Anne Newman’s holiday cruise from Baltimore to the Bahamas on the Carnival Pride got off to the worst start possible when two members of her party — her brother and father — were left standing at the dock because of a paperwork problem.
Carnival
Andrew Besterman’s eight-day cruise to the Bahamas on the Carnival Miracle was something short of divine. For the duration of the journey, he was annoyed by the odor of cigarette smoke which seeped into his mini-suite from the cabin next door.
This is Rebecca Dickerson and her son, Jordan. A few days ago, they were cruising to the Bahamas on the Carnival Fascination. But this weekend, they were removed from the ship in a “shocking” turn of events, according to Rebecca Dickerson.
Whenever I get complaint like Ashish Kapila’s, my first reaction is, “Oh no, not another laundry list.”
When Jennifer Tomes’ fiance walks out on her, her cruise line tells her she can’t get a refund for her honeymoon. Is she out of luck?
Denise Frantz’s Western Caribbean cruise on Carnival isn’t meant to be. First her plane is delayed, and then she’s denied boarding because of a paperwork problem. But wait! Didn’t Carnival make her airline reservations? Shouldn’t it help her now?
Veda Robinson and Jackie Smartt were looking forward to their Carnival cruise last December. But they never made it on board. Smartt had packed the wrong ID, and the cruise line left her standing at the dock.
Spend a little time on a cruise ship, and you’ll notice how germ-phobic the seafaring class seems to be. From the ever-present dispensers of Purell hand sanitizer to the employees offering antiseptic towelettes at the all-you-can-eat-buffet, they look as if they could show Howard Hughes a good time.
Remember the Carnival Splendor, the ship that was marooned 200 miles south of San Diego for several days last year after a fire knocked out its power? Robert and Beverly Howell won’t ever forget it, because they were on the ship.
Becky and David Hovis’ honeymoon cruise on Carnival never happened. And it never will, probably.
When Jeff Allen falls and breaks his tibial plateau just before a Carnival cruise, the company offers him a 50 percent cruise credit. But he thinks the company should let him redo the cruise after his surgery. Who’s right? And is there anything he could have done to avoid losing his vacation?
Thirty-two dollars. That’s all that separated a good cruise from a bad one, in Nick Prewett’s mind. That’s how much he’d paid Carnival for ground transportation back to Miami International Airport through its Web site.
Now there’s a headline I thought I’d never write. But it’s true: Carnival has refunded a passenger’s cruise fare after a last-minute cancellation.
Every now and then, it’s useful to take a peek behind the scenes in the travel industry to see how the machinery works. But don’t stare — it could drive you mad. That’s what almost happened to me when I tried to mediate the case between Jerri Olsen and Carnival Cruise Lines. Before you continue, a warning: The following case contains information that some travel agents might find offensive.
Elliott is consumer advocate 
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