I hate to say it but....

[broyles60]

I booked our September 1st Carnival Freedom 6 or more months ago through the early saver program and the last 4 on-line price protection forms were ALL automatically rejected by email but were later approved when I had to follow up by phone. Two were resident rates and two were previous guest promotions but all four were valid.

 

Could this really be a legitimate mistake....four separate times? I hate to say this but I wonder if many requests are just automatically rejected with the thought that maybe the customer might not follow-up by phone.

 

I hope this is not the case and that maybe someone in IT is just failing to update the online promos appropriately. For all of you who receive an email rejection of early saver price protection, please follow-up by phone just to be sure.

 

I am now sitting on 240.00 of on board credit which would be non-existent had I not called.

[gelli8112]

I booked our September 1st Carnival Freedom 6 or more months ago through the early saver program and the last 4 on-line price protection forms were ALL automatically rejected by email but were later approved when I had to follow up by phone. Two were resident rates and two were previous guest promotions but all four were valid.

 

Could this really be a legitimate mistake....four separate times? I hate to say this but I wonder if many requests are just automatically rejected with the thought that maybe the customer might not follow-up by phone.

 

I hope this is not the case and that maybe someone in IT is just failing to update the online promos appropriately. For all of you who receive an email rejection of early saver price protection, please follow-up by phone just to be sure.

 

I am now sitting on 240.00 of on board credit which would be non-existent had I not called.

 

That's a pretty good OBC. It was definitely worth a phone call.

[broyles60]

That's a pretty good OBC. It was definitely worth a phone call.

 

Yes, totally worth it.....I just would hate for others to receive the rejection response and not follow-up by phone because many of the promos do not seem to be loaded into Carnival's system without a phone representative doing a "mock booking".

[onejeepster]

I agree as I just call now to talk to someone regarding rate drops as we too had some issues in the past when submitting the form.

 

Good luck with the OBC and have fun spending it.

[jsfromsc]

I call my PVP. He handles it for me.

[golfadj]

I call my PVP. He handles it for me.

 

That is what we do.

[getupgo]

If the promotion is for new bookings only, does early saver qualify?

[DocF]

I call my PVP. He handles it for me.

 

That is their job, mon! A PVP who understands his/her/its job is worth keeping.

 

Doc

[DocF]

Hey broyles 60, come on over to the roll call!. Also join us for a very unplanned get together on after Lido deck upon boarding.

 

See you on board!

Doc:D:D

[meekaG]

I booked our September 1st Carnival Freedom 6 or more months ago through the early saver program and the last 4 on-line price protection forms were ALL automatically rejected by email but were later approved when I had to follow up by phone. Two were resident rates and two were previous guest promotions but all four were valid.

 

Could this really be a legitimate mistake....four separate times? I hate to say this but I wonder if many requests are just automatically rejected with the thought that maybe the customer might not follow-up by phone.

 

I hope this is not the case and that maybe someone in IT is just failing to update the online promos appropriately. For all of you who receive an email rejection of early saver price protection, please follow-up by phone just to be sure.

 

I am now sitting on 240.00 of on board credit which would be non-existent had I not called.

 

 

OMG! this just happened to me too (also for freedom, but for the cruise after yours)!! i was so mad! i thought that i was going crazy - i kept going back and doing a mock booking to make sure i did it correctly and kept reading the rejection email to figure out what was missing! thanks for posting this!

[Cheetah474]

I think that you're right about it being an IT problem. That said, I don't think that Carnival is motivated to fix it- they would prefer customers to call to get the adjustments. I don't think that it's random enough to just be an occasional error. It also happens on other ships frequently. I'm not sure why some people on this board have a difficult time realizing that Carnival is not interested in making their price matching programs clear and easily accessible because it is clear from many posts they do not have a clear or consistent policy in this area.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Lovefuninthesun]

On the past several cruises EVERY TIME I submitted the form it was rejected. Once I resubmitted with my comments and it was then approved. The other times I have not received my price adjustment until I called.

 

Now I don't even bother to do the form -- I just call and they make the adjustment then and there and email me an updated invoice.

 

All but one of of the various CS reps have been very pleasant and helpful -- just once the rep had an issue with me calling to make the adjustment and insisted I fill out the form. I thanked her and called back, speaking with someone else who was very helpful. I also spoke to a supervisor about the unhelpful and rude rep.

[Badfinger]

My guess is many who submit the online forms do not provide enough detail.

[CdrescherRBL152]

My guess is many who submit the online forms do not provide enough detail.

 

There becomes the problem. The form is an computer form. And computers don't like to think. Hense one little miss step and it rejects the form.

 

 

Sent from my LG-D959 using Forums mobile app

[Singer4Him]

I booked our September 1st Carnival Freedom 6 or more months ago through the early saver program and the last 4 on-line price protection forms were ALL automatically rejected by email but were later approved when I had to follow up by phone. Two were resident rates and two were previous guest promotions but all four were valid.

 

Could this really be a legitimate mistake....four separate times? I hate to say this but I wonder if many requests are just automatically rejected with the thought that maybe the customer might not follow-up by phone.

 

I hope this is not the case and that maybe someone in IT is just failing to update the online promos appropriately. For all of you who receive an email rejection of early saver price protection, please follow-up by phone just to be sure.

 

I am now sitting on 240.00 of on board credit which would be non-existent had I not called.

 

First of all, Congrats on your OBC!!! We had a pretty substantial OBC last year and I keep checking for our August 24 sailing of the Freedom but so far I've come up empty. The prices just seem to be going up. :(

 

Now for my question: How do you know if it's a resident rate or past guest promotion? I've been going through the Carnival website and doing a mock booking. Is this what you're doing or something else?

 

I'm still holding out hope that there will be a price drop or two before we sail! :cool:

[AdGuyMG]

My guess is many who submit the online forms do not provide enough detail.

 

I agree. Chances are the form was not filled out correctly for the eligible price match promotion. Just a clerical error. We all make them.

 

When I submit the form online, I type in the bottom notes a brief description of what I am trying to do. For example: Price matching 8C Balcony rate of $899 to Florida Resident 8C at $799.

Edited August 4, 2014 by AdGuyMG

[EZ4]

My money is on a well thought out and orchestrated process of systemic rejections, knowing that many will not pursue the issue and give up. Think about how much extra money Carnival keeps, doing this. It's seems that everyone who has taken the time to call, though, gets what they want.

[broyles60]

First of all, Congrats on your OBC!!! We had a pretty substantial OBC last year and I keep checking for our August 24 sailing of the Freedom but so far I've come up empty. The prices just seem to be going up. :(

 

Now for my question: How do you know if it's a resident rate or past guest promotion? I've been going through the Carnival website and doing a mock booking. Is this what you're doing or something else?

 

I'm still holding out hope that there will be a price drop or two before we sail! :cool:

 

Hi and thanks for the congratulations!

 

Don't stop trying for the OBC. Until just a few weeks ago, I kept coming up empty too.

 

When you do your mock billing on the Carnival website be sure to check all appropriate promotions you may qualify for at the bottom of the "find a cruise" page. I select past guest and fill in my past guest number and I also select Ohio to check for residency rates. Their system will automatically find the best rate you qualify for based on the information you entered or their system may find another promotion that is even better. That part of the process works great.....it's just getting someone to process an on-line claim form that is difficult!

[broyles60]

I agree. Chances are the form was not filled out correctly for the eligible price match promotion. Just a clerical error. We all make them.

 

When I submit the form online, I type in the bottom notes a brief description of what I am trying to do. For example: Price matching 8C Balcony rate of $899 to Florida Resident 8C at $799.

 

Yes, I certainly could have made a mistake once, maybe twice but four times would be an awful lot. Not impossible, but still unlikely even for me.

 

I tried typing notes at the bottom too on the residency rates price drops but to no avail. The gal from Carnival on the phone said that I received an automated email response and that sometimes your state of residency "doesn't stick" or something like that......

[broyles60]

On the past several cruises EVERY TIME I submitted the form it was rejected. Once I resubmitted with my comments and it was then approved. The other times I have not received my price adjustment until I called.

 

Now I don't even bother to do the form -- I just call and they make the adjustment then and there and email me an updated invoice.

 

All but one of of the various CS reps have been very pleasant and helpful -- just once the rep had an issue with me calling to make the adjustment and insisted I fill out the form. I thanked her and called back, speaking with someone else who was very helpful. I also spoke to a supervisor about the unhelpful and rude rep.

 

 

Good approach! I am thinking I am done submitting the on-line form as well since it appears to be a waste of time.

[broyles60]

My money is on a well thought out and orchestrated process of systemic rejections, knowing that many will not pursue the issue and give up. Think about how much extra money Carnival keeps, doing this. It's seems that everyone who has taken the time to call, though, gets what they want.

 

I know, right? Could it really be that coincidental?

[broyles60]

OMG! this just happened to me too (also for freedom, but for the cruise after yours)!! i was so mad! i thought that i was going crazy - i kept going back and doing a mock booking to make sure i did it correctly and kept reading the rejection email to figure out what was missing! thanks for posting this!

 

Good luck!

[broyles60]

Hey broyles 60, come on over to the roll call!. Also join us for a very unplanned get together on after Lido deck upon boarding.

 

See you on board!

Doc:D:D

 

Hi Doc,

 

We would love to meet up with guys! Thanks for the invite!

[YB Nrml]

Three of the four price drops, that I submitted for the Sept 27 Freedom cruise, were rejected via email. I called and got the price drops as OBC for more than half of one of our fares. All it takes is a few minutes for the call.

[pbsteve]

I had a few rejected, and sent in an email complaining about it. A few comments about how it is bait and switch, and unethical business practices... followed by a Deceptive business practice quote from the WI laws, and low and behold, they responded a few days later apologizing, and offering an extra 50 in non refundable credit.