Sail7Seas- Almost on Carnival?

[kryos]

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.

Amen!

 

Sure, bad stuff can happen and sometimes will, but it's how those negative things are handled by the people in charge which makes all the difference to an organization's customers. Sure, Carnival offered a refund, but that was nothing more than they were legally obligated to do. Far more should have been done, like perhaps inviting people to stay onboard for the duration of the "cruise," and then making sure they had as close to a true cruise experience as possible ... including all facilities being open, a host of activities offered, courteous service, etc.

 

I hope a goodly amount of the passengers tied Carnival up in small claims court for a long, long time after this ill-fated cruise. That's surely what I would have done ... in an effort to get compensation for my airfare, my lost vacation time, and any other out-of-pocket expenses such as babysitters, kennels, etc. Even if many of those suits were unsuccessful, at least Carnival would have had the inconvenience, not to mention major expense, of defending all those "bothersome" law suits.

 

Thanks for sharing ... it's just a shame anyone had to go through such a crappy experience.

 

Blue skies!

 

--rita

[lipoppop]

What scares me is that we have seen small erosions of the perks and even basic activities on HAL lately. With Carnival's mass production of cruising, damn the customer, bottom line blindness etc. I wonder how long it will be that we cannot tell the lines apart.

[Krazy Kruizers]

lipoppop

You made a good statement there.

At the rate HAL is going, a few years down the road, and HAL may look like a Carnival.

:(

[Krazy Kruizers]

sail7seas

If I read correctly, friends of yours talked you into that "Carnival cruise".

Did those friends ever go on another cruise?

Did they ever try Carnival again?

[Lovebirds]

sail7seas

 

If I read correctly, friends of yours talked you into that "Carnival cruise".

 

Did those friends ever go on another cruise?

 

Did they ever try Carnival again?

Are they still your friends????:D

[Lovebirds]

I just read through this entire thread. WOW!!!! That had to be a very unpleasant experience to say the least. Some day I'll write about my experience with a well known TA and RCCL's Rhapsody that had all the potential to be a terrible experience, but really turned out all right.

[sail7seas]

Yes, thankfully, we are all still very close friends and have been for over 25 years.

 

 

They never stepped foot on another cruiseship again.

 

I think she would like to try again but her DH probably would never agree to go again.

 

They (and we) ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY would never cruise any Carnival ship. As I stated, I have been invited three times to go on their brand new ships for introductory cruises.....totally free including any bar beverages....everything! I said No, Thank You. Even for free, I don't want to cruise on Carnival after that experience.

[sail7seas]

I just read through this entire thread. WOW!!!! That had to be a very unpleasant experience to say the least. Some day I'll write about my experience with a well known TA and RCCL's Rhapsody that had all the potential to be a terrible experience, but really turned out all right.

 

 

Lovebirds........

 

Please share your story. I'd like to read it.

I just noticed your "signature" and see you are booked for the 2005 World Cruise. Congratulations. How very exciting. I hope you will share some stories about that as you go along.

[sail7seas]

What scares me is that we have seen small erosions of the perks and even basic activities on HAL lately. With Carnival's mass production of cruising, damn the customer, bottom line blindness etc. I wonder how long it will be that we cannot tell the lines apart.

 

Concerns me, as well.

 

I wonder if it concerns Senior Crew who, of course, have to follow Seattle's orders?

[HeatherInFlorida]

.....They (and we) ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY would never cruise any Carnival ship. As I stated, I have been invited three times to go on their brand new ships for introductory cruises.....totally free including any bar beverages....everything! I said No, Thank You. Even for free, I don't want to cruise on Carnival after that experience.

And I think, Sail, a wise, wise decision. Given what I know from every description I have ever heard about a Carnival cruise ... and given the admittedly LITTLE I know about you from these Boards, I can say without hesitation that it would be an abhorrent adventure for you.

I fact, I might go so far as to say that this dreadful experience was God's little gift to you;)

[Lovebirds]

We're booked on a 3 day to Nassau on Carnival but only because we needed a past cruise on any line affiliated with HAL to get our discount on the World Cruise. Past cruises have been on other lines that aren't a part of Hal and company so we'll just try to make the best of it and hava a little fun. We can drive to the Miami port in a couple of hours, so no big deal there.

 

At our age, we don't exactly fit the demographics for the fun ships, but, hey, we ain't dead yet either.

 

We'll have our laptops on board on the World Cruise and will try to report from time to time.

[sail7seas]

Lovebirds: Look at it as a "good business decision". :)

 

 

You have a wonderful attitude and may surprise yourself by having some fun. I hope so. If not, bring along a few good books and catch up on your reading! :)

[sail7seas]

Heather.......yes, yes, yes

 

 

I think you have it correctly!! :)

[HeatherInFlorida]

We're booked on a 3 day to Nassau on Carnival but only because we needed a past cruise on any line affiliated with HAL to get our discount on the World Cruise.

I agree with Sail ... an excellent business decision and I would do the same without batting one single eyelash:D !!!

[localady]

What scares me is that we have seen small erosions of the perks and even basic activities on HAL lately. With Carnival's mass production of cruising, damn the customer, bottom line blindness etc. I wonder how long it will be that we cannot tell the lines apart.

You know I get those fears after reading the board!! I have to tell you though that our Ryndam cruise in July, with the exception of drink and picture hawking, was as nice an experience as we've had on HAL! Granted, not everything was "perfect", but we didn't find the horrible decline in services that we expected!

If the Z is in fact limiting folks to 1 entree, it is a darn shame! Not many people order more than one, so it seems to be silly, penny wise and pound foolish!!! As one staff person said to me on our recent cruise, when I had an request "I cannot say no":D . I myself have not experienced a true drop in service to date on any "Dam" ship!:cool:

[sail7seas]

I agree that we have not experienced any decline in the way we have been treated while aboard the "dam" ships. In the last year, we have been aboard Zuiderdam for multiple cruises; Maasdam for b-to-b cruises over Thanksgiving; Rotterdam in March; again on Maasdam in July and will be returning to Zuiderdam in October. That is a fair enough representation IMO to form a judgement as to what is happening on various ships.

 

 

The service we enjoyed on all of those "dam" ships was as good as always....the smiles as wide as always.

We saw cuts in menu selection; increases in drink prices; automatic tipping added as things some folks might consider negatives. But, we also saw the makeup mirrors added, wonderful new bedding and mattresses, excellent food preparation, and great service.

 

All in all......HAL is doing just fine by us!!! (meaning DH and I are still very satisifed with the onboard experience.)

 

 

 

 

My concern is that it may not stay that way.....I sense "changes in the air" .

[Lovebirds]

OK, I've posted my story as a new thread "Potential disaster turns out OK"

[Krazy Kruizers]

All of our experiences on HAL (except for 1 cruise) have been great in spite of all the cut backs.

We have several more cruises booked and with each one we will be keeping our and ears open for any more cut backs and changes.

[HeatherInFlorida]

All of our experiences on HAL (except for 1 cruise) have been great in spite of all the cut backs.

 

We have several more cruises booked and with each one we will be keeping our and ears open for any more cut backs and changes.

Yes, and posting them all right here on CC:D for all of us poor sad folk who have a year between cruises and without these boards could get quite a shock when we step back on one of our favorite ships.

[Tvisitor]

Sail7Seas, thank you for sharing the story. It was worth the wait for me. Thanks for taking the time to type it out again. I hope I never have an experience like yours. For you, I’m sure that one was enough for a lifetime. You deserve to have all of your cruises be among the best.

[sail7seas]

Thank you, Tvisitor.

 

 

What nice things to say. It was kind of you to post them.

 

And I hope none of us at CC ever experience any nightmares of any sort aboard any of the ships we sail.

[Vicar]

S7S,

 

Just got a chance to read your story just now . What a nightmare!!!!

 

As much of an annoyance it had to have been for you a DH, it was so heartbreaking for the people who were there hoping for a memorable vacation.

 

The worst part was that the crew and staff did nothing to make this all a little easier for the poor pax.

 

Thank you for writing it , I had really been looking forward to reading it.

 

Sorry that you had to go through all that.

[jhannah]

S7S, what a mess! Surely there will be an extra star in your crown some day for having endured that experience yet remaining a sweet and gentle spirit!