Tropical Storm Rita

[Tut]

I didn't use a TA. Did all the searching and planning myself. I've been checking the Carnival and United web sites faithfully (ooh! A word for the double letter game....) anyway, to get back to the topic. I did call the airlines today and was told that I had until midnight on the 24th (my original day) to change my plane reservations or it would cost me $100 each to re-book, which is stated on the United site.

I checked Carnival and the latest update was scheduled travel on Monday, the 26th. I also received a call from them about 5:30 tonight stating the same thing.

So to answer your question, I guess they're doing what they can. They really don't have any real answers yet but I was told that there should be a final decision by late tomorrow (Friday). That will still give me time to change the plane reservations, re-book a hotel, re-schedule our shuttle and so on and so on and so on.....

So far no options have been offered. We were just told the ship is tentatively scheduled to sail Monday instead of Sunday. Which is fine with me. I'll take sailing a day late than not sailing at all.

I'll keep you up to date until the day I leave....keep your fingers crossed.

[JoeyandDavid]

thanks Sue .. one more question.. (I feel like George Stephanoplis)

Do you feel that they are sincere when they talk to you or "are they just reading a script"...

[Dan]

When I had to deal with Carnival after 9-11, I felt they were sincerely reading a script LOL. And a short one at that.

[JoeyandDavid]

Hey Dan was customer service really that bad?

[GottaCruz]

Tut and harvey,

I've got my fingers and toes crossed for you that all works out. But like everyone said, the important thing is that you're safe and with your loved ones. The rest will fall into place. Remember to print out your CruiseCrazies door hangs and I hope you get to say hi to each other aboard the Conquest. Our thoughts are with you both. Hugs, Cheryl

and, by the way,

Welcome aboard, harvey. We're so very glad to have you as a member of our CruiseCrazies family.

[Tut]

Hi Joey. George who??? Just kidding!

Actually, I haven't talked to a live person with the exception of calling them the beginning of the week. That person didn't sound like she really knew anything and, I'm sure, back then, she probably didn't.

The call I got tonight at 5:30 was a recording and it was the exact wording as the information on the Carnival site - word for word. The message was left on our machine. I'm not sure who I would have talked to if we had been home.

Don't misunderstand me though. I don't feel as if I'm "out of the loop". I'm comfortable with the information I've been getting by checking the sites. If I wasn't, I would make a few more phone calls but for now, I feel informed.

Did you go thru a TA to make your reservations? Or do you do them yourself on the net? Just curious.

[hamster92256]

Sue I know this isn't going to be any help to you but I called my Carnival PVP today to check on our cruise in April, it actually took three days to get through to her, and she said they were swamped with calls. Mostly like you wondering about what to do because of the hurricane. She basicaly said that with limited resources they have been doing the best that they could. What with the people at the top making decisions and trying to move ships around at the last minute to avoid severe weather and accomidate passengers already on those ships and passengers getting off. I have a feeling that it has been a long couple of weeks for everyone that is involved with the cruise lines. Just wanted you to know that there is someone out there that cares, you just haven't had the chance to talk to them yet!

Good Luck!

[GottaCruz]

Sue and Crystal,

I must compliment you both on having such great attitudes about the whole thing. You're great examples for many.

[JoeyandDavid]

I really enjoy all the planning and a bit of a control freak.......so i do as much as i want( which is everything) then after final payment I normally turn it over to different friends of mine who are TA"s as presents.. Not always but most of the time. :wink:

[Dan]

I won't say the customer service was bad, from the front line folks. They were actually pretty decent to deal with. I just don't think the folks higher up the chain were providing their contact folks with info fast enough. We were to sail 9-15 from New York. The news on the afternoon of 9-11 pretty much made it clear that we wouldn't be getting into NYC 4 days later. I gave Carnival a day to work things out, then started calling them.

I know 9-15 sailings weren't the immediate worry for Carnival brass, since they had the Spirit docking in Vancouver either on the 11th or 12th with no way to get people out of there (flights all grounded). But, I would have thought figuring out what to do with a ship with 3400 people set to return to NYC in a couple days would have been the next up on their list. I remember talking with a guy from Carnival on Thursday afternoon (13th), and saying "You guys have to know where that ship is going by now. It's not going to New York. Everyone knows this." All he could say was his personal opinion that it would likely be Boston, but he had nothing official yet.

Finally, the afternoon of the 14th, they make it official that the ship was going to Boston. Great, now how to get there, with my Buffalo-Newark flight not being much good at that point, especially since Newark was still closed. I ask about cancellation options. Carnival says they will give us a credit good for 18 months. Not much use since my wife is just shy of 6 months pregnant, and we wouldn't be leaving the twins that soon LOL. So we decide to jump in the car and start driving. Oh well, the flights were only $100 per person anyway. If Newark hadn't opened back up Saturday morning, we would have got a refund, but since our flight did in fact operate, we were stuck.

Now, it wasn't all bad. Carnival did give us $200 per person shipboard credit, 100 for the ship being moved to Boston, and another 100 for us getting ourselves to the ship, instead of using their shuttle bus from NYC. So that covered the unused flights, gas, and parking in Boston.