Selkie74

Thanks so much, Pushpit.

Another gym question, sorry to hijack the thread! Cunard’s website says the gym opens at 0800, but from previous trips I recall it being quite a bit earlier than that. Is this a recent change, or is it flexible? We are travelling on QM2 next week.

It’s a murky situation for beginners, to be sure. I have a resolution, though. After escalating my complaint, and a couple of back and forth emails with the TA, I’ve been offered $150 OBC as a goodwill gesture. I’m pretty happy with that, but I feel that both the TA and Cunard need to provide much more clarity over this situation. Many thanks to everyone who has commented on here - this is such a great community, and I really appreciate everyone’s help.

Finally got through to the TA, after an hour on hold. They were not able to help at all. Not were they able to give me a rate code, she just said it was a net rate, and there was no code to give me. And that the sales person who sold me the package “could not have been expected” to give me such a level of detail that would have included the fact that it was a special rate and not eligible for shareholder benefit. I guess it isn’t worth me contacting Cunard, as my contract is with the TA.

I would have thought that getting a friends and family discount is a bit different from buying a package in good faith with no perception that it was in any way discounted?

Thanks everyone. I couldn’t get through to the TA yesterday, so hoping for a callback today. As NavyPanda has surmised, I booked a cruise/hotel/flight package through the TA. It was in no way sold as a cheap deal - I booked a specific cabin. The Carnival Shares small print does exclude anyone “cruising at a reduced rate” from claiming OBC. But rates go up and down all the time. What constitutes “reduced”? I know it’s “only” $250 out of quite a few thousand, but it just seems like sharp practice.

Thank you, I will do that.

Thanks for that, Hattie. The only reason I used the TA was because I wanted to add on a hotel stay, and Cunard didn’t offer that. There’s nothing in the TA’s Term and Conditions about Shareholder Benefits only applying to some rates. I’m not sure where to go next.

I’ve been reading another thread on here which seems to say that people using TAs (including those getting discount fares) have had the OBC approved. It’s baffling.

As far as I’m aware it wasn’t a special or discounted fare.

I received some helpful advice on here about CarnivaI share purchase and getting OBC. All good, bought the shares, and emailed Carnival with the details of our forthcoming trip. They’ve just come back to me saying they are unable to apply the OBC of $250 because we “have been given a net rate discount through your travel agent”. I’ve done loads of reading up on this, and I can’t find anything to say that booking through an agent means we don’t get shareholder benefit. I’m confused and a bit cross. Can any of you wise lot shed any light on this? I’ll be phoning the TA in the morning to see what they say.

Thank you Hattie!

I’ve been reading about the benefits of owning 100 Carnival shares. All seems pretty straightforward, and we are planning to do a good number of trips in the future. One thing I can’t seem to get an answer on, though - is Cunard classed as a US line, or a UK one? Or both? If it’s a UK one we get £150 for a longer cruise, if it’s a US one we get $250, which is a much better deal! I’m guessing it’s to do with the onboard currency, therefore we’d get the $250 dollars. I’m certain somebody on here will have the answer, so many thanks in advance.