Shareholder Benefit - Disappointed

[Payd]

I am disappointed with the handling of my request for shareholder benefit. I faxed in my request and documentation 30 days ago. I called today to check that all was okay - only to find out that they want more information. I have no problem sending in more information - and I already have. My problem is that my letter requested confirmation that the benefit had been applied...not only did they not give confirmation but they let my request sit for 30 days - would it have still been sitting there come sail date? Good thing I did the follow up!

 

Boy thats frustrating. I hope to be able to report soon that it has been resolved, and that my faith in their customer service has been restored.

 

Yearghhhh.:(

[mudpievelour]

You must be talking about the onboard credit for shareholders. We fax ours in and then call to make sure they've received it. Then about a week later I call in to a PVP to check and make sure it's applied. Haven't had any problems so far, but I just want to make sure it gets applied in a timely fashion.

[LHP]

We always just mail ours in and have never had a problem getting it applied.

 

We don't even check after we have mailed it in. It is always listed on our documents when they arrive.

 

We have gotten $500.00 worth this year alone...tax free!!! woo hoo!!

love it!!!

[Payd]

We always just mail ours in and have never had a problem getting it applied.

 

We don't even check after we have mailed it in. It is always listed on our documents when they arrive.

 

We have gotten $500.00 worth this year alone...tax free!!! woo hoo!!

love it!!!

 

Wish it would have worked out easily. I'll let everyone know how it works out.

[travelntreats]

Wow, thats unusual. After over a dozen or so OBC's, I follow the same requirements each time, fax the info in and usually it is applied within 7 days after I make the request. I have never requested to be notified when it is applied to my booking, but have always seen it when I view my edocs..... Glad you got it taken care of... perhaps a glitch in their system.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

We always just mail ours in and have never had a problem getting it applied.

 

We don't even check after we have mailed it in. It is always listed on our documents when they arrive.

 

We have gotten $500.00 worth this year alone...tax free!!! woo hoo!!

love it!!!

 

LOL -- I'd be careful, no doubt bored IRS workers peruse message boards for such information. It wouldn't be "tax free" (I'm guessing) if they knew about it. ;)

 

:D

 

With regard to the issue of confirmation by Carnival that they processed your request for the Shareholder's Credit --- In the past I have always faxed the information in. I ALWAYS ask for confirmation - I have never heard a word from them (I provide them with a FAX #, a home phone #, a mailing address, and an e-mail address). After a few days I do call and request an updated "Guest Confirmation" to verify that it went through... so far it always has.

 

WAIT A SECOND, by posting this I TOO am indicating that I received $$$... :eek:

 

 

Tom

[LHP]

LOL -- I'd be careful, no doubt bored IRS workers peruse message boards for such information. It wouldn't be "tax free" (I'm guessing) if they knew about it. ;)

 

:D

 

With regard to the issue of confirmation by Carnival that they processed your request for the Shareholder's Credit --- In the past I have always faxed the information in. I ALWAYS ask for confirmation - I have never heard a word from them (I provide them with a FAX #, a home phone #, a mailing address, and an e-mail address). After a few days I do call and request an updated "Guest Confirmation" to verify that it went through... so far it always has.

 

WAIT A SECOND, by posting this I TOO am indicating that I received $$$... :eek:

 

 

Tom

 

Yep and I think you got more than I did last year.......LOL

[lanoitarus]

LOL -- I'd be careful, no doubt bored IRS workers peruse message boards for such information. It wouldn't be "tax free" (I'm guessing) if they knew about it. ;)

 

Nope, its a discounted service, they aren't actually giving you money. No implications for your taxes. This is one of the reasons they state that this OBC cannot be used in the casino-- THEN it could potentially be taxable.

 

 

 

Please be advised that I am not writing in any official legal or Tax authority capacity, and this is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties or in connection with marketing or promotional materials.

[firefly333]

Why did it take you 30 days to follow up?? I know if I dont hear within a week or two, I follow up with another email and ask again for confirmation, or I call Carnival to check for the OBC, or I look on my edocs for the OBC.

 

Doesnt hurt to follow up, since you never received the confirmation.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Yep and I think you got more than I did last year.......LOL

 

Oh Nooooooooooooo !!

 

Nope, its a discounted service, they aren't actually giving you money. No implications for your taxes. This is one of the reasons they state that this OBC cannot be used in the casino-- THEN it could potentially be taxable.

 

 

 

Please be advised that I am not writing in any official legal or Tax authority capacity, and this is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties or in connection with marketing or promotional materials.

 

Actually, it appears as CREDIT on your shipboard account - and TRUST ME - you can use it anywhere on the ship. It works "just like" cash. They may SAY that it can't be used in the casino, but it can. It can also "buy" you free drinks, etc...

 

I just wonder.... if you paid all of your onboard purchases (tips included) in cash on the last night - your account would still technically show the credit ---- would a check appear under your door the morning of debarkation???

 

hmmmm

 

 

Tom

[nolaAlive]

I received OBC for 5 cruises this year and have in the bank for 2 cruises next year (including a $250 one!). Potential for $500 more ($750 total) next year if they don't change the program. Woohoo.

[LHP]

Oh Nooooooooooooo !!

 

 

 

Actually, it appears as CREDIT on your shipboard account - and TRUST ME - you can use it anywhere on the ship. It works "just like" cash. They may SAY that it can't be used in the casino, but it can. It can also "buy" you free drinks, etc...

 

I just wonder.... if you paid all of your onboard purchases (tips included) in cash on the last night - your account would still technically show the credit ---- would a check appear under your door the morning of debarkation???

 

hmmmm

 

 

Tom

 

 

No...it does print out as a "non-refundable" OBC on your statement....

so no "cash value"...so to speak.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

No...it does print out as a "non-refundable" OBC on your statement....

so no "cash value"...so to speak.

 

Interesting - well (I won't tell, if you don't) :)

 

Tom

[LHP]

Interesting - well (I won't tell, if you don't) :)

 

Tom

 

Yep.... we have discovered that loophole....sshhhhhh! :D

[LRene]

Now, I'm not saying I've ever received any funds for a credit ;);) but I'm like Tom and always ask for a confirmation and have yet to get one after 3 years worth of cruises. That department simply doesn't send them out. Usually, within 24 hours my PVP can send me a new confirmation showing the credit though.

 

There was one time that they didn't get it applied and I had to ask three times. The first two times was waaaayyy before the sail date and I realized the program was only approved through a certain date (June or July I think) and anything beyond that date wasn't applied. I just waited until it was approved for the next year and then requested it again. That was the only reason I could figure out that it didn't get applied in my first two requests.

[4FRCruising]

I am disappointed with the handling of my request for shareholder benefit. I faxed in my request and documentation 30 days ago. I called today to check that all was okay - only to find out that they want more information. I have no problem sending in more information - and I already have. My problem is that my letter requested confirmation that the benefit had been applied...not only did they not give confirmation but they let my request sit for 30 days - would it have still been sitting there come sail date? Good thing I did the follow up!

 

Boy thats frustrating. I hope to be able to report soon that it has been resolved, and that my faith in their customer service has been restored.

 

Yearghhhh.:(

 

It shows up in the My Documents section (page 6 or 7) - same page where the details of what you paid for your cruise show up :) If it isn't there in a day or so, then call and follow up.

[victory2020]

You must be talking about the onboard credit for shareholders. We fax ours in and then call to make sure they've received it. Then about a week later I call in to a PVP to check and make sure it's applied. Haven't had any problems so far, but I just want to make sure it gets applied in a timely fashion.

This is exactly what I do. It's your resposibility to make sure it's applied. They're not going to go out of their way to make sure you get the credit!

[NCTribeFan]

There's a very long thread on here that talks about the share prices and many people have stated what they have done to get it their S/H credit applied.

 

After I bought my shares several weeks ago, I searched that thread (yep, manually, page by page), and found the addresses to which to email the info.

 

I scanned the documents and emailed them on a Friday morning and the OBC was applied the next Tuesday. This was about 3 weeks ago.

 

Then, I got a follow-up email this past week to tell me it had been applied, but I already knew that from checking my documents.

 

That info (where & to whom to email) was readily available here on the boards. If you'd read those existing threads, you would have known that waiting 30 days before doing a follow up was way too long.

 

I was astounded with how quickly they processed mine and got it applied. As soon as I return from Fascination next week, I'll scan in the pertinent info for my Victory cruise in May and email that.

 

I was very pleased with the prompt service. Had I not read that thread, I would've faxed the info to the number on the info page from Carnival.com which details the shareholder benefits.

 

But thanks to the boards, I had a better way of getting it done.

[travelntreats]

There's a very long thread on here that talks about the share prices and many people have stated what they have done to get it their S/H credit applied.

 

After I bought my shares several weeks ago, I searched that thread (yep, manually, page by page), and found the addresses to which to email the info.

 

I scanned the documents and emailed them on a Friday morning and the OBC was applied the next Tuesday. This was about 3 weeks ago.

 

Then, I got a follow-up email this past week to tell me it had been applied, but I already knew that from checking my documents.

 

That info (where & to whom to email) was readily available here on the boards. If you'd read those existing threads, you would have known that waiting 30 days before doing a follow up was way too long.

 

I was astounded with how quickly they processed mine and got it applied. As soon as I return from Fascination next week, I'll scan in the pertinent info for my Victory cruise in May and email that.

 

I was very pleased with the prompt service. Had I not read that thread, I would've faxed the info to the number on the info page from Carnival.com which details the shareholder benefits.

 

But thanks to the boards, I had a better way of getting it done.

I have always faxed and never had a problem.... if you feel that the email method you used worked to your satisfaction, so be it..... just so it appears when you view your edocs, there is no problem ! Some people may not be able to scan and email, some folks may not be as 'puter literate as you may be, thus the fax method being the simplest for the public in general and not necessarily any better or worse than the email method you used !

[G'ma]

I am disappointed with the handling of my request for shareholder benefit. I faxed in my request and documentation 30 days ago. I called today to check that all was okay - only to find out that they want more information. I have no problem sending in more information - and I already have. My problem is that my letter requested confirmation that the benefit had been applied...not only did they not give confirmation but they let my request sit for 30 days - would it have still been sitting there come sail date? Good thing I did the follow up!

 

Boy thats frustrating. I hope to be able to report soon that it has been resolved, and that my faith in their customer service has been restored.

 

Yearghhhh.:(

 

Well, sometimes you have to be proactive. I wouldn't have waited 30 days to follow up....but, that's me...

[glrounds]

LOL -- I'd be careful, no doubt bored IRS workers peruse message boards for such information. It wouldn't be "tax free" (I'm guessing) if they knew about it. ;)

Getting a "discount" on a personal purchase would hardly be considered INCOME by the IRS. :confused:

 

If so I'd better watch my FREE SECOND CUP OF COFFEE at Starbucks for card holders. Or, those 50% OFF SALES so prevalent today. :D

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Getting a "discount" on a personal purchase would hardly be considered INCOME by the IRS. :confused:...

 

Let's wait and see how hungry Uncle Sam gets... :rolleyes:

 

Technically, you are no doubt correct - though I can see circumstances where one could "convert" it to income.

 

I, for one, and ALL FOR a FLAT or CONSUMPTION tax... nobody has had that on their platform recently. :(

 

Tom

[NCTribeFan]

You can forget the flat tax or consumption tax. It will never happen here.

 

Which is fine with me as all those tax law changes keeps me employed. At least, I'm probably employed at least through next tax season! :p

[Payd]

Well I do have an update for you - I got confirmation this afternoon that the shipboard credit has been applied to both cruises.

 

For the very few that said I should have been reading threads on CC to find out how to get the credit - I did, I also called Carnival to find out what information to include.

 

I had to send in a current brokerage statement, and was told they may require an updated statement prior to our March cruise.

 

To those that said 30 days was too long, you are right, but I put in a lot of hours with work, and lost track of it.

 

To those that said you have never gotten confirmation, well maybe things have changed. I received my confirmation via e-mail (two seperate e-mails, one for each cruise). I also called to say thank you to the rep. that helped me out yesterday.

 

Thanks to those of you that let me vent for a moment. I did want to let all of you know that the matter has been resolved. Great job Carnival.

 

Thanks again to those of you that helped.

 

Happy cruising.

 

Payd:)

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

You can forget the flat tax or consumption tax. It will never happen here.

 

Which is fine with me as all those tax law changes keeps me employed. At least, I'm probably employed at least through next tax season! :p

 

YEP -- too many people: accountants, tax attorneys, politicians, etc... RELY on the complicated MESS we have to ensure their jobs.

 

JUST IMAGINE (as John Lennon said).... Because I agree: what's in the best interest of the county, has nothing to do with reality!!!

 

Tom