We book our cruise for the ports that we visit.  If Carnival changes the ports.  I think it should be left upto the customer to go along with the changes or request a refund.  The price is based on alot of things including which ports are visited.  It's ridiculous that carnival will not give refunds in these situations. 

"In the unlikely event that our new itinerary options are not to your liking, we will also give you the opportunity to reschedule your cruise at a later date," --Carnival

RESCHEDULE!  That's just ridiculous!!!!

I do hope the current situation regarding this Swine Flu changes before our June 14, 2009 Cruise date.  If it doesn't then I don't want an alternative port to San Francisco or San Diego and/also I don't want to rechedule!  I want a refund!!!  I know that others feel the same as I do regarding alt ports or reschedule.

RayP

I 100% agree with you.  I have purchased an entire wardrobe for my self & my husband for a  "Mexican" warm weather cruise.  We sail on the Splendor 5/17 with 3 mexican ports.  The ban is only until 5/4 but I dont forsee containment by 5/17.  This is our 1st cruise, we have been waiting for years to do this (kids are finally old enough top stay home)  I purchased this cruise for a pretty hefty price to enjoy the ports...I live near San francisco and dont want to port there.  I went to San Fran for a 3 day Christmas trip and spent $1200...dont want to do that again.  Im going to freeze my *** off if we go north...I am thin and get cold very easily.  If I wanted to go north I would have purchased the Alsaskan cruise and saved myself $800...I want my money back and it looks like its not going to happen.  We are pretty locked in....My daughter is flying home from college for the summer and we had her fly to LAX the day our cruise comes home 5/24...So we could pick her up while we are in the L.A. area.  If we cancel our cruise we still have to drive 5 hours to L.A. to pick her up.  Too bad they cant re-direct to Hawaii and lengthen the cruise a couple of days...that would be awesome!!!!

I wouldn't mind IF Carnival let us choose a 7-day cruise instead to the Eastern Carribean. At this point, I will cough up the cash for airfare. We live just 8 minutes away from the Long Beach port in So Cal and our cruise is for June 14. The flu may be contained by then but I just want to know NOW. I like to plan ahead and get excited over a vacation...isn't that half the fun?! This is our first big family trip now that my 3 kids are old enough to eat at a dinner table properly and I want to buy some Summer clothes for the trip. Yes, if I wanted cold, I would have booked an Alaskan cruise. What are we to do?? Please post any new info here.

We are also going on the June 14th cruise, for our honeymoon and really want to go to Mexico, not SF or the other ports along CA. We want to go some place warm for our honeymoon, but I understand the flu isn't Carnival fault..and if we have to,  we'll rebook our honeymoon for later on this summer. Trust me, I'll be VERY upset and mad, but hey shi* happens. As long as Carnival will rebook us with no problems, I'll be happy.  I have family members in the medical field and they think this will die down within 3 weeks or the media will get bored with this story and the 'panic' will die down. More people have died from regualr flu this year, along with car crashed than from the Swine Flu. Just remeber common sense and wash your hands and don't put your fingers in your mouth and eyes. Hope to see you all on the June 14th cruise to MEXICO!!  

Arthos2001 maybe right. This might die down when the media and the public gets bored. I really don't want to cancel, reschedule or go to an alt port along the west cost of the USA. 

Thanks Jenni, Nicole and arthos for replying to my post. 

Ray

 

I can't help but agree!   We bought and paid for something....that something is NOT being provided for us.  We should get our money back!   My father is 87 and his sister is 89 and, who knows if either or both will still be around to TAKE a cruise later on.  I certainly HOPE so but I'd hate for dad to lose all the money if, for some reason, either of them can't make it.

We live in Oregon and we were looking forward to WARMER weather.  We have been through San Francisco many times so that is absolutely of no interest to us.  We have also been to Victoria Island before and although it is a lovely place, We have been there and it is NOT WARM this time of year.

Our sailing was for May 3rd so our trip is effectively cancelled already.  No chance for the flu to go away and make the world well again so we lose out and Carnival has our money.  I agree that it isn't the fault of Carnival but it isn't OUR fault either and since they can't provide us with what we bought and paid for, We should get our money back and then, IF we are able to go at some other time, we can do so.

Stan

Does anyone know how the vacation insurance works? Can we automatically get a refund? I don't want to cruise along California. We sail on Splendor on May 31. Hopefully, the media will calm down and lose interest, and we can sail along. Only if it safe of course, I am going with my husband and two children and their safety is ultimately #1.

Media?  I am bored with this already.

I just don't get it....Our GOVERNMENT stops us from going to Mexico...Yet...HELLO????? They allow all the infected nationals to cross our border everyday.....you know they are running from it.....and probably 'hot' with symptoms?  Why aren't they closing the borders?

I get so disgusted.

Need blue water, waves, peace.

Oink!

I'm thinking about the Caribbean.

 I too am a frustrated passenger..I think it is ridiculous that they will not refund our money..I also would like everyone to know that if you book another cruise at a later date and that cruise is much less they will not roll over the credit towards another cruise....since everyone in my family took time off of work we thought we would go on the Catalina cruise, which only cost 800 for the 4 of us,so then I asked if I would be credited the additional 1250 that was left over and the rep. said no you will lose it! This is pure robbery...they are holding our $$$$ and they have no right to....yes, this is not their fault but they are not being accomodating, it is not our fault either... I for one am going to contact 7 on your side and let  them know how Carnival is basically stealing our money!

The government has not stopped anyone from going to Mexico, they've advised against unnecessary travel there.  The virus is showing up in many other places including here in NYC.  This is not the first flu outbreak we've had to weather.  I believe it would be better if the media stopped whipping people into a frenzy over this.

If you read the itinary changes section on carnival's website, you will notice that most cruises that are cancelled or are replacing from 5 days to 7 days says that if the customer is not pleased with this change they will offer full refund of their money or a credit for future credit plus on board credits. They are also providing $150 per person for airline changes to new debarkment port.

Yet, for all other cruises where the ports are changed, you have the option of sailing on future date but NO REFUNDS WILL BE PROVIDED!  That means that I paid $2800 for the three of us to visit San Francisco, seattle, and victoria.  I will not settle for this.  I, respectively, DEMAND a full refund of my money or let me pick another destination out of miami and carnival provide the $150 per person for airline change.

Resolution?

First, call carnival and tell them that you will not settle for other ports, you didn't plan and/or pay for other ports.  I also like to send carnival emails so that I have a hard copy for future use as a reference.   

Disput the charges on your credit card for services/product not received as specified. Atleast start the process going until they post something about your cruise date. I made my full and final payment last month, so I think I have upto 2 months to dispute the charges. You, the customer, is more important to your Credit Card company than Carnival is.

Travel insurance.  I never purchase travel insurance because it is provided free of charge by your credit card company, when you use your Credit card to book your vacation.  There are limitations, call your CC company to get more info.  I believe the limitations are the same as if you would have purchased travel insurance.

Also, if you ever rent cars, you Credit Card also has some sort of insurance coverage and/or you insurance might have coverage for rental cars. Check both. 

Don't settle for something that you paid for and not received.  Yet, don't call carnival and be abusive to the reps, they don't have any control over your money.  Be calm and respective. 

A spokesperson from carnial started a new post on some outdated info on swine flu a couple of day ago.  Currently there are over 144 pages of people talking about the flu and their trip.  THAT post alone had carnival post notices about cancelled cruise and alt routes. THAT's PEOPLE POWER! and in the case of a full refund, we need that people power.

 

Ray,

 

Great info about calling the credit card company. This is just what I needed.

Hold on guys.  I have some more information for you regarding refunds.  I don't know why I didn't go over to carnival's website and read their cruise policy before I started this thread.  Stupid me.  Hope that I didn't mislead anyone for that was not my purpose.

Carnival's port cancellation policy link:http://www.carnival.com/CMS/Static_Templates/Port_Cancellation_Policy.aspx

 

I have had so many people emailing regarding "How to get refunds" that I had to make my email address private.  I don't mind helping anyone out. But, different people have different problems and want different solutions that I just can not provide.  I have simply read what I know and/or have heard it from others on this board as well as other websites.  

I am not a lawyer.  I don't look like one, nor do I play one on TV. ( LOL, sorry....just couldn't refuse to put that in there)

I think the above statement from carnival's policy has answered most of our concerns regarding cancelled ports and/or refunds.

If anyone is interested in purchasing travel insurace in the future, here a link to the requirements for trip cancelations from carnival. Most of what is written in there is the exact same in my Credit Card company's travel protection insurance plan.  http://www.carnival.com/CMS/Static_Templates/vacation_protection_plan/Carnival_plan_desc_0308.pdf

I've noticed that carnival has expanded it's ban from May 5th to May 11th. That's about a month from my cruise date. Time will heal all wounds or,in this case, Swine flu.

Ray,

I was to sail on the Splendor May 3rd.  I tried to use the port cancellation policy.

The answer they gave is this is not covered under that policy.  I asked what was and they have no answer.

I even asked for a receipt now that I have a credit and they don't offer that , your credit is your booking number.

I will now start writing letters to try and get my refund.

I hope it all works out for you that have furture sailings.