I'm impressed...

[kajsb]

I sent a letter to Carnival, both with positive and negative comments on our 05/30/04 cruise on the Pride. The noise and vibration from the engine in our aft cabin was horrible. We had no sleep the first night. Everything else about our cruise was fantastic. I mentioned by name our room steward, wait staff and the CD, Greg Kneale for the exceptional service they each provided. :)

Well, I received a letter today. They were pleased with the positive comments I made on the staff. They extended their apology for the problems with the nosie and vibration. They gave us a 15% discount on a future cruise PLUS $200 shipboard credit ($100 each). :D

I was very impressed with their quick response and resolution.

[sea_u_onboard]

15% - pretty nice. They only gave us 10% and they lost a very important bags on one of our cruises (the one with the undergarmets). Plus we only got $50.00 credit each. I guess I should have told them how happy I was that they lost all my underware (LOL) - at least my husband very happy.

[TerriDHair]

Hi Kathy!

Congratulations on your positive response from Carnival. I enjoyed meeting you while we waited to board the Ecstasy and I'm sorry we didn't find each other again after that. I did see you and your Mom off in the distance a time or two during the cruise, though.

I want to thank you for the money you gave me for the water machine...I was so thirsty at the time and I really appreciated your help and fully intended that we'd meet up and I could repay you. That didn't happen, of course, but I want to share with you something that did. When we were in Ensenada, a woman "hitched" a ride on our tour bus as we were heading back to the ship. She was hot, tired, ready for a shower, and her family wanted to stay downtown and shop some more. She was so grateful that a seat was available on the bus and all the asked her for was the $1 for the trip back. She fished aroudn in her bag and did not have correct change...nobody had change for a $20. My DH gave her a dollar and I thought of you and that movie "Pay it Forward". She was as grateful for that dollar as I was the first day.

I see you've booked another cruise...that is wonderful. I booked another one since we got back too, lol.

Take care,

[kajsb]

Hi Terri,

It's so nice to hear from you. As I was reading your post, I started thinking about that movie, Pay it forward. And how nice, when at the end, you had thought of the same thing. I think that is one of the greatest attitudes anyone can practice in life. If every person just does one thing for someone else.....

I'm always amazed that while we are confined on the same ship, you don't see everyone. I would have thought that our paths would have crossed, but no such luck. I'm just glad that we did meet up before boarding. Who knows, maybe we will meet up again one day on another cruise.

So, you've booked another one. Where will you be sailing this time? My friend Barry isn't sure he will be going on the 2006 cruise I booked, but my DD is definitley going with.

[mayrashke]

Hi Kathy, (I have not been in here for a while.) Glad to see that your constructive criticism and compliments got you a discount and shipboard credit for a future cruise!!! That was your cruise with Barry?Did he get the discount also?? Bye for now. Brenda

[robbyxoxo]

wow!:)....i have to say, im surprised as heck that you received $200 credit for future cruise!.....Carnival must be feelin generous these days......anyone else on the boards find themselves as lucky recently as to get cabin credit as well as 15% ??.....i cant recall anyone else here landing such a payback for similar probs................So did your cabin vibrations get better after the first night?......I think almost every ship has the same problem with the bottom rear cabins, especially on the first night when the ship is usually going at its speediest to get to its first port.....weve encountered same thing at least 3 or 4 times......you almost think the pictures are gonna fall off the wall due to the crazy vibrations......How far down in the ship was your cabin located?.......congrats on your 200, as im sure it will be put to great use on your next cruise:)

[stokerhj]

Congratulations Kasjb! Now you have a great reason to book another cruise! I must admit, however, that even though I've decided to keep my cabin when you talk about almost not being able to get to sleep the first night it has me worried. I'm hoping that since the Pride and Legend sail in different waters, and have diff. schedules 7-day vs. 8 day (i.e. Legend might not be in such a rush the first or last night), that that may make a difference for us. Heather

[kajsb]

Maryashke- Yes, Barry did get the discount. Probably because I signed both of our names to the letter. Now, I just need to convince him to go with on the 2006 cruise that I've already booked.

Robbyxoxo- Our cabin was located on the main deck (#4). So, I booked a similar cabin for the next cruise on the verandah deck (#7). Hopefully, being a little further away from the engine will help with the nosie and vibration. Our problems were only on the first and last nights. It seems that once we pass Cabo, the waters are much calmer. But, on the way back, as soon as we passed Cabo on our way home, the noise and vibration started again. I'd still take this cabin over others that are not on the aft due to the size of the cabin and balcony.

Heather- If it were me, I would have kept the same cabin too. You may not experience the same problems we had on the Pride. But, I would take the cabin we had, 4228, if it were the only aft cabin with the wrap around balcony available knowing what I know now. I loved the cabin and balcony.

[TerriDHair]

Kathy,

Yes, who knows, we may meet up on another cruise. Cruising sometimes illustrates the "It's a small world" theory, for sure.

After we returned I booked RCCL's Serenade 12 day trip from San Diego to San Juan, through the Canal for next October. I mentioned the itinerary on the Mariner thread that I've been active on for this October's cruise and one of the people I've been chatting with there for months (and won't meet in RL for another three months) booked the same trip! Then, a friend I met on the Navigator in January heard about it and she also booked that same cruise! It's a long way off but DH and I will be with two couples who we've already cruised with and didn't know before cruising with them. Pretty neat.

BTW, I enjoyed your Webshots pics from the Ecstasy cruise.

That is great that you booked your next trip on the Spirit. Our cruise on the Spirit was a different itinerary but ranks up there with our very favorite cruises...definitely our best Carnival trip. We had an aft cabin (not the corner) on deck 6 and did not notice a vibration problem. The ship is beautiful and, of course, laid out like the Pride. I know you'll have a wonderful time.

[kajsb]

How wonderful the cruise through the Panama Canal sounds. One day, maybe I'll win a lottery ;) so I can book this type of cruise, plus Europe, plus, plus, plus! But for now, I'm sticking with my more local cruises. And as many before me have said, any cruise is better than no cruise. I look forward to hearing about your adventures on the Panama Canal cruise.