Another "So Long, Carnival" thread...

[LHP]

As long as passengers are not under capacity (or in a handicapped cabin they do not need) ....(neither of which apply in this situation)....

 

then passengers should not be moved without their permission.

 

I did want to touch on the post about being confused why someone could not add a passenger to a "double" when it currently only held one person...

 

Just like cabins are capacity controlled....ships are also capacity controlled.

 

Especially on older ships, where they are still allowed to add a cot and put 5 people in a Quad and 4 people in a Triple, ships can reach their maximum guest capacity even without all the cabins being full.

 

We ran into this earlier this month....

 

but since they were just "close" and not maxed out yet....the IT guys opened up the bookings just long enough to book the 4 of us into a Quad and then closed it again.

[Silent Penguin]

That is really a kick in the pants.

 

So moving people without notifying them happens on CCL, too? It happened to us on our first Disney Cruise. We booked two adjacent oceanview rooms and it wasn't until I checked us in at the port that I learned we were moved to two connecting balcony rooms. The change must have made within days of the cruise. I had our travel documents already and had even checked our reservation online a week before the cruise. No complaints on that one since it was a desirable change. It never occurred to me, although it should have, until I read this thread that moves are sometimes an unwelcome surprise.

[NCTribeFan]

OK, so there aren't any more 8Fs. But the cruise should still not be at final payment if it isn't until November. I just made final payment today on my 10/27 leg.

 

So isn't it possible that someone could cancel an 8F or opt to upgrade?

 

Have you checked higher categories to see if there is availability? I'd ask for an aft-facing balcony, and use the wheelchair to get your cabinmate wherever needed.

 

Not ideal, but this appears to have been your PVP's fault.

 

When you got the price adjustment, you should've received a new confirmation. I know I'm a detail freak, but I check every document and I check every single place the cabin and category are shown in my docs. Errors are so much easier to fix if caught quickly.

 

Shouldn't be necessary, but PVPs are human, too, and sometimes they do mess up. Carnival should put you in a cabin in a higher category, even if the location isn't ideal.

[TowMater]

Bigman01:

 

Having just disembarked from the Magic yesterday, I'd recommend you RUN, not walk, but RUN to the nearest phone & cancel ur Nov 25th cruise. I'm almost certain that this accidental cabin change is the first of many disappointments u will more than likely experience if u sail on the Magic.

 

Too many cutbacks & downgrades on the Magic. Long, long list!!

 

Unless u happen to get lucky & get ur original cabin that u booked in the beginning, i feel that u will have a miserable cruise. (odds are against you; Carnival doesn't care about their passengers)

 

Not just because of the cabin mix-up... But for many reasons, I think you should definitely cancel. In fact, I'd seriously recommend trying a different cruise line. There is NOTHING magical about the Carnival Magic. :((

[Spudder]

Sorry to hear bigman01, unfortunately the days of superior customer service is going the way of the dinosaur no matter what industry we are discussing... Good luck in your other adventures, and may the waters always be smooth.....

[larkz]

Yep. That comes close to a (in Windows vernacular) "Fatal Error" in my opinion. End of relationship, no questions asked. Notwithstanding the cruise contract, which allows them to do anything they want, changing a room as a supposed "accident" and then holding firm when you call to get your original agreed upon accommodations reinstated is typical of Carnival's shoddy customer service. Who knows whether they suckered some nimrod into an upsell for hundreds of dollars, then simply squeezed you out. I've said it before, the administration in this company could learn a thing or two from their hardworking crew members.

 

This is where they suck big time. I'm not so sure the same BS wouldn't occur at another cruise line, but unlike most of the self-pitying whining and whimpering that goes on here, you have a legitimate red X issue in my opinion, and it would certainly make me reconsider my relationship with the cruise line.

[joeyancho]

so when you pay more at the dump or the nudie place for room specific with the room specific premium, and they give you a gty room, and you don't pay the qty rate, you just smile unabashedly?

 

Harsh!!! You mad bro?

[lopat08865]

I do want to say one thing here...I fully expected to get flamed because of this...although I wouldn't have liked it, I would have respected everyone's opinion, just like I would expect my opinion to be respected. And, to my surprise, there hasn't been any flaming - as a long-time member (but not a heavy poster), thank you all for the kind and respectful words and opinions. There has been a lot of negativity on the boards lately, and everyone that has responded up to this point deserves some praise. Thank you all! **applauds**

 

 

Applauding as well! :D

[imnance]

Did you ask if there were handicap cabins available? Perhaps they could've upgraded you.

 

I would've given them the opportunity to make it right. I think I would've asked them to please see what they could do to make that cabin mysteriously become available. Why couldn't they just "presto" move the people in it to somewhere else, since they had no problem moving you out?

 

If it was truly simply that the cabin was "convenient," and not truly a necessity, I'm not sure I'd cancel. I don't see that any 8Fs on Magic are even HC modified. Wouldn't a true HC cabin be better, for a wheelchair user, even if slightly less convenient?

 

Why in God's name should the OP have to jump through all those hoops? They booked a cabin and were moved "by mistake" by the PVP. Neither the PVP nor customer solutions were willing to fix it. The PVP screwed up, they should have been jumping through hoops to get it fixed.

 

Kudos to you OP. If more people spoke with their wallets, maybe more companies would listen.

[pe4all]

"he had to move me out of the room then put me back in it to adjust the price. But somehow, he "apparently forgot to move me back."

Sounds like your pvp cancelled your reservation to get the price drop, and then forgot to rebook you - then just stuck you in another cabin, maybe hoping you wouldn't notice it was a different one!! Did you get the price drop?? Definitely don't like how your pvp handled this. I still wouldn't let this go. I know it has left a bad taste in your mouth - but if you really want to go on this ship/this date I would call again - and send a registered letter to Customer Care explaining what happened. There is still plenty of time before the cruise for this to be rectified.

[GayleR]

I don't understand why they didn't just "move" whoever got your room.

 

At least one person is going to be PO'd, so it should be 2nd person who booked.

 

 

Exactly!!!!

[bigman01]

Why in God's name should the OP have to jump through all those hoops? They booked a cabin and were moved "by mistake" by the PVP. Neither the PVP nor customer solutions were willing to fix it. The PVP screwed up, they should have been jumping through hoops to get it fixed.

 

Kudos to you OP. If more people spoke with their wallets, maybe more companies would listen.

 

My thoughts also...it wasn't my mistake, and I feel I was reasonable in wanting what I paid for back again. As I've said, it was a mistake, I realize mistakes happen, but when I make a mistake, I do everything I possibly can to correct my mistake, even if it means I lose in the end. Too bad Carnival (and a lot of other businesses) no longer feel the same way instead of saying "I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do."

 

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Carnival won't get a chance to fool me twice. :D

[bigman01]

Applauding as well! :D

 

I'm still amazed at the responses to this. You folks have, without a doubt, restored my faith in Cruise Critic.

 

Thank you again!

[Irishlinny]

I'm still amazed at the responses to this. You folks have, without a doubt, restored my faith in Cruise Critic.

 

Thank you again!

Hey, a wrong is a wrong and there are still many of us (even on here) who realize that and sympathize. Carnival seems to be irritating many people of late (I have been one of those people), so the cheerleaders are dwindling. I am still giving them a chance, only because they have made things right, but I am open to other options now (which I wasn't before). The old "if it isn't broke, don't fix it" isn't holding true for me anymore because I have found some really loose wheels in the last year!;)

 

Wish you the best in your new vacation plans...I'm sure you'll meet some ex-pats on your adventures:p

[The4Cruisers]

I don't think it's a matter of the cheerleaders dwindling. I think most people "get it" that the OP was done wrong by the PVP and now CCL won't make things right. Even the most obstinant CCL poster has to understand the OP is in the right on this one.

 

Hate to see you go, OP. But fair seas to ya'!!!

[chill6x6]

I really hate to hear this happened to you... I know what a painstaking task it is to research cruise lines -> itineraries -> cruise dates -> cruise ships -> cabin selections can be. A lot of time and thought is invested, at least in my case. If I went thru all that trouble, picked out a cabin THEY said was available for the number of guests I entered, PAID the deposit for said cabin, printed out my cabin booking, and THEN they CHANGED ME TO ANOTHER FREAKING CABIN??? I would absolutely be over the top UPSET...which really isn't strong enough to express the way I would feel. Now they just want you to get over it and accept it or cancel your booking? That surely doesn't leave me with a warm fuzzy feeling about CCL OR my OWN booking Nov 2013! Hardly a day goes by I don't consider canceling that cruise and changed to another cruise line.

[TeamZambo]

I'm sorry this happened to you. My father is in a wheel chair and I would have done the same as you. Good luck.

[NCTribeFan]

I didn't suggest that the OP jump through hoops. I suggested that he give Carnival the option to make things right.

 

My first post was before OP stated that his PVP admitted to making the error. Guess those hoops that had to be jumped through to get a few dollars price drop turned out to not be worth it after all!

 

So since that cabin was apparently available, and someone else booked it, they should be thrown out? It wasn't their fault that the PVP screwed up, either!

 

Between the original call and hang up and the call back to talk to someone else, I just think OP should've gone online, found out what else was available, and given Carnival some options to make it right. And request some sort of compensation for their error. This is one of the few times that I would request an upgrade AND compensation.

 

Are those 8F cabins really so far apart that it is a make-or-break thing? If the travel companion with mobility issues would find it difficult to walk those few extra steps, why not just make them comfortable and use the wheelchair? :confused:

 

No one is saying that OP is wrong to be upset. But throwing equally-innocent people out of a cabin isn't the solution, either. You should always have some alternate solutions to offer customer service before you call. Make it easier for them to make it right for you!

[H82seaUgo]

I didn't suggest that the OP jump through hoops. I suggested that he give Carnival the option to make things right.

 

My first post was before OP stated that his PVP admitted to making the error. Guess those hoops that had to be jumped through to get a few dollars price drop turned out to not be worth it after all!

 

So since that cabin was apparently available, and someone else booked it, they should be thrown out? It wasn't their fault that the PVP screwed up, either!

 

Between the original call and hang up and the call back to talk to someone else, I just think OP should've gone online, found out what else was available, and given Carnival some options to make it right. And request some sort of compensation for their error. This is one of the few times that I would request an upgrade AND compensation.

 

Are those 8F cabins really so far apart that it is a make-or-break thing? If the travel companion with mobility issues would find it difficult to walk those few extra steps, why not just make them comfortable and use the wheelchair? :confused:

 

No one is saying that OP is wrong to be upset. But throwing equally-innocent people out of a cabin isn't the solution, either. You should always have some alternate solutions to offer customer service before you call. Make it easier for them to make it right for you!

 

there are SO many things that could have been done to satisfy both parties, and how much free advertising ccl could have gotten had either party come along and posted a success story.

 

now all this is doing is putting a bad taste in most people mouths and supporting the "carnival can't even make toast" mis-organization it has become.

 

2012 is not turning out to be a good year for carnival cruisers. i'm beginning to think it's the company that needs to go in for carpool tunnel syndrome, both extremities, as the right no longer knows what the left is doing.

[CCLMischelle]

Yep, another Carnival repeat cruiser has had enough.

 

I was booked on Carnival Magic on 11/25/12...booked it a few weeks ago. I booked a specific cabin because of the convenient location. One of my guests is in a wheelchair, and the cabin I booked and paid for was very convenient for her. While musing over my booking online Friday evening, I discovered that, without my knowledge, we had been moved to a less desirable (and less convenient for her) location.

 

I called my PVP this morning, got his voice mail and left a message. Got no response, so I waited an hour and called back. He answered, and looked into my booking, and said yes, he had moved me, but he couldn't explain why other than to say it was "done in error". After going back and forth for a few minutes, with him telling me there was "nothing he could do" since there were no other cabins available in a Cat 8F. I asked to speak to a supervisor, he offered to have one call me back when he could. No thanks....I'm on the phone now, put me through to a supervisor instead of having one call me back. He wouldn't do it.

 

So I hung up, called the 800 number, explained what was going on the the lady that answered, and she transferred me to Guest Solutions. The lady I spoke with looked back at all the notes/comments on the booking, then admitted that yes, I was moved by mistake. She was very apologetic, but I was again told there was nothing they could do, and my options were to wait and see if another room opened up after final payment, move to a different room on a different deck, or cancel the cruise.

 

Sure, I could have waited to see if a better room opened up after final payment, but if one doesn't, since it would be after final payment, I couldn't cancel without penalty. Not an option. And again, I booked that specific room on that specific deck because of the convience for my guest who is in a wheelchair. So, moving to a different deck was not an option. Which left me with one option - cancel.

 

It's a shame that customer service at Carnival has deteriorated so much, and continues to do so. It seems like, from my experience as well as others' on the board, that customer service is spiralling downward.

 

I'm not a new cruiser, and don't consider myself to be overly demanding - I just expect to get what I booked and paid for. This would have been my 11th cruise with Carnival, so while I know what to expect (and what NOT to expect) from Carnival, I'm still disappointed that this has happened.

 

I saw a thread the other day that basically said Carnival no longer cares about repeat cruisers...they are solely focused on new cruisers. After this experience, I'm convinced that that has, unfortunately, become reality.

 

I hope that all of you who are booked (or will be booking) with Carnival never experience the lack of customer service that is becoming more common with Carnival every day.

 

Here's hoping for warm weather and smooth seas for all of you that are cruising soon!

 

Hi bigman01 -

 

I'm sorry to hear you have experienced this while booking with us. If you'd like to email me the details of your booking, I'd be happy to look into it for you.

 

Please email cclsupport@carnival.com and put it to my attention.

 

I'll look forward to hearing from you.

[maruba]

Sorry not understanding this thread. Still hunting for explanations and understanding of Early Saver discounts, price drops, OBC etc so I apologise if I am posting in the wrong spot/thread. I noticed in one post the original poster stated

"The explanation my PVP gave me is that when I called for a price adjustment 3-4 weeks ago, he had to move me out of the room then put me back in it to adjust the price. But somehow, he "apparently forgot to move me back." Yes, mistakes happen, I know that. But as I said in the original post, all I want is what I paid for, which I no longer have."

 

Is it not possible that between the request for the price drop which required the cancellation and the rebooking that room had been booked by somebody else, and would not the cheaper price reflect adjustments. I gather if you receive an upgrade you pay for it. Therefore I am confused by the statements by many that "I just want what I paid for" but want the price drops too! Is there somewhere I can find an explanation for how the system works?

 

I booked Early Saver in a guaranteed room and am now checking everyday that I still have my room. Paid in full 12 months ago but am concerned. (and no never applied for OBC or whatever when there were price changes as I just dont understand how the system works and happy to pay the original price for my room).

[fan1080]

Cheers!

[Irishlinny]

Hi bigman01 -

 

I'm sorry to hear you have experienced this while booking with us. If you'd like to email me the details of your booking, I'd be happy to look into it for you.

 

Please email cclsupport@carnival.com and put it to my attention.

 

I'll look forward to hearing from you.

Now THIS is AWESOME!!! Mischelle to the rescue!!:D John once told me that Carnival reads these boards, and he wasn't lying;)

 

Bigman, hope you're able to rectify it...Mischelle is very good at what she does!:)

[Irishlinny]

Sorry not understanding this thread. Still hunting for explanations and understanding of Early Saver discounts, price drops, OBC etc so I apologise if I am posting in the wrong spot/thread. I noticed in one post the original poster stated

"The explanation my PVP gave me is that when I called for a price adjustment 3-4 weeks ago, he had to move me out of the room then put me back in it to adjust the price. But somehow, he "apparently forgot to move me back." Yes, mistakes happen, I know that. But as I said in the original post, all I want is what I paid for, which I no longer have."

 

Is it not possible that between the request for the price drop which required the cancellation and the rebooking that room had been booked by somebody else, and would not the cheaper price reflect adjustments. I gather if you receive an upgrade you pay for it. Therefore I am confused by the statements by many that "I just want what I paid for" but want the price drops too! Is there somewhere I can find an explanation for how the system works?

 

I booked Early Saver in a guaranteed room and am now checking everyday that I still have my room. Paid in full 12 months ago but am concerned. (and no never applied for OBC or whatever when there were price changes as I just dont understand how the system works and happy to pay the original price for my room).

The whole point of booking ES is to be able to take advantage of any price drops that occur before you sail. So if you see the price go down for your category of cabin (4C, 7E, etc), then you can apply for on-baord credit (OBC) since you have paid in full. So if you originally paid 900 and the category price goes down to 850, you can get $50 OBC per person....you have to send in the request for it. If the price of a higher category of cabin ends up at the price you paid, you can upgrade to it if you wish, as long as there is a cabin available. When someone applies for the OBC, this should never effect their cabin choice. This is the first I've heard where the Carnival employee had to cancel and rebook a person to get that credit...sounds odd to me. Hope that helps you. It's all about the pricing of the cruise and how it fluctuates...it's not like you're trying to cheat anyone. If the cruise isn't as popular and they are having trouble booking certain cabins, they will lower the price (and sometimes only for a short while) of that category. If you don't want to take advantage of the price break, that's fine, but we saved almost $600 on a suite one time...well worth watching it;)

[jonbgd]

Now THIS is AWESOME!!! Mischelle to the rescue!!:D John once told me that Carnival reads these boards, and he wasn't lying;)

 

Bigman, hope you're able to rectify it...Mischelle is very good at what she does!:)

Wow........ There might be hope for Carnival yet