Carnival Vacation Guarantee

[Droopy]

What is the Carnival Vacation Guarantee? Is it still available? Has anyone had to use it? How much does it cost? :cool:

[GoinCruisin]

From the Carnival website...

 

When it comes to fun, Carnival's got you covered. We're so confident you'll enjoy your Carnival cruise vacation, we offer the only money-back guarantee in the cruise industry.

 

Simply book your "Fun Ship" vacation and sail away:

 

• If you are not completely satisfied with your cruise experience
  
• Notify us before arrival at the first port of call and you may debark at your ship's first non-U.S. port of call.
  
• Carnival will refund the unused portion of your cruise fare and pay your flight back.*
  

[Cotton]

In THEORY, this is a great guarantee. Let me share my story:

 

On one Carnival cruise, I was having one problem after another (really ME, not w/the ship....long story). Anyhoo:

 

I talked with the purser the evening prior to reaching the first port-of-call....and told him I was thinking about invoking the Carnival Guarantee. He was not very sympathetic, took a rather sarcastic attitude, and told me what would be involved.

 

First, yes, of course they would honor the 'guarantee'. However, problems may arise if I get off the ship and there's no plane back to N.O. until the next day - and no, he wouldn't call and check on flights for me. The hotel would be at my expense (I understand that), as well as transportation from the port to the hotel, and from the hotel to the airport. He was not encouraging at all that I would be returning to N.O. anytime soon.:(

 

Now - all that being said - It just seems like too much hassle to try to use the guarantee. As much as I like Carnival, this particular purser (and this WAS the purser, not an asst.) really needed an attitude adjustment. The only really rude treatment I've ever rec'd on a Carnival ship - he actually had me in tears.

 

After all that - I decided to stay put. I managed to have an ok cruise, but it wasn't my favorite.

[Sea Turtle]

I inquired about the ‘guarantee’ after the first dinner on an Imagination cruise. I received all the info upon request, and the purser's office called me at least four times in a 16-hour period to ask of my decision. They would put me on a plane back to Miami out of Belize with no out-of-pocket expense to me but the catch was they wouldn't 'know' my flight departure time until after I committed to leaving the ship in Belize. I do travel with a passport; however, as I had never been to Belize (no clue how far away airport is from dock), I felt that unknown flight times were too risky for me as a solo traveler. And, I had an auto parked at the Port of Miami which would likely have been closed to me had I arrived after dark thus I personally would have incurred a Miami hotel charge. I opted to stay onboard for the duration of the cruise.

 

While it’s nice to know that such a guarantee exists and, technically there is ‘no charge’ there are a number of factors to consider prior to exercising the option.

 

Hope you don’t have occasion to use it, Droopy! :eek:

[basketlover]

Cotton I notice you have sailed on the Sensation most recently. I'm booked on her in the fall. Did you problem involve the ship or service, its our first cruise and my husband isn't a big vactioner so I need it to be smooth please let me know. I don't need the details just if it was the Sensation or her crew.

[Cotton]

I don't need the details just if it was the Sensation or her crew.

 

No, really, it had nothing to do with the ship or crew, and it wasn't the Sensation. I'm sure y'all will enjoy your cruise.

 

I just wasn't in the right frame of mine. I had been a widow for a few months, and my children gave me the cruise to 'get away'. Just poor timing, I guess. Nothing felt right, y'know? I just wanted to go home.:o