DO NOT Allow Carnival to book your flights!

[cccer]

We booked our flights from Chicago to Europe for our summer cruise through Carnival last week. I was able to upgrade on Delta to Economy Comfort online and choose our seats to JFK. No problems with that.

 

I haven't flown yet but so far no problems. Actually the cost was on par with what was online and the insurance from Carnival will cover the flights.

 

that being said, this is about our 15th cruise and I have always booked myself but the rates and flexibility through Carnival were pretty good.

[cruisinlawn]

We booked our flights from Chicago to Europe for our summer cruise through Carnival last week. I was able to upgrade on Delta to Economy Comfort online and choose our seats to JFK. No problems with that.

 

I haven't flown yet but so far no problems. Actually the cost was on par with what was online and the insurance from Carnival will cover the flights.

 

that being said, this is about our 15th cruise and I have always booked myself but the rates and flexibility through Carnival were pretty good.

 

 

Did you book flexible or restricted air thru Carnival and did you pay for the upgrade to EC?

Edited February 14, 2016 by cruisinlawn

[E&B]

Bet you don't even have a passport and never booked travel to and from Europe from different cities. Carnival can save some money in these cases. Also. they would not be in business if nobody used them

 

 

 

Don't exaggerate.

 

 

Pretty presumptuous. I have had a passport for decades. I still would not allow a cruise line to control my booking on an airline.

[murcor]

Ditto. Never use travel agent. Book everything ourselves. That way we are in control of everything.

 

 

Booked flights through a Travel Agent once ( thought I would be nice so they could make commission )

I even paid $25 each extra for seat selection.

 

Well, was i surprised when she called back and none of us were even sitting together. Two kids at the time ages 4 & 3

 

Not impressed!

[cccer]

Did you book flexible or restricted air thru Carnival and did you pay for the upgrade to EC?

 

I booked flexible air through Carnival. I did pay to upgrade to EC, it was about $500 for two people from JFK to Europe and back. I did this on the Delta website with the ticketing number Carnival provided me.

[riclop]

We were talked into allowing Carnival to arranging our flight tickets. And that is where our nightmare started. The first go around, they had us sleeping for 14 hours in an airline. The second go around they purchased tickets that were three times the amount as the first. Then, the third go around, everything seemed to be great...so it seemed.

 

We paid Carnival instantly for our tickets...everything. For many months after we paid Carnival, we were unable to check our seat assignments online at AA.com because it showed "UNPAID". We couldn't do anything with our flight arrangements. We called AA and they said until Carnival transfers the $$ to them, we cannot even be confirmed on the flight. We called Carnival at least ten times demanding that they pay the money they were holding, to the airline. We were afraid we would not get good seats or get to sit with our 10 yr old child, who is flying for the first time. Well, after much complaining over three months, Carnival finally released the funds to the airline. Now...exactly as we feared, they are out of standard seats. In order to get to fly, we have to purchase premium seats. On a transatlantic flight, that's $245 extra dollars.

 

I tried to see if I could use my miles to upgrade the seats to first class so we could be confirmed and sit with our child...nope. You see Carnival charges you the same price you can get the tickets for on the airlines website, but what you are buying at the airlines website are full-fare tickets, which are easily upgradable. But Carnival buys the cheapest discounted economy tickets, pocketing the difference and ultimately insuring that you cannot upgrade them for any amount of miles.

 

Carnival does not tell you any of this ahead of time. They sell it to you as "a good deal for you".

 

I am now stuck with $245 out of pocket fees for using their Fly2Fun program. I've been told by their customer support that that's on me...there is nothing they will do, not even onboard credit for the amount they've cost me.

 

As a GOLD VIPF and a long time customer of Carnivals, all I can say is after this cruise is done...I'm saying Se La Vi to Carnival and going back to Royal Caribbean, where they are honest with their customers. Booking 8C9NW0

 

Run away FAAAAAAAAAAAST from Carnivals Fly2Fun program. it's a mess!!

Never have and never will.

[QTPieRye]

Carnival pays consolidator fares. Google that and you will understand why there are such issues with these tickets.

 

I already knew this, no need to google. But thank you.

[mpdog42]

There are many travelers who aren't as "savvy" as those who use and understand the intricacies of booking travel and TAs and "flight" bookings are a godsend to them.

 

It's great that Carnival has a source for those who don't travel much and would become overwhelmed and stressed if they had to work out all the minutia of bookings on their own. For others it is an option that is best avoided if they find it fun and exhilarating to work out their own plans.

 

Why would someone who "knows" the ins and outs turn over their vacation to a third party and then "complain" when it isn't how they would have worked it all out. Does the saving of a few dollars become so enticing that they abandon their own abilities...and then they blame the system for not doing it the way they would have.

 

I have no sympathy for the OP. They made their initial choice and they should have been aware that the choice they made wouldn't, necessarily, coincide with their exact wishes or end up being totally inline with what they had "assumed" would be the outcome. It's like booking a "guarantee" cabin and then spending countless hours complaining that they didn't get exactly what they wanted when eventually assigned a space.

 

I don't think Carnival is at fault here....I just don't think expectations were met and that falls on the shoulders of the person booking "cheaper" flights through Carnival to save a few dollars. What did they expect.

 

Carnival Cheerleading practice is tonight!!!

[jimbo5544]

Carnival Cheerleading practice is tonight!!!

 

 

Thanks for adding to the conversation, all we need now is a Walmart reference.