Really irritated by Carnival right now

[Smiling Cruiser]

Are you kidding? No disrespect meant but until I found cruise critic I didn't even know that there was such a thing as a PVP. Rarely has anyone told you how to find one. Certainly not anyone at the 1-800 number and here you can't share the name of yours.

 

Once you find one, you'll never know how good he/she is until you have a problem. If you never have a problem they are all excellent.

 

As for being the best informed cruiser, if anyone is that good why are we here and not out seeking a drink of the day? I think the name of the website is Cruise Critic not Cruiser Critic.

[kristie64063]

I have sailed several times on Carnival and I'm sailing on the Breeze in July and booked Early Saver.....everytime there has been a price drop I have been given the run around to avoid giving it to me. I have had several mistakes happen and each time I'm told they will make a note to give that employee some more training....now I fully understand why people say you can call 5 agents and get several different answers. Not too impressed

 

This is my second cruise with Carnival and I booked ES both times. I've had multiple price drops each cruise, and every time I've called, I've had no issues getting it dropped and an immediate credit. :confused:

 

I guess everyone has their own experience...

[Green Boy]

we had a price drop last year, but the NEW price had different conditions, one was they were no OBC with the new price. so it was in our best interest to keep the same booking and keep the OBC and forget the price drop...

 

who wants to give up 150.00 in OBC for a 50.00 price drop ??? Not Me...

[crusinpsychRN]

Just the other day I called to move my cabin, same category, no price difference. The lady said I couldn't b/c it was a cabin for 3 and I'm solo. The cabin I originally booked is for 4. She still said no! Asked for a supervisor, then she made the requested change...

 

Applied for a rate drop once and lost my OBC. After asking on Cruise Critic if that was correct I was told no, it shouldn't have been taken. So I called back and had it put back in place after talking to 3 people!!

[missdebi]

You really do have to be thick skinned on these boards~there is a learning curve involved with everything, do you really need to be SO negative and snarky. I have cruised 17 times and used a TA for the first 5 never ever knew about the different rates until I decided to book myself through the website and I still am learning~every single day! I know from personal experience positive reinforcement works so much better than negative bashing.

[CruisinCarps]

Exactly. These boards are here to help people out.

[NCTribeFan]

And that's what we're saying! You sign up here to learn about various aspects of cruising. We're not just a bunch of big meanies! :p

 

Use the wealth of information that is provided here and elsewhere on the internet!

 

Of course there's a learning curve. But IF you do your homework, you make yourself a much-better informed consumer. Then, if you call and get someone who you KNOW doesn't know what they're talking about (like I did), you can correct them, or hang up and call someone who does know what they're talking about.

 

But until you know, you don't know whether they're giving you the right info or not.

[twentyknots]

The OP has more patience than I do. The whole mess seems overly complicated and unnecessary to me. If the rules are that straightforward, why would several Carnival customer service reps and supervisors get so confused? Don't they have an equal responsibility to be informed? I would think that Carnival's customer service would take just a minute to inform the caller that getting the lower price might change the OBC and deposit. Isn't that information readily available on their screens? How difficult could it be for someone who does this every day to avoid these misunderstandings for the CUSTOMER?

 

I booked my first ES a few months ago, mainly because Carnival doesn't seem to offer past guests rates anymore. If my price drops I'll let my TA deal with this can of worms.

[Garycruz]

OMG people. Really think the CEO of Carnival needs to get involved? :rolleyes:

 

OP, YOU are the customer so YOU need to know what you're buying.

 

I called on Sunday because I could upgrade from an inside to a balcony for $15. I've had the same PVP for years and adore him but just hate to call him on his day off.

 

The poor woman I spoke with tried really hard to help but she just didn't get it. I was online, doing a "mock" booking for 1 person and aft balcony cabins that hold 3 were showing as available.

 

First she said she could put me in a balcony but I'd lose my $100 OBC. No. That is a shareholder credit and has nothing to do with any fare code or prior rate drop.

 

Then she said she couldn't move me to any of the aft balcony cabins because they all hold 3 or more and they are capacity controlled. Mind you, this is one week before sailing and almost every single aft was showing as available. She put me on hold several times and finally said she'd have to call me back as they were very busy and she needed a supervisor's help.

 

She called back in about 20 minutes and said the same thing. I fold her I'd just wait until Monday and see if one of the 2-person cabins became available.

 

After I hung up, I emailed my PVP and asked him to call me on Monday.

 

He did and said he'd just sent me my new cabin confirmation and just needed my card number for the additional $15.

 

I was 100% correct about it all - no loss of OBC and those 3 & 4 people cabins WERE available or else they would've have shown up for a 1-person booking. He also said that my OBC would've shown up over night. That they go away when there's a change and unless whomever manually refreshes something, they go away but return.

 

Get yourself a PVP and get yourself informed about the various rates and what happens when you request a change but you've booked under a special fare or a reduced deposit.

 

If you can find the time to tell us your story, you can find the time to become a well-informed consumer and cruiser!

 

Research is indeed a good thing. For example, if you did even a minimal amount of research you would have seen that the OP is new to Cruise Critic making many of your points moot. Aside from that, isn't that what these boards are for? It seems to me the perfect place to ask a question such as this. Your post seems unnecessarily harsh and is exactly the type of response that causes so many threads to dissolve into discord instead of constructive assistance.

[CruisinCarps]

Research is indeed a good thing. For example, if you did even a minimal amount of research you would have seen that the OP is new to Cruise Critic making many of your points moot. Aside from that, isn't that what these boards are for? It seems to me the perfect place to ask a question such as this. Your post seems unnecessarily harsh and is exactly the type of response that causes so many threads to dissolve into discord instead of constructive assistance.

 

I agree 100%. :)

[Aquaman#1]

Research is indeed a good thing. For example, if you did even a minimal amount of research you would have seen that the OP is new to Cruise Critic making many of your points moot. Aside from that, isn't that what these boards are for? It seems to me the perfect place to ask a question such as this. Your post seems unnecessarily harsh and is exactly the type of response that causes so many threads to dissolve into discord instead of constructive assistance.

BRAVO!!! So true!!! Seems too often folks are ready to pounce. :mad:

[missdebi]

And that's what we're saying! You sign up here to learn about various aspects of cruising. We're not just a bunch of big meanies! :p

 

 

 

Use the wealth of information that is provided here and elsewhere on the internet!

 

 

 

Of course there's a learning curve. But IF you do your homework, you make yourself a much-better informed consumer. Then, if you call and get someone who you KNOW doesn't know what they're talking about (like I did), you can correct them, or hang up and call someone who does know what they're talking about.

 

 

 

But until you know, you don't know whether they're giving you the right info or not.

 

 

No "we" are not a bunch of meanies only a few. Like I said positive reinforcement not a slap on the hand. There was absolutely NO need to talk down to the OP. I agree completely about doing our homework and being informed it was the nature of your answer.

[IPlayWithString]

No advice but I feel your pain. Spent two hours online with Barnes and Noble cust. svc over something and not only did they NOT answer my questions, but I had to keep reconnecting to their online cust svc chat because they kept hanging up on me (closing the chat window for no reason)! :mad:

[PoppyandNana]

OMG people. Really think the CEO of Carnival needs to get involved? :rolleyes:

 

OP, YOU are the customer so YOU need to know what you're buying.

 

I called on Sunday because I could upgrade from an inside to a balcony for $15. I've had the same PVP for years and adore him but just hate to call him on his day off.

 

The poor woman I spoke with tried really hard to help but she just didn't get it. I was online, doing a "mock" booking for 1 person and aft balcony cabins that hold 3 were showing as available.

 

First she said she could put me in a balcony but I'd lose my $100 OBC. No. That is a shareholder credit and has nothing to do with any fare code or prior rate drop.

 

Then she said she couldn't move me to any of the aft balcony cabins because they all hold 3 or more and they are capacity controlled. Mind you, this is one week before sailing and almost every single aft was showing as available. She put me on hold several times and finally said she'd have to call me back as they were very busy and she needed a supervisor's help.

 

She called back in about 20 minutes and said the same thing. I fold her I'd just wait until Monday and see if one of the 2-person cabins became available.

 

After I hung up, I emailed my PVP and asked him to call me on Monday.

 

He did and said he'd just sent me my new cabin confirmation and just needed my card number for the additional $15.

 

I was 100% correct about it all - no loss of OBC and those 3 & 4 people cabins WERE available or else they would've have shown up for a 1-person booking. He also said that my OBC would've shown up over night. That they go away when there's a change and unless whomever manually refreshes something, they go away but return.

 

Get yourself a PVP and get yourself informed about the various rates and what happens when you request a change but you've booked under a special fare or a reduced deposit.

 

If you can find the time to tell us your story, you can find the time to become a well-informed consumer and cruiser!

 

I cannot agree more. Too many people rely on others to hand feed them information: where to go and when. What cruise line to go on. What type of cabin to book, when to book it. What time to eat and where.

 

I just can't possibly imagine anyone, willing to drop $5 to $7 thousand dollars on a vacation, then rely on to others to put it all together for them.

 

On the internet there are reviews, discussions and expert commentary on different cruise lines, deck plans, cabin types, basic cruise terminology and much more. For that matter Barnes and Noble and the public library have extensive resources on cruising. Travel agents serve a useful role in the process but their recommendations may not be totally for your best interest. The reality is travel agents get different commissions from different service providers. Great to seek input from any resource, including CC. But at the end of the day it's your 5 grand.

 

Is there any TA that has sailed on every ship, on every line to every destination in the world? For that matter, what TA has been on every river cruise line, every land tour operator? I think not. Therefore where do travel agents get their information? For the most part from the same sources available to the traveler. Granted they spend more time in one day on travel matters than most of us do in a week. But, at the end of the day it's still your 5 grand. How can a brick and mortar TA, in an hour or so, learn enough about you to match you, objectively, with a cruise experience that will overwhelm you?

 

To the poster than made some comparison of cruises and brain surgery. Well, what can I say.

 

We have been on over twenty five cruises, I know, a small fraction for you Zenith Plus or whatever you are. For each cruise, after our research we call a number of online travel agents and ask for their price for x ship, on x date, for x cabin. By choice we never take a guarantee. 90% of our cruises have been on Celebrity because we like the cabins,the service, the food and the perks we get as an Elite. Now doesn't that sound pompous? Wish X had Silver, Gold etc. rather than: "I'm Elite." Did I forget to mention the waffles on X?

[Sarah@Sea]

Yes, I've requested a price drop, yes I've had OBC issues...but no, never experienced the same customer service issues as you because I have a PVP so I always speak to the same person when I call or email and things were corrected immediately.

[Georgiagolfer]

To the OP, I noticed that you joined Cruise Critic last month, so welcome. As for different fares, rules, etc., yes CCL does have these, but so does all lines. DW and I have been on 23 cruises, but we still learn things all the time. We have not "arrived" to where we are super consumers who may be aware/knowledgeable of all fare rules.

 

While CCL can remove the OBC based on your new booking rules, I firmly believe you (as the consumer) should be told this by the CCL agent. This is the biggest complaint I read about customer service. They see the OBC going away, but do not give this info and thus you and I the customer find out about changes after the fact.

[Cruiser IMA]

In this age of instant-access to many things and many means with which to educate yourself, there's no reason to not understand what's going on. Really. There isn't.

 

Self-diagnosing a medical symptom is hardly the same as understanding what you're doing when you book your cruise. :rolleyes:

 

There's a reason people use a PVP. They DO know what they're doing. Some are better than others. Most are very good at what they do.

 

Use that expertise rather than call the generic 800 number. And educate yourself on the product you're buying. Caveat emptor, you know.

 

As I pointed out, not all Carnival employees are the same (which I already knew but experienced first hand the other day). Yes, it would be nice if they ALL understood exactly what they were doing. But I'm not sure it was the Carnival employee who was in error. As others have pointed out, the deposit rules change under some circumstances.

 

If you're going to sign up here, then you should actually do some reading. I don't book ES often and have never booked a reduced deposit. But I know there are been MANY threads about both explaining what happens when you want to make changes. I've read lots of these threads and they don't even apply to me!

 

But then, I prefer to understand as much as possible. Others can't be bothered, but they can certainly find plenty of time to complain.

 

Research is indeed a good thing. For example, if you did even a minimal amount of research you would have seen that the OP is new to Cruise Critic making many of your points moot. Aside from that, isn't that what these boards are for? It seems to me the perfect place to ask a question such as this. Your post seems unnecessarily harsh and is exactly the type of response that causes so many threads to dissolve into discord instead of constructive assistance.

 

NCTribeFan, you can keep your petulant holier than remarks to yourself, I didn't join a message board to be talked down to, it must make you feel really good to be so condescending on a message board.

 

My original post wasn't to complain, it was to express frustration, share my experience,and get advise which is what I believe this board is for. Now I know you're going to say what you gave is advise, but I'm sure you are very much aware of how your replies come across, and if berating people you will never meet on a message board makes you feel good about yourself then you have bigger issues than replying to my thread.

 

I am very much new to this board and cruising in general as this will be my first, and if you read through you will even see that I asked how does one get a PVP. I try to get as much info as possible which is how I even knew to call to get a price drop, but I do have the expectancy that when I call the business I am dealing with that their employees will be more knowledgable about their product and share that information with me the comsumer. But what upset me the most was that somehow my crusie was cancelled without ever getting any type of notification or warning that this was going to happen, if I had been told I needed to make an additional deposit it would have been made.

 

As far as reading through threads, I have read a lot, even plenty that have no bearing on anything I want to do/know just to see others experieces, but as you can see I have not replied in almost a week as I have a life outside of this board and I am not constantly on it.

 

To everyone else that offered your experiences and suggestions, thank you very much, and I'm glad to say that after e-mailing Vicky in guest services, who was also very much appalled by my whole situation/experience, she was able to rectify the issue for me.

[CruisinCarps]

OP...this board is usually very helpful.... So please continue to come back for advice and sharing your experiences - good or bad. I have found lots of helpful info on here. Just have to try* to ignore the holier than thou people. ;)

[Cruiser IMA]

OP...this board is usually very helpful.... So please continue to come back for advice and sharing your experiences - good or bad. I have found lots of helpful info on here. Just have to try* to ignore the holier than thou people. ;)

 

Thanks and I definetly will

[Disconnections]

NCTribeFan, you can keep your petulant holier than remarks to yourself, I didn't join a message board to be talked down to, it must make you feel really good to be so condescending on a message board.

 

My original post wasn't to complain, it was to express frustration, share my experience,and get advise which is what I believe this board is for. Now I know you're going to say what you gave is advise, but I'm sure you are very much aware of how your replies come across, and if berating people you will never meet on a message board makes you feel good about yourself then you have bigger issues than replying to my thread.

 

I am very much new to this board and cruising in general as this will be my first, and if you read through you will even see that I asked how does one get a PVP. I try to get as much info as possible which is how I even knew to call to get a price drop, but I do have the expectancy that when I call the business I am dealing with that their employees will be more knowledgable about their product and share that information with me the comsumer. But what upset me the most was that somehow my crusie was cancelled without ever getting any type of notification or warning that this was going to happen, if I had been told I needed to make an additional deposit it would have been made.

 

As far as reading through threads, I have read a lot, even plenty that have no bearing on anything I want to do/know just to see others experieces, but as you can see I have not replied in almost a week as I have a life outside of this board and I am not constantly on it.

 

To everyone else that offered your experiences and suggestions, thank you very much, and I'm glad to say that after e-mailing Vicky in guest services, who was also very much appalled by my whole situation/experience, she was able to rectify the issue for me.

 

I'm glad reaching out to Vicky Rey was able to help you come to a resolution that you were satisfied with. She is very good with handling issues that guests encounter. Have a wonderful cruise!

[Big_G]

OP,

Welcome to Cruise Critic. Don't be dismayed by the high pony riders. I've read the same complaint repeatedly on these boards. You're not the first and won't be the last. I don't understand why they can't fix this problem although if you continue following these boards, you'll find that technology is not exactly Carnival or any other line's forte. Too bad you had to learn the ropes the hard way and take some heat as well. Usually we're more helpful. Happy cruising. :)

[Cruiser IMA]

OP,

Welcome to Cruise Critic. Don't be dismayed by the high pony riders. I've read the same complaint repeatedly on these boards. You're not the first and won't be the last. I don't understand why they can't fix this problem although if you continue following these boards, you'll find that technology is not exactly Carnival or any other line's forte. Too bad you had to learn the ropes the hard way and take some heat as well. Usually we're more helpful. Happy cruising. :)

 

Thank you, it's like others have stated, everyone you call tells you something different. I think what I will do the next time I call in is ask for a PVP, that way I'm talking to one person consistantly.

[Warm Breezes]

I have sailed several times on Carnival and I'm sailing on the Breeze in July and booked Early Saver.....everytime there has been a price drop I have been given the run around to avoid giving it to me. I have had several mistakes happen and each time I'm told they will make a note to give that employee some more training....now I fully understand why people say you can call 5 agents and get several different answers. Not too impressed

 

This is why I like my TA. I sent them a print screen of the price I was matching and they took care of dealing with Carnival. I always had my price match within the next day....sometimes within hours it was showing up. Our last Freedom cruise I had at least 5 price drops each on 2 different rooms that he took care of for me. All I had to do was a screen shot.

[Scotch Mist]

Quick question - I got $50 OBC as we booked our upcoming cruise whilst on our Splendor cruise in January. If we get a price drop, do we loose the $50?

 

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Forums mobile app

[hftmrock]

Quick question - I got $50 OBC as we booked our upcoming cruise whilst on our Splendor cruise in January. If we get a price drop, do we loose the $50?

 

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Forums mobile app

 

it depends.

 

What sale is this booked under?

How did you get the $50 OBC?

 

 

Then it depends on what sale has the lower price. For instance if you booked under early saver and the price lowers for early saver with the same OBC then you wont lose it.

 

Typically , If you see a lower price and its not the same sale, you will probably lose the $50 OBC (If the 50. OBC was a result of the sale)