My dislike of CVC was not whether or not they would do what the contract stated but the fact that I was outright LIED to by the agent on the ship. When I called to ask questions after returning from the cruise I was informed that the value of the points was HALF the value The agent told me.

Hello, My husband and I joined the Vacation Club this past month and here I am reading all these horrible stories about them. Please tell me they are not true someone. Is there anyone out there that has been thrilled with the club???? Thanks, Elaine

Judith123-

I would really like to tell you that the horry stories were fiction, but unfortunately they are not. IF you plan wisely for your vacations and are flexible in schedule so that you can make good use of off season dates, you can probably be okay (break even). But if you joined thinking you were going to get 3 vacations for the price of 2, you are going to be disappointed.

quote:

Originally posted by Judith123:
Hello, My husband and I joined the Vacation Club this past month and here I am reading all these horrible stories about them. Please tell me they are not true someone. Is there anyone out there that has been thrilled with the club???? Thanks, Elaine

I tend to believe that whatever experiences the participants in this thread have relayed are true, whether they be positive or negative.

My husband and I are CVC members (joining Dec. 2005)....and we have been satisfied. "Thrilled" would probably be a bit over-the-top, but we definitely feel as though we've gotten our money's worth, and that it has worked as we expected it to for us, so far.

I agree with Jim C. that you will be okay...whether or not you are satisfied will probably depend on what you are expecting (which may depend on what you were told by the CVC rep that signed you up).

My husband and I booked our upcoming Mediterranean cruise on the Carnival Freedom with our CVC points. I have been assured EVERY time I've spoken to CVC OR Carnival that the VIP embarkation/debarkation and guaranteed Dining Room requests WILL be in place. I'll be sure to inform, here, if that does not turn out to be the case. We have also already used our free one-week Mexico resort coupon. We had a WONDERFUL stay at the Reef Club Cozumel.

Don't let the outrage of others panic you -- just use your points and membership benefits and enjoy your vacation(s).

quote:

Originally posted by Judith123:
Hello, My husband and I joined the Vacation Club this past month and here I am reading all these horrible stories about them. Please tell me they are not true someone. Is there anyone out there that has been thrilled with the club???? Thanks, Elaine

Count the number of people that really registered here and own a Membership compared to the number of acutally Members. LHP isn't even a Member, but knows it all. We are out here and we are using the Membership and enjoying our vacations and the savings we are receiving.
Read all your materials and get one the Vacation Club agents to help you. Here are a few agents that I work with Carry, Judy, Penny, they will help you and they have been with the club since 2005.

LHP, if ICE is booking cruises aren't they a Travel Agent - again what are you talking about or do you know?

You aren't even a Member or ever joined, why do you care, this many posting what do you get out of it? $?

Have you ever read the contract? Ever logged on the website to look at the resorts? If so how it is a private website for us the Members.

Again, what do you get from this? $?

quote:

Originally posted by Kortneycruise:
LHP, if ICE is booking cruises aren't they a Travel Agent - again what are you talking about or do you know?

You aren't even a Member or ever joined, why do you care, this many posting what do you get out of it? $?

Have you ever read the contract? Ever logged on the website to look at the resorts? If so how it is a private website for us the Members.

Again, what do you get from this? $?

You don't have to be a member to have sat through the "presentation" and understand what is going on.

Which contract? They have changed twice (that I know of) since it came out. First they were only giving people 3 years of "perks" ... then it changed to 5 years. A huge multi page contract condensed to 20. etc

From when we sailed on the Spirit (where Ali started on this program) until we sailed with him on the Pride (July 2005 to March 2006) CVC was "selling a whole new product" (direct quote from Ali).

Now if the ICE product was all that great when it came out...why did they have to change it to a whole new one??

Again, since you think everyone should be an expert....have you even read the pages on this thread alone?

The answer has to be NO or else you would know that the vast majority on this thread alone are LIVID at being lied to. If you had read all these threads, you would know that the research that was collected was of MEMBERS ONLY. Only people who had actually purchased this programm.
No one that just sat through the presentation and said "no thanks" was used.

Do I know about the resorts? Again, all you have to do is be able to read. That was the first thing people (who cancelled within the 3 day waiting period) did was try to book a 7 day 5 star resort when they got back ... only to find that this was not the case.

The 2 main complaints about ICE and CVC was the fact that the sales agents has told them:

1. They would save 30-60% off their future cruising costs. Which was a lie. The cruises cost them more. A $5,000.00 package managed very well could result in 4 cruises for 2 by booking a 4A GTY in the off season. That is $625.00 per person for a 4A GTY in the "off" season. No one pays that much for a 7 day on Carnival for a 4A GTY in the off season for a Caribbean cruise.

2. They have tried and tried and tried to book these resorts (from all over the world) to find them 3 - 5 days (not 7) not 5 star and limited at best for locations. These are complaints from people who ARE members and their personal first hand experiences.

I never said ICE wasn't a "travel agency". I very plainly said they used this opportunity to get into the lucrative cruise travel agency business...but unfortunately ICE did it using "time share" tactics which will not work.

Hence why they are the "joke" of the travel agency world.

"Time share" tactics depend on one time hits.
"Travel Agencies" depend on repeat business which ICE was not getting.

No one was renewing, not even people who were ok with what they purchased the first time.

The last time I checked, these boards were here to provide honest information.

All I have ever asked is that CVC be sold HONESTLY ... which it was not happeniong.

Why speak out? Because that is what decent people do when they see someone lying to the public.

Secondly, Carnival's good name and reputation was being drug through the mud.

Now Carnival's name is out of it. The CVC offices have been shut down on these ships.

And when it returns....Carnival's name will not be attached to it.

sounds like time share of the cruise world...thanks for the heads up about this, my DH and I will be crusing in June and we will know to stay away from the sales pitch, thank you!!

quote:

Originally posted by SnoopGirl:
sounds like time share of the cruise world...thanks for the heads up about this, my DH and I will be crusing in June and we will know to stay away from the sales pitch, thank you!!

Not to worry any longer.

All the CVC offices on Carnival cruise ships have been closed.

No more "contracts" are being sold. Those contracts already in place are being serviced. But it looks like no more "CVC parties". (just another perk that bites the dust) I guess since there are no more potential victims to liquor up....CVC isn't springing for the booze!

They will still get VIP Check In and Debarkation for the life of the contract.

As with anything in life, if it sounds to good to be true....listen to your instincts. And if you see any paperwork with ICE on it...RUN!!

quote:

Originally posted by LHP:
Not to worry any longer.

LHP - I am not attacking you - don’t worry, but I have been lingering on this site for about 2 weeks now and so I have been reading this tremendous thread- I’m just wondering something. Kortneycruise mentioned it but she seems mad and I am more of just curious... why have you been so adamant about posting in this thread if you arent even a member of CVC? I COMPLETELY understand you wanting to let people know your opinion and definitely respect that, but lets face it, you have been posting in this thread for 10 months, and many of your posts are copy and pastes of previous posts that you have already said (your repetitive tips). And while you have said that you respect people's positive opinions of the program, you always reply to a postive person with a "glad you are excited about the program BUT....."
Now, don't misunderstand me, i do respect your negative opinion, but i don’t think that it is necessary for you to always argue or bring down the people that are excited about the program. After all, think of how many members are pleased with the program and arent on here saying they are. Why? Because most people don’t voice their opinion or take the time to comment on something unless they are pissed off. How often do you write to the Oreo company and tell them their cookies are delicious? Not nearly as often as you would write to complain if you kept getting stale and rotten cookies.

If you sat through a meeting, fine. If you know some people who work(ed)at the company, fine- I just dont see how that means that people who do enjoy the program are in the wrong.

From what I have read on here, I think it is fair to say that this program is a toss up. Some people feel that they got their money's worth, some like the perks and love it, and some people are very unhappy.

But the program is no longer on the ships, so maybe the only people who should have anything to say in this thread should be active members....

there's a thought

Jaden:

As best as I can remember, I did not even get into this discussion until I had the opportunity to stand in line at a cruise and listen to an elderly lady tell me her story.

You see, as we stood in the VIP line and chatted with each other, I asked if they were Platinum members. Her husband became silent as his wife continued to chat with me. But her voice changed from "cruise chat" to a quiet disappointment. She said no...they were in the VIP line because of CVC.

She told me of their decision to join CVC and the story broke my heart. You see, there stood a man who had worked hard all his life. She told me that he had prided himself on being honest and intelligent and taking care of his family. And how they had been blatantly lied to and conned. Now most people in this situation acknowledge their mistake of trusting a salesman and move on. But she told me that when he realized how they have been lied to that it made him sick to his stomach. He had always thought that he could protect his wife and family from "salesmen like this" and he wasn't able to. It took her months just to get him to use the points that they had purchased. CVC had not just stolen their money. It had stolen this man's pride and dignity.

25 years of cruising only with Carnival and a stockholer and for the first time in my life, I was ashamed of the Carnival name.

I thought surely (while a sad story) this was an isolated incident. Perhaps a rogue time share agent that was overzealous.

But that was not the case. I have been in research and stats all my life so I did some digging. No...this was not an isolated incident. This was a travesty that needed correcting. And it has been. CVC offices are closed on the ships. No one else will have their pride stolen from them. And I did not only "complain" on various forums....I contacted "the powers that be" (not just Bob Dickenson) and expressed my disappointment at how cheaply Carnival had sold their reputation.

As for "repeat" information...if you took the time to read this board and not just a "selected" thread (basically this one) you will find that all of us give information REPEATEDLY on various subjects over and over again. From the best beach in Cozumel to "cruising tips" you can't sail without.
For example, we have repeatedly told people, if possible, fly in the day before a cruise. And yet, the same question will be asked a month from now. That is the nature of the beast.

Any posts I have written have been in response to a question or complaint which is why we are here.

I know about CVC because I took the time to FIND OUT. Not just what the time share agents wanted to tell people...not just the surface stuff but the details that come from digging.


For your information, I have spent as much time (or more) on private emails trying to help people so that they could get the most for the money they have spent with CVC.

As for ICE, I have had personal dealings with them. I do have first hand knowledge. I do have first hand expereince with ICE. Sadly, ICE lived up to all the horror stories that had ever been told about them. We booked a cruise through them and the first thing they did was lie to us that "cruise insurance" was required. They not only told us that, but charged our credit card without our permission for the insurance before they charged our credit card for the cruise. Again WITHOUT OUR permission. When we asked what that additional charge was for, Brian said it was for the cruise. Then he said it was a deposit. Then Brian admitted it was for cruise insurance.

When we told them we don't purchase cruise insurance, Brian told us cruise insurance was REQUIRED. My husband informed Brian cruise insurance was not required and Brian insisted that it was. My husband informed this youngster that we had been cruising longer than he had been alive and knew that cruise insurance was NOT required. Brian hem hawed around and finally admitted he had lied and that he would remove the charge. (actually he applied it to the cruise)

These kinds of tactics (which work wonderfully in the time share world where you only have to sell it once) will not work in the world of travel agencies. Travel agencies are built on a foundation of a trusting relationship with their clients. A lesson I hope ICE learns. But next time, it won't be Carnival's name or reputation on the line.

And now I have written yet another post about CVC .... because someone asked!

Okay - just asked fo a little insight into your thinking. never said you were wrong.

and I do read the posts - contrary you what you think.

As I said, it is all a mute point now since all the CVC offices have been closed on all the ships and no more packages are being sold.

CVC will be history completely, April 2012.

LHP is mostly correct in what he/ she is saying sadly - I wish I could say otherwise. Kortneycruise works for CVC - she actually works directly for Marcia Rowley the President.

They actually hired a person to work full time combatting the negative press - also a friend of Marcia's.

Don't blame the staff for selling the way they were taught - blame the company for allowing it. The staff meant no harm - other than to keep their jobs.

wow thats pretty sad that they had to hire someone to work there full time trying to get rid of bad press... where did you read that?

Hi all,

I used to work for CVC, one of the first to when it first came out. One thing I have always prided myself on, is that I refuse to lie to try and sell something, or get ahead. This, in fact, is one of the reasons I eventually handed in my resignation to CVC. Although I preformed admirably for them while I worked there, I could see that it wasn't preforming the way that they would have us explain it to guests, and in fact, that they promised all of the sales people there that it would as well. I could especially see this from the repeat guests coming back, and the amount of complaints we recieved each and every single week. Don't feel bad though, Marcia Rowley didn't just screw all of you reading this who joined the club, she also screwed me, and some of her other employees that chose to leave the company, due to what I would like to call her poor business ethics. Aside from money, she really doesn't care about anything, or anyone else, and will try to hurt anyone who might possibly have helped her in the future.
Myself, as well as several of her other employees who saw what she was doing as wrong, and chose to leave the company for something else, have found that although we all gave notice, cannot get a job on any Carnival ship now, as she sends an email each time that someone had, to Carnival saying "Do not rehire". Although this has confused Carnival, because there is no explanation given when this email came through, regardless of whether Carnival, or myself tried emailing or calling to find out why, she wouldn't even return the phone call. She in fact, even tried to sabotage me when she found out who my next employer was, by sending them an email telling them not to hire me either. Thank goodness they chose to give me the benefit of the doubt, and are happy with the results.

I personally am very glad that CVC fell through. I feel for all of the people that got "suckered" in, and wish I could make it up to you. I apologize, but I really did not know what a ripoff it truly was until too late, but please know, that if it makes you feel any better, they didn't treat their employees any better than their clients.

I truly am happy that Carnival finally saw the error of their ways, and it really does show you, that even the most successful companies can get suckered in by a conman (or woman in the case of Marcia Rowley).

CVC, goodbye, good riddance, and if there truly is justice in the world, some of you will file a class action lawsuit against her, and her company (Solutions at Sea, subsidiary of I.C.E. Gallery), and bankrupt her so that this cannot happen again.

By the way, you all might like to know, that with the money she made of most of you, she now owns a mansion built into the side of a mountain, just outside the main city of Phoenix.

quote:

Originally posted by 123Cruises321:
LHP is mostly correct in what he/ she is saying sadly - I wish I could say otherwise. Kortneycruise works for CVC - she actually works directly for Marcia Rowley the President.

They actually hired a person to work full time combatting the negative press - also a friend of Marcia's.

Don't blame the staff for selling the way they were taught - blame the company for allowing it. The staff meant no harm - other than to keep their jobs.

My family was so excited to hear that I know have two jobs and one of them are in the Travel Industry.

I am a CVC Member and just surprised that their a people out there than can figure out how to enjoy their Membership.

123Cruise321 and LPH sound like they work or worked for CVC and are very unhappy. They sure seem to know alot about employees and the going ons within the company. What a waste of time.

Fun in the Sun is what we enjoy in South.

Again, thankfully this is all a moot point.

CVC offices on the ships are closed and the CVC "travel" agents won't be needed after April 2012, because all current contracts will be expired by then.

Either way, CVC is toast, ICE has the egg on their face and Carnival continues to bring in the bacon. (can you tell breakfast is ready?)

Hopefully, Carnival learned a valuable lesson to watch what they put their name on in the future!!

Everyone has learned a valuable lesson. If you see the name ICE on a contract in the future ... run for the door!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by EXCVCEMPLOYEE:
Hi all,

I used to work for CVC, one of the first to when it first came out. One thing I have always prided myself on, is that I refuse to lie to try and sell something, or get ahead.

EXCVCEMPLOYEE,

First off, let me introduce myself. I am CURRENTLY a CVC employee and I have been working with Solutions at Sea for many years. I know Marcia Rowley as I have worked with her on many things and have a grasp of the entire company and how things work. I haven’t replied to any of these posts but yours finally compelled me to do so because the things you are saying are ludicrous.

Anybody who reads your post can clearly see that this sounds like the venting of a disgruntled employee. I personally know who you are just by reading the information you gave in your post and know that what you are saying is twisted and inaccurate. As you know (but many reader’s do not), Marcia Rowley personally spearheads all of the quality assurance training and “secret shopping” programs that go on with the CVC program to try and make sure that employees aren’t “overselling”. Maybe you felt you should resign because you couldn’t get a sale by being ethical so there was too much stress for you. (Since you couldn’t even be honest in your resignation, I’m guessing that I’m right) I am sorry that some of you feel that you were initially lied to about the program, and while it saddens all of us that are trying to run an honest business, this does not reflect Marcia Rowley’s training or wishes. It reflects the morals of the agents who chose to be dishonest to get the sale. It is unfortunate that this happens, but while we try to control it as much as possible, we simply can’t supervise every sale, every agent, every meeting, every time.

The CVC program has, and continues to fulfill their promises and remains a valid and genuine program. For every person on this website complaining about it, there are 20 others who are pleased with their memberships. There is no program that is going to make every single person happy, but we do try.
Marcia and John Rowley have been featured in many business and travel publications being praised for their admirable business ethics and innovation as well as for building one of the largest cruise and resort providers in the world. If this or any of our programs/products were truly a scam, I am sure that they would not be constantly recognized throughout the travel industry. Excvcemployee, since you know so much about this industry, and clearly the people who work avidly within it do not, I would be interested to know how many awards you have received and who is recognizing you for your dedication and ethics.

Although the CVC program isn’t being sold onboard any longer it is still in full force and our members love the program. The reason it is not sold onboard has nothing to do with your nonsense. I assume you, and others like LHP, are equally “ill-informed” on this subject as you are on others. ICE continues to be one of the largest cruise providers in the world and a close business partner of Carnival. Why don’t you focus on your new job and quit making inaccurate accusations against your old employer – it only shows pettiness.

Also, for the record, Marcia Rowley does not own a mansion on the side of a mountain. This shows how much office gossip you fall victim to. I’m sure you also think she made Pat Olsen cry and various other rumors. Everyone can see that you are simply a disgruntled employee standing at the bottom of the corporate ladder pointing a finger at someone else for your failures. Take care and good luck in your future ventures.

I am a member that was lied to. Now I am trying to get a refund on a resort certificate and am being ignored by CVC. They do not respond to e-mails, or phone calls. This is my personal experience with the company and so far it has not been pleasant since the moment we got back from the cruise it was sold to us. Now that I have a name of the top person "maybe" we can get something done. I wish the people that were so happy about CVC would let the others know exactly where and when they used their points. We don't really like cruising during hurricane season, nor do we like going places in their off seasons. This seems to be the only times to actually use our points and resort certificates and is extremely frustrating. Again, I am one that was lied to and have been fighting with CVC ever since. Now they are not returning any communications. One of the representatives said that every phone call was taped. I asked him to let me hear the tapes and haven't heard back from him.