Why Carnival can't answer a simple question when you're booked through Travel Agent?

[AdGuyMG]

There are few benefits of booking with a cruise with a TA nowadays.

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

Those few benefits might include Bonus OnBoard Credit, Complimentary specialty restaurant dinners, Free Prepaid Gratuities, Complimentary Bottles of Wine, Free Amazon/Big Box Store Gift cards, Complimentary Spa Treatments, access to unadvertised discounted group rates from TA held cabin blocks and more.

 

Those few benefits may not be important to you but others may think otherwise.

Edited December 13, 2016 by AdGuyMG

[firemanbobswife]

Those few benefits might include Bonus OnBoard Credit, Complimentary specialty restaurant dinners, Free Prepaid Gratuities, Complimentary Bottles of Wine, Free Amazon/Big Box Store Gift cards, Complimentary Spa Treatments, access to unadvertised discounted group rates from TA held cabin blocks and more.

 

Those few benefits may not be important to you but others may think otherwise.

 

I think for other cruise lines it could be more beneficial. I was told by one of my previous TAs that Carnival caps the amount of perks that can be offered. The most they could give me was either $25 or $50 I can't remember right this second. Oh and it couldn't even be OBC, they had to mail me a check.

[AdGuyMG]

This is about a Carnival's policy to not service nor answer questions about our booking when using a TA's.

 

Off topic, but kind of related. Carnival's Upsell Fairy Department will not contact a TA booked passenger directly to offer an upsell.

[blainesterrr]

That's exactly why i refuse to book through a TA!

[AdGuyMG]

...

I think for other cruise lines it could be more beneficial. I was told by one of my previous TAs that Carnival caps the amount of perks that can be offered. The most they could give me was either $25 or $50 I can't remember right this second.

They cap it 10% OBC on the front end and that includes the taxes. So a total cruise fare of $2400 can be up to $240 OBC from a TA. This would come from commission and represent a hefty portion.

 

Oh and it couldn't even be OBC, they had to mail me a check.

A mailed check after the cruise is a rebate of the TA commission, so a TA could theoretically rebate 100% of their entire commission. Not a sound business practice but if it were done for a family member's cruise or a close friend, no one could stop it.

[cruizinisthebest]

OP, your question is not a simple generic one. Carnival cannot see your booking if booked through a TA. Not the reps that answer the calls. Your TA needs to do his or her job and return your calls promptly. I always use a TA. Right now I can text, email, or call him and he will answer. And if he's out of town, someone takes his place. Your TA is being irresponsible and giving the good ones a bad name. Carnival CAN answer generic questions. Not ones about cancellation fees. That's all very dependent on various factors.

[AdGuyMG]

OP, your question is not a simple generic one. Carnival cannot see your booking if booked through a TA. Not the reps that answer the calls.

 

No true. Any rep who has access to Carnival's booking system can see anything and everything about any booking made either direct or thru a TA.

[It's a Ship!!!]

After 13 cruises with Carnival over the past 15 yrs, we have a simple question of what's the cost/penalty fees if we have to change one person for another in our balcony stateroom.

Can't get a hold of my TA all day, so figured we can call Carnival's 800# to ask the simple question.

Well, not so simple. Spoke to 3 reps, all the way up to Supervisor, all said that they can't give me the "simple" answer since I booked through the TA. It's against Carnival's policy to give me any answers without TA's permission.

Would take One minute to answer, rather 10 minutes to repeat that they can't answer my question.

Never been so frustrated, figured in today's Tech & online world, the TA are virtually gone from airlines, hotels, & other travel agencies. As a customer, calling directly into Carnival, figured they could give me a simple answer without much hassle...

 

As many others have said your question isn't simple. I can give you the answer but there are going to be a lot of ifs in there.

 

If you are before final payment date, and booked a rate with a refundable deposit (usually most rates without the word "saver"), then there is no change fee.

 

If you are after final payment date and booked a rate with a refundable deposit, then there is a $50 change fee.

 

If you are before final payment date and booked a rate with a non-refundable deposit (usually early saver) then there is a $50 change fee and what happens to the rest of the deposit will vary. If the person who paid the deposit with their credit card is the one cancelling, then the rest of the deposit will be held as a future cruise credit for 2 years from the cancellation date, and you will have to pay the equivalent of the full deposit to make the change. If the person who paid the deposit is the one still in the cabin, they can usually keep the rest of the deposit in the booking, (Carnival's customer service reps aren't the best so it may take 2-4 calls to make it happen), or the credit card holder can get the rest of the deposit as a future cruise credit.

 

If you are after final payment date and booked a non-refundable deposit rate, things have changed recently. Earlier this year, they would allow you to make a change for the cost of the full deposit you originally paid (again it would take a few calls sometimes), but now they have stopped doing that and changes aren't allowed. So now in that case you would have to cancel the second person at the cost of whatever the current cancellation penalties are, and then add the new person and pay the amount of the cancellation penalty. Cancellation penalties go up the closer you are to the sailing date of the cruise. So for example if you were 15 days before the ship sailed, you would be at 75% penalty, so you would have to pay 75% of the original fare to make a change.

 

If you booked a rate where the full amount is non-refundable, then no name changes are allowed. You would have to cancel the second person and then pay their entire fare again to add another person.

 

If you booked any rate through a travel agency that charges change fees, you would be subject to those fees on top of what Carnival charges.

 

In all cases of name changes, at least one person who was originally in the booking has to remain on the booking.

[cruizinisthebest]

No true. Any rep who has access to Carnival's booking system can see anything and everything about any booking made either direct or thru a TA.

 

Then that goes counter to everything every rep has told me at the toll-free number. Before I knew any better, I would call and ask questions and was always told they couldn't "see my booking." In either case, they aren't going to answer any questions whether they can see it or no. And the OP is wrong to assume it's a simple, generic answer about cancelling.

[cruzeluver]

Just to clarify for anyone who has not used a TA or is new to using one: Carnival's phone reps will talk to you and will answer basic questions not specific to your booking. For example, you just want to know what time late seating takes place, how debarkation works, if your ship has a certain feature etc. You can also do certain ad-ons either with a phone rep or on the Carnival site, such as purchasing beverage packages, excursions etc.

 

What the reps cannot do is cancel your booking, change your stateroom, confirm what your cancellation penalties would be (for reasons already stated, some TA's have their own cancellation fees, re-booking fees etc. that Carnival would not be aware of) or accept a payment toward your cruise fare including final payment.

 

We have been using the same TA for several years now and she is great. Always gives us some kind of perks (although they tend to be less with Carnival simply because the fares tend to be lower than on other lines we sail), watches for price drops and has interceded on our behalf when necessary.

[firemanbobswife]

...Originally Posted by firemanbobswife View Post

I think for other cruise lines it could be more beneficial. I was told by one of my previous TAs that Carnival caps the amount of perks that can be offered. The most they could give me was either $25 or $50 I can't remember right this second.

They cap it 10% OBC on the front end and that includes the taxes. So a total cruise fare of $2400 can be up to $240 OBC from a TA. This would come from commission and represent a hefty portion.

 

Oh and it couldn't even be OBC, they had to mail me a check.

A mailed check after the cruise is a rebate of the TA commission, so a TA could theoretically rebate 100% of their entire commission. Not a sound business practice but if it were done for a family member's cruise or a close friend, no one could stop it.

 

The way it was explained to me is that Carnival didn't want them to give us OBC, so they had to mail the check to us. She said they had been cracking down on perks given by TAs to their customers. We received the check after final payment, and before the cruise. This was before my first Glory cruise in May of 2013 so things might have changed since then.

 

Honestly, it's due to that booking that I swore off TAs forever. Super long story, I'm sure many have heard it before. Horrible customer service, and they almost cost me hundreds of dollars in a price drop. And to boot, it is a TA that sponsors CC. Shameful the way they treat their clients. They could have been telling stories about the OBC too for all I know. I'll just leave it at that.

Edited December 13, 2016 by firemanbobswife

[1watercolorist]

Last time we had to do this it was a $50 fee to change name.

[NavyCruiser]

You all are right totally right.

To me, as a simple person, are totally wrong to assume that this is a simple question to ask about a name change, I should have known that this will be a super complicated "cancellation" & not just a simple change name from John Doe to Jane Doe.

Finally got an answer from my TA, who had to call Carnival & took another 10 minutes; but it's not just $50 as stated in Carnival's online link, but $173. Wonder where or how they got that figure...?

& why can't whichever that Carnival dept who can answer my TA, can't give me the same answer yesterday...?

[firemanbobswife]

You all are right totally right.

 

To me, as a simple person, are totally wrong to assume that this is a simple question to ask about a name change, I should have known that this will be a super complicated "cancellation" & not just a simple change name from John Doe to Jane Doe.

 

Finally got an answer from my TA, who had to call Carnival & took another 10 minutes; but it's not just $50 as stated in Carnival's online link, but $173. Wonder where or how they got that figure...?

 

& why can't whichever that Carnival dept who can answer my TA, can't give me the same answer yesterday...?

 

 

Because any questions regarding your booking have to go through your TA. If you're the type of person (like me) who wants answers now and has no patience for the middleman, book direct with Carnival. They would have given you the answer the first time.

Edited December 13, 2016 by firemanbobswife

[sfaaa]

Carnival's rules, Carnival's decision. You don't have to like it but it is what it is.

[RuthlessBoss]

You all are right totally right.

To me, as a simple person, are totally wrong to assume that this is a simple question to ask about a name change, I should have known that this will be a super complicated "cancellation" & not just a simple change name from John Doe to Jane Doe.

Finally got an answer from my TA, who had to call Carnival & took another 10 minutes; but it's not just $50 as stated in Carnival's online link, but $173. Wonder where or how they got that figure...?

& why can't whichever that Carnival dept who can answer my TA, can't give me the same answer yesterday...?

 

I'd wonder why $173, odd number. Did he say why that amount?

[sparks1093]

You all are right totally right.

To me, as a simple person, are totally wrong to assume that this is a simple question to ask about a name change, I should have known that this will be a super complicated "cancellation" & not just a simple change name from John Doe to Jane Doe.

Finally got an answer from my TA, who had to call Carnival & took another 10 minutes; but it's not just $50 as stated in Carnival's online link, but $173. Wonder where or how they got that figure...?

& why can't whichever that Carnival dept who can answer my TA, can't give me the same answer yesterday...?

 

Might be easier to change the name of the new traveler to match the name of the old traveler.:o

[Melissalcsw]

Here's another question, can you pull your booking from a TA and handle it yourself?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Doggielover68]

Those few benefits might include Bonus OnBoard Credit, Complimentary specialty restaurant dinners, Free Prepaid Gratuities, Complimentary Bottles of Wine, Free Amazon/Big Box Store Gift cards, Complimentary Spa Treatments, access to unadvertised discounted group rates from TA held cabin blocks and more.

 

Those few benefits may not be important to you but others may think otherwise.

 

 

Maybe for other cruise lines, but not carnival. Either way, that's why I said if someone wants to book through a TA it is their business to do so, but I prefer not to because at least for carnival. Often times those extras come from higher cruise fares in the first place. I watch the sales for Carnival all of the time and whenever they offer any special offers, the rates are higher than a few days prior. When the promo ends, the rates go back down (depending on space of course)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[diamondgirl54]

Your TA should always be checking your rates and any upcoming promotions that are good and letting you know. As far as calling Carnival yes the TA must do it but some of Carnival's customer service people are not properly trained and give incorrect information. If this happens I immediately hang up and call a different one. A good TA can fight for you and get you the best result...

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[cruizinisthebest]

Your TA should always be checking your rates and any upcoming promotions that are good and letting you know. As far as calling Carnival yes the TA must do it but some of Carnival's customer service people are not properly trained and give incorrect information. If this happens I immediately hang up and call a different one. A good TA can fight for you and get you the best result...

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

ITA. I have had my share of experiences trying to deal with the reps at Carnival. They often give out bad information. I would much rather deal with an agent who knows what they are doing and can handle questions and answers for me. Either that or a PVP whose good at their job. I find no advantage in just booking yourself without a dedicated TA or PVP in the loop. In fact, I think you're at a great disadvantage unless you book and never have a single issue over anything with the reservation.

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[firemanbobswife]

ITA. I have had my share of experiences trying to deal with the reps at Carnival. They often give out bad information. I would much rather deal with an agent who knows what they are doing and can handle questions and answers for me. Either that or a PVP whose good at their job. I find no advantage in just booking yourself without a dedicated TA or PVP in the loop. In fact, I think you're at a great disadvantage unless you book and never have a single issue over anything with the reservation.

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

I agree. My PVP has been worth his weight in gold. I love having him right there at Carnival and he knows exactly who he needs to get a hold of and makes sure things are handled. Any issues, and he gets it done. I have referred many people to him both friends, acquaintances, and family and they are extremely happy with the service he gives. It's wonderful having someone "on the inside".

 

I could book all my cruises online myself as I know what I'm doing, but it's so worth it to have someone there who can handle the unexpected. Plus I know I'm always getting the right answer with him. I dread having to call the 800 number because I know there's a good chance the info I'm getting is incorrect. Yay for my PVP! :D

[Melissalcsw]

Definitely good advice. I think I need another TA. Lesson learned. I should of run when she told I had to monitor prices changes :(

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[sanger727]

You all are right totally right.

 

To me, as a simple person, are totally wrong to assume that this is a simple question to ask about a name change, I should have known that this will be a super complicated "cancellation" & not just a simple change name from John Doe to Jane Doe.

 

Finally got an answer from my TA, who had to call Carnival & took another 10 minutes; but it's not just $50 as stated in Carnival's online link, but $173. Wonder where or how they got that figure...?

 

& why can't whichever that Carnival dept who can answer my TA, can't give me the same answer yesterday...?

 

 

As you know, the normal charge is $50. Under another thread you said that you usually book under military fare, but didn't say what this booking was. If you keep reading the name change link it tells you that certain fares will have different charges. That's why this wasn't necessarily a simple question that they could answer without having your booking. Your TA is the one being paid to advocate for you. Hold them to that and have them explain what the additional cost is for and ask for a manager if they can't/won't. Every time I've had an issue with a cruise line, my TA was able to resolve it in my favor, a good TA can get things done.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[riclop]

After 13 cruises with Carnival over the past 15 yrs, we have a simple question of what's the cost/penalty fees if we have to change one person for another in our balcony stateroom.

Can't get a hold of my TA all day, so figured we can call Carnival's 800# to ask the simple question.

Well, not so simple. Spoke to 3 reps, all the way up to Supervisor, all said that they can't give me the "simple" answer since I booked through the TA. It's against Carnival's policy to give me any answers without TA's permission.

Would take One minute to answer, rather 10 minutes to repeat that they can't answer my question.

Never been so frustrated, figured in today's Tech & online world, the TA are virtually gone from airlines, hotels, & other travel agencies. As a customer, calling directly into Carnival, figured they could give me a simple answer without much hassle...

So they can discourage you from using a TA.