Carnival told me...

[jimbo5544]

Maybe not. Let me try again:

 

 

 

I can't call CARNIVAL and book a CARNIVAL excursion (FTTF) over the phone because I booked through a TA. However, I CAN go on the CARNIVAL website and book a CARNIVAL excursion without going through my TA because...?

 

 

 

LOL...now I will try again. Carnival will not get involved with a booking that a TA has. Hence the reason to say no. That said, you doing it yourself on the website does not impede on that (them being involved in a phone conversation). I understood your point that it is very close to the same thing. FTTF does not infringe on any possible revenue to the TA but they are respecting the line in the sand. An example would be adding insurance or changing a cabin (class mostly but other things could be tied to it). I get the dysfunction of logic between the two, but it is a set boundary that cannot be crossed. It is put into place to reinforce trust between TA’s and Carnival.

 

 

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[jimbo5544]

I still owe you a drink on the Horizon btw, and I love the name....

 

 

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[Sizzlechest]

I understood your point that it is very close to the same thing.

 

Not just close. It's the same freakin thing. I suspect if I called again and spoke to someone else they would have no problem. I don't trust anything these reps say.

[coevan]

Most of the people who answer the #800 number have never even seen a cruise ship.

 

 

You know the corporate offices are in Miami? You also know employees get deeply discounted cruise fares. how can you make such a ridiculous blanket statement when you really have no clue. There 3900 shore side employees averaging $56,000 a year. We just got off the ship and ate at the Chef's Table with a very nice PVP.

[jimbo5544]

You know the corporate offices are in Miami? You also know employees get deeply discounted cruise fares. how can you make such a ridiculous blanket statement when you really have no clue. There 3900 shore side employees averaging $56,000 a year. We just got off the ship and ate at the Chef's Table with a very nice PVP.

 

 

 

Deeply discounted??

 

 

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[jimbo5544]

Deeply discounted?? What does their salary have to do with anything?

 

 

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[Elaine5715]

You know the corporate offices are in Miami? You also know employees get deeply discounted cruise fares. how can you make such a ridiculous blanket statement when you really have no clue. There 3900 shore side employees averaging $56,000 a year. We just got off the ship and ate at the Chef's Table with a very nice PVP.

Call centers are not in Miami. Corporate employees do not speak with us lowly cruisers. Notice there isn't a Visitor's Center at the corporate offices where cruisers are invited to stop by and say "Howdy". My last PVP worked out of Denver.

[AdGuyMG]

Call centers are not in Miami.

Technically you are correct. The call center is in Miramar, about a 15 to 20 minute ride north of the Miami (Doral) corporate offices. It is a separate 120,000 sq foot building.

 

www.loopnet.com/Listing/3400-Lakeside-Dr-Miramar-FL/8222630

 

This would be the building where about 450 of the 600 PVPs work from and where about 300 of the 400 total 800# sales agents work. It's also home to the 800# Funshops/BonVoyage Sales Dept.

The people who answer the 800# for service and payments regarding existing bookings work elsewhere with most scattered around the US and can work from home.

 

Notice there isn't a Visitor's Center at the corporate offices where cruisers are invited to stop by and say "Howdy".Corporate employees do not speak with us lowly cruisers.

If you just wanted to stop by and say Howdy, you are correct. You would not get past the main security gate. If you had some kind of official business and a specific appointment, that's another story.

Here is the Miami Doral Corporate Office

 

www.commercialcafe.com/commercial-property/us/fl/doral/carnival-cruise-lines

 

And there certainly is a Visitor's Center, along with a large visitors parking lot and a huge lobby with sofas, chairs and ship fleet models all around. The lobby is staffed with a bank of receptionists and security.

Inside this huge 18 story complex multi office complex, there's a slew of conference rooms, a cafeteria, a futuristic looking multi fleet operations and meteorology center .. even a TV studio.

Hundreds of people who have business appointments with Carnival come and go regularly. People like job applicants, food and equipment suppliers, national and worldwide marketing & advertising representatives, ship design & architecture personnel, shipbuilding and engineering company reps, outside auditors, labor negotiators, federal regulators and many more.

 

My last PVP worked out of Denver.

Carnival's Colorado Springs office was closed in 2011-2012. Some who worked there and stayed with Carnival in supervisory or PVP positions would now be working remotely from home.

 

Cheers