Anyone who has ever rented a car knows the first thing you do before signing the contract is check the cars for any dent’s dings or other forms of wear and tear.  Maybe its time to check your cabin for those same issues.  This is a cautionary tale about a passenger who was in fact banned from Carnival for damage to a room that they did not cause.  You can read the full store here but here is the gist of the story.

Traveling aboard the Carnival Freedom, Chris Harvey was set to have a great family vacation.  After what I am sure was a great week on board the cruise ship, a member of the cleaning crew noticed nicks in one of the counters.  Upon finding an empty Bud Light bottle, the crewmember deduced the nicks must have come from someone using the edge of the counter to open the beer bottle.  Never mind the fact that all bottles of beer are served pre-opened the crew was convinced that a member of the Harvey party caused the damage.

Of course Mr. Harvey would not confess to something he did not do, who would?  The cruise ship employees decided that absent a confession the only other course of action was a permanent ban from all Carnival ships.  Not only was the action taken by the cruise line inappropriate but also time consuming, the entire ordeal lasted several hours.  Eventually they were allowed to leave the ship but not until they signed a document acknowledging the lifetime ban.

Luckily, when the Harvey’s arrived home they found there were pictures pre-dating when the supposed damage occured which allowed their name to be cleared.  The photos which are posted here would be impossible to fake since they clearly take place in the stateroom.  Once presented with this evidence Carnival did apologize and rescind the ban, but what would have happened if those pictures didn’t exist?

The message here is a clear one.  When you arrive at your cabin it would be wise to report and take pictures of any damage that you notice in your stateroom.  The chances of you ever needing the pictures are probably pretty slim, but the alternative is a pretty severe consequence.  You know what they say, its better to have and not need than to need and not have.

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Here is a list of the new benefits:

• Concierge Club access – All suite guests aboard Radiance-, Voyager- and Freedom-class ships will receive access to the Concierge Club.
• Elite keycards Guests staying in Grand Suites or higher will receive a special gold key card so the staff can better identify you.
• Extra Edibles – On the first formal evening, Suite guests will receive a pre-dinner cheese presentation, with petit fours delivered at turndown on the second formal evening. Free 24-hour room service, coffee and tea will be available throughout the cruise, guests will also be able to order a full breakfast, lunch and dinner from the main dining room’s menus.
• Priority check-in – Guests staying in the Presidential Family, Royal, Royal Family, Owner’s and Grand suites will be granted access to dedicated security and check-in lines to expedite the embarkation process. Those staying in the top-tier Royal and Presidential Family suites will be met and escorted onboard by a senior officer.
• Priority disembarkation and luggage service – Passengers will have access to priority disembarkation and will receive complimentary luggage transfer to the airport.
• Upgraded cabin amenities – Scheduled to be completed by 2010 is the refurnishing of some 2000+ suites across the fleet. Upgrades will include plush sofa beds, new deckchairs and tables, and new entertainment systems including flat-panel televisions and CD/DVD players.
• Upgraded room service – Suite guests will be able to enjoy complimentary slippers, bathrobes, Vitality bathroom toiletries, Ghirardelli chocolates at turndown, plush duvets and a special pillow menu.
• VIP access – Guests staying in the Grand Suite and higher category cabins will receive an invitation to a private cocktail reception hosted by the Captain. They will also receive VIP seating for shows in the main theater, priority bookings in the salon and spa, and priority access for tendering and shore excursion tickets.
• VIP poolside seating – Suite passengers sailing on Voyager- and Freedom-class ships will be able to access reserved VIP seating both poolside and at the ice shows in the Studio B venue.

How do you feel about the new benefits for Royal Caribbean’s Suite Guests?

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