Last Dance

Having a cabin credit from our travel agency is great, but getting more credits when the cabin rates were reduced a few months back is absolutely "the bomb" because it means we can now splurge using on-board facilities such as the length of cruise spa admittance (me) and the casino (DH)! So, not seeing those credits on the cruise documents, is most distressing. Worse yet is the TA who wants nothing more to do with it.....the credits came in two stages: the first showed online immediately, the second discount resulting in more Carnival credits has yet to materialize.

The last thing I want to do is show up in Dover with these documents, and the purser says, uh huh, uh huh, I'm sorry, you didn't use the Carnival reservation system. Yes, I've heard this already from the Carnival 24 hour "ask me a question" customer service line. So, Carnival suggests getting the TA, in fact ANY TA, on the phone and asking them to do a 3 way conference call whereby I can hear Carnival confirm the cabin credits.

Not wanting to offend my TA by making this call, I have written him to ask for a cabin credit update. I'll keep you posted on whether he replies or not. A month ago he said to me (in writing no less) "you are not the only person on this cruise, the credits are coming." I waited 2 weeks, realized he probably had a bad day, and asked again hoping for a better day......after all I expect Carnival is using computers and not pencils to pen in the credits. So, on 11 Aug I tried again, and he wrote me a message that said "for the last time" he has told me the credits are coming and I should see them in a "couple of days". So, here it is two weeks later. Is 4 weeks enough time to wait? I THINK SO!

Here's what's going on in my head: 1. maybe he forgot to call Carnival and the credits are vamoose; 2. maybe the credits don't go to the online documents after I have electronically "signed" them but they are indeed lingering there; or, 3. maybe with the average age on the current sailing being 55, they are hoping I am one of those above and beyond that age with a slight case of aged grey matter and thus probably won't notice.

My mother recently made cruise reservations for a 2009 departure, buying, as an informed consumer, the trip insurance. Alas, when booking she was told there were no early dinner seatings available....and after quite a couple of months when it was obvious a large group had swooped up those early seatings, she cancelled the cruise, not wanting to eat dinner in her PJs which would have been the case as she is probably pleasantly snoozing at 9pm rather than nibbling on dessert! But guess what, the cruise insurance was not refunded....caveat emptor, should the TA have told her of this possibility? Is educating the customer part of the job description.

For both of us, it's been the last dance with these partners. So from Donna, we sing-a-long:
Last dance
Last dance for love
Yes, its my last chance
For romance tonight
I need you,
by me,
Beside me,
to guide me,
To hold me,
to scold me,......now just wait a MINUTE....do NOT scold me. Sorry, Donna.

I'm holding my breath for a positive return of info today!
Kiko