Another "So Long, Carnival" thread...

[bigman01]

Yep, another Carnival repeat cruiser has had enough.

 

I was booked on Carnival Magic on 11/25/12...booked it a few weeks ago. I booked a specific cabin because of the convenient location. One of my guests is in a wheelchair, and the cabin I booked and paid for was very convenient for her. While musing over my booking online Friday evening, I discovered that, without my knowledge, we had been moved to a less desirable (and less convenient for her) location.

 

I called my PVP this morning, got his voice mail and left a message. Got no response, so I waited an hour and called back. He answered, and looked into my booking, and said yes, he had moved me, but he couldn't explain why other than to say it was "done in error". After going back and forth for a few minutes, with him telling me there was "nothing he could do" since there were no other cabins available in a Cat 8F. I asked to speak to a supervisor, he offered to have one call me back when he could. No thanks....I'm on the phone now, put me through to a supervisor instead of having one call me back. He wouldn't do it.

 

So I hung up, called the 800 number, explained what was going on the the lady that answered, and she transferred me to Guest Solutions. The lady I spoke with looked back at all the notes/comments on the booking, then admitted that yes, I was moved by mistake. She was very apologetic, but I was again told there was nothing they could do, and my options were to wait and see if another room opened up after final payment, move to a different room on a different deck, or cancel the cruise.

 

Sure, I could have waited to see if a better room opened up after final payment, but if one doesn't, since it would be after final payment, I couldn't cancel without penalty. Not an option. And again, I booked that specific room on that specific deck because of the convience for my guest who is in a wheelchair. So, moving to a different deck was not an option. Which left me with one option - cancel.

 

It's a shame that customer service at Carnival has deteriorated so much, and continues to do so. It seems like, from my experience as well as others' on the board, that customer service is spiralling downward.

 

I'm not a new cruiser, and don't consider myself to be overly demanding - I just expect to get what I booked and paid for. This would have been my 11th cruise with Carnival, so while I know what to expect (and what NOT to expect) from Carnival, I'm still disappointed that this has happened.

 

I saw a thread the other day that basically said Carnival no longer cares about repeat cruisers...they are solely focused on new cruisers. After this experience, I'm convinced that that has, unfortunately, become reality.

 

I hope that all of you who are booked (or will be booking) with Carnival never experience the lack of customer service that is becoming more common with Carnival every day.

 

Here's hoping for warm weather and smooth seas for all of you that are cruising soon!

[susie8862]

So sorry this happened to you.

[chasinraynbowz]

Sorry that happened. But just so you know, the same thing happened on RCCL. So it's not just Carnival. When I book, I tell my PVP that I do NOT want to be moved. Once I started doing that, I have had no problem.

 

Again, I am sorry that happened. And I am sorry you had such a lousy PVP. We got lucky when we got ours!!

[MrPete]

I find it hard to believe that they still do this without some kind of notification and customer confirmation.

 

I was more taken back when John Heald asked outright "if you were moved, would you want to know?"

 

Huh?

 

With one exception, I have always booked room specific, and the first time I booked an aft, and was calling because my tickets hadn't arrived, I was told like it was an afterthought that I had been moved.

 

For about 10 seconds I just about almost lost it, until I was informed I was still aft, but was moved up 2 decks.

 

And the next day, two sets of tickets arrived, one for each room!

 

And of course, never found out why I was moved. It was a triple to a triple.

[barbatkins]

Yep, another Carnival repeat cruiser has had enough.

 

I was booked on Carnival Magic on 11/25/12...booked it a few weeks ago. I booked a specific cabin because of the convenient location. One of my guests is in a wheelchair, and the cabin I booked and paid for was very convenient for her. While musing over my booking online Friday evening, I discovered that, without my knowledge, we had been moved to a less desirable (and less convenient for her) location.

 

I called my PVP this morning, got his voice mail and left a message. Got no response, so I waited an hour and called back. He answered, and looked into my booking, and said yes, he had moved me, but he couldn't explain why other than to say it was "done in error". After going back and forth for a few minutes, with him telling me there was "nothing he could do" since there were no other cabins available in a Cat 8F. I asked to speak to a supervisor, he offered to have one call me back when he could. No thanks....I'm on the phone now, put me through to a supervisor instead of having one call me back. He wouldn't do it.

 

So I hung up, called the 800 number, explained what was going on the the lady that answered, and she transferred me to Guest Solutions. The lady I spoke with looked back at all the notes/comments on the booking, then admitted that yes, I was moved by mistake. She was very apologetic, but I was again told there was nothing they could do, and my options were to wait and see if another room opened up after final payment, move to a different room on a different deck, or cancel the cruise.

 

Sure, I could have waited to see if a better room opened up after final payment, but if one doesn't, since it would be after final payment, I couldn't cancel without penalty. Not an option. And again, I booked that specific room on that specific deck because of the convience for my guest who is in a wheelchair. So, moving to a different deck was not an option. Which left me with one option - cancel.

 

It's a shame that customer service at Carnival has deteriorated so much, and continues to do so. It seems like, from my experience as well as others' on the board, that customer service is spiralling downward.

 

I'm not a new cruiser, and don't consider myself to be overly demanding - I just expect to get what I booked and paid for. This would have been my 11th cruise with Carnival, so while I know what to expect (and what NOT to expect) from Carnival, I'm still disappointed that this has happened.

 

I saw a thread the other day that basically said Carnival no longer cares about repeat cruisers...they are solely focused on new cruisers. After this experience, I'm convinced that that has, unfortunately, become reality.

 

I hope that all of you who are booked (or will be booking) with Carnival never experience the lack of customer service that is becoming more common with Carnival every day.

 

Here's hoping for warm weather and smooth seas for all of you that are cruising soon!

 

WOW!! that is awful and really unbelievable that they would move you and then not correct the error......I've been with Carnival since 1986 and never experienced anything like that with this company....... Really sorry to hear they did this to you

[scperk]

Yes you are right Carnival customer service is pretty bad...My TA has to really stay on top of my bookings..Dennis

[jonbgd]

Sorry to hear this happen

It does happen on other cruiselines but it seems CCL customer service isnt as effecient to make the cruiser happy

[pe4all]

Sorry to hear you were moved without your knowledge. Were you moved because your cabin was say, a triple, and you only had 2 of you?? It's a shame you didn't reserve a handicapped accessible cabin, since one of your party is in a wheelchair. I don't understand why your pvp made the change. Something is wierd here. Time to get a new pvp.

[H82seaUgo]

why do people think "it happens on other cruiselines" justifies this practice at all?

 

and so what if the move a couple from a triple to a double.

 

why can't the passenger be notified? why would anyone make excuses for the cruiseline, as opposed to their fellow passenger?

[TerReuv]

Wondering if you made it known to Carnival about your wheelchair bound guest? They might have bumped someone from an available handicap cabin (as they statde they will do) if you had let them know your reasons for booking that specific cabin. You could have been bumped from that cabin if it was handicapped but you did not let them know. Not letting them off the hook for what has happened or making excuses, but possibly if you let them know the reasoning they can make an acceptable substitution for you.

[Amy Giard]

I don't understand why they didn't just "move" whoever got your room.

 

At least one person is going to be PO'd, so it should be 2nd person who booked.

[gwinel]

Sorry to hear you were moved without your knowledge. Were you moved because your cabin was say, a triple, and you only had 2 of you?? It's a shame you didn't reserve a handicapped accessible cabin, since one of your party is in a wheelchair. I don't understand why your pvp made the change. Something is wierd here. Time to get a new pvp.

 

Handicap accessible cabins are usually the first to go since there are few of them. Many ships have only two balcony accessibles. Carnival's customer service is lacking.

[NCTribeFan]

Final payment shouldn't be due for a few weeks, yet.

 

Did you ask if there were handicap cabins available? Perhaps they could've upgraded you.

 

I would've given them the opportunity to make it right. I think I would've asked them to please see what they could do to make that cabin mysteriously become available. Why couldn't they just "presto" move the people in it to somewhere else, since they had no problem moving you out?

 

If it was truly simply that the cabin was "convenient," and not truly a necessity, I'm not sure I'd cancel. I don't see that any 8Fs on Magic are even HC modified. Wouldn't a true HC cabin be better, for a wheelchair user, even if slightly less convenient?

[jonbgd]

why do people think "it happens on other cruiselines" justify this practice at all?

 

and so what if the move a couple from a triple to a double.

 

why can't the passenger be notified? why would anyone make excuses for the cruiseline, as opposed to their fellow passenger?

Im not justifying it But it doesnt just happen on CCL.

 

I think its complete BS and they should be calling to inform. But in the first place they shouldnt be move at all

[wiskt]

Yep, another Carnival repeat cruiser has had enough.

 

I was booked on Carnival Magic on 11/25/12...booked it a few weeks ago. I booked a specific cabin because of the convenient location. One of my guests is in a wheelchair, and the cabin I booked and paid for was very convenient for her. While musing over my booking online Friday evening, I discovered that, without my knowledge, we had been moved to a less desirable (and less convenient for her) location.

 

I called my PVP this morning, got his voice mail and left a message. Got no response, so I waited an hour and called back. He answered, and looked into my booking, and said yes, he had moved me, but he couldn't explain why other than to say it was "done in error". After going back and forth for a few minutes, with him telling me there was "nothing he could do" since there were no other cabins available in a Cat 8F. I asked to speak to a supervisor, he offered to have one call me back when he could. No thanks....I'm on the phone now, put me through to a supervisor instead of having one call me back. He wouldn't do it.

 

So I hung up, called the 800 number, explained what was going on the the lady that answered, and she transferred me to Guest Solutions. The lady I spoke with looked back at all the notes/comments on the booking, then admitted that yes, I was moved by mistake. She was very apologetic, but I was again told there was nothing they could do, and my options were to wait and see if another room opened up after final payment, move to a different room on a different deck, or cancel the cruise.

 

Sure, I could have waited to see if a better room opened up after final payment, but if one doesn't, since it would be after final payment, I couldn't cancel without penalty. Not an option. And again, I booked that specific room on that specific deck because of the convience for my guest who is in a wheelchair. So, moving to a different deck was not an option. Which left me with one option - cancel.

 

It's a shame that customer service at Carnival has deteriorated so much, and continues to do so. It seems like, from my experience as well as others' on the board, that customer service is spiralling downward.

 

I'm not a new cruiser, and don't consider myself to be overly demanding - I just expect to get what I booked and paid for. This would have been my 11th cruise with Carnival, so while I know what to expect (and what NOT to expect) from Carnival, I'm still disappointed that this has happened.

 

I saw a thread the other day that basically said Carnival no longer cares about repeat cruisers...they are solely focused on new cruisers. After this experience, I'm convinced that that has, unfortunately, become reality.

 

I hope that all of you who are booked (or will be booking) with Carnival never experience the lack of customer service that is becoming more common with Carnival every day.

 

Here's hoping for warm weather and smooth seas for all of you that are cruising soon!

 

Just for clarification sake.

Did you book this cabin with notification that there was a Wheelchair accesible passenger in it? Or just because it was "convenient'? There is a place while booking that you mark off Special needs. I'm only asking because if you were not specific with your booking about the wheelchair passenger in the room, then as far as Carnival knows you are simply another assenger booking the room. I also believe there is a disclaimer when booking specific handicap rooms that you could be moved.

 

Again, not disputing your arguement just getting a clarification on your booking procedure. If you actually spoke to a PVP (PERSON) and mentioned there was a wheelchair in the room then this sounds like the PVP did not follow through with your needs correctly. It will help someone else to avoid the same situation... hopefully

 

btw, there are elevators so wheelchairs are accessable on all decks.

[StillPooh]

I don't think the OP booked a handicapped accessible cabin. Just a regular one in a location making it easier for his friend who uses a wheelchair to get around.

[Georgiagolfer]

I find this totally unacceptable. To move a booked passenger from a specific room, and then say the room is no longer available is pure BS. As others have posted, OP was moved without his/her knowledge or consent, why can't the new passenger assigned the room be moved?:confused:

 

Just another long list of items(add customer service) people are concerned about when sailing with CCL. As a Platinum VIFP, I am starting to have concerns about the future.

[Mikel1733]

Its crazy that Carnival would allow themselves to lose a booking. They should have upgraded the OP to an acceptable room.

 

Business must be just fine if Carnival is letting paying customers walk out the door.

[framerman]

sorry that happened to you.....................

[CourtneyLovesCruising]

I rarely am able to guarantee a specific hotel room when I make a reservation and wouldn't be surprised having to be moved on a ship.

[pe4all]

I rarely am able to guarantee a specific hotel room when I make a reservation and wouldn't be surprised having to be moved on a ship.

Totally disagree. When booking, one of the options is to "pay more" for a specific cabin. If this is what the op did, and then was moved without their knowledge and/or consent, to me that is a breach of contract. OP - did you print out your original booking? And then the "changed" booking? If you did, I would call CCL again and ask (not demand) for them to "make it right." Work your way up the food chain. It was your pvp's mistake. The only thing I can think is what I said before - your pvp booked you into the "wrong capacity" cabin, and you were bumped out of it for a larger party. Either way, your pvp is at fault, and CCL should make it right - perhaps with a cabin up a deck. (upgrade)

[richfret]

This is not a flame, just a discussion. You seem really upset but not unset enough to talk this over with a supervisor or a manager if need be. If the person I was dealing with would not connect me with a supervisor, I would get his/her name, hang up and call another department until I connected with sone one with authority. I would advise them of the situation and give the name of the person who would not connect me with a supervisor. If that would not work, you continue up the ladder until you win your case (which you will if all the data you provided is correct).

 

Was this handled badly? Absolutely yes! So take action accordingly. As you said, your other option is to cancel and take another cruise line which you probably will be doing. Other wise, get back on that phone and give them heck. I see a $50 to $100 on board credit for the trouble.

[Irishlinny]

This exact same thing happened to me...I was moved without my knowledge and no explanation for it. It took me 4 days and who knows how many people to rectify it. Since they said the people who booked the cabin (months after me) refused to leave, they would not put me back into it. It was a cabin with a large balcony...no others available. They kept offering me stupid amenities...I told them I wanted a suite. After 4 days of persistence, I got my suite...at an 8B price. Ultimately it worked out, but I was fit to be tied.

Just last week, I went to add my husband to my Breeze booking (in our cabin for 2) which I had booked in May of last year. They said the sailing is now "restricted" and nobody can be added:eek: The travel agent booking the group cruise went up the chain of Mgt at Carnival and got nowhere. So we tried...nope. I was NOT going to spend another 4 days screwing around with Carnival so I sent an email to Gerry Cahill and John Heald one night...it was completely resolved by 10:30 the next morning.

I know your frustration, however. We should be able to get problems resolved within the normal channels...there is no need to have to go to the top with everything. I work for a service bureau and it is nothing like the service that Carnival provides when there are problems! Good luck...

[H82seaUgo]

I rarely am able to guarantee a specific hotel room when I make a reservation and wouldn't be surprised having to be moved on a ship.

 

in a resort, or a plain hotel?

 

just made a reservation today at a place i've been going to for 25 years, room specific. i would be po'd if i were moved for ANY reason. i am submitting a deposit to hold that room as well.

[CourtneyLovesCruising]

in a resort, or a plain hotel?

 

just made a reservation today at a place i've been going to for 25 years, room specific. i would be po'd if i were moved for ANY reason. i am submitting a deposit to hold that room as well.

 

It depends on the relationship I have with the place. The Motel6 in Anaheim is awesome about reserving a particular room for me. Same with our local naturist resort. $400 dollar rooms in boutique hotels, much more difficult. Same with convention hotels. My sister gets the same handicapped camping site in Bodega Bay every year!