Does this make sence?

[TORQ]

We booked 4 cabins back in Dec of 2016 to take our 2 boys, and there wives along with there 1 child each. And my brother, as a Christmas gift for Dec. 2017. We booked and paid the deposit. For a cruise 2-Dec-2017 Now [10] months away! Today 15-Feb-17 we find out that 1 of my daughter in laws is pregnant! So we called Carnival to see if there would be and extra charge for a 2 month old, 4th. person in a room? We learn that they will not take a any child under 6 months old! Now for us to cancel this cruise to book another for this May... They WILL charge us a ADMIN FEE of $500.00 to cancel that cruise and rebook one we found for this May. BTY being Platinum pulls no weight, what so ever. For us to move the cruise up 7 months staying with Carnival they will charge us $500.00 on top of the new cruise price. Were not going to take the $500,00 HIT! So based on their rules, we GOT to take the $150.00 hit for canceling them because of their rules. And keep our original 2-Dec cruise with out them! We wanted to take our family all together, however now we can't UNLESS were willing to take a $500,00 HIT! So am I totally out of line for being all upset?! I would understand if this was a cruise that was leaving within a week or even a month, but this cruise is (10) months away. And were being stuck with a $500,00 ADMIN FEE!

signed:

Life Happens

[JVilleGal]

Hope you booked with another cruiseline! And let them know about it too.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[hftmrock]

unless I'm mistaken you purchased under early saver and the rules are that there are cancellation fees.

 

other plans do not have cancellation fees but early saver is the cheapest and MOST restrictive option.

 

The only thing I would be upset about is that the person you book with did not tell you the downside of the option you chose when you booked and that you didn't research the option you booked.

 

Edit - I just noticed that you are not a newby to Carnival by any means and you have over 100 posts here. In my mind you should have known that early saver has a $50 fee per person to cancel.

[TORQ]

Hope you booked with another cruiseline! And let them know about it too.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

No we had $500 to loose! So were loosing $150.00, and paying a higher amount to take the growing family on there Christmas gift in May without the rest of the family! I'm really feeling the JOY!

[cruizinisthebest]

unless I'm mistaken you purchased under early saver and the rules are that there are cancellation fees.

 

other plans do not have cancellation fees but early saver is the cheapest and MOST restrictive option.

 

The only thing I would be upset about is that the person you book with did not tell you the downside of the option you chose when you booked and that you didn't research the option you booked.

 

I don't understand that either. That as an experienced cruiser specifically with Carnival that they didn't know the rules and restrictions of early saver. Or that they couldn't go on a cruise with essentially a newborn.

[stargate fan]

We booked 4 cabins back in Dec of 2016 to take our 2 boys, and there wives along with there 1 child each. And my brother, as a Christmas gift for Dec. 2017. We booked and paid the deposit. For a cruise 2-Dec-2017 Now [10] months away! Today 15-Feb-17 we find out that 1 of my daughter in laws is pregnant! So we called Carnival to see if there would be and extra charge for a 2 month old, 4th. person in a room? We learn that they will not take a any child under 6 months old! Now for us to cancel this cruise to book another for this May... They WILL charge us a ADMIN FEE of $500.00 to cancel that cruise and rebook one we found for this May. BTY being Platinum pulls no weight, what so ever. For us to move the cruise up 7 months staying with Carnival they will charge us $500.00 on top of the new cruise price. Were not going to take the $500,00 HIT! So based on their rules, we GOT to take the $150.00 hit for canceling them because of their rules. And keep our original 2-Dec cruise with out them! We wanted to take our family all together, however now we can't UNLESS were willing to take a $500,00 HIT! So am I totally out of line for being all upset?! I would understand if this was a cruise that was leaving within a week or even a month, but this cruise is (10) months away. And were being stuck with a $500,00 ADMIN FEE!

signed:

Life Happens

 

Yes, it makes perfect sense, if you booked Early Saver.

 

The restrictions include a $50 per person fee plus the remainder of the deposit is held towards final payment of a cruise to be booked, NOT sailed, within two years in case of a change or cancellation.

 

We are also Platinum and we are aware of the different rates.

 

Caveat emptor.

[A&Jfamily]

I'm sorry you clearly were not aware of the risks - but I agree with others that this is on you. Sometime life lessons come at a price. And in case someone hasn't told you, she can't travel beyond a certain number of weeks pregnant. So be careful when you rescheduled. And yes, it makes sense not to allow a 2 month old to travel - they are too little and too much can happen than can't be handled by shipboard physician.

 

But congratulations on the new addition to the family!

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[mrpayroll]

Sorry , but those are the rules. :(:(:(:(:(

[TORQ]

Yes it makes senSe since those are the rules you booked under with what sounds like Early Saver.

 

Early Saver comes with a whole set of restrictions. One of which does not allow for any changes or cancellations without a penalty. And no cruiseline that I know of will allow you to sail with a baby that young. Yes life happens. So you lose $150 but gain a new grandbaby. You said throughout your post about "their" rules. I'm not sure why you think they should change them? Because you're platinum? Because your grown kids decided to expand their family? Did you take out cancel for any reason insurance? Be glad you found out while there was time to cancel without losing more.

 

unless I'm mistaken you purchased under early saver and the rules are that there are cancellation fees.

 

other plans do not have cancellation fees but early saver is the cheapest and MOST restrictive option.

 

The only thing I would be upset about is that the person you book with did not tell you the downside of the option you chose when you booked and that you didn't research the option you booked.

 

Edit - I just noticed that you are not a newby to Carnival by any means and you have over 100 posts here. In my mind you should have known that early saver has a $50 fee per person to cancel.

 

Thanks for getting back to me. And yes it was a early saver! And yes we never knew about the 6 month child rule we have never had a need to know! And we do not want to cancel this cruise at all, it's there 6 month rule that's puts us now on the spot! Oh and for what it's worth even with insurance, your charged $49.00 PP fee, so in this case insurance mean nothing. I realize they are not a NON-PROFIT company, and were not trying to run! Were willing to move the cruise up and they with them. But the $500.00 hit truly seems extreme, when we want to cruise with them. And I wasn't pulling rank if you, will as far as being platinum. Yet I would have thought there would not have been such a problem, do to the fact OK we will just move the cruise up.

[loanshark]

You took the $150 hit because 3 people were being cancelled ($50 per person). Had all 10 people cancelled or changed dates, you would have taken a $500 hit... (still $50 per person). In the grand scheme of things, how much is the $50 per person in terms of your total vacation price (including transportation to/from the ship, on-board gratuities, any pre/post-cruise hotel, expenditures on board, etc...)? I'm going to take a wild guess and estimate that it is less than 10% of what your total vacation cost will be.

 

For what it's worth, I think the fee is very fair, as Carnival does disclose the terms of booking before you make any payment. It's nobody's fault but your own if you didn't read or listen to the terms and conditions of your booking before you booked.

[TORQ]

I'm sorry you clearly were not aware of the risks - but I agree with others that this is on you. Sometime life lessons come at a price. And in case someone hasn't told you, she can't travel beyond a certain number of weeks pregnant. So be careful when you rescheduled. And yes, it makes sense not to allow a 2 month old to travel - they are too little and too much can happen than can't be handled by shipboard physician.

 

But congratulations on the new addition to the family!

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Your very very right!

We did not want to wait till our new grand person is 6 months old, do to all that takes place with a new born. And we did not want to take the new mom, 7 or 8 months pregnant. So we were thinking May?!

[TORQ]

You took the $150 hit because 3 people were being cancelled ($50 per person). Had all 10 people cancelled or changed dates, you would have taken a $500 hit... (still $50 per person). In the grand scheme of things, how much is the $50 per person in terms of your total vacation price (including transportation to/from the ship, on-board gratuities, any pre/post-cruise hotel, expenditures on board, etc...)? I'm going to take a wild guess and estimate that it is less than 10% of what your total vacation cost will be.

 

For what it's worth, I think the fee is very fair, as Carnival does disclose the terms of booking before you make any payment. It's nobody's fault but your own if you didn't read or listen to the terms and conditions of your booking before you booked.

 

As soon as you started with % and #'s I knew what you did for a living! I've been in finance seems all my life and was a loan officer for over 11 years! I'm always saying to my wife lets do the Math!

Yet there is 1 thing you forgot. Yep we must go on another cruise! What a bummer!!!

Be well my friend, and break out your HP12C

[happy cruzin]

Thanks for getting back to me. And yes it was a early saver! And yes we never knew about the 6 month child rule we have never had a need to know! And we do not want to cancel this cruise at all, it's there 6 month rule that's puts us now on the spot! Oh and for what it's worth even with insurance, your charged $49.00 PP fee, so in this case insurance mean nothing. I realize they are not a NON-PROFIT company, and were not trying to run! Were willing to move the cruise up and they with them. But the $500.00 hit truly seems extreme, when we want to cruise with them. And I wasn't pulling rank if you, will as far as being platinum. Yet I would have thought there would not have been such a problem, do to the fact OK we will just move the cruise up.

 

 

Remember...."their 6 month rule" is for the health and safety of the baby. The medical facilities are not staffed or equipped for very young babies.

 

Sorry that you got caught in this - but as others have already said it's the rules for the fare that you chose to book under. Of course you weren't expecting to cancel when you booked… but health conditions and "surprises" happen all the time. That's not Carnivals fault.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[SNJCruisers]

For future reference the best thing to do is do research and find a travel agency that has group space on future sailings. Within the past week I was able to book cabins on the Horizon out of NYC for next year and Miami in 2019. In both instances I got a rate that was substantially cheaper than ES through Carnival and did not have the ES restrictions. The only downside is that I can't submit for future price drops, but the rate is so great and the cabins are limited because they are Havana insides, the price drop issue would be moot.

 

Sent from my XT1254 using Forums mobile app

[nwo4life]

Your very very right!

 

We did not want to wait till our new grand person is 6 months old, do to all that takes place with a new born. And we did not want to take the new mom, 7 or 8 months pregnant. So we were thinking May?!

 

 

A mother cannot cruise if she is past 24 weeks pregnant, and you must supply paperwork from the doctor proving how far along the mother is.

 

We had to cancel a cruise when my wife became pregnant in 2015. We lost $100 because we had booked early saver, we understood the restrictions when we booked.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[beachbum6264]

Check dates carefully, your DIL cannot cruise if she's more than 24 weeks pregnant (cannot be 24 weeks during any part of the cruise), and she will need a doctor's note with gestational status and that she is fit to sail. Without that she will be denied boarding.

ETA: looks like we were typing at the same time!

[Geobugs]

You can have the baby stay with someone else, like a relative, during the cruise. The parents could use the break from the newborn. Stay on schedule with the cruise in December.

 

Also you should never tell about being pregnant that early, it is bad luck. What happens if the baby is never born?

 

When you eventually have the pleasure of a newborn baby add to your family, that $500 would be a small cost to pay.

[loanshark]

As soon as you started with % and #'s I knew what you did for a living! I've been in finance seems all my life and was a loan officer for over 11 years! I'm always saying to my wife lets do the Math!

Yet there is 1 thing you forgot. Yep we must go on another cruise! What a bummer!!!

Be well my friend, and break out your HP12C

 

LOL!!!! My bachelor's degree is in finance... When I finished, I went to work for a large lending / loan guarantor company for almost a decade that put me through graduate school. I was working for them when I first joined Cruise Critic and setup my screen name.

 

Moved on since then... I actually work in the travel industry (almost a decade now) and the finance person in me will still always read the fine print for travel offers... I've actually had to draft various terms and conditions seen by the public as part of my duties in my current position, in addition to keeping up to date with all types of federal and state regulations..

[spleenstomper]

First things first... how far along is she? (I'm not doing the math)

 

If the rest of you go, i'd get trip insurance just in case.

[Elaine5715]

Next time, make each family group a separate booking. That limits these types of fees to each family in case of these situations.

[A&Jfamily]

You can have the baby stay with someone else, like a relative, during the cruise. The parents could use the break from the newborn. Stay on schedule with the cruise in December.

 

 

 

Also you should never tell about being pregnant that early, it is bad luck. What happens if the baby is never born?

 

 

 

When you eventually have the pleasure of a newborn baby add to your family, that $500 would be a small cost to pay.

 

 

Not if she is nursing she can't! And 2 months old is awfully young to separate mom from baby for that long. This isn't an over night or even weekend.

 

And do you really think sharing the joy of a pregnancy early will somehow alter the odds of a successful pregnancy??? Come on... and if something happens, the couple will have the support of their family and friends in their time of sorrow.

 

OP - please change your plans on the information you have been given by others.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[minnesotamamafish]

Consider having each family pay for their own change fees. $150 for each son's family (on an otherwise free cruise) seems like a small price to pay for the whole family to cruise together.

And if you do switch, do as others have said and get an actual gestational age. May seems to be cutting it close to 24 weeks.

Good luck!

[nydney1]

Ok, I am in the minority on this one.

 

Yes, the rules state the cancellation and change policies. Carnival has the ability to charge them, but should they?

 

The poster does not want their money back, they just want a different date. With 10 months before the cruise there is plenty of time for Carnival to rebook the room.

 

The poster is bringing a large group and is Platinum (which means repeat business). You want this type of repeat business as a Company.

 

I think an exception should be made. If it was my Company, I would want customers that want to bring their whole family.

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

1. Yes they should because that is the T/C that the OP agreed to. 2. Platinum means nothing. Like you said, Carnival wants repeat business. OP cancelled the cruise and rebooked another, thus CCL still has the repeat business. Once you make one exception, how many more do you make?

[orlandobull]

Hope you get it resolved. The joy of the new addition should help with the sting of losing the money. For what it's worth, booking with a travel agent may help with things like this (maybe not). My wife and I were booked on a Princess cruise last March and then got pregnant (after trying for several months). She would have been entering her 25th week during the cruise, so, we had to cancel. Our TA handled the whole thing, but, we got our money back. I was shocked because I figured we would be penalized.

 

Different line, different circumstances. Either way, I wouldn't have cared because we were so happy to be pregnant the money didn't matter. I would say to keep trying supervisors at Carnival to see if they can help. If they can't, go with the rest of the family and enjoy the cruise. $150 is a small sacrifice when you get to come home to a new grand child.