Is RCCL really worth $1,000 more than Carnival?

[Cindy]

For the life of me, I can never understand where these posters get their figures...I just did a double search for Feb. 14th 2010 President's day week, on both RCI and Carnival. Base price for a balcony for the Conquest was $909, base for Voyager was $999. If we're talkin oranges to oranges here, where do you get $1000 difference in price. I wouldn't think of giving up Voyager for Conquest for $180 per couple, didn't price out the 3rd and 4th occupants... and by the way, one poster said crab cakes were nowhere to be seen on RCCL...I had crab cakes as a regular appetizer on Voyager in January this year and even asked for it again (and got it).

 

The price difference I found is for the "main" Texas Spring Break week next year. (Sailing March 14, 2010) When I checked earlier in the week, a JS on Voyager was 2,499 and a Cat. 11 on the Conquest was $1,769. So no, the price difference for us isn't $1,000, it's closer to $1,500.:(

Being locked in to a prime travel week makes a big difference in the price.

[lmcpark]

:eek:

[Cruise Junky]

Right off the internet brand sites, RCCL dot com and Carnival dot com. I don't use TAs anymore. I give myself way better service than I ever got from any of the TAs I used....of course this was my experience, not yours.

 

I don't use bricks and mortar TA's either but I do use a very good discount online agent, I do all the work, they save me anywhere from 10 - 15%.

[ivycruise]

The price difference I found is for the "main" Texas Spring Break week next year. (Sailing March 14, 2010) When I checked earlier in the week, a JS on Voyager was 2,499 and a Cat. 11 on the Conquest was $1,769. So no, the price difference for us isn't $1,000, it's closer to $1,500.:(

 

Being locked in to a prime travel week makes a big difference in the price.

What you highlight is exactly why I book Carnival for Spring break sailings and not RCI. These typically sell out for a premium and having to book well in advance a necessity. The price difference is significant and the family is thrilled with the experience on Carnival.

 

I select sailings on RCI closer to the actual sail date and off prime time sailings they when they are more likely to be discounted.

[dfishner]

I am a big fan of RCL but we will be cruising with our DD and our grand kids in June to the Western Caribbean. The two options were Enchantment of the seas and the Destiny. Enchantment for a balcony and a inside was $3600 the Destiny was $2300 same itinerary same cabin set up. That is $1300 more for the Enchantment. For that difference in $$$ that covers our gratuities, the kennel, parking and still leaves us with $600 to play with. I would prefer taking RCL if the price was closer but $1300 is to much of a price difference for the same itinerary and cabins.

[robmab]

I noticed that the OP is from Dallas. We are too. We are sailing on spring break on the Independence leaving from Fort Lauderdale. Yes, driving to Galveston would be way more convenient, BUT I never could get a good price on any RCI cruises leaving out of Texas. I'm sure it is a supply and demand thing!

So, I checked on FL departures and we saved money on the cruise... we do have to fly but used AA miles. If you have to pay for airfare, DFW to Florida airfare is usually pretty reasonable .

Even if we had paid for the airfare, we still would of come out cheaper AND we get the itinerary we want on the new Freedom class ship!!

I've never been on Carnival so I can't comment on the comparison...

BUT if you really want to cruise RCI try another port.;)

 

Yeah, I checked on that possibility, and RCCL is cheaper out of different ports, but not enough to make up the difference with Carnival. We don't have frequent flyer miles to use, so we'd be paying for 4 airfares at approximately $300 each (it's a holiday weekend, so no airfare deals!).

 

Thanks to all of you for your candid opinions. I really appreciate all the feedback. While I love RCCL, it's probably time to give Carnival a chance. I did cruise on Carnival when I was in college (I think it was on the Sensation?) and I remember the food and service being good, but it was definitely more of a party atmosphere (which I liked at the time). Sounds like the food hasn't changed, but the atmosphere has mellowed out a bit.

[robmab]

For the life of me, I can never understand where these posters get their figures...I just did a double search for Feb. 14th 2010 President's day week, on both RCI and Carnival. Base price for a balcony for the Conquest was $909, base for Voyager was $999. If we're talkin oranges to oranges here, where do you get $1000 difference in price. I wouldn't think of giving up Voyager for Conquest for $180 per couple, didn't price out the 3rd and 4th occupants... and by the way, one poster said crab cakes were nowhere to be seen on RCCL...I had crab cakes as a regular appetizer on Voyager in January this year and even asked for it again (and got it).

 

I'm sorry. I said President's Day weekend, but I meant Martin Luther King Day. Both sailings leave the weekend of January 16 for 7-nights from Galveston. Voyager was $3,300+ for four people in a D1 balcony (the lowest category balcony you can get for four people on RCCL) and Conquest was $2,300 for four people in an 8D balcony (unobstructed view).

 

If we were doing it as a couple, the price difference would not be as great and I agree for $180, I would go with what I know. For $1,000, I'm willing to take a risk.

[spleenstomper]

YES!

 

In all honesty, it depends on how discerning you are...and in how much the budget means to you...

 

 

But, here's the thing: Most people cruising Carnival really don't get it...They are very satisfied with the experience...The ARE having fun...What's not to like about a cruise? It beats working...They are getting fairly good food, served to them in a more elegant style than they get at Denny's or McDonalds...They are getting a nice sized cabin--though they apparently have no problem with day-glo Orange vinyl decor...There is activity and things to do...They get to visit ports...

 

Face it, You can drive a Geo Metro with crank windows, an 85 horsepower engine, vinyl seats and no AC...it will still get you to work and back and wherever you want to go...and it only cost you $9995...Not everyone has to drive a Lexus or a Mercedes... ...or you can eat at Denny's...You'll get food...they'll serve it to you...and it beats cooking your own and cleaning up afterwards...And, that steak dinner only cost you $11.95!!! You may not really care if it's not Spago...Carnival is much the same...You get what you want...you get it at a cheap price...If it works for you, it's great...

 

For me, I prefer a little nicer car...and eating at a nicer restaurant...

I don't need to drive a Bentley or eat the lobster at the Palm...But, I am willing to spend more than the Geo Metro or Denny's...and I want really good value for my money...I drive an Acura and I eat at restaurants where I get a really good meal and pay a REASONABLE, but not cheap price...

 

 

LOL... this post is so funny! Dh is a surgeon, we drive an Acura and we eat at restaurants where if the bill isn't 200.00 for the two of us, Dh gets tickled at how cheap it was.

 

While I haven't sailed RCCL (hey, RCCL.. New Orleans is calling for you!), I have sailed NCLA and CCL. What you describe as common on CCL... didn't see it. I saw the same class of people on CCL Fantasy out of New Orleans that I did on NCLA out of Honolulu.

 

I would love to sample RCCL... but I have to say your comments are hard to take seriously. CCL has a fine product for a nice price.

[golfpccc]

Cruised on the RCCL Voyager in Dec & Mar and the CCL Conquest in May--I personally felt that the service, entertainment and food was better on the Conquest. Prefer the ship lay out better on the Voyager. The atmosphere a little more formal on Voyager. The balconies are larger on the Voyager. The staff much friendlier on the Conquest. Felt the 2 ships were very similiar maybe giving an edge to the Conquest. From now on, I will be going with the best price.

[Texas Teen]

I noticed that the OP is from Dallas. We are too. We are sailing on spring break on the Independence leaving from Fort Lauderdale. Yes, driving to Galveston would be way more convenient, BUT I never could get a good price on any RCI cruises leaving out of Texas. I'm sure it is a supply and demand thing!

So, I checked on FL departures and we saved money on the cruise... we do have to fly but used AA miles. If you have to pay for airfare, DFW to Florida airfare is usually pretty reasonable .

Even if we had paid for the airfare, we still would of come out cheaper AND we get the itinerary we want on the new Freedom class ship!!

I've never been on Carnival so I can't comment on the comparison...

BUT if you really want to cruise RCI try another port.;)

 

It's cheaper to fly to Florida to take a RCCL cruise than it is to drive down to Galveston to take a Voyager cruise?!?! :eek: Are you serious? I'll have to look into that!

[SamFritz]

Maybe I'm a little slow on the uptake. It took me a while to figrure out how the cost could be $1000 more. Then it dawned on me that that's just $250 per person. If it's the choice between going and not going, or bringing the kids along or not, then I'd probably try Carnival. We opted to take our boys on a short 4 day RC trip, but to stay with what we know.

[Gordo]

Our immediate response was a resounding yes - we see Carnival as more of a party ship and would avoid that atmosphere whenever possible since it is very loud and not our cup of tea. And with kids it makes even even more sense.

[Bruin Steve]

LOL... this post is so funny! Dh is a surgeon, we drive an Acura and we eat at restaurants where if the bill isn't 200.00 for the two of us, Dh gets tickled at how cheap it was.

 

While I haven't sailed RCCL (hey, RCCL.. New Orleans is calling for you!), I have sailed NCLA and CCL. What you describe as common on CCL... didn't see it. I saw the same class of people on CCL Fantasy out of New Orleans that I did on NCLA out of Honolulu.

 

I would love to sample RCCL... but I have to say your comments are hard to take seriously. CCL has a fine product for a nice price.

 

Hey, Spleenstomper,

I'm glad you found it "funny"...

But, seriously? I'm not all that impressed with Norwegian's product either...and their marketing and pricing ALSO aims at a similar price point to Carnival...No doubt you saw a lot of the same on both...

 

And, while I was talking about RCCL here--which IMHO truly is a superior product to BOTH Carnival AND NCL, I actually prefer Celebrity--which I am sure you will likely never sail as well...since you find Carnival much to your liking...

 

And, if you are satisfied with Carnival, well, great for you...obviously, a lot of people are very satisfied with Carnival...and...great for all of them...but it certainly is not satisfactory to all of ...

 

BTW, I was using the car and restaurant examples as METAPHORS...but, apparently, it slipped by you...I wasn't saying a surgeon shouldn't like Carnival...I have met lots of surgeons who don't have the same standards or expectations I do...

 

What I find "funny" is that you don't take MY comments seriously because YOU, without much to compare it to, thought Carnival has a "fine" product...

 

I'd venture to say that with the number of cruises I have taken on several lines, INCLUDING Carnival, gives me just a little more crediblity than you...

 

Of course, even so, you don't have to believe me...I am certain you have the ability to jusge for yourself...maybe after you actually taken the cruises with which to compare your meager experience...But, your present certainty that Carnival is a fine product really only PROVES my point...

 

And...Ps: You made a rare foray OFF the Carnival board, resurrected an over two month old thread, edited my original post to delete some OBJECTIVE comparisons of the two lines...all in order to attack MY credibility? Give me a break...Go enjoy your next Carnival cruise...

[cruisecrasy]

the OPs original question!

 

NO - IMO RC isn't worth another $1000 - a few hundred maybe but for $1000 go Carnival.. and I have sailed both lines recently..

If u were just going with your spouse then go RC but with the kids - go Carnival as they will love it and u won't mind saving the $ for your next cruise without them :)...

 

Whatever u do chose, please post your experiences upon your return and I wish u a great family holiday!!

[compman9]

Well I hope the OP enjoys the RCCL cruise because no way in a million years will it be worth £1,000 more, or even £250 per person more.

 

And to the people that reckon price isn't an issue to them, good luck to you as well - I am sure you can do better than RCCL for your money as well.

 

I also find the generalisations of people aboard to be quite amusing as well. I am British so I find all Americans different to me. Some good, some bad, some nice, some rude, some friendly, some miserable - most are loud! LOL.

 

I can't wait for my first RCCL cruise, but I am already aware that once a ship gets a four plus star rating it'll be good enough for me. I will be trying Princess out at the end of the year.

[MrPete]

YES!

 

In all honesty, it depends on how discerning you are...and in how much the budget means to you...

 

Everyone is different...

To some of us, the money may not matter as much as it does to others...

I, for one, spend thousands of dollars on my cruises and am looking to get value for my money, not just the lowest price...I'll spend a little more to get what I want...

 

And...we all have different standards and criteria...

 

IMHO, you get what you pay for...

We have done three Carnival cruises now...

The first two, we took because in the 90s, Carnival had a monopoly on the Mexican Riviera route during the summer--which school vacation schedules dicatated was the only time we could go...

 

But, the last Carnival cruise we took was on the Carnival Liberty to Panama in July 2007...We took it immeditely after a cruise on the Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas because it gave us a different itinerary and dovetailed as to the dates with the RCCL cruise...

 

But, in taking the two back-to-back, we were really able to notice the differences--which were pronounced...

 

The Carnival ship seemed like a cattle ranch compared to the RCCL ship...There were approximately an equal number of passengers on the two ships--even though the RCCL ship was about one and one-half times the size. The dining room on the Carnival ship was so overcrowded and tables so close together that it affected the service, notwithstanding that every waiter on Carnival was serving about one and a half times the passengers that the RCCL waiters were serving (We counted)...The Carnival service was POOR...In order to see a show in the showroom on Carnival, one had to get there at least an hour before curtain time just to get a decent seat or seats together...There were lines and waits for everything...Getting an elevator at certain times was like a reflex game...

 

Also, the Royal Caribbean ships just have so many more amenities, the decor is far nicer...and I won't even get too much into the demographics in fear of insulting some people (Yes, most Carnival guest ARE good people--heck, we were among them--but there is a certain element of folks just looking for the cheapest possible experience--which manifests itself in some predictable ways)...

 

But, here's the thing: Most people cruising Carnival really don't get it...They are very satisfied with the experience...The ARE having fun...What's not to like about a cruise? It beats working...They are getting fairly good food, served to them in a more elegant style than they get at Denny's or McDonalds...They are getting a nice sized cabin--though they apparently have no problem with day-glo Orange vinyl decor...There is activity and things to do...They get to visit ports...

 

Face it, You can drive a Geo Metro with crank windows, an 85 horsepower engine, vinyl seats and no AC...it will still get you to work and back and wherever you want to go...and it only cost you $9995...Not everyone has to drive a Lexus or a Mercedes... ...or you can eat at Denny's...You'll get food...they'll serve it to you...and it beats cooking your own and cleaning up afterwards...And, that steak dinner only cost you $11.95!!! You may not really care if it's not Spago...Carnival is much the same...You get what you want...you get it at a cheap price...If it works for you, it's great...

 

For me, I prefer a little nicer car...and eating at a nicer restaurant...

I don't need to drive a Bentley or eat the lobster at the Palm...But, I am willing to spend more than the Geo Metro or Denny's...and I want really good value for my money...I drive an Acura and I eat at restaurants where I get a really good meal and pay a REASONABLE, but not cheap price...

 

And that is why I like Royal Caribbean...and am even willing to pay a little more for it (Though, in all of my cruises, I have never found the price differeential on conmparable itineraries and dates to be that far off--maybe you need a better travel agent)...

 

Royal Caribbean gives me a BETTER PRODUCT...and I am willing to pay a little more for that...I do not get that much vcation time that I care to compromise it looking for a bargain...

 

JMHO...

 

This is a joke, right?

 

I talk to many cruisers, and they sail both lines, and then some. There's no "one type cruiser" on any line. There are many that have the choice to pay more for the same thing because they can afford it, but they don't. Why would you?

 

BTW, the only applicable reference in your post is food, and that is definately better on Carnival.

[robmab]

You do realize this thread is over two months old, don't you?

The OP long ago made his decision and is sticking with Royal Caribbean (smart move IMHO) and is leaving on their cruise in less than a month?

 

 

Actually, we haven't decided yet. The cruise we're taking next month is just me and DH...no kids.

 

The cruise I was asking about in this post is for January 2010 and we still haven't booked anything. I keep watching the prices, hoping they'll go down enough that we could still go RCCL, but I don't think it's going to happen.

 

And after getting moderately screwed over the swine flu scare (don't get me started...whole other post), I'm hesitant to book anything that involves airfare, so we will most likely stick with Galveston and avoid having to fly to Florida (even though it might save us a few hundred bucks).

[spleenstomper]

Robyn, just to let you know I found on our cruise that there wasn't a large party atmosphere that apparently Carnival used to have. (Unless you count two seniors doing the jive in the common area near a band a "party" :D ) I found our cruise to be very family oriented and I felt it was o.k. to have my kids (11,9,9) sign themselves in and out of Camp Carnival to not only come and go but also to do the scavenger hunt, etc, unsupervised. The kids *loved* Camp Carnival and begged to stay till 3 am for the sleepover (we said no...); they loved CC so much that they couldn't wait to ditch us all the time for the camp. Their proudest moment was when one of them won a "ship on a stick" for winning the dance competition. :D They also won backpacks and Funship Freddy items for various contests.

 

I'd love to hear your opinion of the difference (if you try CCL) since I have considered going to Galveston sometime to try RCCL. It would help to have an opinion of whether the drive (4 hours for us) would be worth it or not (this is assuming the price range is similar).

[bigdaddyvoges]

Robmab,

 

I would say save the $1000 and go with Carnival. I haven't been on a Conquest ship (will be on the Valor in 4 weeks) but the Triumph was great. We had 3 kids on our cruise with Carnival all under age 9 at the time and they had a BLAST with Camp Carnival. The kids definitely preferred this to Adventure Ocean. Carnival also has a lot of the activities late at night for the kids so you can still catch the adult entertainment and have a cocktail before it is time to swing upstairs and get the kids. Most of the time they were all sleeping as they showed movies and the kids had blankets/pillows etc... The considered it like a big sleep over. Just think that $1000 will probably cover your OBC and some for the week. Good luck. When I get back from the Valor I can give you a better run down of the Conquest Class.

 

Bob

[pcur]

We tried Carnival last Oct./Nov. on a 12 day Mediterranean cruise. We have been on mainly RCI and X in the last 20 years. We went in with low expectations and were amazed. Our experience was wonderful!!! This was the Carnival Freedom. Much better food, probably on par with Chops in quality, great staff, and beautiful ship. The wild colors did not offend us as some posters. I'd go back in a heartbeat, but they are not going back to Europe after the new Dream comes over. Granted, this was not the party atmosphere that you get in the Carribbean, but we loved our experience. Our next three cruises are with RCI and X, but I wish RCI would have equal to or better food. That is my main complaint with RCI. Other than that, it is about equal except Carnival has a very liberal smoking policy:(.

 

Unfortunately, you just mentioned two deal killers as far as we are concerned: wild colors and liberal smoking policy. I don't have to be in a fancy place anywhere, but it's got to be pleasing to my eye, and I'm really "sensitive" to color. I have almost a photogenic memory for color (friends love to go shopping with me because I can remember the colors they are trying to match :D).

 

DH and I both grew up with secondhand smoke, and now avoid smoke completely.

 

Too bad, because we would try Carnival, but these two things are really important to us.

[piercetc4]

these comparison threads can be an interesting read :)

we took our 2 kids on conquest in 2003 and stayed in an 8d cabin on lido deck- kids were 14 yr old girl and 11 yr old boy- we had a great time! decided that in the future we would need 2 cabins..... 4 ppl and one bathroom to use to get ready for dinner = NO FUN...:)

the next cruise we took our kids on was the explorer of the seas- dh and i couldnt wait to take them on a voyager class ship! they loved it- they had their own balcony cabin next to ours- i asked which line they liked best ( they had been on destiny, victory, conquest, and explorer of the seas) our son said both are fine.....our dau prefers rci but still likes ccl as well- so for $1000 savings we would probably go enjoy the conquest again even tho dh and i prefer rci -

i guess we are very lucky in that we have never had a bad cruise- all have been wonderful and great fun!

[Omnefos]

We decided to try a cruise on Carnival to the Mexican Riveria a few years back and I am still so angry it is hard to talk about this cruise line.

 

The biggest issue was that I had several items stolen out of my cabin and once it was reported to the Purser, their attitude was "What do you expect us to do about it?" They were unwilling to even talk to the people that had access to our room or try to find the missing items. Granted the items were of little value, but were highly identifiable, i.e., a baseball cap from the college I graduated from......small California college, and there would be no liklihood of anyone else on that ship having a similar ball cap.

 

Their answer: We will give you a coupon worth $50 off your next cruise. I would not sail on their ship if they gave me the entire cruise for $50!!!

 

PS. Also, they have vitrually ruined the Princess line since they bought them out a few years ago.

[KuffMUp]

I have sailed both Carnival and RCCL. We consider ourselves "young" at 45 and 52 so we booked Carnival. I also suspected the prices on RCCL made it a more "classy" type experience. Did I enjoy my cruises with Carnival. YES. What's not to like about a cruise?

 

Some things I didn't like about Carnival: The color scheme. We sailed first on the Pride and thought it was a beautiful ship. A little loud color wise but not screaming. Our next one was on the Valor which is a Conquest sized ship. OMG. The lobby had an american flag scheme. I have attached pics of the lobby looking down from an upper deck and from the lobby itself. Imagine consuming two cocktails, having rough seas, and trying to look at all the red, white and blue stripes! And she also had hi-viz green thoughout the buffet area. Now this is just my opinion so if you don't care about color, then it isn't going to bother you.

 

On both cruises, it seemed as though all the staff was unhappy. Some forced smiles. They were pleasant when spoken to but never smiled. The crew that didn't interact with the guests (painters, cleaners) never smiled nor would they say good morning back to you.

 

The passengers were a good mix but the younger they were, the more rude both to staff and other passengers. The younger ones were also the ones wearing flip flops, shorts, & t-shirts in the dining room. My DH doesn't like suits so we go eat at the buffet on formal night so that the people who dress up won't have their night spoiled. However, the other nights we attended the dining room, we saw a large number of people dressed in t-shirts, shorts, etc.

 

The aft pool is supposed to be for adults only, but on both cruises, no one enforced that policy. So if you were looking for some respite, you won't find it at the pools.

 

Let me address the layout of that class of ship, embarking, and debarking. First, we encountered huge lines of people on both cruises embarking. I don't know if it was the ports or just the way Carnival handles it. It took us hours in line to get on the ship. I absolutely hated the layout of the Valor. The galley is in between the two dining rooms. If you get seating in the aft dining room, you must go up from the lobby, make your way through the smokey cigar bar, then down in the aft elevators. So when dinner service is done you have the entire dining room trying to leave in four elevators because you can't go any further forward. The debarking was a nightmare. They have self debark where you can get up early and get off the ship on your own (aka lugging your own suitcases). For some unknown reason, they closed the six atrium elevators pushing the forward passengers midship to the next available elevators. We waited, and waited, and waited. The elevators weren't moving. We noticed people lugging their suitcases down the stairs and decided that may be the only route. It was. When we reached the lobby deck, the reason the elevators weren't going anywhere is because no one could get out of them because the hallway was jambed. They had announced the availablilty of self debarkation but apparently the port wasn't apparently ready. We stood there for nearly an hour before the line started moving. We had barely made it from the ship to the terminal when they announced they were now switching to regular debarkation so we all had to stay there while they placed all the luggage according to tags. That took another forty five minutes. This may not be a problem all the time but it was that time.

 

When we decided to book an Alaska cruise, Carnival was available at a cheaper price. However, DH and I decided we wanted to try something more upscale without getting on a ship with geriatrics. I read on these boards and it looked like RCCL would be a good fit for us. It was more expensive than Carnival, but I thought I would give it a try. We absolutely LOVED RCCL. I liked the decor, layout of the ship. I thought the buffet food was better than Carnival. I can't really say the dining room food was worse or better. One thing I really liked on the RCCL to Alaska - Everyone says to splurge for a balcony if you are going to Alaska. We did (but we always sail balcony or higher), but didn't need to with RCCL. The Viking Crown Lounge gave absolutely stunning views on both sides of the lounge. It was a quiet place to read and pass the time gazing out at the landscape. And when someone saw something, they would point it out making it easier to see things.

 

Did we get bad service on Carnival? Yes. Our suite attendant was fairly poor. We had to call her a lot to get things stocked in the fridge or to bring us ice. After a few days of the same requests, one would think that could be remembered. We aren't overly demanding. But if there is supposed to be diet coke and water in the fridge, I would have expected her to check it.

 

Did we get bad service on RCCL? Yes. Our dining room server explained she had a new helper. He was actually great. She on the other hand never smiled and mixed up our orders almost every time and we were at a table for six with two that never showed up. I don't know how many tables she had though. And I really, really, wanted one of those big cups you get with the soda card. We were close to half-way through the cruise before we figured out they came with the soda card so I went to buy one. The bartender argued with me that he wasn't going to sell it to me because I would waste my money. I thanked him for his opinion however asked if I could please buy one. He refused to sell it. I went to the Schooner bar and asked them. They referred me back to the pool bar but I told him they won't sell it to me. He looked puzzled but went ahead and got them for me.

 

Did either of these turn me off of cruising? Absolutely not. But, after sailing on RCCL, IMHO I will not be returning to Carnival.

[MrPete]

The biggest issue was that I had several items stolen out of my cabin and once it was reported to the Purser, their attitude was "What do you expect us to do about it?"

 

What did you expect them to do about it?

[Jumbiecruiser]

What did you expect them to do about it?

 

Maybe show a little interest in the customer. Give the impression that they "care" about the situation.:rolleyes: