Wow! Am I getting the runaround on my voucher certificate! Please help me!

[misstopgun]

My sister got one refunded that had expired for over a year. It just depends on who you talk to.

 

She got the runaround as well but finally posed the question to John Heald who got the right persons in touch with her.

[Pomcoach]

When I called Carnival last night, I talked to the lady for at least an hour, 30 min. of that was "on hold." She NEVER said even once that the Future Cruise Certificate could not be applied to the deposit. She did not have any problem with the $100 being applied toward the initial deposit at all. She just said the Department had not received our certificate in time to pair it up with our deposit of our $400 from our Debit card. So the cruise didn't have the full $500 deposit, so it got canceled. Then later our Certificate showed up, but they had refunded our $400 back to our bank, so STILL the full $500 was not appearing, so they could not book the cruise! It was like a comedy of errors, only nobody's laughing, especially my husband and I.

 

My PVP has not called me back yet, but it's early this morning, around 9 am., so we look forward to hearing from him.

I am sooooo appreciative to everyone who has replied with lots of good info. It helps me feel "not so alone."

Thanks to all my Cruise Critic pals!

Pomcoach

[Sparky2]

When I called Carnival last night, I talked to the lady for at least an hour, 30 min. of that was "on hold." She NEVER said even once that the Future Cruise Certificate could not be applied to the deposit. She did not have any problem with the $100 being applied toward the initial deposit at all. She just said the Department had not received our certificate in time to pair it up with our deposit of our $400 from our Debit card. So the cruise didn't have the full $500 deposit, so it got canceled. Then later our Certificate showed up, but they had refunded our $400 back to our bank, so STILL the full $500 was not appearing, so they could not book the cruise! It was like a comedy of errors, only nobody's laughing, especially my husband and I.

 

My PVP has not called me back yet, but it's early this morning, around 9 am., so we look forward to hearing from him.

I am sooooo appreciative to everyone who has replied with lots of good info. It helps me feel "not so alone."

Thanks to all my Cruise Critic pals!

Pomcoach

 

Are you able to re-book your cruise?

 

We've had about 6 FCC's in the past and were NEVER able to apply it to our deposit. It always came off of the balance owed. That's what it states on the back of the FCC.

 

Unfortunately, they don't follow their own rules and confuse everyone. The loyalty desk guy should never have told you they could be applied to the deposit. That's where the biggest error comes in to play.

 

Hope everything turns out OK for you. Keep us posted on the re-booking.

[LHP]

The problem is that you can not use it as part of your deposit....

 

only to reduce the final payment of your cruise.

 

 

Sadly this incorrect information was used almost daily on every ship by those "trained" to sell these. (They said "applied to your deposit"...which is not correct)

 

Your cruise was cancelled because you had an insufficient deposit.

 

We purchased 25 and are using the last one in September...and yes they were a great value and I hate it that they no longer sell them.

[DebJ14]

When we used our last FCC I was specifically told by the rep I booked with that it would take too long to process the FCC to be able to be applied to the deposit, which was due within 24 hours. She told me to pay the full deposit, submit the FCC and they would knock $100 off the total price and apply the OBC. It worked like they said it would. It took them about a week to apply the FCC to the booking.

Unfortunately, the guy who sold us the FCC said we could apply it to the deposit. But these days with them wanting the deposits so quickly (at the time of booking, within a few hours or within 24-48 hours depending on how close to the sailing) it just doesn't work that way. It did back in the day when you could wait 5-7 days to pay a deposit (like RCI, Princess, HAL still do on most fares).

[CapeCodCruiser]

The last one I used I was told they didn't need me to mail in the cert - just gave the # to my PVP - she took care of it & it was applied in two days.

[DebJ14]

I didn't have to mail in my certificate - just filled out a form online and submitted it, but it still took a week to apply to the booking.

[Pomcoach]

I didn't have to mail in the Certificate either. My PVP just asked for the # on the Certificate. I'm not just SAYING that the blonde guy behind the counter, on the ship, SAID the FCC could be used for deposit, which he did say that. But it also is printed in two different sentences on the front of the Certificate, that it can be applied to the initial deposit.

And actually, on the back in the fine print, it states in #5. "This Certificate CAN be applied as a deposit, but does not serve as a full deposit for all sailings. The recipient is responsible for covering any DIFFERENCE in the full deposit, at the time of booking."

So there it is.

It states in 3 places that you CAN use it for the initial deposit, but we had to pay the other $400 of the deposit, which we did.

Still haven't gotten a return call from our PVP. Starting to wonder why.

[wezie]

How do you know that it has been applied to your account? Where do you see the OBC?

[Leo's Rule]

How do you know that it has been applied to your account? Where do you see the OBC?

 

When you view your documents you'll see the OBC there. Sometimes you're emailed that it has been applied and sometimes you log in and see it's been done.

[bankonus]

I have used these 7 times....and using one this cruise. You have to put the initial deposit down then the 100.00 gets credited. The wording is misleading, your PVP handles these regularly if they are good and should have known how to handle it. They have made it easier to use these now as you don't have to mail them in anymore, you can call Carnival and give them the number over the phone for quicker handling. They don't sell them anymore, what a shame. Good luck! Make your PVP come through for you, their mistake, not Carnivals.

[Susiecruisey]

Any word on an update

[kingoftheicedragons]

Technically, the $100 from the future cruise certificate could NOT be used for a deposit. While your PVP may have allowed this to happen, it technically wasn't kosher, and since you did not pay the full deposit amount, Carnival is well within their rights to cancel the booking. If your PVP put it in as deposit, then it was probably not showing up in the system that you even had that. I have a certificate on my account for our European cruise--when I called to get the drastic price drops as part of the Friends and Family sale, a normal customer service agent couldn't make the changes and give me the lower price because of that, it automatically had to go to a supervisor to do (sort of like a price override at the supermarket when the cashier needs to call over a supervisor).

[Vanessa L]

I didn't have to mail in the Certificate either. My PVP just asked for the # on the Certificate. I'm not just SAYING that the blonde guy behind the counter, on the ship, SAID the FCC could be used for deposit, which he did say that. But it also is printed in two different sentences on the front of the Certificate, that it can be applied to the initial deposit.

And actually, on the back in the fine print, it states in #5. "This Certificate CAN be applied as a deposit, but does not serve as a full deposit for all sailings. The recipient is responsible for covering any DIFFERENCE in the full deposit, at the time of booking."

So there it is.

It states in 3 places that you CAN use it for the initial deposit, but we had to pay the other $400 of the deposit, which we did.

Still haven't gotten a return call from our PVP. Starting to wonder why.

 

I'm not sure that those of you who are saying this can't be used for a deposit are grasping what the OP is saying here. It's not just that she was told it could be used as a deposit by the "trained salesman" but it is, apparently, IN WRITING all over the certificate that it can be used as a deposit. Not sure how that can lead to any ambiguity at all :confused::confused:

[Cruise, J.D.]

I'm looking at my FCC right now. On the back of it, under the Terms and Conditions:

 

5. This certificate can be applied as a deposit but does not serve as a full deposit for all sailings. The recipient is responsible for covering any difference in the full deposit at the time of booking.

[arpie05]

I understand your frustration.... The problem is the program apparently evolved (It's really not even offered unless you book while onboard) and it does NOT matter what your certificate says. When you made the reservation you had to make the deposit - your PVP should have told you that. And the FCC is then applied to future payments...

 

My issue last year was I was booked on a cruise with my son and a co-worker. She and I were 1 & 2 and he was person 3. Even though he and I were on the same CC - they divided my $100 between her & I. No where does it say on the certificate that it's divided. It says $100 obc is mine. They wouldn't help me onboard - I had to ask my friend for $50 - it was awkward! It wasn't obvious because our cruise had other OBC applied to our S&S but she knew I was trying to find it. The front desk was no help and actually couldn't figure it out. I did but wanted them to fix.

 

My PVP has told me with the current promotions with 1/2 deposit when I change rates - I will owe money because I haven't made a full deposit - so because the FCC is now not part of the deposit - you were short. Hopefully they can work it out. You have your confirmations so I'm not sure why the issue....

 

Good luck...

[ibcnusoon]

The last one I used I was told they didn't need me to mail in the cert - just gave the # to my PVP - she took care of it & it was applied in two days.

 

Same here, then I went to some Carnival site and entered the certificate number and other information. Only needed a $400 deposit.

[Florissouri]

I did just put in a call to our PVP and left a message. Hopefully he should call soon. Wow! I sure will NEVER listen to the intercom asking for cruisers to go put down $100. Makes me feel really taken advantage of. We booked the cruise like we were supposed to. It wasn't our fault that the departments didn't get our Certificate processed in time. Well, I really thank you for reading my sad story. Hope there will be a better ending.

Wasn't there a person on here that knew the e-mail to the President of Carnival? Bet he could help me. It's wrong to treat people this way.

 

Is your PVP blonde?