45 Day Letter

[eggplant]

Got my 45 day letter today. Only said "thanks for cruising with us and sending a letter and we look forward to you sailing on Carnival again". No call this number and get something for free. Has anyone else had this happen?

[JamesRT]

Originally Posted by eggplant

Got my 45 day letter today. Only said "thanks for cruising with us and sending a letter and we look forward to you sailing on Carnival again". No call this number and get something for free. Has anyone else had this happen?

Yup! Same thing here, just a "Thank You" letter!

[misguidedangel]

I believe it is a combination of the economy and the over abuse of passengers to get a free bon voyage gift. It was stopped a month or two ago. I sent a letter, but I was not in it for a freebie, I wanted to let them know about how well run the ship was and how much fun it was, even though we we routed West because of Ike.

The era of free stuff for writing a letter, good or bad, is gone! We will all have to get used to it!

[Roynala]

That stinks, I won't bother writing the letter I was getting ready to do. I can understand the financia impact all companies are having now. I can't believe some of the prices out there right now. They are almost giving alway cruises to people.l

[Paul Motter]

I guess I am uninformed. What is the 45-day letter? Was this an official thing, or just something that people found out might get them a little freebie.

[nurseypoo5]

Originally Posted by Paul Motter

I guess I am uninformed. What is the 45-day letter? Was this an official thing, or just something that people found out might get them a little freebie.

me too i have no idea

[spencercoop]

Where you right to Carnival complaining or telling them how good your cruise was. They will send you a letter back telling you thank you or if you are lucky they will say call us back at this #, 45 days before your next cruise.

Then you will call them 45 days before your next cruise and they will ask you what you want. I can't remember what the choices used to be, but that is basically what it is.

It is a shame they aren't doing it anymore, a lot of people probably won't write anymore. But I guess in these times they have to do, what they have to do. Anyways they are selling cruises pretty cheep now, so that is good.

[Paul Motter]

Well, I was thinking how much the fuel supplement changes must be affecting them financially. Think about going from collecting about $140 per cabin to having to give away $140/cabin in onboard credit.

I see cruise fares have already gone up for Carnival, the $329 cruises are long gone now.

Now, fuel IS much cheaper for them than it was before, so they make a lot of money back that way, but still, I'll feel they may be kicking themselves for saying in print they would rescind the surcharges at a certain point (under $70/barrel for 25 days in a row) because I think it came much faster than they ever expected.

[spencercoop]

Originally Posted by Paul Motter

Well, I was thinking how much the fuel supplement changes must be affecting them financially. Think about going from collecting about $140 per cabin to having to give away $140/cabin in onboard credit.

I see cruise fares have already gone up for Carnival, the $329 cruises are long gone now.

Now, fuel IS much cheaper for them than it was before, so they make a lot of money back that way, but still, I'll feel they may be kicking themselves for saying in print they would rescind the surcharges at a certain point (under $70/barrel for 25 days in a row) because I think it came much faster than they ever expected.

You are right, I also don't think they expected it to drop so fast.

Carnival did it different becuase pretty much all other cruise lines said it had to stay under $65.

[Zingy]

[quote="Paul Motter"]Well, I was thinking how much the fuel supplement changes must be affecting them financially. Think about going from collecting about $140 per cabin to having to give away $140/cabin in onboard credit.

Well maybe yes and maybe no. Here is an interesting tidbit of information. We booked our Nov 09 Cruise this past November 08. We booked a Cat 11, aft wrap around balcony, because it was available and we could not resist. At any rate, the cruise fare was $1,349 p/p plus the $72 fuel fee per person, plus taxes, etc....So, now 04 Dec 08 rolls around and the fuel surcharge is suspended (We are waiting to get our refund for this).

Now.......Those booking after 04 Dec 09 for this same cruise (for a Cat 11) no longer pay the fuel surcharge ($72.00 p/p).....unfurtunately, the fare p/p is now $1,429.00.....$80.00 p/p more. Those booking now are actually paying more money for this cruise than they were prior to the fuel surcharge suspension. As I recall, all of the stateroom catagories for this cruise (Spirit/Nov 09/8 day Mexican Riviera) went up $80.00 p/p after the fuel surcharge was suspended. No loss of money on Carnival's part here.

As Carnival also stated previously, at some point they were going to rescind the fuel surcharges anyway and go with an increase in the fare per person for the staterooms. It is possible this may have started sooner than we expected.

[skymaster]

My last "45 day letter" was without a gift as well. That's O.K.,,,I'll keep writing them and letting them know about the good, and the bad on my cruises. IMO that's the only way things will get fixed, and those aboard who go above and beyond will be recognized. As a matter of fact, I have a note to Carnival on the desk that I just wrote about my recent "Miracle" cruise.

Ken
"SKY"

[FirstCoastCruiser]

I agree, keep writing whether good or bad, and never with just the intent of getting a freebie. The only way they can improve on things is to know what they need to improve. Also, think about those that went out of the way to make your vacation more enjoyable. I wouldn't let the fact that I no longer get a freebie keep me from acknowledging them.

As for pricing and the discontinuation of the fuel supplement, I don't think they are losing anything. I had been watching a couple different sailings and found that once the fuel charge was discontinued, the fare increased by a proportionate amount. This may not have been the case on all sailings but it was on those I was watching - all 7 day Caribbean. I ended up booking the Legend out of Tampa for Mar '09.

[Ro]

I got a letter and a free gift of choice to be chosen closer to sailing on our next cruise in June 2009. I sent in the pics of all the people who helped me on The Glory this past May. I wrote their names next to the pic of them and wrote a two page letter listing how they assisted me and how much it was appreciated. I had good reasons to write how these special people helped me with a disability problem I was having on the ship. I wasn't really looking for something for free I truly wanted the staff mentioned by name & thanked since I heard they mention to the staff what you said about them at the staff meetings they hold. The free gift they are giving me is nice though.

[Nothin but blue skies]

Originally Posted by Ro

I got a letter and a free gift of choice to be chosen closer to sailing on our next cruise in June 2009. I sent in the pics of all the people who helped me on The Glory this past May. I wrote their names next to the pic of them and wrote a two page letter listing how they assisted me and how much it was appreciated. I had good reasons to write how these special people helped me with a disability problem I was having on the ship. I wasn't really looking for something for free I truly wanted the staff mentioned by name & thanked since I heard they mention to the staff what you said about them at the staff meetings they hold. The free gift they are giving me is nice though.

Whoa! I almost couldn't finish reading your post without a Dramamine! What is that wave thingy?

[briguy]

Originally Posted by spencercoop

You are right, I also don't think they expected it to drop so fast.

Carnival did it different becuase pretty much all other cruise lines said it had to stay under $65.

Look at it this way. They basically borrowed everybodys $140, stuffed it into their bank account and when you board the ship they will give it back to you interest free. Carnival didnt lose anything at all. In fact they made money. I dont feel for them one iota.

[Ro]

Nothin that is my "wave" icon" or whatever you call it. You go on a site and pick something to put on your signature. Someone with more experience can tell you where they are located and how to place them on your signature. I love my wave sorry it made you dizzy. If my little wave here makes you dizzy how do you handle the real thing on the ship?

[Ro]

I forgot to say thanks to "Ferrangi" again on this web site for telling me about the 45 day letter gift. I didn't know about it before that.