HELP Can't get information on Liberty Cruise

[KitsuneFMS]

We are booked on the Liberty for a 6 day cruise departing Galveston on December 17, 2016.

 

Since the Liberty has been out of commission, it seems they are swapping out the Liberty and the Valor.

 

1. The carnival website addresses cruises up until December 11th and then cruises in January. It says nothing about the December 17th departure;

 

2. We have not received any notifications about any changes;

 

3. I called both Carnival and United Cruises (who we booked through). Neither will give us any information;

 

4. The Carnival message says no information is available until "early December."

 

 

Obviously, the Liberty will not be in Galveston after November. We have not received any information on any changes- either in ship or in cancellation. No one will give us any information. I do not know what to do!!

 

I do not wish to sail on the Valor. I do not want to make changes in early December and I have been told I cannot cancel.

 

Does anyone have any advice or resources other than "wait and see"?

 

 

And of course this is my first cruise. And most likely last.

[twitzgall]

Looks that by dec 17 the swap will be complete and your planned cruise will now be on the Valor. They're virtually identical ships. Everything you had booked on the Liberty will be available on the Valor.

 

And hey look, ship happens. You're going to have a great time!

 

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4218

[KitsuneFMS]

Shouldn't they at least have to give us notice of the change? We have heard nothing and no one will confirm the information.

 

Do we have the option to cancel? I really have no desire to go on the Valor.

 

I guess I didn't realize how much power the cruise lines had when I booked. Had I known we had no rights, I would have booked an all inclusive on an island.

[springs741]

Carnival isn't talking to you because you book outside of them. Anytime you book with a TA all information has to come from the TA.

 

Your cruise is at the change over date and while I know you are anxious for information I have confidence Carnival will release to your TA, if they haven't already, since they (Carnival) have email many regarding the change, information very soon.

 

Regarding not sailing on the Valor it is virtually the same ship. Only one year difference in age and in my opinion has more pleasing décor.

 

Lastly, read your cruise contract. Most people don't, they just click that they read it and then are upset with something happens.

 

 

Edited: I reread your first post. You are a first time cruiser so I have to beg the question again about not wanting to sail the Valor and reiterate the importance of reading your cruise contract. You might be shocked to see what you agreed

Edited November 13, 2016 by springs741

[KitsuneFMS]

Yes. I admit I am entirely at fault for not reading the contract more carefully. I would have never booked otherwise. My fault, but I am still disappointed. We travel quite a bit, but almost always on our own. We thought a cruise would be fun, but did not acquaint ourselves with the risk. I would not do this again.

 

It is difficult to just wait until Carnival gets around to telling us (or United Cruises) what is going on. If we are cancelled, I would like to opportunity to plan something else as we have only this week off for the next year.

[BoDidly]

Shouldn't they at least have to give us notice of the change? We have heard nothing and no one will confirm the information.

 

Do we have the option to cancel? I really have no desire to go on the Valor.

 

I guess I didn't realize how much power the cruise lines had when I booked. Had I known we had no rights, I would have booked an all inclusive on an island.

 

Sorry your going through this :(. Yes ,more information should be provided. Carnival is lacking in this department and should provide more / better information to their customers. No matter whom you book with .

[sfaaa]

 

I really have no desire to go on the Valor.

 

.

 

I am puzzled. What is so wrong with Valor that you want nothing to do with it?

[springs741]

KitsumelFMS----

 

You are new to CC so you have no idea how refreshing it is to hear some one accept responsibility for not reading the Cruise Contract.

 

Again I can understand your frustration but you might be surprised at how well things work out.

 

I will ask that you try to understand the Carnival is trying to make the best of a bad situation. If they would have left the Liberty in Galveston they would have had to adjust her sailings because of her speed issue. Can you imagine the up roar at that situation? So rather than disappoint so many cruisers, they are switching her with an almost identical ship in order to not have to make those changes. I don't feel they would do this if they had any other options. It isn't like they can go down to auto zone and pick up the parts.

 

Again, I know and understand your frustration. And trying to get answer over the weekend just complicates things even more. Please let us know when Continental informs you of the changes.

 

One last thing, since you are new to cruising. DO NOT CANCEL. This close to sailing you would be out of pocket 50% and by 30 days to sailing 75% and two weeks 100%. It is possible that Carnival will offer and 24 hour cancel window because of the change of ship but I doubt it. If they make changes to your itinerary you might be able to get some compensation

even though the dreaded Cruise Contract says they don't have to).

[kgb46]

I would say go cruise! These ships have virtually the same amenities. At this point your travel plans are made and your excited. They are not canceling your cruise just changing out ships, which would make me feel better if I had booked for a certain port. Less worries about them having to skip a port because they couldn't make it there. The Valor has the Red Frog Pub and Carnival Live which are not listed as being on the Liberty. Their plan is to try to keep you booked in the same room number. Just be aware of one draw back, cruising is very addictive. Other then the decor you shouldn't notice a difference.

[jmcancruise]

Try to step back and take a breath. As someone else said they are not slighting you by not speaking to you. They are simply following their protocol by speaking to your TA when that is who you booked with. If your TA has not been contacted by Carnival then your TA needs yo contact them.

 

As far as the change of ships is concerned, just relax. Same ship just different decor. Have sailed on both and could not choose one over the other.

 

I can tell you from experience that cruising is more complex than an AI and we have not cruised without some hiccups but it has been worth every minute. I assure you cruising is wonderful and well worth this minor issue.

[Homosassa]

Depending on how long it takes the Valor to sail from Port Canaveral to Texas, there may be some adjustments to boarding times for your cruise.

 

You will probably be notified closer to your sailing date.

[berrieh]

OP, the Valor has more recently been through dry dock and is a great ship... there's nothing the Liberty has that the Valor does not (except a broken propulsion system which can't be the draw...)

 

Why don't you want to go on the Valor?

 

I know they are letting some impacted passengers cancel, and they may let you cancel too... but I guess I don't understand why. Especially if you're a first time cruiser. It's not like you have wonderful memories of the Liberty...

 

The Valor will give you the same experience (better, really, since she'll make it to your ports) than the Liberty would have. They are swapping them for your benefit, too, so you don't have the issues the Liberty has been plagued with recently.

 

What are you concerned about?

[pghsteelerfan]

I don't know if this will be any help to you or not, but we've been on both Valor (2013) and Liberty (2014 & 2015) and LOVE both. Since both Valor and Liberty are Conquest Class ships, they are identical in layout. The only differences we noticed between the two are their interior decor. I would not hesitate to sail on Valor again, she's a very nice ship.

[scoutfinch72]

We are also on the 12/17/16 Liberty turned Valor cruise. I admit I was thrown for a bit of a loop when I heard about the change, but I don't see it as any reason to cancel at all. As previous posters have pointed out the ships have identical layouts and all of the same amenities. The email I received indicated there would be no adjustment to the itinerary.

[KitsuneFMS]

UPDATE- received two emails today from Carnival which say "as per my request they have cancelled my shore excursions. I NEVER asked to cancel anything (other than here in this forum).

 

I called both TA and Carnival and once again, they will not give me any information. I thought all of our bookings would transfer over but apparently no one at either place has any idea what is going on. This is really frustrating.

[cruizinisthebest]

UPDATE- received two emails today from Carnival which say "as per my request they have cancelled my shore excursions. I NEVER asked to cancel anything (other than here in this forum).

 

I called both TA and Carnival and once again, they will not give me any information. I thought all of our bookings would transfer over but apparently no one at either place has any idea what is going on. This is really frustrating.

 

Excursions don't transfer over. They will have to be booked again. Had this happen to me and this is how it goes.

[toosaxykk]

UPDATE- received two emails today from Carnival which say "as per my request they have cancelled my shore excursions. I NEVER asked to cancel anything (other than here in this forum).

 

I called both TA and Carnival and once again, they will not give me any information. I thought all of our bookings would transfer over but apparently no one at either place has any idea what is going on. This is really frustrating.

 

DH and I are on this exact sailing as well. Shore excursions have been cancelled due to the switching over. I have been told it will switch over eventually. Lots of people on our Facebook group page have gotten their new cabin assignments... We have not. I am just keeping calm and hoping and more importantly, PRAYING it will all work out. I know they are SWAMPED with calls and complains... I just have to keep telling myself that it is OK! We will be on a cruise in just 33 short days... Look at it that way.:D

 

I have sailed with Carnival 6 times and have 4 more booked...we love cruising and I have been 100% satisfied with Carnival so I am sure they will make it right... We will just learn a lesson in patience! :eek:

 

I hope to see you on the ship in 33 days! Hang in there! (cue "We're all in this together" music) :p

[jst]

Just received confirmation of our cabin number on Valor for next fall, no other info yet,

but it's a straight swap on our B to B:)

Edited November 14, 2016 by jst

[robc1972]

The email I received said that all excursions would transfer over.

My booking has already transferred but excursions not yet.

The original email also said it would all be transferred over byt he end of November.

[amyh13]

This happened to us in 2015. We were reserved on the Liberty and got moved to the Valor. We were upset because at that time the Valor had not received all of the upgrades that the Liberty had. But now that the Valor has gone thru the upgrades it wouldn't bother me at all. Practically identical.

 

We have been on the Valor for 2 cruises, both before the upgrades and LOVED both of them.

 

We were booked thru Carnival but eventually everything got transferred including shore excursions. Everything was seamless.

[avenger71]

Excursions don't transfer over. They will have to be booked again. Had this happen to me and this is how it goes.

 

We are on the December 11 Valor sailing and one of our excursions got cancelled as well. Not sure why.