Open letter to Christine Duffy!

[BlerkOne]

31 minutes ago, Theosprey247 said:

I don’t think people who only gamble $100 dollars are getting free cruises. If they claim they do they’re lying about how much they gamble. 

I don't know. Celebrity gave me a free cruise and I had never been on Celebrity before. They wouldn't budge on free airfare, though. 🙂

[RenoNanaOz]

1 hour ago, notscb said:

 

The primary one being you haven't been very specific as to what you'd like her to take note of.

 

These boards are just a very, very small sample of folks who are more likely to discuss challenges or problems they have cruising because that's the literal point of being here.

 

I'm still looking through this thread looking for what your exact feedback to the CEO would be.

On his other thread he said he has pictures and over 30 videos. But didn't respond when asked to share a few here. Things that make you go hmmmmmm.

[Drazil65]

BTW, if you are owed money on your last cruise day, go to their shops even if you have to buy $200 worth of gum because you will  never see your credit.  

 

So, if you are a seasoned cruiser you are already aware that you can go to guest services or the casino cashier window and cash out your S & S account the last night of the cruise.  They will give you cash owed back.  

[Davechipp74]

I have never cruised Carnival but every time I log in to cruisecritic I sail on over to the Carnival boards because youse guys are on a whole different level. Some of you just don't seem happy with Carnival, try a different line depending on what I'm looking for I'd go HAL, RCCL, PCL, my favorite is NCL who can do no wrong by me.  

[CarnivalShips480]

2 minutes ago, Davechipp74 said:

I have never cruised Carnival but every time I log in to cruisecritic I sail on over to the Carnival boards because youse guys are on a whole different level. Some of you just don't seem happy with Carnival, try a different line depending on what I'm looking for I'd go HAL, RCCL, PCL, my favorite is NCL who can do no wrong by me.  

Well yeah. This is Cruise Critic *sighs*

[mz-s]

1 hour ago, Joebucks said:

 

This is a miserable take. My upcoming Celebration cruise has more lunch and dinner options included than ever. I honestly don't know how I'm going to eat everything I want. Yet, the focus is on what is missing. 

 

Apparently, a special vacation to you is 5-star dining available 24/7 for pennies on the dollar. Believe-it-or-not, a lot of people would laugh at your painted picture at the lack of food options. $50 out of pocket could cover ordering almost everything you listed there. Instead, you'll advocate for a cruise line that costs twice as much, because it needs to be FREE.

 

I was responding to someone asking what they've cut. So obviously I would focus on where they've cut when answering the question.

[BlerkOne]

12 minutes ago, Davechipp74 said:

I have never cruised Carnival but every time I log in to cruisecritic I sail on over to the Carnival boards because youse guys are on a whole different level. Some of you just don't seem happy with Carnival, try a different line depending on what I'm looking for I'd go HAL, RCCL, PCL, my favorite is NCL who can do no wrong by me.  

You can find unhappy people on all of the boards. Some seem to make a career out of it.

[IntrepidFromDC]

2 hours ago, Theosprey247 said:

What experiences have they cut? I really curious. Is it the once a day room cleaning? Charging for room service?  Only 2 entrees included?  
on my last cruise they were so understaffed that they had a crew member at each drink station serving coffee at breakfast lunch and dinner. 

Don't forget the shrunken easy-tear laundry bags and btw, our cruise was so understaffed they had the hired entertainment (contractor comedians) helping steer the ship!

[Eli_6]

6 hours ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

Well, in all honesty, you're more likely to hear unsolicited feedback from people that had a bad experience rather than a neutral or positive one.

 

Tom

That's the truth.

[BlerkOne]

6 hours ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

Well, in all honesty, you're more likely to hear unsolicited feedback from people that had a bad experience rather than a neutral or positive one.

 

Tom

and they tend to be louder and more dramatic.

[Eli_6]

Were you on the P&O Arvia or the Iona? My husband said they had some problems at Christmas.  

Edited January 2, 2023 by Eli_6

[notscb]

1 hour ago, RenoNanaOz said:

On his other thread he said he has pictures and over 30 videos. But didn't respond when asked to share a few here. Things that make you go hmmmmmm.

Glad i'm not the only one who noticed that.

Also claimed to have crew members onboard recorded, makes me wonder...

[cruisingguy007]

2 hours ago, Theosprey247 said:

If some people ever cruise with RCL or NCL they’ll be sorely disappointed. 

 

They are complaining just as much about those lines as well. If you wade through the cheerleaders and apologists on any of the cruise social platforms you will see it clear as day. Lots of complaining about reductions, cut-backs, price increases, bad food etc etc. Ironically, there are a lot of folks who mention returning back to Carnival as the extra costs didn't amount to an appreciable difference in overall price point and value-to-dollar ratio. Point being, there is plenty of complaining to go around by customers of all the lines, even many of the premium lines.

Edited January 2, 2023 by cruisingguy007

[Eli_6]

There have been cut backs and problems among all forms of vacations.  We were living in a hotel for awhile due to home renovations and couldn't even get our room cleaned or my trash picked up even ONCE the entire week...in a Hilton! And we were in the most expensive room in the hotel because we were basically living there with our family of 4.  They only cleaned your room once a week. (At home, I clean my home more than once a week!) And this was in the last 12 months so not even when Covid was at its worst.  I think customer service in general has gone in the toilet since Covid.  

[Saint Greg]

7 hours ago, hurricane0226 said:

Just like undercover boss, nice.

I think NCL did one of those. 

[Elaine5715]

7 hours ago, hurricane0226 said:

Just like undercover boss, nice.

There was another cruise line executive who did "Undercover Boss" and even in their disguise, was recognized by a dining crew member.  The executive did make some changes including starting room stewards morning shifts much later than the 6 am time since guests weren't up.

[cruisingguy007]

2 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

I think NCL did one of those. 

 

Meh, wouldn't be too hard to figure out the guy lighting his cigars with not one, but two, hundred dollar bills doesn't belong.😁  

[Kellyann]

2 hours ago, Drazil65 said:

BTW, if you are owed money on your last cruise day, go to their shops even if you have to buy $200 worth of gum because you will  never see your credit.  

 

So, if you are a seasoned cruiser you are already aware that you can go to guest services or the casino cashier window and cash out your S & S account the last night of the cruise.  They will give you cash owed back.  

Since you don't know me, don't assume that i should know that CCL doesn't have a way of refunding your money.  Whatever you mean by "seasoned", I think a person whose been on close to 20 cruises (10 of which were CCL) might have a little knowledge; but unless they had a credit in the past how would they know they'd never see the refund?  I wonder how happy you'd be if you were owed $199.34.  I get nothing but their stupid form letters and so does VISA.  I have enjoyed all of my cruises and I even wrote to them complimenting some employees on my 10/1/22 cruise.  Funny they answered that e-mail but not the one where they owe me money.  All of you bashing people with legitimate issues should back off.  Some of us truly have reason to be upset.

[Joebucks]

Every forum is the same way right now. Royal has slimmed their menu, charged for a once free messenger app, moved to one turndown a day. NCL also moved to one turndown, while greatly increasing gratuities. Celebrity moved all room service to $12. This isn't even scraping the surface. Everyone raging out because cruise lines are in debt and they can't get everything for nothing. Looking for the greener grass. It's honesty annoying. The thing is, the vast majority of cruisers won't even care. Ironically, it is largely be those who demand to be rewarded for their loyalty.

[mz-s]

13 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

Every forum is the same way right now. Royal has slimmed their menu, charged for a once free messenger app, moved to one turndown a day. NCL also moved to one turndown, while greatly increasing gratuities. Celebrity moved all room service to $12. This isn't even scraping the surface. Everyone raging out because cruise lines are in debt and they can't get everything for nothing. Looking for the greener grass. It's honesty annoying. The thing is, the vast majority of cruisers won't even care. Ironically, it is largely be those who demand to be rewarded for their loyalty.

 

It's almost like the purpose of this website is to critique cruises and cruise lines. Who woulda thunk?

 

Those who just want endless cheerleading are free to visit other pages, like John Heald's facebook page for Carnival Cruise Lines in particular. I'm sure the other lines all have similar pages where wrongthink is severely punished. Thankfully, the moderators here at Cruise Critic are glad to allow critical viewpoints - provided it does not devolve into ad hominem attacks, etc.

 

And yes - Carnival knows most of their cruisers, who are blue/red cards, don't care about the ever-declining quality of the product, because they don't know what Carnival is capable of.

[sanmarcosman]

1 hour ago, Joebucks said:

 moved to one turndown a day. 

Turn down service and cabin cleaning are not interchangeable terms. Carnival stopped turn down service before the covid shutdown. Carnival still cleans the cabins once a day which includes vacuuming. Turn down service does not include vacuuming so the cabins are being cleaned once a day and no longer receive evening turn down service. 

[mz-s]

5 minutes ago, sanmarcosman said:

Turn down service and cabin cleaning are not interchangeable terms. Carnival stopped turn down service before the covid shutdown. Carnival still cleans the cabins once a day which includes vacuuming. Turn down service does not include vacuuming so the cabins are being cleaned once a day and no longer receive evening turn down service. 

 

And that means for example if you're using upper pullmans in your room, they are deployed for the entire voyage making the room dark, cramped, and actually dangerous since they're right at head-level.

[SERK]

5 hours ago, nwo4life said:

Reduced hours for deli? Is it non longer 11 am to 11 pm?

Deli is still open late.  It was on our last month cruise and our Oct. '21 cruise.

[Purvis1231]

There are things to complain about on Carnival cruise, but I find more things to enjoy.  I have sailed on two cruises last year, two planned for this year, and at least one for 24.  I am sure Mrs. Duffy is aware of the problems and is working to resolve those that can be fixed Some things are just personal preferences that cost too much to be resolved to the liking of some customers. I personally like the twice daily room cleaning and the nightly turn down services, but I realize those services are gone forever.  

[cruisingguy007]

7 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

And that means for example if you're using upper pullmans in your room, they are deployed for the entire voyage making the room dark, cramped, and actually dangerous since they're right at head-level.

 

Good point, or couches into beds all day and no sitting space. So not cleaning per sey, but day/night cabin service makes sense in some instances.