No upgrade to a spa cabin???

[ameliabedilia]

I am so frustrated right now. I just spend two hours and 30 minutes on the phone with carnival.

 

Spa balcony cabins are less than what we paid for interior cabins for our Splendor cruise. After being on hold for two hours, I was told I can't upgrade to a spa because "it doesn't work that way with spa cabins". I am so darn mad right now. We are going to be inside FAR more than we were planning and I'd like a spa cabin.

I asked him if I could get my money back and was told that they are not following their normal cancellation policy because this flu has never happened before. I then asked why they couldn't not follow their normal spa policy and give me a spa cabin since this has never happened before. I got silence.

[yogi2929]

How about an OV or balcony cabin? You can use the extra $ to buy spa passes. Not exactly the same but very doable. We were able to change our cabins and get OBC with the remaining monies.

[iceman77_7]

How about an OV or balcony cabin? You can use the extra $ to buy spa passes. Not exactly the same but very doable. We were able to change our cabins and get OBC with the remaining monies.

 

How were you able to get OBC with the fare difference? Did you book through Carnival directly or a TA? I'm trying to do the same thing, but my TA and Carnival have both said no.

[ameliabedilia]

Can you tell me more about your situation and how you got this? I would be thrilled with any ov or balcony cabin if we could get some of our monies paid back in obc. We booked in January for the May 17th Splendor. I was under the impression that they were only doing upgrades.

[luv2cruise777l]

I am so frustrated right now. I just spend two hours and 30 minutes on the phone with carnival.

 

Spa balcony cabins are less than what we paid for interior cabins for our Splendor cruise. After being on hold for two hours, I was told I can't upgrade to a spa because "it doesn't work that way with spa cabins". I am so darn mad right now. We are going to be inside FAR more than we were planning and I'd like a spa cabin.

I asked him if I could get my money back and was told that they are not following their normal cancellation policy because this flu has never happened before. I then asked why they couldn't not follow their normal spa policy and give me a spa cabin since this has never happened before. I got silence.

 

It seems that Carnival is making up their own rules as they go!:mad:

 

They bent the rules in their favor last week on our cruise to Mexico by not allowing us to utilize their "Vacation Guarantee".

 

This link has info from their website about getting a full credit for your sailing if wish to cancel.

 

http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/cruise_control/itinerary_updates.aspx?icid=CC_HMPG_42

[yogi2929]

I booked with a TA and she did it this evening (5p pacific) for me. She was on the phone with me and Carnival at the same time. This is what Carnival told her. I couldn't believe it either. I asked her to confirm it about five times.

 

We first booked a quad ov guarantee back last July. We switched to a quad balcony for a few $ less in January. This will be my Platinum cruise and my fifth cruise since December.

 

It was an upgrade- we are now in 8G's.

[ameliabedilia]

I was on the phone for over 4 hours and I had to hang up. I literally could not keep my eyes open. I still do not have new rooms. I then said I would take regular balcony cabins as opposed to the spa, which he had offered me originally. The agent on the line said to me- "now I have to take this back again to the supervisor. The hold could be a while. Do you still want me to do it?" Umm, yes. I am pretty disappointed.

[poobears]

You are after final payment and I assume not booked early saver. They don't have to do anything for you after final payment. They can upgrade if they choose but they don't have to. They won't give you OBC after final payment date either unless you are ES.

 

As far as not being able to cancel if you fall in the swine flu moved cruises you can cancel without penalty. Unfortunately not all PVPs or operators know that. All you have to do is ask for a supervisor and you will get your credit to use at a later date.

[ameliabedilia]

You are after final payment and I assume not booked early saver. They don't have to do anything for you after final payment. They can upgrade if they choose but they don't have to. They won't give you OBC after final payment date either unless you are ES.

 

As far as not being able to cancel if you fall in the swine flu moved cruises you can cancel without penalty. Unfortunately not all PVPs or operators know that. All you have to do is ask for a supervisor and you will get your credit to use at a later date.

 

 

Yes, I understand that. I did try to cancel and that caused the second hold of two hours. I was told by another pvp to call back yesterday to get an upgrade. I do undestand that Carnival does not HAVE to do anything for me. That is made abundantly clear on this board. I also do not have to cruise with them again, which I won't. I was just hoping for a situation that would make everyone somewhat happy. They SHOULD do this for their customers. It's called good customer service.

[poobears]

Yes, I understand that. I did try to cancel and that caused the second hold of two hours. I was told by another pvp to call back yesterday to get an upgrade. I do undestand that Carnival does not HAVE to do anything for me. That is made abundantly clear on this board. I also do not have to cruise with them again, which I won't. I was just hoping for a situation that would make everyone somewhat happy. They SHOULD do this for their customers. It's called good customer service.

 

 

You tried to cancel? Are you on one of the changed itinerary cruises?

 

Good customer service can only go so far because people book rates that protect them and then expect the benefits of the riskier rates like ES where you have more penalties. Giving in isn't good customer service because then they would have to do it for everyone and what's the point in having the set rules if you aren't going to follow them.

[ameliabedilia]

You tried to cancel? Are you on one of the changed itinerary cruises?

 

Good customer service can only go so far because people book rates that protect them and then expect the benefits of the riskier rates like ES where you have more penalties. Giving in isn't good customer service because then they would have to do it for everyone and what's the point in having the set rules if you aren't going to follow them.

 

 

Yes, I was going to be able to cancel, but the wait time was so long I ended up hanging up to go to sleep. If Carnival had been accomodating and given me a spa cabin as they are giving upgrades without an issue right now. The spa balconies are the same price as other balconies. I have read over and over on this board about people getting upgraded to spa cabins. I was trying to have a good attitude and make the best of this and a nice balcony would have gone a long way in my book. I understand that this is unusual and not carnival's fault.

 

So, now I will take one more Carnival cruise with my credit and never go back.

 

As for "what's the point in having set rules if you aren't going to follow them?" I agree. Carnival states on their website that you can cancel without penalty if itineraries change. The carnival worker admitted that this means a refund, but that they are "not offering it this time since the flu has never happened before". They are being manipulative here. People get upgraded to spa cabins. People have gotten 50% cash refunds and 50% future cruise credit refunds just this week. It doesn't make sense.

[luv2cruise777l]

Yes, I was going to be able to cancel, but the wait time was so long I ended up hanging up to go to sleep. If Carnival had been accomodating and given me a spa cabin as they are giving upgrades without an issue right now. The spa balconies are the same price as other balconies. I have read over and over on this board about people getting upgraded to spa cabins. I was trying to have a good attitude and make the best of this and a nice balcony would have gone a long way in my book. I understand that this is unusual and not carnival's fault.

 

So, now I will take one more Carnival cruise with my credit and never go back.

 

As for "what's the point in having set rules if you aren't going to follow them?" I agree. Carnival states on their website that you can cancel without penalty if itineraries change. The carnival worker admitted that this means a refund, but that they are "not offering it this time since the flu has never happened before". They are being manipulative here. People get upgraded to spa cabins. People have gotten 50% cash refunds and 50% future cruise credit refunds just this week. It doesn't make sense.

 

Are you saying they won't let you cancel and receive a full credit for your cruise to use on another cruise? That is what their website says?

[ameliabedilia]

No, they said I could reschedule. The problem is I was on hold for so long and I had to go to bed. I just checked my phone and I was on it for four hours! Longer than I thought even!

 

Here is an update:

 

This morning I called Carnival to see if I could talk to my PVP or leave a message for him. I would have done this from the start but their phone lines were messed up and would send me into his voicemail as if I were him. It would ask me for my password.

 

So, I got a really nice person in about 10 minutes. She told me that she could not understand why I was told that I could not get a spa cabin because she had just done an upgrade to one yesterday. However, now they are all gone :mad:. She was much nicer than the guy I had last night. I did get four balcony cabins on the verandah deck, which is good, but I'm still irritated that I went through all that and could have had a spa cabni if I had gotten a different worker.

 

Here is another interesting thing that I find not cool. I originally booked at a rate that had the first two passengers at $400 and the second two a little less. The spa cabins now are more for the first two people, but much less for the second two. The cost per cabin is less than what I booked. I was told that each person's price had to be lower, so it might not be considered an upgrade. That seems kind of crappy.

 

One of the cabins is all the way in the front of the ship and looks smaller than the rest on the deck plan. I need to go to the cabin selection tips forum to check on that.

 

This will be my first balcony so I'm excited about that :).

[navybaby1113]

A good lesson with Carnival is to call back and talk to someone else is the first person didn't give you what you want.

[loveJake]

Wow, guess that's why I always book a cabin I am satisfied with and don't try to get everthing for nothing. Maybe more people should wait for the last minute deals. I think the point everyone is missing is that this flu things is not Carnival's fault. If I were working for Carnival right now I think I would be ready to quit.

[sistermerm]

No, they said I could reschedule. The problem is I was on hold for so long and I had to go to bed. I just checked my phone and I was on it for four hours! Longer than I thought even!

 

Here is an update:

 

This morning I called Carnival to see if I could talk to my PVP or leave a message for him. I would have done this from the start but their phone lines were messed up and would send me into his voicemail as if I were him. It would ask me for my password.

 

So, I got a really nice person in about 10 minutes. She told me that she could not understand why I was told that I could not get a spa cabin because she had just done an upgrade to one yesterday. However, now they are all gone :mad:. She was much nicer than the guy I had last night. I did get four balcony cabins on the verandah deck, which is good, but I'm still irritated that I went through all that and could have had a spa cabni if I had gotten a different worker.

 

Here is another interesting thing that I find not cool. I originally booked at a rate that had the first two passengers at $400 and the second two a little less. The spa cabins now are more for the first two people, but much less for the second two. The cost per cabin is less than what I booked. I was told that each person's price had to be lower, so it might not be considered an upgrade. That seems kind of crappy.

 

One of the cabins is all the way in the front of the ship and looks smaller than the rest on the deck plan. I need to go to the cabin selection tips forum to check on that.

 

This will be my first balcony so I'm excited about that :).

 

Just wanted to pass along something I learned about the spa cabins... first of all, they are 100% non-smoking... also, the only way to get spa privileges is if you are booked directly into the spa room... if it is an upgrade from a lower category, the spa privileges will not apply. That bing said...enjoy your cruose... room service on the balcony, sea breezes and a bit of heaven all to yourself.... wish I was going!

[amers]

oops! double post

[amers]

Just wanted to pass along something I learned about the spa cabins... first of all, they are 100% non-smoking... also, the only way to get spa privileges is if you are booked directly into the spa room... if it is an upgrade from a lower category, the spa privileges will not apply.

 

That is what I was told as well, an upgrade to a spa cabin does not give you spa privileges. Seems odd, but I think op would've still had to pay for the spa if they wanted to use it.

[Amber F]

I just got off the phone with Carnival, and I know everyone you speak with is different, but he told me that you COULD upgrade to a spa room and get the spa privileges. As long as you initiated the upgrade, and not automatically upgraded by Carnival.

 

Then again, like pp's have said, you can call three times, and get three different answers. You really don't know unless you upgrade to one, and ask for your wristband.

[amers]

I just got off the phone with Carnival, and I know everyone you speak with is different, but he told me that you COULD upgrade to a spa room and get the spa privileges. As long as you initiated the upgrade, and not automatically upgraded by Carnival.

 

Then again, like pp's have said, you can call three times, and get three different answers. You really don't know unless you upgrade to one, and ask for your wristband.

 

Yep, it is hard to say what the real answer is. I think the lesson I've learned from the op today is that if you get someone on the phone who tells you something you think is wrong or doesn't want to do it for whatever reason, don't drag it out for 4 hours, hang up and try again right away with someone else! Four hours would be too exhausting for me!

[Middleager]

It would frustrate anyone, to have to wait that long on the phone.

 

OTOH, I booked my wife and I on the Splendor for late Aug. We booked an inside spa room, with ES. There are more risks with ES, and we wanted spa room, so we paid for it.

 

I know if we did not book a spa room and got upgrade to a spa room, it would not include the spa privilleges. (There are lots of threads here about spa rooms.)

 

If we booked a guarantee room, I know I may or may not get upgrade. There may be lots of people with fantastic upgrade experiences. If I get upgraded, good. If I don't, I won't complain about not getting it. If I wanted certain rooms, I'd pay for it.

 

I'm sure these few days Carnival front line staff are really struggling to keep up with itinerary changes, price changes, cancellation policy changes, upgrade changes. They must be swamped with people asking for cancellations/changes, upgrades/OBCs, etc. for the sailings that were going to Mexican ports.

[floridacruzin]

Just a quick comment

 

Rules are rules..but if rules are broken for some..they should be broken for all.

 

I think Carnival really needs to get there SOPs in order. If they say they are not going to do something becuase that is the policy fine...but when people on your cruise in the same situation as you receive upgrades, OBC, etc.....it sets a bad tone.

 

They would have a lot less "headache" if they would follow their own policy.

 

 

Yes..I do get there are extenuating circumstances

[Rickson]

I have to agree with the OP on this one. While I don't necessarily think she was entitled to anything the idea that there seems to be no set of rules is a problem. No customer should have to be on the phone for four hours and be told they can't do something, simply to call back the next day and be told that could have been done. I am glad they got the balcony cabins, but this is something Carnival should get control of in there operation. It seems like pretty common knowledge that if you don't get the answer you want you should simply hang up and call again and someone else may give it to you. This isn't really the way to run a business, especially one dealing with a high dollar product.

[ameliabedilia]

Hi all,

 

Just so everyone knows- I should have mentioned more clearly that I did call several times, once I was put into a strange voicemail system, once it hung up on me, etc... I decided to go through with the long phone call because I was worried that I would just keep having difficulties and the cabins would be gone (which ended up happening). At a certain point I felt I was in too deep and I couldn't give up, LOL. I do have speaker phone, so I just put it next to me while I watched tv. But I did have to finally hang up.

 

By the way. Today the worker said she was probably going to be on hold for a while and asked me for my phone number so she could call me back after she talked to a supervisor! The inconsistency is hilarious. I specifically asked the person the night before if he could call me back and was told no.

 

I am happy with the balcony cabins. I do not expect things for free. I expect to be treated fairly and wtih consistency.