Disappointed in Carnival customer service

[1midsun]

Why is it that people expect an OBC when price drops and they haven't booked that fare. I booked ES and have to give my deposit to Carnival a minimum of FIVE months prior to sailing to have this feature with my booking. Along with that I am locked in for making and switches without a penalty.

 

Why would you get this when you only booked a month out. Personally I wish Carnival would never make these exceptions and give people OBC because they make a stink. Maybe I should call and ask for interest on my money as an OBC.

 

Personally, I think that it is quite generous that people have the option to get upgraded. What do the airlines do???

 

The poster may have "misinterpreted" what they agent said in this case but it is always posted as bad customer service on Carnival's part for adhering to rules as outlined.

 

I don't understand that either, we book far out, but do not book early saver (it is not a flexible as other rates) We still get price drops up to final payment but having said that, we book at the price we are comfortable paying, if it drops great, if not oh well.

 

We have only cruises a few times, and have not noticed the prices going down much. Our last one did go down about $500 each, but we booked a year out. Fortunately it was not past final payment, so we were able to get the rebate. (just taken off final bill, not OBC as we had not paid yet)

[emdia43]

We booked on the Fascination at the beginning of the month for the 8/25 cruise with Carnival. The agent assured us the price would not go lower, and if it did to call back and they would work something out. Well, the price did and DH called. Apparently Carnival's agent's word was worthless. The only thing they would do was move us from the HA cabin they had us in (we don't need it and I only discovered it was one through CC). I was thinking a shipboard credit for the difference, but they wouldn't budge. It would be a small gesture but would bring such goodwill. Right now I am not feeling very positive towards Carnival!

 

They tape record all their calls, surely? I'd call back and ask for a supervisor to check what the agent told you. Then they should offer some OBC.

[DMH15]

I once had to book last minute. Waited 2 weeks. It was a week or so before sailing and price went up. Up/down it happens.

[stevethepirate]

Carnival stopped doing this everybody gets a price drop thing like four years ago. If you read the terms and conditions you'll see that they don't owe anything after final payment. I think when a price drops big. And a customer complains, a supervisor can make a judgement call and do an upgrade.

 

http://www.carnival.com/legal/specials-terms-conditions.aspx

 

People post on this board that they received obc or an upgrade and it gets everybody wanting one too! If they say "no", They've just lost a customer. Carnival can't win because the customer is always right!

[TampaJules]

I received an upgrade (OV to Balcony) due to a huge price drop , after I made the final payment. I could have cancelled, paid the penalty and re-booked and still made out way better that what I paid. But they know that, so that is why they save you the headache and just upgrade you. We're talking a 40% drop.

 

I have no clue why Carnival would create this issue with so many different fares, price drops and increases constantly. You'd think they would be able to just set a fare based on past bookings and average fares paid on that itinerary, and leave it at that. I can understand a last minute fare, maybe a couple weeks out, to get the last cabins booked (but everyone else that booked before paid what they paid with no credits), but how its done now is crazy.

[UpstateCruizer]

this is a downgrade not an upgrade.

 

 

Kudos to the OP for accepting the downgrade and willingly giving up a handicap cabin when they realized they had been put in one they didn't need :). Too often people book them when they don't need them just for the extra space while someone who may need one loses the opportunity to sail. Sorry about the misunderstand with price drops OP.

[CdrescherRBL152]

We booked on the Fascination at the beginning of the month for the 8/25 cruise with Carnival. The agent assured us the price would not go lower, and if it did to call back and they would work something out. Well, the price did and DH called. Apparently Carnival's agent's word was worthless. The only thing they would do was move us from the HA cabin they had us in (we don't need it and I only discovered it was one through CC). I was thinking a shipboard credit for the difference, but they wouldn't budge. It would be a small gesture but would bring such goodwill. Right now I am not feeling very positive towards Carnival!

 

Ok so first agent said they would work somthing out. Which they did, not what you wanted but somthing. As for going from a 4E to 4C being a downgrade that may or may not be true. Just taking a quick look at the deck plans for the Fascination. All of the 4c cabins are on the upper deck either forward or aft. Whic for interior cabins on the Fascination are higher priced and the 3 are side by side at the bow apear to be larger then the rest of the interior cabins. Hence one of those cabins could be considered an upgrade to a smaller 4E cabin on the Empress deck.

So the only conclusion I can draw with the info provided is that you are upset cause you didn't get your own way.

[Sparky2]

How you do your bookings is your choice. I don't see how it relates to this thread;)

 

I think comment made by "near the beach" was regarding OP saying they'll never book a CCL more than a week in advance.

[Sparky2]

We booked on the Fascination at the beginning of the month for the 8/25 cruise with Carnival. The agent assured us the price would not go lower, and if it did to call back and they would work something out. Well, the price did and DH called. Apparently Carnival's agent's word was worthless. The only thing they would do was move us from the HA cabin they had us in (we don't need it and I only discovered it was one through CC). I was thinking a shipboard credit for the difference, but they wouldn't budge. It would be a small gesture but would bring such goodwill. Right now I am not feeling very positive towards Carnival!

 

Sorry you're unhappy with Carnival re. your price drop. Whoever you booked with originally should have been very specific when you asked about price drops.

 

However, I'm glad they didn't give you OBC.

 

It's not fair to those of us who book Early Saver way in advance and with all the restrictions.

[crusinpsychRN]

That's because those other lines don't have differing prices depending on how you book and how early you book. The only price drop you'll get is with early saver. I check my 2016 cruise out everyday for price drops ;)

 

Too bad fare viewer doesn't work everyday! Have to go to another site to get the comps....

[Surfwench]

We booked on the Fascination at the beginning of the month for the 8/25 cruise with Carnival. The agent assured us the price would not go lower, and if it did to call back and they would work something out. Well, the price did and DH called. Apparently Carnival's agent's word was worthless. The only thing they would do was move us from the HA cabin they had us in (we don't need it and I only discovered it was one through CC). I was thinking a shipboard credit for the difference, but they wouldn't budge. It would be a small gesture but would bring such goodwill. Right now I am not feeling very positive towards Carnival!

 

Can I sell you some stocks? Guaranteed to go up! LOL :)

[Arizonagirl14]

Why is it bad customer service if the company adheres to the contract that you agreed to. If you booked an all inclusive vacation at a resort and pay for it, you are in for what you paid. There's not any adjustments to my knowledge.

 

Different rates offer different opportunities. If you had booked 5 months early you have assured pay yourself the opportunity to get the price adjustment. It's not about "goodwill gesture"; it's about the contract you agreed to.

 

 

 

 

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[cruizinisthebest]

OP it doesn't look to me like you received "bad" customer service. Carnival did the accommodating thing by moving you, but they absolutely owed you no OBC for a price drop when you booked last minute. Early Saver is the only category that is supposed to allow pricing adjustments after final payment. Sometimes this rule is not followed but that is the rule.

 

I don't think it's wise to compare Carnival's pricing structure to that of other lines. Most other lines are less complicated with less pricing options. I don't know of any that allow for price drops up to 2 days before sailing, for example.

 

Unless you're early saver or unhappy with your cabin and hoping to get upgraded or moved, don't bother looking at pricing after final payment. It will only frustrate you.

[golfadj]

yep she said she choose to downgrade because she didn't want a handicap cabin.

 

Bill

 

I dont understand that. If someone who needs the cabin wants to book, CCL has the right to move you. So why ask for downgrade?

[golfadj]

OP it doesn't look to me like you received "bad" customer service. Carnival did the accommodating thing by moving you, but they absolutely owed you no OBC for a price drop when you booked last minute. Early Saver is the only category that is supposed to allow pricing adjustments after final payment. Sometimes this rule is not followed but that is the rule.

 

I don't think it's wise to compare Carnival's pricing structure to that of other lines. Most other lines are less complicated with less pricing options. I don't know of any that allow for price drops up to 2 days before sailing, for example.

 

Unless you're early saver or unhappy with your cabin and hoping to get upgraded or moved, don't bother looking at pricing after final payment. It will only frustrate you.

 

OP lost me by first comment after Carnival decided she wasnt owed anything.

[cruizinisthebest]

I dont understand that. If someone who needs the cabin wants to book, CCL has the right to move you. So why ask for downgrade?

 

Right. I wouldn't have taken a downgrade. If they needed that cabin, they would have moved them.

[rednose83]

Thanks for the reply, but you did not answer my question. Does NCL allow you to get OBC for price drops after final payment? According to your original post it does, but I went to the NCL board and found several posts that say after final payment NCL DOES NOT give OBC for price drops.

 

They will give you an upgrade or 25% of the amount of the price drop.

 

So if the price dropped $300 after final payment- you'd get OBC of $75

[Arizonagirl14]

Actually, we went from a 4E to a 4C so it would not be a HA cabin.

 

 

But didn't you book at GTY inside? That's what you posted a few days ago on another board. So it would not really be a downgrade since you had chosen a GTY rate.

 

 

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[S.S.Oceanlover]

But didn't you book at GTY inside? That's what you posted a few days ago on another board. So it would not really be a downgrade since you had chosen a GTY rate.

 

 

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Noy a downgrade initially when assigned the 4E but once assigned to 4E and then moved to a 4C I'd consider that a downgrade.

 

Bill

[katiel53]

I just wanted to mention that although ESA is the only regular booking to allow repricing if the cruise price goes lower, there is also the lowest price guarantee and perhaps that is what the Carnival rep was talking about.

 

If one books a cruise after final payment and has to pay in full when booking, should the cruise price go down within 48 hours, the rate can be lowered to the lower price and the difference is given by an OBC. If that is available, it is shown when doing a mock or actual online booking.

 

I thought it was going to work for us on our recently booked cruise, but unfortunately we booked on Wednesday and the price is lower today so we are out of luck.

[near the beach]

I think comment made by "near the beach" was regarding OP saying they'll never book a CCL more than a week in advance.

I see some one reads all of the post. :)

[d3anne]

I see some one reads all of the post. :)

 

 

 

 

 

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[Sparky2]

I see some one reads all of the post. :)

 

Yep!

[Sparky2]

I just wanted to mention that although ESA is the only regular booking to allow repricing if the cruise price goes lower, there is also the lowest price guarantee and perhaps that is what the Carnival rep was talking about.

 

If one books a cruise after final payment and has to pay in full when booking, should the cruise price go down within 48 hours, the rate can be lowered to the lower price and the difference is given by an OBC. If that is available, it is shown when doing a mock or actual online booking.

 

I thought it was going to work for us on our recently booked cruise, but unfortunately we booked on Wednesday and the price is lower today so we are out of luck.

 

That is probably what the agent was referring to when the booking was made.

[Cricket551]

Kudos to the OP for accepting the downgrade and willingly giving up a handicap cabin when they realized they had been put in one they didn't need :). Too often people book them when they don't need them just for the extra space while someone who may need one loses the opportunity to sail. Sorry about the misunderstand with price drops OP.

 

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