Carnival got me!

[jimbo5544]

Full disclosure, which hasn't been mentioned? Aren't you a TA, with a slant to your opinion?

 

 

 

The only time I use TA's/booking agentss is when the price is lower. I've been fortunate to have some looking for my business and offer me more.

 

 

 

Why the difference, what makes you do it yourself?

 

 

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[Organized Chaos]

I'd bet the PVP that was called and asked to manage an already booked cruise would be thrilled to work for nothing unless they have changed the way they do things.

 

Bill

Work for nothing? I'm assuming commission from a booking isn't their only source of income as a PVP. I plan on trying. We're not happy with our PVP at all and Carnival's customer service wouldn't change ours, they said we can get a new with our next booking. Well, our current booking is for a cruise that isn't until next June, so I'd rather have someone reliable now than have to wait until next year and roll the dice again. So I was given a recommendation of a good PVP and will contact them to see if they'd take us on as new clients, even though they didn't book our current cruise. Hopefully they say yes and, if they're as good as I'm told, they'll be getting all of our future bookings. Win win, in my opinion.

[Organized Chaos]

We can discuss the merits of a ta if you want, your call.

 

That said, and I am really not trying to goad you here, the fact of the matter is that they do know more than you, it's literally their job to do so.

Would you agree that, unless they cruise with Carnival themselves, a TA's knowledge of booking a cruise with Carnival is based mostly on what they've learned of the company's policies as well as what they've learned from actually going through the booking process with their clients over the years? After all, a TA helps book all kinds of travel arrangements, not just a single cruise line, so I'm guessing many of them aren't necessarily Carnival experts. So if we, as Carnival cruisers, research the line extensively, ask questions/get answers, cruise with them to learn the ins and outs, and all that good stuff, isn't it fair to say that we could do just as good of a job booking our own Carnival cruise as many TA's?

 

I'm the type who researches the ever living crap out of our vacations, whether it's a cruise or otherwise. In full disclosure, our current booking is for what will only be our second cruise, so I know many will say, "What the heck do you know about cruising?" As someone who has done extensive research, spent hours reading up on Carnival's policies, countless hours in cruise forums learning & soaking up as much as I can, you'd be surprised how much knowledge one can gain about cruising from doing the research and only having one cruise under their belt. Sure, there are many aspects of cruising that take experience, like ship knowledge for example. I don't deny that, but the general knowledge is there for the taking...all one has to do is put forth the effort. If I'm on the fence about either booking on my own or using a TA, what more is a TA going to do for me? We actually used a TA last year and when I compare that experience to our current booking done ourselves, there's not much difference. And since then, I've learned a lot more. Even as a newer cruiser, I know all about the different rates and their potential penalties, Carnival's travel insurance compared to third-party, pre-paid gratuities, booking excursions (whether through Carnival or independent companies), and all the other typical details that go along with booking. So if you specifically say TA's know more than we do, what more are they going to do for me? Or is a TA more suited for someone who may not have a lot of the general knowledge about the whole process as others do? I'm not trying to downplay your job, but since you said a TA knows more than we do, I'm just genuinely curious as to what more they offer someone who's already quite knowledgeable of booking a Carnival cruise.

[jimbo5544]

Would you agree that, unless they cruise with Carnival themselves, a TA's knowledge of booking a cruise with Carnival is based mostly on what they've learned of the company's policies as well as what they've learned from actually going through the booking process with their clients over the years? After all, a TA helps book all kinds of travel arrangements, not just a single cruise line, so I'm guessing many of them aren't necessarily Carnival experts. So if we, as Carnival cruisers, research the line extensively, ask questions/get answers, cruise with them to learn the ins and outs, and all that good stuff, isn't it fair to say that we could do just as good of a job booking our own Carnival cruise as many TA's?

 

 

 

I'm the type who researches the ever living crap out of our vacations, whether it's a cruise or otherwise. In full disclosure, our current booking is for what will only be our second cruise, so I know many will say, "What the heck do you know about cruising?" As someone who has done extensive research, spent hours reading up on Carnival's policies, countless hours in cruise forums learning & soaking up as much as I can, you'd be surprised how much knowledge one can gain about cruising from doing the research and only having one cruise under their belt. Sure, there are many aspects of cruising that take experience, like ship knowledge for example. I don't deny that, but the general knowledge is there for the taking...all one has to do is put forth the effort. If I'm on the fence about either booking on my own or using a TA, what more is a TA going to do for me? We actually used a TA last year and when I compare that experience to our current booking done ourselves, there's not much difference. And since then, I've learned a lot more. Even as a newer cruiser, I know all about the different rates and their potential penalties, Carnival's travel insurance compared to third-party, pre-paid gratuities, booking excursions (whether through Carnival or independent companies), and all the other typical details that go along with booking. So if you specifically say TA's know more than we do, what more are they going to do for me? Or is a TA more suited for someone who may not have a lot of the general knowledge about the whole process as others do? I'm not trying to downplay your job, but since you said a TA knows more than we do, I'm just genuinely curious as to what more they offer someone who's already quite knowledgeable of booking a Carnival cruise.

 

 

 

There are exceptions to every scenario, as a general rule I would think on average they would know more than the average person here, but who knows.

 

 

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[Nic6318]

There are exceptions to every scenario, as a general rule I would think on average they would know more than the average person here, but who knows.

 

 

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Hi there

 

We have dealt with a few where I would say that wasn't true. As you say, there are always exceptions, well, I guess I have met all the exceptions.

 

I would be willing to say that most know more than the general public and the only reason there aren't more issues is because most of the time there are no issues after a booking. Just like in the issue with the OP, if they didn't have to cancel, they would have gone along feeling fairly confident in their cruising knowledge, not knowing what they didn't know. That is basically what the OP said, they had cruised before and thought they knew what was needed, but later found they didn't.

 

Unless a TA has specific knowledge of a given cruise line, they wouldn't be any different than the OP, they wouldn't know what they don't know. That is why it is very difficult to find the "good" ones. They have to be experienced with the company you are dealing with and a lot of us just can't be bothered any more. That is also why a site like this is so helpful. We can do lots of research on our own, but it is nice to know that you can ask a question and get different perspectives of how to deal with any given situation. What I have seen often enough is people who ask the questions after they have committed to something they don't understand.

[jimbo5544]

Hi there

 

 

 

 

 

Unless a TA has specific knowledge of a given cruise line, they wouldn't be any different than the OP, they wouldn't know what they don't know. That is why it is very difficult to find the "good" ones. They have to be experienced with the company you are dealing with and a lot of us just can't be bothered any more. That is also why a site like this is so helpful. We can do lots of research on our own, but it is nice to know that you can ask a question and get different perspectives of how to deal with any given situation. What I have seen often enough is people who ask the questions after they have committed to something they don't understand.

 

 

 

Disagree, they are trained to look at the fine print, whether they are familiar with the product or not. Seeing it is a major cruise line, I would say that it is over 90%. Don't know who you talked to but I know over 150 ta's and every one would do as I say. We can disagree, which is fine.

 

 

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[jimbo5544]

Disagree, they are trained to look at the fine print, whether they are familiar with the product or not. Seeing it is a major cruise line, I would say that it is over 90%. Don't know who you talked to but I know over 150 ta's and every one would do as I say. We can disagree, which is fine.

 

Agree on the the value of cc tho.....

 

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[Budget Queen]

Why the difference, what makes you do it yourself?

 

 

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I am far, from what you state is the "average" cruiser.

 

My priority is cost only for determining how/where I book. All I need is a valid ticket.

[jimbo5544]

I am far, from what you state is the "average" cruiser.

 

 

 

My priority is cost only for determining how/where I book. All I need is a valid ticket.

 

 

 

Sure sounds like you are all set then

 

 

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[nealstuber]

So I called Carnival and booked two inside cabins.....So what did I do wrong?

 

 

I'm guessing you were perusing the Carnival web site, saw a price you liked for the cruise and cabins you wanted and found the number to call on the site....

Assuming this is true, one thing that is nice about the Carnival web site is they show you different rates for the same cabin and you can click for more details to see what restrictions apply.

 

If you found the rate on another site before you called Carnival, the good ones will also explain what rate they are quoting.

 

I'm assuming since you were computer savvy enough to get on this board and make a post in the correct place, you did not call Information to get Carnival's number, then call them saying "I'd like to book a cruise around a certain time and pay this much"

 

So to answer your question: "What did you do wrong?" In researching your cruise, you did not make the effort to understand what you were buying BEFORE you picked up the phone. Whether you picked out your cruise using Carnival's website, a TA's site or even an old fashioned paper brochure, the terms and conditions of early saver were readily available to you during your pre-booking research.

 

Not saying it doesn't behoove Carnival to explain their rates at time of purchase, but you asked what you did wrong and, in my opinion, spending $1000 without understanding what you are buying (when the information is readily available) is a mistake.

 

 

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Edited August 5, 2017 by nealstuber

[njasmine]

I really hate when people say "you need a TA." No what people need to do is read with understanding. No one should just call to book anything, you should do your research. Check forums, ask questions, BEFORE you spend you hard earned money.

[luckybecky]

So I haven't read all 5 pages of posts, but I have read enough to discover that apparently I was misled.

 

I called "our" PVP (someone who has been calling and leaving me messages) to book a cruise just last week. During that call, I explicitly asked about cancellation fees/ penalties.

 

She did tell me about a $50 fee -- but I am pretty darn sure there was NOTHING said about the remainder being held as a future cruise credit. I even re-stated back to her, so I understand that if I need to cancel I will only lose the $50, right? And she said yes, with nothing about the FCC.

 

I agree with the OP that reading the cruise contract is nearly impossible. I mean, it is a LOT of legalese, intentionally written in the most obtuse language possible.

 

So my point is, even when you ask the right questions, you may get the wrong answers. I am detail oriented and have planned many vacations down to the last detail. I'm no dummy. If I ask a company rep a question, I expect them to give me the correct answer.

 

But I was not aware of the FCC thing, even after explicitly asking, until I read this thread. So let's go easy on OP.

 

Hopefully neither the OP nor I will have to cancel, so it should be a moot point. :)

[luckybecky]

I would add this:

 

If you go to the Carnival website and search for "cancellation policy," here is the first thing that comes up:

 

"CRUISE CANCELLATION

If a cruise is cancelled, guests will have the option to receive either a cash refund or a future cruise credit."

So there's that. Some people may believe that this answers the question.

 

But if they really do due diligence and scroll down the search results page, they may click on the fourth result, the Early Saver terms link, in which case they will see this run-on paragraph:

 

EARLY SAVER SALE

 

Terms & Conditions

 

The Early Saver fare is subject to availability and is capacity controlled. $99 per person deposit is applicable to 2 - 9 day sailings excluding Alaska, Vista and Horizon sailings, and $149 per person deposit is applicable to 10 + day sailings, Alaska, Vista and Horizon sailings. Changes made to the reservation may result in the assessment of cancellation penalties or service fees. Full names are required for each guest. Carnival reserves the right to withdraw and/or change offer at any time without prior notice. Price Protection applies to the cruise fare only and does not include Taxes, Fees and Port Expenses. Taxes, Fees and Port Expenses range from $56.90 to $359.73, and are assessed on a per guest basis for all guests according to the itinerary. Early Saver fare is backed by a unique price protection policy (only available to bookings made in USD currency) that allows you to adjust your cruise fare to the best available fare for a like category stateroom (no downgrades allowed) advertised by Carnival and available to the general public. Price protection will be subject to the prevailing Taxes, Fees and Port Expenses and/or fuel supplement if applicable. Carnival will honor your request for price protection if the reduction on the total amount paid for your booking results only from a lower cruise fare and not from the booked ancillary services, such as air, transfers, pre-paid gratuities, or Taxes, Fees and Port Expenses. The guest is responsible for increases to ancillary services such as air, resulting from changes to ship and/or sail date, or adjustments to cruise fare. Early Saver price protection does not apply to group rates, membership programs, charters, select promotional fares, travel agent rebates, or other travel agent promotions not offered by Carnival to the general public. When re-pricing to a new promotion, guest assumes all terms and conditions of the new promotion and may forfeit any or all features associated with the original fare, such as cabin assignment, onboard credit, an upgrade, special deposit and payment terms, etc. A $50 change fee per guest will be assessed for ship and/or sail date changes made prior to final payment due date. Remaining funds are nonrefundable/nontransferable and will be held as a future cruise credit to be applied to your cruise fare on a sailing within 24 months from the date of cancellation. Offer does not apply to Carnival Australia. Offer is applicable on new bookings made on July 29, 2017 through August 2, 2017. Offer is applicable on sailings through April 2019. Request rate codes PEH/PEJ. Ships' Registry: The Bahamas, Panama & Malta.

 

 

OK, so buried in there near the end is the $50 fee. But here again, my PVP did not make this clear -- even when I very explicitly asked and reiterated the policy with her. Here, it says there is a $50 change fee per person. She just told me there was a $50 fee, which since I was making a booking for two persons, I believed this was the total fee. And I think that is a reasonable conclusion to draw, since I specifically asked what the cancellation fee would be on our booking.

In addition, the fine print says that FCC is only good for 24 months. Our PVP did not disclose this detail.

So again, my point is that it is very easy to be misled or to overlook details in the fine print. Yes, you should ask when you make a reservation. But you should also be able to expect that you will be given a full, complete, and correct answer to your questions.

[Siora7777]

Honestly, this happened to me too. I've never cruised Carnival before and there is a lot of fine print. I've cruised four other lines all just had refundable deposits when I booked.

 

I saw the early saver rate when I looked at the website but not the other options, I just overlooked them. When I called to book no other rates were mentioned during the booking process. Later I went back and saw the other rate options. I was annoyed they weren't even mentioned.

 

I also had to cancel my cruise so I opted instead to move it for $100 then we switched ships, there goes another $100. I would have preferred to cancel for a full refund and go on a completely different cruise on a different line at that point.

 

Lesson learned but I also felt my options were not laid out for me when I booked. I never would have booked a nonrefundable rate intentionally. Yeah, I know how to read but the agents do this all day long they should be informing the customers.

 

And although I'm excited to be going on a cruise there is a lot of uncertainty I've never experienced before leading up to my cruise. So I understand how the OP feels.

 

I called Royal Caribbean to book my cruise for next year and they offered both rates to me to choose from right up front.

[Computer Nerd]

There was no fine print to read because I was on the phone and not near a computer. Once I gave her the credit card number it was all over. So you are telling me it's my responsibility to ask them all of the questions. I thought they were to let me know if a certain rate was non refundable or not.

 

'Yes, due diligence is your responsibility.

[Computer Nerd]

One of the hazards of doing these things yourself is not knowing what to think or ask. Your experience is a great example of why to use a TA.

 

 

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Or a PVP.

[jimbo5544]

I really hate when people say "you need a TA." No what people need to do is read with understanding. No one should just call to book anything, you should do your research. Check forums, ask questions, BEFORE you spend you hard earned money.

 

 

 

I give up

 

 

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[jimbo5544]

Or a PVP.

 

 

 

Yes....or pvp

 

 

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[happy cruzer]

You can change it if you catch it right away. the first time I booked online, I didn't see where I could check other rates, and went through booking. Didn't realize the default was Early Saver. Then I got the online confirmation, saw the cancellation terms and realized I had booked ES. I called right away and got it changed to military rate.

 

Thanks for posting. Yes, always read the paperwork/email you receive right away. If it does not have all the correct info, like price, cancellation fees/date, sail date, names, onboard credits, etc. Then call and get it fixed; there is not a charge if you call right away.

 

Two people are talking about two different things - cancellation fee and change fee.

[bUU]

'Yes, due diligence is your responsibility.

This. You don't pick up your telephone and hear advertisements for cruises. Rather, the offers are made through television, magazines, websites, etc., and all of those media make clear that "terms and conditions apply". When you call to place an order, you are expected to have decided to make the purchase based on an informed understanding of what you're purchasing. And this applies to everything, not just cruises. If you are doing business over the telephone, then don't expect the sales agent to force you to sit through a twenty minute reading of the terms and conditions and expose of all the relevant disclosures available to you through the media.

[Vreader]

Call your credit card company and ask them to help you.

 

 

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[firemanbobswife]

Call your credit card company and ask them to help you.

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Not gonna happen.

[Vreader]

Call your credit card company and ask them to help you.

 

 

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This last ditch resort can work. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/travelers-are-turning-to-credit-card-disputes-when-other-routes-to-a-refund-have-failed/2016/11/17/25bcdbe0-a79a-11e6-8042-f4d111c862d1_story.html

 

 

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[firemanbobswife]

This last ditch resort can work. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/travelers-are-turning-to-credit-card-disputes-when-other-routes-to-a-refund-have-failed/2016/11/17/25bcdbe0-a79a-11e6-8042-f4d111c862d1_story.html

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There's no fraud involved. From the article itself:

Although many chargebacks are legitimate — the business didn’t deliver the service it promised — not all of them are. Increasingly, credit-card holders are turning to the dispute to retaliate against what they see as a company’s unfair policies, says John Monarch, chief executive of Direct Outbound, a company that offers chargeback and call-center services to businesses.

 

This case is clearly a matter of the consumer not knowing what they were booking. Not deceit, misleading, or any wrong doing by the cruise line. It's not gonna happen.

Edited August 5, 2017 by firemanbobswife

[deborahjo]

OP-Carnival did not get you. You were an uninformed purchaser. If you are doing something for the first time why did you not research what you wanted?

 

When we booked our first cruise we did all our research on early saver booking before we even called Carnival. We knew the ins and outs.

 

A little information before hand helps in the end.

 

 

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