ANYONE USE "FREE" CARNIVAL CRUISE FROM MINI VACATIONS??

[MaryBCruisin]

We received a "Free" Carnival cruise from listening to a vacation club talk in Tampa and wondered if anyone else has used theirs. I've never sailed Carnival and it only includes the entry level bunk cabins for $100 pp plus port charges and government taxes. I have to wait till April to find out what cruises are available. I could use the coupon on RCCL for $1349 for two people on an inside cabin but I can book it myself for much less.

 

Mary

[derf5585]

A division of Mini Vacations

from

http://www.minivacations.com/vac-7cruise.htm

[gtalum]

How can they call it "free" if you have to pay $100 pp PLUS taxes and port charges? I could see the taxes and port fees, but how can they add $100 pp and still call it "free"?

[MaryBCruisin]

It must be the processing fee. None of the sailings have the bunk room available. I wonder what they'll charge for the upgrade if I choose to sail when I want to go. October is by far not a peak month.

 

Derf, are you familiar with them? That is the exact brochure I received.

 

Mary

[derf5585]

Derf, are you familiar with them? That is the exact brochure I received.

Mary

 

No, I just did a Google search and found the link.

[budaman]

We used the Mini Vacations 7 day cruise as a hook at the delaership I work for. Got several for myself with the idea of taking our sons and girlfriends on an inexpensive cruise. Catch is the prices are only good for 1 dbl cabin, and the prices were the same as your getting. $100 processing fee and port taxes etc. For 7day out of Galveston on Elation, came to $271 per person. Problem came when trying to get other cabins, we'd have to upgrade to larger inside which brought the price up to $850ish or $1050ish for an outside. This was for 2 though so still not a bad deal, but certainly not free. They said they didn't really get deals with Royal Caribbean because they didn't do the volume like with Carnival. Price actually was higher than booking thru RCI directly. Have talked to several people who've used the coupons and they've been treated the same on the ship as when they booked through TA. At $542 for a couple, it's really a pretty good deal for a 7nt cruise.

[yogimax]

BEWARE of any deal being offered to promote a timeshare. I had a call last night "Congratulations, your name was drawn from a coupon you submitted on your recent cruise. Only 3% of all entries were selected. You've "won" a free stay in Grand Cayman." "Thanks, are there any fees?" "Yes, about $500." "Any timeshare presentation?" "You don't have to go."

 

Get the message???

[Ship Addict]

I went to one of these presentations also recently just to get the free cruise. I realized then that I would have to follow their instructions to the letter and jump through all their hoops to get their cruise, which I was willing to do, because I knew we wouldn't be able to afford a cruise anytime soon any other way.

 

The certificate said I would have 18 months to complete my travel, which I thought was no problem. I sent off my initial paperwork within the 30 day time period like they said. They said they would send my reservation form and further instructions in a few weeks. I knew I would have to send in my "taxes and port fees and other applicable charges" when I made my reservation request, but it didn't mention any time frame for doing that -- just that I would have to complete my travel in the 18 months. OK.

 

Well, when I got my Cruise Request Form in Saturday's mail, it said that I had to send in my form WITHIN 21 DAYS of the date of the letter (which was March 30, 2005) or the voucher would be invalid. I am completely livid!! There was nothing in the original certificate that said I would have to pay so soon. We were planning on vacationing SPRING 2006, so I wasn't planning on sending in my reservation request until this fall probably. Our price for the cruise is $299 per person, and I am nowhere close to having that money right now.

 

I just know this is one of their tricks so they don't have to pay out on their little "gift," but I am going to fight this one! This is totally misleading and unfair. I called them this morning and someone named Kay took a message and said a "specialist" will be calling me back . . . let's see if that actually happens. :mad:

[MaryBCruisin]

I replied on the previous thread of a similar name. I'm sorry for the duplication. Must have thought I was on a different board.

[Ship Addict]

MaryBCruisin, I replied on the other thread as well:

 

Complimentary Cruise Vacation Thread