Carnival Shareholder Benefit change!

[Zippy99]

Did anybody pick up on the subtle change to claiming Carnival shareholder benefit this year? Instead of giving a minimum of 2 weeks notice, you now have to give a minimum of 3 weeks notice from date of sailing. I’m not sure if all the brands religiously adhere to it, so it would be interesting to find out? Obviously my assumption would be, that’s it’s aimed at thwarting the last minute cruiser having found a good deal and then claim the benefit within the 3 week period (I did once have the shareholder benefit declined in the U.K. for a P&O cruise that was within the then two week period a few years back). So be warned, if you looking to claim both a good last minute deal and the shareholder benefit, make sure you give yourself sufficient time to get the claim in, otherwise depending upon the brand you’re sailing with and their interpretation and goodwill, it’s quite likely/possible that you’re be disappointed if you leave it too late.

[dasey]

We booked a “free cabin” offer and we were declined the shareholder benefit.  First time in over 10 years but we have never had this offer before.  I was a little surprised but hey, I’m okay with it!

[dadacat]

Dang! I wish I knew about this before. My cruise is leaving on 11/20

[Zippy99]

4 hours ago, dadacat said:

Dang! I wish I knew about this before. My cruise is leaving on 11/20

Well, don’t be discouraged from submitting your claim, although they’ve changed the wording, but do it now, if you haven’t already done so, they  might still accept it! On my recent Princess cruise, although I was just within the three weeks, I submitted the request and still got it! So nothing ventured, nothing gained! However I’ll make sure in future that I’ll comply, just to make sure that I don’t give them the option of rejecting the request.

[Denise72]

I've been cruising with Carnival for 10 years now and just finally took advantage of the Covid stock prices and bought 100 shares, so this is good to know! How long does it usually take them to add the OBC? I faxed mine in a few weeks ago and I haven't seen anything yet. Cruise is in Jan.

[Zippy99]

2 hours ago, Denise72 said:

I've been cruising with Carnival for 10 years now and just finally took advantage of the Covid stock prices and bought 100 shares, so this is good to know! How long does it usually take them to add the OBC? I faxed mine in a few weeks ago and I haven't seen anything yet. Cruise is in Jan.

Well it’s usually applied very quickly, but I think it’s very much dependent these days on how close you are to the cruise date. You should get some form of acknowledgment once it’s applied or just log on to the particular cruise  brand website and view your upcoming cruise and look specifically at any credits that have been applied. For Princess and P&O cruises, I now email the request and scan in my proof of share ownership. You then get an email acknowledgment of receipt and eventually an email telling you it’s been applied as well as seeing it under the payments and credits on the cruise website.
Previously when I faxed in my documents, I always took them with me on the cruise, together with the proof of a fax journal printout showing when I had sent the fax in, just in case the credit hadn’t been applied and I then needed to have a conversation with the front desk…. Needless to say it wasn’t required, but you can’t be too careful if you don’t receive any acknowledgement of submission.

[RetesGirl3]

If I upgraded to verandah after getting a free inside casino cabin, am I eligible to get OBC for Carnival shares ! Thinking of buying them if can get OBC!  Thanks! 

[PattyADifer]

If you are doing a b2b for a min of 14 days total, when requesting put both confirmation numbers in email and request 14 day benefit ($250) instead of requesting 7 day for each ( $100 each week). We are booked on a b2b for 14 days, a 6 day and an 8 day, they credited us with $ 50 for first cruise and $200 for second. Had we requested separately it would have only been $150 total. They are very accommodating.

[cruisehopper29]

I tried to use my shareholder benefit with Carnival and went back and forth with guest relations and I was denied.  People that paid $50 for cruise got promo.  They didn't upgrade me.  Royal Caribbean treats their shareholders much better.  No problem and gotten upgraded on guarantee room. RCL way to go.  

 

[Zippy99]

2 hours ago, cruisehopper29 said:

I tried to use my shareholder benefit with Carnival and went back and forth with guest relations and I was denied.  People that paid $50 for cruise got promo.  They didn't upgrade me.  Royal Caribbean treats their shareholders much better.  No problem and gotten upgraded on guarantee room. RCL way to go.  

 

To my knowledge you’ve never been able to request shareholder benefit on board. You’ve always had to submit the request in advance of the cruise, which is now 3 weeks prior to your cruise beginning. I’ve had it refused before by P&O cruises, because I was within the old ‘2 week period’ that it used to be. This obviously counts against those shareholders, who book last minute cruises! 

[rkacruiser]

On 4/23/2022 at 11:34 PM, cruisehopper29 said:

I tried to use my shareholder benefit with Carnival and went back and forth with guest relations and I was denied.  People that paid $50 for cruise got promo.  They didn't upgrade me.  Royal Caribbean treats their shareholders much better.  No problem and gotten upgraded on guarantee room. RCL way to go.  

 

 

On 4/24/2022 at 2:01 AM, Zippy99 said:

you’ve never been able to request shareholder benefit on board. You’ve always had to submit the request in advance of the cruise,

 

I think the previous poster was referring to guest relations ashore, not onboard.  You are correct that requesting the benefit needs to be done in advance of the cruise.

 

Regarding the posters comment about using RCI's shareholder benefit was a better experience:  that is not my experience.  Trying to use it for a cruise on Celebrity Eclipse was not as easy to get it applied to my account than it had been for cruises on Carnival, Princess, or HAL.