My daughter is MAD at Carnival

[jerseygirl3]

A couple of years ago, I put down a deposit for a Carnival cruise. A few weeks later, the cruise was cancelled (they decided to reposition that particular ship elsewhere). They gave me the option of switching to another ship. Carnival stated that since I hadn't yet made airfare arrangements (the cruise was 15 months away), the only compensation they would offer us for our inconvenience was a complimentary two category upgrade. That was fine for us, since we had nothing to lose. But they alluded to the fact that they would have made a financial compensation if we had already had air booked and had to change it. I don't blame the OP for being upset; they will have to eat $100 pp (standard fee) to change airline tix. I would go higher up the Carnival ladder until I got someone to at least agree to compensate them for the money it will cost to change their flights.

[imsulin]

All major cruise lines do this, and it does not matter if you have deposited months before the charter is contracted for and signed!! This is NOT just a Carnival thing! They all do this, and whole-ship charters are becoming more and more common, because there are companies out there that can - and will - pay the millions it takes to charter a ship. Your TA (or you) WILL NOT necessarily find this information as it's happening, but most likely after the fact...after the charter contract has been signed, sealed, and delivered. It's the same with large-group bookings....you won't necessarily find out about them, either! For those of you who say, "I am a loyal XXXX cruiser, and if they ever did this to me, I wouldn't cruise on them again!". OK - switch to YYYY cruise line, and they will have EXACTLY the same whole-ship charter policy! Depending on the time of year you cruise (and were "bumped" due to a charter), may determine what your compensation will be. Low time...probably more, including a newer ship and/or upgrades. High time (April) - probably less. Someone else asked something about getting a ticket now for next April. Most airlines offer tickets for sale 11 months before flying.

[atonal1]

I'm a teacher and I get 10 sick days and 2 personal days. I need a dr's note for missing more than 3 days in a row. I have taken a week off ONCE, but I won't do that again.

As for the airline tickets, if you purchase through the cruise line, you are protected in the event the cruise is cancelled. If you book air on your own, ALWAYS get trip cancellation insurance.

If there is another cruise (RCL-NCL-Princess) available, take it. I have sailed RCL and can tell you it's my preferred cruise line.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[gogetter]

Hello,

OK......So what have we settled? Different teachers in different areas get different time off and how they use it varies. Thanks all for enlightning me on that subject.

Joe and tjevans have made some good points.

Many different cruise lines have done this. So it is common, although not often.

Voyagerfl...thanks....if Carnival did that to you...you wouldn't sail with them again? If it continued to happen you may be out of cruises soon.....lol.....

Good luck on your situation......hope you become HAPPY with whatever the outcome!

[ctcruisers2005]

WE had a group of 8 familes booked on Valor April 17th.

Got a call from TA last week saying we got bumped and Carnival was not giving compensation!

WE are trying to rebook thats same week

[sdscreenwriter]

[font=Garamond][size=3][b]Hi All-[/b][/size][/font]
[font=Garamond][size=3][/size][/font]
[font=Garamond][size=3][b]Been watching this thread since I will be sailing for the first time this fall on the Pride for a family reunion cruise that I am coordinating. [/b][/size][/font]
[font=Garamond][size=3][/size][/font]
[font=Garamond][size=3][b]We were on RCCL for a Hawaii cruise where the date was changed to 5 weeks earlier. Airline tickets had already been purchased. We booked through an online travel agent. [/b][/size][/font]
[font=Garamond][size=3][/size][/font]
[font=Garamond][size=3][b]RCCL offered 1) to move us to the new date in the same cabin we were booked in (this was big because we were in an aft corner balcony), 2) to pay any airline change fees (even though I did not book air through the cruise line), and 3) to provide $300 in shipboard credit. [/b][/size][/font]
[font=Garamond][size=3][/size][/font]
[font=Garamond][size=3][b]I made a quick phone call to the airline, which I had booked on my own, and explained what had happened, and they were nice enough to allow me to change my flights without having to pay the change fee. Not going to guarantee you will be successful, but worth a try. So I did not need to use what RCCL offered for that part of things.[/b][/size][/font]
[font=Garamond][size=3][/size][/font]
[font=Garamond][size=3][b]Everything else worked out fine in our case because we could go on the new dates and got an extra $300 to take a little chunk out of that final Sign & Sail bill. [/b][/size][/font]
[font=Garamond][size=3][/size][/font]
[font=Garamond][size=3][b]Whether or not Carnival reserves the right to change or cancel your reservations if there is a charter is not the issue. Things like that are going to happen from time to time. But I worked in management in the customer service business for 10 years, and taking care of your customers is really the issue here. Offering no compensation at all to a 9 time repeat cruiser raises some red flags to me. [/b][/size][/font]
[font=Garamond][size=3][/size][/font]
[font=Garamond][size=3][b]Please keep us posted, I would like to find out what the final outcome of this is and if Carnival eventually comes forward with at least a token compensation for you. [/b][/size][/font]
[font=Garamond][size=3][/size][/font]
[font=Garamond][size=3][b]Brian[/b][/size][/font]
[b][font=Garamond][size=3][/size][/font][/b]
[b][font=Garamond][size=3][i]Explorer of the Seas: September 14, 2002[/i][/size][/font][/b]
[b][font=Garamond][size=3][i]Radiance of the Seas: October 3, 2003[/i][/size][/font][/b]
[b][font=Garamond][size=3][i]Carnival Pride: October 24, 2004[/i] [/size][/font][/b]

[sls]

I wouldn't give any airline money for a flight a year in advance. You don't know if they'll even be in business that far out.


sls

Destiny 12/04
Sensation 5/05
Holiday 1/04
Conquest 11/03
USS Kinkaid 9/01

[halos]

I think the OP disappeared.

[halos]

ctcruisers...
Read the thread on this board CANCELLED CRUISE By tripmac.
He, along with some other posters who have had cruises cancelled have been compensated....I think some of these TA's that are used are the ones that are not reliable. Don't count on your TA. Call Carnival YOURSELF!!!!!!

[jima53]

I didn't see where the ship would be sailing from, and if it's someplace like south florida I don't see why she couldn't reserve a cruise on another nearby carnival ship. Making the reservation for next year should have lots of empty staterooms to choose from.


Btw, where were you scheduled to cruise out of, and did you check into other ships.

Jim

[Laurab23]

just a quick update on what is happeing with my daughter. So far carnival is offering her by way of compensation is $100 onboard credit if she proves she had to pay a fee to change her airline ticket. As far as getting an airline ticket so far in advance,she lives in upstate NY also and every school is the area goes on vacation that week and everyone wants to fly south ,so to get any flights at all she has to book early. She is planning on choosing another Carnival ship but with the itinerary she wants,she was on the same ship this April which is why she was so looking forward to the new ship. But she says any cruise is better than no cruise,but hopefully Carnival will do a little more for her by way of shipboard credit or I think in the future,she'll be checing out other cruiselines. Thank you for all your responses.

[gogetter]

Hello,

So is the $100 shipboard credit more or less the cost of changing the airline tickets?

[Laurab23]

gogetter-yes that is what it will cost to change the tickets. $50 fee per ticket and there are two of them going. FYI-the reason she isn't posting herself is because since they changed the boards she hasn't been able to sign on. Otherwise,she was an active poster here.

[halos]

Laura,
Can I ask you if she is handling this herself, or through a Travel agent???
I am very curious.
Did you read the thread by tripmac (CANCELLED CRUISE)? He is getting $200 in shipboard credit per cabin. (they booked 2 cabins).
As far as the airfare....I understand how upset you are but to be honest, because I am a firm believer in travel insurance, I can't muster up too much sympathy here.
All cruise lines have the option to cancel you/bump you. If you book any cruise ESPECIALLY a cruise where you need to fly to the port to get the ship, insurance is a MUST!!
Heck, did you see that show on A&E last night called AIRLINE? It was about dealings and happenings with Southwest airline. They showed a group of people who were trying to fly to their cruise port, who were part of a group of 53 who were BUMPED from their plane because Southwest overbooked the plane by 53 seats!!
Anything can happen.
I know hindight is 20/20, but I hope your daughter insures herself in the future...with ANY cruiseline!! Call this an expensive lesson.

And make sure she tries a bit harder to get more from Carnival. I don't know how they figure out how much ship credit to give? Does it matter how far off the cancelled/bumped you? Does it matter which ship it is (is there more $$$ for the bigger, newer ships??) There seems to be such an inconsistency with what they give as far as compensation in these matters....or is it just WHO is doing the asking for the compensation?????
Be firm!!

[mikeymars]

[quote name='sls']I wouldn't give any airline money for a flight a year in advance. You don't know if they'll even be in business that far out.[/QUOTE]



First of all, one can't book a full year out. The earliest you can with ANY airline is 330 days.

Second, as for the "who on earth would book air so far in advance" issue, you'd think differently if you (a) plan to cruise during the top of the high season (ergo, over a major holiday), (b) like to get your first choice of flights and (c) care to get the best rates.

As example, I've learned over the years that those plan cruises during the Christmas to New Year's week who don't book the air exactly at that 330 day window end up paying a LOT more and never get the first choice flights (they're sold out within days of the window opening). Yes, a few sailers who buy the cruise line group air get those flights (the lines get some block space held on them), but there's no guarantee you'll be one of those lucky people.

And the limited space thing it isn't just Christmas: I booked the air for our February, President's Day holiday week 2005 cruise back in April, and the flights we got are ALREADY sold out.

Bottom line: the early bird DOES get the worm.

[marco]

Being so far out, I don't think they are going to offer too too much, other than perhaps an upgrade on a future cruise. If the airfare already purchased is a "use or loose" situation, it's probably not too late to book on some other ship departing/arriving the same dates from the same port. I know she picked a specific ship/itinerary, but the substitute is better than loosing out on the airfare if not used. Another option (though it would NOT be my first choice) would be to use the airfare and make it a land vacation if you can't get on a ship/sailing to her liking.

[halos]

Good, common sense, Marco!!

[chipperberg]

Thanks mom for posting this. I will keep you all updated. I just emailed a book, but somehow, it did not go through. Thanks for all of the suggestions and advice.

[chipperberg]

OK, well, the $100 ship credit is suppose to compensate us for change in airfare, yet we will incur other charges because we have to change dates and arrival city. So I think the credit is bogus, and costs Carnival nothing. I understand things like this happen, but I also think I should be compensated for my trouble and quite honestly my dissappointment. I obviously booked so early because I know the ship and itinerary I want. Now I am going on the Glory, which I am sure is a nice ship, but I am not going where I wanted to go but at this point, it is go on something with an airline fee, or loose out on the money. Why would I book so early? Because the air for April will be gone around here by September. I have specific dates and specific times, so I have to book early, and you can book air 330 days out. And that is what I did. I only have certain weeks off for vacation, and this is the one I have. I know cruise lines do this. But my point is the poor customer service I have recieved. I think I should get an upgrade, again costing Carnival nothing, just like the onboard credit. I have called Carnival a number of times and will continue to do so. I have emailed Bob Dickinson today, and will continue as well. Thanks for suggesting to call the airline and explaining the situation, I will do that as well, perhaps they believe in customer service, even when it has nothing to do with them. I do have travel insurance, but to claim would be to get some reimbursement for my air and then I would have to buy another policy, so I would have to pay more in the end. The extra money is not the real issue, it is the principle and the customer service I think we all demand and deserve. Unfortunalty I only go on a large vacation once a year, and when I have chosen to do that through Carnival for the past 8 years, I expect a little more than a sorry when I have been very dissappointed. For those of you who think I should suck it up, well maybe I should, but that is not likely. It is like going to a restaurant and ordering a prime rib and having them serve you ground beef because they ran out and but you still have to pay the prime rib peice. Oh, they but they will credit you for a soda. Well, thanks for those who are in support. I appreciate it and will keep you posted.

[halos]

It's a shame you have to fight for this. I just don't understand why some people get compensated and some don't??? No consistency.
You should not have to put up with customer service like that....you should be compensated for your inconvenience whether or not you have flight issues. I know Carnival has the right to do it, but they should make it up to the people they do it to!!! An upgrade on the next cruise you book should be at least what you get.
Keep fighting!!! Don't give up.
Good luck!!

[pholter]

Keep pushing and don't stop till they at least double the credit to compensate you for your trouble AND upgrade you! I would also try sending certified/registered mail to Bob and anyone else that may help. Maybe even "cc" some travel magazines and major cruise companies on the letter itself. As hard as it probably is, kill them with kindness in your words both on paper and on the phone and speak about Customer Service, Repeat Business, Word of Mouth, them stepping up to the plate, etc.

[coocarnivalkid]

Well, my teacher took a week off, saying she had some disease, but later told us she went on a cruise, another said there was a death in the family. G. Also, you shouldve booked the flight thru carnival, then they would have refunded it. THAT IS WHY THEY HAVE THAT OPTION. If you did, then they should refund it. Anyways, if it was in April, just wait a little more until summer break.

[cgresq]

I feel for your daughter making arrangements so far in advance is always risky, we cruised on the Conquest's cruise from hell this Feb, and Carnival compensated us very well I believe, money refunded to our credit card, onboard credit, and 50% off on our April 3 2005 Valor cruise. Found out thru this thread ours is the only Western Caribbean cruise in Apr. but they did change the itinery dropping Belize and adding Costa Maya,been burning up the airwaves trying to find info about the place. But I agree keep bugging Carnival customer service till you get satisfaction, their travel planners are NOT the ones to work withon these situations. Fair winds and following seas. John :D
Elation 1998
Destiny 2002
Conquest 2004
Valor 2005

[kryos]

[quote name='Laurab23']She booked her cruise for next year last month. She made her deposit and got her airline tickets booked. Got a letter from her TA today saying her cruise is cancelled because some company chartered the whole ship for that week. [/QUOTE]
Do folks on this board normally book their flights so far in advance? I am already booked for a cruise for next October (2005), but always wait until a few months (or even one month) before to book the air. That way I can get some last minute deals, not to mention more choices in flights.

Also, did she book her air through the cruiseline? If so, then she has nothing to worry about. The cruiseline will have to eat the cancelled tickets, or the rescheduling fee if she should decide to cruise the following week.

But, I can understand her frustration. It can understand the cruiselines' policy about cancelling when the get an entire ship charter, but it would seem that they should try to do something "special" for those cruisers who had to be booted from the sailing. Perhaps a nice shipboard credit for another cruise, picking up the airline's fee for rescheduling the tickets.

One other option ....

She might be able to negotiate a nice price on a cruise that same week with another line that is part of the Vacation Interchange Privileges group (which Carnival is a part of). The other lines participating in this are Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, Holland America, Seabourn Cruise Line, Costa Cruises and Windstar Cruises.

Just a thought ...

Blue skies ...

--rita

[1tonysmom]

Hi Laura. Which itinerary was your daughter going to do on the Valor? If it was the Eastern Caribbean, I would suggest she try to Carnival Glory out of Port Canaveral on 4/16. If it was the Western Caribbean, the Carnival Miracle is a brand new ship (the same class as the Valor), sailing out of Tampa on April 17th. We have sailed on the Glory once and are going back again this November and it is a beautiful ship. I hear that the Miracle is great, too. As upsetting as this is for your daughter, there isn't much she can do except start to make alternate arrangements. Hope everything works out.

Joanne :)