Booked connecting rooms now not available

[Crusin6]

How can side by side cabins not be "feasible"? All you do is go two feet out of your way to get to the next cabin.

 

If the kids get scared without a parent, put one in each cabin.

A connecting door is better for a family with kids....even if they are teens....we like the kids near us and they like to be near us.....it is like a very large cabin and it works wonderful for us...I can understand the OP wanting connecting, not adjoining rooms.

[COCruiseGirl]

As a long time travel agent, this is the responsibility of the TA to receive confirmations from Carnival after applying deposits. This is the only way to confirm that everything is ok on the Carnival end. It could have been quickly caught and resolved long before the connecting cabin went back into inventory.

[salty dingo]

A connecting door is better for a family with kids....even if they are teens....we like the kids near us and they like to be near us.....it is like a very large cabin and it works wonderful for us...I can understand the OP wanting connecting, not adjoining rooms.

Sure, we had a connecting room on our Alaska cruise with my parents. It's very convenient. However, the OP made it sound as if it were mandatory, and I'm saying it's not that big of a deal. More of a minor inconvenience than a deal killer.

[Crusin6]

Sure, we had a connecting room on our Alaska cruise with my parents. It's very convenient. However, the OP made it sound as if it were mandatory, and I'm saying it's not that big of a deal. More of a minor inconvenience than a deal killer.

Since they are going with a big group, you are right that in this case is definitely should not be a deal killer.

 

Since I don't really trust anyone other than myself with my bookings...I always make sure that I ask all questions of the TA and follow my booking on a daily basis...and I am very quick to remind them at book that we must have the reservations (you get 2 reservation numbers when booking connecting rooms but you know that), linked as we are traveling with minors. We are 6 people, which is a group in my mind;) so I am very very cautious and careful that nothing goes wrong with our booking....connecting OV's do not come easily!:D

[Nannersmom]

An update kind of.....

TA claims that she has spoken with Carnival and this is the standings...the members of my party have been upgraded to another deck with side by side rooms. What I want to hear from some who have worked as TA...per the TA she paid $500 out of her pocket for this upgrade. Does this really happen?

I thank everyone for the education of using the word assigned cabins. So far we still don't have a conference call set up and the TA seems to be doing everything within her powers to keep that from happening. Which is telling me she screwed up big time.

[katiel53]

An update kind of.....

TA claims that she has spoken with Carnival and this is the standings...the members of my party have been upgraded to another deck with side by side rooms. What I want to hear from some who have worked as TA...per the TA she paid $500 out of her pocket for this upgrade. Does this really happen?

I thank everyone for the education of using the word assigned cabins. So far we still don't have a conference call set up and the TA seems to be doing everything within her powers to keep that from happening. Which is telling me she screwed up big time.

 

I agree with you that the TA screwed up big time and she is trying to fix things, albeit making you feel guilty while doing so. I do know if a TA makes a mistake, at times, with pressure more often, but sometimes without, they eat the cost of changes to satisfy the customer. Unless the amount of the cabins has gone up a lot since the cruise was booked, and the cabins that your family now has are a huge upgrade, $500 seems like a lot.

 

A simple way to find out if she is telling you the truth is to look at what the new cabins are going for. Look at the rate for 3 people and for 2 people and see for yourself. She might be right, but until you look yourself, you won't know. Do a phantom booking and see what shows up.

 

Although the TA is making things right, I think it's wrong for her to lay a guilt trip on you. I probably wouldn't use this agent again, but that's JMO. Enjoy your cruise in spite of all the hassles to get there.

[firefly333]

An update kind of.....

TA claims that she has spoken with Carnival and this is the standings...the members of my party have been upgraded to another deck with side by side rooms. What I want to hear from some who have worked as TA...per the TA she paid $500 out of her pocket for this upgrade. Does this really happen?

I thank everyone for the education of using the word assigned cabins. So far we still don't have a conference call set up and the TA seems to be doing everything within her powers to keep that from happening. Which is telling me she screwed up big time.

 

The TA wouldnt be paying for the upgrade if it was Carnival's fault. The TA should have noticed that a couple of the cabins dissapeared from the bookings.

[Ken076]

An update kind of.....

TA claims that she has spoken with Carnival and this is the standings...the members of my party have been upgraded to another deck with side by side rooms. What I want to hear from some who have worked as TA...per the TA she paid $500 out of her pocket for this upgrade. Does this really happen?

I thank everyone for the education of using the word assigned cabins. So far we still don't have a conference call set up and the TA seems to be doing everything within her powers to keep that from happening. Which is telling me she screwed up big time.

 

If the TA is avoiding a conference call, we can bet that the TA is guilty. Don't let her lay a guilt trip on you!

 

Next Cruise you have to decide (a) keep her because she ultimately took care of you (albeit under threat of a Carnival conference call) or (b) get rid of her because she's inept and maybe a bit deceitful.

 

As suggested, I'd be checking prices for the newly assigned cabins just to see if the $500 claim is true (if you need assist, let us know!) - but I wouldn't be letting her guilt you into paying it or part of it.

 

ken

[Nannersmom]

I have no intention of paying any part of the extra fee (if there is one) Like everyone else, I feel the TA made this error. She even tried the telling me how she lost sleep over this. I feel bad for my family member, plus even though it was not my error, I was my choice of TA. So I do feel responsible to my family member. I feel if the TA paid extra out of her pocket, she deserves it. Especially since she is making it hard to get a confernce call. BTW on another note, I have spoken to Carnival after my earlier post, they keep sending me back to the TA but also said that a conference call can be set up....

[Ken076]

I have no intention of paying any part of the extra fee (if there is one) Like everyone else, I feel the TA made this error. She even tried the telling me how she lost sleep over this. I feel bad for my family member, plus even though it was not my error, I was my choice of TA. So I do feel responsible to my family member. I feel if the TA paid extra out of her pocket, she deserves it. Especially since she is making it hard to get a confernce call. BTW on another note, I have spoken to Carnival after my earlier post, they keep sending me back to the TA but also said that a conference call can be set up....

 

You're on top of it! Sounds like it's working out!! ken

[Nannersmom]

Okay, had the conference call. Carnival did say they messed up, but the best they can do is upgrade them to side by side cabins. They are going in the Empress deck. The kids are 13 - 10 and 9. Thoughts from past cruisers that allowed their kids to sleep in their own cabins please? Fully understand that you guys don't know these kids so that make it tougher. Just what would you do if it was your kids?

Thanks for the support. Still frustated over this. Not letting the TA off the hook. She is required to call Carnival everyday until we cruise to see if they can get connecting cabins.

[yogi2929]

One DD has been on 8 cruises and the other DD 11 cruises. This last cruise we let them have their own cabin. We didn't feel the older one was responsible enough before. The younger one has always been the resonsible one. If they were both like her they would have had their own cabin before this. They are now older teenagers.

 

Set ground rules for them. The last club activity doesn't start until 11p or so. We had them back by 1a. They had to call us when they got in. We then called their cabin back to make sure they were where they said they were.

 

They knew if they weren't back (or called) on time they would have been in trouble. Neither one wanted Mom or Dad bird-dogging them around the ship with their friends.:D

 

Get a key to their room. Once we hadn't heard from them and they weren't answering. They were both asleep. :p

[luvtovaca]

We had our kids 13, 13, 10 in their own cabin on our last cruise. We did, however, have connecting rooms. Walls are pretty thin between those rooms. As long as they check in when supposed to, and you know when they are in for the night at their designated times, I'd have no problem with it. But, those are my kids. Maybe the youngest could share with the parents?? We didn't notice a noise problem, between connecting rooms because we always had the connecting door open between our 2 rooms.

 

On the other hand, I bet whoever is in that connecting cabin that your party should have, would be glad to switch rooms. DH and I cruised solo our last cruise and ended up in a room with a connecting door. We could hear the people in the connecting room (who we didn't know) day and night! My point being I wouldn't want a connecting room again unless we were in a group.

 

I also thought that even a "guaranteed" room can be changed, maybe the TA could pursue Carnival asking the people in that room to move.

 

Good luck, and please don't let this ruin the spirit of your trip. I know you'll have a great time!:)

[peaece13]

Just a thought, but would it work to have the baclony dividers removed between the cabins so that they connect via the balcony. That way they have a way to get to the parents cabin without going into the hallway. They could each keep their balcony doors unlocked. It wouldn't be exactly like a connecting where you could leave the door open, but at least they wouldn't have to go out in the hall to get to their parents.

[Nannersmom]

They don't have balcony cabins, so that idea is out, though I had not thought of that.

Per Carnival they did contact the people in the connecting room and they do not want to give it up. Even after it was explained to them what had happened and there are children involved. I don't know why they would not give it up. Some had said what is the big deal about the "two feet" between the cabins. It is not just the two feet, it is the locked cabin doors. I understand what people said about the a parent sleeping with the kids (ie split up the boys and girls). The parents were looking at this trip as a second honeymoon for them too. So it is frustrating to set up plans, be told by Carnival and TA in the beginning the plans are in place and then about 1 month before the cruise, everything changes.

When doing a group booking, we were told that the deposit is $25 per person unless we want a particular cabin (so called assigned) then the deposit is $200 per person. Which is why they did the larger deposit. So they could have the connecting cabins.

We are going on the cruise, we as a group are not happy with either the TA or Carnival and we as a group would never use either again.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I will post as soon as I can get a hold of my TA...she is out for the holidays...which I know there is still 37 days till we cruise, but would love to have it cleared up as soon as possible!

I know several people may be confused by how I posted it. It is kinda hard to explain so I will try again.

My cousin booked what she was told at the time she placed a full deposit (not a group rate because she needed the "exact" cabins) that she had two cabins booked in her name and they were connecting cabins. When she paid the final payment, I was told (noticed not her which is strange) that there was a mistake made. Per my TA the full deposit she made my cousin (for 5 people) was applied to only one cabin. The cabin that is connected to it somehow did not get "reserved" for her. So it was given to another customer. I understand the other customer may have been told they have a guaranteed cabin too. I just want to find out who made the mistake. I do want to hear both sides of the story. I will say I have had several other issues with my TA this time around so I am curious as to whom made the mistake. If Carnival made the mistake then my cousin should be allowed to have the connecting cabins and Carnival should notify the other people that there was an error and offer them something (an upgrade perhaps) due to Carnivals mistake. If my TA has made yet another mistake (there have been a couple minor ones already), then there will be a letter sent to her company (BTW, it is AAA) about the mistakes and frustrations that we have had.

Sorry this explanation was long. Just trying to clarify things.

 

so when your cousin booked she only got 1 confirmation from the TA?

 

Sounds like she had all 5 booked into 1 cabin.

 

Sounds like your TA dropped the ball. She should have caught the mistake as soon as CCL sent her the confirmation.

 

Isn't there anyone else in the office that can help you?

 

Bill

[Nannersmom]

We had both the TA supervisor and Carnival supervisor on the conference call. I had gotten to the point that I wanted everyone's supersvisor in on this. I don't know how many other levels I can go up...CEO of Carnival would sound nice, but I don't think that "level" really cares how messed up things got.

We are told there are no more connecting cabins and they can not do anything about it. BTW if one reads the Carnival contract, they state in there they have the right to move cruisers into different cabins. I know this goes both ways and we could have been the party moved. The key catch is both of these organizations acknowledge they made the mistake but they say there is nothing more they can do to fix it.

[Nannersmom]

Another thing that we did not catch right away on the invoices is that my cousin got two invoices with two different invoice numbers...but the confirmation number was the same. She did assumed that the confirmation would be the same since it was for the full family. Carnival did say they had connecting rooms but they are doubles only. so they can't put two into one and three into the other, but somehow their computer system allowed 5 people to be in a double...Strange I know.

[arom729]

Someone earlier mentioned about the connecting balconies...perhaps you could tell Carnival/TA that the only comparable upgrade would be to balcony cabins side-by-side, so they could become "connecting cabins" since no true connecting cabins are available?

 

You are right about the contract stating they can move passengers--I've read threads on here before of people complaining b/c they had been moved from their original cabin.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

yes they screwed up. let your TA and the cruise line split the cost if they both agreed they screwed up.

 

connecting balconies are available on your cruise. U227 and U231....E241 and E245, and E226 and E230.

 

Good luck

 

Bill

[yogi2929]

Another thing that we did not catch right away on the invoices is that my cousin got two invoices with two different invoice numbers...but the confirmation number was the same. She did assumed that the confirmation would be the same since it was for the full family. Carnival did say they had connecting rooms but they are doubles only. so they can't put two into one and three into the other, but somehow their computer system allowed 5 people to be in a double...Strange I know.

 

The Fantasy class ships allow rollaways in the cabins. That is how a quad becomes a quint. Can't imagine where 3 rollaways would go. :confused:

They can put a rollaway into a double UNLESS the ship is at capacity OR all the rollaways are taken.

[Nannersmom]

I was told that they can not put a roll away in a double...

We as a group have been trying to find a solution for this also. One group member going has connecting cabins, they are traveling with 3 kids but one is just an infant that will sleep in a pack N play.. We were told that they could not be moved into two doubles because the infant (that wouldn't need a bed) still counts as a person. We are bringing the pack N play so Carnival will not need to provide one. (Not to insult anyone but those things can be hard to clean and with the viruses going around we felt safer with our own. Besides, I think the crew would have a hard time cleaning them completely with all the other duties they need to do in the turn around time they have. Our plan was to move the family with the infant into the two connecting doubles and let my cousin and her husband with their three kids have the other set of connecting cabins (a double and a quad). We as family members are trying to find ways to make this work out. It just got frustating to find out in Dec that cabins that were considered "assigned" in June are not. And if the TA and Carnival are sharing the plan and it is not the customers error (i.e. not paying on time or changing reservations or accounting for bad weather :) ) I think the TA and Carnival should do what they can to fix it.

[Nannersmom]

I meant the TA and Carnival sharing the blame

 

(Sorry, one should not be having converstions about cruise plans while one is typing. So I will stop the typing :) )

[ohitssunshine]

I would be very upset if the same situation happened to me. My kids are 13, 11 and 9 and somehow I still would not feel comfortable with them in their own room, even if next door. When we sleep in the house all of our doors are open, if only 2 inches. I could not sleep if I could not hear what was happening in the hall, and knowing their room was closed off to mine.

[firefly333]

I was told that they can not put a roll away in a double....

 

We could have saved you some time and told you that all people count, no matter their ages. It is a coast guard thing from what Iv been told. They count each person for the muster station, no matter big or small, and only a set amount allowed for each muster boat.

 

I know to you, it is like a hotel where you can sneak in someone not registered, but thats not how a ship works ...so you have to count everyone, its not a matter of the beds per se.

 

Between the posters here we probably know as much about booking as your TA and whomever they are talking to at Carnival. Its still not clear to us that Carnival is sharing the blame ... I missed where you had the 3 way and heard Carnival admit they were to blame in any way. The TA should have been keeping track of the bookings and didnt. Anyway, ask away, as people here will at least be able to tell you things like they count each person and you can only put 3 people in a cabin rated for 3.