I couldn't believe this one, when I saw it. They overbooked the ship for the world cruise and didn't tell some of the people until they arrived at the ship!!! :eek:

Here is the article. http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1252

Interesting, Don!

I would not be too put out with the compensation!

On the other hand, those poor people who got their world cruise cancelled on the Aurora got the shaft!

Karen, I was thinking the same thing. Not too bad. Two free cruises out of the deal. I think I could do that.

The disparity in compensation is even more striking when you remember that Cunard and P&O are both owned by Carnival. It's the same corporation -- how can the compensation be this different??

Masaki

They certainly tried to compensate them more than fairly, didn't they? Can you imagine how devastating it would be to fly all the way to a spot like that and hear that they didn't have room for you?

How can a cruiseline overbook? Doesn't everyone pay in advance and they are guaranteed a good bit of their money even if people don't show up?

Considering the parent company, there is no wonder that this occurred. It has been proven many times that the Carnival brand primarily concerns itself with money, not passenger satisfaction.

Anthony

I can understand overbooking. I just can't understand letting people ARRIVE at the ship when there is no room for them. Poor, poor planning on the part of the QE2 admin. But, that being said, I agree with all here that the compensation was pretty darn good.

As to Carnival going for the money, not the customer satisfaction deal - I couldn't agree more. The staff captain of the Diamond stated that he knew for a fact that Carnival was not looking for repeat customers. Their target market was first-time cruisers.

Compensation or not, I'd still be pi$$ed. I'd probably get over it, but I'd never pay to cruise that line again. But I would be sure to use all my freebies.

I would be pissed also. For about two minutes before receiving my BONUS package.

fyi:



QE2-bound pax join Sapphire Princess
12/2/2005
The two passengers who had flown from the UK to join Queen Elizabeth 2’s world voyage in Sydney and were bumped off with 10 others before the overbooked liner sailed for Melbourne on Thursday are now en route to New Zealand aboard Sapphire Princess.
Jackie Foggitt, Carnival Australia’s vp international sales, told Seatrade Insider a ‘glitch’ in the changeover to a new reservation system had caused the problem.

Foggitt said the UK passengers, who have been given the Sapphire Princess cruise to New Zealand, will receive free air to the UK, as well as a full refund and the same segment they had booked on next year’s world cruise.

More than 600 passengers joined QE2 in Sydney and another 324 will join her in Melbourne, Adelaide and Fremantle, Foggitt said.

How can you beat it. They probably will be sitting at the Captains table one of the nights also.

The QE2 really isn't much to write home about. I was on her 15 years ago and the ship was worn out then. We were in the cheap seats, I had a tiny inside cabin and the service in the Britania grill was so slow we only ate their once. I don't think I would like to spend any length of time on her as opposed to Radisson or Crystal.

Unbelievable! What sloppy work to allow passengers to come from such great distances only to be canceled.

It's not a tragedy of course but sheesh.

I thought there was a new QE2?? I know they have a new ship, someone help me, if it's not the QE2 then what is it??? Thanks

Sandy, that's what I was thinking, too. The new one is the Queen Mary 2 :)