Latest news with #cruisers
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Yahoo
Carnival Cruise Line raises red flag over new cruise ‘hack'
Carnival Cruise Line raises red flag over new cruise 'hack' originally appeared on Come Cruise With Me. Many cruisers turn to online forums like Reddit, Facebook groups, and cruise website message boards for tips and advice about cruises. These forums can be a wealth of cruise information, but it's important to keep in mind that not all of the tips and 'cruise hacks' you find on them — even popular ones — are cruise hacks violate cruise line conduct policies and could get you banned from sailing. Some can also jeopardize your safety and the safety of others. Although some cruise hacks are smart and helpful, you probably shouldn't try any that sound questionable. If you're unsure, consult your cruise line's guest conduct policies or contact its guest services team. Cruise lines want to make it easy for passengers to understand what onboard behaviors are discouraged. Guest conduct policies are quite detailed to help prevent any doubt, and to help ensure a safe and enjoyable onboard experience for all. For Carnival Cruise Line passengers, there's even an easy way to reach out directly on social media to a helpful cruise line representative. Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald manages a popular Facebook page where he answers hundreds of questions from passengers every day. Heald also posts helpful information that cruisers need to know, including warnings about rumors and cruise hacks that passengers should a video message posted on June 14, Heald shared a serious warning for Carnival cruise passengers after a concerning cruise hack was brought to his attention by both cruisers and a staff member who monitors social media sites for the cruise line. This Carnival cruise cabin hack was posted on a cruise message board and suggested a questionable way to make the cabin air conditioning get cooler. 'Basically, what they're saying is you can go into the thermostat, take the thing off, switch some wires around and bypass and sort of try and make it cooler yourself, I guess,' Heald said he didn't really know what this air conditioning hack was telling people to do exactly, but what he did know was that passengers should not attempt it because it's extremely unsafe. 'I spoke with one of the engineers about this on one of the ships, and not only is that something that is very likely to give you an electric shock and really injure you, but also it's very dangerous as well from a fire safety point of view,' Heald he warned passengers against this cruise air conditioning hack, the brand ambassador also encouraged Carnival cruisers not to hesitate to reach out to guest services if they have a problem with their cabin air conditioning. 'Please don't write to me at the end of cruise when you're back home in Cleveland and say it wasn't cold enough in my cabin,' Heald stressed. 'Talk to somebody on board there — call 7777, go to guest services, tell your cabin attendant, do whatever is necessary.' Heald also explained why it may feel like cruise ship air conditioning systems aren't cooling as well as they should, especially during the hot summer season. 'The ship uses a cooling system — a cool water system — which takes the cold water from the engines and the engine room and pushes that through into the air conditioning. Now, remember this time of year the water temperatures in the be very warm and so just bear that in mind — it is the very warm and humid time of year,' Heald said. More Carnival cruise news:'But if you have any concerns in your cabin, please speak to somebody. Do not, do not tamper with the air conditioning system, please,' he reiterated. The brand ambassador also warned that tampering with your cabin air conditioning system could get you banned from sailing on Carnival cruise ships. 'Not only is that very dangerous but it's a very good chance that you would stop yourself [from] ever being able to cruise with us ever again,' he added. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472. This story was originally reported by Come Cruise With Me on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Carnival Cruise Line rep scolds cruiser for cruel loyalty response
Carnival Cruise Line rep scolds cruiser for cruel loyalty response originally appeared on Come Cruise With Me. There's no doubt that Carnival Cruise Line's recently announced loyalty program changes are extremely unpopular with many of the cruise line's most loyal passengers. In a move to bring cruise line loyalty programs more in line with spend-based airline rewards programs, Carnival plans to link status to spending with Carnival Rewards, a new program rolling out in June 2026 that will replace the cruise line's VIFP Club loyalty with rewarding passengers more for higher spending than for the time they spend sailing with the cruise line, Carnival Rewards will eliminate lifetime loyalty status for Carnival cruisers. For many passengers who have spent years cruising their way to high status in the VIFP Club, the new program sounds like Carnival no longer values their loyalty much at all. Passengers certainly have a right to be angry with the cruise line, but there are right ways and wrong ways to go about expressing frustration over the loyalty program changes. In the comments on a June 26 Facebook post where he provided an update on the loyalty program fallout, Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald called out a passenger who boasted about expressing his anger in one completely unfair and inappropriate way. This passenger wrote to Heald to share a cruel tactic that he intended to use during his cruise to send a message about his dissatisfaction with the loyalty program changes.'I've already made my shirt for my non-refundable cruise that I'm forced to go on with the saying 'no loyalty, no gratuity' that I'll be wearing on the last day to explain to your staff why people are pulling their tips. And it's your bosses' fault, not paying customers that you try to guilt trip, gaslight, and block here on social media,' Trey Rios commented on Heald's post. In his signature respectful yet honest way, Heald reprimanded the passenger for misdirecting his anger about the loyalty program changes.'Can I respectfully ask what the crew have done to deserve this,' Heald replied. 'What has the person who would've cleaned your cabin and what will the people who have served you food and both doing so with such a smile on their face, what have they done to deserve you removing their gratuities. Respectfully, please let me know, cheers.' The brand ambassador and any person thinking rationally should understand that removing gratuities is a completely inappropriate and unhelpful response to the loyalty program changes. 'You can be mad at me. You can be mad at my colleagues, but this in my humble opinion, is wrong. And it makes me very sad,' Heald passenger Kirstin Moore expressed a much more level-headed point of view with which most cruisers hopefully will align as they seek to make their opinions about the new loyalty program heard. 'That is cruel to the crew who are serving you. They had no say so in this. In fact, if it were up to them, they wouldn't change anything. They don't like to see us upset and certainly don't want to see us leaving. Please do let John know your thoughts, mention it in your survey, post as much as you see fit on [Facebook], but don't take it out on the crew who are serving you,' she wrote. More Carnival cruise news:Removing gratuities as a way to send a message to the cruise line won't accomplish anything but harming innocent crew members. These diligent shipboard staff members have nothing to do with the loyalty program besides being the reason why so many people have enjoyed their cruises and stayed loyal to Carnival for so many years. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472. This story was originally reported by Come Cruise With Me on Jun 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
Daily Mail
27-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Cruise passengers reveal the destinations they'd NEVER go to again
Cruise holidays give tourists the chance to tick off several top destinations on one trip. But unfortunately, not every port leaves passengers hungry for more. Experienced cruisers have taken to Reddit to share their main cruise regrets – and for many people, it's a destination that didn't quite hit the mark. So, where will these cruisers be leaving off their itinerary? The largest island in French Polynesia, Tahiti, is often considered to be one of the world's most luxurious places to cruise. But that's not the case for Reddit user 'Jammu2' who says: 'The actual island of Tahiti and the capital Papeete are pretty grim.' And another person adds that they had to pay $30/£21.85 for a glass of beer in the luxury island location. It's a Jamaican destination that 'VagabondCamp' won't be returning to. They say: 'Falmouth, Jamaica - small hole in the wall town - we left the port area and got screamed at, followed, blocked from walking etc.' Cruiser 'mga1' agrees, adding: 'There isn't anything around. There isn't much to see/shop/eat in the area.' For 'wanderingstorm', there are several destinations that have left them with no desire to return. They say: 'I wasn't impressed with Western Caribbean, Cozumel, Roatan, Costa Maya etc. It was fine but nothing I had much desire to see again once the cruise was over.' And 'GroundbreakingHeat38' slams Costa Maya, a cruise port in Mexico, as 'awful'. They claim: [It's] a big tourist trap type stop and you couldn't even go in the ocean, there was no beach.' The Bahamas has also sadly left several cruise guests unimpressed with 'Express-Bee-6485' moaning that they 'should've stayed on [the] ship!' 'Elvisdog12' even describes Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas and a leading cruise destination, as 'straight up gross'. Europe isn't spared on the thread with 'malbecois' claiming: 'I could do without stopping in Olympia on future cruises.' They explain their dislike for the Greek destination by saying: 'It sounded interesting, but the Olympic site was a bit of a let-down compared to other historical ruins. And damn was it hot!' And 'PMyra' had their cruise ruined by a terrible excursion to a 'factory' in Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. They claim the trip was 'nothing but sales pitches and forced shopping' adding that they now 'avoid' any factory excursions. Meanwhile another cruise guest says they need a 'a vacation to recover after a Mediterranean cruise', explaining that 'there's a port every day and you're usually waking up at 6am to do whatever is planned'. Cruise guests have also been warned that trips to a popular European destination are about to get a little pricier. Norway has announced that local governments will be able to charge a three per cent levy on overnight stays and cruise ship visitors. The tax is due to launch in the summer of 2026 and has been designed in response to overtourism in the Nordic country.
Forbes
23-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Will Carnival Cruise Line Walk Back Changes To Loyalty Program?
Carnival Cruise Line hints they are listening to customer feedback on controversial loyalty program ... More changes. Last week, Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & plc, announced it was scrapping its lifetime loyalty program and switching to one that rewards the amount spent on cruises over two years. Branded credit card spending will also accrue loyalty points. Long-time Carnival cruisers are furious, and have been expressing their views on every social media outlet. While Carnival certainly hasn't said they would revise the new program, their brand ambassador John Heald posted a video hinting that the company had announced the changes early enough to make adjustments based on customer feedback. Let's unpack the controversy sparked by Carnival's announcement. Why Did Carnival Scrap Lifetime Loyalty? Simply put, Carnival had too many customers who had attained the top tiers of their loyalty program. Too many loyal customers sounds like a problem most companies would enjoy having, but delivering an elite experience for elite members is difficult when half the guests on a ship are elite. Elite benefits like free laundry and specialty dining meals cut into profit margins. Priority lines for debarkation and other services become as long as the regular ones. Current Carnival loyalty program tiers are based on nights spent on ships and accrue for life. Much like Social Security doomsayers, no doubt Carnival looked at forecasts for elite guest headcounts and they were only getting worse. Today, there are children and teens with elite status earned by cruising with their parents. They would have many decades of the highest level status ahead of them, joining the ranks with other cruisers achieving top tier status. To forestall an increasingly average experience for its biggest spenders, Carnival adopted a plan loosely based on what most airlines do today. The latter no longer count miles flown, they count dollars spent. And, status resets every year, often with more challenging goals for each tier of benefits. Carnival went with a two year reset, and to soften the blow is letting members retain their current status until mid-2028. Diamond members, the highest tier, retain their status until 2032. To retain that status, Diamond members will have to spend about $33,000 every two years. How did Carnival Loyalty Members React? Predictably, Carnival's customers did not like the changes. Every social media channel blew up with almost universally negative comments. Here are a few from YouTube: The customers most upset are those who accumulated status over many years with at most one cruise per year. They will have no chance to retain what they thought was lifetime status unless they spend vastly more per year. The IKEA Effect and Carnival's Changes As I noted in my earlier article, brand loyalty is emotional. Carnival is now treating it in a far more transactional way. And, of course, the 'lifetime' promise has been broken. This all leads to long-time customers feeling betrayed. Reading the commentary by long-time cruisers, I realized that the IKEA effect is coming into play as well. Research shows that when we build or create something, we value it more than we would otherwise value the same item. Longtime cruisers have 'built' their loyalty status over years, even decades. They track their progress through the tiers. Their cruise itineraries might even be changed by status considerations. If a cruiser is just two nights short of the next tier, they might well choose a slightly longer voyage or take an inexpensive three-day cruise. When customers are actively participating in creating their loyalty status, having it yanked away hurts even more. Will Carnival Budge? It seems unlikely that Carnival will completely reverse course on these changes. The numbers make the old program unsustainable, and they are only going to get worse. But, Carnival's Brand Ambassador, John Heald, posted a video on Facebook suggesting that the company delayed starting the program until 2026 to allow time to assess how the program was being received. And, perhaps, fine tune it. We announced this new program... a year before it comes into place... And the reason that we've announced it now is that we have a year to look at it, possibly, maybe fine tune it and change some things around... I do know that that is what I was told today by somebody at the very highest has not yet responded to a request for comments. How Carnival Can Prevent Further Damage Carnival has damaged their relationship with their most loyal customers. Even if they suddenly grandfathered lifetime status for current elite members (which isn't likely to happen), those members would still feel differently about the brand. There are a few things that Carnival could have done from the outset, but even now might still help reduce the damage. The most important thing is to recognize the emotional nature of brand loyalty. Sure, Diamond members enjoy the perks of their status, but the actual value of these perks isn't that much. They enjoy being seen as Diamond members. Every time there's an event, a special line, or some other perk, they are being told that their loyalty is appreciated and reciprocated. This is now being taken away. So, Carnival should retain recognition of lifetime status. Make the benefits that aren't financially or operationally sustainable available to the smaller group of high two-year spenders. But, let long-time customers feel seen. For example: Even if it's not feasible to offer expensive perks like free specialty dining, acknowledging the long-term loyalty of these customers will help keep them engaged with the brand. I don't expect big changes from Carnival, but I do think they will try to repair the damage and appease those customers with decades of loyalty.
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Cruise passengers issued stern warning over 'disrespectful' balcony trend: 'Just don't do it'
Carnival Cruise Line has issued a warning to passengers taking part in an unsafe balcony trend on its cruise ships. An image of a couple relaxing on a mattress on their cruise ship balcony recently went viral. The pair appeared to have dragged their bedding out on to the balcony so they could read their books outside. In another incident, Sarah Goodwin filmed herself dragging her mattress out to the balcony and told other cruisers they would 'not regret it'. But other passengers were less than impressed by Goodwin's behaviour with one person saying in a cruise group: 'That is a big no no. I find it incredibly disrespectful.' Another person added: 'You will [regret it] when your mattress is covered in salt and moist from the humid air and I bet the cruise company don't like that much either for those reasons.' And now Carnival Cruise Line's ambassador John Heald has explained what the brand really thinks of mattress balconies. In a social media post the ambassador warned: 'That is not allowed for safety reasons, cleanliness reasons, for all sorts of reasons. 'You cannot take your mattress and put it on your balcony. Don't do it. Just don't.' John also addressed a few other passenger queries about cruise ship balconies. The ambassador said that some guests had written to him to complain about other passengers sleeping with their balcony door open. The complaining guests had argued that it was 'selfish' as it stopped the air conditioning running in other cabins. But John said that's simply a rumour and sleeping with an open balcony door won't affect the air conditioning. 'Some people have said that passengers who leave the balcony door of their cabin open that it is selfish because it turns the air conditioning off for other cabins in that area,' said John. 'That is not true. Regardless of those who say it is, I have confirmed with the highest level, the chief engineers on the ships, and they confirm it only turns off the air conditioning in your cabin and does not affect those around you.' However, the ambassador did warn guests to be careful of a few things if they want to sleep with the balcony door open. Cruise balcony doors are liable to slam due to the wind out at sea. John urged passengers to 'watch their hands' when they operate the door and also asked passengers not to let the door slam as it may disturb their neighbours. The ambassador asked passengers to 'please be gracious and think of others' and advised them to keep an object in the door opening to prevent in slamming. Cruise balcony doors are liable to slam due to the wind out at sea. John urged passengers to 'watch their hands' when they operate the door and also asked passengers not to let the door slam as it may disturb their neighbours (stock image) Carnival Cruise Line also recently clarified a rule about a banned item on its cruise ships. Paper or cardboard fans aren't allowed to be used on any of the line's indoor dancefloors. Guests can still bring electronically operated personal fans as long as they comply with size requirements. Booking a cruise soon? Veteran guests have revealed exactly how to choose the perfect cabin for your trip.
