Carnival

Gayle,

We're going on the Diamond the week before you to Alaska - if we leave
anything behind will you grab it for us??? :-)

BJ in San Antonio

On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 13:22:49 -0500, Gayle A Kortright
wrote:

Yippee! We just booked our dream cruise (Alaska) for May 22, 04 on the
Diamond Princess. This has been our dream for many years and it's finally
coming true. Of course, mom is going too (there's no way she'd let me out
of the house without her!) and so is a former co-worker of mine. Can't
wait.


Gayle -------jumping up and down for joy!!

I am a Travel Agent in Florida for a major Cruise & Tour Agency. I have
read all the posts for this particular subject.

First let me say, that I have heard alot of the same complaints about
Carnival. I have also een on Carnvial.... and there is a reason that they
are usually the least expensive. "You get what you pay for" is definetely
the truth with them. Carnival tends to move on a "book more make more"
process. So they are over crowded (much like an assembly line), not as good
service, and have put so much into their childrens programs they have
forgotten about the rest.

You SHOULD expect more from a cruise. Your paying more to get more.

I would also like to point out, that RCCL (Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines) is
also owned by the same company as Celebrity Cruise Lines. Hence, better
service, better food, better activities.

As for the class of people out of each port - I find this state untrue.
Ports are regulated as to what size ships can move in and out of them, how
many people will move through that port in a given year, even by how many
people each ship holds in ratio to the facilities capable of accomodating a
ships passengers when its in the port.

Radisson, Crystal, Silverseas - High luxury cruise lines (about 5,000 per
person) leave out of both Miami and Ft Lauderdale.

On another Note: I have always recommended a RCCL cruise and its price in
conjunction with each Carnival price I give.. Right down to the difference
in Service, Facilities, and Itineraries - 9 times out of 10 - clients go
with the lesser expensive cruise on Carnival.... only to come back and tell
me how it wasnt what they expected... and I should have known better.

The Lesson? Use a Travel Agent.... and actualy listen to her
recommendatios.

A TA In FL



"Christy Bennington" wrote in message
...
I'm asking for subjective opinions. We are as follows so you understand
our
mindset:

Dad, Mom, 3 girls ages 11, 8 and 2. Dh and I cruised RCCL Song of America
Western Caribbean 7 nights for our honeymoon in 1991. We LOVED it!
(Basic
inside cabin). For a Christmas gift 2001 we took our then 9 and 6yo girls
on Carnival Fantasy for a 4 day Bahamas cruise. (Basic Oceanview cabin)
It
was fine and the Dolphin Encounter shore excursion was fabulous, but I was
disappointed. I felt like I was staying in a Holiday Inn and eating at
TGI
Fridays. Nothing to ruin a vacation, but just not 'special' like our RCCL
cruise. Mind you, at home we eat at chain joints and stay in mid range
hotels so I'm no snob. We just expected more. Staff was ok with a few
wonderfuls but many exhibited the more recent American trait of
'whatever'.
Ship was fairly clean but not shiny and definitely showing wear. The kids
loved their program but the lack of daylight in their room and the fact
that
it seemed to be afterthought bothered me. Almost all of the kid
counselors
loved their job (or faked it well). Sadly, there were a LOT of
unsupervised
children who made things tense not to mention the beer swigging, cigarette
smoking trailer trash by the swimming pool the first night. WHAT are some
people thinking?

Given the above, and the fact that Carnival was off my short list
following
the cruise, am I missing something? I keep seeing your comments on
Carnival's newer ships and longer itineraries and am wondering if we
should
try one. We know we like the Western itinerary for interest and I'm
wondering if the new ships are better equipped for the kids? Or, do I
stick
with RCCL and my comfort zone?

Also, I see mention of different classes of ships within the same line.
Can
someone explain?

Thank you so much!!!

--
Christy Bennington
Phil 4:13

wrote:

On another Note: I have always recommended a RCCL cruise and its price in
conjunction with each Carnival price I give..

Do you get a higher comission from RCCL?

Right down to the difference
in Service, Facilities, and Itineraries

I guess the "difference" applies to all ships and all itineraries.

- 9 times out of 10 - clients go
with the lesser expensive cruise on Carnival.... only to come back and tell
me how it wasnt what they expected... and I should have known better.

You bet you should have known better.

The Lesson? Use a Travel Agent.... and actualy listen to her
recommendatios.

Fortunately, the travel agents that I have used are a little less
forthcoming with their recommendations.

Howard - who loves to cruise on RCCL, Carnival, Celebrity, Princess,
HAL, and NCL.

My favorite Carnival story is this.
You have to first of all know I do not care for Carnival. It was the
first line where I saw a passenger with a martini glass shaved in his
hair (real class).
So anyway it was the winter of 1988 and I was in Denver to see a Bears/
Broncos Monday night game.
It was about 1:00 A.M and I had been out partying.
I was on the escalator in the Westin hotel going back to my room. For
some reason I turned around about half way up and RIGHT behind me was
Kathy Lee Gifford the then symbol of Carnival!
She jumped up a bit startled.
For a hot second, I thought about giving her a shove down the escalator
on behalf of all disenchanted Carnival passengers!
But then I saw Frank trailing behind her (major facelift) and I felt
sorry for the poor SOB.
True story!

Class, realllllllllllllll class!

Arlene

DaFlaBear wrote:

My favorite Carnival story is this.
You have to first of all know I do not care for Carnival. It was the
first line where I saw a passenger with a martini glass shaved in his
hair (real class).
So anyway it was the winter of 1988 and I was in Denver to see a Bears/
Broncos Monday night game.
It was about 1:00 A.M and I had been out partying.
I was on the escalator in the Westin hotel going back to my room. For
some reason I turned around about half way up and RIGHT behind me was
Kathy Lee Gifford the then symbol of Carnival!
She jumped up a bit startled.
For a hot second, I thought about giving her a shove down the escalator
on behalf of all disenchanted Carnival passengers!
But then I saw Frank trailing behind her (major facelift) and I felt
sorry for the poor SOB.
True story!

But Arlene, if only you could have been there! :-)

Christie, it's not the medium that's making you look snide, it's the things
that you write in your post.

What were the "beer swilling and cigarette smoking" people thinking? Most
likely that they were having a good time. What were you doing? Thumping your
bible and then posting that there's something wrong with drinking and
smoking, and then telling us that they were trailer trash.

Drew
Austin, TX

"Christy Bennington" wrote in message
...
No offense taken. (Sometimes I hate this medium. It always look like I'm
being snide.) I was just confused as to the silliness. I'm just
interested
in other opinions. Thanks for yours!

--
Christy
Phil 4:13

What exactly would happen on a cruise that would be "frightening"?????

They were two twenty year old girls, both getting married, one in the mid-west,
one here in Colorado. Both were "good" girls, not party animals or anything,
they just wanted one last fun vacation together. They were constantly hassled
by their cabin steward (a couple of inappropriate entries into their cabin, or
they found him on one of their beds when they returned, I seem to recall them
asking for the keys to their room to all be given back to them and he refused,
running down the hall away from them) and also their waiter. The encounters
were enough to scare the girls away from seeking on board help for fear the
situation would worsen in the form of repercussions from other crew members.

When they returned, the local gal came running to me for help, telling me her
story and shaking the entire time. When I called/wrote/contacted Carnival, the
response was to send a coupon for "10% of their next Carnival Cruise". When I
pointed out that due to the nature of their Carnival experience, this was not
appropriate compensation, I was told, "Well, if they are never going to cruise
Carnival again, why should we care about them?" (That's almost verbatim from
my not-to-be-named Carnival rep.)

My response? My clients will not be sailing again on a cruise line that will
repond to complaints this way. I only sold vendors who would follow through on
customer service. Sh!t happens, yes. But to me, it makes all the difference
in the world as to how that is cleaned up.

Classic Hawaii flat out lied to me about a hotel being beach front after I
specifically outlined my clients needs with a pregnant Mom and active toddler,
and they didn't want to have to drive anywhere. Maybe the agent wasn't really
aware. But the bottom line is, Classic FIXED the problem to my customers
satisfaction, refunding a portion of the trip and also sending a Hawaii
Memories type hardcover book. I was always happy to work with Classic again.

See the difference? It's not that I didn't expect problems in travel, it's
that I expected the vendor to make it right in the end.

Carnival did not do that.

TBird

Mike Schumann

"TBird" wrote in message
...
As a former travel agent - I refused to sell Carnival after they offered
no
customer satisfaction to two of my unhappy clients who'd had a miserable,
and
even frightening cruise on Carnival. Carnivals response was totally
inappropriate. I don't know if that's changed or not, but I will not
abide
poor customer service.

TBird ---- yuck
~~~~~~~
One of the Four Horsewomen of the ATH Gutter










~~~~~~~
One of the Four Horsewomen of the ATH Gutter

From: (DaFlaBear)

But then I saw Frank trailing behind her (major facelift) and I felt
sorry for the poor SOB.
True story!

I don't believe you ... A Bears fan would never feel sorry for a Giants player
....

Be seeing you
In the Village
Number 6

SNUMBER6,
Hey, I felt sorry for Y.A. Tittle in the 1963 Championship game!
But you're right, Frank has only himself to blame for being married to
that shrew. :-)