Email From Carnival ABOUT Military Special

[sailingships]

I'm a veteran. Every year at this time I get an Email from Carnival about special prices for cruises for military members and veterans.

 

Except I cant use them. Theyre not for me. They either have my daughter's name and VIFP number or my underaged granddaughter. And if I call up and want to use the offer Im told my daughter has to cruise and I can go with her. But I cant use it myself.

 

Carnival has my DD214 but that makes no difference I, the veteran in the house, cant book a cruise using the Email offer that was sent to MY Email.

 

And Carnival refuses to change the situation. I just got off the phone for the 3rd year running. I was told I need to call tomorrow and it would be changed. Ive talked to Carnival for the last few years about this No dice.

 

Now this in itself is bad. But consider these My non-veteran family members (who are quite welcome to use the offer with no proof that they are veterans), are not the only ones getting the Email. There must be many others who can take advantage of an offer that was meant for veterans just because someone received an Email with the non-veteran's name and VIFP number attached. While the veteran the Email was sent to cant because his name and VIFP number were not listed.

 

Any other veteran have this problem ?

 

 

[Elaine5715]

9 minutes ago, sailingships said:

I'm a veteran. Every year at this time I get an Email from Carnival about special prices for cruises for military members and veterans.

 

Except I cant use them. Theyre not for me. They either have my daughter's name and VIFP number or my underaged granddaughter. And if I call up and want to use the offer Im told my daughter has to cruise and I can go with her. But I cant use it myself.

 

Carnival has my DD214 but that makes no difference I, the veteran in the house, cant book a cruise using the Email offer that was sent to MY Email.

 

And Carnival refuses to change the situation. I just got off the phone for the 3rd year running. I was told I need to call tomorrow and it would be changed. Ive talked to Carnival for the last few years about this No dice.

 

Now this in itself is bad. But consider these My non-veteran family members (who are quite welcome to use the offer with no proof that they are veterans), are not the only ones getting the Email. There must be many others who can take advantage of an offer that was meant for veterans just because someone received an Email with the non-veteran's name and VIFP number attached. While the veteran the Email was sent to cant because his name and VIFP number were not listed.

 

Any other veteran have this problem ?

 

 

Do you have a PVP?

[klfrodo]

1 hour ago, sailingships said:

 

 

Any other veteran have this problem ?

 

 

As a Veteran, I can only say that after sailing for 20 years on Carnival and other brands, I've only found the military discount useful 1 time. Every other time either the discount wasn't available, or I could find better pricing elsewhere.

However, if this is a battle that you choose to fight, I would imagine that once you get someone on the phone, you won't let them off the phone until you are satisfied. Go get em!

[2wheelin]

My husband is a veteran, has sailed Carnival, has a VIFP number, gets lots of email—-but never one for a veteran benefit. Like the above poster, we have never found a better rate using any of those options such as veteran, law enforcement, firefighter, state resident, or age than we could get without them.

The only cruise line we have benefited in the past is Princess which gives OBC for a veteran on any booked cruise (past experience $100).

Carnival does do a very good, very well attended military appreciation event on their cruises. It is open to anyone who wishes to honor the military and very moving.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Regarding the military rate, which I've utilized several times in the past - I tested the waters with one recently and was surprised that the military rate is no longer a refundable deposit (at least with one I was looking at). In the past, I've often picked it as it was always refundable. In the end, the $198 and $200 deposits with a casino offer were too good to pass up.. even when they are also not refundable!

 

Odd place to be tightening up, IMO...

 

Tom

[furf_n_slo]

We used the veteran rate one time and it was so horrible we haven't even looked into it since. They wouldn't allow us to choose our room, only a category. And we were in since a tiny room right next to a crew passage way and an elevator. It was miserable. And it wasn't even that great a discount.

 

I would just forgo looking for veteran discounts and stick with their sales and VIFP offers.

[ABQrobin]

18 hours ago, furf_n_slo said:

We used the veteran rate one time and it was so horrible we haven't even looked into it since. They wouldn't allow us to choose our room, only a category. And we were in since a tiny room right next to a crew passage way and an elevator. It was miserable. And it wasn't even that great a discount.

 

I would just forgo looking for veteran discounts and stick with their sales and VIFP offers.

Ditto.  We are both vets and have found that our platinum discounts and other specials are just as good if not better.  Unfortunate, but true.

[farjar]

Twice when we sailed on HAL we got a $100 OBC for military/veterans.  NCL is currently offering a 10% discount for military/veterans on their cruises.  It would be nice if Carnival did something similar.

[havanadaydreaming]

I wonder if a Travel Agent would have more luck getting the offer applied?  Sometimes their company's influence can get certain things done that we as lowly consumers cannot due to red tape.  

 

Good luck! 

[jjzblla]

We have sailed using the Military discount once, under my husband's name, they have his DD214 info.  We (none of us) have ever received a Military discount or promotional offer.

 

[Linguist208]

On 11/12/2022 at 5:14 PM, farjar said:

Twice when we sailed on HAL we got a $100 OBC for military/veterans.  NCL is currently offering a 10% discount for military/veterans on their cruises.  It would be nice if Carnival did something similar.

My wife and I are both veterans, but HAL would only give $100 OBC per cabin. 

[Elaine5715]

On 11/13/2022 at 8:58 AM, havanadaydreaming said:

I wonder if a Travel Agent would have more luck getting the offer applied?  Sometimes their company's influence can get certain things done that we as lowly consumers cannot due to red tape.  

 

Good luck! 

No, TAs aren't permitted to offer lower cruise rates than Carnival which it why they offer things like OBC or prepaid gratuities as booking incentives. 

[staceyglow]

1 hour ago, Elaine5715 said:

No, TAs aren't permitted to offer lower cruise rates than Carnival which it why they offer things like OBC or prepaid gratuities as booking incentives. 

Not necessarily true.  We have found lower base prices for Carnival Cruises on a TA website.  They are usually only a few weeks out.  We called our PVP to see if Carnival could match it, but they couldn't.  We felt bad not using her to book the cruise, but she said she understood.

 

I am guessing that some of the larger TAs guarantee Carnival that they will sell a certain number of cruises and start lowering the price (and taking the hit themselves) when it gets too close to the sailing date for comfort.

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, staceyglow said:

Not necessarily true.  We have found lower base prices for Carnival Cruises on a TA website.  They are usually only a few weeks out.  We called our PVP to see if Carnival could match it, but they couldn't.  We felt bad not using her to book the cruise, but she said she understood.

 

I am guessing that some of the larger TAs guarantee Carnival that they will sell a certain number of cruises and start lowering the price (and taking the hit themselves) when it gets too close to the sailing date by offerinffor comfort.

Those prices would match a current Carnival offer like the "Pack and Go or are a "bait and switch".  They "lower" the price by offering OBC. 

Edited November 20, 2022 by Elaine5715

[Incognito1]

11 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

No, TAs aren't permitted to offer lower cruise rates than Carnival which it why they offer things like OBC or prepaid gratuities as booking incentives. 

Maybe it was that way in the past, but I don't think this is currently correct.  I'm looking at a TA for May 2023 and Carnival's BF prices are a whopping $25 cheaper than last week's.  The travel agent's rate for the same cruise is >$100 less.  That's as of 30 minutes ago.    

 

Fast Deal #16994 if you wanted to confirm.

Edited November 21, 2022 by Incognito1

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

8 hours ago, Incognito1 said:

Maybe it was that way in the past, but I don't think this is currently correct.  I'm looking at a TA for May 2023 and Carnival's BF prices are a whopping $25 cheaper than last week's.  The travel agent's rate for the same cruise is >$100 less.  That's as of 30 minutes ago.    

 

Fast Deal #16994 if you wanted to confirm.

I think some (like carnival) allow TAs to sell at lower prices, but not all. I'm almost positive that Disney cruise, for instance, does not- but the TAs can still give incentives.