website offering on board credit, then later calling it "loyalty reward?"

[scrapulous]

I booked through a website. The page for my cruise clearly shows I should be getting an OBC of $100. None of my cruise documents show anything about it, so I called to ask. They said there is no OBC, but I will be getting a $50 loyalty reward three weeks after I cruise. That is NOT what the website says. It doesn't even mentioned a loyalty reward in connection with my cruise. I just emailed them saying I have a screen shot of the offer, and I want them to honor their advertising.

 

Has anyone else encountered this problem? The whole reason I booked with them was for the OBC! Is there anything I can do?

[lvtotrvl1]

You may want to take the name of the company out of your post..against cc rules...post may disappear soon.

[scrapulous]

Done, thanks. I thought I was only not allowed to solicit for them. I didn't realize I wasn't allowed to mention them in a question about them. How does anyone get to know who the reputable websites are if you can't talk about them? Serious question, not trying to be difficult.

[lvtotrvl1]

Think of the ramifications , if just one person gets upset (which happens)..it could ruin business to an extent. On the other hand , TA's and PVP's would be fighting for business here. This website also has many many agencies as paid advertisers.

 

There was one agency that cc let members mention, after quite a bit of complaints on unscrupulous habits..

[scrapulous]

Which agency was that, so I can avoid them? Or maybe I booked with them already, lol.

[PaganView]

I'm pretty sure that agency has gone completely under now, but it took quite a bit of cruise deposit money with them in the process.

[scrapulous]

Oh no, that's awful.

[snowskier]

Done, thanks. I thought I was only not allowed to solicit for them. I didn't realize I wasn't allowed to mention them in a question about them. How does anyone get to know who the reputable websites are if you can't talk about them? Serious question, not trying to be difficult.

 

Use a site other than Cruise Critic to figure out if they are reputable. There are many sites dedicated to reviews of these places.

[scrapulous]

Okay, so I'm bumping this thread hoping to get some actual advice about my original question. Like I said, I called, then emailed. The reply to my email was to call. Duh. I already did that. Basically, they told me Carnival is not offering an OBC for my cruise. Well then, WHY does my cruise show a BONUS on the website where I booked saying I would get an OBC? Should I call again and push for it? And if they cannot give me an OBC for whatever reason, should I push them to send me a check for the amount of the advertised OBC? I really don't want to let this go, because it's $100, and that's nothing to sneeze at in my opinion!

 

WWYD?

[lvtotrvl1]

Did you get a discount on your cruise, or did you pay what was listed on CCL's website?

[Jesscap5]

Maybe it was a typo on their website?

[smeyer418]

If its misleading than you have recourse normally through your state's attorney general for misleading ads. NY just fined an insurance company $700,000 for misleading ads. If its a typo normally they are allowed to correct it. There is a firestorm of publicity now about Best Buy having on its website a large flat screen TV for 9.99 and them refusing to honor it.

 

But unless you have a copy of the original ad and their response it may be hard to prove....

[marco]

I'd forward that to Carnival customer service and see if they (the line) will honor it.

[Jesscap5]

hope everything works out for you.

[Essiesmom]

I would bet that the $50 'loyalty' reward that the website is telling you that you will get...Is the $50 Welcome back credit that Carnival used to send you if you booked another cruise within a certain time period...But it was not combinable with many fares, and is no longer available. So ask your agency if that is what they mean, because if so, it is worthless. I would cancel and go with another agency. EM

[pms4104]

If the loyalty reward will be sent to you (the OP) some 3 weeks or so after your cruise ... I surmise it is a check from the agency and not in any way monies from Carnival. Sounds like it's meant to be an agency loyalty reward/rebate/refund or whatever they care to call it.

[scrapulous]

I was out of town all weekend, and now I leave tomorrow for this cruise. I didn't think about forwarding it to Carnival, and I don't have time to deal with the website now before cruising. I'll just fight with the website when I get back to get them to increase the size of the check instead of an OBC. Either way, I won't be using them again. I have screen shots, so there is no denying what it said for SEVERAL days. It may even still be there, I don't know.

 

I understand a typo of $9.99 instead of $999, but this is way different than that, IMO. It wasn't just one or two characters off. It listed all the rules, etc., which I read. I did get a discount on the cruise by booking with the website, I think. Don't they all offer discounts? That's the only reason someone would book through someone other than Carnival, right? So any bonus they offer would be on top of their sale price. Surely they can't list a bonus for a particular cruise, then say, "BUT, since we sell at less than list price, no one can have the bonus." That wouldn't make sense.

[DocJohnB]

Either way, I won't be using them again.

 

This is probably the best and only way you can deal with unscrupulous merchants.

 

You need to let them know that you are doing so and why you are doing so. You might also want to let them know you are letting others know of their business practices.

 

BTW, I am not sure if you provide documentation to c/c that you can't mention their names. Could be wrong, but checking with the powers to be on this website might be an option.

[ehfl]

Buyer beware....if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

 

Why not just book directly with Carnival? You save the hassle...and $50 is really not going to make a difference one way or the other is it?

[Jesscap5]

I can't say if it's right or wrong because I don't see what you are talking about myself and it doesn't seem very clear to me what happened.

 

I think I know what company you are referring too and if it's the same one I think then It's a very reputable company. When you get back from your cruise I'd call them again and get it sorted out.

 

Sorry you had troubles with your cruise. Hope the sailing is fun though. :)

[Hamburg Avon Lady]

:( Well, of course, you have sailed but if you are reading these posts -- I would call from the ship --- they usually have a courtesy phone at customer relations for passengers to use who are having "issues" after

departure. Did you pay with a credit card ??? If so, contact your cc company NOW and tell them what is going on. You have a short window of time (60 days, I believe) in which to open a "dispute" for services/goods not delivered to your satisfaction. I would also contact the

BBB in whatever state the agency is located in and file a compliant

with the State Attorney General's office. Good luck ! ;)

[Thatsright]

Sometimes on the checkout page they show the bonus offers available from the cruise line and /or TA - but not all are applicable to your sailing. Often in the case of group sailings (where they offer you a lower price than direct bookings) you buy the discounted ticket and do not qualify for the OBC offers. This was the case with my booking - the website still shows the offers available for the sailing when booking through the TA's main site - even though I was booking through their member "group" site.