - or at least one beer!! : )

 

 

I'd get you a bunch of buckets if you could figure out how to transfer some of your past cruises to me so I could go platinum. :-(

[LHP]

I'd get you a bunch of buckets if you could figure out how to transfer some of your past cruises to me so I could go platinum. :-(

 

 

Is that you darling?? I just left you another message on another post.

 

I wish I could find the stack of stuff I sent them, because I had "someone's name" on it and I really think that is the trick. To get one person from that specific department to be responsible for correcting the info.

 

I'll keep lookin'!!

[bucket_O_beer4john]

Is that you darling?? I just left you another message on another post.

 

What post? I can't find it! I'm so confused!

[glrounds]

I'm sorry I just can't stay out of this fray. :rolleyes:

As a businessman, I must observe that the "perks" are SUPPOSED to "skew" your opinion of a cruise line. That's the reason they are being offered: to generate BRAND LOYALTY, to setup a competitive "I've-got-more-cruises-than-you thing", to keep you, once you've become an experienced cruiser, from moving on to other competitive lines. This doesn't mean that LHP's opinion about Carnival is "less valid", it just means that her/his evaluation is probably going to be more positive than negative. After all, with 10 or more cruises, they obviously must like Carnival to begin with. :)

As well as on the other hand, to someone that has only cruised Carnival once on a four-day cruise(of all things), although their opinions and criticisms may be valid, they hardly would encompass enough experiences on enough different ships of a line to make an overall general statement about that line (the Carnival bad rap people). :(

I was platinum a couple of cruises ago, but some of my earlier cruises go back so far, Carnival would never believe me anyway, so I'll just have to wait (I wouldn't even be able to get some of the years correct, let alone the actual sailing dates ! ! :D).

[LHP]

John and Glrounds: I have posted the general information on its own thread.

It should be easy to find from now on.

 

Glrounds: I would not give up. Fortunately, we did have the exact ships and dates sailed. (even an old luggage tag) Look back in some old journals or travel (we don't ever throw away) stuff. You may find something they can use.

 

The cruises we needed added started in 1982. With there being 8 cruises that need to be added, it was well worth the work for us. Our family of four was still Platinum without these 8, but we wanted proper credit just in case they expand the program to Elite (like on Princess).

 

As for that other mess, hopefully this will be the end of it and they won't drag it from thread to thread. Although we could always implement John's idea of "PULL" on the other thread !!! : )

[Sailfish]

We had several people in the group who needed to get credit for past cruises on Carnival so they too would be extended an invitation to the Past Guest party aboard the Pride last week. Months ago, they made an attempt to contact Guest Relations and submit evidence (booking ID or folio numbers, sail dates and other stuff like pictures, etc). but were told that if the cruise was prior to 1994, they were out of luck.

 

I had our TA contact a Guest Relations supervisor who told him the same thing. So, I went to the Purser's desk with my list once we got on the ship. It took a while, but every past guest in the group was issued an invitation to the past guest party. In the process, the Purser in charge, printed out a form that he requested be turned back in, where the PAX could list all past cruises. He then input the ship and sail dates into the computer and all the people at least in our group, had their missing cruises posted.

 

Liike I said this took some effort on the part of Robert, the Purser in charge, but everyone in the group who was missing credit for a sailing got it rectified while on the ship. So, if you don't have much luck going through Carnival, you can always take evidence to the Purser's desk at an off time (don't go when it's busy), and have them add the information to your cruise profile.

 

As the group leader, I made it easy for the Purser by having a small file on each past guest I simply gave over to him (I had only a total of 4 people who were missing this information). What seemed to help most was having the following: ship and sail date (most important), cabin number, and booking ID or folio number (off of an old sail & sign card). Photos were okay, but the other information is what the Pursed input into the profile.

 

I know a while back my husband was missing a sailing that he should have been credited, as we cruised together. In this instance, Guest Relations was able to add the sailing, taking the information from my profile. But in talking to the person assisting me, they said they were no longer able to post any cruises prior to 1994 - they said it has become a huge problem now that the new past guest program has begun. Way too many dishonest people out there wanting to get credit for cruises they didn't take. She admitted this was going to hurt the honest people out there.

 

I know to take what Carnival says with a grain of salt as well as the stuff you read on the internet. Please understand that what what I was told - it doesn't mean you won't find someone out there to help you. I have learned that Carnival and the other cruise lines are not always consistent in what they tell you - your mileage may vary!

 

Good luck!