W
wanderingjew
Guest
Has anybody Tried this new program? i have it on hold til early june
B
Brian J
Guest
What is this??
G
Gayle V
Guest
Never heard of it either. But now I'm curious.
S
Sailin Suite-y
Guest
(td) All I can say is. . . read the fine print with a magnifying glass , know ALL the right questions to ask (they won't offer info) and have your wallet ready, you will need it !!! :X
L
LHP
Guest
Based on everything I have read about CVC, I would not participate. (but that is just my opinion)
I certainly would never do business with ICE.
I certainly would never do business with ICE.
C
cruisechat
Guest
Hi LHP,
What is CVC???
Mary-for-Crusing
What is CVC???
Mary-for-Crusing
J
jleq1
Guest
CVC=Carnival Vacation Club, I thought it had all but expired. Loosely based on the timeshare concept--has both land an sea "components".
C
CSTEEVER
Guest
CVC was the worst experience I ever had with Carnival. Having been on four cruises with them I have never had a complaint and have loved each one of my cruises. On our last one I signed up for CVC and asked lots of questions to which in hindsight I realized that they would either not answer, answer incorrectly, or not give important information, like that if you live in Washington state you can not purchase addtional points in order to go on a cruise if you only need a hundred more. There was one problem after another, and when I called customer service they actually laughed at me. I wrote a letter in which I received a form letter back not addressing any of my questions. Eventually I was able to cancel but I lost out on my deposit. Bad experience all around, was not worth the priority disembarkation in which I found my luggage in a special area covered with dirt and oil. Sorry I am usually a very positive person and take things in stride but this experience has left a sour taste in my mouth, I will cruise with Carnival again but will stay far away from the CVC desk!
C
Cruizer
Guest
I became a member of CVC in May 2004. I'll be using up the rest of my points on a cruise in August 2008. For those that understand the program and can take advantage of the many perks that are offered it works out great. However, as a program for just cruising it really does not add any value.
Though I have had no problems (my first CVC cruise was in April 2006), I did not intend to renew my membership. However, it is my understanding that the program has been discontinued, so the choice not to renew when my membership expired in May 2009 was made for me.
Though I have had no problems (my first CVC cruise was in April 2006), I did not intend to renew my membership. However, it is my understanding that the program has been discontinued, so the choice not to renew when my membership expired in May 2009 was made for me.
L
luv2read
Guest
My husband and I are in the CVC. We used our points on our last cruise and we didn't have any problems. I don't know anything about CVC going out of business. We just used more points for another cruise that we are taking in June on the Destiny. I've never experienced any bad pr from the CVC. I do know that when we joined the CVC they gave incentives with three 7 day Mexico Vacations Certificates. We kept one and turned in the other 2 for points towards out next cruise. The CVC has perks that we like especially the quick boarding and then the departing process. We are also invited to special parties given by the CVC. A nice way to meet new people. Also special goodies in our cabin when we check in.
But if trouble is on the horizon please keep US informed.
lisa
Destiny Nov. 03
Pride May 05
Conquest June 06
Destiny May 08 (different ports)
?Glory Nov 08?
But if trouble is on the horizon please keep US informed.
lisa
Destiny Nov. 03
Pride May 05
Conquest June 06
Destiny May 08 (different ports)
?Glory Nov 08?
K
Kiffen
Guest
Hello All,
We joined this program while on a Carnival Cruise a few yrs ago and we have had problems since we joined. We couldn't get anyone to help/assist us, managers/supervisors have yet to return a single phone call to this day, and whenever we tried to speak to someone "higher up" (i.e. a supervisor or manager) they were either "on vacation" or "out sick".
Basically, you buy some points...the amount depends on how many you want to purchase for the amount of cruises you want/plan to take within so many years. We were planning quite a few cruises in the near future so it made sense. Then you are supposed to use the points toward the purchase of a cruise. They supposedly offer a better deal, thus you would spend less by using them. In our experience they did not offer a better deal and the lack of customer service made this completely useless.
The only way we could get out of this deal was to spend all of our points...so we did just that. We were in the process of planning a cruise with a large group of our family and friends, so we used our points to book cabins for some of our family members. We even ended up loosing like 40 points and the only way we could use them was to purchase more points. There was no way that was even an option for us.
Luckily, we did not let this experience discourage us from cruising with Carnival as we love their ships...however, if we ever saw them on one of the ships I'm sure a few words would be exchanged.
This program also included 3 vouchers for land vacations, however, it takes an act of congress to schedule them....so we have never used them either.
Like I said before this has not discouraged us from cruising with Carnival...as a matter of fact we leave next Sunday 5/11/08 on the Carnival Pride!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
We joined this program while on a Carnival Cruise a few yrs ago and we have had problems since we joined. We couldn't get anyone to help/assist us, managers/supervisors have yet to return a single phone call to this day, and whenever we tried to speak to someone "higher up" (i.e. a supervisor or manager) they were either "on vacation" or "out sick".
Basically, you buy some points...the amount depends on how many you want to purchase for the amount of cruises you want/plan to take within so many years. We were planning quite a few cruises in the near future so it made sense. Then you are supposed to use the points toward the purchase of a cruise. They supposedly offer a better deal, thus you would spend less by using them. In our experience they did not offer a better deal and the lack of customer service made this completely useless.
The only way we could get out of this deal was to spend all of our points...so we did just that. We were in the process of planning a cruise with a large group of our family and friends, so we used our points to book cabins for some of our family members. We even ended up loosing like 40 points and the only way we could use them was to purchase more points. There was no way that was even an option for us.
Luckily, we did not let this experience discourage us from cruising with Carnival as we love their ships...however, if we ever saw them on one of the ships I'm sure a few words would be exchanged.
This program also included 3 vouchers for land vacations, however, it takes an act of congress to schedule them....so we have never used them either.
Like I said before this has not discouraged us from cruising with Carnival...as a matter of fact we leave next Sunday 5/11/08 on the Carnival Pride!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
S
SandyBeach
Guest
Unless they have somehow revised the Carnival Vacation Club program it was my understanding Carnival stopped selling it onboard sometime last year. They are now pushing their credit card instead. Friends of ours joined CVC and as many have stated already they've had problems and the deals aren't that great. We actually joined as well...but we had three days to cancel once we got home. I listened to their DVD and read all the fine print and decided the best part of the club had to do with the land trips and golf courses...neither of which we particularly care for. We originally thought we could use the land trips for our sons when they got married...but there is an additional fee to do so. I wrote and cancelled within my alloted timeframe and was refunded our money. (I tried every way I could to warn out friends not to cancell...now they wish they had listened!) We have other friends who are members, too. We didn't meet them until after they joined. I've heard her say many times she could get a better deal on her own than through the club. If they have revived the CVC then I suggest you read everything about it you can get your hands on before you sign on the dotted line - or before your ability to cancel passes.
S
scrappyconch
Guest
[size=medium]Ok, you got me going.
On our first carnival cruise my husband was sold....He bought 20,000 points for $5,000. Cruises and staterooms are allotted a certan number of points and you use them us like money....except that the conversion of points to money is not equal.....the computation is something like 25 points to every dollar...what a value....anyway...we booked a caribbean cruise last year in July, I think. We "spent" 15,000 poiints or so for a balcony.
My sister had a baby in March and the baby died in June. I called Carnival and cancelled my cruise and put in an insurance claim. They only returned around 10,000 points stating that I did not cancel the cruise within 48 hours....Well, I'm sorry, I was trying to keep my family together and bury a baby...no sympathy here.
So we booked our honeymoon and decided to use all of the remaining points because they were paid for and we were not travelling Carnival again. We booked a suite in Alaska for 14,++ points. My husband boss, invited invited himself and his girlfriend on our honeymoon (that's another story) and he booked a suite for around $3,500....so we called Carnival to see what an upgrade would cost.....
hone....a whopping $900.00. So I asked what the cost of a balcony was in dollars and how much an upgrade would be. Well, the upgrade using dollars was only $400.00. so in essence they charge you more for being a CVC member. Needless to say, the wrath of the cuban in me unleashed and I was told that I did not "budget" appopriately for my cruise and was basically "liviing beyond my means"...:X....if you know any Cubans you know this did not go over very well with me....so I told the supervisor - the 3rd I had spoken to that we did budget but Carnival did not return my points when my niece died. but that was OK, because I was going to have t-shirts made that said "ASK ME ABOUT THE CARNIVAL VACATION CLUB SCAM" and was going to wear it for 7 days while on the cruise......well, my points were miraculously returned to us and we now have a suite....We have 2,000 left over which cannot be used for anything and so lost.
While the supervisor initially found a way to give us our points back, it is not a good program. If you read the fine print you will see that the CVC is not owned by Carnival and is essence a travel agent of sorts. If you book using CVC and then call carnival to make a change or ask a question about your booking, they cannot help you because it was booked by a "travel agent". Also, the coupons they give you for land packages are for hotels and locations where I would never stay.
I have called customer service a number of times in preparing for this cruise and really cannot complain about their agents. I guess I can't use my t-shirts on the cruise if they are no longer selling the CVC on the ship....oh, bummer!![/size] X(
Scrappy
On our first carnival cruise my husband was sold....He bought 20,000 points for $5,000. Cruises and staterooms are allotted a certan number of points and you use them us like money....except that the conversion of points to money is not equal.....the computation is something like 25 points to every dollar...what a value....anyway...we booked a caribbean cruise last year in July, I think. We "spent" 15,000 poiints or so for a balcony.
My sister had a baby in March and the baby died in June. I called Carnival and cancelled my cruise and put in an insurance claim. They only returned around 10,000 points stating that I did not cancel the cruise within 48 hours....Well, I'm sorry, I was trying to keep my family together and bury a baby...no sympathy here.
So we booked our honeymoon and decided to use all of the remaining points because they were paid for and we were not travelling Carnival again. We booked a suite in Alaska for 14,++ points. My husband boss, invited invited himself and his girlfriend on our honeymoon (that's another story) and he booked a suite for around $3,500....so we called Carnival to see what an upgrade would cost.....
hone....a whopping $900.00. So I asked what the cost of a balcony was in dollars and how much an upgrade would be. Well, the upgrade using dollars was only $400.00. so in essence they charge you more for being a CVC member. Needless to say, the wrath of the cuban in me unleashed and I was told that I did not "budget" appopriately for my cruise and was basically "liviing beyond my means"...:X....if you know any Cubans you know this did not go over very well with me....so I told the supervisor - the 3rd I had spoken to that we did budget but Carnival did not return my points when my niece died. but that was OK, because I was going to have t-shirts made that said "ASK ME ABOUT THE CARNIVAL VACATION CLUB SCAM" and was going to wear it for 7 days while on the cruise......well, my points were miraculously returned to us and we now have a suite....We have 2,000 left over which cannot be used for anything and so lost.While the supervisor initially found a way to give us our points back, it is not a good program. If you read the fine print you will see that the CVC is not owned by Carnival and is essence a travel agent of sorts. If you book using CVC and then call carnival to make a change or ask a question about your booking, they cannot help you because it was booked by a "travel agent". Also, the coupons they give you for land packages are for hotels and locations where I would never stay.
I have called customer service a number of times in preparing for this cruise and really cannot complain about their agents. I guess I can't use my t-shirts on the cruise if they are no longer selling the CVC on the ship....oh, bummer!![/size] X(
Scrappy
