Carnival Vacation Gurarantee.

[BigDfromTN]

Just back from the Conquest last week.

 

Long story short and JMO. Carnival Vacation Guarantee is not explained onboard like it reads on line.

 

Friends with us had a family member pass away. They went and requested to have the CVG envoked and fly home from MoBay. (our first port of any kind.) They were told it is only good if there is something on board wrong that Carnival cant fix.

 

Interested in how others would interpret the language of the CVG as per Carnivals website. http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/cruise_control/vacation_guarantee.aspx

 

ALSO when asked for a complete copy of the guarantee we were handed a screen shot of the above webpage and a separate copy of the cruise contract.

 

Your thoughts?????

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

What was it that your friends weren't completely satisfied with? I read this not to be a replacement for travel insurance, but as a remedy for an onboard situation that Carnival isn't able to remedy.

[agc291]

What was it that your friends weren't completely satisfied with? I read this not to be a replacement for travel insurance, but as a remedy for an onboard situation that Carnival isn't able to remedy.

 

 

Thats how I read it too... if you are not satisfied with your trip, before your first port of call.

[Blind Squirrel]

If they were not satisfied with the way the vacation gaurantee was administered then I would say they were not satisfied with the customer service on the ship. That in itself means they were not satisfied with their vacation and should be allowed to invoke the vacation gaurantee.

[BigDfromTN]

Just for clarification....

 

They had insurance.

 

In my mind, Given that Carnival spells out EVERY thing that is to their advantage very clearly in their fine print, I would think Carnival would have added that it has to be an "on board" issue.

 

They were certainly "Not completely satisfied with your cruise vacation experience" and notified the GS desk.

 

Thank you for your replies, Just curious how others would interpet the verbage of CVG.

[okgirl]

If they were not satisfied with the way the vacation gaurantee was administered then I would say they were not satisfied with the customer service on the ship. That in itself means they were not satisfied with their vacation and should be allowed to invoke the vacation gaurantee.

 

I don't interpret it that way at all. They were fine with the ship and the cruise until they got word that someone had died and they wanted Carnival to give them a free ride home.....that's not what the guarantee is designed to do.

 

Customer Service on the ship was never an issue until they tried to invoke the guarantee. They signed a cruise contract that it was their responsibility to understand.

[okgirl]

Just for clarification....

 

They had insurance.

 

In my mind, Given that Carnival spells out EVERY thing that is to their advantage very clearly in their fine print, I would think Carnival would have added that it has to be an "on board" issue.

 

They were certainly "Not completely satisfied with your cruise vacation experience" and notified the GS desk.

 

Thank you for your replies, Just curious how others would interpet the verbage of CVG.

 

What about the actual cruise experience had they expressed dissatisfaction with prior to learning of a loved ones death? If they had an issue then that's what they should have presented to Guest Services.

 

If they had insurance then it should have covered them for the death of an immediate family member.

[spleenstomper]

It is my opinion that trip insurance covers what they wanted, which is reimbursement for trip interruption.

 

Carnival isn't the reason for their trip interruption.

 

I don't think they will get anywhere on this issue-- I don't think your friends are in the right.

 

I am sorry about the loved one passing away-- I can't imagine anything worse. Please give your friends our regards and sympathy.

[BigDfromTN]

I don't interpret it that way at all. They were fine with the ship and the cruise until they got word that someone had died and they wanted Carnival to give them a free ride home.....that's not what the guarantee is designed to do.

 

Customer Service on the ship was never an issue until they tried to invoke the guarantee. They signed a cruise contract that it was their responsibility to understand.

 

My question is not what the CVG is designed to do. (As I feel it is to sell more bookings, but that is a different issue too.)

My question is how would you interpret the verbage on the website.:confused:

 

As to the Contract. The CVG is exclusive of your "Ticket Contract". It is not covered in that contract and is a separate item and we do understand the contract and its fine prints that are very clearly stated.

 

 

 

What about the actual cruise experience had they expressed dissatisfaction with prior to learning of a loved ones death? If they had an issue then that's what they should have presented to Guest Services.

 

If they had insurance then it should have covered them for the death of an immediate family member.

 

Thanks for your opinion.

 

They DID have insurance and were not happy with some of GS handling of this situation.

[LHP]

This was never intended to replace someone buying cruise insurance.

 

It is to "protect" the quality of the cruise only.

 

There was nothing wrong with the cruise. This was a personal issue and as such, they should have purchased travel insurance.

[Sundiego]

Just back from the Conquest last week.

 

 

Friends with us had a family member pass away. They went and requested to have the CVG envoked and fly home from MoBay. (our first port of any kind.) They were told it is only good if there is something on board wrong that Carnival cant fix.

 

Your thoughts?????

 

I am sorry for your friends' loss, but I don't think this is even a gray area. Isn't the vacation guarantee meant to ensure you are satisfied with your cruise? I mean, if you board the ship expecting it to look like the pictures on Carnival's website and it turns out to be a rusty bucket of bolts with no hot food with a swimming pool that won't hold water, that to me would fall under the Vacation Guarantee.

 

It's not a great big jumbo escape clause for you to get your money back if you have a loss that travel insurance is designed to cover. Your friends are dissatisfied with Carnival's answer to their request. But that doesn't mean Carnival didn't deliver the cruise as advertised.

[spleenstomper]

Honestly, the phrase is Trip Interruption.

 

1) your friends didn't have a problem with the cruise.

 

2) your friends never complained about anything to anyone before they found out a loved one died.

 

3) Your friends' cruise was interrupted by the death of their person.

 

4) Your friends are unhappy with Carnival employees because they didn't get the answer they wanted.

 

Please correct any of the above that is wrong.

[Meyer2]

It is my opinion that trip insurance covers what they wanted, which is reimbursement for trip interruption.

 

Carnival isn't the reason for their trip interruption.

 

I don't think they will get anywhere on this issue-- I don't think your friends are in the right.

 

I am sorry about the loved one passing away-- I can't imagine anything worse. Please give your friends our regards and sympathy.

 

I'm understanding & feel the same. If there was a problem prior to finding out about the death of their loved one, then they should have gone to GS & let them know at that time. I too am so sorry to hear of their loved one passing away & also send my Prayers.

[BigDfromTN]

This was never intended to replace someone buying cruise insurance.

 

It is to "protect" the quality of the cruise only.

 

There was nothing wrong with the cruise. This was a personal issue and as such, they should have purchased travel insurance.

 

LHP, Thanks for your input. I value your opinion and have noticed how objective and level headed your posts are.

 

Again, they did have insurance, and will be made whole as possible.

 

I am sorry for your friends' loss, but I don't think this is even a gray area. Isn't the vacation guarantee meant to ensure you are satisfied with your cruise? I mean, if you board the ship expecting it to look like the pictures on Carnival's website and it turns out to be a rusty bucket of bolts with no hot food with a swimming pool that won't hold water, that to me would fall under the Vacation Guarantee.

 

It's not a great big jumbo escape clause for you to get your money back if you have a loss that travel insurance is designed to cover. Your friends are dissatisfied with Carnival's answer to their request. But that doesn't mean Carnival didn't deliver the cruise as advertised.

 

Thanks for the compasssion for thier loss.

 

 

I just believe this could be worded better on their website. As in worded to include "onboard", or "Thank we can not fix" Which were added by GS at the time of the request.... CCL spells everything else out completely. WHY not this?

[LHP]

I am sorry for your friends' loss, but I don't think this is even a gray area. Isn't the vacation guarantee meant to ensure you are satisfied with your cruise? I mean, if you board the ship expecting it to look like the pictures on Carnival's website and it turns out to be a rusty bucket of bolts with no hot food with a swimming pool that won't hold water, that to me would fall under the Vacation Guarantee.

 

It's not a great big jumbo escape clause for you to get your money back if you have a loss that travel insurance is designed to cover. Your friends are dissatisfied with Carnival's answer to their request. But that doesn't mean Carnival didn't deliver the cruise as advertised.

 

This is correct.

 

That would be like someone having a medical emergency before the first port and expecting Carnival to cover that as well.

 

These individuals had a personal problem and this Vacation Protection does not say it will cover that.

[spleenstomper]

In terms of wording, "other restrictions apply" I believe is intended to cover anything not spelled out.

 

In terms of contracts, there is simply no way to write every single situation down, nor does the person providing the contract want to do that.

 

Carnival wants to have discretion in what is a legitimate situation that would invoke the Guarantee and what situations wouldn't.

 

This is why in employment contracts, there is usually a phrase like an employee can be fired for "just cause". What is "just cause"? It is anything the employer says it is that they can back up. If the prospective employee doesn't like that phrase, they have the right to work elsewhere.

 

In that same respect, if a cruiser doesn't like the wording of the terms of contract, they have the right to cruise on another cruise line.

[BigDfromTN]

In terms of wording, "other restrictions apply" I believe is intended to cover anything not spelled out.

 

And when that terminology is used... Normally those restrictions are listed some where. Should those limitations not be available to a passenger at their request for clarificaton??? If those were made available I would not be here today asking the question and enlisting others opinions.

 

In terms of contracts, there is simply no way to write every single situation down, nor does the person providing the contract want to do that.

 

If its not written down.... Simply put. Its not part of the contract. You speak of contracts enough that I think you would know that.

 

Carnival wants to have discretion in what is a legitimate situation that would invoke the Guarantee and what situations wouldn't.

 

This is why in employment contracts, there is usually a phrase like an employee can be fired for "just cause". What is "just cause"? It is anything the employer says it is that they can back up. If the prospective employee doesn't like that phrase, they have the right to work elsewhere.

 

In that same respect, if a cruiser doesn't like the wording of the terms of contract, they have the right to cruise on another cruise line.

 

Thanks to all for the input so far.

AND again. My question is "Is the verbage clear"?

[BenjiRodney]

Yes it is clear, that is why we also purchase travel insurance, it is designed for these kinds of things. Had something been wrong with the room or a staff member Carnival would have tried to fix it. It is not used for a death in the family. Sorry you read it that way. Carnival is not to fault in this case.

[BigDfromTN]

This is correct.

 

That would be like someone having a medical emergency before the first port and expecting Carnival to cover that as well.

 

These individuals had a personal problem and this Vacation Protection does not say it will cover that.

 

Nor does it say it will not.

 

I agree with everything you say in principle.

 

I also feel that is not what the verbage states.

 

Carnival is very good at telling us in the "ticket contract" what they are not responsible for. Why would they not do the same with the verbage of the CVG?

 

Im trying not to be extremely argumenative, but really feel this is not stated as it was explained.

 

I also agree they should not pay for every little thing that Insurance covers and they offer insurance for. That is why I buy insurance EVERY trip.

 

I think the line... "If you are not completely satisfied with your cruise vacation experience, all you have to do is notify...."

Maybe it gets back to definitions of completely are, kinda like what the definition of "is" is.

[firefly333]

I just believe this could be worded better on their website. As in worded to include "onboard", or "Thank we can not fix" Which were added by GS at the time of the request.... CCL spells everything else out completely. WHY not this?

 

From what you keep saying the only thing they were not satisfied with is how guest services answered them regarding them being covered by the guarantee and getting off the ship at Carnival's expense?? Is there something else they were not satisfied with?

 

It seems very clear to me they are not covered.

 

If you are not completely satisfied with your cruise vacation experience, all you need to do is notify us before arrival at the first port of call and you must debark at your ship's first non-U.S. port of call

 

Its not the cruise itself, but its that the ship did not agree to cover them that they are unhappy with.

 

Im prepared to fly home some day like that as my parents are elderly and it would never occur to me to hold Carnival liable.

[geoherb]

I agree with most of the previous posts. Under the Carnival Vacation Guarantee, the cruise line will fly you home "if you are not completely satisfied with your cruise vacation experience." A death in the family does not qualify as something that would cause you to be dissatisfied with your cruise vacation experience.

[klmorg]

Agree with the others... I would have never even considered invoking the Carnival Vacation Guarantee in that situation. While the death back home is certainly sad & unfortunate, Carnival is not reponsible for gettng guests home in that circumstance whatsoever.

[okgirl]

The vacation guarantee says "We are so confident that you will be happy with your CRUISE VACATION EXPERIENCE" and goes on again to emphasize the CRUISE VACATION EXPERIENCE that they are willing to guarantee it.

 

I think that's pretty clear that they are talking about the cruise experience itself, something that they would try to fix before they would let you envoke the guarantee.

 

Again, there wasn't anything wrong with your friends experience in how the cruise was progressing. And I really don't understand why if they had insurance they wouldn't simply use the trip interuption portion.

[gtalum]

In my opinion, your friend's issue was clearly an insurance issue and not a product guarantee issue. Since they had insurance, there's no problem.

[rnvattes]

Just back from the Conquest last week.

 

Long story short and JMO. Carnival Vacation Guarantee is not explained onboard like it reads on line.

 

Friends with us had a family member pass away. They went and requested to have the CVG envoked and fly home from MoBay. (our first port of any kind.) They were told it is only good if there is something on board wrong that Carnival cant fix.

 

Interested in how others would interpret the language of the CVG as per Carnivals website. http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/cruise_control/vacation_guarantee.aspx

 

ALSO when asked for a complete copy of the guarantee we were handed a screen shot of the above webpage and a separate copy of the cruise contract.

 

Your thoughts?????

 

I think they were right and you were misinterpreting.

 

To me, Carnival is guaranteeing that they will show you a great time. Not that nobody back home will have a problem that causes you to need to end the trip early.