Opportunities for Excellent Service: Carnival Cruise Lines has Horrible Customer Service.

​Very rarely do I need to post in my “Opportunities for Excellent Service” section. Companies need to show a complete inability to ensure customer service based on their own warranties or what is expected. When I do run across an experience that is egregious I need to let everyone know what to expect and how the company can work towards communicating better with the public.
Let me start with this, vacations are a luxury regardless of the discount or deal provided. Understanding this, a company that offers something that is 100% optional to the public should tread lightly and go over and beyond to create an experience that makes a vacation necessary. Especially in this world of outsourcing and tech-service. No one wants to call a company for a non-essential service and receive service that they can receive by just using a computer or an app.  Otherwise why even bother calling.
With this understanding, I need to explain why there are far more options for cruises and vacations than carnival cruise lines. I need to try to keep this short. The experience it self is long and drawn out and still not resolved.
I booked a cruise based on a promotion I received boasting reduced down payments back in January. I went on a cruise with Carnival the year before and it was not horrible, so I decided it was a great deal. I received notification that the final payment was due. Since it was summer, and I am a substitute teacher, I called to ask if an extension would be possible. I spoke to an agent who said yes. When I was ready to make any type of payment, I could call back for an extension. I called back for an extension. I spoke with an agent who said she can provide a 7-day extension with my 50.00 payment. I said that’s wonderful. However, I needed a little more time. I said is it possible to push the trip back. She said yes. We agreed on a date that would allow me until the end of August to pay.  I pay her 50.00 to extend the trip.
I received an email itinerary. Everything looked wonderful except there was an extra 100.00 admin fee that was never disclosed. Of course, I called back to dispute the fee. I will spare you the drama and just tell you since then I have been hung up on and yelled at by agents defending the actions of other agents. I have asked to speak with a manager and I was told no such thing can happen. It was my fault for listening to the first 2 agents.
As stated in the 2nd paragraph, cruises are optional. They are not necessary. My husband and I travel often. I have never received such horrible treatment for such a simple request that should have initially either been denied or approved. Here are things Carnival can do to improve their service:

• Take ownership of the customer experience. If a customer says this is what happened, accept that it happened and work from that moment in the customers mind. Don’t argue from the company perspective. It is already too late.
• Take the time to listen to all recorded calls of the incident. This will give you the full spectrum of the customers frustration.
• Provide the customer with whatever warranty that was provided by the companys own agents. This is just a sales rule in general that should not need to be explained.
• Never talk over, yell or argue with a customer. There are escalation options that are allowed.
• If a customer has called more than 3 times, obviously an escalations agent is incapable of handling the issue. Allow a manger to call the customer back.

Clearly this blog is written from frustration. However, I do believe there is a learning experience for everyone. Instead of cruising with Carnival, cruise with a company who actually cares about its customers or go to one of my favorite destinations such as Manhattan, San Diego, San Francisco, and other amazing destinations that do not result in a customer service agent yelling at you because you don’t understand their company policies.