Son needs specific yogurt/drinks for medical reason Customer Service HORRIBLE CARNIVAL

[pe4all]

SweetCinNY- so did you contact CCL special services?  In 34 CCL cruises we have found them to be very professional and accommodating for our special needs dd.

[ItsADryHumor]

Hi! I’m the mom of a kid on the spectrum. My spouse is on the spectrum. My daughter and I both have ADHD. We are a neurospicy household! 
 

My son had terrible sensory issues with food as a toddler. Feeding therapy helped greatly (not saying you haven’t or should try it- just giving background). He also can’t have gluten.

 

CCL has always been accommodating about his allergies, and when we worried about him being able to access preferred snacks when younger, they let us bring things on as long as they were sealed. 
 

It’s been said before in the thread, but reach out to CCL - like TODAY- and discuss all this with them. I’m sure if you’re willing to bring those things onboard yourself, and they’re sealed, there will be no issue. 
 

Hope you and CCL find an equitable solution and that you and your family can have a good vacation. 

[aborgman]

13 minutes ago, TreyB said:

4) Questioning whether or not the refusal of Carnival to grant this accommodation is HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE as stated is not badgering. That was the original statement of the OP and is open to discussion from all sides

 

She didn't state that refusal of Carnival to grant this accommodation is HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE.

 

She stated that the inability of Carnival Customer Service to answer the question (and provide multiple, conflicting, answers) is horrible customer service.

 

I totally get if they cannot accommodate the child's needs - but they absolutely should be able to answer the questions and they absolutely should know who in the company has the answers.

 

If the customer service people can't answer the question and don't direct you to those that can - it's horrible customer service no matter what the answer is.

 

[aborgman]

Just now, TreyB said:

From post #23:

 

I also see that you posted last December about your kid's dietary needs, and the Special Needs department was recommended to you back then.  Did you contact them at the time?

 

My point being, if one waits until a month before embarkation to try and resolve this very specific and unusual accommodation problem when one was referred to the correct department six months ago and failed to do so is it still horrible customer service?

 

I believe that is open to interpretation and not just a given. 

 

 

Yes.

 

If you call them 10 minutes before your cruise - and they give you conflicting answers and don't direct you to the appropriate department - it's horrible customer service.

 

If you call customer service and they give conflicting answers - it's bad customer service. If you call customer service, and they fail to direct you to the appropriate department - it's bad customer service.

 

Even if the answer is "no", or the answer is "it's too late to accommodate that" - customer service should have an answer and should not contradict itself.

[pe4all]

1 hour ago, hard_eight said:

Here you go!

 

OP still hasn't said they've contacted Special Needs yet...

I asked that in post 64.  Hopefully she will come back with an update.  When calling CCL customer service you are speaking to a "general department" - not a specific one like the Special Needs Dept.  Half the time customer service will give you a different answer every time you call - on any subject!

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, TreyB said:

Well, we really don’t know what Carnival customer service actually said, now do we? 🤷‍♂️

Nor do we know what was asked of Carnival.  "I can only eat yogurt, is there yogurt on board?"  vs "I need Carnival to prove me with 48 8 ounce servings of Dannon Vanilla Yogurt in my stateroom refrigerator since I only eat that for every meal due to a medical issue, no substitutes".  

[Pellaz]

On 6/18/2023 at 9:06 PM, Etta1213 said:

Is that probably true for other cruise lines? I'd love this!

 

Yes!   It worked for us -- albeit slowly -- on RCCL's Freedom OTS last January.  We were dismayed to find the minifridge's interior barely cool to the touch when we arrived, but after propping the cabinet door open, we found that after a day or so, it cooled canned sodas to an "acceptable" level.   

 

 

[sanger727]

On 6/18/2023 at 5:50 PM, Parkcharoli said:

Ah, sorry, I must have misunderstood that part…. I always bring my own stuff, so just assumed she was too.

 

I think this is the core of the negative comments. Not that the OPs son doesn't have a legitimate medical condition that requires these items. But she expects carnival to source them even if their current contracts don't offer it. She specifically said that she expected that the items to be available upon boarding and that on other cruise lines they were in their cabin upon boarding. So clearly, not brought with them. 

 

Dietary restrictions/allergies are typically based around what you don't eat - meat, fish, dairy, etc; and offering alternatives. This would be akin to saying that you are lactose intolerant, but will drink nothing except vanilla flavored almond milk made by a specific company.  Then claiming they can't accommodate you because they offer regular almond milk.

 

Not dictating what you do eat to a single flavor of a single brand that Carnival may not be able to get from their providers. Expecting them to source a new supplier for a single cruiser is unreasonable. Offering to bring their own food and expecting Carnival to allow it on and help them to store is safely is. 

Edited June 20, 2023 by sanger727

[aborgman]

17 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

 

I think this is the core of the negative comments. Not that the OPs son doesn't have a legitimate medical condition that requires these items. But she expects carnival to source them even if their current contracts don't offer it.

 

 

No - I think she just expects the customer service representatives from Carnival to be able to answer the question in a timely and consistent manner.

 

She doesn't expect Carnival to source them. She doesn't know if Carnival can or will source them. So she asked Carnival... and Carnival gave her multiple/conflicting answers.

 

Supply it or not, allow it to be brought by the customer or not... whatever the answer - customer service should know the answer, and give it to the customer.

 

 

[Elaine5715]

39 minutes ago, aborgman said:

 

 

No - I think she just expects the customer service representatives from Carnival to be able to answer the question in a timely and consistent manner.

 

She doesn't expect Carnival to source them. She doesn't know if Carnival can or will source them. So she asked Carnival... and Carnival gave her multiple/conflicting answers.

 

Supply it or not, allow it to be brought by the customer or not... whatever the answer - customer service should know the answer, and give it to the customer.

 

 

 

On 6/17/2023 at 10:31 AM, SweetCinNY said:

We're booked on Venezia in July & I've been contacting customer service for the past month to get this rectified. I've been given the runaround. I've gotten 4 different responses and NO person to contact upon boarding.

 

My son has a feeding condition and ONLY eats 1 type of yogurt & Carnation Instant breakfast drinks and I have to be assured that these things will be available upon boarding. First they said no problem; I sent pictures and they asked me the amounts BUT then they got the amounts wrong & when I contacted them again they said there are a plethora of food items available at X amount of restaurants etc. 

 

At that point I asked for a person's name to contact specifically as this is a medical condition and these items HAVE to be available for him as he literally eats NOTHING else. 

 

How do I get this taken care of b/c at this point may have to cancel. 😞

She clearly stated her expectations. She did not ask if if was okay to bring aboard.

[aborgman]

3 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

 

She clearly stated her expectations. She did not ask if if was okay to bring aboard.

 

Expectations are a strong belief that something will happen, they don't ask for assurances.

 

 

That being said - expectations or not, wrong or not, entitled or not... It's bad customer service to not answer the question consistently and correctly.

 

"Yes, we can provide x & y"

"No, we cannot guarantee that food on the cruise"

"We can't provide that food, but you can bring it with a doctors note"

"We can't provide the food, and we won't allow you to bring it on board"

 

Whatever the answer is - when customer service can't answer or contradicts itself it is bad customer service.

[Roscoe13]

I see the crux of the matter as twofold:

 

OP did receive less than stellar customer service by calling Carnival CS. 

 

That happens regularly and should not be understated! 

 

But the more important concept is being your own advocate. 

When traveling is complicated by strict dietary restrictions, consumers must go the extra mile to ensure that they know that it's imperative to directly contact the special needs department! 

 

Be your own advocate and be extremely skeptical of  CS call centers' ability to have more than basic knowledge. 

 

Carnival CS...ask 3 different reps and get 4 different answers...

[3smithboys]

This is not a situation where someone should ever take the chance and depend on an outside source to get something so specific to feed their child- especially on a cruise. What would happen when they got there and there was a miscommunication and the wrong flavor/brand was purchased? All the apologies in the world aren’t going to feed the child. It’s not like the OP can run out to the nearest store and grab it, 

 

This is a situation where you need to make sure you are bringing enough and extra for your son. Bring a dr’s note explaining why it’s necessary if need be. I’m sure if you contact the special needs department and let them know you are bringing it, and see if they can help you store it. I just wouldn’t take the chance that you would not have what you need. Enjoy your cruise with your family. 

 

 

 

 

[Elaine5715]

2 hours ago, aborgman said:

 

Expectations are a strong belief that something will happen, they don't ask for assurances.

 

 

That being said - expectations or not, wrong or not, entitled or not... It's bad customer service to not answer the question consistently and correctly.

 

"Yes, we can provide x & y"

"No, we cannot guarantee that food on the cruise"

"We can't provide that food, but you can bring it with a doctors note"

"We can't provide the food, and we won't allow you to bring it on board"

 

Whatever the answer is - when customer service can't answer or contradicts itself it is bad customer service.

When one feels the need to define the words of another, their opposition is ego, not substance.  

[hapytobehr]

55 minutes ago, 3smithboys said:

This is not a situation where someone should ever take the chance and depend on an outside source to get something so specific to feed their child- especially on a cruise. What would happen when they got there and there was a miscommunication and the wrong flavor/brand was purchased? All the apologies in the world aren’t going to feed the child. It’s not like the OP can run out to the nearest store and grab it, 

 

This is a situation where you need to make sure you are bringing enough and extra for your son. Bring a dr’s note explaining why it’s necessary if need be. I’m sure if you contact the special needs department and let them know you are bringing it, and see if they can help you store it. I just wouldn’t take the chance that you would not have what you need. Enjoy your cruise with your family. 

 

 

 

 

THIS!!!

[aborgman]

17 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

When one feels the need to define the words of another, their opposition is ego, not substance.  

 

Huh?

 

Communication is dependent upon standard definitions. I'm not defining anything, I'm just posting a standard agreed upon dictionary definition.

 

 

[Elaine5715]

44 minutes ago, aborgman said:

 

Huh?

 

Communication is dependent upon standard definitions. I'm not defining anything, I'm just posting a standard agreed upon dictionary definition.

 

 

You are substituting your interpretation of a clear statement made by a mother who knows what she needs.  

[aborgman]

2 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

You are substituting your interpretation of a clear statement made by a mother who knows what she needs.  

 

You are substituting your interpretation of a nebulous statement, then describing it using your own non-standard definition.

 

...and of course, whether she did have any such "expectation" is 100% a red herring as to whether or not Carnival's customer service performed horribly.

 

 

 

[StephPS79]

4 hours ago, aborgman said:

 

Expectations are a strong belief that something will happen, they don't ask for assurances.

 

 

That being said - expectations or not, wrong or not, entitled or not... It's bad customer service to not answer the question consistently and correctly.

 

"Yes, we can provide x & y"

"No, we cannot guarantee that food on the cruise"

"We can't provide that food, but you can bring it with a doctors note"

"We can't provide the food, and we won't allow you to bring it on board"

 

Whatever the answer is - when customer service can't answer or contradicts itself it is bad customer service.

 

I was onboard with this until it was pointed out that OP requested help on this forum several months ago, and information was provided that could have help.  It was again provided in this thread, and there has yet to be confirmation that correct procedure was in place.  At that point, I question the legitimacy of the details of the conversation with the Carnival rep.  

[SD dog dad]

On our last cruise on Panorama, they did not even offer individual cups of yogurt. The yogurt was in a big bowl and the guy was serving it out.

[Megan_Strick]

On 6/17/2023 at 9:48 PM, SweetCinNY said:

My last Norwegian cruise was about 18 months ago & last RC was peobably 5 years ago—had to start new profile because didn’t recall the email I had used to originally sign up—been on about 12 cruises (although my kids have only been traveling last 6-7).

 

 

Someone said that you posted that your kids would only eat banana yogurt. Is it because he only likes that or there are dietary benefits to banana only. No hate. Just curious.

[Joebucks]

For a lot of people, poor customer service is not hearing what they want to hear.

 

Honestly, some people need to take a step back from whatever they expect and consider reality. Imagine you ask the most obscure question to any organization, as many times as you want, to as many people as you want, expecting to hear what you want? Who knows how many different ways it was asked. It's fairly clear that an answer was given on here previously, and it was still not accepted. 

[Joebucks]

2 minutes ago, Megan_Strick said:

Someone said that you posted that your kids would only eat banana yogurt. Is it because he only likes that or there are dietary benefits to banana only. No hate. Just curious.

 

While I'm sure I will strike a nerve with some, the "medical need" definition certainly continues to be stretched. Not necessarily saying that here, just in general. 

[sanmarcosman]

3 hours ago, StephPS79 said:

I question the legitimacy of the details of the conversation with the Carnival rep.  

I agree, I half expected the OP to say they require dairy products to be from a particular dairy located on Long Island, New York. 😲

[momof3cruisers]

On 6/18/2023 at 12:07 PM, Elaine5715 said:

The provided mini refrigerators are not cold enough to store yogurt for a long time.

 

On 6/19/2023 at 5:02 AM, jimbo5544 said:

50+ cruises on Carnival (only 2 on ships without mini fridges) and it always helps for us….

Oddly, we had two very different experiences on the same ship. We changed rooms while doing a back to back. The first fridge was great. Didn’t even need the door open. The second one no matter what we tried, sodas left in the fridge were no cooler than those on the counter.