Our children bought
us a cruise through Travelocity on Carnival for Michael's retirement. They were
super-saver tickets. When insurance was offered it was made to sound like
insurance for luggage etc and our son, knowing we could care less if we lose
our luggage, declined it.
Our doctor informed
us October 30th he did not think it wise for us to travel. He didn't want us
driving down the highway, let alone to the Bahamas. We contacted Travelocity and followed their
instructions.
We heard nothing -
until 12 Nov - 13 days later. At that
point they changed their instructions. We needed to CANCEL the reservation
before Carnival would review it. AND now we were within the window where we
would be penalized 75% if we cancelled the ticket. If I waited until the 13th
we would be penalized 100%. Nifty how they managed to contact me on the very
last day to get any refund?
I realize some have
had GREAT experiences with Travelocity. This is not the first time I've had
trouble with them. While in Japan I was scheduled to fly when a typhoon hit. I
couldn't fly. Travelocity wouldn't refund.
Nonetheless, I
called Travelocity and attempted to beg for a bit of compassion.
They would not let
me travel with another person.
They would not let
me give the tickets to two other people.
My choices were 1.
lose 75% ("and tomorrow it will be 100%") or 2. take the cruise
alone. I was NOT talking to the call
center by the time I was done. I had "escalated" the call 3
levels.... "You have reached the escalation center." OK - "WHO IS ABOVE YOU?" Finally,
the cream of their crop was talking to me and gave me these two options.
I reminded her the
doctor didn't want Michael to travel as he was on a new drug which may have
complications. I asked her what in the world I would do if I were in the
Bahamas and he had a heart attack or such. Her response - from the top level
supervisor of Travelocity - "That
sounds like a family issue to me." OY vey! I was DONE! She began to read
her script again about how they can't help us, how this was a super-saver
ticket and insurance wasn't purchased... and I actually interrupted and told
her not to read the script again. I understood what she was saying. Policy did
say we should lose 75% of the tickets, and I couldn't change the names. I had
just hoped for a bit of compassion. I
told her to cancel the cruise. They kept 75% of the price and refunded the rest
to Josiah.
I decided to write
to Carnival again now that the cruise was cancelled. On 12 Nov I re-sent all
the email traffic between their company and me and the doctor's letter. I explained what Travelocity had concluded and
I asked if they would show a bit more compassion and consider the situation. I
NEVER asked anyone for a refund - I just asked to be able to reschedule or to
change the names on the tickets.
We waited. We
prayed. Josiah is a rock! We all felt
terrible about this.
We received an email
from Carnival. "
You’ll be pleased to know that
we’ve made a one-time exception to our policy.
Given the circumstances, we’d like to extend a $$$$ discount towards a future Carnival
cruise." The discount and the $300 and change Travelocity refunded totals
the cost of the cruise. We have two years to book the cruise and they will
apply the discount. We will not book through Travelocity. I understand that the
amount they refunded was probably their "cut" from the tickets and
Carnival had been given the 75%.....however, their LEADERSHIP'S flippant lack
of compassion "Sounds like a family issue...." well that's what lost
them my business forever.
So, we are going to
go on the cruise - just not now. We are
not doing business with Travelocity ever again - no "super saver"
deal can make up for this total lack of compassion or customer care. We are humbled by Carnival's willingness to
extend grace in our time of need.
