So frustrated with Carnival and the pre-paid gratuities!

[bankonus]

Sitting on the phone with Carnival now. I booked my rooms back in October for a Sept 2012 cruise. At that time I pre-paid my gratuities at the old 10.00 per day rate. I have received 3 early saver reductions since booking this cruise. They increased my gratuities rate to the new amount on 1 of my rooms the first early saver reduction. I called and pointed this out and they credited the account back to the old amount. This 3rd time they did it to one of my other rooms. I am on the phone with them now and they are saying I am bound to the new amount when I take an early saver reduction. I explained they credited my account once before and they said they would do it this time with the exception that they were putting a note on my bookings that if we receive another early saver reduction they will be charging me the new tip amount. I completely understand that my taxes and things are subject to the whatever they are at the time of early saver reductions but was told when I booked these rooms in October that I had locked in my tip amount at the old rate. Don't get me wrong, I never remove my tips on board and I almost always tip them generously in cash the last night of the cruise. However, we have several people sailing with us as my daughter is getting married on the ship before we set sail, and I think it just puts a bad light on the customer service part of Carnival when they do this.

[SMSACE6]

Sorry, Im not sure I understand correctly. But is this not only about an extra dollar or two a day?. I think I would just pay it. But I may also have missed something in your post, which I often do. How much money extra do you have to pay?

[bankonus]

Sorry, Im not sure I understand correctly. But is this not only about an extra dollar or two a day?. I think I would just pay it. But I may also have missed something in your post, which I often do. How much money extra do you have to pay?

 

Yes, it is only about 12.00 per person. We have several rooms booked all on Early Saver due to the wedding, so every time we get a reduction from here on out they will put us at the new rate. And it isn't just about the money, heaven knows the wedding is costing enough along with all the rooms, it's just about poor customer service. Every time I speak to someone at customer service they ALL have different answers. So you get told to do something, then when you do it, someone else says "Oh, you can't do that...blah, blah." Sorry, just frustrated.

[cruisenanny]

Yes, it is only about 12.00 per person. We have several rooms booked all on Early Saver due to the wedding, so every time we get a reduction from here on out they will put us at the new rate. And it isn't just about the money, heaven knows the wedding is costing enough along with all the rooms, it's just about poor customer service. Every time I speak to someone at customer service they ALL have different answers. So you get told to do something, then when you do it, someone else says "Oh, you can't do that...blah, blah." Sorry, just frustrated.

 

Yes that sort of thing is VERY frustrating! Disney is the same way. If it becomes apparent that I am talking to a moron CSR, I say I have to go, hang up and call back with my fingers crossed. If it's a good day I only have to do it once or twice.

[bankonus]

Yes that sort of thing is VERY frustrating! Disney is the same way. If it becomes apparent that I am talking to a moron CSR, I say I have to go, hang up and call back with my fingers crossed. If it's a good day I only have to do it once or twice.

 

 

Exactly! I know a lot of people out there understand my pain. It is always another story when you get the next person. They should work on the same rules across the board. :)

[SMSACE6]

Yes, it is only about 12.00 per person. We have several rooms booked all on Early Saver due to the wedding, so every time we get a reduction from here on out they will put us at the new rate. And it isn't just about the money, heaven knows the wedding is costing enough along with all the rooms, it's just about poor customer service. Every time I speak to someone at customer service they ALL have different answers. So you get told to do something, then when you do it, someone else says "Oh, you can't do that...blah, blah." Sorry, just frustrated.

 

Ok, I understand now that it is not about the amount, but the lack of consistency among sales reps. Yes that would be frustrating.

[Westbank is bestbank]

The same exact thing happened to me! I felt customer service didn't handle it properly either. In my case it is only a difference of $42 but it's just the idea that they told me in 2011 that my gratuities were locked in. I was frustrated too but I just got over it and will enjoy my cruise.

[MrPete]

If you don't get them to do as you wish, just adjust them once you get on board, if you wish.

 

And you are correct. All pre-paid tips paid prior to Halloween were grandfathered at the old rate, according to the announcement.

[CarnivalPlatCruiser]

I get the frustration... We bought all our shore excoursions, months ago... For 10 people, at every port...

 

Yesterday, I get an email, saying tht if you book your excursions early, they will give me 10% off... I called, the only way to get the 10% if to CANCEL the excursions, wait for a refund, then rebuy them... STUPID.

 

And since I changed banks, the account that I bought them on is not available for a refund, so im just out of about 150 dollars...

 

Carnival has some dumb policies sometimes. I get your frustration...

 

You do, however have the option to have them removed, back to the origional price, or whatever you like, when you board the ship. Just keep in mind, that the staff works hard for these tips :)

[Dmetrius]

Heck its only money and that money goes to pay the slaves that cook your dinner make your bed, keep your ship afloat.

Maybe you cant afford to cruise?

[jks336]

i emailed them to no avail, didn't bother calling. All i said was that if i can not adjust my prepaid tips, why can you to the new rate?. all they did was send the standard response of where the tips go yada yada lol.. its not a real big deal, but to get my first obc was cool, but between the difference in taxes/port charges and the new gratuities, we got a total of 23.70 lol.. we also tip extra at the end of the cruise, but still.. lol

[sparks1093]

Heck its only money and that money goes to pay the slaves that cook your dinner make your bed, keep your ship afloat.

Maybe you cant afford to cruise?

 

Way to miss completely the point of OP's post;).

 

OP, I get what you are saying completely. Unfortunately few companies pride themselves on good customer service nowadays.

[luvtheships]

Sitting on the phone with Carnival now. I booked my rooms back in October for a Sept 2012 cruise. At that time I pre-paid my gratuities at the old 10.00 per day rate. I have received 3 early saver reductions since booking this cruise. They increased my gratuities rate to the new amount on 1 of my rooms the first early saver reduction. I called and pointed this out and they credited the account back to the old amount. This 3rd time they did it to one of my other rooms. I am on the phone with them now and they are saying I am bound to the new amount when I take an early saver reduction. I explained they credited my account once before and they said they would do it this time with the exception that they were putting a note on my bookings that if we receive another early saver reduction they will be charging me the new tip amount. I completely understand that my taxes and things are subject to the whatever they are at the time of early saver reductions but was told when I booked these rooms in October that I had locked in my tip amount at the old rate. Don't get me wrong, I never remove my tips on board and I almost always tip them generously in cash the last night of the cruise. However, we have several people sailing with us as my daughter is getting married on the ship before we set sail, and I think it just puts a bad light on the customer service part of Carnival when they do this.

this just shows that the "tips":rolleyes: are actually "salary":rolleyes: for the crew..and the pax are being charged for the crew's raises.

 

so..the price of the cruise goes down...and the price you pay should go to cover..food..salaries..entertainment..etc.

 

and OF COURSE all pax should be tipping for service to those that deserve it..no problem there....and it should be discretionary...

 

BUT..we know that is not the case....and what you are hearing from cust. service sounds right to me because unfortunately and as most of us have figured out by now what CCL really wants from us is to do the auto tips AND to tip extra....

 

also...and dare it be said...even here on these boards..if a poster even hints at reducing or worse yet...actually only leaving the auto tips and NOT giving extra:rolleyes: they are vilified.....

[sparks1093]

this just shows that the "tips":rolleyes: are actually "salary":rolleyes: for the crew....

 

No different than your waiter/waitress ashore.

[luvtheships]

Heck its only money and that money goes to pay the slaves that cook your dinner make your bed, keep your ship afloat.

Maybe you cant afford to cruise?

do you call restaurant chefs..hotel houskeepers and waiters at your local restaurant slaves as well?

 

 

My money says you work on a ship and want to push the guilt button on the posters here....

 

It won't work with me of course because I can use my brain and understand that the "slaves":rolleyes: as you so nicely call them..are living a very good life.....and no, I don't care that they left their homes and family...as it was their choice..

 

ok...so that should end this particular line of posting.

[luvtheships]

No different than your waiter/waitress ashore.

 

right...but just don't decide to pass on their raises to me....you..the boss can certainly raise their hourly wage...and go ahead and raise the dinner price to offset it...but don't tell me that the standard 15/18% is now going up to 21%....because that is at my discretion...and if I choose not to tip..so be it...if I choose to give 25%..so be it...

 

just don't count on my tips to pay for a salary increase that you..the boss..have given your employee...

 

oh...and don't tell me to tip the Guest Services and entertainment staff either...which is what CCL has now done....

[luvtheships]

Ok, I understand now that it is not about the amount, but the lack of consistency among sales reps. Yes that would be frustrating.

and unfortunately this is why it takes 3 calls to get the same answer twice from any sort of customer service

[sparks1093]

but CCL and every poster here seems to think that the pax must tip above and beyond the autotips....again they like when we feel guilty about the poor workers

 

I doubt that CCL cares whether we tip above and beyond the recommended amount and I'm sure the workers would love it if we did, but I do not let that change my tipping practices.

[luvtheships]

Yes that sort of thing is VERY frustrating! Disney is the same way. If it becomes apparent that I am talking to a moron CSR, I say I have to go, hang up and call back with my fingers crossed. If it's a good day I only have to do it once or twice.

same thing has happened to me when dealing with WDW..one rep says no and the other rep says no problem...saved $2000 once by simply hanging up and calling back.

 

when dealing with WDW my trick is to just book my room so I get the dates and hotel I want..THEN when I see the deals, I go in and either book the package or just change my room rs. to a package...either way I have my room reserved..we like the value resort family suites that sleep 6 for cheap....so I get them to adjust my current reservation and have never had a problem..

 

of course I will hang up immeadiately if I don't like the reps voice and will just call back until I get one that sounds normal....

[luvtheships]

I doubt that CCL cares whether we tip above and beyond the recommended amount and I'm sure the workers would love it if we did, but I do not let that change my tipping practices.

agreed..but you aren't getting what I am saying...

 

Let CCL raise the workers salaries..who cares...and the way to pay for the increase is to raise the cruise prices....

 

but they have not only raised their salaries they have added other workers to the tip pool...and have passed it on to the pax...not via price increases..but via a tip increase....

 

tips are discretionary and they really should not have been raised....the cruise price should have been raised to reflect slary increases

 

however, on second thought CCL has done the pax a favor by raising the tips...since we can reduce them back to the old rate..and we have no discretion in reducing the cruise price as CCL must do that. NOt so bad afterall!LOL

[sparks1093]

agreed..but you aren't getting what I am saying...

 

Let CCL raise the workers salaries..who cares...and the way to pay for the increase is to raise the cruise prices....

 

but they have not only raised their salaries they have added other workers to the tip pool...and have passed it on to the pax...not via price increases..but via a tip increase....

 

tips are discretionary and they really should not have been raised....the cruise price should have been raised to reflect slary increases

 

however, on second thought CCL has done the pax a favor by raising the tips...since we can reduce them back to the old rate..and we have no discretion in reducing the cruise price as CCL must do that. NOt so bad afterall!LOL

 

I get what you are saying but that's not the topic of this thread. I apologize to everyone for taking this thread off topic.

[Rottweiler Puppy]

Heck its only money and that money goes to pay the slaves that cook your dinner make your bed, keep your ship afloat.

Maybe you cant afford to cruise?

 

You missed the point entirely.

 

Anyway, I take it you don't cruise at all. You certainly wouldn't support and perpetuate slavery on the ships right?

[declansdad]

Heck its only money and that money goes to pay the slaves that cook your dinner make your bed, keep your ship afloat.

Maybe you cant afford to cruise?

 

 

What an idiotic comment!

[linbobky]

What an idiotic comment!

agreed!!

[Sunflowerlady16]

I get what you are saying but that's not the topic of this thread. I apologize to everyone for taking this thread off topic.

 

No need to apologize. I understand completly what you are trying to get across to everyone. I have been a CSR for 25 years dealing with people on a daily basis. It is unfortunate that when a Company has a policy change it takes sometimes 6 months for everyone to be on the same page. Note: I did not research Early Saver or new tipping increase to see if it applies. CSR should be able to email you a copy of the fine print that might of been missed. The best advise I can give to you is when calling, nicely explain your complaint to the CSR you receive, then ask for the persons manager. If the manager is not available which sometimes this happens too ask for supervisor. Make sure you always take CSR name, date, time talked to and what was discussed. (I hope you did this from your previous calls) State your case. You should receive results within hours (24 at most - completed or still working on) No results then their Customer Service Sucks and someone at a Coperate Level should be notified. Their processes and procedures need to be evaluated.