Future Carnival vacation Certificate

[yogimax]

O.K., it sure looks like Carnival is beginning to phase out this program. It has nothing to do with computer software and the argument that it is lack of trained staff is lame and really quite unbelievable.

 

My guess is that this program will follow the farewell party into oblivion.

[firefly333]

O.K., it sure looks like Carnival is beginning to phase out this program. It has nothing to do with computer software and the argument that it is lack of trained staff is lame and really quite unbelievable.

 

My guess is that this program will follow the farewell party into oblivion.

 

OK I give .. what makes you think this?? started on only 4 ships and spread now to all but 3 ships.. now they moved it so you can register online dont have to mail them in.

 

What makes you say they are pulling out?

[Quilting_Cruiser]

O.K., it sure looks like Carnival is beginning to phase out this program. It has nothing to do with computer software and the argument that it is lack of trained staff is lame and really quite unbelievable.

 

My guess is that this program will follow the farewell party into oblivion.

 

 

There have been numerous reports that people have been given inaccurate information by some of the people selling the certificates. But, that's really not so different from the inaccurate information that is common when calling Carnival's customer service agents. I doubt the inaccuracies indicate they're phasing out the program. My guess is that it's just another example of how poorly trained some of these people are...

[djcass4199]

 

[GRIPE] On my last cruise I asked the person selling the FCC if I could use it on my next cruise that I have already booked because I had heard that others were doing it. He said yes, he had heard this and that I would not be able to do it online as the web system would see that I had already booked the cruise but to call and talk to my PVP or someone at Carnival could apply it to my already booked cruise coming up. So, I bought 2 FCC, planning on using one in the future and one for the next cruise.

 

Guess what? I called my PVP and told him that the guy that sold me the FCC said to call and he could apply it for me. He said he would. It came back denied. :confused:

 

So, I gave up until I saw this thread and thought that others were still getting FCC applied to already existing bookings. I called again and talked to another representative. She was very nice, put me on hold and told me that she might be able to do something. Came back on the line about every 5 minutes saying she was checking and she might try something else. Came back on at the 20 minute mark saying she was getting her supervisor to help. Finally after 30 minutes of being on the phone with her, she says so sorry, can't do it. :mad: I explained to her that the representative on the ship that sold the extra FCC told me to call and it would be applied. Did not matter. Got shot down. Oh well, I tried.

 

I also asked if my daughter could use one, and she said that if she was under 21 she could but since she is 23, then she would have to get her own. Bummer! I did not realize that only the one who's name is on the FCC can use it. This did not make me happy. [/GRIPE] :cool:

 

DEJA VU! I had literally the exact same thing happen last week. Bought a FCC on the Ecstasy in June to use for our already booked cruise in September (we wanted to reduce our final payment and get OBC). Cruise desk guy said it was ok. My TA said it was ok. We submitted the form, it came back denied. I called Carnival, told them that both the guy on the Ecstasy selling me the certificate and my TA both said I could do it. They would not budge. I just got it refunded last week on the phone with Carnival and the refund posted to my CC on Friday. Bummer. So no OBC for us on Valor in a couple months :(

[firefly333]

DEJA VU! I had literally the exact same thing happen last week. Bought a FCC on the Ecstasy in June to use for our already booked cruise in September (we wanted to reduce our final payment and get OBC). Cruise desk guy said it was ok. My TA said it was ok. We submitted the form, it came back denied. I called Carnival, told them that both the guy on the Ecstasy selling me the certificate and my TA both said I could do it. They would not budge. I just got it refunded last week on the phone with Carnival and the refund posted to my CC on Friday. Bummer. So no OBC for us on Valor in a couple months :(

 

So you dont plan on cruising on Carnival and booking within the next 2 years?

 

I had one for Princess I finally decided to call and get refunded too. At that time they pulled their ship from Galveston and I didnt want to have to drive to a cruise .. and look at my signature now :( .. going to be flying a lot next year. thank goodness for conquest and magic.

[djcass4199]

We are going to cruise again in 2013. I'd just rather have my money back now and re-spend it in September when we buy another.

 

I know, i know.....I'm crazy. My wife said the same thing LOL

[djcass4199]

I had one for Princess I finally decided to call and get refunded too. At that time they pulled their ship from Galveston and I didnt want to have to drive to a cruise .. and look at my signature now :( .. going to be flying a lot next year. thank goodness for conquest and magic.

 

Nice list of upcoming cruises! I wish I could cruise 7 times next year :(

 

I don't think my boss at the CPA office would like that very much LOL

[firefly333]

Nice list of upcoming cruises! I wish I could cruise 7 times next year :(

 

I don't think my boss at the CPA office would like that very much LOL

 

I always have tried cruises close to home.. next year scares me more than a little too .. I just dont know which one I would want to give up.. the offers just came along for them.. and I couldnt say no.

 

flying is going to cost a small fortune.. I used to live in hawaii for 10 years.. so the one going to hawaii on carnival I wanted .. and I tried to make it a B2B with alaska .. and that went wrong, carnival said no, jones act .. it just jumbled up like that .. my family isnt so happy either!!! like your boss.

[Out to sea!]

Yes, you are getting $100 OBC over your initial $100 investment towards the cruise balance - $200 total.

 

On a 7 day cruise.

[Out to sea!]

There have been numerous reports that people have been given inaccurate information by some of the people selling the certificates. But, that's really not so different from the inaccurate information that is common when calling Carnival's customer service agents. I doubt the inaccuracies indicate they're phasing out the program. My guess is that it's just another example of how poorly trained some of these people are...

 

Sometimes people are given accurate information but only hear what they want to hear as well.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Sometimes people are given accurate information but only hear what they want to hear as well.

 

 

Absolutely agree. But in this case, inaccurate information has been reported so frequently that it has some credence.

 

Let's face it, Carnival employees often give out information that is far from accurate. For example, last year before my Alaska cruise I called to ask a question and was informed I was required to have a passport to fly from Portland, Oregon to Anchorage, Alaska. The CS rep insisted that I would not be allowed to board the plane without a passport. :rolleyes:

[yogimax]

 

What makes you say they are pulling out?

 

I think we have to look at patterns and trends. All of Carnival's actions in the last two years or so have been aimed at cutting back on benefits and increasing short term profits.

 

Carnival replaced the Captain's Welcome Aboard Party with an underadvertised Farewell Party scheduled at a terrible time. They then canceled the whole thing.

 

Now we are seeing this program withdrawn from certain ships with the explanation that there are not enough trained staff. This explanation doesn't fly since all you have to do is train the staff!

 

The certificates are an expense to Carnival. In essence, they are directly losing $100 for a $100 certificate.

 

I may be totally wrong, and hope I am, but I see the beginning of the end to the future cruise certificate.

[Maxpilot]

DEJA VU! I had literally the exact same thing happen last week. Bought a FCC on the Ecstasy in June to use for our already booked cruise in September (we wanted to reduce our final payment and get OBC). Cruise desk guy said it was ok. My TA said it was ok. We submitted the form, it came back denied. I called Carnival, told them that both the guy on the Ecstasy selling me the certificate and my TA both said I could do it. They would not budge. I just got it refunded last week on the phone with Carnival and the refund posted to my CC on Friday. Bummer. So no OBC for us on Valor in a couple months :(

 

I have not decided whether to get a refund on my extra one yet. Might try to use both within the next two years but I like sailing other lines too and don't know if I want to do Carnival twice more in the next two years.

 

They are deceiving us a little when you buy them I think. I asked the FCC representative point blank that I wanted to use one on my next already booked cruise and he basically told me how to get around the system to do it... only to be wrong about that. They are refundable, so I may go that route if I can't find the time to cruise on Carnival. :(

[firefly333]

Now we are seeing this program withdrawn from certain ships with the explanation that there are not enough trained staff. This explanation doesn't fly since all you have to do is train the staff!.

 

I have seen only the opposite. I have not seen it withdrawn from even one ship, none.

 

I have seen it spread from 4 ships to now all but 3 ships.

 

I went to the talk on Triumph, brand new rep, never cruised before, but at least he seemed pretty smart, used to sell stocks I think.

 

I admit I go to the talks to see how good or bad the reps are, and maybe they have trouble finding folks who want to cruise on the same ship for long periods of time. Maybe its not a job they can get everyone to take??

 

I dont think the fact that these folks dont give out the best info means much, as the problem is they dont have to see the folks they book later on.. they might not even know the problems their misinformation causes, as once off the ship, the folks never talk to them again? A regular PVP would get feedback .. fast.. but not these booking agents. They see yuo for a week and you are off the ship...gone, no way to contact them if you are upset.

[afcj1]

Not sure what you mean by "within 7 days..." Are you saying you see the OBC on your cruise documents or that you submitted it electronically and it appeared to go through? I've read that it will appear to go through but people have posted they later received an email that it was rejected since the FCC was purchased after the cruise was booked. If you actually see the OBC on your cruise documents then you lucked out!

 

When you submit the FCC electronically, you'll receive an email stating that it was received and pending review. Then another email stating that it was approved (in my case) or disapproved. The 7 days I referred to was how recently the transaction was completed. My TA confirmed the OBC and the $100 credit applied to my credit card, since I was already past their final payment.

[candigirl]

We bought them on the Inspiration in February. Booked our Splendor cruise in March. No problem, just let our PVP know- faxed acopy over, and saw the onboard credit on our account within a few days.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

When you submit the FCC electronically, you'll receive an email stating that it was received and pending review. Then another email stating that it was approved (in my case) or disapproved. The 7 days I referred to was how recently the transaction was completed. My TA confirmed the OBC and the $100 credit applied to my credit card, since I was already past their final payment.

 

 

Well, good for you! That's the first I've heard in quite a long time that someone was successful applying one to an already booked cruise--it used to be no problem, but they've been following their own rules for some time now.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

We bought them on the Inspiration in February. Booked our Splendor cruise in March. No problem, just let our PVP know- faxed acopy over, and saw the onboard credit on our account within a few days.

 

 

Someone posted that they were available on the Inspiration as recently as a few weeks ago. But, then, someone else posted that they've stopped offering them. I'll know next month. Hoping they still have them since some friends and I are talking about a 2014 Caribbean cruise on the Freedom and I'll want to book it before my Legend cruise next summer. :D

[firefly333]

Well, good for you! That's the first I've heard in quite a long time that someone was successful applying one to an already booked cruise--it used to be no problem, but they've been following their own rules for some time now.

 

thats not what the poster said? He said he booked past final payment and as such he paid in full as I have done myself .. so they refund your credit card for the amount.

 

he never alluded to having booked and bought the FCC and then had it applied to a already booked cruise which is what people are saying you cannot do.

 

I too have booked past final payment and thats how its done .. but I already have a stack of FCCs here at home to apply.

 

At least thats how I read his post .. nothing to do with booking a cruise then buying the FCC and then getting it applied .. he is simply talking about booking past final payment.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

thats not what the poster said? He said he booked past final payment and as such he paid in full as I have done myself .. so they refund your credit card for the amount.

 

he never alluded to having booked and bought the FCC and then had it applied to a already booked cruise which is what people are saying you cannot do.

 

I too have booked past final payment and thats how its done .. but I already have a stack of FCCs here at home to apply.

 

At least thats how I read his post .. nothing to do with booking a cruise then buying the FCC and then getting it applied .. he is simply talking about booking past final payment.

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure by "existing reservation" he was saying he had it applied to a cruise he already had booked:

 

 

I just now (within 7 days) had my FCC applied to an existing reservation (Sept). I processed it electronically on the CCL website and I'm booked through a TA.

 

 

Please don't send it in...apply it on line.

[girlscruise2011]

Not sure what you mean by "within 7 days..." Are you saying you see the OBC on your cruise documents or that you submitted it electronically and it appeared to go through? I've read that it will appear to go through but people have posted they later received an email that it was rejected since the FCC was purchased after the cruise was booked. If you actually see the OBC on your cruise documents then you lucked out!

 

I was one of the ones that received the email showing it was approved with the OBC and 10 mins later it was denied and taken back and I filed for it online, not through snail mail.

 

I told my PVP and she told me even though they are electronically processed, there is a person on the end that gives them a manual approval. Obviously, that person caught mine.

 

Oh well, I tried. Now I have another cruise I guess I have to book :D