Trip Report: Fascination July 13-18

[GadgetRick]

Well, back from the cruise, time for my review...

 

The Good

The ship itself is very well maintained by the staff. You can tell it's a little older but very clean. Didn't see things not working or other things being neglected. They run a tight ship where the actual ship is concerned.

 

The cabin steward was excellent as advertised. Need to bring him home to clean up after my boys at home! Although the monkey hanging from the air conditioner was a little creepy it was still pretty cool.

 

The waitstaff we had at our table in the main dining room was also excellent. They were very attentive to us. The head waiter was also concerned about an issue we had on elegant night--I'll tell you more about this later. But no complaints on the waitstaff in the main dining room.

 

For all of the stink Carnival made, they put both beds down and our beds were together as we wanted. Was it tight? Of course, however, we don't walk around the room in the middle of the night so it wasn't a huge deal. Would have been nice if the people on the phone knew what they were talking about--this is a recurring theme, btw--since they were telling me it just couldn't be done. Thanks to everyone around here who tried to help out with this (potential) situation.

 

Very glad I sprung for the balcony. We enjoyed it a LOT. I knew my wife would love it as she love to wake up in the morning and sit out on the patio every morning at home using her iPad. She did the same on the cruise but on the balcony. I was shocked how little I saw other people on there balcony. It also made the room feel much bigger. Well worth the money.

 

The comics they had were very good. Unfortunately, you got a half an hour a night except when they had 2 shows (adult). I believe that was only one night. Would have been better had they done a full show rather than such a short one.

 

Faster to the Fun was very much worth the extra $50. Saved us a TON of time for many things. Got on the ship quicker, got off the ship quicker, had a shorter line at Guest Services (unfortunately, had to use them more than I'd hoped). But it's very worth it. Thanks for the tip on that everyone!

 

The Bad

I was disappointed in the food (overall). Honestly, the food was average at best. The buffet was below average except for a few things. The food in the main dining room was average for the most part. I was surprised at the lack of steak selections. I had the chateaubriand the one night and it was lukewarm when served. Had the flat iron steak the last night and it was very bland. The breakfast buffet was absolutely tasteless.

 

The rotisserie beef/chicken was actually good but the mashed potatoes down on the buffet were runny--yes, runny. They tasted ok but they had waaaaaaay too much milk in them. For some reason, they were a little better in the main dining room.

 

The breakfast in the main dining room was unexceptional. Not much of a selection for what they're trying to be in there. Was better than the buffet, however. I expected more from the main dining room.

 

The cost is something I was disappointed in. So many people kept telling me how economical a cruise is because hotel/food is included (when they were trying to convince me to do a cruise). Honestly, it's quite expensive cruising. Sure, I could have gotten an inside cabin or something to lower the main cost but, quite frankly, the cost for the balcony wasn't all that much more than the other cabins. I'm talking about them nickel and diming you for EVERYTHING on the ship. From making you pay for soda to making you pay for drinks in the casino (I'm gambling, why aren't drinks free???) and everything in between. Seems like everything you do on the ship is costing you something extra. I would have spent much less had I taken my family somewhere for the same amount of time and stayed in a hotel and just ate out every day. But I was prepared for it to be quite honest. Just want to mention it for any first time cruisers.

 

The kids were disappointed in Camp Carnival. Everyone kept telling me how much my boys--10 and 7--would love CC. I won't say they HATED it but they didn't enjoy it all that much. And my boys are actually quite easy to please. They don't have to play video games to be happy. They regularly just find something to mess around with around the house or back yard and entertain themselves for hours. They still play hide and go seek together (yes, just the two of them) and other things. So they're not high-maintenance kids. So, for them to say they didn't enjoy CC, well, there's something to it.

 

My older son did, however, enjoy the scavenger hunts. Obviously, he liked the freedom of being able to roam the ship a bit. So that was a plus.

 

The pool on the ship is an absolute joke. It was surprisingly small for a ship with 2,000 passengers. It was always overrun with kids who were pushing each other into the pool, jumping in, diving in and other things. No way I was letting my small kid in the pool. I was afraid both of them would get hurt (or worse). No supervision from adults, they just let the kids run wild there.

 

The two hot tubs on Lido were always packed with kids as well. So there was no getting in there.

 

Lido deck itself (by the pool) was always over-crowded as well. I'm not one who wants to sit around the pool and do nothing so it wasn't a huge deal but just want others to know that area is PACKED almost all of the time.

 

The kids enjoyed the water slides although they wanted more--who doesn't? :) But the water slides were the highlight of the ship for my boys.

 

The 24 hour room service is a joke. They talk about it like you can get whatever you want whenever you want. So one night--after being out--I called down for some food. It was about 1am. They told me I could only get a salad (if I remember correctly) and/or a sandwhich. Huh!!?? That's it? Thanks for nothing. Oh, there also was no room service menu that I ever saw. That would have helped immensely.

 

The (lack of) communication about things on the ship was a recurring theme. They'd give you a bit of information about something but not the whole thing. I won't bore you with all of the details but, suffice to say, we spent way too much time wandering around trying to figure out how/where to do things the whole cruise. This could have been avoided with more signage around the ship, more information given in other ways or just more info on the little sheet they give you each day about what's happening on the ship.

 

It's a short cruise so there's not much time to do anything while in port. Not blaming Carnival or the cruise but it is what it is. If you expect to be able to do a lot while in port, you'll be disappointed. The rain in Nassau didn't help. :(

 

The Ugly

There were some things that just absolutely pissed me off--all of them had to do with Carnival's (lack of) customer service skills. It started with the bed situation before the cruise, which, as I mentioned, was a total non-issue to begin with. Had they just explained it could have been done but the room would be tight, I wouldn't have gotten so stressed about the situation or the fact that nobody thought the bring that up at booking.

 

Elegant night was a total fiasco. They wouldn't allow me into the dining room with a nice pair of shorts and a nice shirt. Now, I did know this might be an issue, however, I only knew this because of a thread I read here--not from anyone at Carnival. There were some other people who weren't told about this before the cruise and were turned away as well. Again, communication would have avoided problems although my issue with what happened isn't because they wouldn't let me in....

 

So we were there with friends and their little boy. So we had a party of 7. We all went down for dinner on elegant night (me in my shorts) and I was at the back of our line of people. Everyone is walking in and they stop me and tell me I can't get in because of my shorts. I say, "We have 3 kids right there (walking away) who are all wearing shorts and flip flops." I'm told they don't care about the kids. I discuss this further with the girl there and they bring over the maitre d. This is where it gets bad.

 

He comes over, stands there looking at me and not saying anything. I'm like, ooooooook. He finally tells me the same thing the girl does--I can't get in. I ask him why kids can get in. He says, "they understand about kids." Huh? He says, "You can put a pair of jeans on." Huh? I'll come back to all of this.

 

So, at this point, my party is already seated. They have no idea I was denied entry into the dining room. So I ask him what I'm supposed to do with my party already seated--meaning, they have no idea I'm not there! He looks at me and says, "You can go to the buffet." I almost lost it but just walked away. My wife finally realized I wasn't there yet and came running after me--she didn't find me until I was walking into our cabin.

 

Now, they don't want to let me in, I get it, I'm not even upset about that--although I have no idea why jeans on adults and shorts/flip flops are ok on children if they're trying for the dress up thing but, hey, their ship their rules. What I was most pissed about--and it was a recurring theme--is they just don't seem to want to do ANYTHING to try and help the situation. A simple, "I'm sorry," would have gone a long way. That's customer service 101. ALWAYS apologize to the customer. Sounds stupid but it WORKS. Then, he could have asked me what table my party is at and assure me he'd go over and let them know I couldn't get in. "You can go to the buffet," was rude and did nothing but anger me at that point. That's what I'm angry about, not that I couldn't dine in the dining room that evening.

 

A tip (pun intended) for new cruisers, if you're going to pre-pay for tips, that ONLY pays for your food servers and cabin steward. This was something else which wasn't explained to me when I did it. I even asked them on the phone when I pre-paid whether all of my tips on the ship were covered. They assured me they were. Then, when I was getting 15% gratuity added to drinks, I was a bit puzzled. Pre-paying for tips doesn't cover that. Again, communication wasn't there.

 

There were other things I could mention but I'll cut to leaving the ship when we got back home. We had Faster to the Fun so I knew I was supposed to be able to get off faster than people who didn't have it. But the paper they slipped under the door had no info about people who had it (same thing when were were in port). So I went to Guest Services to find out what the process was for those of us who had FTTF. They told me to go to, "deck 8 Palace Theater." I repeated it back to them to ensure I had it correct. They confirmed I was good. So we got our stuff together and went there.

 

When we got there, the room had about 50 other people who were told the same thing. Nobody knew what was going on. There was NOBODY from Carnival there to inform anyone about what was going on. So I had to go down to Guest Services AGAIN to ask what was going on. I was informed I was in the wrong place. We were supposed to be deck NINE Palace Theater.

 

I sort of went off on the guy since I was told by the people at the desk to go to deck 8 and the elevators are pretty much being used to get people off the ship. So walking around with your luggage up/down stairs was a PITA. I told him there are a bunch of people where I was (my family was still there) who were told the same thing. I had him come with me to tell everyone what we needed to do. So we all had to lug our luggage up the stairs to get to deck 9.

 

That was sort of their parting shot I guess...

 

In Conclusion

I will say I didn't want to go on a cruise before this trip. It was a gift to my wife who had wanted to go on a cruise forever. My thing was vacationing on a cruise just isn't my thing. I confirmed it still is not my thing. I'd rather be able to have fun on my own terms rather than on the cruise line's terms. This has nothing to do with Carnival, for me, I'd just rather go somewhere and do my thing for as long as I want. I don't like being tied to a schedule. And, honestly, there's only so much you can do on a boat--no matter how big it is--so you tend to sit around and wait to eat and eat way more than you normally would. Now, I'm a big dude, and I like food, but I don't like to eat THAT much. I also wouldn't have gambled as much as I did (I was up for the week at least). I just had nothing to do.

 

I'm not into the shows (I hate Motown and the other stuff they did in there--personal preference I know). So that isn't gonna do anything for me either. I realize not everyone is like that. I understand why so many people enjoy cruising. It's just not my thing.

 

As far as Carnival goes, well, let's just say, if I EVER do another cruise, it WILL NOT be on Carnival. I also plan to let them know how dissatisfied I was with the way things were handled (or not handled as it were) from booking through to leaving the ship on the last day. It's inexcusable for things to have been the way they were.

 

Thanks again for everyone who was so helpful here. Honestly, without the help I received here, I would have REALLY hated it. As it is, I didn't enjoy the cruise itself but I did have fun. I was with family and close friends and that's always a good thing.

[SE NC]

I agree 100% that cruising is something you don't enjoy.................:p!

[jwjax]

Hmmm.... I think you'll find that ALL cruise lines have pretty much the same issues you describe.

 

No shorts on elegant night, lot's of kids in the summer months, and food that some would describe as mediocre, while others describe the food as good to very good!:confused:

 

Apparently, cruising is not for you.:rolleyes:

[suzycruiser2]

Hmmmm...As I say about all of my vacations, attitude is everything and it can be as good (or bad) and I make it. If I start a vacation looking forward to it and with a positive attitude, it is usually enjoyable. If I really dread it, it probably won't be as good.

 

Cruising isn't for everyone, but I can see you have been on this website for several months. Most of the items that you mention (elegant night dress code, tipping, size of pool, etc.) are covered over and over again daily.

[GadgetRick]

I figured on the responses I got here. Let me address a few things:

 

First, as you all say, cruising is not for everyone. It's, apparently, not for me. That's ok. Not knocking it.

 

Second, yes, there is info online, however, and I'll say it one last time, as a first time cruiser, many things are things I would have NO IDEA to ask or look into. Obviously, there are things which they can't inform you of but, for the big stuff (e.g. elegant night dress code), they really should inform you to ensure you know about it. Oh and, as far as elegant night dress code, I did ask about it here and I was assured I'd be good as long as I wasn't a slob. However, as I said, I'm not really complaining about the dress code. While I think it's pretty stupid to allow people to wear jeans and allow kids to dress however they want while requiring adults to dress a certain way, it is what it is. I am unhappy with how it was handled when I showed up. Nothing at all to help the situation. All I was looking for was for them to let my party know I wasn't able to get in. But all I got was, "You can go to the buffet." That's what I'm complaining about, not that I couldn't get in. Ditto for most of my other complaints about how the staff handled (or didn't) things.

 

I'm sure many things I complained about are going to be better on better cruise lines.

 

I also agree some people may think the food is awesome. I am originally from NJ and I am spoiled with food. Some of the best food in the area can be had in the NY/NJ area. So I realize my expectations for food may be higher than for others, however, the food was pretty bland overall. There were a few dishes which were ok but nothing I'd say was outstanding (nothing which really stands out in my mind). Much of this has to do with them preparing for so many people, I understand that. But, if a new cruiser is looking for super awesome food, they aren't gonna find it on this cruise. Other cruises may have better food, that I have no idea of.

 

Now, I'm not trying to say all of you who enjoyed yourselves are crazy. On the contrary, I totally get how so many people enjoy the cruising lifestyle. i'm not trying to convince you to think like I do. However, I do know many people who have the fears I had (about cruising in general) so I know I'm not the only person who feels this way either. It's just not for everyone. And that's ok. It would be a very boring world if we all liked the same things and did the same things.

[jwjax]

Just to let you know, my first cruise in 1995, my wife had to DRAG me onto the boat! It was a 7 day cruise, and like you, I had no idea what to expect, we didn't even have CC back then. At the end, she had to DRAG me off the boat....:):)

 

My suggestion, take another cruise, in the Fall or early Spring, things are really a lot different than in the summer months. True, kids are in school, but we have always encountered folks who take them out to take a cruise.

 

My reaction to my first visit to Vegas, was much like your's, not what I expected. So many vacations are not perfect, but like a Suzy said above, attitude makes all the difference.:)

[5Hawkeyes]

Thanks for your review. You were honest with your impressions and I appreciate that. As you've said and many may follow cruising isn't for everyone. Sounds like for the most part it wasn't the worst vacation you've ever had and were able to find some things that you enjoyed. Good luck on all your future vacations. At the very least you can check it off your bucket list:)

[GadgetRick]

Just to let you know, my first cruise in 1995, my wife had to DRAG me onto the boat! It was a 7 day cruise, and like you, I had no idea what to expect, we didn't even have CC back then. At the end, she had to DRAG me off the boat....:):)

 

My suggestion, take another cruise, in the Fall or early Spring, things are really a lot different than in the summer months. True, kids are in school, but we have always encountered folks who take them out to take a cruise.

 

My reaction to my first visit to Vegas, was much like your's, not what I expected. So many vacations are not perfect, but like a Suzy said below, attitude makes all the difference.:)

 

I'm with you. However, attitude won't change the fact you have to keep to a schedule on a boat. I can't say I'll never do another cruise because who knows. But I can say, if I do, it won't be on a Carnival boat. I'm sure other lines are better at the things I have complaints about.

 

I prefer to get an idea of the things I want to do when away, then be able to change things--or do certain things longer--if I chose. You're limited from a time standpoint on a cruise (no getting around that) and you're also limited to what there is to do on the boat itself while at sea. I realize Fascination isn't a large ship (relatively-speaking) but, even a larger ship will have a finite amount of things to do.

 

I just don't think it's for me. I'm not the kind of guy who wants to lounge around a pool and do nothing--I can do that for much less money at home. We live near the beach so, while HMC is a very nice beach--as are other beaches down that way--I don't HAVE to go to the beach on vacation because we can go any time (and we do) we want. In fact, we were at the beach last night for dinner when we got home.

 

It would take a LOT of convincing to get me on another cruise. I'd rather go to the Grand Canyon or to San Francisco or Lake Tahoe. The wife and I are going to Vegas next weekend because the kids will be with her parents. i'm not a huge gambler but we're going to head to the dam and a few other places out that way. But I can do it on my own terms while, on a ship, you're kind of at the mercy of what they have for you. Just not my way of vacationing. Again, I'm not saying anyone is crazy for enjoying it. Just not for me.

[GadgetRick]

Thanks for your review. You were honest with your impressions and I appreciate that. As you've said and many may follow cruising isn't for everyone. Sounds like for the most part it wasn't the worst vacation you've ever had and were able to find some things that you enjoyed. Good luck on all your future vacations. At the very least you can check it off your bucket list:)

 

Oh, not the worst thing I ever did by a long shot. Thanks for getting that out of my review. I did have a really good time.

[jwjax]

I'm with you. However, attitude won't change the fact you have to keep to a schedule on a boat. I can't say I'll never do another cruise because who knows. But I can say, if I do, it won't be on a Carnival boat. I'm sure other lines are better at the things I have complaints about.

 

Talk about schedules!!:eek: On The RCI Oasis/Allure, you actually have to reserve your activities!:eek: Nothing but the buffet and a few other activities are done adhoc!:eek: So when you pick another cruise line, check the boards to see how things are scheduled.

 

While we enjoyed the Oasis cruise/ports etc, scheduling on a vacation is the last thing we what to do as well. What we usually do a cruise is see what we want to do, and IF we make it to it, OK, if not, oh well!:)

 

Even in Vegas, we had to schedule some things, so there's that! Enjoy your Vegas trip. :)

[GadgetRick]

Talk about schedules!!:eek: On The RCI Oasis/Allure, you actually have to reserve your activities!:eek: Nothing but the buffet and a few other activities are done adhoc!:eek: So when you pick another cruise line, check the boards to see how things are scheduled.

 

While we enjoyed the Oasis cruise/ports etc, scheduling on a vacation is the last thing we what to do as well. What we usually do a cruise is see what we want to do, and IF we make it to it, OK, if not, oh well!:)

 

Even in Vegas, we had to schedule some things, so there's that! Enjoy your Vegas trip. :)

 

Thanks for the headsup!

[cantwait2cruise]

Sorry the cruise wasn't all that you had hoped! Maybe you'll give it a try again in the future.

 

I intend on having a great time on the Fascination in three weeks! :D

[cdancer20]

I figured on the responses I got here. Let me address a few things:

 

First, as you all say, cruising is not for everyone. It's, apparently, not for me. That's ok. Not knocking it.

 

Second, yes, there is info online, however, and I'll say it one last time, as a first time cruiser, many things are things I would have NO IDEA to ask or look into. Obviously, there are things which they can't inform you of but, for the big stuff (e.g. elegant night dress code), they really should inform you to ensure you know about it. Oh and, as far as elegant night dress code, I did ask about it here and I was assured I'd be good as long as I wasn't a slob. However, as I said, I'm not really complaining about the dress code. While I think it's pretty stupid to allow people to wear jeans and allow kids to dress however they want while requiring adults to dress a certain way, it is what it is. I am unhappy with how it was handled when I showed up. Nothing at all to help the situation. All I was looking for was for them to let my party know I wasn't able to get in. But all I got was, "You can go to the buffet." That's what I'm complaining about, not that I couldn't get in. Ditto for most of my other complaints about how the staff handled (or didn't) things.

I'm sorry that you did not have an enjoyable time. Sure cruising, just like everything else in life, is not for everyone. I don't like sushi but many many people swear it's one of the most awesome things lol. But I do feel like some of the things you complained about, even as a first time cruiser, have been answered on this board. You knew enough to find your way to this board and search around, so these things were not "new" to you despite being a first timer. Carnival does have a FAQ, which no a person on the phone will not take the time to go through every single thing with you. That's why they have it there. The information about the cruise elegant attire and the bar tipping info is there. Plus in loads and loads of questions on this board.

 

The information about your bed situation (as I read that first before coming here) was definitely unfortunate. They should match up their policy about the beds with how the stewards actually can do it. They did give you misleading info that wasn't true in the end or else the stewards just wanted to be nice and go above and beyond for you. Part of your cruise expereince though could have been from this. You already had a negative view of Carnival and went in with it, so it was harder to see the positives. The MDR staff could have been less rude to you, I agree, but if you knew that shorts "could" possibly be turned away then you can't be surprised that you were turned away.

 

But overall, sorry that your experience was not a great one. I would suggest trying another in a couple of years or maybe just saving your money and doing other things. :-)

[GadgetRick]

I'm sorry that you did not have an enjoyable time. Sure cruising, just like everything else in life, is not for everyone. I don't like sushi but many many people swear it's one of the most awesome things lol. But I do feel like some of the things you complained about, even as a first time cruiser, have been answered on this board. You knew enough to find your way to this board and search around, so these things were not "new" to you despite being a first timer. Carnival does have a FAQ, which no a person on the phone will not take the time to go through every single thing with you. That's why they have it there. The information about the cruise elegant attire and the bar tipping info is there. Plus in loads and loads of questions on this board.

 

The information about your bed situation (as I read that first before coming here) was definitely unfortunate. They should match up their policy about the beds with how the stewards actually can do it. They did give you misleading info that wasn't true in the end or else the stewards just wanted to be nice and go above and beyond for you. Part of your cruise expereince though could have been from this. You already had a negative view of Carnival and went in with it, so it was harder to see the positives. The MDR staff could have been less rude to you, I agree, but if you knew that shorts "could" possibly be turned away then you can't be surprised that you were turned away.

 

But overall, sorry that your experience was not a great one. I would suggest trying another in a couple of years or maybe just saving your money and doing other things. :-)

 

Sorry but youre, "the info is out there so you should have known," argument is just ridiculous. One shouldn't have to go search online to find basic information like this. When someone is new to cruising--and making it clear they are new to the booking agent--for things which are important like the dress code or other things you take for granted since you have cruised more than once the information should be more readily available. Maybe the booking agent doesn't go over these things but maybe they actually send the customer information like this and suggest (strongly) they read over it.

 

I was talking to others on the cruise and, apparently, I wasn't the only person who was turned away from the MDR on elegant night because they had no idea about any dress code. My guess is most (if not all) of those other people aren't on this board--or the other cruising boards--so would have no way of knowing this was an issue. I didn't know it would be an issue until I stumbled on a thread asking about a dress code. I joined into the conversation when I saw it and people here assured me I'd be ok. Had I not happened on that thread I really would have had absolutely no idea about it.

 

But, again, I'm not upset I wasn't allowed in because of what I was wearing. My whole reason for being unhappy with Carnival as a company (not talking about cruising) is their lack of empathy when there is a problem. For all of the little problems we had, nobody (except for the room steward regarding the bed situation) ever said, "I'm sorry that happened to you. Let's try and figure out a solution which works for you." Not once! Customer service 101 teaches to apologize to the customer (whether it's your fault or not). Believe me, it makes a difference.

 

First no apologies then no attempt to find a solution. Just, "Nope, that's how it is." That's horrible customer service, actually, it's worse, it's NOT customer service.

 

I have been a frequent Disney visitor for 20+ years (too many visits to count). Now, whether you're a fan of Disney or not, one thing you cannot argue is the fact that Disney knows how to do customer service. If there is a problem the guest has, they take care of it in some way, shape or form...after apologizing to the guest for it happening. They may not have the optimal solution for the unhappy guest, however, they offer a solution. Carnival offers no solutions, no trying to make the guest feel better.

 

And no, I'm not talking about giving guests free stuff. Not at all. Had the idiot at the dining room had said, "I'm sorry but we cannot allow you in because you're wearing shorts. If you'd like, I can let your party know we aren't allowing you in." Would I have been 100% happy? Of course not, I don't get to eat with my party. But, do I storm away totally pissed because I wanted to punch the guy in his face because he was a total jerk in how he was talking to me? Absolutely not at that point. It was rude and handled horribly.

 

Could one of the 10 (or so) people I spoke with (and my wife spoke with) about the bed situation have said, "I'm sorry about all of this. Let me look into this and see how this might work for you,"? Yes they could have should have. Instead of, "Nope, can't do it."

 

Look, I get it, you enjoy cruising--and that's perfectly fine. I'm not trying to convince you--or anyone else--cruising sucks. However, that doesn't give Carnival a pass for their horrible customer service. In researching this further now that I'm back, it seems Carnival is notorious for this kind of service. So I'm not the first person who has had issues with them specifically.

 

Do I expect to know EVERYTHING I need to know before going? Absolutely not. But the things I wasn't told about, should have been explained in some way.

 

Oh, btw, with regards to the tips, I asked the person on the phone about it to clarify my belief of what it was. They assured me I understood it correctly. So they also seem to need to educate their people to understand how things work as well. I assure you the people at Disney know what's happening and, if they don't, they make sure they get you to someone who does.

 

So, IMO, Carnival sucks because they're horrible at taking care of the customer. Has nothing to do with cruising, just talking customer service.

[cdancer20]

Sorry but youre, "the info is out there so you should have known," argument is just ridiculous. One shouldn't have to go search online to find basic information like this. When someone is new to cruising--and making it clear they are new to the booking agent--for things which are important like the dress code or other things you take for granted since you have cruised more than once the information should be more readily available. Maybe the booking agent doesn't go over these things but maybe they actually send the customer information like this and suggest (strongly) they read over it.

How is that argument "ridiculous"?!? You obviously were smart enough to make your way here on the boards, then you are smart enough to have read all of this information that you needed to know. They have FULL of threads for first timers. You even had knowledge of the elegant dress but CHOSE to ignore it. I was a first-timer knew and these little bit of things, I found ways to find out myself. As an adult, you can't expect Carnival to hold your hand through every detail you need to know. I will admit that you should have at least been told to visit the FAQs. While I had a bad experience with my TA, they did at least mention visiting Carnival's website for information. You mention going to Disney World. Disney doesn't tell you everyone on the phone either. You have to go read up on that yourself such as height requirements for rides, park hours, food you can bring in the park, parking, etc.

 

As far as customer service, I have never had to be in situations with them so I cannot comment on that. I have read stories from people who had bad experiences and good so everyone has their own. But you just contradicted yourself. You claim that they never gave you another solution. Yet according to your stories: 1-The Maitre D suggested you go to the buffet for dinner. Albeit very rudely, (and I agree with your being mad about his attitude) it was still a solution to you eating dinner. 2-For your room, you said that the rep suggested getting you two neighboring oceanview rooms for the same price. That was definitely a solution and a valuable one. I understand you turning it down due to the age of your children, but it was still a solution.

 

Also, I know that you are not trying to turn me against cruising. As I said before, to each his own. But you will realize, just from this board, that there are many many many people who love to cruise and haven't had half of your bad experiences in dozens of cruises. So each person's experiences are different and I respect that. I just feel like you are blaiming Carnival for a couple of things that could have easily been avoided by just 5-10 mins of online reading by someone who is obviously not ignorant to the internet.

[mommom of 7]

Just wanted to tell you that the Room Service menu is mixed in with all the adds the first day. I must have thrown ours away & was looking for the big book type thing. Ask our steward & he just said it is in the room. Oh well we didn't have RS that cruise & when I got home posted here & someone told me where it was. Returning the favor LOL day late & a few bucks short.

Hope you found something to laugh about in the future.:)

[GadgetRick]

How is that argument "ridiculous"?!? You obviously were smart enough to make your way here on the boards, then you are smart enough to have read all of this information that you needed to know. They have FULL of threads for first timers. You even had knowledge of the elegant dress but CHOSE to ignore it. I was a first-timer knew and these little bit of things, I found ways to find out myself. As an adult, you can't expect Carnival to hold your hand through every detail you need to know. I will admit that you should have at least been told to visit the FAQs. While I had a bad experience with my TA, they did at least mention visiting Carnival's website for information. You mention going to Disney World. Disney doesn't tell you everyone on the phone either. You have to go read up on that yourself such as height requirements for rides, park hours, food you can bring in the park, parking, etc.

Apparently, you aren't getting it. I'm talking about people in general, not just me. And, again, if you don't know what the questions are, then you don't know what to look for. Not sure how else to explain it.

 

As far as customer service, I have never had to be in situations with them so I cannot comment on that. I have read stories from people who had bad experiences and good so everyone has their own. But you just contradicted yourself. You claim that they never gave you another solution. Yet according to your stories: 1-The Maitre D suggested you go to the buffet for dinner. Albeit very rudely, (and I agree with your being mad about his attitude) it was still a solution to you eating dinner. 2-For your room, you said that the rep suggested getting you two neighboring oceanview rooms for the same price. That was definitely a solution and a valuable one. I understand you turning it down due to the age of your children, but it was still a solution.

He didn't, "suggest," I go to the buffet. It was not a solution. You can try and put a positive spin on things--and that might work for you--but it doesn't work for me or many other people. That's hardly a solution.

 

As far as the room is concerned, offering me the rooms was only an option after I read the woman the riot act THREE times. That's when she finally went off and tried to find someone who may be able to do something. I was only on the phone with her for about an hour before this came up.

 

When you--the customer--are the one trying to come up with the solution, it's ridiculous.

 

Also, I know that you are not trying to turn me against cruising. As I said before, to each his own. But you will realize, just from this board, that there are many many many people who love to cruise and haven't had half of your bad experiences in dozens of cruises. So each person's experiences are different and I respect that. I just feel like you are blaiming Carnival for a couple of things that could have easily been avoided by just 5-10 mins of online reading by someone who is obviously not ignorant to the internet.

:::sigh:::

 

You're wrong. The things I am complaining about would not have been avoided with, "5-10 mins of online reading," because, well, it took me a LOT longer to find out what I did find out. And it still doesn't help the many people (most people, btw) who don't do this kind of research. So yes, I do blame Carnival, they handled things horribly.

 

If you love them, that's great. I don't care whether you love them or not. I'm not trying to turn you against them. I am sharing my experiences with others who may have questions about them and you're making excuses for them. A few other people have chimed in saying they have to agree with my feelings about Carnival so I don't think I'm totally off base on this one. do a search on their customer service and problems and you'll see many other people have had similar problems.

 

Next question would be why I sailed on Carnival--and it's a valid question. I had an idea many people are unhappy with them. However, living here in Jacksonville, it was a convenient cruise for me and my (and my wife's) schedule. Carnival is the only line which cruises out of Jacksonville. So that's why I sailed Carnival. Had I been able to pull it off elsewhere with a different line, I probably would have. But the logistics didn't work out.

 

You can make all of the excuses in the world for Carnival, it doesn't change the fact their customer service is lacking.

[GadgetRick]

Just wanted to tell you that the Room Service menu is mixed in with all the adds the first day. I must have thrown ours away & was looking for the big book type thing. Ask our steward & he just said it is in the room. Oh well we didn't have RS that cruise & when I got home posted here & someone told me where it was. Returning the favor LOL day late & a few bucks short.

Hope you found something to laugh about in the future.:)

 

Thanks. I did look through everything but never saw anything. Quite frankly, it wasn't a major problem. Didn't really bother me at all but thought I should mention it because it is important to other people.

[Silent Penguin]

I

 

It would take a LOT of convincing to get me on another cruise. I'd rather go to the Grand Canyon or to San Francisco or Lake Tahoe. The wife and I are going to Vegas next weekend because the kids will be with her parents. i'm not a huge gambler but we're going to head to the dam and a few other places out that way. But I can do it on my own terms while, on a ship, you're kind of at the mercy of what they have for you. Just not my way of vacationing. Again, I'm not saying anyone is crazy for enjoying it. Just not for me.

 

Given your first experience with cruising, I understand why you are not enamored with it. If your first cruise had been with Disney Cruise Line, it's still possible you would would have come away from the experience lacking a preference for cruise vacations overall, but you definitely would be singing the cruise line's praises for customer service. DCL is amazing at putting the customer first. In our experience (4 Disney cruises), every single employee on the ship (even the ones not hired to interact with passengers) is committed to insuring that the guests feel welcome, appreciated and happy. You definitely pay more for this level of customer service, but if you can swing it, you won't regret paying it.

 

Example one: First time cruising. Lunch on embarkment day.

DCL - crowded buffet dining room. Smiling crew member sees I have just left the buffet line and am looking for a table for my family. I have a loaded tray in one hand an my little daughter's hand in the other. Smiling crew member greets my "little princess", takes her hand and guides us to a table that is being bused.

 

Example two : Third time cruising. Room service

DCL - After a busy day in port, the kids (10, 8, and 5) were too tired for the dining room experience. Under my supervision, oldest ds ordered hotdogs and chicken soup for them to eat in their stateroom. Once the food arrived and the kids were stationed in front of the tv watching a movie, dh and I went up to the dining room for our scheduled dinner time. A half-hour or so later, I went to check on the kids. They were still watching the movie but the dinner plates were gone and the kids were drinking milk and eating huge chocolate chip cookies. I chastised them because they were not allowed to use the phone or answer the door without us around ( and I hadn't left any additional tip money). As soon as I said, "You didn't have permission to call room service for dessert", all three immediately replied, "We didn't! They called us!". It was true.

 

Example three: Above and beyond. The second example also fits this category, but this third example doesn't have to do with food, so I'll throw it in for balance. On our last Disney cruise we didn't attend the character breakfast. I don't remember why. When we arrived at dinner that night our serving team was full of concern and presented our kids with a large photograph of the Disney characters with their "autographs" on it.

 

Ridiculously small pool for the number of passengers - true of all 3 cruise lines.

Long lines - true of all 3 cruiselines - but DCL manages them MUCH better.

Nickel & Dime - Some might say DCL is as bad as the other lines, but DCL includes soda in price of cruise and allows you to BYOB, even beer. We felt there were a lot more on-board activities, too.

Kids' clubs - DCL had a LOT more going on and the staff did a much better job of interacting with the kids more like camp counselors than babysitters. Our kids were all over the map on what they liked and didn't like regardless of the cruiseline. Oldest ds loves the organized activities. Middle ds was thrilled to be allowed to play video games as much as he wanted and on a big screen and to play strategy games. Dd tolerated the clubs but was happier going swimming or doing activities with whoever she made friends with.

 

Honestly, if our first Carnival cruise was our first ever cruise, I think my opinion of cruising might be similar to yours. But, my personality is such that instead of not doing it again, I would want to do it again just to do it better. Maybe with Carnival if the price was right but probably with another cruise line.

[GadgetRick]

Thanks for sharing your experiences with DCL. I had considered it since I've heard great things about them--and we're huge Disney fans anyway--price was just significantly higher (I know, you get what you pay for.). If I ever do a cruise again, DCL will be at the top of the list of lines to try.

 

It certainly would have ensured I had a better time had we been on a DCL cruise. I just don't believe the whole idea of cruising is for me though. But, I'll not say I'll never go on a cruise again because, you just never know...

[jamon]

GadgetRick: With over 140 posts, it would seem that you knew some of the "issues" you had could have been resolved before you cruised. It seems that you knew of the elegant night dress, but chose to ignore it. Sorry that they didn't say, we will let your party know you can't come into the dining room, but you could have requested they tell them, which apparently you didn't since you didn't mention it. I know that isn't good customer service to you, but it would at least let your party know of the situation, instead of walking away and having your wife track you down at the cabin. Oh well, now you know, so if it happens on another cruise line you will be prepared.....

[GadgetRick]

GadgetRick: With over 140 posts, it would seem that you knew some of the "issues" you had could have been resolved before you cruised. It seems that you knew of the elegant night dress, but chose to ignore it. Sorry that they didn't say, we will let your party know you can't come into the dining room, but you could have requested they tell them, which apparently you didn't since you didn't mention it. I know that isn't good customer service to you, but it would at least let your party know of the situation, instead of walking away and having your wife track you down at the cabin. Oh well, now you know, so if it happens on another cruise line you will be prepared.....

 

:::sigh:::

 

Some people just don't get it. I wrote my review to help OTHERS who probably AREN'T on this board. Why can't people understand that?

 

:::beating head against the wall::::

[jwjax]

:::sigh:::

 

Some people just don't get it. I wrote my review to help OTHERS who probably AREN'T on this board. Why can't people understand that?

 

:::beating head against the wall::::

 

The Others who aren't on this board will never read your review! As for Customer Service 101, maybe you did not come across to the staff as nice as you could have! I was in customer service for more than 30 years, and to fix the customer, you first had to REACH/CONNECT with them!

 

Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)

[jamon]

GasdgetRick: No I get it....You never responded to my question of you asking them to inform your wife/party of your situation...that would have been a good thing for you to do. So, did you ask them??????

[mailgirl1978]

While I'm sympathetic for rick I have a totally different experience of the same cruise and will post my review soon :D

 

Ps... He did state that cruising isn't for everyone and his review was his personal experience. I'm sure there are many different takes from each cruise :)

 

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