Anyone get a free cruise after complaining?

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snorkelman

Guest
I have a serious issue concerning an event that took place on my last carnival cruise. I was not satisfied with the way that it was handled on the ship. I am about to send Carnival a letter and I am thinking of asking for a free cruise.

In doing so, I would like to know what other types of things they give free cruises for. There are plenty of rumors out there and I refuse to believe something that is a rumor. So, if any of you have direct personal experience (I.E. YOU or a close family member complained and got a free cruise), please tell me what happened to warrent a free cruise.

I am the victim of a serious violation, and I am not just making something up to get a free cruise. There is plenty of documentation from the ship security concerning what happened to me to prove what happened. I simply would like to be able to point out that this cruise line has given out free cruises for much less serious complaints.
 
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Cruizer

Guest
Yes. While I don't know any of the people, it was widely reported in the news media. The people on the QM2 sailing from Florida to South America made no port stops. The were offered a 50% refund and held out for more. They then received a full refund. QM2 is owned by Carnival.
 
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lainie

Guest
It would help if you could be more specific about what happened to you.....
 
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deanhamy

Guest
Why on earth are you asking for suggestions on what you should ask for. If you have a legitament complaint than ask for what you think is fair and stand your ground. Explain how you have been wronged at what expenses or damages that you incured. Having worked in customer relations for 20 plus years I get skeptical when the complaint starts out asking me what I will do about it. What exactly was so bad than you should recieve a free cruise. Did the incident happen the minute that you got on the ship, or the last night? Was it an accident or intentional? These are the things that customer service people will weigh in their evaluation for customer service.
I read this and other boards enough that people blame the cruise lines for everything, weather, rough seas, port changes. bad food, seasickness etc. Never realizing that they are on a floating city constantly moving with 3000 people and crew on board. What ever your situation is I hope that it will be solved to your satisfaction.
My family will be taking a cruise next month and I do hope that I don't run in with all the constant and chronic whiners and complainers. If I want that I can stay home and work.
Deanhamy
 
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Kimcruisegirl

Guest
I honestly have never in my life heard of something getting a completely free cruise.
I am not a complainer but one of the cruises a few years ago it was honestly horrible and the worst one ever from day 1 till the end....it just wouldn't stop being horrible. I know that is not normal Carnival.... so I did write them a letter NOT LOOKING FOR ANYTHING but wanting to tell them I have cruised with them many upon many times and this was soooo out of the ordanary for them.

They sent me a letter back, saying thank you.... and gave us $200 off each our next cruise, and then $100 on board money.

It was very nice for them to do, but as I even stated in the letter I was not looking for compensation I just wanted them to know so they could fix all the many staff problems before they do get a first time cruiser on board that doesn't realize that is NOT the norm on the ship.
 
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LHP

Guest
I have to agree with earlier posters. I can not imagine a serious enough offense to get you a free cruise. Of course, we can not speculate without details.

My suggestion ( and it is just that) is that you tell us the story and see if it stands up to the "light of day". If it does, we can give you some possible ways to rectify the situation. If it does not, we will tell you that also so that you do not go off ill prepared.

I can not speak for everyone here on this board, but I am a seasoned Carnival cruiser. I will be glad to offer an opinion or assist in any way. I have posted the address of Carnival Corp offices on your other post...but again I would suggest you run it by us first.
 
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LHP

Guest
An example of how a "problem" was handled strickly for reference:

I wrote a letter to Carnival about a cruise we took on the Holiday. I did not (in any way) write this letter to get something in return. I wrote it about a problem that bothered me in hopes that I could make my future cruises better!!

This was our 9th or 10th family cruise with Carnival (I think). This was before the new smoking restrictions. I had a severe reaction to the amount of smoke on the ship during that cruise. We had just taken the same ship (same cruise) a few months earlier and had no problems at all.

In my letter, I simply asked if there was something that could be done about the way smoking was handled on this ship since it is small and smoking along the Promenade made the entire ship seem as though it was in a haze.

I made it very clear that Carnival was in no way responsible for the "amount" of smoke. And that Carnival had not done anything "wrong". I was simply asking if there was any way to handle the smoking situation better. At that time, I was fearful that I would not be able to cruise Carnival again (and perhaps no cruise line).

After that, we did cruise on the Paradise (which I loved) while it was still a non-smoking ship.

Anyway, I received a wonderful letter back thanking me for my comments. Also enclosed were some free tshirts and hats, a special gift on our next cruise and 4 Certificates for 15% off on our next cruise. We never used the 15% certificates because I did not write the letter to get something for nothing. I wrote the letter to try to find a way to keep cruising.

After the Paradise, we sailed on the Sensation (after the implementation of the new smoking restrictions) and I had absolutely no problems. I was so excited. Basically, all the new restrictions did back then was remove the smoke from the Promenade and restrict it to the bars and casinos. This worked perfectly for me because I don't gamble so I just stay out of where they smoke!!! Went on the Spirit in July, no problems and we are headed out on the Pride on March 12th.

I hope this illustration helps.
 
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cruise hawk

Guest
last year the ports of call changed the day before we were scheduled to leave from jamaica and cayman islands to fo cozumel. carinval offered full refund if you got off the ship in miami or in cozumel. those of us who stayed on board each received $100 ship credit, and 25% off our next cruise if scheduled by the end of 2006.

my son & daughter in law had a wedding planned in jamaica when we reached there, and cruise line gave them the owners penthouse, moved all the wedding plans, showered them with extras - and turned a nightmare into a absolutely wonderful memory. when we found out we were getting into port earlier then expected, then even moved the wedding from the next morning to that evening so my kids could have a sunset wedding.

this was my only experience so far with carnival, and i don't think they could have handled it any better - they went over and above the call of duty. As far as a free cruise, i don't know, probably something similar to what they did for us, and kimcruisegirl.

good luck, and hopefully everything works out for you - we are using our 25% off on our cruise this month!
 
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viet630

Guest
Snorkelman
If the cruise was this bad why would you want to do it again? I certainly would not, if I had that bad of time I would not do it again. JMHO. Viet
 
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Einstein

Guest
Most of the time a nicely constructed objective letter worx MUCH better than a completely negative tirade. =shrug

.
 
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viet630

Guest
Several years ago we had some problem's on the Seabreeze. when we got back I notified my travel agent and told him about the problem's. He said write me a letter describing your problem's and I will take it to so and so, he is the one who handle's all the complaint's for our agency.Well after about 2 week's I recieved a voucher for $200.00 off per person on our next cruise.I was satisfied and the next time we went we had none of the previous problem's. Poor Seabreeze, I geuss only the fish are having problem's now! Viet
 
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LHP

Guest
What happen to the SeaBreeze? I just got an email from a website advertising Seabreeze I and II.
Are these different ships from yours?
 
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serene56

Guest
Carnival has a 100% vacation guarantee but it must be used by the firt port of call.

I have not ever heard someone getting 100% of their cruise money back or heard of a free cruise because of a problem onboard

I also voice with others-- if it was so bad why would you want to go again?
 
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viet630

Guest
LHP
The Seabreeze was part of Premier cruise lines. All of thier ship's were siezed when they went into port a few years ago.I think it was thier lender that foreclosed on them.Any way the Seabreeze was on her way back to Florida from Boston I believe, she sunk of the coast of the Carolina's. Some thought that it was a ste up deal to collect the insurance? Who know's, maybe,but we had a good time on those older ship's. Viet
 
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LHP

Guest
[quote viet630]LHP
The Seabreeze was part of Premier cruise lines. All of thier ship's were siezed when they went into port a few years ago.I think it was thier lender that foreclosed on them.Any way the Seabreeze was on her way back to Florida from Boston I believe, she sunk of the coast of the Carolina's. Some thought that it was a ste up deal to collect the insurance? Who know's, maybe,but we had a good time on those older ship's. Viet[/quote]

Thanks Viet. Now that you mention it, I do vaguely remember something about that.
 
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LHP

Guest
[quote viet630]LHP
The Seabreeze was part of Premier cruise lines. All of thier ship's were siezed when they went into port a few years ago.I think it was thier lender that foreclosed on them.Any way the Seabreeze was on her way back to Florida from Boston I believe, she sunk of the coast of the Carolina's. Some thought that it was a ste up deal to collect the insurance? Who know's, maybe,but we had a good time on those older ship's. Viet[/quote]

Thanks Viet. Now that you mention it, I do vaguely remember something about that.
 
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coffeecups

Guest
When the Holiday got caught on the sandbar a few years back, carnival gave everyone a 50% discount on a future cruise. At first, it was going to be only 25%.

For me, it was the rudeness of letting me,my wife and four other people wait four hours in line for the transport boat, in the nearly 100 degree sunny weather. And while we were waiting, the officers at the table did not have nerve to politely tell us that there would not be another tender for several hours or that the new line was way back by the gate (while they were sipping on water which we wish we had) --500 feet away. (obviously, we had just missed the last tender to the ship until 6 hours later). It would have been nice for someone to at least offer us some water or polite advice.

Now, had they had free drinks and another day on the cruise--instead of having to be flown back- that would have been more than enough for me.

STILL LOVE YOU CARNIVAL !!!


COFFEECUPS
 
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coffeecups

Guest
When the Holiday got caught on the sandbar a few years back, carnival gave everyone a 50% discount on a future cruise. At first, it was going to be only 25%.

For me, it was the rudeness of letting me,my wife and four other people wait four hours in line for the transport boat, in the nearly 100 degree sunny weather. And while we were waiting, the officers at the table did not have nerve to politely tell us that there would not be another tender for several hours or that the new line was way back by the gate (while they were sipping on water which we wish we had) --500 feet away. (obviously, we had just missed the last tender to the ship until 6 hours later). It would have been nice for someone to at least offer us some water or polite advice.

Now, had they had free drinks and another day on the cruise--instead of having to be flown back- that would have been more than enough for me.

STILL LOVE YOU CARNIVAL !!!


COFFEECUPS
 
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coffeecups

Guest
Wow, now that I had my post katrina syndrone in the previous post, please let me tell Snorkelman that yes, we can have bad experiences on a cruise. I feel for you.

Like the incident in the previous post, there were some very good other experiences too. We stayed in Cozumel for about 9 to 11 hours. Really had fun.and a romantic evening with my wife.



coffeecups
 
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