Military Discount?

[QTPieRye]

Was he retired after 20 yrs or discharged after 5 years?????:)

That would make a difference.

 

 

I believe Matt is retired after serving 20 years... my husband served for 5 years in the Marine Corp active duty for our country. What is the difference between serving 20 years and serving 5 with an honorable discharge other than the length of your contract????? Some people make a career out of it, some don't. As for my husband, we should be equally entitled to the discount, as the bottom line is HE SERVED HIS COUNTRY HONORABLY FOR 5 YEARS, but unfortunately suffered an injury that kept him from reinlisting.

 

Maybe I am missing your point???

[CruisnCutie]

I believe Matt is retired after serving 20 years... my husband served for 5 years in the Marine Corp active duty for our country. What is the difference between serving 20 years and serving 5 with an honorable discharge other than the length of your contract????? Some people make a career out of it, some don't. As for my husband, we should be equally entitled to the discount, as the bottom line is HE SERVED HIS COUNTRY HONORABLY FOR 5 YEARS, but unfortunately suffered an injury that kept him from reinlisting.

 

Maybe I am missing your point???

Sorry if I came across wrong because I totaly agree with you! 5 years with an honorable discharge is wonderful. :)

I believe Carnival only gives a discounts for active duty and military retired.

No point intended:D ...

[Krooze Family]

I'm not in the military so don't know all the lingo, but my brother-in-law is honorably discharged due to war injury and receives retirement. What category does he fall under?

[QTPieRye]

Not sure if it is called "retirement", but he does receive VA benefits. I think the point here is that whether you served 5 years or 20, you are still a Veteran of the Armed Services. I guess we need to check with Carnival to find out what qualifies as "retired military". I believe it should be a benefit to ALL Veterans of the Armed Services and their immediate families only.

[sea_u_onboard]

I booked the Conquest last month for a cruise in July 2005 and received the Military discount. My husband is retired Navy so we could only get the discount for us. It is true that they only have so many cabins at the reduced rate. When I checked with Carnival they gave me a good rate - but my online agent cut it even more and it was VERY nice. We have two other couples going with us - one retired AF and one active duty Navy. We may have another family going and the agent said we could put them under the active duty member so the family could get the discount - even though they are not related. The bookings just have to be linked. The only drawback is that if the active duty person cancels then the rate goes to the current rate for the other non-military family.

 

I originally had a cruise booked with Carnival for this summer (that I changed to RCL) - without my DH and received the military rate. I had booked this pretty last minute - the Carnival one - and they still had cabins available at the military rate. I think it all depends on how ACTIVE the ship is and how popular the date is.

[DebBrown]

I'm glad to see that Carnival offers a discount to the brave men and women serving our country. Although never having served in the military, my father did and so did someone else who is very special to me. IMO, they deserve a discout for their valiant efforts as do police officers and firemen. I know that the list could go on and on from there and I don't disagree with others receiving a discount but first and foremost, those who serve our country and are willing to risk their lives for our freedom deserve more than a discount. If it were up to me (maybe I should email Uncle Bob ;)) they would be cruising for free.

[chieft26]

My husband and I are both retired Air Force. Carnival has given us the military discount every time that there have bene cabins available at that particular rate. The discount for the military (both active and retired) is awesome. We are traveling out of New Orleans (Conquest) in December at a rate of much less than $500 pp (including port charges and taxes) for a Lido inside cabin.

[L2J]

I'm glad to see that Carnival offers a discount to the brave men and women serving our country. Although never having served in the military, my father did and so did someone else who is very special to me. IMO, they deserve a discout for their valiant efforts as do police officers and firemen. I know that the list could go on and on from there and I don't disagree with others receiving a discount but first and foremost, those who serve our country and are willing to risk their lives for our freedom deserve more than a discount. If it were up to me (maybe I should email Uncle Bob ;)) they would be cruising for free.

VERY well said. The only problem I have is that CCL has, to my knowledge restricted this discount to certain sailings/cabins.

[SATXLady]

Not sure if it is called "retirement", but he does receive VA benefits. I think the point here is that whether you served 5 years or 20, you are still a Veteran of the Armed Services. I guess we need to check with Carnival to find out what qualifies as "retired military". I believe it should be a benefit to ALL Veterans of the Armed Services and their immediate families only.

Does he have a retiree ID card (DD form 2) from the military? Receiving VA benefits does not necessarily mean that you are a retiree. Simply having a DD214 means you are a veteran, not that you are a retiree.

 

There is a difference between a retiree and a veteran. I absolutely do not think that a retiree should be entitled to the same discounts and benefits as an active duty member. I also don't think that being a veteran should qualify one for the same benefits that being a retiree does. And for the record, I am a retiree (Air Force, 22 years).

 

While it is great to receive benefits based on my status as a retiree, it is something that Carnival chooses to extend -- they choose who and how to extend it. It is not something I am entitled to. All I am entitled to as a retiree are my retired pay and those benefits extended to me by the government.

[QTPieRye]

Carolldf.... . Like I previously said~

Some people make a career out of it, some don't. The bottom line is HE SERVED HIS COUNTRY HONORABLY FOR 5 YEARS, but unfortunately suffered an injury that kept him from reinlisting.

 

I think it is great that you were able to serve 22 years ;) However, my husband was not able to fulfill his committment due to an injury. IMHO, for purposes of Carnival and the discount.... a "retiree" such as yourself is no different that a "Veteran".

 

Thank God for the Marines!

SemperFi

[sea_u_onboard]

If someone was discharged due to injury and is receiving a monthly "retirement check" then they are retired and should have an Military ID that shows they are "retired" even if they didn't spend 20 or more years.

 

I think it's great that Carnival gives the discount - but can't figure out why they treat Active and Retired differently. Active duty person could have less than a year in - while retired has 20 or more years (or are disabled). Certainly the retired person deserves the same consideration. Just my 2 cents.

[Travelitis]

Carnival was really nice extending this discount, and people are actually finding something to complain about. Utterly ludicrous! You want to complain, then spend your energy directed at the other lines who aren't following suit. Oh! That would be ALL of them except NCL who offers a semblance of a military rate.

 

I don't know what perks will be around when my dh retires, but I certainly don't feel entitled to constant discounts because he chooses to serve his country. I hate to ask for military discounts now! I'm grateful that Carnival has offered this and continued it for so long. I think we should be happy retirees are included at all, because most discounts are for active-duty only. (Remember Disney's free tickets and room discounts? Remember Universal and Busch theme parks mil. promos?) Carnival and all other businesses are in business to make money, not to subsidize anyone's lifestyle. I hope we're as lucky as retirees, but if we're not included, I will understand.

 

One last thought -

Think about how many retirees we have. The numbers are much greater than the active. If you let them book extra cabins, how long will it be before this promotion is almost exclusively for retirees? The restrictions are like a golfer's handicap. They even the playing field or the chance/opportunity military have of availing themselves of the special rate.

[Travelitis]

Cheryl,

 

I understand what you're saying, but the difference I see is that the retiree has already been active and had the perks associated with it. The perks will change, and there's never a guarantee there will be any military discounts, but they are going to be greater for the people currently serving. Those are the folks defending the country now. When the retirees were active, they would've been privy to better discounts at that time. It's not about ingratitude for their service. There has to be a limit on the discount, or the company can't afford to run it. When you're active duty, it's "your turn". When you retire, you should understand that. In what job do the perks not change when you retire? This isn't discrimination, it's establishing limits to insure the sucess of the promotion (meaning it doesn't thrust them into bankruptcy).

 

Carnival is to be commended for including retirees, something rarely done.

[sea_u_onboard]

If you read my post closely you will see that I said -

 

"I think it's great that Carnival gives the discount - but can't figure out why they treat Active and Retired differently. Active duty person could have less than a year in - while retired has 20 or more years (or are disabled). Certainly the retired person deserves the same consideration. Just my 2 cents."

 

Now that you have "enlightened" me as to why YOU think Carnival might not treat both Retired and Active differently - I will thank you for your opinion. After all - everyone is entitled to their own opinion - that doesn't make either of them ludicrous or complainers - just stating their opnion and just trying to figure it out.

 

I do agree with you about one thing - we did get GREAT discounts when my husband was Active.

 

I don't understand why you hate to ask for the discount now (JMHO). After all if they gave the discount to another group - for example teachers - do you think they wouldn't request it - of course they would - a discount is a discount.

 

If it was going to cause a hardship to the company they wouldn't do it. Carnival limits the number of cabins for each sailing that it will give military discounts for - first come, first serve - so they are not going to be under any undue hardship by giving the OPINION of more rooms to a retired person - it would just leave less cabins for those who book after - retired and active. I'm actually surprised that Carnival allows an Active duy person to get so many cabins at a discount. JMHO

 

Some retired folks didn't get "their turn" as most discounts only started happening in the last few years.

 

A few of our local stores offer a 10% discounts to all military - active and retired on Veterans Day - and several restaurants give a military discount to both every day.

 

We live in a military town. All the businesses in our area that I have dealt with give their discounts EVENLY between retired and active - they make no distiction - that is why I was just WONDERING why Carnival doesn't do the same.

 

The Armed Forces resort at Disney still includes Retired military http://www.armymwr.com/shades/ - not sure about Disney itself. Retire personnel pay the same rate as active duty - just based on rank at time of discharge. They allow the same number of additional rooms regardless of your status. True they are not a Private company - just the types of things I have experienced benig active and retired.

 

Just my opinion - Everyone has their own.