Sail7Seas- Almost on Carnival?

[Orcrone]

:)

 

Glad to see this post is back where it started.

 

Now - let's all talk positive.

 

I like happy posts - getting too old for negative thoughts.

 

;)

And negative thoughts get you old quicker.:)

[Cruiseoften]

Hey, I started this thread, and I am sincerely interested in the story! Geez, people, if you don't want to read the long version, don't read it. How simple is that? I like S7S's writing style, and I bet the long version would have been fascinating. Now you've spoiled it for the rest of us.

 

S7S, my apologizes for getting you involved with people who attacked you for trying to respond to my question.

 

 

clopaw, :) I asked (I think) a legitimate question – you started a thread with no indication as to where your question came from and I was/still am confused! …….."Excuse me, this 'almost on Carnival' thread seems to have come out of the blue or maybe it's cyberspace. I'm confused".

 

I see no attack on anyone in that statement and certainly nothing to imply that I am disinterested…….point of fact, I'm very curious! It's hard to envision a seasoned cruiser on the wrong cruise!

[Orcrone]

Cruiseoften - In a previous thread Sail7Seas had commented about the cruise lines she's sailed, "Carnival once....sort of, but that is a long story."

 

That's what prompted the calls for the story.

[Host Walt]

Well I missed the whole thing, since over the last 36 hours both of our daughters have had babies and we've been a little busy. So as now I'm ready for "the rest of the story"!

That's great! And what timing! CONGRATULATIONS!

[ekerr19]

:)

 

Glad to see this post is back where it started.

 

Now - let's all talk positive.

 

I like happy posts - getting too old for negative thoughts.

 

;)

KK: thanks so much for directing this back where it should be... :)

 

Also - did anyone ever get the story? Thought it was to be posted :(

 

Read the whole thread, there's nothing....

[sail7seas]

We had never considered cruising Carnival as we did not think it would be a "good fit" for us. Very dear friends of ours have a tight budget and have very much wanted to cruise. They heard about the then brand new Carnival Destiny coming to Boston to do some 4-5 day cruises and very much wanted us to book and cruise with them. We live near Boston so no air fare and the short cruises were reasonable (by comparison) prices. We resisted; they kept asking; we agreed.

 

We had four "real cruises" booked on HAL and this would be a nice getaway with good friends.

 

Cruise day arrived. Our TA called and told us to not hurry into Boston as the ship would be late arriving. Our documents said boarding at 7 P.M. That was already a late hour but...whatever.

 

We went to Boston;, had a nice dinner and made our way to the dock. No ship. We checked in and asked the same questions everyone else asked. No responses. We saw the check in people moving their mouths and a sound was coming out but it was clear they were not going to honestly answer our questions and they mumbled some gibberish.

 

Not enough seats for people. No food. No water. Restrooms backed up and were unusable and still no info. It is now 11 P.M. We are getting disgusted with the lack of info and the way we are being treated.

 

Midnight ...no Ship. 2 A.M.....no ship. Finally, after 3 A.M. the ship arrived. Embarkation was pushing and shoving and no order or direction by Carnival employees.

 

We get to our Suite. DH goes to sleep. I wait for suitcase to arrive.

It came about 4 A.M.

 

We got a little sleep and awoke to find the ship had not moved during the night. Met our friends for breakfast. Observed there were no Officers or Cruise Staff persons in sight. Only stewards/chefs/servers.

 

Finally about 11 A.M. a loudspeaker announcement the ship would sail late. No kidding!! Anyone who wished to leave now would get a full refund. Many folks left. We wanted to. Our friends had very sad faces and asked us to please wait it out as the announcement said we would sail about 4 P.M. Okay, we'll stay.

 

We walk around the ship and then go to a lounge. Have a drink or two and hopefully will enjoy sailaway.

 

We order another round and are told the bar is closed. Public announcement now comes on and says cruise cancelled. They would have given free drinks to everyone but Massachusetts won't allow. Ya....sure!!!

 

They say to stay aboard and they will serve formal night dinner. Stay overnight and have breakfast and then leave. Full refund for everyone and some small shipboard credit. What use is that? The stores are closed and the BARS ARE ONLY OPEN FOR SOFT DRINIKS.

 

We are ready to leave. Friends are really unhappy and ask us to at least have dinner and then we'll leave.

 

We have still not seen any Officer. Never heard from a Captain. Did we have one aboard?

 

We go down for early dinner. We had been assigned late. At least 70% of the passengers have left the ship. The dining room is almost empty.

Maitre d' cops an attitude and tells us we are not having dinner....we are assigned to late and this was early sitting. He is clearly looking for a tip!!! Is he out of his mind???

 

My DH said nothing but got "in his face" with an expression that clearly said, We will be seated and we will be seated NOW!!! Any questions?

 

This jerk takes us to the table immediately beside the bandstand where the band is playing music so inappropriately loud for a dining room. Obviously, when there is an empty dining room, this A%^$#*@ thinks he is going to "make a point" (that being we have not yet tipped him).

This time I gave him the "are you out of your mind" look and he quickly reconsidered and decided to find us another table.

 

End of Part I

[HeatherInFlorida]

:eek: AWKKK!!! Can't wait for Part II!!! What a nightmare! Horror story! I would have been, well, I'd better not say;) . Sail, you never disappoint!

[RevNeal]

All I can say is "wow."

No ... I can say more.

This is just awful.

I feel very sorry for that couple that wanted to cruise but were on a tight budget. Given some of the very reasonable prices lately, I hope and pray they've had a chance.

[sail7seas]

Part II

 

 

 

Outside the dining room, we had seen the Photographers snapping formal portraits. These were of a very senior couple dressed in her gown and his tuxedo. This was to have been their 50th Anniversary Celebration cruise with their family. She had clearly been crying.

 

Then there was the honeymoon couple. She was almost hysterical.

 

Then there was the young family.....she had clearly bought the kids new clothes special for the cruise. They were all dolled up for this miserable dinner.

 

You get the picture. For DH and me, this was to be a getaway. For many others, they had paid alot in airfare to get to the ship. Others had hired babysitters to take care of their children. Pets at kennels. Vacation time now wasted and not any more left for folks to enjoy.

 

Bars are closed so we order club sodas and diet cokes. We get billed for them. But REMEMBER, the announcement said Carnival would have opened the bar but Massachusetts wouldn't let them. I don't think so. If that were the case, soft drinks certainly would have been complimentary.

 

Dinner was so awful it was inedible. Servers were perfuntory and as close to rude as they thought they could get away with. They knew there would be no tips from any of us who were left. They have just lost five days of income. Hey, Mr. Steward......not my fault!! How about a smile?

 

We have had it. We return to our cabins; pick up our suitcases. Good thing we do not have a ton to carry as there is no one to help. Senior folks with canes are trying to drag their suitcases off the ship with no offer of assistance.

 

We get to the gangway and there is absolutely no Carnival person there. We have yet to see anyone on this entire ship aside from stewards/servers. They had no way of knowing who was still aboard the ship and who had left. No one took names or cabin numbers. No one there to say....Bye, Sorry. Try us again. No one to get taxis. Folks who needed help rebooking air got absolutely no help at all. There was NO ONE to help them. Never saw a cruise staff person.

 

We enter the darkened terminal where the lights have been turned way down and can barely find our way through it to the street. What a pleasant way to leave a ship....through a nearly fully dark terminal.

 

A lady sat alone in a wheelchair with no clue how she was going to get the help she obviously needed.

 

DH wrote to Carnival. We had no interest in anything from them except a refund which we knew would be issued. We simply did not want Carnival to think they could treat people in this manner and blithely dismiss all of us as a mere inconvenience.

 

None of us blamed Carnival for having engine problems they were unable to repair in order for us to sail. Machines break. While all would have been disappointed, most would have understood that "stuff" happens sometimes. What was not acceptible was to be so badly mistreated. For a Captain to not once speak to all of these "customers". For no one to be on a gangway to say Good-bye....do you need assistance? DH and I would be sailing on four real cruises during upcoming months. Many folks who left that ship in tears might never have the chance to sail again.

 

We received a prompt response which offered us a free cruise of our choice. We never used the enclosed coupons. Subsequent to this event, I have been invited on THREE FREE introductory cruises on Carnival ships. I have refused all three invitations for cruises that were for two and three days each. For free, I am not interested.

 

Thank you for listening/reading.

[localady]

Wow! Talk about the cruise from Hell! You are right, stuff does happen, but when it does, it's the cruise lines responsiblity to make stuff right. Last month while we were cruising on the Ryndam, the Vision of the Seas propeller was damaged, causing them to be 8 hours late into Seward. Many missed planes etc, but in talking to folks, RCCL made arrangements to attempt to mitigate the problems. I truly hope that Captain (if there was one) was taken to task for his lack of involvement. In my opinion, that should be grounds for dismissal for any Captain.:eek:

[CINCY40]

What a nasty experience. Thanks for sharing.

 

Nancy

[clopaw]

S7S, I'm so glad you decided to go ahead and tell us your story. How awful! Did your poor friends ever get to take a real cruise?

[RevNeal]

How very sad ... especially for those who had special plans and occasions ruined. It sounds like the entire ship's staff, officers, cruise personnel, and stewards, all screwed up ... big-time. Yes, all were offered refunds, but I would really hope that more than that would be offered for such a screw-up. YES ... engineering problems DO happen ... but that doesn't excuse failing to provide, properly, for your passengers.

 

Thank you for taking the time to write this and post it on the board. It reminds me to thank God for all the wonderful cruise experiences I've been blessed to have.

[KSCnCA]

That would keep me away from Carnival too. Very bad business practice if they ever wanted to see those passengers again. An apology goes a long way. I have complained about bad service in various situations - like a grocery store bagger who panhandled me in their own parking lot - and if I get an apology and a promise that the problem will be addressed I feel that it might make a difference. But no help getting off the ship, no explanations, paying for drinks (!), besides a surely Maitre d' - that's just rude!

 

 

And thanks for taking the time to re-type this story!

[sail7seas]

Unfortunately our friends have never taken a cruise. Since that experience, the husband says no way he will put himself in jeopardy of being treated that way again. He cannot imagine why we continue to cruise. It is very hard for him to "believe" that was an aboration.....for him to understand our love of ships and cruising.

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

 

Thank you sail7seas for posting the story. That was really the cruise from Hell that didn't happen.

It's funny, many years ago when we first started to cruise, we read about Carnival and thought we might try them. Our TA shook her head "NO'- don't even think about them. You won't like them."

So glad - that is one cruise lin we will never try.

Thanks again for telling your story.

:)

[LAFFNVEGAS]

WOW what a terrible experience. I am glad you did share the story with us. It just makes me feel sorry for those who were on that cruise and was possibly their first time and planning special occasions. If that would of been our first cruise I am sure we would not of got hooked and would of NEVER returned. There are several people here at work that think Carnival is the best:eek: That just was never my opinion although we have nevered tried Carnival and I seriously doubt we ever will.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Oh, Sail, such an experience:( . Thank you so so much for taking the time to tell it so well. As you say, it wasn't about what happened, it was about the way Carnival dealt with it. I have to say I am not surprised. I know many people, some right here on the HAL boards, are extremely loyal to Carnival. I got "told off" once for saying I would never sail on a Carnival ship.

S--- happens, no question. But it is my belief that there is no calamity that cannot be made right. If this had been handled properly, you would have come away disappointed (mostly for your friends), but you would have been speaking well of Carnival for years simply because of how well they handled a bad situation.

This experience is inexcusable in every way. And that they topped it off by charging for a couple of cokes is just the icing on the cake.

[Cruising Jake]

Sail7Seas

 

Thanks so much for rewriting the story. What a shame for those who had booked this as their "real" vacation.

 

And also congratulations on your great life and vast amount of cruises cruises. I am envious.

[ekerr19]

Sail:

 

Thank you for taking the time to re-write the story. What a sad vacation for many. It is good a reminder why we will never try Carnival. My parents took one Carnival cruise and could not disembark quickly enough.

 

Thanks again for sharing it with us. :)

[Aussie Gal]

Sail,

Thanks for sharing that story with us even though you had to rewrite it. I feel sorry for all those people as you say, who had to make all those arrangements one does before having a vacation, especially those who had come many miles. What a disaster. I cannot believe that there was no PR person attending to the passengers. Certainly no way to run a cruise line or for that matter any industry in the hospitality sphere.

 

Jennie.

[Lisa63]

s7s, I remember that incident well. It happened about a month before our own cruise on Carnival Destiny. It was all over the local news that evening, and we had a feeling that we knew more than the passengers onboard.

 

We were a bit concerned for our upcoming cruise, of course, but even more so for the passengers who had embarked that day expecting to go on a cruise.

 

Your comments about the anniversary couple and honeymooners nearly brought me to tears. How horrible for them. I can relate as our cruise on Carnival Destiny later that summer was a celebration of a milestone anniversary for our parents, and the whole family went along.

[sail7seas]

Oh Lisa....you are so correct.

 

 

Because some folks had requested I be brief, I left out alot of comments I had included in the story as I first wrote it.

 

We had the TV on in our cabin for a brief while and there were stories being broadcast from the pier....we could stand on our veranda and see the tv trucks and reporters. As soon as the Bridge or whoever realized pax were watching the tv's in the cabins and were getting some info that Carnival was not sharing with us.......they pulled the plug. The tv's all went black and we could no longer get any info. They really treated us horribly. They were dishonest and they had the worst possible PR etc etc It seems they just didn't much care what any of us aboard thought of Carnival. Maybe they figured they had already lost most of us as future customers anyway so why bother with us???

 

I'm happy you and your family had a better experience.

[sail7seas]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to read the story and to post a comment. I appreciate it.

[olderpilot]

Just had a chance to read. One word about the ship and crew's behavior: UNBELIEVABLE!

 

Can't say I blame you for your feelings for Carnival, Sail. I appluad you for hanging in there as long as you did.