upset with Carnival

[nicoleslp]

I need some advice. I normally love Carnival (this is our 5th cruise with them) but this has got me boiling. I booked a group cruise and talked with a group cruise agent. she told me the prices of each stateroom (inside and oceanview) with the fun saver and early saver. She then told me we had 4 points to use and could use them for anything, including onboard credit. Everything was fine, I booked my room, and then my sister called to book hers. She got a different agent who said everything the previous person had said was wrong and the prices were higher and she said we had to buy our points, we don't just get them. How could 2 people who work at the same place have such different answers? I'm wondering who I can talk to from Carnival about this. Like I said, I normally love Carnival, I just want to know what I can do to get some correct answers

[firefly333]

Call the first agent back who gave you the quote and use her for everyone else if you can.

[nicoleslp]

the second agent called the first agent and the first agent said that "all I can offer are my apologies" and she wouldn't even speak to us!

[skylock]

Sorry this happened.

 

It is not just a problem with Carnival, it is every company you come in contact with.

 

The people do not seem to take pride in their jobs anymore. I have had crappy jobs too, but I did the best I could for the people until I found another one. Sometimes I actually prefer to get someone out of the country on the phone except for their lack of english.

[T. Advisor King]

Sorry this happened.

 

It is not just a problem with Carnival, it is every company you come in contact with.

 

The people do not seem to take pride in their jobs anymore. I have had crappy jobs too, but I did the best I could for the people until I found another one. Sometimes I actually prefer to get someone out of the country on the phone except for their lack of english.

 

I disagree. This is a particular problem with Carnival's telephone agents. You call three agents and get three different answers to the same questions. There is a range of service out there from various companies, but some have really good telephone service people. It has nothing to do with people taking pride in their jobs. It is the way those people are managed. If they were managed well, they would provide great service. End of story.

 

I have no solution, but I appreciate your position and agree you have a legitimate beef. Sometimes you get the benefit of one agent's mistake (and maybe that was the case here), but that's not really the point. The point is that, once again, the Carnival agents didn't know their own product.

[SadieN]

Depending on what screen the agent was looking at or she was reading the codes wrong.

 

Each cruise only has so many amenity points total. More can be bought.

We just went thru this with our last group cruise. We kept the date but our charity received less money. We use our points for charity.

[Tralynn]

Ask to speak to a supervisor. Hopefully you will get some assistance, but if not at least they'll know the mistakes their employees are making.

 

Good luck.

[misguidedangel]

I have come across that problem when I went to my TA to book the Glory 2010 cruise. I knew that the cabin I wanted was available and had the easrly saver rate. One agent told my TA the shp was booked for a charter. I said how could it be when I just checked online that morning and it was still available. She tried a second agent and she got an agent that said it wasn't and that ES rate didn't apply to phone bookings....I knew the opposite. She tried a third and got a combination of the two--there is a group cruise, but the cabin I wanted was sold long ago, when infact it was available just a few hours before that call. I wasted my TA's time, oh well, they lost a booking..

 

I went home and called Carnival myself and guess what I didn't get anything that my TA got....thus, I booked the cruise through the PVP instead....

[LBumb]

ask for the person's boss. take to another level.

[Heather1321]

What are points?

[cfand3boyz]

Ask to speak to a supervisor. Hopefully you will get some assistance, but if not at least they'll know the mistakes their employees are making.

 

Good luck.

I have requested this each time I had trouble with the groups department. They will NEVER, EVER put their supervisor on the line. They put me on hold FOREVER while they talk to the supervisor. Then they repeat everything to me.

[DebJ14]

I have come across that problem when I went to my TA to book the Glory 2010 cruise. I knew that the cabin I wanted was available and had the easrly saver rate. One agent told my TA the shp was booked for a charter. I said how could it be when I just checked online that morning and it was still available. She tried a second agent and she got an agent that said it wasn't and that ES rate didn't apply to phone bookings....I knew the opposite. She tried a third and got a combination of the two--there is a group cruise, but the cabin I wanted was sold long ago, when infact it was available just a few hours before that call. I wasted my TA's time, oh well, they lost a booking..

 

I went home and called Carnival myself and guess what I didn't get anything that my TA got....thus, I booked the cruise through the PVP instead....

 

TA's are supposed to book via Carnival's agent booking engine, not over the phone. The second agent was correct - TA's cannot book ES rates over the phone - they must be booked online. If the TA was using the booking engine she could have scanned the list of available cabins for the one you wanted. If it was not there she could have entered the cabin number and it would have immediately shown whether or not it is available. Unfortunately, when a cabin number gets clicked on it gets taken out of inventory for a while. You have to let the system reset so it shows up again.

[SadieN]

What are points?

 

As I understand points-

 

When you book a group you can use Amenity Points for 'gifts'. Things like wine, obc, drink coupons, cocktail parties, logo items, charity donations, etc. Each cruise only has so many free points available. Not all cruises have them, seems that there are more points available on off-time non-popular cruises, such as a 4 day in January. If all the points are used then they can be bought. If booked too late a group has to buy points for any 'gift.' Usually only the person setting up the group booking knows about the points and if they were 'free' or bought and decides how they are to be used.

 

We always go thru our TA to do a group. We do it for a charity and she donates her commission to the cause.

[sfo2008]

FWIW, United Airlines is known for this if you follow flyertalk. Just keep calling back until you get an answer you like is the motto of frequent fliers.

 

Much sympathy.

[Kiln Wood]

ask for the person's boss. take to another level.

 

Absolutely!!!

[friedshrimp]

the second agent called the first agent and the first agent said that "all I can offer are my apologies" and she wouldn't even speak to us!

 

Were these Carnival agents or some TA??

 

If this was a Carnival agent, then I would ask to speak directly to a supervisor or manager and demand that the original offer be honored......otherwise they are pulling a bait and switch. If this was a TA, then they are still pulling a bait and switch, but you can't blame Carnival for what a TA does.

[LynneL]

I've never booked a group cruise on Carnival, but checked into doing one with a different line once and one thing they had told me was the organizer is the only one who would be doing the bookings/payments/etc. Same thing when I used to organize a lot of single ski weekends - all dealings with the tour company had to be done by me, as the organizer.

 

Is it possible that the organizer was given info for the group, but since her sister didn't have the organizer take care of the booking whatever was the current offer was stated as opposed to the orig. offer? Shouldn't be the case once she says she is with a certain group but could that be the reason for the differing info?

 

If not, it is very aggrevating as a consumer to be told one thing and having it changed, & never to the consumer's benefit, with a "Oh...sorry...I guess I quoted the wrong info". I'm in the middle of battling it out with 2 different places (cell phone store & a vet) over the same thing. I understand people make mistakes and don't ream into anyone for it, but if a business makes a mistake then they should make good on it for the consumer & learn their lesson for the next person.

[bunchesofun]

I don't know about Carnival, but when I worked for an airline the supervisors would NOT honor mistakes like this. They would have the agent simply tell the correct fare and that was that. So don't be surprised if that's what happens.

[mcwebber]

I don't know about Carnival, but when I worked for an airline the supervisors would NOT honor mistakes like this. They would have the agent simply tell the correct fare and that was that. So don't be surprised if that's what happens.

 

If the customer makes a purchase based on the statement of the agent Carnival is responsible. That doesn't make them obligated to offer the same thing to anyone else.

[halos]

I need some advice. I normally love Carnival (this is our 5th cruise with them) but this has got me boiling. I booked a group cruise and talked with a group cruise agent. she told me the prices of each stateroom (inside and oceanview) with the fun saver and early saver. She then told me we had 4 points to use and could use them for anything, including onboard credit. Everything was fine, I booked my room, and then my sister called to book hers. She got a different agent who said everything the previous person had said was wrong and the prices were higher and she said we had to buy our points, we don't just get them. How could 2 people who work at the same place have such different answers? I'm wondering who I can talk to from Carnival about this. Like I said, I normally love Carnival, I just want to know what I can do to get some correct answers

Is your group booking 8 cabins or more?? :confused:

Groups booking 8 cabins or more do not have to buy points....

You should book through the group department. I would hope those people know what they're doing.

If not pull the booking and switch it to a travel agency.

[jimbo5544]

Is your group booking 8 cabins or more?? :confused:

Groups booking 8 cabins or more do not have to buy points....

You should book through the group department. I would hope those people know what they're doing.

If not pull the booking and switch it to a travel agency.

I agree on all counts.

[nicoleslp]

Thanks for all of your responses. It turned out that the second agent had no clue what she was talking about! I told my sister to call back again to get a different agent. She did and ended up getting someone who could help her with the right information. She ended booking with the way it was originally stated. I still feel that I should call a supervisor and tell them about this incident and that this other girl obviously needs more training. There are still 3 more cabins in our group that need to book, I told them to stay away from the agent who has no clue!!!

[BKJK]

Time to relax and keep the name and number of the agent that helped you. If you feel like it will help you to talk to a supervisor then go ahead and do so, but if you think it would frustrate then relax and I hope you have a great trip.....

[freedom2009]

How do you know if you have or are eligible for points?

[friedshrimp]

Thanks for all of your responses. It turned out that the second agent had no clue what she was talking about! I told my sister to call back again to get a different agent. She did and ended up getting someone who could help her with the right information. She ended booking with the way it was originally stated. I still feel that I should call a supervisor and tell them about this incident and that this other girl obviously needs more training. There are still 3 more cabins in our group that need to book, I told them to stay away from the agent who has no clue!!!

 

Glad to hear the agent with the cheaper price was the correct one. Usually it's the other way around! :rolleyes: Hope you enjoy your cruise!!