Don't book Imagination on Nov 12, 2010

[gargoyle999]

It's in negotiations for being chartered! It might still be showing up on non Carnival booking sites, but it has been removed from Carnival.com.

 

I'm booked on this sailing and noticed a problem when the little fishy program kept telling me it was an invalid sailing during it's price checks.

 

Called and after speaking with 4 Carnival reps was finally told my booking is not canceled yet, but that the sailing is "in talks" to be chartered. Carnival wouldn't tell me who or what group it is since it is not finalized yet.

[Randisoko]

A little more information for you. I called again, for the 3rd time, and was told they had just started calling people yesterday. She said I should receive a call today or early next week. She did state that our price is locked in for us if we choose to switch to another ship. I hope this helps you. I tried to post this on the original thread, but it was closed. I think some were being kinda nasty. Good luck. Let me know if you get any additional info.

[gargoyle999]

I just called again and was now told that it is being shown as being chartered.

 

Strangely, Carnival will still allow me to make changes to my booking (like dining time) or go into the payment page. Guess it takes them awhile to actually cancel any existing bookings.

[Traveler353]

So far there is a couple of more threads about it. One is from a really upset bride to be. Don't blame her one bit. She has every right to be highly pissed about this whole mess and some of the people here where being down right nasty to her.

[travelntreats]

So far there is a couple of more threads about it. One is from a really upset bride to be. Don't blame her one bit. She has every right to be highly pissed about this whole mess and some of the people here where being down right nasty to her.

While she has just right to be upset, the cruiseline is looking where they can generate the most revenue and it just happened to be on her cruise. Odds are pretty slim it can happen, but no different than winning the lottery... you may win and you may not !

[Bert64]

So what does Carnival do if you had already booked airfare or hotels (or anything else for the trip) that are non-refundable? Do they refund your money?

[palmtre2]

I'm thinking this is what's happening with a cruise I want to book for next year. I could go in on Carnival and pick the date and get as far as picking a cabin, once I do that it tells me this date is unavailable. I went out to other booking sites and out of 3, 2 of them don't show the sailing date at all. The other will let me book the cruise, which now I'm afraid to do.

I was looking at the Freedom for April 23, 2011 - anybody hear anything???

[travelntreats]

I'm thinking this is what's happening with a cruise I want to book for next year. I could go in on Carnival and pick the date and get as far as picking a cabin, once I do that it tells me this date is unavailable. I went out to other booking sites and out of 3, 2 of them don't show the sailing date at all. The other will let me book the cruise, which now I'm afraid to do.

I was looking at the Freedom for April 23, 2011 - anybody hear anything???

Didja think about calling CCL direct to find out the scoop ? Sometimes a call is easier than the internet ! :D

[imsulin]

This didn't happen with Carnival, but years ago, I booked a cruise with (now defunct) Premier Cruise Lines. It was paid in full by CC. I bought independent air, also by CC. I also had purchased trip insurance. A few weeks before the cruise, a Premier rep. called to say that the ship had been chartered (by the DOD), and they would be refunding my cruise fare. Which they did. I asked them about my airfare, but since I booked it independently, I was on my own. Fortunately, the Travelguard policy I bought at the time of booking did not include Premier Cruise Lines on their Will Not Cover list, so they refunded my CC for my airfare. Interestingly, Premier WAS put on that list a couple of weeks after I bought my policy! Premier went hasta la bye bye shortly after. Carnival would probably offer a cruise on a different ship during the same dates as the charter. If you choose to sail on the same ship at a later date, they MAY offer to pay for the airlines' change of date fee and price difference. And then there's the question of if you also purchased Carnival air. I hate it when ships are chartered after many individual people booked long before the $$$$$$ factor for a full-charter came into play. RCI did this a few years ago when Nickeleodon chartered a ship and then then (Nick) charged exhorbitant prices to cruise with Dora and Slime.

[gargoyle999]

Didja think about calling CCL direct to find out the scoop ? Sometimes a call is easier than the internet ! :D

 

Don't count on that! The first 3 people I spoke with at Carnival didn't know jack. Didn't even seem to understand the concept of an entire ship being chartered when I bought it up as to why it was no longer showing up on the Carnival site.

 

There was more info available here than what I got from calling Carnival last night and this morning... :cool:

[travelntreats]

:rolleyes:

Don't count on that! The first 3 people I spoke with at Carnival didn't know jack. Didn't even seem to understand the concept of an entire ship being chartered when I bought it up as to why it was no longer showing up on the Carnival site.

 

There was more info available here than what I got from calling Carnival last night and this morning... :cool:

I called earlier today and found out from the 1st rep I spoke with that this sailing has been chartered.....:rolleyes:

[tulsacubfan]

So far there is a couple of more threads about it. One is from a really upset bride to be. Don't blame her one bit. She has every right to be highly pissed about this whole mess and some of the people here where being down right nasty to her.

 

If it's melraemic, she started another thread and the problem has been resolved very well to her satisfaction.

[gargoyle999]

I called earlier today and found out from the 1st rep I spoke with that this sailing has been chartered.....:rolleyes:

 

Your welcome. The fourth person I talked to must have finally decided to spread the word around. ;)

[Egret32]

Remember when a few went to New Orleans for Katrina aid?

 

And I recall the QEII being summoned to the Falkland war.

 

Ships are assets.

 

I think there should be a policy that if a ship is canceled for a national emergency that the company make you whole--all out of pocket including air fare (or getting a cooperative agreement with airlines). In fact, airlines don't charge you change or cancellation fees for hurricanes etc.

 

But if they cancel to do repairs or make a different deal with someone else, they should pay all expenses, airfare--plus deals that include upgrades, obc's etc. Because WE have to pay the closer to sailing we cancel, these should go UP commensurate with how close to sailing this happens.

 

Just an idea...

[Traveler353]

If it's melraemic, she started another thread and the problem has been resolved very well to her satisfaction.

 

That was good to read. Happy that everything appears to be working out all right for her.