C
Cruizer
Guest
I agree with those who feel they had a set price, they paid said price, and now Carnival is raising the agreed upon price. The only problem is, Carnival:
1) Isn't alone
2) Didn't raise the price
1 - All the cruise lines did this. So why single out Carnival? And it is not just the cruise lines, airlines do this too. And it is not just the travel industry. Many contracts, including the cruise contract between the cruise line and the passenger, allow for the passing on of increased costs. It is called a surcharge. Try reading the contract when you have a chance. Besides, the time line allowed for you to cancel penalty free. You had that option, but choose to pay the surcharge instead. Why?
2) It is a surcharge based on the increased cost of the fuel, it is not an increase in the price of the cruise. What happens when the ship is not selling so well and the cruise line lowers the price. Do you call and complain about the refund and/or credit you receive? Do you refuse the price decrease because the cruise line is breaching its contract with you? Do you post that you are going to spend more and increase your tip because of your outrage over the reduction in the agreed upon price?
I have yet to see a post from you (or anyone else for that matter) complaining about price decreases. Using your example of the car dealer, suppose the car dealer sold several cars like yours to other people for less than (s)he sold the car to you. Do you think the car dealer would call you up and notify you of a price decrease? Yet this happens a lot with cruises. In fact, I recently had an agent redo a fully paid reservation I had so I could take advantage of a $100 price decrease in the cost of the cruise. And guess what, that took money out of the agent's pocket. If the agent gets 15%, then the agent lost $15 plus the extra effort it took to get me that price reduction. And you know what, my agent didn't complain at all, which is why I continue to use him.
If you aren't going to complain about price decreases, then you are in no position to complain about surcharges when you are given the opportunity to cancel without penalty.
If you really believed you were in the right, you should have refused the surcharge, then filed a lawsuit and challenged Carnival's right to pass on the increased cost of fuel to you. Not only did you not push the issue with Carnival, you didn't even refuse the surcharge. Then, others, believing that they are following your lead, not only did the same thing, but decided to take it out on the innocent crew, buy reducing or eliminating their tips. After all, if Carnival does something wrong to them, then they have the right to do something wrong to someone else - right? To heck with our court system. Its time we went back to vigilante justice.
Now that I think about it, where are all those people with the instructions on how to share drink cards when we need them? Never mind that those cards are not supposed to be shared. Carnival charges too much for the drinks and now also the fuel, so it is okay to share the drink cards.
Wait, there is more. Lets take tons of food off the ship and help feel all those beggars that we find around the docks. Then we will all feel so good about helping all the down trodden while at the same time sticking it to those evil cruise lines. And the best part is, we can boast about all the good we are doing without sacrificing one dime of our own money - oh wait, I forgot about that fuel surcharge that started all this.
So I agree, pay the fuel surcharge, principal is principal, but your cruise is more important than that - right? And those others, I'll bet they will feel real big and self righteous when they stiff the crew, who they know cannot do anything about it (kind of like the way they feel about the fuel charge I guess). And don't forget to accuse me of working for the cruise line (I don't, but why bother with facts when there is a good insult to be posted). But don't, under any circumstances, actually do the right thing and file a lawsuit against Carnival alleging breach of contract, because that would be inconvenient to you, and we know your principles are important, as long as they don't inconvenience you - right?
The bottom line is, you had the chance to say no without penalty. Instead you choose to say yes and then complain about it. Fine, your choice - go ahead and complain. That is your right. Don't forget to keep complaining when you get on the ship. In fact, if you complain enough, not only will you ruin your vacation, perhaps you can ruin a few others' vacations as well. Then you can blame it all on the fuel charge you decided to accept.
Enjoy your cruise.
1) Isn't alone
2) Didn't raise the price
1 - All the cruise lines did this. So why single out Carnival? And it is not just the cruise lines, airlines do this too. And it is not just the travel industry. Many contracts, including the cruise contract between the cruise line and the passenger, allow for the passing on of increased costs. It is called a surcharge. Try reading the contract when you have a chance. Besides, the time line allowed for you to cancel penalty free. You had that option, but choose to pay the surcharge instead. Why?
2) It is a surcharge based on the increased cost of the fuel, it is not an increase in the price of the cruise. What happens when the ship is not selling so well and the cruise line lowers the price. Do you call and complain about the refund and/or credit you receive? Do you refuse the price decrease because the cruise line is breaching its contract with you? Do you post that you are going to spend more and increase your tip because of your outrage over the reduction in the agreed upon price?
I have yet to see a post from you (or anyone else for that matter) complaining about price decreases. Using your example of the car dealer, suppose the car dealer sold several cars like yours to other people for less than (s)he sold the car to you. Do you think the car dealer would call you up and notify you of a price decrease? Yet this happens a lot with cruises. In fact, I recently had an agent redo a fully paid reservation I had so I could take advantage of a $100 price decrease in the cost of the cruise. And guess what, that took money out of the agent's pocket. If the agent gets 15%, then the agent lost $15 plus the extra effort it took to get me that price reduction. And you know what, my agent didn't complain at all, which is why I continue to use him.
If you aren't going to complain about price decreases, then you are in no position to complain about surcharges when you are given the opportunity to cancel without penalty.
If you really believed you were in the right, you should have refused the surcharge, then filed a lawsuit and challenged Carnival's right to pass on the increased cost of fuel to you. Not only did you not push the issue with Carnival, you didn't even refuse the surcharge. Then, others, believing that they are following your lead, not only did the same thing, but decided to take it out on the innocent crew, buy reducing or eliminating their tips. After all, if Carnival does something wrong to them, then they have the right to do something wrong to someone else - right? To heck with our court system. Its time we went back to vigilante justice.
Now that I think about it, where are all those people with the instructions on how to share drink cards when we need them? Never mind that those cards are not supposed to be shared. Carnival charges too much for the drinks and now also the fuel, so it is okay to share the drink cards.
Wait, there is more. Lets take tons of food off the ship and help feel all those beggars that we find around the docks. Then we will all feel so good about helping all the down trodden while at the same time sticking it to those evil cruise lines. And the best part is, we can boast about all the good we are doing without sacrificing one dime of our own money - oh wait, I forgot about that fuel surcharge that started all this.
So I agree, pay the fuel surcharge, principal is principal, but your cruise is more important than that - right? And those others, I'll bet they will feel real big and self righteous when they stiff the crew, who they know cannot do anything about it (kind of like the way they feel about the fuel charge I guess). And don't forget to accuse me of working for the cruise line (I don't, but why bother with facts when there is a good insult to be posted). But don't, under any circumstances, actually do the right thing and file a lawsuit against Carnival alleging breach of contract, because that would be inconvenient to you, and we know your principles are important, as long as they don't inconvenience you - right?
The bottom line is, you had the chance to say no without penalty. Instead you choose to say yes and then complain about it. Fine, your choice - go ahead and complain. That is your right. Don't forget to keep complaining when you get on the ship. In fact, if you complain enough, not only will you ruin your vacation, perhaps you can ruin a few others' vacations as well. Then you can blame it all on the fuel charge you decided to accept.
Enjoy your cruise.
