I contacted Carnival Cruise Lines for a dual purpose.in addition to a weekend getaway, I planned on doing a coaching seminar. Thank goodness, I didn't get any response to the seminar. Apparently, it was because I was using Carnival because all other seminars have had great response. I am very glad that the problems that we encountered we only faced by us and I didn't have to deal with the complaints of others who would view me as the coordinator and responsible party.
We booked a penthouse suite (U94) on the Fascination and paid a lot of money for it for the two of us. We were told by our travel person that there would be a special agent to meet us at the dock and escort us and our bags to the special VIP boarding area. After we checked in through the Skipper's Lounge (sounds ritzy right?), we would be escorted to our cabins with our bags. This was important to us because my husband is a heart and lung patient who requires a portable breathing machine for treatments (not oxygen). We cleared everything through the special departments and obtained copies of all prescriptions and diagnosis for approval and placed it into the luggage to assist the airport people as well.
We were met at the dock by a longshoreman who said, "pay me here and I will get your bags to your room." We did just that and entered the terminal and found an office with a sign saying "Skipper's Lounge" with a lady at a desk. She took our documents, typed in the wrong credit card info (we found out later) and told us we were all set. We had to pass through two more stops before we were on board. We found our own room and NO LUGGAGE when we got there. The room was nice looking and pretty clean. The steward arrived and of course didn't speak alot of English, just smiled alot, as usual. We proceeded to the Lido deck to check things out. Hot Dogs and Burgers were the order of the day. That's all they ever served every day of the cruise.inside in the Coconut Grove, they have bowls the size of home serving dishes with very unappetizing fruits, etc. And a Turkey leg that they were carving off of! The ice cream parlor was a stack of cones and a softserve machine. As we fixed our hotdog, we were called on the speaker to report immediately to the Security lower level. We went and my sick husband was taken off the ship into the sun to talk about his luggage. The breathing machine looked suspicious and they wouldn't open it or allow him to until it was explained. We spent about 20 minutes getting that straightened out.By then, who wanted a hotdog.
We noticed the room was cold as soon as we pulled out, and noticed extra duvets in the closet. There was NO thermostat in the suite! We slept in the terry robes over our pajamas and under the duvets and still got so sick that on the flight home the membrane in my ear tore from the pressure and I was deaf for 6 weeks. The food was unremarkable everynight. The best entertainment was the waiters doing the "Chicken Dance." So much for the Las Vegas entertainment.
I won't bore you with the remaining details, but it was the cruise from hell and I would not send my worst enemy on that cruise line. When we returned, we were given a special number to make the president's office aware of this unusual incident. Yeah Right. She listened and of course gave us the same story that I have seen on this site. That we should have reported it to the Pursar's office. The only time we were there was because they told us our credit card was declined and they talked to us like we were welfare recipients trying to stowaway and when they finally realized that the number was taken down wrong (you'd think they'd have a scanner), they didn't even apologize for THEIR mistake.
When I shared this story with others, they all said they thought I knew about Carnival. Nobody goes on that ship they said except the folks with insurance settlements who aren't used to anything anyway. I was stunned.
We were sent a letter offering a 15% discount on a future cruise. As if I would be a big enough fool to give them some more money. We will cruise again, but I will NEVER go on Carnival.
Janet
Corpus Christi, Texas
U.S.A.
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