I'm one of the party of 14 cruising on Conquest 6/8-15 with CrusinwithJen, and I was wondering if anyone had some guidance on this one:
Our mom, a former travel agent, worked with a Carnival rep directly to get us all booked. They came up with a rooming scheme for booking that spread military veterans (for discount purposes) across as many of our 5 cabins as possible. Three of the cabins (with veterans booked in them) were directly assigned; the other two were the "no worse than class X" bookings. The directly assigned cabins are on Deck 6, and at least one of the other 2 is on Deck 1.
We are going to reshuffle a lot of our party with the purser once onboard, to reunite families in cabins. However, as things currently stand, my daughter and her friend, both 18, are assigned to the cabin on Deck 1 with most of the rest of our party on Deck 6.
The Carnival Rep has assured my mom that we won't run into any problems getting onto the ship, but I've seen postings here or somewhere else that indicates we might, since 18-year olds are supposed to be in cabins with someone over 23, or at least in adjoining cabins with a party member over 23.
Are we in for some interesting discussions at embarcation, or with the Purser during the reshuffling? Any suggestions to make sure we all get to go?
I just want to make sure I am understanding this correctly. There was a "scheme" to spread the Veteran's bookings out to get the discount. Now after you board, you want to "re-shuffle" the cabin occupants, and keep the discount?
Now, if this is the case, and those Veterans are not in the cabins they booked, this would be a gross abuse of the system, and dishonest in my opinion.
Carnival has one of the best, if not the best Veteran discount cruise offering programs in the industry. I would hate to see it rolled back by any degree because of people cheating the system. I certainly do not condone it, if this is the case.
And yes, it is against Carnival's Policy to have two 18 year olds occupying a cabin without a parent or guardian of at least 25 years of age, not 23, with few exceptions.
I have no idea if you will have interesting discussions at the Purser's desk or not, I don't have any experience with booking schemes. I don't understand if everything is on the up and up, why there would be a need for any changes. I sure hope I miss-understood this post. If not, I am pretty disgusted by it.
Dwayne
Posts: 3885 | Location: South Carolina | Registered: August 22, 2005
Your mom and a Carnival rep came up with a scheme? I find it hard to believe an agent from any cruise line would risk their job by doing something that's against company rules. I don't know how your daughter and her friend were assigned a cabin being under the age restriction for occupancy. My suggestion is to be honest and up-front…that way you'll never have to worry.
Let me be clear - to the best of my knowledge, this idea (booking and reshuffling) was from the Carnival booking rep. My mom questioned him several times, at least once on my urging, about putting the 2 girls in a room together alone, and he has repeatedly assured her that "it will be fine". We have been very up front with them throughout this process; I just don't trust what he's telling us, so I wanted to get some advice from experienced cruisers.
Kbarratt, let me be the first to welcome you to Cruise Chat. We, as a group are always excited about someone's upcoming cruising experience. We are thrilled to help anyone with just about any type of travel related problem. One thing that we are adamant about is the following of rules and guidelines set forth by maritime law as well as the policies of each individual cruise line. We get asked some questions that fringe on going against the rules (i.e. liquor policies, duty-free shopping allowances, taking food off the ship in Mexico, etc.) and we always ask for clarification before offering advice. Unfortunately, a couple of your questions involve situations that are strictly forbidden by Carnival (and most other cruise lines for that matter). Please understand that we are not attacking you and we don't want you to feel that you are not welcome. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The term "scheme" automatically puts our skepticism sensor on full alert. The situation of spreading the veterans around to take advantage of a generous Carnival discount throws up a large red flag. This is against the rules and I am afraid that you might have problems re-allocating the guests of each stateroom when you get on board. They are also most unlikely to assign a stateroom solely to a couple of 18 year olds. They will not do this for rooms that are adjoining the parents so they definitely won't do it for a stateroom on another deck. We want you to get the most out of your cruising experience but if everyone takes advantage of a system put in place to reward our veterans, then Carnival will likely repeal the discount and all future-cruising veterans will suffer. I can't make decisions for you, Kbarratt, and I am not questioning your character or integrity, but I am urging you to follow the rules and guidelines set forth by Carnival.
Posts: 1189 | Location: birmingham, al | Registered: April 30, 2007
If I were you, I would avoid a potentially negative situation on embarkation day. I would suggest that YOU (not your mom or any other family representative) call Carnival and explain the situation to them. I am not going to lie to you, KBarratt. My suggestion might cost the family more money but the peace of mind that it offers is priceless. All of us cruise to reduce our levels of stress and anxiety and we want the same benefits to apply to you as well. We do wish you a great vacation and like I said in my previous post, we would be more than happy to help you with any other aspect of your voyage.
Posts: 1189 | Location: birmingham, al | Registered: April 30, 2007
We wish you the best, KBarratt. If we didn't offer you honest advice, we would be doing you a grave disservice. We appreciate that you came to us and we hope that you seek our advice again. Just remember, you have a great cruise ahead of you!!!
Posts: 1189 | Location: birmingham, al | Registered: April 30, 2007
Kbarratt, Yes, Welcome to Cruise-Chat, and good luck. And thanks drlivingston for the great and well worded reply. Actually, Carnival just started a new promotion yesterday that offers Active and Retired Military the opportunity to book up to three staterooms at special rates for the month of May.
First, I'd also like to welcome you to cruise-chat. I hope before you tackle this again with the agent or make any changes, you read this post.
The military rate is available to military personell and Carnival does not discourage what your mother has done with the CCL Rep. Nobodys job is on the line over it or anyone scheming Carnival's policy. This type of shuffling is common through both CCL direct and every agent and agency in existence, at least all that I'm aware of. Just like the policy of having an adult responsible for each cabin does not mean one has to actually be in the cabin, there are no cabin police onboard. For booking purposes only, all passengers have to be 21 (unless one is 21 and married to the 2nd who is under 21) or over to occupy a cabin or at least one has to be 25. That's carnivals rule for age. Parents often split the booking and put an adult and a child in each booking. Then depending on the age and responsibility of the kiddos, the parents are free to occupy a cabin and allow their under 21 kids to occupy the other. There is, that way an adult responsible for that cabin and whoever occupys it. I'd be a little concerned about 18 YOs on deck 1 and all the adults on deck 6 or above. Not for the teens but for any rowdyness or noise (teens will be teens if there is no supervision) for the other passengers on deck 1.
Similarly, CCL does not discourage splitting veterans in order to get the lowest rate for each cabin in the group with many veterans. They actually, as happened here, suggest it often. I'm not going to read the 15-20 pages of their terms and conditions in their passage contract but am willing to bet there is no expressed or implied rule against this practice. If there is, it is null and void by the common nature of the practice by CCL themselves. In fact if you had a circumstance where it could be done and was not offered by their agent, there may be a problem for the employee for not finding a way to get the client the lowest rate for their group. That is the job of the agent and the direction given to agents. It's not, at least in this industry, manipulation of rate code promos or rules. It is allowed and encouraged. Each military person sailing is entitled to a cabin on the ship at that rate.
Sorry for the long post. Just didn't want the OP to think she or her mother is doing anything unethical or against CCL policy. Keep the military rates and fix it at the Pursers desk so key cards will match cabin #s, you'll have no problem. But I would spend the difference to get the 18 YOs up to the deck with the adults, no matter how responsible they are at home.
One other note. Dwayne mentioned that they recently opened their "Friends and Family" promotion. Allowing military rates for add'l cabins. I'd call the agent back and ask if it can be applied to your bookings. Sometimes there will be an asterisk *Applies to new bookings only, effective on bookings made XX/XX/XX and after. If it can be applied, you may well be able to get the military rate for all 5 cabins now.
We did a Military Booking on the Spirit about 14 months ago. They allowed us to book an extra cabin for my Aunt and Uncle. They were first time cruisers. There we not problems, we both book 8h category. It seems to me that re shuttle of people would also create a nightmare as far as the sign and sail cards go.
Hello Kbrrat, TrvlPro, put it it better than all who responded. I too had this concern, my teens in a room alone, after reading so many places there had to be someone over 25 per cabin with minors. We leave in about three weeks and it was a major issue for me, the rule. After talking with two different agents, I got the same answer as long as they are next door to me and it's noted in Carnivals system that they are siblings, everything wiil be okay. In your case they are friends, so it may be very important that you do check again with Carnival. I do know that the agent was adamant that she couldn't book minors in seperate cabins without them being either right next door or atleast directly across the hall. If all fails, put the girls in one of the other cabins on deck 6 and the older people on deck 1. I may be repeating what somebody has already said, forgive me. Don't wait to the last minute, Carnival I undestand is very strict on the room policy age restrictions Free Cruise Tickers
Some teens are responsible enough. When I was 19 1/2 I could not do many things because of my age, drink, gamble, vote (voting age was still 21), rent a car, buy a smoke (didn't want one anyway), and the one that really bother me, get a Govt job. Why should those thing bother me you ask. I was 19 1/2 and a Combat Vietnam vet...
Gary, thank you for your service. I agree that there are many responsible teens and the laws that allow young men to fight and die for their country but not to have a beer on the weekend don't make much sense. I also know that I was very responsible at that age when I was at home and anywhere someone might know me. I cared about my reputaion, consequences and actually cared if my actions would reflect on my parents and their good name. I also know I took a couple of trips with my buddies away from home where nobody knew me or my buddies and we did some things I'm not very proud of on those trips. Peer pressure and lack of supervision can retard good judgement in young people. I was no exception even though I would have considered myself independent and told anyone who asked that I didn't follow the crowd and made decisions for myself. Clearly in hind sight, that was not always the case. There is a reason Carnival and other lines want cabins with under 21 passengers next door to or across the hall from a parent or guardian. I'm sure there are some teens who would always do the right thing, I just have to believe from being an observer of society today they are not as common as they once were.
