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Carnival Cruise Lines

Carnival Cruise Lines review: terrible experience 10

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4:39 am EDT
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While Carnival does say that you can remove the autotip with the purser once you are on board, in my experience it was impossible to do. During a Carnival cruise in August 2006, I went multiple times to the purser during the voyage to request removal of the autotip feature from my account. I was rebuffed each time with the excuse that 'the computers are down and they could not communicate with company HQ in order to remove the autotip.' The purser claimed that they could not remove the autotip from my account locally.

Somehow, I find it hard to believe that company HQ would be out of communication with one of their vessels for several days. I finally gave up trying. I would like to comment that, in all the emails on this subject, no one seems to be holding the cruise line responsible for ensuring that their employees are adequately compensated for their labors. I, as a passenger should not be in the position of ensuring someone's wage. I do not feel that I would be stiffing the crew if I did not pay the autotip. A tip is not a wage but, rather, it is something a little extra that is freely given to whoever should be rewarded for going aboe and beyond.

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10 comments
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JeanineBeck
, GB
Jul 28, 2016 8:00 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Please read my recent 2016 complaint titled Gratuities. I would rather pay those hardworking people who work long long hours a direct tip than see the Maitre'D handed 70% of pre-paid tips for 3walking around the flipping restaurant! Carnival have gotten no better in their dealing with tips

Valerie
Valerie
, US
Dec 01, 2008 9:41 am EST

I booked my June 2008 cruise nearly a year in advance. At that point there were three to share our cabin. One had to cancel. I was told there would be a $250 penalty and agreed. Initially there was no charge for the fuel supplement, $70 per cabin. I was charged on March 31 even though on March 31, Carnival announced they would refund fuel charges for passengers booking prior to the announcement which came in November 2008.

I received receipts from my travel agent showing what was to be refunded which agreed with the figures I had anticipated. Somehow a refund of $971.53 became $621.33. Despite numerous calls to my travel agent and to Carnival, I was told I could not have it explained because I went through a travel agent. The travel agent tells me Carnival won't tell her anything 'It's just how Carnival does business'. I have disputed the charge with my credit card company.

Even a letter to the president of Carnival yielded 'Guest Relations Manager has discussed my inquiry'. The only thing the Guest Relations Manager discussed with me was that she could not discuss it with me. The travel agent says she doesn't know. Well, I know my $350.20 went somewhere. I guess I will file a complaint with the Florida Attorney General's Office, regarding both the travel agent and Carnival. Accountability please!

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MissK
, TW
Sep 01, 2009 10:37 pm EDT

I just wanted to say that I worked for Carnival Cruise Lines as a Stateroom Stewardess. They say you can make so much and send it home, You don't have to pay for anything and you have so many days off and you see the world while you work. Its the best opportunity for young people ect ect. They tell you that you can earn a lot of money working for them. Then you go for the interview and get hired. Once you have paid your Medical, flight, visa, insurance and training fees. You leave your country and head over to the US.

Once you get onboard they take your passport. Then you do a further month of training onboad, when that is over you can start.

Now there is so much work that one person can not possibly do it alone therefor you are required to hire other staff from, lets say the kitchen or the boiler room or the laundry. I had to hire a morning helper for $180 a week and my evening helper cost me $150. Then if you need extra towels for your room you need to pay the laundry extra. If the guest takes the pool towel home or looses it somewhere onboard or elsewhere you pay $5o out of your pocket. I also had to pay the staff to tell me how many guests I will have the following week so I can start preparation and Carnival only pays their Stewards $75 per month. The rest you make from your tips, the little you have left from paying everybody else. And it so nice to make up 75 beds per session. I got up at 5 and went to bed at 11. 7 days a week for 6 months. Now I had 20 rooms to take care of. Each room can take up to 5 guests. Now imagine if all my rooms are full. I have to make a 100 beds in the morning and a 100 at night. And still vacuum the room and dust and pick up everybody's ### and dirty towels and condoms. And even used bloody menstruals pads. Can you believe it. And then the people don't even pay you. O don't forget the luggage I have to carry to my floor. 3500 guest have a lot of luggage and the stateroom stewards have to do the hauling up and down to get the cases.

I hated working there. First of all they were not honest in telling me exactly what I was getting myself into. If I knew what sort of Mafia business it was I would have told them to shove it where the sun doesn't shine.

Carnival cruise lines is evil. I feel so sorry for the people who stay there for years because they have families to take care of and would do anything. Today I suffer from chronic back pain from working for them. And the best part is I cant even sue them cause they are registered under Panama.

F#^%&k Them

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karripo
, US
Mar 17, 2018 7:28 am EDT
Replying to comment of MissK

Your numbers don't add up which hurts your credibility. If you only make $75 a month, how are you "paying a helper $150 a week" or pay to find out how many guests you have or $50 for every towel that disappears. I know they don't get a lot under US pay standards, but come on. I'm guessing you are from the US, probably between 18-28 years old and simply have no work ethics so you are making much of this up to have a reason to complain about them and probably got fired.

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biggggtipper
small town, US
Sep 01, 2009 12:15 am EDT

Unfortunately, tipping does account for a good portion of the salaries for many service employees, but if its only 10 bucks a day, I would appreciate having it added automatically, for the convenience...probably less than I would leave on my own anyway…

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SuperVepr
Redneckville, US
Aug 31, 2009 12:18 pm EDT

They have a deal on cruises over at stormfront.org?

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crazyasaloon
Billings, US
Aug 29, 2009 8:35 pm EDT

What the hell does any of the above ### have to do with autotips on Carnival Cruise Lines? You KKK folks- go talk on your own webpage. We're trying to address a consumer
rights issue. Gee wiz.

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rosbonkru
Sunny Isles Beach, US
Aug 19, 2009 1:49 pm EDT

If you have prepaid gratuities, the Purser's Office is not able to remove them and has to go via the HQ. If they are not prepaid they will be able to remove them so I guess in your case they were prepaid and you should have made clear from the beginning you did not want to pay them.

However, if you can not afford to pay the staff their deserved tips, why bother to go on a cruise, the boys and girls in the dining rooms, bars and housekeeping, get only paid around Usd 100 per 2 weeks, therefore they work 7 days a week approximately 15 hours per day during a 6 month time frame. Witholding their tips is stealing from them.

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Roscoe
, US
May 02, 2009 5:30 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

It IS a choice. When you or your TA books the cruise, there is an option for prepaid gratuities. I always choose prepaid because I am not a tight ### and $10 per day doesnt seem like alot considering the amount of money you spend to go on the cruise itself.

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valollie
Morrow, US
Mar 30, 2009 12:47 pm EDT

I have just called to try to have the autotip removed from a carnival cruise that I will set out on later this week. I was told to go to the pursers desk and I told them I did not want to waste my time. This should be a choice for customers not a set billed item. All customers should call and maybe the policy will be changed. On our last cruise our staff detailed that they were paid less since the tips were automatically charged and feel carnival is stealing their money...