What Happens When....

[Raven Days]

I have 3 cabins on the Magic for April 2015. I have paid for all 3. My daughter is getting married in Nassau during the cruise, so she wanted her father to come along. After have a good stiff drink, I relented to her pleas. The kicker was "mom he cant afford it, can you pay for him"? I needed another drink. And for the sake of our daughters happiness, I did. So now here we are and her father wants to drop out of the cruise. He is ill. I know thats why. We just found out that he would need O2 for the cruise (which is not a issue for the cruise lines but it is for the airlines)....and evidently it would be too big of a hassle for him to fly to Texas and have O2 waiting for him here. So he wants to cancel. The problem is, he is booked into the same cabin as our son and our son's girlfriend. I told everyone that they were responsible for their own trip insurance, which evidently was not something he considered.

 

So my question is this...What should I do? Should I call Carnival and cancel him or just show up at the port and swear I dont know where he is? I only owe $200 on the cabin now and I am afraid if I cancel him out, there will be an additional cost. I am in over $10k already with the cabins and everything and I will need an entire bottle of alcohol if I have to spend more on him!

 

Please help!

[irishnyc]

We need more details. What fare code did you book under? Early Saver? Resident discount?

 

Look at it this way - if he's not coming, you won't need to spend another $10k on booze to deal with him during the cruise. ;)

[Davey Wavey]

The big downside of telling Carnival in advance is they may move your room. They have you as needing a 3 person room, and very well may move you to a 2 person room if you cancel him. You could wait until the cruise, but look at your contract and understand they have the right to charge you a fee if he doesn't show up. BUT I don't remember reading of them charging anything except for on free cruise no shows.

[bury me at sea]

Can you book someone in his place? Buy another bottle.

[Raven Days]

We need more details. What fare code did you book under? Early Saver? Resident discount?

 

Look at it this way - if he's not coming, you won't need to spend another $10k on booze to deal with him during the cruise. ;)

 

I booked Early Saver. And I told his children that if he made me nuts...it was man overboard! :eek:

[GTO-Girl]

If your cruise is not until April 2015 then you are before final payment. I would cancel him and get that money back, since you are the one who paid.

 

Hopefully you did NOT book Early Saver because that is non-cancelable.

 

Good luck!!!!

[klfrodo]

You're already all-in at over $10K

 

You "WIN" nothing by cancelling and possibly cause a problem

IF he changes his mind 30 days before the cruise,,, you LOSE your mind

 

This is about what your daughter wants for her wedding.

If you cancel now, then he changes his mind and you can't get him on the ship again,,, you're the bad person.

If you keep the reservation, he doesn't show,,,,, it's on him

 

Keep him on the reservation. If he doesn't show, you're out less than 10%. Insurance couldn't beat that return

Edited November 7, 2014 by klfrodo

[mrpayroll]

I booked Early Saver. And I told his children that if he made me nuts...it was man overboard! :eek:

 

If your cruise is not until April 2015 then you are before final payment. I would cancel him and get that money back, since you are the one who paid.

 

Hopefully you did NOT book Early Saver because that is non-cancelable.

 

Good luck!!!!

 

She said she booked early saver.

[Carnival_Brides]

We had this happen on our cruise wedding. Four members of my wife's family didn't make the ship and we paid for all of them. They were booked ES (never doing that again for someone else!), there was no insurance (their "reasons" weren't covered), and we were in penalty.

 

Did you by chance book any of your cabins with a PVP or TA who might be able to tell you the best case/worst case and give you some options? Our PVP worked with us to make the situation a little nicer (moved guests around, so we had access to an empty cabin/wedding supply closet).

Edited November 7, 2014 by Carnival_Brides

[naz022292]

Wish I could help - but did want to say, "what a good mom"! Hope your daughter has the wedding of her dreams and a long and happy marriage!

[springs741]

Even if booked Early Saver you can cancel him out of the room. You are well before final payment and not yet inside the penalty phase. Your $200 deposit is held for future cruise and there is a $50 fee. (so really $150 is held and you are out $50).

 

As to the poster that mentioned that Carnival might change rooms. It is far enough from cruise date that if they need / want to change rooms now is the time.

 

Another poster suggested just leaving him on in case he changes his mind. If it were me I think I would go with that option. You are out the money but your daughters wish of having daddy be there could still be accomplished.

 

Not in any way shape or form meaning this as a flame to the OP. This my friends is why you don't pay for some one else's cruise. The have nothing vested in the cruise and change their minds. OP was trying to make her daughter happy by including Dad and now all she got was problems.

[sailor_jimc]

I agree with what Springs said except to add that if his name is on the reservation, and you cancel him the $200 can only be used on a furture cruise by HIM (even if you paid for it). So it doesn't matter at this point financially to you. You are not going to get any of that back for your use. You said earlier that there are 3 people in this cabin. SO if he cancels, the other 2 end up paying full fare (as right now one is booked at 3rd person rate). So it boils down to how much MORE you owe at final payment for his fare. If it does not canel out what the extra the 2nd and 3rd person would have to pay due to the 3rd going to a 2nd person in the cabin then leave it as it.

If you can save some money by cancelling him and not having to pay the remainder of his fare then I would wait until final payment (70 days out?) before cancelling to give him time to change his mind so that you don't look like the bad guy (gal). Tell your daughter that if she wants him there she has until final payment date to convince him to deal with the 02 issue (which is solvable since I see o2 tanks on cruise ships all the time) Then you could save a little bit of money by canceling him at final payment. This way it's on your daughter and him and you won't look like the bad guy (or gal in this case) And she will find out for herself how much he wants to be there for her.

[Herbaltees]

I booked Early Saver. And I told his children that if he made me nuts...it was man overboard! :eek:

 

I say cancel him. They won't reprice your booking, they will just make Him the third person rate and you will owe the balance on the first and second rates minus the $50 cancellation fee.

 

The other downside though is that they may move them to a 2 person cabin so have a location in your back pocket to request when you cancel.

 

Slight Sidebar: Your ex sounds like an ungrateful, selfish jerk. Good riddance.

[Herbaltees]

I agree with what Springs said except to add that if his name is on the reservation, and you cancel him the $200 can only be used on a furture cruise by HIM (even if you paid for it). So it doesn't matter at this point financially to you. You are not going to get any of that back for your use. You said earlier that there are 3 people in this cabin. SO if he cancels, the other 2 end up paying full fare (as right now one is booked at 3rd person rate). So it boils down to how much MORE you owe at final payment for his fare. If it does not canel out what the extra the 2nd and 3rd person would have to pay due to the 3rd going to a 2nd person in the cabin then leave it as it.

If you can save some money by cancelling him and not having to pay the remainder of his fare then I would wait until final payment (70 days out?) before cancelling to give him time to change his mind so that you don't look like the bad guy (gal). Tell your daughter that if she wants him there she has until final payment date to convince him to deal with the 02 issue (which is solvable since I see o2 tanks on cruise ships all the time) Then you could save a little bit of money by canceling him at final payment. This way it's on your daughter and him and you won't look like the bad guy (or gal in this case) And she will find out for herself how much he wants to be there for her.

 

The highlighted red part is not true. You can use the future credit if you can prove you paid for it. I had to do that when my husband had to cancel on a cruise.

 

I do agree with the other PP's that you should wait a little closer to final pmt before doing anything just in case he recovers or has a change of heart. I like what sailor suggested about putting the responsibility on DD and Ex to solve the problem.

[cb at sea]

Hopefully, you daughter recognizes the amount of money you're spending....were it me, I'd understand!

[It's a Ship!!!]

Some airlines do allow portable oxygen concentrators. You would have to call the airline to make sure, but if he has one, or can rent one, then that might work. There is a company called Care Vacations that rents out items like that, and they may be able to help. I don't think I'm allowed to post a link, but you can just google it.

[RuthlessBoss]

Hopefully, you daughter recognizes the amount of money you're spending....were it me, I'd understand!

 

If the daughter had Mom pay for Dad, it would be a nice gesture for her to chip in the $200, she is the one wanting him there. If that had been my circumstance, I would not expect my mother to pay this out to have the father there. There has to be a limit to a bride's expectations. Dad should not have even allowed this to happen, especially knowing he'd likely not go anyway and possibly using the O2 as an excuse. There are portable over the shoulder concentrators that are airline approved. My neighbor uses one each time she flies. She just flew from Florida to Seattle, toured Seattle, went on an Alaska cruise, flew back to Florida.

 

My other thought is to keep the booking, watch closely for drops in the fares, maybe the cost will come out to not be so bad, he might change his mind, and there would be no cabin changes if he's a no show. And you'll get the taxes back.

[Raven Days]

Thank you all so much! I called my PVP. She said that if I cancel before the final payment date-Jan 27, I will lose $50 off the bat. Then $200 would go to my cruise in September. Since I was the one who booked the cruise, used my card to pay for it and the only card that has been used to make payments has been mine, then they will give me the money. They would refund back his prepaid gratuities and port fees, taxes to my card. IF I wait until we get to the port and just claim we have no clue where he is, I dont really "lose" anything - it will just be like he is there. They will refund back his prepaid gratuities, port fees and taxes as an OBC at that point.

 

I called my daughter and she is pretty upset with him. She is fully aware of how much I have spent and feels really bad about him doing this. He got his passport and we thought he would go through with it. HE just had two knee replacements and he is pretty depressed after that surgery plus now he was diagnosed with COPD and has to have the O2, so that has pretty much brought him down even more. I called Apria and they could have a O2 tank here and he could get a O2 concentrator for the flight, but he is fussing about having to deal with his insurance company...at this point, I think I would pitch him overboard if he did show up!

 

I also spoke to our son and he says he will talk to his dad. I want him there for his kids...But I can do with out him. I may need more than one bottle of booze before it over with! Thanks again for all the help....

Edited November 7, 2014 by Raven Days

[RuthlessBoss]

Thank you all so much! I called my PVP. She said that if I cancel before the final payment date-Jan 27, I will lose $50 off the bat. Then $200 would go to my cruise in September. Since I was the one who booked the cruise, used my card to pay for it and the only card that has been used to make payments has been mine, then they will give me the money. They would refund back his prepaid gratuities and port fees, taxes to my card. IF I wait until we get to the port and just claim we have no clue where he is, I dont really "lose" anything - it will just be like he is there. They will refund back his prepaid gratuities, port fees and taxes as an OBC at that point.

 

I called my daughter and she is pretty upset with him. She is fully aware of how much I have spent and feels really bad about him doing this. He got his passport and we thought he would go through with it. HE just had two knee replacements and he is pretty depressed after that surgery plus now he was diagnosed with COPD and has to have the O2, so that has pretty much brought him down even more. I called Apria and they could have a O2 tank here and he could get a O2 concentrator for the flight, but he is fussing about having to deal with his insurance company...at this point, I think I would pitch him overboard if he did show up!

 

I also spoke to our son and he says he will talk to his dad. I want him there for his kids...But I can do with out him. I may need more than one bottle of booze before it over with! Thanks again for all the help....

 

Oh, oh, someone will be buying a plane ticket, will he do that?

[Raven Days]

Oh, oh, someone will be buying a plane ticket, will he do that?

 

No...that gonna be me. I was waiting for SouthWest to open their calendar that far out. I was going to put him on AA but he would have a transfer in Dallas and I knew that would be too much for him to deal with. So I opted to use SW and have him fly direct from Memphis to Houston. So now...I am just going to wait and see what happens...I wont buy the ticket until I know for a fact if he's coming or not. If I buy it and I have to cancel it....I dont get that money back. He will be given a future credit...that he will never use.

[Sauer-kraut]

Gosh with all this planning I sure hope you're not diverted from Nassau for weather or any other reason! Good luck.

[Bluemoon319]

I paid for a cruise for a friend of mine a couple of years ago, balcony cabin at that. She cancelled out 2 days ahead of time. :eek: I was wondering the same thing at the time. Fortunately for me I read here on CC of someone in a similar situation. When she had the courtesy of calling Carnival to cancel someone in her cabin, she not only did not get a refund for the cancelled guest, but was also charged extra for the ones that did make it. Carnival told her that the rate per person for 2 in the cabin is higher than the rate per person for 4 in a cabin, and so they were then charged the difference. After reading about this person's rotten experience, I decided not to call Carnival ahead of time/ My son & I just showed up to port & told the lady at check-in that we were not sure if my friend was going to make it or not. We were not charged anything extra, and if I remember right, we were reimbursed for her port charges. I say keep quiet about it until embarkation. Besides, there is always a chance that you will find someone to take his slot. A name change should only be $50. Hope this helps.

 

I'm sorry for your situation. Other than the cancelling person is your ex, I sadly know how it feels.

[lyannea]

You are one great Mom, to try and do this for your daughter, however, I have to be the scrooge on this one.

Your daughter, who wanted him there, also feels bad, I know, and she is aware of how much money you spent to get him to her wedding. However, it shouldn't end there.

Though it's water under the bridge, I would have expected your daughter to come up with at least half of the money you lost from this circumstance. That would be fair and show her Mom (you !) some respect and appreciation for your efforts.

If you're old enough to get married, you're old enough to take some responsibility, when things don't go your way, just saying.

[pearose]

I kind of have the same problem. We have booked 2 cabins in February 2015. One with my son and his girlfriend. Another with myself, daughter and her boyfriend. (Early saver) Both have been paid in full. My daughter and her boyfriend are constantly on/off again and at this point it is anyone's guess as to whether he will go or not. I had made the decision months ago to go ahead and pay in full, and not cancel even if we knew for sure he was not going, because 1) we would end up paying close to the same amount anyway for 2 of us vs. 3 in the same cabin....plus we are booked next door to my son and his GF with a connecting balcony and I don't want them to move us since our cabin would not be at capacity if he does not go. What will happen if he does not go, and he is just a "no show" They won't charge us more will they? Would we not get a refund of his port fees/taxes?

[springs741]

pearose is he is a no show you will not get charged additional and you will get back your taxes and port fees.