Carnival said No to coctail party

[antigualvr]

Just got off the phone with Carnival. They would NOT let me book a 1 hour party!!

 

Here is what I was told: First, I could not book a group event because there are only 2 people in our group. She said she could not book us unless we "linked" our reservations.

 

Then I said that we are a roll call. I didn't say a CC roll call, just a roll call. (Since I had read about that being a problem before) She promptly asked if it was a CC roll call and I said yes. She then told me they are not allowed to book that way, because there is no guarantee how many people will show and no way to bill multiple people. I said that I was doing all of that myself and would be the 1 person responsible for final payment. She again said no, they have to book us a room with wait staff and everyone buys their own drinks with their SS card (of course at regualr prices).

 

I again said "so I can't book this, then call 2 weeks ahead of time with my final count and be the one responsible for payment either before the cruise or on my SS card?" And she (very politely) said no.

 

Ideas on how we can resolve this??

[firefly333]

I think you have to be able to guarantee so many will go and of course pay for it ahead of time plus collecting all the money.

 

If you can only say 2 will be there at this time, maybe that is the problem?

[chased]

I do know that you have to book it thru group sales for the cocktail parties.

[golfadj]

I know there is minimum of 20 people required to do this. I believe if you call back in a week or so and have over 20 people you should be ok but will have to pay in advance.

[*Mach*]

Sigh... what a pain in the posterior.

Once you get a firm number (and the money...) give groups a call and tell them that it's a bunch of family and friends. Do not mention Cruise Critic or they'll turn you down again.

There have been a number is instances where CC roll call parties like this have had many more folks attend than paid. Personally, I handle this by passing out specific colored wrist bands to all paticipants... no wrist band and you can't get in the door let alone get a drink...

:)

[antigualvr]

This was through group sales, and we have over 20 people from our roll call that have said they want to attend. I very clearly stated I would pay in advance or confirm the number 2 weeks ahead of time and would pay on SS card.

 

Guess I will wait a week or two and try again.

[antigualvr]

Thanks, Host Mach. I had read not to mention CC, but she threw me when she asked me outright. I should have just said it was a roll call from the Carnival boards.

 

Wrist bands are a great idea. I had planned on special name tags.

 

Jan

[*Mach*]

This was through group sales, and we have over 20 people from our roll call that have said they want to attend. I very clearly stated I would pay in advance or confirm the number 2 weeks ahead of time and would pay on SS card.

 

Guess I will wait a week or two and try again.

 

 

Won't work. You have to have a specific number when you call and be prepared to pay at that moment...

:)

Trust me... I've done this many times. I even had to go to the VP of Guest Services once to get it done...

[cdamion]

What is the problem with them and CC? RCI does the mixers. I arranged one through Princess in December, and they were awsome. There were no free drinks, but the captain, cruise director, assistant cruise director, assistant maitre d (the maitre d couldn't make it and sent treats to my room as an apology), engineer, and a couple of other officers showed up.

 

Why is Carnival being so stubborn about it?

[Kryssa]

I would call again tomorrow. Perhaps you will get a rep that is a bit more interested in booking your group.

 

Maybe the next person to successfully book a cocktail party can post the name of the rep who helped them?

[kujobie]

What is the problem with them and CC? RCI does the mixers. I arranged one through Princess in December, and they were awsome. There were no free drinks, but the captain, cruise director, assistant cruise director, assistant maitre d (the maitre d couldn't make it and sent treats to my room as an apology), engineer, and a couple of other officers showed up.

 

Why is Carnival being so stubborn about it?

 

The answer is in your post. These are paid parties with open bar. Carnival must be having issues with crashers.

[tyler6597]

Cancel your carnival cruise and book on RCL. RCL has no problem hosting meet and mingle parties for cruise critic roll calls. Carnival is being real cheap about this.

 

Just got off the phone with Carnival. They would NOT let me book a 1 hour party!!

 

Here is what I was told: First, I could not book a group event because there are only 2 people in our group. She said she could not book us unless we "linked" our reservations.

 

Then I said that we are a roll call. I didn't say a CC roll call, just a roll call. (Since I had read about that being a problem before) She promptly asked if it was a CC roll call and I said yes. She then told me they are not allowed to book that way, because there is no guarantee how many people will show and no way to bill multiple people. I said that I was doing all of that myself and would be the 1 person responsible for final payment. She again said no, they have to book us a room with wait staff and everyone buys their own drinks with their SS card (of course at regualr prices).

 

I again said "so I can't book this, then call 2 weeks ahead of time with my final count and be the one responsible for payment either before the cruise or on my SS card?" And she (very politely) said no.

 

Ideas on how we can resolve this??

[Mikel1733]

The leader of our roll call group on our upcoming Dream cruise booked a party last week with absolutely no problems. It does require a 20 person minimum.

[Shelli]

Cancel your carnival cruise and book on RCL. RCL has no problem hosting meet and mingle parties for cruise critic roll calls. Carnival is being real cheap about this.

 

I think you've totally misunderstood. This is *not* a meet and mingle party. It is a one-hour cocktail party with an open bar, which is something Carnival will arrange for groups >20 who pay $11+ each in advance. Royal Caribbean does not offer anything similar.

[luckycruzer]

Just got off the phone with Carnival. They would NOT let me book a 1 hour party!!

 

Here is what I was told: First, I could not book a group event because there are only 2 people in our group. She said she could not book us unless we "linked" our reservations.

 

Then I said that we are a roll call. I didn't say a CC roll call, just a roll call. (Since I had read about that being a problem before) She promptly asked if it was a CC roll call and I said yes. She then told me they are not allowed to book that way, because there is no guarantee how many people will show and no way to bill multiple people. I said that I was doing all of that myself and would be the 1 person responsible for final payment. She again said no, they have to book us a room with wait staff and everyone buys their own drinks with their SS card (of course at regualr prices).

 

I again said "so I can't book this, then call 2 weeks ahead of time with my final count and be the one responsible for payment either before the cruise or on my SS card?" And she (very politely) said no.

 

Ideas on how we can resolve this??

 

for 2 parties on TA, Magic..we have over 50 copming to each..w/specified venues that will work on final head count..They know we are CC

Do the old bait n switch yourself..call someone else..in Groups..that will be williing to help...good luck sweety

[cdamion]

The answer is in your post. These are paid parties with open bar. Carnival must be having issues with crashers.

 

I understand that it is a paid party with open bar.

 

My point is that Carnival is treating CC people different than other lines. They will not book a CC group when OP is willing to pay the money for it... to the point that Host Mach says not to identify themselves as a CC group.

 

Why is Carnival anti CC? That is the question.

 

Other lines are providing space to the group for FREE (besides drinks obviously) with no guaranties that anybody is going to show up.

[cdamion]

I think you've totally misunderstood. This is *not* a meet and mingle party. It is a one-hour cocktail party with an open bar, which is something Carnival will arrange for groups >20 who pay $11+ each in advance. Royal Caribbean does not offer anything similar.

 

It is not a CC meet and greet, it just happens to be that all of the attendees are on CC. I don't get why Carnival wont do it.

 

Maybe you can call it something else. Come up with a creative name for the trip and call it that group when you call back.

[Cyn7]

I spoke with Velma and Ken in groups when I booked my cocktail party. I told them both that it was family, friends and roll call members from both Carnival Funville Forums and CC Forums.

 

They both told me to call back 1 month before sail date to confirm the number that will be joining and that it will all be charged to my S&S Card. I also received and email confirming the Cocktail Party, time and place before I got off the phone with Ken.

 

John has also posted on his FB page to let him know when anyone wants to book the cocktail parties from CC. I know he was helping a couple of people set them up just in the past 2 days.

[airlink diva]

I hate that you had alot of hassle arranging a cocktail party Antigualvr.

I'm sailing in early September and one of the members of my roll call is arranging our cocktail party.

Now I know that she had to have 20 people that were firm on wanting to do this before setting anything up with Carnival. We will have wristband to identify us for this event with color coded for drinkers and non drinkers (the bands will be in our cabin waiting for us). If you don't have a band, can't come and since the bands are going to be past out on the ship, they will know how many people are going to be there.

We were given a deadline to submit a payment via PayPal or mailing to her.

Now I can't tell you if she stated if it was a cruisecritic event or not.

While this is my first time doing the cocktail party, there are several in our roll call that have participated in them in the past and had a great time.

I hope that in the end your cocktail party happens and is a great one.

[ChefSusan]

Just a thought but maybe the no had something to do with the tone of the person making the call? I bet if the person was demanding in any way, shape, or form they would be flatly denied. What's the old saying it's better to catch flies with honey not vinegar?

[*Mach*]

I understand that it is a paid party with open bar.

 

My point is that Carnival is treating CC people different than other lines. They will not book a CC group when OP is willing to pay the money for it... to the point that Host Mach says not to identify themselves as a CC group.

 

Why is Carnival anti CC? That is the question.

 

Other lines are providing space to the group for FREE (besides drinks obviously) with no guaranties that anybody is going to show up.

 

 

Carnival is not anti Cruise Critic. The issue is the way some of the CC groups have behaved at the cocktail parties. As I said, they've been crashed on numerous occasions and THAT is what generated the Carnival policy.

:)

[antigualvr]

I spoke with Velma and Ken in groups when I booked my cocktail party. I told them both that it was family, friends and roll call members from both Carnival Funville Forums and CC Forums.

 

They both told me to call back 1 month before sail date to confirm the number that will be joining and that it will all be charged to my S&S Card. I also received and email confirming the Cocktail Party, time and place before I got off the phone with Ken.

 

John has also posted on his FB page to let him know when anyone wants to book the cocktail parties from CC. I know he was helping a couple of people set them up just in the past 2 days.

 

Great info, thank you very much!!

 

She DID offer to book a meet and greet for us - with an open bar at regular prices.

 

Thanks to everyone who has answered!:)

[antigualvr]

Just a thought but maybe the no had something to do with the tone of the person making the call? I bet if the person was demanding in any way, shape, or form they would be flatly denied. What's the old saying it's better to catch flies with honey not vinegar?

 

I don't think so, we had a great conversation. And like I said she was VERY polite and offered to book our meet and greet. I really got the feeling that maybe they have been burned with crashers in the past because she was so adament about an exact number.

 

It's all good. we have 130 days to work it out. And if it doesn't come together for whatever reason we will use BV booze and have a cabin crawl! This isn't going to spoil our fun. ;)

[Cruise4Music]

Just got off the phone with Carnival. They would NOT let me book a 1 hour party!!

 

Here is what I was told: First, I could not book a group event because there are only 2 people in our group. She said she could not book us unless we "linked" our reservations.

 

Then I said that we are a roll call. I didn't say a CC roll call, just a roll call. (Since I had read about that being a problem before) She promptly asked if it was a CC roll call and I said yes. She then told me they are not allowed to book that way, because there is no guarantee how many people will show and no way to bill multiple people. I said that I was doing all of that myself and would be the 1 person responsible for final payment. She again said no, they have to book us a room with wait staff and everyone buys their own drinks with their SS card (of course at regualr prices).

 

I again said "so I can't book this, then call 2 weeks ahead of time with my final count and be the one responsible for payment either before the cruise or on my SS card?" And she (very politely) said no.

 

Ideas on how we can resolve this??

 

Good for Carnival.

 

Cruise Critic people are not entitled to any special treatment.

[sunsetme]

Good for Carnival.

 

Cruise Critic people are not entitled to any special treatment.

 

we are willing to pay for it, how is that special treatment?