Rebooking Headaches After Drydock Cancellation

[mattcj89]

Long story short - Carnival cancels April 2025 Spirit cruise due to drydock. Email states the following: 

 

If you wish to rebook on another voyage:

• Your cruise rate will be protected on comparable sailing, in similar accommodations.

 

There’s only 2 or 3 8 day sailings on the same date (4/13/25) and I call to rebook and Carnival states the rebooked cruise can’t be booked in March or April due to higher rates for Spring Break. Call was escalated to a supervisor who confirmed the information given and the cruise wasn’t rebooked. There were no terms outlined in the email and they’re going to pull this? I’m thinking my last Carnival cruise might be in April 2024 after this headache. 

[Haljo1935]

34 minutes ago, mattcj89 said:

Long story short - Carnival cancels April 2025 Spirit cruise due to drydock. Email states the following: 

 

If you wish to rebook on another voyage:

• Your cruise rate will be protected on comparable sailing, in similar accommodations.

 

There’s only 2 or 3 8 day sailings on the same date (4/13/25) and I call to rebook and Carnival states the rebooked cruise can’t be booked in March or April due to higher rates for Spring Break...

So new April is Spring Break but old  April isn't? I'd keep calling, although likely won't help, but I'd keep trying. Also email and ask them to explain how the price protection works.

Good luck - I'm pulling for you.

[LibertyBella]

Gosh, 2025 is such a long way off. At least they are giving you a lot of advance notice!  I have gone through many similar experiences throughout my travel life, and I have always been able to find some kind of substitute somewhere--different date, different country, different itinerary as needed.

 

Saying you will never cruise Carnival again is just an over-the-top response.  Yes, you are disappointed, but it is not heart-breaking. Just take the refund and do something else.  Travel is always an adventure, and that is part of the fun!

 

P.S. I am STILL waiting to take my China river cruise, which I booked back in 2019.  Due to Covid and political issues, the cruises have never restarted.  I used my deposit money to go to Iceland instead.

[knagl]

That's a crummy situation. Assuming you don't have a PVP (which I'm guessing you don't if you were calling the regular customer service folks), I would try calling again. If the next person you talk to gives you the same story, politely tell the agent that you're not satisfied with the denial and ask to speak to Carnival's "resolutions department." 

 

The resolutions department folks are a higher tier of customer service who deal with more complex situations than the first-tier customer service operators. They're also empowered a little bit more to actually fix things. 

 

I think it's a good next step in your situation, and it's not going to cost you anything to try other than some time sitting on hold. Good luck!

[n6uqqq]

I am guessing Miracle cruises for April 2025 are next to be cancelled. My booking for a 9 day on April 6th 2025 has not shown up for booking for at least 3 weeks and this is after a scheduled dry dock for the miracle in Feb/March 2025.

[mattcj89]

9 hours ago, LibertyBella said:

Gosh, 2025 is such a long way off. At least they are giving you a lot of advance notice!  I have gone through many similar experiences throughout my travel life, and I have always been able to find some kind of substitute somewhere--different date, different country, different itinerary as needed.

 

Saying you will never cruise Carnival again is just an over-the-top response.  Yes, you are disappointed, but it is not heart-breaking. Just take the refund and do something else.  Travel is always an adventure, and that is part of the fun!

 

P.S. I am STILL waiting to take my China river cruise, which I booked back in 2019.  Due to Covid and political issues, the cruises have never restarted.  I used my deposit money to go to Iceland instead.

The disappointment is rooted in the fact that Carnival isn’t willing to transfer the booking as stated to a comprable sailing. They decided to have the ship drydocked and repositioned to Alaska earlier than planned, leaving only two other options for an 8 day sailing leaving on the same day - 4/12/25. Because the rates are slightly higher on the two other options, Carnival is making excuses as to not honor the transfer “to a comprable sailing in similar accommodations”. That’s the verbiage they chose to use, without any further restrictions or details listed. 
 

For Carnival not to honor the months of March or April seems disingenuous at best, almost as though they’re wanting the booking to be dropped altogether so they don’t have to eat the difference in the fare or payout the $50 pp OBC. If not transferred in the months of March or April, would they prefer peak summer season? I’m sure they’d have no problems transferring my booking at the same fare to a shorter itinerary at a lower fare in the months of March or April and that’s where my issue lies. Step up and make it right based on what the email is stating is all I’m asking.