Loyal Carnival Customer is SICK of Carnival Customer Relations

[sgriff17]

:mad:

 

Please help... Okay, here's the de

[sgriff17]

Ahh..this is odd, I can't typ

[sgriff17]

Rebooting the PC :p

[sgriff17]

:confused: Has anyone had any problems with Carnival customer service? I know there have been other threads, but this problem is slightly different so I would like you're opinions.

 

We went on a Christmas Cruise...well, debarking Dec 25th...The day we left, we signed our Purser's bill and thought all was settled. Then, a mysterious charge of 70 somethign showed up on our credit card.

 

We called Carnival Dec 28 and they said they had to send us our final invoice. Well...after waiting, and waiting, and waiting...and calling again...we finally get it over a month later. So, we call up when we finally get the invoice because they had charged us for a few towels and the sodas that they put in the room. (Why they picked our credit card to put it on is anyone's guess, considering there were too fixed to the room...)

 

They said they were going to research it and call us back within 2 weeks. Well, almost a month has passed and we call today. We spoke to DeDe, who has to be the rudest Cust Serv rep I have ever talked too. Let's see, she told me to calm down about 4 times and even put me on hold - mind you, Im NOT a fiery person and wasn't even raising my voice - then she proceeded to give me the same song and dance everyone else gave me the prior 3 times we've called. "We'll have to investigate it and get back to you." REALLY? DO YA NOW?? Never heard that one! (I didnt say this to her)

 

I asked to speak to her supervisor - she claims she can't because they don't talk to customers. I asked her why no one called me back. She flat out told me I was making that up, b/c cust service reps NEVER call people back. (Which is REALLY funny b/c before our trip, SHE, Herself, called me back about an issue I was having with a gift we wanted in our cabin...) A little contradictory, don't you think?

 

We are also carnival share holders and also travelling again for our honeymoon in a little over 2 months. This is all very frustrating the way they are treating us with this matter. It seems NO ONE wants to take ownership of our problem. We keep on hearing the same rehearsed answers over and over again...

 

My question is, how do we get through to someone that will actually HELP us?

 

OH, lest I forget - I also left about 140dollars in cash with the purser to give to our waitstaff, maitre'd, room steward, etc... We came to find out it was NEVER given to them. S0 - either someone stole it or maybe the room number got messed up - I dont know. So Im wondering if the Room steward thought we stiffed her and she tried to "teach" us a lesson by jacking a few towels? This whole trip was a little screwy.

 

Anyway, just had to rant a bit. I love Carnival, but this is just kind of annoying.

[tef43]

Disputing the charge with your credit card company is a much more efficient way to resolve these issues.

 

*Why* FTLOG did you give *cash* to the Purser instead of distributing the gratuities yourself on the last night, as is customary in the "traditional" manner of cruising? :confused:

[bjboothman]

Ok, I see tef has already said this, but I agree and it's been my experience that you may get more results by putting this charge in the hands of your credit card company. And for anyone who cares to know, I've had particularly good luck with Discover Card in those cases.

[gtalum]

Just dispute teh charge. I hope you haven't already waited too long to do so! That will put the onus on Carnival to prove that you owe the money.

[sgriff17]

Yes, thanks for the advice...we actually just did dispute the charge.

 

Well, I gave it to the purser for two reasons. 1) I thought that was the "protocol", and 2) On our last Paradise cruise - before this particular one - we gave cash to our table waiter the last night and he seemed VERY uncomfortable by it. We kind of assumed maybe that wasn't the way to do it...

 

I learned my lesson though. Never do that again.

[tef43]

On our last Paradise cruise - before this particular one - we gave cash to our table waiter the last night and he seemed VERY uncomfortable by it.

Perhaps he was uncomfortable. He may have feared that you had removed the tips from your S&S card. If you did, you did a huge disservice to the waiter. In this scenario, he would have been required to pool the cash with the rest of the staff. The way to do it is to leave the tips in place on the S&S account and then give any additional amounts in cash. This way, the waiter gets to keep everything you give him.

[MarciaL]

We always take envelopes from home, put cash in them and hand direct to the staff the last night. Never had anyone not want it. Sorry you had problems.

[Cotton]

Sgriff, I also think you should contact your credit card company.

 

What I'm wondering, though, is WHY you thought it was 'protocol' to give the purser the money to distribute.:confused: I know you've been on this board long enough to know how the tip money is done, and have read numerous posts about it. I don't recall ever having heard about anybody doing what you did.

 

Were these tips in addition to the automatics tips? Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but I really do think you know how 'extra' tips are usually handled. ;)

[stlrboo]

Guessing the 'Purser' or 'Pursers' had a good time with your money that night.. :(

I haven't seen where you actually wrote Carnival a letter... I have come to believe that if you ever want to get any satisfaction with most any company, a letter is the only way to go. Phone calls and e-mails are near to worthless.

No matter how many times you call, you'll end up with someone else, who will "have to investigate it", just like the first call.. And e-mails..; You sent an e-mail?? sorry, we didn't receive it!! :(

Go for the gusto... write a letter! I'd bet you'll get satisfaction , and 15% or something on an upcoming cruise. Worth a try..! :) Just IMHO!

[cruzn buckeye]

Did you call the "Past Guest Relations Department" ? This who I call and always get an answer and the problem taken care of. Just call and ask for the number for the past guest department. I can't remember it for sure...I think it is 1-800-929-6400.

[brn2crz]

I have taken to recording all calls made in circumstances such as these.I simply tell them,"please note,this call is being recorded for training purposes,and to CMA" ...:D

[S.S.Oceanlover]

:confused: Has anyone had any problems with Carnival customer service? I know there have been other threads, but this problem is slightly different so I would like you're opinions.

 

We went on a Christmas Cruise...well, debarking Dec 25th...The day we left, we signed our Purser's bill and thought all was settled. Then, a mysterious charge of 70 somethign showed up on our credit card.

 

We called Carnival Dec 28 and they said they had to send us our final invoice. Well...after waiting, and waiting, and waiting...and calling again...we finally get it over a month later. So, we call up when we finally get the invoice because they had charged us for a few towels and the sodas that they put in the room. (Why they picked our credit card to put it on is anyone's guess, considering there were too fixed to the room...)

 

They said they were going to research it and call us back within 2 weeks. Well, almost a month has passed and we call today. We spoke to DeDe, who has to be the rudest Cust Serv rep I have ever talked too. Let's see, she told me to calm down about 4 times and even put me on hold - mind you, Im NOT a fiery person and wasn't even raising my voice - then she proceeded to give me the same song and dance everyone else gave me the prior 3 times we've called. "We'll have to investigate it and get back to you." REALLY? DO YA NOW?? Never heard that one! (I didnt say this to her)

 

I asked to speak to her supervisor - she claims she can't because they don't talk to customers. I asked her why no one called me back. She flat out told me I was making that up, b/c cust service reps NEVER call people back. (Which is REALLY funny b/c before our trip, SHE, Herself, called me back about an issue I was having with a gift we wanted in our cabin...) A little contradictory, don't you think?

 

We are also carnival share holders and also travelling again for our honeymoon in a little over 2 months. This is all very frustrating the way they are treating us with this matter. It seems NO ONE wants to take ownership of our problem. We keep on hearing the same rehearsed answers over and over again...

 

My question is, how do we get through to someone that will actually HELP us?

 

OH, lest I forget - I also left about 140dollars in cash with the purser to give to our waitstaff, maitre'd, room steward, etc... We came to find out it was NEVER given to them. S0 - either someone stole it or maybe the room number got messed up - I dont know. So Im wondering if the Room steward thought we stiffed her and she tried to "teach" us a lesson by jacking a few towels? This whole trip was a little screwy.

 

Anyway, just had to rant a bit. I love Carnival, but this is just kind of annoying.

 

I've read this has happened to numerous people.The last person I read about was into month 4 with no resolution in sight. I hope you get your situation straightened out quicker. Maybe it's an extra revenue center :confused:

 

Hearing about your tips is a first for me. Weren't the tips automatically added to your account already? Did you have them removed?

 

Bill

[sgriff17]

Cotton - Yes, on hidsight it was pretty stupid. I wanted to take the automatic tips off, b/c of various reasons...(someone really sucked and someone was really great...i just wanted to adjust accordingly) So, I went to the purser to do it. She said it would be easiest just to leave it with them, so i did!! :rolleyes: Never again will I do that. I do know better, you're right. Im not really even too upset about that.

 

STLRBOO - Good idea! We'll do that. Certified mail might be the way to go too....

 

Cruzn - We're going to try that too! See, now Im so glad I came here. For some reason I couldn't think of this on my own? Duh :confused:

 

Brn2crz - I WISH we could do that! You have no idea! This DeDe person, lied straight to my face. Obviously she didn't remember CALLING ME BACK (A few times at that)....(on a side note, never did get that "gift" Carnival said I would)...oh well, not too upset about that either.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I think if you took the tips off and then gave the money to the purser the intended parties probably never got their tips so they reported missing towels to get even. Of course that's just speculation but if I was to bust my butt all week to get no tip I'd be pretty unhappy too.

 

Bill

[sgriff17]

SSOCEANLOVER - I agree with you totally. Im "assuming" that's what happened. My main issue is the way Carnival is handling this issue. Back in the day, I used to work in Customer Service (Incoming calls...). The problem with the way MOST companies are set up is that NO ONE has to take "ownership" of a problem. That's precisely what's going on here.

 

Everytime you call them, its the same song and dance. When you say, "well, this is the 3rd time i've heard this" - it's easy for them to say - "that's not my fault, I can't help what the other person did or did NOT do" I know the game, I used to play it back with Capital One!!! ((Side note, they implemented new procedures, so if you have Cap One - they WILL help you. They've implemented something that individuals actually have "ownership" (Yes, it's my 10 dollar word today) of your problem.)) <--that's what Carnival needs to do imho! :mad:

 

If the room steward didn't get a tip, then I don't blame her actions. She was a really nice girl, I hope that's NOT what happened though.

[southbayer]

But how did you actually find out that you had indeed inverantly stiffed them ??? :confused:

[sgriff17]

When we called someone in Cust Service mentioned none of the staff got tips. I dont know if the staff reports that or what. I thought they meant I took it off my account (which I did), but they went on to say that they weren't even given cash. How would they know that back at Cust Serv in Miami? Wierd...:eek:

 

But that's what I was told.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

When we called someone in Cust Service mentioned none of the staff got tips. I dont know if the staff reports that or what. I thought they meant I took it off my account (which I did), but they went on to say that they weren't even given cash. How would they know that back at Cust Serv in Miami? Wierd...:eek:

 

But that's what I was told.

 

If you remove the tips from your account then any cash tips have to be turned in. I guess they didn't turn anything in from your cabin and it was duely noted.

 

Bill