Anyone have their traveling companion cancel when final payment is due????

[linda8892]

I'm so sorry you had to go through all this, but as I was reading, you mentioned that your travel companion told you about this around Thanksgiving before penalties started. Couldn't you have cancelled then and avoided the whole mess, and rebook in a 1A if it was available? I know it is not ideal, but these things happen.. and cancelling before final payment is a way out of the vacation if your friend was not able to afford it.

 

Anyhow, I really hope that you are able to travel, this sounds like a great vacation, and certainly not one that is so easy to take twice in a lifetime. Good luck to you, I know we all wish you well

 

 

Kindest regards,

 

-Mike

 

 

I was trying to find a replacement cabin mate as was my "friend". The penalty would still have been the $1168 deposit ($1000 deposit plus $168 insurance) even at Thanksgiving; I believe that I previously stated that information in a prior post

[linda8892]

Fine...no names. Please feel free to contact me... al@*****

 

however, a few notes:

1. Cruise line general cancellation penalties start at 90 days

2. Your package is $1000 per person less than the cruise line components because the air, transfers, hotel (both pre and post) are handled by us. Our penalties are stricter because we have guarantees with both the airline and hotel.

3. This cruise is completely sold out and the cruise line is very strict on name changes (which seems to be reasonable considering demand for the cruise.)

PLEASE, a little fairness here. The issue is with the roommate...not the agency.

 

 

Al,

 

I emailed you yesterday and have not had a response. I know that your agency was closed from 12/22 at 4:30 pm until 1/2/07 and you are probably catching up on things, but please contact me.

 

Thank you.

 

Linda

[linda8892]

Al,

 

I emailed you yesterday and have not had a response. I know that your agency was closed from 12/22 at 4:30 pm until 1/2/07 and you are probably catching up on things, but please contact me.

 

Thank you.

 

Linda

 

 

Just an update to let everyone know that Al did email me today advising that he does not have approval yet from Carnival for a 1A. I emailed him back and asked for a bottom line figure what the total package would cost with a 1A as I do not want him to go to all of this trouble and it still be beyond my means financially as I would still be dealing with single occupancy at the hotels and would most likely have to repurchase the travel insurance.

[ihhk2]

Your insurance already purchased will still cover you for air, transfers, and hotel. You might still have to purchase new insurance for the cruise, but if it falls into a booking from your TA, this should not have to be the case.

 

I hope we found a solution for you and that you are still able to go. If not, cut your losses, save up and rebook as a solo when you can.

 

Bottom line is that this will be an extraordinary ship and itinerary, which I would hate to see you miss.

 

Good luck, and keep us posted!

[deedle7544]

Any news? I hate that this is happening to you!

[Hawaii697]

Just an update to let everyone know that Al did email me today advising that he does not have approval yet from Carnival for a 1A.

 

Linda, I just finished reading the posts regarding your issue. My heart goes out to you and I hope that Al can work something out for you. Please keep us posted. :)

[kdunn]

I have been watching this thread too, I hope Linda will get to go on her trip. Any updates?

Kim

[mimgan3]

Hey Linda, my heart goes out to you over this frustrating situation, I hope that Al, if he has has any juice at all will make this right, I too am in the customer service industry, and sometimes you need to "take one" to show the masses that I am interested in more than your money, I want you back as a repeat customer, and are truly concerned with my clients well being. There are 1000's of folks out there who are always trying to beat the system, however I do not believe you to be one of those. You are quite simply someone who has been put in a situation, totally not of your own doing and are trying to make the best of an awful situation.

 

Keep your head up and if Al is truly in the business to build his client base, then this one decision could go remarkable distances in how his agency is viewed and in the future and let perspective clients know that if I have as issue I have someone who will do all that they possibly can to resolve my problem.

 

Good luck Tim

[lvtotrvl1]

Linda, I just caught up with this whole thing too..I am truly sorry for your predicament! I am an agent and book many groups...Al is correct by saying normally CCL will not give 1A's in the group inventory...however he is completly wrong in the fact that he can't book one. He can book one, and pull it into the group from individual reservations. He is also completly off base in his comment about not being able to change a name. I really hope he will help you straighten out this mess and I hope you will be able to take a great cruise vacation!

[dan40]

I think Al is just doing damage control so he looks good on the web. If he is THE BOSS he should have solved the problem or returned her deposit by now. Instead he is holding her to an unenforcible contract thru fear and intimidation. Squeezing every penny.

 

Dan

[linda8892]

I haven't heard anything more from Al and I would have thought that he would have done something by now...the days are ticking by. Thank you for all the support from the most recent posters; I hope that none of you will ever have to go through what I going through right now. A dream vacation has turned into a disaster.

[deedle7544]

That is a shame. I saw the earlier posts with the name of the TA and will never use them!

 

Keep us posted, hopefully something good will happen today!

[linda8892]

That is a shame. I saw the earlier posts with the name of the TA and will never use them!

 

Keep us posted, hopefully something good will happen today!

 

 

Still no further word from Al???? I see no reason why it should be taking this long for him to do something...

[ihhk2]

Linda, call and don't stop calling until you get answers! This has been going on way too long!

 

FYI: I think I'm canceling my trip... I crunched the numbers and while CCL would like for you to believe the 100% single supplement covers the lack of profit from another passenger, the REALITY is that less than 50% covers the decreased "profit".

 

It's all smoke and mirrors. As lovely as the cruise seems, the SS is a gouging I don't feel like accepting.

 

It's also killing me. I wanted it really bad, but now feel like CCL doesn't appreciate the Single traveler.

 

I'll do land only instead and really "SEE" a few of my top picks.

[sea_u_onboard]

It's also killing me. I wanted it really bad, but now feel like CCL doesn't appreciate the Single traveler.

I would like to hear what others have to say about this - since some day I might be cruising single. Others who have posted said that Carnival is actually one of the better ones when it comes to the single supplement.

[zaandam_2]

I would like to hear what others have to say about this - since some day I might be cruising single. Others who have posted said that Carnival is actually one of the better ones when it comes to the single supplement.

 

if you shop around, carnival is OK on single supps. my supp was about 30% on the europe/transatlantic. usually they are about 50%, but since this is the inaugural season for the freedom demand is higher and so is the single supp. i would never pay 100%. holland america has a standard 25% supp and sometimes none at all. some onf the luxury lines have as little as 10%.

[deedle7544]

Linda, thank you for checking in and giving us the update.I am continuing to hope for the best for you - good luck and keep us posted, even if there is no news :(

[linda8892]

Linda, call and don't stop calling until you get answers! This has been going on way too long!

 

FYI: I think I'm canceling my trip... I crunched the numbers and while CCL would like for you to believe the 100% single supplement covers the lack of profit from another passenger, the REALITY is that less than 50% covers the decreased "profit".

 

It's all smoke and mirrors. As lovely as the cruise seems, the SS is a gouging I don't feel like accepting.

 

It's also killing me. I wanted it really bad, but now feel like CCL doesn't appreciate the Single traveler.

 

I'll do land only instead and really "SEE" a few of my top picks.

 

Wow! I was very surprised to see that you might be canceling your trip; I thought that you were all set to go. I did not really want to travel as early as March to Europe, but with hurricanes in Florida I did not want to be away from my house for 16 days during the summer. It is really too bad for us single travelers who cannot always find someone to travel with or be reliable as I have found out...

[aferguson]

I have now partial approval for Linda and have sent her an email offer.

 

FIRST, to single supplement questions. When you hear 20% sgl supplements..sometimes none at all...30% on transatlantic be very cautious of these comments because they don't tell you all the details. A cruise line does not want single passengers on a ship because of ON BOARD revenue which can be a substantial portion of the profit of a cruise. A cabin with two makes more money for a cruise line than 1 because of on board spending. All these comments forget that policies with a cruise line are ALL based on demand. If the sailing is HOT...nothing...if NOT...great offers and policy flexibility. For those that read this...this string is constructive when you read it as GENERAL information...not fact.

 

SECOND, this 1A question is good for everyone. You generally CAN NOT bring in low cost cabins (like 1A) into a group. The comment about you can...again assumes the ship has need. This cruise line on March 14 sailing HAS NO NEED AT ALL. Therefore, you could book a suite for $5000 and they still will not allow it combined with the group. It MUST stay in individual reservations...and we are one of the top agencies in the USA with more than 4000 a year passengers on this line alone.

 

THIRD, this string does not take cruise rate into account. Our group rates are so much lower. We have already discussed that if Linda purchased the cruise directly with the cruiseline, plus their transfers, plus their hotel pre/post, plus their air...she would spend $1000 more. That is why the group rate and moving a booking to group is so important. YOU CAN NOT DO THIS ON THIS SAILING because the line does not need to!

 

FOURTH, all the negative comments about the agency are rash and unfair. Linda's problem was created by a traveling partner that left her high and dry. Nothing relating to her cancellation had anything to do with the agency or cruise line. So many of the comments about "us" are just scape goating blame where it does not belong.

 

FIFTH, as of this writing, we have been able to get the insurance company to extend the insurance (although already cancelled) and we have been able to get 100% of her money credited to a single 1A for an additional $500 total. That's approximately 25% supplement. Remember, that also includes single hotel rooms before and after the cruise. THE CATCH: This assumes that if Linda can do the single supplement...we can get the line to waive cancellation penalties. Again, the ship is full so there is no guarantee. For those of you who have remarked..."well we should just do it"...unrealistic. Again, we are an agency with 4000 a year passengers with this line...and they have no reason to waive this penalty. BUT, if Linda accepts the SGL supplement, I wil try. Also, for you that have said "do it for customer good will"...again, unrealistic. The penalty was huge for the cancellation. If an agency absords a penalty like this...the future good will from this client would mean that she would have to book approximately $15,000 in future cruises to cover the loss. i.e. future commissions to cover this cruise line cancellation penalty. I say this for the benefit of future situations for you. A mom & pop travel agency could never do this...or they won't be in business next year. An internet giant would never do this..because they wont. And an internet giant (or the cruise line for that matter) would never spend this kind of time. The travel industry is in flux...and we will see who survives?

 

This string has been very interesting to me. I to am an avid cruiser (sailed on probably 50 ships and every new inaugural in the last 10 years.) There are so many "Know it all" experts." That's fine...everyone is entitled to their oppinion. But make sure you read everything with a degree of "do they really know what they are talking about." Many times...they don't. But that's what makes this forum interesting. Al Ferguson

[deedle7544]

Very well stated Al. Good points to be considered.

 

I hope it works out!

[popsec]

Good points, Al! Sometimes it's too easy to get caught up in the drama here on the boards and not look at the "real" issues. I, also, feel sorry for the OP and hope things work out for her.

[mish717]

This is totally unrelated to this post. By the way you guys are awesome - I know if anyone can help Linda it's ya'll. Would you consider e-mailing me your PVP name from carnival? The one our group had on my first cruise wouldn't return e-mails - calls - never answered ANY questions. Once we paid our cruises he never interacted with us again.

 

mhchappe@co.dekalb.ga.us

 

 

If you can't I understand.

 

Thanks for your help

[mish717]

This is totall unrelated to this post. ihhk2 would you consider e-mailing me your PVP's name and number? By the way you all are awesome - I know if anyone can help Linda it will be ya'll. I love this website - wished I found it before I went on my first crusie. The PVP our group had (girls weekend) on my first cruise - never returned e-mail, calls. Never bothered to answer any questions. The only time I spoke to him was to give him my credit card - from then on I was unable to reach him.

 

Thank you all - this is a great site.

 

my e-mail: mhchappe@co.dekalb.ga.us

 

If you can't I understand.

 

Mish

[deedle7544]

Linda, Al, where are you? we need an update...

[deedle7544]

Still no news? Inquiring minds want to know...