Carnival pulled a fast one!

[novalab]

Just a warning...Carnival givith & Carnival takith (sp?) away! Just received my cruise docs for my upcoming Valor cruise. I noticed that my onboard credit was less then what Carnival told my TA back in late March. I just got off the phone with my TA who just got off the phone with Carnival. Here is what happened:

 

My deposit was made in March 2007...before the fuel charge was assessed. The judgement to recind the fuel surcharge for all bookings after Nov. 11, 2007 applied to my booking & I received an onboard credit of $70 (this all happened after I made my final payment this past March). Thanks to a post on CC, I was able to get an additional price drop for a senior discount of $200 several weeks after my final payment was made. My TA secured this from Carnival. Carnival told my TA that the Sr. discount would be listed on my docs as an OBC since I had already made my final payment. They informed my TA that my total OBC would be $270 (inc. the fuel surcharge). Wow! we thought...this is really great!

 

Well.....that turns out not to be the case. When we went over my just arrived docs, we noticed that my OBC was only $172...not $270. My TA's assistant called Carnival to find out what happened to the original amount. Carnival told her that when they applied the Sr. discount rate to my account, they considered it a NEW BOOKING subject to the fuel surcharge! So, they added the fuel surcharge back on!

 

My TA is out of the office this week but has been informed of this development. She plans on contacting Carnival on Monday when she returns to the office. My TA's assistant said this has surprised all of them & they are now wondering how many of their Carnival cruise clients, who have received recent price drops, are now being assessed the fuel surcharge under the "New Booking" rule that was applied to me.

 

Carnival did tell my TA that they will readjust my OBC as they shorted me $28 out of the $200 Sr. discount. In the final total, $200 is better than $70 but really Carnival (!).......what a sneaky way to go about this!

[tinkerbell_82]

Well, they were nice enough to honor your $200 price drop, so really you came out a lot ahead. They've got to pay these ridiculous fuel prices somehow, just like the rest of us.

 

I hope you enjoy your cruise and your $200 OBC!

[Aidansmommy2]

That really stinks!:mad: I guess they're going to get that fuel service charge out of you one way or another. Sometimes you just can't win. Enjoy your cruise anyway!

Happy Cruising :)

Barb

[flowerchild]

My refund also was not honored. I booked October 2007 but upgraded cabins after November and Carnival also considered it a NEW BOOKING. When I changed cabins later on, again, it became a new booking.

 

My TA and her supervisor both tried contacting Carnival on several occasions to no avail. Carnival is getting around the refund in a sneaky way, IMHO.

 

At least you got the benefit of the price drop. My upgrade from an inside to a balcony cost us an extra grand plus the extra $70 :mad:

[albertiger]

How does one get the senior discount? Through your TA or is there a code to use when booking on Carnival site?:confused:

[crusinpsychRN]

That's as bad as the cell phone comany my daughter uses--the one that starts with a T- Everytime you call them they extend your contract. PIA!

[grandmato4]

This in not the first time I've seen this reported here on cc. But it is a good thing for people to be aware of so they can ask the question up front before its to late to make an educated decision about making a change to there booking. So sorry you have apparently got caught in the loophole Carnival has found to use to still charge the fuel surcharge to some bookings prior to last Nov's date.

[bonnys]

I would get your TA to try and fight that. I booked our October cruise before 3/21 and got the lower fuel charges. Last week I noticed the price for our cruise had dropped by $30 per person. I called my PVP and had the price adjusted and made sure the fuel charges did not change. She also sent me an emailshowing the change. I asked her about future drops and she told me that that if the price drops at any time before we sail we would get either a reduced rate or OBC and the charges would not change. I wrote down what she said and the date and time so I can refer to it if need be later on. Good Luck!

[RKinNC]

You can slam me if you want. I think carnival has every right to treat a price decrease as a new booking. You agreed to the original price then if the price drops you get the decrease as if you just booked that day. I fully expected the additional increase in surcharge when I asked for a price decrease for the sale recently. The theory on a price adjustment is that you could have waited to get the reservation if they did not adjust then you still would have got hit with the surcharge.

[sixy-six]

How does one get the senior discount? Through your TA or is there a code to use when booking on Carnival site?:confused:

I am not meaning to highjack the thriead. But I would alos like to now more about this.

 

OP I hope you can get the full amount owed you don't let up on them.

[flowerchild]

She tried, I tried, her supervisor tried. Nothing.

 

The rep at Carnival read the policy out loud to me. They have created a loophole to continue charging the surcharge.

 

Bonnys, this all happened at final payment...I wonder if your case will change when it comes time for your final payment.

 

"RKinNC You can slam me if you want. I think carnival has every right to treat a price decrease as a new booking. You agreed to the original price then if the price drops you get the decrease as if you just booked that day."

 

OK, RK, how about for me, my price did not go down, in fact, the same balcony cabin at my original booking time (Oct 2007) was cheaper than when I upgraded, three months later. I spend another $1000 and I still got refused.

[novalab]

It really isn't the $70 that I am upset about. It is the way Carnival went about it that really bothers me. When my TA talked to Carnival in March about applying the Sr. discount to my acct., the Carnival rep told her at that time that I would have a $270 OBC ($200 Sr. discount & $70 fuel surcharge credit). Never was it mentioned that my booking would be changed & considered a 'New Booking' & fuel charge reapplied due to this change. A heads up from Carnival would have been great here.

 

No matter...$200 is better than $70 (I went to college to figure that out :D ) I will take it & spend it with much enjoyment!

 

I will thoroughly enjoy my cruise. I understand that a business needs to make a profit to stay alive. Just wish Carnival would be a little more forthcoming in notifying customers about their policy changes. As for the fuel surcharge, I really don't mind paying that either. 'Times are a changing' & it is going to get worse before it gets better. Again, just the principle of informing the customer involved here.

[bonnys]

flowerchild-

 

I hope it doesn't, but if it does I guess I'll have to see if the OBC is worth the additional charge. That is if the price even drops.

[RICKO]

You know I listen to everybody complaining about the fuel surcharge, so what, if you don't want to cruise don't. Your choice. You got a $200 credit and you complain. What if Carnival or any cruise line just locked in your cruise rate the date you booked with no changes and it was in writing at the time you made the agreement? Than the price drops two or three times and you get nothing. Sorry no sympathy from me. Rick

[novalab]

I am not meaning to highjack the thriead. But I would alos like to now more about this.

 

OP I hope you can get the full amount owed you don't let up on them.

 

 

Carnival ran a 1 day Sr. Discount special cruise rate a little while back. In Carnival's eyes, you are a Sr. at 55:rolleyes: A CC post alerted me to the special. I called my TA & she called Carnival & was able to get the discount for me even though I had already made my final payment (this was in March). However, it did bring on the above mentioned changes to my booking. Just want to warn everyone to crunch the numbers before they make changes to their bookings. In my case, it still works out to my advantage.

[klfrodo]

Just my take.

 

YOU are not Carnivals customer. YOUR travel agent is Carnivals customer. You are under contract with your TA to be your agent.

Your TA should have known this information and notified you.

[novalab]

You know I listen to everybody complaining about the fuel surcharge, so what, if you don't want to cruise don't. Your choice. You got a $200 credit and you complain. What if Carnival or any cruise line just locked in your cruise rate the date you booked with no changes and it was in writing at the time you made the agreement? Than the price drops two or three times and you get nothing. Sorry no sympathy from me. Rick

 

 

Rick...I do not want sympathy here. This is an informative post only. If this does not or will not apply to you then just pass on it. However, this may apply & be of interest to other cruisers. I am not complaining......just informing. As stated above, I am perfectly happy with my $200 OBC. I understand the economics behind the fuel surcharge.

 

Just giving folks a heads up as to the new policy change so they won't be caught by surprise. After all, this is an 'informative' board, is it not?

[firefly333]

How does one get the senior discount? Through your TA or is there a code to use when booking on Carnival site?:confused:

Senior rates usually come out close to the cruise date, closer to final payment time if they are available, on cruises that arent selling as well. Iv never seen a senior discount far in advance.

 

PSE is supposed to be the senior code, try it closer to your sail date.

 

Now, back to the OPs problem of considering it a new booking when she got the new price but not the refund from the fuel surcharge. Guess Carnival wouldnt give yout both. They have also denied me two OBCs for completely different things. I keep hearing they are getting better, but doesnt sound like it from the OP.

[Chexmix]

Carnival ran a 1 day Sr. Discount special cruise rate a little while back. In Carnival's eyes, you are a Sr. at 55:rolleyes: A CC post alerted me to the special. I called my TA & she called Carnival & was able to get the discount for me even though I had already made my final payment (this was in March). However, it did bring on the above mentioned changes to my booking. Just want to warn everyone to crunch the numbers before they make changes to their bookings. In my case, it still works out to my advantage.

 

 

Did they change your booking # when you requested the Sr. Discount? If not I think I would use that as one point in fighting for the fuel charge. A new booking would give you a NEW BOOKING #.

 

For others - If you do call and get a price drop that has a OBC then get them to e-mail you a invoice ASAP (while you are on the phone) and look it over to make sure the changes are correct.

[Cruise, J.D.]

As much as I think Carnival has bungled the fuel surcharge issue, I don't have a problem with this. They are not obligated to apply price drops or discounts that were not in effect at the time you booked.

 

If they want to place a stipulation on an OBC due to a price drop or discount, I don't see the problem. It's a freebie. They would be within their rights to require a person to cancel his or her current booking and rebook to get a price drop or discount - thus incurring the fuel surcharge.

[RICKO]

Point taken! Ricko

[novalab]

Did they change your booking # when you requested the Sr. Discount? If not I think I would use that as one point in fighting for the fuel charge. A new booking would give you a NEW BOOKING #.

 

For others - If you do call and get a price drop that has a OBC then get them to e-mail you a invoice ASAP (while you are on the phone) and look it over to make sure the changes are correct.

 

 

This is interesting...just checked & I have the same booking #...no change.

[ShirleyUgest]

I hope the fuel disaster doesn't affect our cruising to the point of not even being able to afford to go! Yikes. Better times ahead I hope.

[SANDYJABS]

I was thinking about switching my 1A cabin to a different cabin because info from these boards is now saying that my cabin is not 2 beds that can convert, so I went to my reservation on CCL site and started to look at other cabins-I picked one just to see if I could actually change my reservation and it popped up in RED that if I make changes to this booking I would be subject to certain terms.....well I did not care to read the terms and decided not to change my cabin but the first thing that came to mind was that they would hit me with the fuel charge if I changed it.

[gazingm42]

So did they give you a NEW booking number when this was changed?