Not booked Early Saver as requested while on board...being told will lose OBC

[CruisinCarps]

Hello all! We just got off the Magic, had a great time, and even booked our 2nd cruise while on board. I requested Early Saver for our next cruise, but was told that "none were available". (Was told this even before we said what ship/sailing date/etc.) I was also told by another cruiser that they were told the same thing. I thought that was extremely odd. So we booked anyways so we could get our OBC. Well, just to see...I went online while still onboard, and ES was indeed showing up for our cruise. (Service was spotty and the CCL website itself wasn't working before we had our 'future cruise' booking appointment, only afterwards.)

 

So we get off the ship today, and I called to verify that we were not booked ES as we requested. I asked to switch and the gentleman said no problem....but we would lose our $200 OBC. I told him what happened-that we were told incorrect info, etc...and then he proceeds to tell me that the ES rate only became available as of midnight. I know that was BS because I saw it available myself well before that time so I knew dealing with this guy wasn't going to help. How is that fair practice? Shouldnt we be able to get it switched, especially since we were told incorrectly? (The guy who booked us while onboard seemed in a hurry...and I am wondering if he just told us that to eliminate more work for himself, especially since he told others the same thing and he already had more appointments who showed up early and were waiting behind us.)

 

Has anyone had the same situation and been able to speak to someone who got it resolved? $200 OBC is a good bit of money to lose because of someone else's mistake. Thinking of calling back to see if i get the same answer...Thanks for your help!

[Jimmy Geegitz]

We booked a cruise while on board and then Early saver popped up a week after. I called about switching which the rep said we could but we would lose the OBC. I kept the OBC. We had 300 OBC.

[golfadj]

The people on board very often dont know what they are doing.

 

However at tme ES is not available.

 

Would call back and ask for a supervisor and maybe you will get lucky.

[okgirl]

The Carnival website that is available to the public often has incorrect information on it, including what appears to be the availability of ES.

 

There is no reason for the onboard rep to NOT book you ES if it was available in his system..........there is no advantage to him to withhold this information.

 

But as others have said, any booking incentives (OBC) that were available at the time you booked would not necessarily be available when you switch to ES. I've received lots of price drops with ES, but never in the $200 range, so I'd keep the current booking.

[Anyislandwilldo]

Looking for some advice on this. We are cruising in Feb and plan to book our next cruise while on board to get the on board credit. We are looking at an eight day in 2015 on the Splendor. Would like to book with ES as we always do but now I'm worried about booking on the cruise after reading about others problems booking on the ship. Of course we want the on board credit and ES. Any advice on how to approach the staff on the ship before I book? Thanks in advance.

[MNLIvin]

Hello all! We just got off the Magic, had a great time, and even booked our 2nd cruise while on board. I requested Early Saver for our next cruise, but was told that "none were available". (Was told this even before we said what ship/sailing date/etc.) I was also told by another cruiser that they were told the same thing. I thought that was extremely odd. So we booked anyways so we could get our OBC. Well, just to see...I went online while still onboard, and ES was indeed showing up for our cruise. (Service was spotty and the CCL website itself wasn't working before we had our 'future cruise' booking appointment, only afterwards.)

 

So we get off the ship today, and I called to verify that we were not booked ES as we requested. I asked to switch and the gentleman said no problem....but we would lose our $200 OBC. I told him what happened-that we were told incorrect info, etc...and then he proceeds to tell me that the ES rate only became available as of midnight. I know that was BS because I saw it available myself well before that time so I knew dealing with this guy wasn't going to help. How is that fair practice? Shouldnt we be able to get it switched, especially since we were told incorrectly? (The guy who booked us while onboard seemed in a hurry...and I am wondering if he just told us that to eliminate more work for himself, especially since he told others the same thing and he already had more appointments who showed up early and were waiting behind us.)

 

Has anyone had the same situation and been able to speak to someone who got it resolved? $200 OBC is a good bit of money to lose because of someone else's mistake. Thinking of calling back to see if i get the same answer...Thanks for your help!

 

We booked a TA while on board last March. Asked to have auto pay take final payment when it was due-always worked well for us in the past. Couple days before the TA had trouble printing cruise docs. so called Carnival and told we were cancelled. They had not done the draw, we got rebooked but it cost me $200 extra. Same guy did the same thing for the Hawaii trip we go on this week. Sent a letter to Carnival and they said enjoy future cruises but they are off the hook. Their employee goof up, my extra cost. Oh well, will move on and lesson learned.

[ibcnusoon]

We booked yesterday seeing the 50% off deposit and early saver.

 

I needed to book an aft-facing cabin and an interior. I noticed that the early saver was only available for cove balconies so I had to book past guest for the aft-extended. The interior was covered by early saver, so we booked that cabin under ES.

 

Weird, but maybe Carnival was fooling around with the class codes and only some have early saver and others don't?

Edited December 2, 2013 by ibcnusoon

[what to go here and there]

I tried last week to change our cruise (3 rooms) to early saver as the web site said it was available. No can do.. mistake on web site.. the web site was fixed the next day

 

Yesterday tried to change our cruise to early saver .... no can do ... got told all the rooms were sold out. They are not sold out, you can get the same class and cat. of room on past guest sale.. I said they are not sold out. They got a supervisor involved, then was told not all balcony rooms are avaiable for early saver.. Me----> say what. This is the first i have ever heard that only certain rooms now qualify for early saver..

 

 

I sure wish Carnival would get thier web site issues straightened up, give out proper information so no one has to second guess themselves, (they would most likely save a lot of money on wages if the staff were all properly trained with the correct information) no need to call back the second or third time to get same issue resolved. AND if they are only going to put certain rooms up for early saver be upfront and honest and put that in their blurb they have about early saver.

[cruisinfanatic]

I tried last week to change our cruise (3 rooms) to early saver as the web site said it was available. No can do.. mistake on web site.. the web site was fixed the next day

 

Yesterday tried to change our cruise to early saver .... no can do ... got told all the rooms were sold out. They are not sold out, you can get the same class and cat. of room on past guest sale.. I said they are not sold out. They got a supervisor involved, then was told not all balcony rooms are avaiable for early saver.. Me----> say what. This is the first i have ever heard that only certain rooms now qualify for early saver..

 

 

I sure wish Carnival would get thier web site issues straightened up, give out proper information so no one has to second guess themselves, (they would most likely save a lot of money on wages if the staff were all properly trained with the correct information) no need to call back the second or third time to get same issue resolved. AND if they are only going to put certain rooms up for early saver be upfront and honest and put that in their blurb they have about early saver.

just cancel and rebook online

[golfadj]

I tried last week to change our cruise (3 rooms) to early saver as the web site said it was available. No can do.. mistake on web site.. the web site was fixed the next day

 

Yesterday tried to change our cruise to early saver .... no can do ... got told all the rooms were sold out. They are not sold out, you can get the same class and cat. of room on past guest sale.. I said they are not sold out. They got a supervisor involved, then was told not all balcony rooms are avaiable for early saver.. Me----> say what. This is the first i have ever heard that only certain rooms now qualify for early saver..

 

 

I sure wish Carnival would get thier web site issues straightened up, give out proper information so no one has to second guess themselves, (they would most likely save a lot of money on wages if the staff were all properly trained with the correct information) no need to call back the second or third time to get same issue resolved. AND if they are only going to put certain rooms up for early saver be upfront and honest and put that in their blurb they have about early saver.

 

I would call back and ask or another supervisor

[ibcnusoon]

I would call back and ask or another supervisor

 

No, I see what he is saying. I'm finding the same issue when booking the Breeze in November 2014.

 

We need to book 2 cabins. We like aft-facing. I can only book aft facing using past-guest or regular rate.

 

When I click "balcony" for easy saver, only the cove balconies show availability. If I switch to past guest or another non-ES offer, I can book all balconies.

 

When I click "interior" I cannot book ES, it shows no availablilty. If I book "interior" using Past Guest or non-ES offer, I show availability all over the ship.

 

Carnival is picking and choosing cabins and catagories for Early Saver. Not all cabins show available under early saver, but do show available under past guest or a non-ES choosing.

[golfadj]

Looking for some advice on this. We are cruising in Feb and plan to book our next cruise while on board to get the on board credit. We are looking at an eight day in 2015 on the Splendor. Would like to book with ES as we always do but now I'm worried about booking on the cruise after reading about others problems booking on the ship. Of course we want the on board credit and ES. Any advice on how to approach the staff on the ship before I book? Thanks in advance.

 

Before you go to the desk go to the website and check pricing and make notes to make sure the people on board are giving you correct info. Than carefully check your receipt.

[Anyislandwilldo]

Before you go to the desk go to the website and check pricing and make notes to make sure the people on board are giving you correct info. Than carefully check your receipt.

 

 

Thanks much! Will make sure we have our p's and q's in line before we go to the desk.