Why Carnival charges so much for a name change?

[tea4ular]

Is it also true that if I wanted to make a reservation for a year from now, using a great sale rate (this is hypothetical) that I cannot make it for myself and "TBD" (To Be Determined) as guest #2 - without incurring the "penalty"?

 

I mean what if I want to snag that awesome cabin before it gets snagged by someone else, but need to check with friends/family to see who's in?

 

I never have liked the system once ES became fashionable.

 

This coming 2017 cruise is my first booked under it (ES), and it was booked 18 months out...not easy to not be anxious about any issues that could come up in that time frame. That said, as we do for all our trips, we bought independent trip insurance. I simply don't think "insurance" should have to be purchased on the off chance that passenger 2 is changing from Jane Doe to Bob Doe.

[Badfinger]

After 25+ cruises (13 with Carnival), This will be our very first time to inquire about a name/person change to our booking.

We're family of 4, currently booked & final payment already paid in a balcony cabin. Cruising in 4 weeks. Need to make a change for daughter, let's say passenger #4 in cabin, to son. Other 3 are fine.

Carnival says it'll cost $173 to make change.

Does Carnival really care if John Doe is passenger #4 in cabin instead of Jane Doe?

Wonder why in today's high tech market does it cost that much to make a name/person change? Besides that they can...

 

 

To keep people from flipping cruises for a profit?

[springs741]

To keep people from flipping cruises for a profit?

 

We have a winner.

[riclop]

After 25+ cruises (13 with Carnival), This will be our very first time to inquire about a name/person change to our booking.

We're family of 4, currently booked & final payment already paid in a balcony cabin. Cruising in 4 weeks. Need to make a change for daughter, let's say passenger #4 in cabin, to son. Other 3 are fine.

Carnival says it'll cost $173 to make change.

Does Carnival really care if John Doe is passenger #4 in cabin instead of Jane Doe?

Wonder why in today's high tech market does it cost that much to make a name/person change? Besides that they can...

 

Because they are crooks.

[firemanbobswife]

Because they are crooks.

 

At least they are willing to do a name change unlike the airlines. I would gladly pay a $50 fee or whatever to have that option. They are the real crooks. But hey, policy is policy. You either accept it when you utilize their company, or go elsewhere. Not that other agencies are that much different.

[AdGuyMG]

I simply don't think "insurance" should have to be purchased on the off chance that passenger 2 is changing from Jane Doe to Bob Doe.

 

It shouldn't. And there's no need to get insurance to cover financial inconveniences.

 

But should one of the Doe's suffer a major medical issue out of the country, or have to cut their trip short and buy a last second airline ticket in Honduras to fly home it's a very smart thing to get for peace of mind.

[Markmom18]

My experience last week. My husband could not go our March 2017 cruise, due to work. So, I decided to move up the cruise one month to Feb. Our son was hired by Carnival and I want to see him.

 

So, moved it up that one month, same ship, dropped hubby and added my Mom. We were charged Administrative Fee 1) $50 and Penalties 2) $150. Our Inside Cabin cost $990.36. Yes, I had a ES Rate. Today was Due Date and of course it's paid in full, I even PrePaid both our Gratuties. Grand Total: $1,119.86.

 

I'm hoping that whatever the employee discount our son will get next Contract .......just hoping it can include his parents.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Edited December 14, 2016 by Markmom18

[mishka422]

Hear hear. I was just about to ask if anyone had ever had to make a change to an airline ticket. $200 to start plus fare differences and there are no name changes allowed and they are nonrefundable from 24 hours after purchase unless the passenger themselves passes away.

If you want a good laugh, look up 'if airlines sold paint'. Hilarious depiction of the stupid rules they play by.

 

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[jh2360]

Perhaps your TA charges a fee and the fact that you are in penalty phase. It's always a good idea to ask these questions of your TA BEFORE booking. There are many different rates that Carnival has and not all TAs are well versed on the ins and outs of them. I thought maybe you were booked under ES which in that case, name changes aren't allowed, but some have reported success both with and without the $50pp fee. That sounds like a question for your TA. They need to break it down for you.

 

Why do Airlines not allow name changes at all?

Nope

 

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[firemanbobswife]

Nope

 

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Nope what?

[sparks1093]

Not necessarily. I booked early saver and they spelt my wife's middle name as Nichole instead of Nicole. I noticed that about a week later after booked and call and changed it without any issue

 

I think there is a difference between a name correction (same individual traveling) and a name change (different individual traveling).

[Cruzin2paradise09]

I think there is a difference between a name correction (same individual traveling) and a name change (different individual traveling).

 

 

Exactly. And in the OP's case, it was past final payment.

 

 

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[meatloafsfan]

After 25+ cruises (13 with Carnival), This will be our very first time to inquire about a name/person change to our booking.

We're family of 4, currently booked & final payment already paid in a balcony cabin. Cruising in 4 weeks. Need to make a change for daughter, let's say passenger #4 in cabin, to son. Other 3 are fine.

Carnival says it'll cost $173 to make change.

Does Carnival really care if John Doe is passenger #4 in cabin instead of Jane Doe?

Wonder why in today's high tech market does it cost that much to make a name/person change? Besides that they can...

 

It's not a "name change" its a passenger change. You are within the cancellation period so you are cancelling 1 person and then adding a different person.

 

Cruises aren't like hotel rooms where they don't care who is staying in the room, for a cruise you book a specific person on a specific cruise, often in a specific cabin.

[BoDidly]

I tried a log in to our booking and then edit under my guests...

it looks like I can type over the name

I didnt try - dont want to mess it up -

but maybe that would work

 

You may be on to something here ?

[russandcheryl]

You may be on to something here ?

someone wanna try it??

We leave in 3 sleeps so dont want to do anything

to mess things up now.

But would try it if further out

Let me know

[Jamericannn]

I think there is a difference between a name correction (same individual traveling) and a name change (different individual traveling).

 

You are right. Well maybe he could cheat the system by doing the steps below:

 

Call on different days and make small changes until the complete change is made. lol.

 

example: Day 1: Call to say the first name should be Elena instead or Becky. Say you accidentally say Becky because that's what we call her but that's not her real name

Day 2. Call to say you accidentally gave them your sister's D.O.B. instead of Becky's.

Day 3. Address change if needed.

 

I am not sure if that would work or make any sense but I am just trying to see how we could get around this. :D

[firemanbobswife]

I'm the one that brought up the whole name correction thing back in post #17 but you don't need to call. As I said before, the Carnival rep told us to do it ourselves online. However, I'm not sure if it will allow you to edit all the other things. Maybe OP can give it a go and see what happens. The worst that could happen is that the system doesn't allow it.

[AdGuyMG]

You are right. Well maybe he could cheat the system by doing the steps below:

 

Call on different days and make small changes until the complete change is made. lol.

 

example: Day 1: Call to say the first name should be Elena instead or Becky. Say you accidentally say Becky because that's what we call her but that's not her real name

Day 2. Call to say you accidentally gave them your sister's D.O.B. instead of Becky's.

Day 3. Address change if needed.

 

I am not sure if that would work or make any sense but I am just trying to see how we could get around this. :D

 

You might get a pass and an exception by a supervisor on the 1st one. The booking exception / penalty waiver will be noted by the supervisor.

 

But by the time the 2nd "accident" is asked to be changed by a supervisor, and they go to the notes and see the exception/waiver made a few days earlier, you're busted.

[BoDidly]

someone wanna try it??

We leave in 3 sleeps so dont want to do anything

to mess things up now.

But would try it if further out

Let me know

 

Enjoy! ;)

[robc1972]

Last year booked an ES fair for me and a TBD friend. Couple other friends booked another cabin. Just made up a name on booking and when i got GF she wanted to go so I called to change the name.

First person I talked to said I would lose deposit, be charged 50 and new deposit and have to make a new deposit for her. Deposit was 250.

Hung up on her and called back 5 minutes later, next person that I got pulled up my booking and simply changed the name for no charge.

[auntieshoes]

This question may not belong here, but I'll see what you all have to say.

 

I don't want to do a name change, I just want to swap cabin mates within my booking.

 

Is there a charge for that?

Can it be done when we arrive?

 

Does anyone have experience with this situation? If so, what's the best approach.

 

 

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[suzk2275a]

When you get onboard, go to guest services and switch rooms. Both people will need to go to guest services. I've done this several times with no issues.

 

 

This question may not belong here, but I'll see what you all have to say.

 

I don't want to do a name change, I just want to swap cabin mates within my booking.

 

Is there a charge for that?

Can it be done when we arrive?

 

Does anyone have experience with this situation? If so, what's the best approach.

 

 

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[bklynfinest77]

This is what I do everytime I book I put my name down as I know I'm not missing my trip and everyone else is TBD.. I never had a issue doing this and as long as you put a name in 4 days before the cruise there no issue

 

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[NavyCruiser]

Update:

 

Had TA called back to & talked to another Carnival rep.

Confirmed that it's military & not an ES booking, so the fee is $50.

Don't know why the $173 quoted earlier came from.

 

Both TA & Carnival rep said that the $50 fee is not for the change, since it only takes a minute, but as a deterrence to keep people from making too many changes, taking up their time. They don't know why they won't allow us to make the changes online ourselves...

[sparks1093]

Update:

 

Had TA called back to & talked to another Carnival rep.

Confirmed that it's military & not an ES booking, so the fee is $50.

Don't know why the $173 quoted earlier came from.

 

Both TA & Carnival rep said that the $50 fee is not for the change, since it only takes a minute, but as a deterrence to keep people from making too many changes, taking up their time. They don't know why they won't allow us to make the changes online ourselves...

 

Thanks for the update. Another example of why it pays to talk to more than one person if the first answer makes no sense.