Carnival miracle bait and switch

[Ken076]

Originally Posted by Ken076

I diagree:

 

Three days is absolutely last minute in that this precludes any chance of re-scheduling vacations, airline tickets, childcare, other transportation, etc. Carnival is not resonsible for your scheduling, childcare and other trransportation. You could have cancelled and received a refund or booked another ship.

 

Additionally, the communication that WAS sent fails to notify pax that per Carnival's Port Cancellation Policy they ARE allowed to cancel without penalty within 24 hours of receipt of the notification. Ethically, This should have been included. This information is contained in ALL information on their website and on your documents. It's up to YOU to read the info sent out. If you don't read it, it's not their fault by any means.

 

Many of us schedule a Western Caribbean Panama itinerary specifically for the Panama Canal excursions, so anything (short of weather and such) that impacts that port IS legitimately disturbing.When you choose to cruise, you are at the mercy of many things over which no one can control. There should always be a plan "B" in place and never book a cruise strictly for the ports.....you will sometimes disappointed.

We've ruled-out the Miracle for cruising and will look at the newer Carnival Freedom for Panama itinerary or at Princess's 10-day Panama itinerary (Princess now includes "Cancel for Any Reason" coverage in their Berkley Trip Insurance - I wish Carnival would do this with their Berkley Policies!). You could have cancelled the Carnival trip also....if you had read what was sent you. You should know that any ship, any time, any itinerary, can change the itinerary for any reason. They all do it for various reasons. There are no guarantees that you will make the exact ports shown.....and the "subject to change" info is all over the place on websites.

 

ken

 

Look, we all are disappointed when our itinerary is changed. We know this can happen but hope it doesn't. Complaining, ranting, threatning serves no purpose. Nothing can be done about it....simply a fact of life when you step onto a ship. It is really up to each of us to make sure we read and understand all the information concerning our cruise, the ship, all policies that might affect us. When it happens, accept that it's a done deal...and go on with modifying any plans you may need to change.

--------------

 

G'ma -

 

I wasn't caught-up in the Miracle flail and I agree that everyone should make themselves aware of the info in the Cruise Contract and the "What to Expect" document - I've studied these endlessly and always find some new piece of info.

 

I stand-by my view that 3-days notice IS inadequate notice for the average person to cancel and reasonably re-schedule. Of course Carnival isn't responsible for my scheduling, childcare and other transportation, but those are obviously considerations in being able to Cancel and re-schedule with minimal notice. Wouldn't bother me as I'm retired and flexible, and live in Florida and have no Airfare to worry about - but many others aren't in this situation.

 

I stand-by my comment that Carnival in their e-mail and voice-mail notifications should have (ethically) included mention of the option to Cancel w/in 24 hours - Regardless of that info being available (2 places) on the website, Carnival WAS in violation of their own Port Cancellation Policy which indicates that "The Notice shall offer guests an opportunity to cancel their booking without penalty within 24 hours of the delivery of the Notice" (which is in those 2 places on the website). Beyond that, it's a matter of common courtesy when notifying someone of a change to also identify their options.

 

WRT to scheduling a specific itinerary, I would personally be PO'd if any cruise line changed my itinerary at the last minute for recognition of a long-known mechanical problem (the mechanical problem being the responsibility of the cruise-line, versus a weather problem which not the cruise-line's responsibility), even tho it's totally legal and within terms of the cruise contract. I'm sympathetic to the cruisers that are miffed at a mere $50 credit for a change of this magnitude, but as we know, they DID have the opportunity to Cancel and re-schedule. Personally, I think Carnival should have also offered the option to switch to the Freedom Panama Cruise, with some noticeable credit toward the price difference, for the inconvenience.

 

We don't bok during Hurricane season to avoid storm-related issues - I had never previously thought about the issue of late-breaking Change of Ports for mechanical reasons. Looks like if I'm hooked on a specific itinerary, I'll need to book the newer ships with no reported problems, and if I'm really hooked on itinerary, either book Carnival and buy 3rd party trip insurance offering "Cancel for Any Reason refund" coverage (at 50% premium!) or pay higher rates for Princess cruises that now include "Cancel for Any Reason credit" coverage in their standard policy.

 

ken

[robinlbe]

I am getting really concerned. My mom and I booked the Miracle for the Western Caribbean sailing - specifically because of Panama.....

we booked this in October, but had been researching, checking, and reading for months before making the decision. Our airfare is paid for, our motel reserved....plus, it's my spring break. I am not able to take any other time off.

 

I know the Miracle is scheduled for dry dock....and I hope and pray this takes care of the problem, but I really have no option but to sit and wait, and hope we get to take the cruise we planned.

 

And no, I have nothing against the other ports being substituted, but I was just there this past summer, and if I had wanted those ports, I could have gotten a cheaper cruise...sigh.

[Ken076]

robinlbe - I agree with you. It's an unfortunate situation as you cannot realistically take advantage of Carnival's option to Cancel without penalty on notification, as you have all these other restrictions that don't support cancellation or re-scheduling. ken

[Ken076]

I'm with Kurbanfan and Platinum Cruiser!

Albeit unquestionably within the terms of the contract, this IS a different situation responsibility-wise than uncontrollable weather issues.

 

Carnival could have (altho admittedly not required to) provided credits reduced the rates to be comparable with the equivalent Western Caribbean itineraries

 

-or-

 

Carnival could have (altho admittedly not required to) offered to re-book to Freedom equivalent cruise with some noticeable credits for the inconvenience.

 

IMO, Carnival "violated" their own Carnival Port Cancellation policy, by not addressing the pax option to Cancel w/in 24 hours, in their notifications.

 

Ken

[Kakidoll]

Let me clear something up. I was on the cruise. I spoke to a LOT of people, in addition to having the CC roll call meet and greet. Many, many people, myself included, did NOT receive any notification from Carnival. Many only learned of it at boarding or once onboard. These are not just people who booked with travel agents but also WITH the cruiseline directly, had their laptops with them while traveling and checked email every day. Somewhere, somehow, carnival missed a very large group of passengers in notification.

I learned about the change Friday night, here on CC. I then called my TA. SInce i'm in FL, it wasn't a huge deal to me for travel plans, but she went thru ALL her email and had NOT been notified. She called Carnival right away and yes, i could have cancelled, but i figured i'd just go with it... even tho we've been to the ports 3 times already. I wanted to meet my new roll call friends!!! and i'm glad i did.... we had a blast.

HOWEVER, i do feel Carnival was VERY lacking in service. The right hand has NO IDEA what the left hand is doing. Pursers desk employees told different people differnt things (and yes, i heard first hand, i evesdropped *G*) and for the first time, i DO feel Carnival needs to get their act together. I may well consider other cruiselines at this point, NOT because of the change in itinerary, but because of the way Carnival is now being run. Maybe Uncle Bob needs to come back and do some consulting .... its definately not the same Carnival it was a few years ago.

 

Kaki

[zqvol]

I am getting really concerned. My mom and I booked the Miracle for the Western Caribbean sailing - specifically because of Panama.....

we booked this in October, but had been researching, checking, and reading for months before making the decision. Our airfare is paid for, our motel reserved....plus, it's my spring break. I am not able to take any other time off.

 

I know the Miracle is scheduled for dry dock....and I hope and pray this takes care of the problem, but I really have no option but to sit and wait, and hope we get to take the cruise we planned.

 

And no, I have nothing against the other ports being substituted, but I was just there this past summer, and if I had wanted those ports, I could have gotten a cheaper cruise...sigh.

 

Your cruise is after the dry dock which is being done solely for the purpose of fixing the problem. While it is possible that it won't be fixed that is really unlikely. They know what the problem is, and what has to be done to fix it, and there is no question in my mind that all needed parts have been ordered. (Why do I think this - it's like your car, you take it to the dealer for repair and 99%+ of the time it comes back to you fixed. Same principle.)

 

It costs too much to dry dock a ship for them not to get it right the first time.

 

Go and have a good time. (BTW you won't know if it is fixed until after dry dock which is about March 1, so not much you can do until then anyway.)

[tedjazz]

HOWEVER, i do feel Carnival was VERY lacking in service. The right hand has NO IDEA what the left hand is doing. Pursers desk employees told different people differnt things (and yes, i heard first hand, i evesdropped *G*) and for the first time, i DO feel Carnival needs to get their act together. I may well consider other cruiselines at this point, NOT because of the change in itinerary, but because of the way Carnival is now being run. Maybe Uncle Bob needs to come back and do some consulting .... its definately not the same Carnival it was a few years ago.

 

Kaki

 

I agree 100%. Carnival has been making some huge mistakes in the area of Customer Service and Public Relations. They will ultimately pay the price with a lower than expected repeat passenger rates.

[cruisecastle]

Carnival miracle sailed on december 15. The original ports of call were panama, costa rica and belize. There was an itinerary change sent to some passengers late friday dec 12. Most passengers arriving at the dock were handed copies of the itinerary change while boarding. Cancellation was possible, but we had non-refundable airfare and hotels stays worth about $1,000.00. The official reason for the changes was that the ship would not travel at cruising speed even though on the return we were making 21 knots. The only compensation offered by carnival was a $50.00 room credit that most persons i spoke to thought was insulting. In addition, we were not refunded a fuel surcharge even though the distance sailed was cut in half. The ship is pristine and the crew was wonderful except for the captain who should have spoken to us about the reasons and maybe offered an apology. Shame on corporate carnival

 

I don't get what your complaining about? The substitute ports were good ports. Have you never cruised before? You seem to no nothing about cruising

[firefly333]

I agree 100%. Carnival has been making some huge mistakes in the area of Customer Service and Public Relations. They will ultimately pay the price with a lower than expected repeat passenger rates.

 

This guy was on the Ecstasy that ran into fog and boarded late. If I had paid $2200 for my cabin plus all the extras, around $3K for my FOUR day Ecstasy cruise and it left after midnight, I would have expected more than a $40 OBC to pay for missing dinner on the ship. I know something similar happened to Lambie (another poster here) not that long ago, and Carnival was much more generous in the past. Now they are being too cheap with compensation.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=894159

 

Lots of folks flamed me when I said COMMUNICATION was totally lacking on my Ike cruise. I got lots like here about how Carnival can't control the weather etc, as if that is weather???!!! They couldnt lower the cost of internet, Carnival said they dont provide internet on their own ships, its a 3rd party. They had trouble getting phone numbers for rental cars (didnt anyone running that ship think ahead when they announced we would be going to New Orleans).

 

I still haven't booked another Carnival cruise. The famous blogger John Heald, meet him at a function. He said he would have someone call me Monday. He didnt. Forgot. No one from Carnival follows thru. I'm sure John meant well but he is typical Carnival, no show when it comes to service to pax. Ill continue bad mouthing them and citing these obvious examples of where they don't come up to par because that's my own personal experience too. Think about all these examples and then tell me again Carnival is as good as any other cruiseline. Only if you have a need to pinch pennies so much this is all you can afford. Thats the only reason I can come up with that folks will say no matter what, they dont care how Carnival treats them when things go wrong.

[nagster]

Just imagine how much great press Carnival would get here if they just went that little bit further to please the customer, I am not talking about the silly ones who want free cruises and a ticket to the moon. As firefly stated, how great it would have been for someone to do research and get numbers to rental car agencies. It little things that make great customer service not the huge things.

[jdnaples]

I don't get what your complaining about? The substitute ports were good ports. Have you never cruised before? You seem to no nothing about cruising

 

I have cruised before, and it is you that doesn't get it. Just because you think they are good ports, doesn 't mean that I want to go there. I am a retired attorney. While Carnival can change ports when necessary, they must act reasonably. Yes there contract says they can change ports, but they also advertise ports. You rely on those ports. They tell you how great each port is. They tell you to pick excursions and they take your money for them. The have pictures of where you will go on your trip and even videos of them. The customer has a right to rely on them. Carnival cannot say you are going to Panama and but you might not go to Panama for any reason we want. Those are contradictory statements and must be interpreted reasonable. That means they cannot just change for no reason and they should notify their passengers.

 

 

I planned this trip for a long time. It is really irritating to hear someone say "they are good ports". I don't think they are good ports. I have been to those ports. What you think is totally irrelevant when I am paying the bill.

[G'ma]

All true, but....

She still has the right to be ticked off. I sure would be if I thought we were going to Panama and ended up finding out we weren't when we got there. And come on, cancel? They were already there. Airplane tickets aren't cheap you know.

 

Itinerary changes can be upsetting. None of us like it. However, Carnival doesn't make changes arbitrarily just to upset a shipload of passengers. There are very valid reasons why such drastic steps are taken. For the OP to accuse them of "bait and switch" is simply silly and any talk about suing is ridiculous.....

 

They made the choice to board the ship anyway.....so, in my opinion, that's the end of the story. If OP had bothered to do any research at all or read the info on port changes on the website, they would know the possibility exists that they may not make all or any of their ports.....and this discussion would be moot or would not exist.

[cruisecastle]

I have cruised before, and it is you that doesn't get it. Just because you think they are good ports, doesn 't mean that I want to go there. I am a retired attorney. While Carnival can change ports when necessary, they must act reasonably. Yes there contract says they can change ports, but they also advertise ports. You rely on those ports. They tell you how great each port is. They tell you to pick excursions and they take your money for them. The have pictures of where you will go on your trip and even videos of them. The customer has a right to rely on them. Carnival cannot say you are going to Panama and but you might not go to Panama for any reason we want. Those are contradictory statements and must be interpreted reasonable. That means they cannot just change for no reason and they should notify their passengers.

 

 

I planned this trip for a long time. It is really irritating to hear someone say "they are good ports". I don't think they are good ports. I have been to those ports. What you think is totally irrelevant when I am paying the bill.

 

 

You are obviously just clueless. No helping you. You should of just cancelled for a refund instead of whining on here.

[jdnaples]

You are obviously just clueless. No helping you. You should of just cancelled for a refund instead of whining on here.

 

That's the point turkey! They did not notify me, and I found out in line. It was too late to cancel. If you read my other posts you would realize that lack of notification is the only thing I objected too.

[picklebongo]

No matter how anybody looks at this issue, what could possibly be the justification for not at least refunding the difference since folks paid a higher price to sail Panama and not the Caribbean?

[tedjazz]

Why is it that when posters don't come on here to sing the praises of Carnival, they get flamed? The OP has a legitimate point and a right to be upset. I think this forum has been set up to discuss the ups and downs, the goods and the bads of cruising. I have sailed Carnival four times and I like some of what they offer and dislike some and hate what it has now become. I hope that posters will respect that people here love to cruise and have expectations and when the expecations are or are not met then they ought to be allowed to voice their opinion, without being blasted.

[wwaggone]

I don't get what your complaining about? The substitute ports were good ports. Have you never cruised before? You seem to no nothing about cruising

 

And apparently you seem to "no" nothing about spelling! It is unfortunate when anybody does not get what they paid for. Regardless of legal responsiblity, Carnival should have done more for a long known about propulsion problem.

[MEOWSMURPHY]

I'm used to getting what I pay for........is something wrong with that:confused:

That is what I would deserve.....nothing more and nothing less.....

The Panama cruise is priced higher then the Western itinerary.......

 

This is SOOOOOOOOO true...we sail the Miracle on 2/1..am I disappointed..YOU BET!!! This will be my 10th Carnival cruise..I know they can change ports..or even miss ports...not a big deal...BUT having said that...all our travel plans are complete...AND paid for...Carnival would give us our money back if we wanted to cancel..great..but what about the airfare and hotel rooms...NOPE...they would put us on the Freedom to the tune of $1200 more if we wanted to switch and pay out more in airfare and hotel rooms...nope can't do it..nor could I get the time off from work IF that were an option...so we sail to the Western Caribbean...which we have visted many many times...we'll make the best of it...the problem I have is that the price has dropped almost $400 from our Panama price...I think Carnival should at least give us some sort of OBC for this price difference..$50 is not going to cut it....but we all know THAT's not going to happen because we are past final payment...sooooo for that I am upset

[Kakidoll]

You don't seem to understand that many did NOT get notified. You are assuming everyone knew and chose to go. That is NOT fact. MANY MANY were not notified either until checking into the terminal or ON the ship later that day or the next. Late checkins (after 1pm) were NOT given a change of itinerary sheet that we got standing in line to board.

 

I had a good time but i've also been to the same ports 4 times now.... thats why i chose a different itinerary. If it had been weather, or something OUT of Carnivals control, i don't think the people who are 'discussing' this, would be. I live in Florida. I'm used to weather changing EVERYTHING at the last minute. No big deal. But this time, Carnival WAS wrong in their lack of communication and customer service. And as a professional who deals with clients on a daily basis, i would NEVER ruin my business reputation by doing all i could to solve a problem.

 

Now I will say, there were some very nasty, rude, people on the cruise and they went WAY overboard on complaining and making everyone else miserable. I had a great time. I made great friends. BUT don't judge someone else til you know the facts and are walking in their shoes. If i was on a cruise to Alaska and ended up in Key West, you bet i'd be pissed! *G*

 

Kaki

[crazyboutcruisn]

You just keep on booking with carnival till they get it right!!!

We will too!! :d

after 62 cruises on carnival' date=' i can say with authority, that carnival is always looking for ways to anger their passengers. Their decision makers have several meetings a month trying to come up with new ways to make their cruises as annoying and disappointing as possible.

 

So many ways to do it - so few ships.

 

That's why they will never be the largest and most successful company in the cruising world....they just don't give a darn about their passengers and their comforts.[/quote']

[picklebongo]

You don't seem to understand that many did NOT get notified. You are assuming everyone knew and chose to go. That is NOT fact. MANY MANY were not notified either until checking into the terminal or ON the ship later that day or the next. Late checkins (after 1pm) were NOT given a change of itinerary sheet that we got standing in line to board.

 

I had a good time but i've also been to the same ports 4 times now.... thats why i chose a different itinerary. If it had been weather, or something OUT of Carnivals control, i don't think the people who are 'discussing' this, would be. I live in Florida. I'm used to weather changing EVERYTHING at the last minute. No big deal. But this time, Carnival WAS wrong in their lack of communication and customer service. And as a professional who deals with clients on a daily basis, i would NEVER ruin my business reputation by doing all i could to solve a problem.

 

Now I will say, there were some very nasty, rude, people on the cruise and they went WAY overboard on complaining and making everyone else miserable. I had a great time. I made great friends. BUT don't judge someone else til you know the facts and are walking in their shoes. If i was on a cruise to Alaska and ended up in Key West, you bet i'd be pissed! *G*

 

Kaki

Thanks for your post because it clearly spells out exactly what the problem was and why some folks didn't cancel.

[Spiderman30144]

I just got my response from Carnival regarding the 12/15 Miracle itinerary change and fuel surplus charge. The following is the text:

 

Thank you for contacting us regarding your recent sailing aboard the CARNIVAL MIRACLE. We apologize that you did not receive a response from us to your previous contact, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond to your comments now.

 

We realize many vacations are chosen because of a specific itinerary and regret any disappointment caused as a result of the changes made to your itinerary. Please understand that the decision to change an itinerary is difficult and generally undertaken as a last resort to ensure the safety and comfort of our guests. While we certainly sympathize and extend our sincere apologies, our passenger ticket contract and Welcome Aboard brochure state that Carnival reserves the right to alter itineraries as needed, as was the case with this sailing.

 

When possible, Carnival notifies guests or their travel agents of any changes to the ports of call. Our records indicate that we notified your travel agent of this change via email on December 12, 2008. We apologize that you did not receive this information prior to your cruise.

 

With regard to your inquiry about the fuel supplement charge, for 2008 departures prior to December 17, if the price of light sweet crude oil according to NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange Index) was $70 per barrel or less at the 2:30 pm close of business as reported by Reuters on each of the 25 consecutive trading days ending five trading days prior to the guest's cruise departure date, the fuel supplement would have been refunded in the form of a shipboard credit.

 

Regrettably, no cruises met these criteria, and therefore none is eligible for a refund. We apologize for any miscommunication in this regard.

 

We hope you will consider joining us on a future Carnival cruise and should you have additional questions, please feel free to contact us.

 

Cordially,

 

Internet Specialist

Carnival Cruise Lines

 

In short, my complaint was completely ignored. This is the second cruise with an itinerary change. The first was the Sensation after it had been used for Katrina victoms. That ship was completely trashed. Instead of cruising to the Grand Turks we went to Freeport instead. If you Google "Sensation Nightmare" you will find the whole story.

 

I think it may be just possible that Carnival is trying to increase margins at the expense of their customers. If the problem was with propulsion then how was it possible for the boat to get back to Ft. Lauderdale 7 hours early when an emergency presented itself.

 

I used to think that Carnival was one of the better deals but lightening has now struck twice and customer service response is demonstrating that they really don't want to show good will to existing customers.

 

I was never notified and found out about the itinerary change onboard the ship. The same was also true of the Sensation cruise in 2006.

 

As for the gas surcharge, Carnival created a very convoluted policy designed to minimize refunds to the customer. They claim that for a few hours on November 4th, 2008 the price of oil, which had been below $70 for weeks prior, dipped just above $70 to reset the clock. Fuel is now at a 5 year low. Carnival is not interested in their customers just the bottom line.

[firefly333]

Im sorry to hear they didnt address the problem hardly of skipping Panama and telling you too late to change your plans. I truly think that is awful.

 

Iv since not booked any more Carnival, what you do is up to you. I know I will book them less in the future now that I know how they address problems. What you do is up to you. You can write to Carnival again saying your issues were not addressed, and if you write them enough you might get somewhere. Im moving on, but in your case, another letter might help? Keep at it. Telling us isnt going to help, its Carnival you need to pleed your case with. Good luck whatever you decide. Im not looking at Celebrity for instance, which I had not previously considered and some other lines. Time to spread my wings and see what I can see. You might be surprised that other lines are about the same price as Carnival once you know the ins and outs.

[G'ma]

I just got my response from Carnival regarding the 12/15 Miracle itinerary change and fuel surplus charge. The following is the text:

 

Thank you for contacting us regarding your recent sailing aboard the CARNIVAL MIRACLE. We apologize that you did not receive a response from us to your previous contact, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond to your comments now.

 

We realize many vacations are chosen because of a specific itinerary and regret any disappointment caused as a result of the changes made to your itinerary. Please understand that the decision to change an itinerary is difficult and generally undertaken as a last resort to ensure the safety and comfort of our guests. While we certainly sympathize and extend our sincere apologies, our passenger ticket contract and Welcome Aboard brochure state that Carnival reserves the right to alter itineraries as needed, as was the case with this sailing.

 

When possible, Carnival notifies guests or their travel agents of any changes to the ports of call. Our records indicate that we notified your travel agent of this change via email on December 12, 2008. We apologize that you did not receive this information prior to your cruise.

 

With regard to your inquiry about the fuel supplement charge, for 2008 departures prior to December 17, if the price of light sweet crude oil according to NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange Index) was $70 per barrel or less at the 2:30 pm close of business as reported by Reuters on each of the 25 consecutive trading days ending five trading days prior to the guest's cruise departure date, the fuel supplement would have been refunded in the form of a shipboard credit.

 

Regrettably, no cruises met these criteria, and therefore none is eligible for a refund. We apologize for any miscommunication in this regard.

 

We hope you will consider joining us on a future Carnival cruise and should you have additional questions, please feel free to contact us.

 

Cordially,

 

Internet Specialist

Carnival Cruise Lines

 

In short, my complaint was completely ignored. This is the second cruise with an itinerary change. The first was the Sensation after it had been used for Katrina victoms. That ship was completely trashed. Instead of cruising to the Grand Turks we went to Freeport instead. If you Google "Sensation Nightmare" you will find the whole story.

 

I think it may be just possible that Carnival is trying to increase margins at the expense of their customers. If the problem was with propulsion then how was it possible for the boat to get back to Ft. Lauderdale 7 hours early when an emergency presented itself.

 

I used to think that Carnival was one of the better deals but lightening has now struck twice and customer service response is demonstrating that they really don't want to show good will to existing customers.

 

I was never notified and found out about the itinerary change onboard the ship. The same was also true of the Sensation cruise in 2006.

 

As for the gas surcharge, Carnival created a very convoluted policy designed to minimize refunds to the customer. They claim that for a few hours on November 4th, 2008 the price of oil, which had been below $70 for weeks prior, dipped just above $70 to reset the clock. Fuel is now at a 5 year low. Carnival is not interested in their customers just the bottom line.

 

I think they explained the situation very well, and truthfully....

 

I believe you were looking for some sort of compensation and, when that wasn't offered, the lemon you swallowed stayed in your craw.

 

Facts are stubborn things.....and not always what we want to hear or know.

 

Hope you enjoy future cruising on another cruise line....which will also change itineraries when needed......

[zqvol]

I just got my response from Carnival regarding the 12/15 Miracle itinerary change and fuel surplus charge. The following is the text:

 

Thank you for contacting us regarding your recent sailing aboard the CARNIVAL MIRACLE. We apologize that you did not receive a response from us to your previous contact, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond to your comments now.

 

We realize many vacations are chosen because of a specific itinerary and regret any disappointment caused as a result of the changes made to your itinerary. Please understand that the decision to change an itinerary is difficult and generally undertaken as a last resort to ensure the safety and comfort of our guests. While we certainly sympathize and extend our sincere apologies, our passenger ticket contract and Welcome Aboard brochure state that Carnival reserves the right to alter itineraries as needed, as was the case with this sailing.

 

When possible, Carnival notifies guests or their travel agents of any changes to the ports of call. Our records indicate that we notified your travel agent of this change via email on December 12, 2008. We apologize that you did not receive this information prior to your cruise.

 

With regard to your inquiry about the fuel supplement charge, for 2008 departures prior to December 17, if the price of light sweet crude oil according to NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange Index) was $70 per barrel or less at the 2:30 pm close of business as reported by Reuters on each of the 25 consecutive trading days ending five trading days prior to the guest's cruise departure date, the fuel supplement would have been refunded in the form of a shipboard credit.

 

Regrettably, no cruises met these criteria, and therefore none is eligible for a refund. We apologize for any miscommunication in this regard.

 

We hope you will consider joining us on a future Carnival cruise and should you have additional questions, please feel free to contact us.

 

Cordially,

 

Internet Specialist

Carnival Cruise Lines

 

In short, my complaint was completely ignored. This is the second cruise with an itinerary change. The first was the Sensation after it had been used for Katrina victoms. That ship was completely trashed. Instead of cruising to the Grand Turks we went to Freeport instead. If you Google "Sensation Nightmare" you will find the whole story.

 

I have to disagree with you that your complaint was ignored. Carnival seems to have very politely responded, unfortunately they did not give you the response that you sought. That is different than ignoring your complaint.

 

I think it may be just possible that Carnival is trying to increase margins at the expense of their customers. If the problem was with propulsion then how was it possible for the boat to get back to Ft. Lauderdale 7 hours early when an emergency presented itself.

 

While none of us know for sure, it is safe to assume that a bearing or something is about to fail in one of the pods. Running it at high speed can be done but dramatically increases the possibility of a catastrophic failure. As a result they are running it, if at all at a much slower speed to prolong its life. It was needed fro an emergency and the risk to human life outweighed the risk of possible damage.

 

I used to think that Carnival was one of the better deals but lightening has now struck twice and customer service response is demonstrating that they really don't want to show good will to existing customers.

 

I respect your right to your opinion and I certainly cannot disagree that you have had less than satisfactory experiences

 

I was never notified and found out about the itinerary change onboard the ship. The same was also true of the Sensation cruise in 2006.

 

As for the gas surcharge, Carnival created a very convoluted policy designed to minimize refunds to the customer. They claim that for a few hours on November 4th, 2008 the price of oil, which had been below $70 for weeks prior, dipped just above $70 to reset the clock. Fuel is now at a 5 year low. Carnival is not interested in their customers just the bottom line.

 

Carnival announced a plan regarding fuel surcharges. It had very specific requirements. Unfortunately no cruises met those requirements before they discontinued the surcharge. That is just one of those sad things that we have to live with.

 

 

I hope that you can find a vacation that you feel meets your needs and provides you a good value for your hard earned dollar. As for Carnival they are doing what they feel like they have to do to satisfy their shareholders, and sometimes things just don't work out right.