Caribbean Cruise Lines Bahamas Celebration, Caribbean Cruise Line Free 2 Night Bahamas Celebration Cruise SCAM!!!! Pompano Beach, Florida

I just don't understand people like this. ALL information and the terms and conditions were disclosed to the caller in PLAIN english, he admits this in most of his complaint. This customer is now called back to confirm on audio tape all that he heard within 30 minutes. The customer was then asked " do you authorize the $118 to your credit card", they must say yes, they are then asked to repeated the card number etc. It amazes me why a person would ready give a company there payment information and then say "I didn't no I was going to be charged today????".  But yet that makes us a scam,????? and that's just not true.  Besides someone that has to save to pay a $118 TOTAL for a great deal 2 nights meals and a stop for the day in the bahamas for two people  and it is disclosed that transportation is customers responsibility,  just shouldn't pick up the phone. One final thought if you were to READ the web site before you call when your register and enter all your information, you would have avoided a situation you created.  Its right there in plain ENGLISH & you have to be able to READ.

I just don't understand people like this. ALL information and the terms and conditions were disclosed to the caller in PLAIN english, he admits this in most of his complaint. This customer is now called back to confirm on audio tape all that he heard within 30 minutes. The customer was then asked " do you authorize the $118 to your credit card", they must say yes, they are then asked to repeat the card number etc. It amazes me why a person would freely  give a company there payment information and then say "I didn't no I was going to be charged today????". After all this he then checks his bank and sees that exactly what he was told and agreed to has been  processed.  But yet that makes us a scam,????? and that's just not true.  Besides someone that has to save to pay a $118 TOTAL for a great deal 2 night cruise meals and a stop for the day in the bahamas for two people  and it is disclosed that transportation is customers responsibility,  just shouldn't pick up the phone. One final thought if you were to READ the web site before you call when your register and enter all your information, you would have avoided a situation YOU created.  Its right there in plain ENGLISH & you have to be able to READ. To the rest of our HAPPY customers Welcome on Board!!!!!!!!

It's interesting that you say your customers are happy and satisfied with the cruise deal, unfortunately, that's not the case. Clearly the con artists you work for push their ideals on their employees and train them to be rude and inconsiderate, an in addition to that very fake and persuasive. I have done a lot of research on your company, there are 100s of complaints on the BBB and plenty of other postings on the internet. It's a horrible deal, with a hidden agenda to sell you extra things. The ship is a dinosaur, with no air conditioning, bad food, horrible service, and atrocious lodging. You don't have to defend them just because they give you a paycheck, so stop trying to scam consumers for your commission. 

I must have touched a nerve about your ability to read, and understand plain English. I guess we forced you to open your wallet, then forced you to read your credit card number, twice. ????  Also, your taking out your anger on the company and all its employees just working hard to make a living.  You should look up the definition of the word SCAM.  Its when you don't get what you pay for. Therefore genius, we are NOT a scam. We do our part.

Obviously I'm not the only person who has been SCAMMED by your company, do your research online, if you work for them, you should know what you are doing to people. Even on this website, there are tons of complaints about your company, funny that mine irked you so much that you feel the need to insult my literacy and intelligence. Someone who uses that as an insult and validation for their shady employment practices and deception clearly has no intelligence of their own. You must not have much education yourself if you chose a career in what is essentially telemarketing. At any rate, I got my full refund, so I am satisfied, but I don't want other consumers to fall into a trap.

Well Anonymous, Genius, You got your money back. Hmmm, that must mean we are a scam. That really is funny. I see you haven't looked up the meaning of the word scam??

         As a former employee that sold these cruises we were trained to say in our rebuttals there is no refund. In the booth the "reps" (telemarketers) sit at and pay $5.00 - $8.00 a day booth rental fee to work there is a list of rebuttals stapled to the walls covering every possible sinerio covering any reason a victim I mean customer might have to hesitate from signing up for this sham. Yes they actually charge the employees to work there. The TO's would listen in on the calls and tell us verbatim what to say and how to say it to squeeze every cent we could out of every call. Truth is there is no such thing as a non-refundable sale, especially with American Express. What I find funny about the whole non-refundable/cancellation policy is every week they came back with a list of sales that canceled when it came time to be paid. If there is no refunds or canclations then they owe me thousands of dollars in back pay I was screwed out of. Yes they screw the employees selling these cruises too. In the 7 months I worked at Jackie Sheaffer's office in Plantation I know of at least 75 people who came and went in that time including a few TO's who they also screwed out of pay they claimed canceled. This scam is a marketing scheme to sell time shares at Ramada's Vacation Village in western Broward County. If the victim I mean customer refuses to take the tour of Vacation Village, Ramada Plaza Resorts (owner of the barge they call a cruise ship) bill's their credit card the full amount of the so called vacation, $3000.00 - $3500.00 dollars. So if they say there is no refund/cancellations then why do they always tell the "reps" all the cancellations they don't get paid for? In a legal sense, Just because it's in writing doesn't make it the law. There are more laws governing credit card sales than any other payment method. The consumer can dispute the sale through Visa/Master Card, Discover, or American Express at any time and the sale will be put on hold.

       In retrospect, this was the worst job I've ever had and I learned a lot about people while I was employed with them. I have never in my life seen employers so ungrateful to their employees.  As long as you are making sales all is fine, let a few days go by with no sales or declined credit cards and it's all the "reps" fault. Truth is Jacki would show up at her leisure whenever the urge crossed her. Phil Howland (the so called manager) would sit in Jacki's office on her computer or walk around outside yakking on his cell phone instead of doing his job. When he was forced to do his job (because all the TO's quit) he had a pissy attitude and took it out on the "reps".

       So ask yourself, if it walks like a duck, swims like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck there is a good chance it's a duck. Walks like a duck (high pressured sales), swims like a duck (the offer is only good for this call), quacks like a duck (you must take a tour of Vacation Village), and looks like a duck (there is no refund) that sure spells scam to me. To prove it I kept a copy of the sales pitch and have it in my possession and will use it as evidence against them if the opportunity arises.

       Johnnygoodtime aka Phil Howland can claim this isn't a scam all he wants but ask any of the former employees like myself who used to sell this garbage vacation and you will hear them say the same thing I have told you. The fact it came to you first class mail is a ploy they use as legitimacy. Because they include the state license number on the voucher, it comes to you first class mail, and has Carmen Electra as the pitch person is only a ploy to put the victim I mean customer at ease about its authenticity. The website is a joke, with no contact information or any real way to prove it is what they say it is (no pun of Dennis Green's press conference). As far as not getting what you paid for, the pitch makes this sound like the trip of a lifetime. This so called "vacation" is nothing like it's made out to be, therefor it's deceptive. Deceptive equals scam so Johnnygoodtime aka Phil Howland can claim legitimacy all he wants it is not.  Anyone who wishes to speak with him directly at his office can do so at (954) 236-8383. Ridiculing a customer like he is doing here only proves his unprofessionalism. I am not going to belittle Phil because that is beneath me, just take it from the guy that was in the trenches who seen it all inside and out, this so called vacation isn't 1/10th the prize they make it out to be.

       In closing I will say this, do not waste your time with any free offer you get in the mail, on tv, or the radio. Even with Carmen Electra or Daisy Fuentes doing the sales pitch it still is what it is, a deception.

Yes you are a scam!   You are a Mickey Mouse operation!  Your ship is nothing more than a tugboat.  I was "almost" scammed.  I was ready to make arrangements to set sail when I discovered that your "basic" cabin didn't even include a TV.  It would cost me an extra $150 plus a $99 fee for an upgrade just to get a cabin with a TV.

Hey!  I didn't want to buy the Tv....I just wanted to use it for a couple days.

What a joke of a company you are part of!

I would rather try to sell Kirby vaccum cleaners if I were you.

Hopefully nobody else falls for this SCAM!!!!!!

Just one more thing I needed to say.....The woman who supposedly is refunding my money said she has been in the cruise line business for 30 years.....My question to her is.....If you have been in  the "business" for 30 years, why couldn't you work for a more reputable company other than Caribbean Cruise Lines?

My wife asked me twice....Who is the cruise line?  I told her Caribbean Cruise Line.  Nobody ever heard of it.

Seems to me that this is just a company that bought an old boat that was ready to be sunk and made into a coral reef somewhere and they are trying to make a buck out of it.

Just one more thing I needed to say.....The woman who supposedly is refunding my money said she has been in the cruise line business for 30 years.....My question to her is.....If you have been in  the "business" for 30 years, why couldn't you work for a more reputable company other than Caribbean Cruise Lines?

My wife asked me twice....Who is the cruise line?  I told her Caribbean Cruise Line.  Nobody ever heard of it.

Seems to me that this is just a company that bought an old boat that was ready to be sunk and made into a coral reef somewhere and they are trying to make a buck out of it.

The ship is a former North Sea ferry that has been remodeled as a cruise ship. The original complainer didn't have a problem with the cruise. It was the fact that the company charged her credit card immediately. This is a budget operation. The ship meets US standards and just does an overnight cruise to Nassau and back. Carnival and the other large cruise lines include another night and a day stop at a private island. They also feature much larger ships and more amenities. They are also more expensive. Ramada Plaza Resorts runs this operation and pushes the extended trip to Florida in order to get people into a time share sales pitch. They have to attend the half day session in order to get cruise tickets (if they did the "vacation") or Orlando theme park tickets. Most people who are seasoned travellers just hang up on these people or toss the "$1600 check towards the vacation" in the trash as I do. The vacation can be taken independently for less money and the cruise is not totally "free". This is not a scam but it is a budget vacation and cruise pushed by telemarketers.

Yes, this is a "budget" cruise.  But if anyone does their homework, you can find a much nicer cruise on a much nicer boat for less money.  And there is no time share scam involved with it.

Carnival offer the same cruise for around $195.00-$250.00.  And with Carnival you don't have to listen to the constant upselling routine.

I understand that everyone had to make a living, and I have no problem with that.  Just give me a good deal for what I am paying for and I will listen to your sales pitch for your time share.  But if you are charging more than I could get the same trip somewhere else, then it's not a good deal.

By the way...I did just book a cruise with Carnival for a 5 day cruise for only $295.00 per person.  So it can be done!

If I were going to take a Bahamas cruise I would go to one of the major cruise lines but Caribbean is offering the cruise free with the exception of the port fees. This is a good deal for someone on a budget but it is possible, as you say, for someone to go on Carnival or RCL for not much more. It takes research however and an ability to make a "last minute" booking or take advantage of a "special" fare.

The cruise fare, on whatever major cruise line you choose, is a very minor part of the cost of a cruise. Drinks, auctions, excursions, shops, etc are pushed non stop by the cruise line in Daily Bulletins and over loudspeakers. The annoyance of all this is why I've stopped taking the major cruise ships. Someone like the original complainer who has to save up $118 to take a two night cruise to Nassau needs to see a financial advisor who can help handle her money. Obviously a cruise is not her best choice for the $118.

There is nothing wrong with Caribbean Cruise Lines and nothing wrong with telemarketers who push these cruises through Ramada Plaza Resorts. The consumer has every right to hang up. Consumers if they are planning a cruise should shop around, look at cruise reviews, Decide what ship or cruise line suits them best, and be able to pay for a ticket when the opportunity arises.

I was contacted by woman, calling from1-800-613-6524, stating that I had won a cruise. She rapidly provided the details, unaware that I happened to have the microphone of my computer running. I was recording a song I was playing on the guitar. I put the call on speaker and without realizing it I recorded her call. She stated details identical to reports by consumers regarding Caribbean Cruise Lines. In listening to the recording I found she never mentioned the name of her company, nor did she state her own name. When it came time to secure the 18-month option by providing my credit card number I stated I needed 24 hours to research the information and asked for her name and the name of her company. As noted in other responses to this issue she became offensive and rude, urging me not to pass up this incredible deal. I reiterated that no one should ever give an unknown caller a credit card number before knowing WITHOUT A DOUBT that it’s not some scam…legitimate, or illegitimate (Caribbean Cruise Lines offers what I refer to as a legitimate scam). When she continued her unacceptable manner of “service”, I said, “Excuse me! I am talking. I listened to you. Now you will listen to me”. She hung up.

 

I called the phone number back and reached Jonathon, who stated he was the shift supervisor of Caribbean Cruise Line of Ft Lauderdale FL, Inc. As I spoke to him regarding my free cruise and the rude woman I spoke to he reassured me they ARE the cruise line and the docking fees were legitimate and paid to the government, and that he was paid an hourly wage and did not make commission on any ‘sale’ made by taking someone’s credit card information. He also said I’d lose my ‘free’ cruise if I did not provide the information he was asking for. As we were speaking I pulled up the CORP DIV page for the state of Florida. Having an extensive conversation with the man I have no doubt in my mind that he is ‘Johnnygoodtime’ in these posts. He too became rude enough for me to terminate the call by saying, “Sorry for wasting your time…and mine”, and hanging up.

 

Caribbean Cruise Line of Ft Lauderdale FL, Inc is a defunct corporation with various names over the years, obviously due to complaints with the state in how they ‘perform’ their ‘service’. They succeed by duping good people who don’t know better, and will continue to succeed as long as the state allows them to operate under ANY name. By the way, you can do background checks on the people listed as corporate officers on the CORP DIV page. In the event you feel you’re being ‘scammed’, and you pay for the background info more often than not you’ll find they have criminal records or convictions for fraud. You’ll then find that they use other names or ‘hire’ other individuals to continue to operate these legitimate scams. Many Veterans Fund organizations have this same ‘dirty trail’ behind them. NOT ALL, but many.

 

The following web address is for the State Of Florida's Division of Corporations. http://sunbiz.org. It is an official state-run website that identifies the validity of corporations authorized to do business in the state of Florida. Every state has a website that provides this service, OR the information is available by phone. This service is free and available to ANYONE. If they can’t stay on the phone long enough for you to check them out then Google their phone number and go from there.

 

I hope this helps someone. All it takes is a few moments. Try it. It works well. In the Google search box type division of corporations and the two letter state abbreviation, click search and you’ll get the results for your state. I would say good luck, but to keep from being scammed takes some skill…so… GOOD SKILL!

Hi Folks. I hope you take much of what you read with a grain of salt. Our cruise is now the official cruise for the Port of Palm Beach, one of the richest areas in the country. We have signed a long contract with them to be there Main cruise line of palm beach. This is a fact and is undisputed. You can google port of palm beach and see it for yourself. I am still amazed at the word scam being thrown around about us. The fact remains we provide a nice cruise for those that want a quick cruise to get there feet wet. Were amazed at some of the comments from people that call us after seeing TV commercials and logon to websites and call us. All details for our cruise is stated in plain english before you call. Its unfortunate that unverified comments and facts are not checked at all before the information is posted online. This is true for all consumer complaint websites.   There is a comment from a consumer about our Carmen Electra spots. This person suggests we cut and pasted all this from another website and are using her name without a contract. This is absurd. Yes you will receive a free cruise for two by paying the $59 per person fee for taxes plainly stated on the website you must register on before you call.  No scam here. I hope this helps most of you past people that got cold feet the next day and then here come the world scam from them. Enjoy your cruise.

I have to agree with Johnnygoodtime. Well, with what he said, but not with his attitude. They indeed tell you they are going to bill you TODAY. For you to think otherwise is problematic but not CCL or the credit card company's fault.

Now, what I'm confused about is the price being thrown around. You said you had to pay $118 for two people's port & processing fees for the cruise ALONE. The package deal you were told about was for Ft. Lauderdale, Nassau and two bonus trips to Las Vegas and Puerto Vallarta. The whole package sells for $698 (at the time) and includes the cruise as a FREE bonus. So, you pay for the vacations and get the cruise free. Free cruise. Anyway...

What confuses me is that they're not supposed to sell the cruise alone. I'm not sure how it works in the place you called though. But it's not a 'scam', it's clever wording. CCL is licensed, bonded and insured in the state of Florida.

I'm also not sure where WitchDoctor worked, but at the office I was at, everyone was courteous, professional, on-time, the managers always helped and always got people hyped. But it seems more like WitchDoctor is a disgruntled employee than anything else, ready to use the pitch as "evidence" (when there's nothing illegal about it) against CCL.

I have cruised before on the bigger cruise lines, Holland, Princess and so on. I have never before been told that I could not have my money back for a cruise EVER. In fact, they specify HOW to get your money back. In plain English.

To the employee defending this horrible company...you are right about the definition of a scam...and this IS a scam.

I just arrived back home in New Hampshire this morning, after driving 3000 miles (round trip) to Florida for a 2 day Bahamas Celebration Cruise that I didn't end up going on.  Why, you ask?  Because we paid to have the promotional deal upgraded.  We, very graciously, upgraded our cabin (closet) to a supposed "luxurious suite" on the 8th deck.  However, after holding up to our end of the bargain every step of the way (paying for our own travel to Florida, attending a time-share seminar, paying hidden fees, etc.), when we arrived at the port to board the ship they put us in an indoor cabin (closet).  We had an entire folder, an inch thick, filled with every piece of documentation regarding the cruise (including credit card statements, confirmation letters, etc.).  We pulled out our receipt for the upgrade, our confirmation letter which listed our cabin type, and our credit card statement with the charge on it and were sent up to the managers. 

The manager we spoke with at the port shrugged his shoulders at us and said "sorry, the ship is full. no room changes."  I said, "but we aren't asking for a room change. we're asking for the room we paid for, 5 months ago."  His response was, "You booked with a different agency, you'll have to talk to them."  Then he said, "you can go have a seat over there (pointing to a waiting area full of people) and wait to see if a room becomes available before the boat leaves, or come back in 2 days when the boat docks and try again." - What?  Try again?  We didn't come down here on a whim with no reservations, thinking "we'll give it a try and see if we can get on, and if not, oh well."  We (single mothers) took a week off from work after working overtime for 6 months to afford the ENTIRE trip (about $2000 with traveling costs, the upgrade, hotel accommodations in Florida, hidden fees, spending money, etc.).  We cannot afford to spend 2 extra days in Florida "hoping" to get on a ship we already paid to get on.  Nor, can we just decide to take 2 extra days off from work to extend the stay, again, no guarantee we get a room that time either.

Come to find out, after talking with some of the people in the waiting area (as well as some of the people who had successfully boarded the boat), this was not an isolated case.  ALL of them said they had been scammed in some way and that the entire ordeal had been a nightmare.  Some of the people had not even been informed that the boat was now docking from a different location and sailing to a different island than had been originally planned when they booked their trips.  One gentleman had upgraded his room for $400 as well, and had his cousin and 2 small children with him and they stuck him in a "closet room" also.

Their excuse is that it's not their fault (it's the booking agency's fault), and they can't do anything about it.  But even if it's not their fault, they don't seem to have a care in the world that they are doing business with a crooked company who leaves angry customers hanging out in a waiting area at their port (their business).  It's a reflection on their business as well, and it's unethical!!  As a Criminal Justice student, who has studied White Collar Crime in detail, I have no other choice but to conclude that the Bahamas Celebration is in on the scam as well.  If they weren't, they would be doing something to rectify the situation for the patrons of their cruise ship, and they would not continue to do business with this booking agency. 

Yes, "loyal (and brainwashed) employee,"  you are indeed right that a scam is paying for something and not getting what you paid for...so what do you call what I just explained?  By your very own definition, it is indeed a scam!!  And I'm quite certain that my lawyer will agree, and do a fine job getting any judge or jury to agree as well.  I'm sure there will be many other people who've also been scammed by this booking agency/cruise line who will be glad to jump on board with this lawsuit (and possible criminal conviction) as well.  Nobody is going to scam me out of a $2000 trip (that's the average TOTAL cost, promotional package or not) and gets away with it.  I have already filed a complaint with the BBB to add the already outrageous number of complaints against these 2 companies.  And just in case you didn't know, civil cases are fairly easy to win with such cut and dry evidence; even if we can't prove a criminal case beyond a reasonable doubt, I'm quite certain that it won't be hard to prove unethical conduct and personal damage in a civil case (which only requires 51% belief towards one side).  Tell your bosses good luck :D

Crystal Morrison
cryssilynne@yahoo.com

I'm the original poster of this complaint and I really feel for everyone who is posting that they have also been scammed by this company. 

Fortunately, people do have a weapon against this scam of a company. All one has to do is read the "Florida Sellers of Travel Act." Specifically, sections 559.932 Vacation certificate disclosure.-- and 559.933 Vacation certificate cancellation and refund provisions.--

Also, don't let them tell you that the act does not apply to you because you do not live in the State of Florida. The act applys to the SELLER doing business in the State of Florida, where this scam company is located, and they MUST abide by it.

One other thing that this sham scam company does not do is tell you of this act and the rights you have as a consumer and your cancellation rights. They intentionally mislead the victim (customer) with misinformation and nondisclosure tactics which is clearly in violation of the act.

few words...  FL Dept of Agriculture & Consumer Services....

please have the owner or manager respond with your registered business name, address, business SOT number, and the employees TIA numbers and we will be more than happy to stop by and make sure you are following the FL Seller of Travel Act stautes.....

Caribbean cruise lines violates the FTC Act by misrepresenting that consumers had either won or been specially selected to receive a vacation package, misrepresenting the contents of the package and their cancellation policy, and failing to disclose that consumers were expected - or would be pressured - to view timeshare property. This company also uses high pressure, up-sell tactics to intimidate the consumer into upgrades that they may never receive, upgrades that will add hundreds of dollars to the cost of the “free” vacation. In addition, the company "cold-calls" consumers based on leads obtained at public events where consumers registered to win a vacation. Accordingly, Caribbean cruise lines violates the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), because in these solicitations Caribbean cruise lines fails to disclose material costs and restrictions concerning the vacation packages. Finally, the company commits additional TSR violations for not abiding by the Rule's "Do Not Call" provision.

In summary, you would be wisely advised to avoid this company and others like it that “operates” in this manner. They are a scam, all be it a very weak, lame scam at that but, still a scam nonetheless. The sooner people wise up to these dodgy, blatant fraudsters, the sooner they will be pushed back into the scum covered cesspool from which they came.

I am normally the kind of person that immediately hangs up on anyone telling me I've won a free anything. However I got sucked into this same "scam" by taking a phone survey. After the survey I was told that I had won a free cruise and they would be calling me for my info at a later date.

Of course when they did call I had a million questions about their legitimacy and what I would actually receive. The legitimacy questions were all answered by directing me to 3 websites (((Redacted))) and also by giving me their state ID# st37425. To their credit she did give me 24 hours to investigate and gave me a phone # 800-869-2387 to call back as well as her employee ID# 1664.

Of course the first place that I went was google. The only thing that came up on the google search was there own website. I could find no other reference to their company on the internet. I checked every listing of cruise lines I could find and they showed up on none of them.

When I went to their website (((Redacted))) I found no place on the the site to book a cruise or contact them in any way (very shady). I also found it was almost an exact carbon copy of another site I went to in trying to find out some background on them (((Redacted))). That's right Caribbean Cruise Lines has changed there name to Grand Caribbean Cruise Lines. They're also no longer using Carmen Electra but "Miss Bahamas" or something like that.

When I went to (((Redacted))) the link to the cruise ship that they claim you will be taking (the Bahamas Celebration) directs you to Celebration Cruise Lines website which is a legit cruise line (you can look it up on wikipedia) and does have contact info and the ability to book a cruise. I called Celebration and found out that the ship in fact belongs to them and they lease out sections of their ship to Caribbean Cruise Lines.

When I tried to look up their State ID # I went to a few different Florida websites and did a search for their company and could find nothing. I still could find nothing to show they even exist anywhere on the internet aside from their own website.

After doing my research I called back with more specific questions like... Why is there no contact or booking info on your website? Why are you telling me you own the ship when Celebration Cruise Lines owns it? Why can't I find you as a registered business anywhere in the state of Florida? and Why can't I find any reference to your company anywhere but your own website?

As soon as I started asking the tough questions I was handed off to her superior. I can't remember his name but if he's not the same guy who wrote the above comments they've replaced him with someone who has the same attitude towards their customers. He still insisted that they in fact owned the boat and that Celebration was part of their company (not true). He acted surprised that there was not contact info on there website. He directed me to www.portofpalmbeach.com to verify their legitimacy claiming that it was a state government website (which it may be). I did and didn't find any reference to them there either. He also acted surprised that I couldn't find any reference to them anywhere, repeatedly stating how long they've been around and how they're a multi-billion dollar corporation.

He was a fast talker, very rude and to those unlike myself that don't know how to deal with high pressure sales people I'm sure very convincing. He had an immediate answer after every question, they just weren't the answers to my questions. At one point he called me delutional for thinking that such a large company would try to rip me off for a hundred bucks.

So, bottom line... They use deceptive, shady tactics and sometimes outright lies to get you to give them your credit card number. There may or may not be a cruise, but I guarantee it won't be everything they make it out to be. If they were on the up and up they wouldn't use the kind of tactics that they do.

I hope my research helps anyone who isn't sure and saves you the time and effort. As a rule I don't give anyone my credit card # without being sure they are legit and these guys definitely don't qualify. I'm sure it's the motto of this website but I'll say it again... If it sounds too good to be true it probably is!




CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.

YOu do of course realize that the act does not apply to Caribbean Cruise lines as they are not RE_SELLERS.  Since they have the ability to immediatley ticket and process your travel, this law does not apply.

All SELLERS be it RE-SELLERS or not, be it immediate ticket sales or not, the act still applies. All customers still have the requiste 30 Day refund clause, NO MATTER WHAT. No seller of vacations by companies in Florida are exempt from the minimum requirements of the act (LAW) Caribbean Cruiselines is NOT ABOVE THE LAW! AS an employee, you should know that but, working for a scam cruise line, I imagine you are told all sorts of misleading BS to tell potential customers.

Further to Anons - amigiving (employee) rebuttal...

(6) "Offer for sale" means direct or indirect representation, claim, or statement or making an offer or undertaking, by any means or method, to arrange for, provide, or acquire travel reservations or accommodations, tickets for domestic or foreign travel by air, rail, ship, or other medium of transportation, or hotel and motel accommodations or sightseeing tours by a seller of travel who maintains a business location in Florida...

This DOES include CCL. Do your research before your employer gets your butt in trouble with the Laws of Florida!

I WAS SHOCKED TO READ ALL THE NEGITIVE COMMENTS ABOUT THE CRUISE.  MY MOTHER SENT MY BEST FRIEND AND I ON THIS SHIP LAST YR FOR OUR BIRTHDAYS.  I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH THE BOOKING AGENT THE WHOLE TIME WITH MY MOTHER, AND I WAS THE ONE WHO CALLED TO BOOK OUR DATES.  BOTH MY MOTHER AND I ASKED ALOT OF QUESTIONS.  NEITHER ONE OF US WERE SPOKEN RUDE TO.  THE AGENTS WHO SPOKE WITH US WERE VERY HELPFUL AND COURTIOUS.  I MYSELF CALLED BACK ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND EVERY AGENT I SPOKE TO WERE VERY NICE TO ME WITH NO HINT OF AN ATTITUDE.  IF THERE WAS A QUESTION I HAD, AND THEY DIDNT HAVE AN ANSWER TO THEY WOULD GO FIND OUT FOR ME.  NOW I WILL SAY THAT MY MOTHER AND I BOTH INQUIRED ABOUT HIDDEN FEES, AND WERE TOLD THERE WERE NONE.  THAT WE COULD SHOW UP TO THE SHIP WITH NOT A DIME IN OUR POCKETS.  THANK GOD WE DIDNT.  AT THE TIME WE DIDNT HAVE DEBIT OR CREDIT CARDS.  ONLY CASH.  THEY FAILED TO TELL US, THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO BOARD THE SHIP, WE HAD TO PUT EITHER A CARD OR $100 CASH PER PERSON, TO COVER GRATUITY AND A FUEL SURCHARGE.  I WAS MAD WHEN I FOUND THAT OUT, BUT IT WAS COOL CAUSE IT ONLY ENDS UP TO BE ABOUT $50 A PERSON.  WE DID THE $99 CABIN UPGRADE FOR A WINDOW, SO IN ALL WE SPENT ONLY $418.  ONCE WE GOT ON THE BOAT WE HAD NOTHING BUT A GOOD TIME.  WE CHOSE THE SHERATON BEACH EXCURSION, AND WERE VERY HAPPY WITH OUR CHOICE.  WHILE ON THE SHIP, WE WERE TREATED VERY NICELY.  EVERYONE WHO WORKED ON IT WAS GREAT TO US.  WE NEVER HAD TO WAIT FOR SERVICE.  THEY WENT OUT OF THERE WAY TO ENSURE WE HAD A GREAT TIME.  FOR THOSE WHO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE COST...WELL IM SORRY, BUT IF $118 AND THE FEES FOR FUEL, GRATUITY, AND EXCURSIONS IS TOO HIGH FOR YOU AND YOU HAVE TO SAVE UP...WELL MABY A CRUISE ISNT WHAT YOU NEED.  MAYBE WHAT YOU NEED IS ANOTHER JOB.  I WAS A SINGLE MOTHER TOO AT THE TIME OF MY CRUISE, BUT SOMETIME YOU HAVE TO TIKE TIME OUT FOR SELF.  WE LEFT FOR FLORIDA DAYS BEFORE BOARDING THE SHIP AND EVEN TOOK TIME OUT TO STOP IN ATL ON OUR WAY HOME.  WE STAYED IN TAMPA,THEN SARASOTA, THEN MIAMI, BEFORE BOARDING THE SHIP.  WE TOOK TIME FOR US AS SINGLE MOTHERS TO GET OUT AND HAVE A GOOD TIME.  IM A FIRST TIME MOTHER AND MY BFF HAS 2 KIDS.  WE BOTH KNOW THE STRUGLES OF A SINGLE MOTHER WHO DOESNT EVEN RECIEVE CHILD SUPPORT, BUT WE ALSO KNOW IF WE DONT TAKE TIME OUT FOR SELF THEN WE WILL LOSE OUR MINDS.  SO IF MISSING A DAY OR TWO FROM WORK AND A FEW MORE DOLLARS ON HOTEL ROOMS IS GONNA BREAK THE BANK THEN MAYBE A CRUISE ISNT FOR YOU EITHER.  BOTH MY FRIEND AND I WERE VERY PLEASED WITH OUR CRUISE.  MATTER OF FACT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING AGAIN NEXT MONTH.  I CAME ACROSS THIS REPORT WHEN I GOOGLED BAHAMA CELEBRATION TO GET BOOKING INFO.  WE ALSO HAVE MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE WANTING TO GO WITH US THIS TIME.  WE HAD A GREAT TIME AND FOR $418 AND ALL YOUR MEALS FREE, YOU CANT EXPECT TO GET A PLASMA TV, A PRIVATE BUTLER, AND A LIMO RIDE TO AND FROM FLORIDA.  YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE TOO HIGH FOR SO LITTEL.  AND I MUST SAY WE PARTIED AND DRANK THE WHOLE TIME ON THE BOAT.  WE DIDNT COME ON THE BOAT TO STAY IN OUR ROOM AND WATCH TV OR STAND ON THE BALCONY.  WE CAME TO HAVE A GOOD TIME AND THATS WHAT WE HAD.  TO EVERYONE WE DELT WITH ON THE CRUISE AND TO THOSE WHO WE TALKED WITH ON THE PHONE... THANK YOU.  WE HAD A BLAST...HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON.

I was contacted by a sales representative of Carribbean Cruise Lines who informed me that I had 'qualified' for a special promotional offer for a holiday cruise. The representative sped through the details of the offer (which were very similar to those stated by the original poster), making sure to emphasize that I was i) very 'lucky' to have qualified, since they only extend this offer to very special people, and ii) the promotional offer was worth thousands of dollars. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Only at the end did they mention that there were various fees payable up front, right then and there. They would not give me time to consider it further, they wanted my credit card information right away. There was nothing in writing. There was no time to investigate the company's reputation about whether I would actually receive the offer as stated, or if they would run away with my credit card details. So I said no and goodbye. No legitimate organization does business this way. No savvy customer would accept it.

People, this is typical of high pressure sales tactics, and you always want to just walk away. Don't fall for the classic tricks of scammers who will use artificial deadlines and hidden fees to get suckers. First thing is to ask for their full legal name, do a quick google search, and see what pops up. This website was the very first thing for bahamascelebration.com or Carribbean Cruise Lines. So please, all of you who work for this shady organization, I pray for you to stop what you're doing before its too late and walk the path of righteousness.

 Yes, "free 2 nights Bahama cruise" for 118.00 is a rip-off, but it is not impossible to force these artists to stand by their promise. I just came back from this cruise. Needless to say, it did cost me way more than $118 for 2, but every singe charge was reasonable and explained in advance: fuel charge, tips, drinks on board, shore trips. Yes, just like in the case described above, the scam artists first tried to force me to buy more, more and yet more than what they promised initially and, when I refused, made it clear that I am forfeiting the $118 deposit. I immediately called my credit card and explained the situation, saying I would like to dispute the charge. The bank rep got hold of someone from the Caribbean Cruise line (or whoever answers 1-877-256-0219) and in 30 seconds I had my reservation for $118, for the dates I wanted and without the need to buy any additional products. So, is it a scam? Yes, if you let them take advantage of you. No, if you stand your ground.

It is very important, during the original conversation, to make a statement that you 1) do not want to buy any additional products and 2) want to be able to choose dates before you pay and not interested in the offer otherwise. They will agree to these statements (because they want to sell the cruise to you) and then - if you bank is willing to stand on your side - they will have to fulfill these promises.

PS The card which protected me from this rip-off is CapitalOne, with which I am not associated other than being their customer.

 Your rudeness is...unbelievable and not only immature and unproductive, but unprofessional. Even if I hadn't had a bad experience with you guys, I would STILL not want to deal with your company, because of your inexcusable attitude. Be careful what you say when you say openly you're an employee. It reflects badly upon the company as a whole. Blatently insulting customers is ALWAYS a no-no.

Oh, and I'm an author for a living, so of course I can read. Dont try to pull that one on ME.

 Very hard to believe you are legitimate when in the past I was suckered in by your company under the Ramada Plaza name.  Also, if you want people to believe you, you might consider getting a secretary to do your replies as your grammer and spelling are terrible. Don't be suckered in by these people folks!

You can get a really good cruise on a reputable cruise line for about $400 dollars, and it is more than just a couple of days.  The next time you cruise be sure to check out other cruise lines.  Just letting you know. 

I was introduced to this company via a phone survey which lead me to surveyclaim.com . Since I had no desire to put up the port fees for a 3 night, 2 day cruise, I simply didn't complete the online registration. I don't know how much flights are to the Port of Palm Beach, but I know it's not in my budget right now.

The original survey operator informed me I'd also receive a call from a cruise coordinator.   The cruise coordinator (AKA a sales guy,) called today. As a fellow salesperson, I commend John on his wonderful telephone presentation. He was polite, let me cut him off & listened, he was well spoken and, overall, a pleasant salesperson. He clearly stated all the terms & was willing to repeat anything and answer any questions. He kindly accepted my 'not so easily swayed' responses while ad libbing with his natural personality, then getting back on script, which didn't sound like he was reading.

When he went in for 'the close,' I simply responded with, "I don't think I want to do this right now. Is there a way I can contact you in the future?" Without hesitation or any slick sales rhetoric he gave me 800-242-4388.

I commended John for being so pleasant and we hung up. No pitch, no hard sell, nothing incongruent about 'the pitch.'

I am so tired of people blaming someone else, i.e. calling something a scam, when they don't listen, read the fine print, or expect something for nothing. People, make informed decisions and take responsibilty for them.

I chose to gather the information and pass on the offer at this time. After I do more homework on flight prices, parking, etc for Palm Beach, I might change my mind and have the information to follow up later.

Educate yourself. Take responsibility for your actions.  Tami

Thank you for sharing your experience with this company.  I just received a call from "Randy" who is an employee of the same company.  He too stated that I was chosen for a 3 day, 2 night cruise to the Bahamas.  He also said all that was required was $59.00 per person for port charges and docking fees.  I would have up to 18 months to schedule my cruise.  This does seem like a great deal but I wanted to do my research so when he asked for my credit card, I gave a false credit card number.  He ran the false number and came back stating that the card had not been activated.  He stated that he would call back in (1) hour to give me time to activate the card.  I immediately jumped on the computer to start my investigation and after reading your comments as well as those who have preceded you...I will have to politely decline when Randy calls back. 

I am most disappointed in the tone of the response from the employees.  I can understand that everyone may not be pleased with having their credit card charged when they clearly stated that they did not have the money or having less than comfortable accommodations, but I can not understand someone who is trying to convince me that they have a quality service that I may enjoy respond to a potential customer in a condescending manner.  So I would rather pay full price to Royal Caribbean or Carnival Cruise knowing that I won't have the type of customer service experience documented on this site.

Once again thank you for sharing your experience.

Why is there a bussiness operating in Vancouver Canada without a bussiness license? Can I come to America and solicit peoples bussiness without a license I dont think so.

This company has been involved in deceptive marketing practices for over 20 years... I know cause i worked for them for many years on many levels.... They have been stealing in a variety of ways that border line legal, but are all 100% manipulative and strategicly designed to sell you a timeshare.......

They are unethical, conmen/women who lie every day.... if i can be of help, please contact my email  and i will more than graciously help you with some very pertitent vital information of where, when, who, and how much... i got lots of info, and a vengeance to get back at some people who made my life hell...here we come.................  

                                                                                                       pissed off

Hello People:
I felt the same way when i first learned about this trip and viewed their website with Carmen Electra aboard their ship; THEN DOING RESEARCH...AFTER I GAVE THESE PEOPLE MY CREDIT CARD INFORMATION. I WAS SCARED AND WANTED MY MONEY BACK TOO! But, there is no refunds! I paid for my own flight to Ft. Lauderdale and went to their Welcome Center where I received my boarding passes, and directions to the ship in West Palm Beach! This is a legit trip! THE ONLY COMPLAINT IS...They DO LIE when you first call...by saying this is not a TIMESHARE. YES IT IS! I hate doing timeshare tours! So, I told the REP (once i found out it is to market timeshares AND THEY WOULDN'T REFUND MY MONEY, "I am letting you know that I AM NOT PURCHASING A TIMESHARE...BUT OKAY...SINCE IM FORCED TO DO THE TOUR...I'LL GO! BUT THIS TRIP HAD BETTER BE LEGIT AND I'D BETTER GET TO THE BAHAMAS!" The rep assured me it was legit...and IT REALLY IS!  I had a fabulous time! I have tons of pics to prove it and pictures of their Bahamas Celebration CruiseLine. It was a 3 day cruise to and from the Bahamas; of which, I wouldn't do another 3 day cruise; b/c i fell in love with the Bahamas and really would prefer to be on land for 3 days...not on a cruiseship! But that's my choice/preference. If you have already paid for this trip...GO! I stayed at the Ramada Inn Hotel on Commercial Boulevard; in Ft. Lauderdale. Their food is HORRIBLE!!! I took a few bites and never went back again! I threw the FREE FOOD VOUCHERS that's also included with this trip...IN THE TRASH! At my earliest convenience...I will upload some of my pictures! It was a very nice trip. Don't be afraid; now that you've paid your money...book your "Wanna Get Away" tickets on Southwest and have the time of your life! I went by myself...and I will tell you...IT WAS THE MOST FABULOUS TRIP I'VE EVER TAKEN...B/C THE BAHAMAS IS TRULY PARADISE ON EARTH "TO ME!" LOL

I have the typical story as everyone else. i was told i won the trip and that i should rent a hotel to  have a place to rest and whatnot. i paid over 300 bucks in october, i want a refund. I was literally on the phone crying. they did not care. they keep saying its not refundable. i paid for the trip.
but i was told i paid for the hotel only just to say in to rest becz i won the trip?
the 1300 vocher in the mail is trash. please please email me back with wat to do.
i just want a refund and to be left alone with this.

When i called one company to purchase a product from a TV ad when i was finished the same thing happened to me and i was transferred to caribbean cruise lines. the $59 per person is something that makes sense and it is their job to up sale their products. every company does it, how else can you expect them to make money? Also when you tell them no upgrades they transfer you higher up the chain of command to people who can get you better deals, which also come at a slightly higher price but offer "more." But if this isn't what you want and you just want your cruise, be adamant and stand your ground and don't let them sweet talk you.
 
But as someone earlier stated, it seems to be a "heat of the moment" thing where you think man this is great, but after you get your head straight and start questioning your choice in the matter.

I have read the Florida Statutes and as CCL is located in florida as i believe they stated on the phone. they are required by law to grant you a 30 day refund period according to section 559.932 which can be found here
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0500-0599/0559/Sections/0559.932.html
559.932 Section 8, subsection (h) and below should help you out.

But if you missed this time window, don't despair.

Also stated in this call i was told the trip is 100% transferable. Therefore if you bought it and changed your mind, E-Bay it up man or give it to a friend/family member. Even if you get slightly less than you payed for the trip itself, you do not have to worry about the transportation there or back.

Personally my experience with the company was very cordial and polite. Call was disconnected half way through but they called right back and were apologetic.

I am not going to say I'm shocked to hear complaints of customer service or that i am disgusted to hear of these "reps" badgering you, its their job and how they make a living, its not to cause you pain they are just taught to try hard.

My biggest worry is not that i will be charged for something i knew i asked for, but being over charged for thousands of dollars. That would be a true scam to worry about. But as far as i can tell, most instances here are just customers who didn't like their trip or people who were nervous about the whole thing like me. Input from other consumers is a good thing and will help people decide whether this is a good or a bad idea.

I just wish i had seen this page when doing my research while i was talking to them. Always Research first before you let them have your credit card number, not everyone is out to get you, but be weary of those who are.

I have worked for the parent company the Berkely Group which collectively owns Caribbean Cruise Lines, Bahamas Celebration and a multitude of several other companies, Vacation Village resorts, hotels like the Ramada Plaza and welcome center in Fort Lauderdale.  There corporate sales office is located at 3015 N Ocean Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308 if you'd like to stop by for a visit.  There corporate number is 954-563-2444.  They do have with any company good and bad employees, definitely poor management and corporate management.  They have had multiple lawsuits and a class action suit could be brought up for discriminatory practices.  They operate their resort sales offices of real estate timeshares with licensed and Unlicensed agents.  Hope this information is helpful in resolving issues.

They are seeing if you have a major credit card by prequalifying you with the $118 port taxes, at which point they quickly run off to "BANG""your c.c. as they call it before you can research them out... while all this time is passing they're pitching you for the next setup......the lovely extended stay vacation! The ship is crap the hotels are crap and they charge you for every little thing on board as well as trying to go to the beach once you arrive in the Bahamas. $49 pp ridiculous?!!? All they care about is banging that credit card for more $$$$$ not like a real travel agency that wants to make sure you have an amazing memory! GOOD LUCK getting a refund....bahahaha, the harshness and nasty people you will soon be dealing with are far different from that same person "acting" for you on your behalf when you were buying this so called luxury vacation. The majority of the employees have no scruples or conscience which is why they hire pretty much degenerates. I left soon after figuring out this scam & never even bothered to p/u my check, I figured they needed the $$$ more than me. I was shocked sitting in orientation to see the lowlifes that they are hiring & that are taking your c.c. info. SICKENING REALLY!!! OH, & Canadians, they love you because they think your the easiest targets. So, good luck if you think your getting a GREAT deal...reality is they're getting the good deal off of you by fattening their greedy pockets!!!

I too was just offerred a "free" two day cruise on Caribbean Cruise Lines on their flag ship Bahamas Celebration.  Interesting how they say free but want the port charges up front.  $118.00 for two and the pressure to do it.  When I said I needed to consult with my husband who was out walking, and either wanted a call back in an hour or I would call back, I was immediately put over to a specialist to "close the deal" who said to me that the agent I spoke to MUST have asked me if I had the authority to speak for everyone concerned that would be taking the cruise.  In fact, when he said I had to put my husband on the other line, I told him he was not available.  When I mentioned this to the specialist, she said she could hold on for the 40 mins or so before he returned since she is paid by the hour.  I was not willing to sit with a phone on my ear, so when I asked her for a return call, or if I could phone back, I was abruptly told this is a one time offer.  That this 2 day cruise was worth $600.00 and I would never be able to find a better deal and only a limited amount of rooms were being made available.  Well, I have cruised before and I have gotten 7 day cruises for under $400.00.  I ended the call with a simply good bye and then researched the company.  I am thrilled I was not drawn into this "deal".  I guess I would be leary of ever having to give money upfront without a booking being done. 

Simply stated--this is a CRUISE LINE. Because of some employee's failure to send me to Verification because they were off the clock and didn't care at all about the consequences of their actions, my husband and I were not able to go on our Honeymoon CRUISE. I paid almost $1000 for 2 nights in Ft. Lauderdale, the 2 night CRUISE, and 2 nights in Orlando. The portion of this vacation that would take up the majority of those expenses was, you've guessed it, the CRUISE.

We were skeptical about taking the so-called amazing "once-in-a-lifetime" deal, but after a lot of research and especially after reading the advice of customers, we decided that if we held our ground and didn't let them push us around, it could be a vacation that neither of us would be able to afford otherwise.

We began a monthly plan for the vacation in November of 2010 that would end up totalling just short of $800. About 3 months out from when we wanted to go on the vacation, I called to book the spots on the cruise and the hotel stays before and afterward. They pushed an extra charge for bigger/better rooms, but we didn't care about the room--we wanted to see the outside of the room more than the inside--and they also pushed the extra stay at the Bahama Island, which we couldn't afford. The salesmen/women that we dealt with were very polite and professional, so at least I am grateful for that. Other than being on hold for forever and having to re-state the entire previous conversations whenever we were transferred to another department, the service was good.

As for the other hidden fees, they were true. I was not informed prior to the booking that I would have to pay $198 (for two people, which is more than the $118 that other people have been getting... so I don't know why ours was more expensive...). This fee was for the Port Tax, which was apparently mandatory from the Department of Transportation for Port of Palm Beach. It sucked, but it made sense, and I remember that vaguely from our research so many months earlier. However, there were other gratuity and fuel costs, as well as a fee for leaving your car in a lot while on the cruise that we were also not informed of prior to agreeing to the conversation. We most likely would have still gone on the cruise, but I want to be informed of EVERYTHING that I will have to pay through the vacation company before signing my name to it.

Nevertheless, I gave them permission to charge my account (which they had been doing successfully and without issue for months beforehand). I asked if they needed my credit card information again, even though I had previously paid for the entire vacation through the same card. The employee said yes; I took down her name (but won't repeat it here) in case something went wrong later, and gave her the information. After that, I could tell that she was pushing me off the line, so even though I asked more than once if everything was fine and that our cruise was booked, she assured me that it was and so I hung up.

A few days later, I left for military training and did not have access to any communication to family or friends, and therefore was not able to monitor my bank accounts. And, even though one employee later gave me "advice for the future" to check my bank account within 24 hours of making a purchase to ensure that it hit the bank account. That is something that people would do only if they had a suspicion of something going wrong, which I didn't have.

Why should it be my fault if the company didn't follow through with collection? I gave them my account information and confirmed all of my contact information, etc, so I did my part. They did not do their's, which I unfortunately found out later.

A week before we were supposed to get to Fort Lauderdale, I called to make sure that everything was set. I had graduated the training and had returned home only a few days prior to this, and had other things to deal with before confirming the cruise. The customer rep said that they had record of my call, and the fact that I authorized the final payment for the Port Fee, but that for some reason, it was never withdrawn from my account. They told me that, unfortunately, the cruise dates that we had requested were no longer available.

They then tried to get us a room on another cruise that would board 2 days earlier, so we would shuffle around or hotel stays. This normally would have been fine, except for the fact that the only rooms available were the first-class suites, so we would have to pay extra, as well as the upgrade charge of $99. My husband was irate, did not want to give them MORE money, and asked for a full refund since this was the only week in a year that we both KNEW for a FACT that we would not be called on for any other assignments with our respective jobs.

Upon that request, we were informed that we had passed the 7-month window for any refunds. I said that I had never heard ANYTHING about a "7-month refund window" and the representative stated abruptly that it was clearly posted on their website and the brochure. (I have since combed the brochures and all other mailed information, as well as the three websites that I have found for Caribbean Cruise Line, and still see no 7 month refund window information. If anyone else knows where to find this, please let me know. I need to see it with my own eyes to fully believe it)

The representative seemed sincere and felt bad for what had happened, but assured me that unless we took the vacation at a later date or gave up the cruise entirely and just took the hotel stays, there was nothing that she could do. This representative was also a supervisor that I was transferred to earlier when the original issue with the booking came up. The woman said that instead of the cruise, we could take another 2 days in either Fort Lauderdale or Orlando, since we had already paid for 6 nights (somewhere in Florida). That was our best option, so we agreed.

Admittedly, I am typing this before actually going to the hotel stays that are through the Cruise Line. I will re-post afterwards to inform people of the quality of the accomodations that they offer along with the cruise. I am simply frustrated with the fact that a) Even though we are no longer going on a CRUISE and therefore not using any PORTS, we still had to pay the port fees of $198 and b) for the simple fact that we paid for a cruise and, due to a mistake made by the employees, we are no longer going on a cruise.

Scam-- We paid for a Cruise, and are only getting hotel stays. I hope that the only good thing that will come from this predicament is that we will no longer be forced to go to the Timeshare Presentations, because we have paid MORE than enough money to cover the cost of 6 measly nights in second- or third-class hotels.

I in a moment of weakness fell for this scam! I had a a bad week with a sick 3yr old and 15 month baby. A trip alone with my husband was exactly what I was looking for. I bought in hook line and sinker! I even bought in to the stay n play package at the Grand Lucaya Resort. How can we get our money back?????

OK, I admit I am an idiot.  I fell for this too.  I first paid the initial fees back in Feb 2010 and had 18mths to book the vacation - Cruise, 2 nights FTL, Trip to Las Vegas and Puerto Vallarta and Orlando.  They had been debiting my credit card last year until the total of $898 had been reached.  Ouch!
Got a call today from Ronald trying to get another $898 out of me to secure a cruise for 2012 otherwise I would forfeit the $898 I had alreaady paid because the 18mths was up.  He said they had left me phone messages and emails warning of the expiry----i have had no emails or phone calls and my email address and ph # have not changed. 
Again, like others, he got upset when I said well I am not happy just to give you another $900 without talking to my husband first.  Ronald said 'No - you have to pay right now on this phone call'.  I said to him is that even legal???  You cannot make people pay during a phone call??  And to not be able to discuss it with my husband first??  Needless to say, I too was subjected to the rude and pushy attitude.  I said to him I knew this was recorded so I am not saying Yes or No to your offer, but would like to clearly state that I need to discuss it first with my husband and that the offer should be extended to the end of the day.  But now after coming to this site, my god, I feel like a complete fool.
The legal girl - is there any recourse for my $898 that I have paid so far???  I am certainly not happy to give another $900.
Is there anything I can do?  Or just write it off to a very very bad decision.?

I am going thru the same thing, but all started in Feb 22, 2010.  exact thing as you just wrote.
I was promissed a refund within 5 - 7 days, nothing ever, last night was contacted again saying would expire next day.  I again ask for refund,  man ask me to verify my name, address, city and state and then my credit card info on file, " for security" after over 30 minutes of BS, 3 diff. people,
i was hung up on.  Went to my bank checked balance, my checking and saving was cleaned out and they had made 5 attempts at more withdraws. I have called bank, filed dispute, cancelled card, still fighting with the scam people today.  8/16/2011  sm

I was given the same offer, was told , do not be worried, we not prompt for your credit card number, this is a free trip.  I called their recording when they called and they said we need the 59.00 for each person today.  I said, you all said, I would not be asked for a credit card number, she said, "I never said that sir, I beg your pardon".  I explained that the person who called earlier said that.   She said, "No excuse me of anything".  I said, "And don't you get snippy with me bitch, I'm not interested in your scam". and I hung up.  I don't think this is a Caribbean Cruise Line marketing project, I think it is a marketing company that wants to buy you a ticket in exchange for your information.  If they are offering to give you a free cruise, they would pay the port fees also.  Don't be scammed.

WOW you really missed a great time ....Great food , nice time in the Bahamas ....The whole trip was so fantastic I hope I get another chance to go for this same deal! Anyway please if anyone wants to see pics I would be very happy to show you on face book ....The staff and employees work VERY hard on these ships , some of them don't see their families for 8 months at a time. I thank them and the wonderful staff on the phones for allowing me to take this time off without paying a fortune. Sorry but this is so not a scam sir.....just telling you what I know , travelled in August 2011 for 2 nites 3 days....(-;

People Take the trip if you have never been on a cruise or just want to get away...don't forget the camera and sunscreen it gets very hot and it is a beautiful ship. Bring your bigger clothes...you will eat and eat and eat ....

I guess all the negative people that are so quick to raise their voices and claim scam and fraud , get to spend more money or stay home, and miss out on a great getaway ....but

Hey but you know it is more fun and food for those who took the trip and enjoyed it without having people around in bad moods trying to complain and sue for anything they can think of ...Thanks to all of you who did not travel on the date me and my family did ! It made our vacation better (-;

My cabin was so cool , I had to turn it down, my food was so good I had to go to the gym to work it off. omg the meals were fabulous. and dinosaur ? haaaaaaaaaa It was pretty nice for a 2 day cruise, and can't beat the price . Let me add too the employees dedicaton is really something.

You know some of them we talked to lost their spouses because they are contracted to be there on the ship for 8 months out of the year. yeah . How many people would do that ? They were all very professional and I want to thank all the ship hands for a great time, great food and relaxation. Can't wait to do it again!

I'm not an avid cruiser; but in recent days I have received several calls coming from this firm (CID 602-926-7354) mostly hang-up calls. I did finally receive one call where a recorded message offered the free cruise+sundry fee similar as the original complainant. Following that, an agent actually did attempt to deliver a sales pitch following a short, more or less meaningless survey. The free cruise was being offered as a merit award for completing the survey. The conversation with the agent took on a defensive tone as I insisted on asking a few, simple questions about the identity and reputation of the company before allowing the pitch. Sensing that my caller was likely an expert in the kind deceptive trade artistry that disreputable telemarketers utilize, I cordially elected to end the call at which the caller stated that "I would loose the opportunity if I did so" to which I replied "that would be O.K.". The caller continued to babble as I hung up the phone.
Based on my experience with this company and the information presented here; I cannot in good conscious consider this to be a firm that I would conduct consumer business.  The defense to the allegations made only reinforce such a perception; responses such as: "the person should not have answered the phone", suggesting that a person who must save $118.00 to afford a cruise to be in serious need of financial guidance, and playing a semantics game with the word "scam" only reinforce my perception of misfeasance.

Hello to a current employee of these scam artists I assume, you should make up different names to go along with your fake posts, it's obvious you are the same person by the pictures.

This is going around now in the Texarkana Area. Someone called me and asked me to complete a three question survey and win a cruise to the Bahamas. The whole time I was talking to them, I could hear alot of conversations taking place in the background. I knew the whole thing was too good to be true, but I had time to kill so I listened and answered all the questions until he asked for the credit card number. When I told the guy that if the cruise was free and If I had 180 days to take the cruise, I should be able to pay the port of call fee upon making those reservations. I was then informed that the fee had to be paid at that time and when I simply stated, "Thank you, but I am no longer interested, I will have to pass", the salesman got angry and yelled he was trying to do me a favor. I then told him to have a nice day and hung up. It's ironic that it is identical to the same thing from 2009. I have taken a cruise on Carnival and based on the ship descripitons on this site, it was nothing like any of that. Beware people.

I have posted previously on here about the so called "scam" everyone is talking about!! I was pleased the first time i went on the ship & pleased last year when I went again & took 5 other people with me all for under $1000!!! What other cruise line can u take 6 people for under $1000?? I had a blast the first time i went in October of 2009 & again in October of 2010!! I was shocked that when i borded the ship for the second time how many of the ships employees remembered my friend & i by name from our previous time abord. I paid for 3 couples & they even gave us a complementary bottle in each of our rooms!! There were a few changes from the first year that i was not happy with. The first yr we borded the ship from port everglades in ft lauderdale & for dinner they offered a buffet style all you can eat restaraunt & we went to Nassau instead of Grand Bahama Island. We had issues @ the port in palm beach & were treated rudely by the port staff. Then on bord when we went to dinner we found out that they no longer had the buffet style that u had to order from a set menu!! The next day we got off the ship in the bahamas. We opted out of a shore excursion as a few in my group didnt have the money for it. So we caught a cab to the shore & did alot of really good shopping, went to the casino, spent some time on the beach, & enjoied one or the best curry chicken dinners i have ever had!! Then we went back to port to relax on the ship!! My husband & i reciently went on a 3 night 4 day cruise abord the Carnival Imagination that cost us over $1000 for just us 2! & we had a terrible time!! The customer service on the ship was terrible & i even slipped & fell 3 times due to a lack of mopping up spills. No time was i even offered a hand to get up or an apology when crew saw me fall! When i booked the trip i requested all my gratuties be paid in advance & taken off my card &was informed it was. I even inquired about it when i called bk to book our shore excursion a few months later & i was told it was paid. Our second night on ship our sail & sign card was over drawn $60 for thr gratuties!! I tried talking to everyone on the ship as well as contacting customer service when i got off & nothing was ever done! I will never pay for a cruise with another cruise line!! My only regret is that Bahama Celebration only sails to one location. I do wish carribean cruise line had more ships & went to other locations. I am currently planning a family vacation with over 8 people & we will be sailing with Bahama Celebration!! I am looking forward to our trip & the great people who work on the ship!! For those who think this is a scam..im sorry..maybe if u took the time to have a little fun & stop thinking that $118 is too expensive then you would see things differently! Yes there are hidden fees but i have found that all cruise lines have those fees!! So if u feel like its a scam then maybe u shouldnt be trying to take a vacation to begin with!!

Good thing we have the Internet. I was called a week ago and asked if I wanted to take a survey. If I answered the questions I won a free cruise!! I know better than to fall for this stuff but I answered the questions anyway. I was instructed to got to the Internet and fill out a form for my free cruise. I didn't. I guy called today to remind me about my free cruise and said I was only allowed one reminder call. Lucky me!

He then said since I was flying in from Utah I would probably want more time in the Bahamas or Florida and he could offer me 5 star resorts in either place. One was the Westgate in Orlando. I knew this guy was full of it when he mentioned the Westgate because I stayed there 3 years ago. What a dump!! One star and that one is falling. My wife and I referred to it as the "projects." The place was more of an apartment complex than a "resort!"

While we chatted I pulled up their website. The picture of the boat is a drawing. Good grief. It's a cold world out there people. Don't encourage these operations. Oh yeah, I almost forgot the guy said there was no expiration date on the offer. It was good forever!! He hung up the phone when began to ask some hard questions.

Caveat emptor more than ever with everything you do from your bank to your drycleaner.

I am about to go on a 8 night trip to the bahamas
2 ft lauderdale
1 ship
2 bahamas
1 ship
2 orlando

Food included, $100 entertainment bucks.

Not a big deal but I got it for $800...Im sure that people have gotten these trips from CCL for cheaper, its just about your timing and knowledge and ability to hustle.

I am aware that I will have to spend a day listening to some people talk about crap i wont buy. I have also heard that the ship is old, and the hotels are crummy.

But i've never been on a cruise...or a real vacation for that matter.

I mean to me $800 for over a week of vacation isn't bad even for the crummy room and transportation...i mean thats all it is to me anyway.

I've spent hours looking for things to do in the Bahamas like museums, street vendors/food to try, night clubs that the locals visit and resturants that have a mean a$s happpy hour. Im also going to scuba dive, horseback, and get in the beach right outside my hotel. I have so much stuff planned that I will only see my room when im stumbling in drunk...so i guess i will probably never see my room. I mean as long as the toilet is clean when my head is in it, i think i'll be ok. I've even planned on driving to Miami instead of spending all my time in Ft Lauderdale. I also am also going to use the $100 buy the good tickets (well one of them at least) to orlando and also get free access to a second park (the water park.)

So my real question is... Are people just being high mantainance, or is CCL really "stealing" from us?


P.S.  That Employee was VERY VERY RUDE...I know that was like over a year ago but that still doesn't excuse at all...employee should be fired.

I will report after I go on my trip and tell yall how it went...ill take pictures, and ill keep in mind anything that goes wrong...even if it could have been avoided on my end

I am one of you valuable customer who got in this Scam based on the definition you just said. I went to cruise with my wife this last december, I have paid for it and never got to cruise , neithher a refund. That should fit in your definition of a Scam. And customer assistance for horrible during my whole experience with this company.

You think you got a deal to go on vacation for $800 bucks?  REALLY?  Well...I have some beachfront property in Arizona for you to buy also. LOL

Seriously....You got scammed....If you don't already know it...and by your post, you don't......You will soon find out that you could have gotten a much better vacation for half the price.

Let me give you an example.....I just book a 8 day, 7 night Cruise leaving out of Baltimore, MD to the Bahamas for $398.00 per person. 

And this is on a REAL cruise ship...not an old tugboat that can barely stay afloat.

I feel sorry for you and I wish you the best of luck.  You are gonna need it!

I have been following this thread since I was originally contacted at my home by the firm in question. Its apparent to me that at least some of the posts seen here claiming a positive experience are likely being made by agents of the firm and may not be actual customers. When I digest the firm's webpage its apparent to me that the product is being presented in a way that is truthful and accurate; that is: if it's read VERY carefully and comprehensively, otherwise one's imagination could easily produce a different perception, which is essentially the exact nature of the "art of" deceptive trade. The videos on the website suggest staged performance, and the "actors" testimony makes it absolutely clear that their positive experience is based on NO point of reference as each one clearly states his cruise experience with the firm being his very first. Furthermore, the agency's posts make it very clear theirs is a basic "economy" product and their potential customers better have some wits about them otherwise they will maximize the value on their side of the deal. In my opinion the business model is not sustainable as the negative reports populate and grown the consumer fraud spaces, repeat business is lost, and word gets out via the grass roots process.  My suggestion for the proprietor would be to consider the boat towed upon land in the home port and promote the business as a budget, cruise-line dining experience complete with rent by the hour motel space. This is not an original idea as I have observed other "budget" cruise firms successfully adopt this business model.

I have just received a voucher for $1300 in the mail from this Cruise Company. Of course, it sounded too good to be true so I searched RipOff as usual.

After reading the previous customer experience, and then reading the Employees replies, I have decided NOT to bother with a Company with such practices. I sympathise with the customer.

They offer you 18 months to decide, but would NOT REFUND the money unless you complain so loudly!

Is the $59 part of how they make money?

I have simply thrown their AD in the trash can.

So it's been a long time since my original post on here and I just wanted to reiterate some things I said, as well as give some further explanation of what we went through, since some people still seem to think this is not a scam.

Well, I'm so glad some of you had a wonderful time and that you don't care if you helped feed scammers...or that some of you are looking forward to getting scammed...because who cares as long as you get what you wanted right? It doesn't matter that they have scammed others in the past...in fact, some of you have down right admitted it is a scam, but that it's worth it because you got some great vacation out of the deal. So, you're willing to be scammed as long as it brings you a temporary, good feeling?

And high maintenance? Really? Because I insist on getting an upgrade I payed for? Maybe you're okay with bending over and lubing up so they can stick it to you...but I am not! I clearly stated back in my initial post in 2010, that I payed for a room upgrade that I didn't get. Now you want to imply that I (and others) are high maintenance because we don't like paying for things we don't receive. I'll admit that some of the complaints on here are lame, and anyone who blindly gives their info out without researching things first, can mostly blame themselves for what they are in for. BUT, when you do your research, like I did, and stay on top of everything and they still find a way to scam you...you are not just being "high maintenance."

You want to know why this is a scam? Because they try to sell you so-called upgrades, which are not actual upgrades. You see, what they are actually selling you is the "opportunity" to upgrade not an actual upgrade. Meaning, when we payed for a room upgrade, we were actually only paying for the opportunity to upgrade the room. This is how it works. You pay a fee that gives you the special status of being able to upgrade your room on a first come first serve basis. So, you pay the fee, and if you get to the boat early enough and there are better rooms still available, you can choose one. But, if you get there after they have all been taken, you don't get one and you don't get the money back either. The scam in all this is pretty plain to see. The booking agency sells more "upgrade opportunities" than there are actual upgrades available, then the time share company is told to drag the presentation (which you are promised is a mere 90 minutes) out as long as possible to make people miss the chance to get the upgrades they payed for.

We were told we were obligated to a 90 minute tour and that was it. Yeah right! The presentation was 90 minutes but then they make you go on a tour of their available units where a realtor pressures you even more. Oh sure, "just stand your ground," people say. I had to actually get really rude and pretty much threaten her to "release" us before she gave up and drove us back to the place where the presentation was. Not to be over-dramatic, but I almost felt as though we were being held against our will...trapped in a stranger's car in an unfamiliar place and we could not go back until she decided to bring us back...and she was relentless. She belittled us by asking us a bunch of casual financial questions, acting like she was just making conversation. Then she used the info to tell us how we would never be able to afford yearly vacations on our income, because we would have to save $500 every month to afford it, and we didn't have that to spare according to her math. Here's the kicker: her solution was for us to buy time share for a mere $500 a month payment. But, wait, didn't she just say we couldn't afford that kind of monthly expense...sounds like she should work for those shady banks who gave loans to people who they knew did not make enough money to keep up with the payments and then raked in government bailouts! When I pointed out her math snafu and told her I had once worked for a telemarketing company that gave away free stays on Cape Cod for the exact same kind of time share presentation scam, she had little to say. By this time it was 1:00PM and we had started the 90 minute tour at 8:00AM...mind you, we had to board the ship by 4:00PM and we were a 30 minute drive from the port.

After much insisting, she finally headed back to the presentation location to release us. Once there, we had to sit there and sign all sorts of papers stating we were given ample information and opportunities to purchase a time share that fit our needs. But, we weren't done yet...we now had to wait for her "supervisor" to come and talk to us. Another 20 minutes later he comes over and looks over the paperwork, and then he begins to try to sell to us...offering even better deals with lower payments. I had all I could do not to blow a gasket right there, but I stayed calm and stood my ground, and finally he sent us in to the office to wait for our cruise vouchers to be printed and given to us (another 20 minutes). So, we finally got to the port at 3:00PM. Of course we still had to go through all the boarding procedures and wait in line forever, but we finally boarded the ship just in  time. When the guy showed us to our room and opened the door, we were stunned by the "closet" and immediately questioned the upgrade. We got off and went back to the desk and after much fighting with the manager, were finally told of the scam of paying for the "opportunity" to upgrade and that we had missed our chance because we were too late. We chose right then to go retrieve our stuff and not go on the boat. The main reason is because we knew if we accepted the scam and took the trip we would have no leg to stand on when it came to getting our refund. Taking the trip would have been knowingly accepting that you are not getting what you payed for but taking it anyway, and as a law student I knew that would screw us if we had to take it to court.

I told the guy that nobody in their right mind would pay for just the "opportunity" to upgrade...and that the booking company must know this, and must be knowingly leaving out the real details of the "upgrade." He told me I had to take that up with the booking company, as they were 2 different companies. Now I ask you this: why would a company sell more upgrades than they have available? Because they do it in a tricky way that allows them to charge people for an opportunity, and whether the people get to take advantage of the opportunity or not, the company still gets to make money on upgrades. I reiterate what myself and others have said (including a self-proclaimed employee of the company): scam = paying for something you did not get - ya know, like a room upgrade! I don't think you need to call people "high maintenance" because they expect to get what they pay for. In fact, you may want to rethink your attitude about things, because it sounds to me like you are the prime example of a sheeple...just keep following the herd without questioning anything and I promise there is a prize for you at the end. Just because we don't all just trot along blindly after some perceived "good deal" doesn't mean we are "high maintenance"...it means we are smart, independent thinkers who dare to ask questions even if it means giving up our so-called "prize"!

This is the whole problem with this scam...they know once they have people at the port ready to board, that very few people would walk away and choose not to take the trip, especially after all they've been through getting there...and if you accept their BS and go, then you have no legal grounds for getting a refund, so essentially they have you by the balls! You have 2 choices: You can miss out on the trip or you can let them get away with what they did, because you are like a child who doesn't care what the consequences are as long as you get to keep your prize. They count on people like you to not walk away, and to put up with their tactics for fear of missing out on the prize...people who would just as soon cut off their nose to spite their face. The problem is people like you who feel it's okay to let others exploit your low socioeconomic status to get yourself a vacation, that you otherwise may not be able to afford.  You are no better than an addict - willing to let people exploit you just to get your fix. Sorry if I'm not willing to give up my self-respect and dignity and let myself be taken advantage of for a not-so-free cruise. I've realized that with a little planning and saving you can keep your dignity and self-respect and still get a decently priced vacation with a travel agency that doesn't exploit you in exchange for your "prize"!

This deal is not a scam.



My wife and I took the trip and the accommodations

were small but very clean and comfortable, service on board was impeccable and

the food from three restaurants was some of the best food I have had. The

allegations about this deal are simply not true.



I paid the $118 for the port fees for both of us and was told that we could have a window for $99 extra. I

thought that was a good deal and purchased that too. For those that are skeptical,

call me at 352-551-8833 or you can email me at gregcollectscoins@yahoo.com.



My affiliation with the Cruise line is purely as a very satisfied customer. Everything that I was told was the truth. My wife and I had a wonderful cruise experience and I can email you some of our cruise

photos. Call or email.



Greg and Kathy

Please tell me how I can get my refund!  I am just so upset about this company and their customer service!  I dont want anything to do with it!  After agreeing to the "good deal" it became more money that after I researched is not a good deal!  I thought they were with Carnival Cruise line which I have been on.  I am very upset how they kept trying to talk me into this....and after I told them no I couldnt afford $800 they went ahead and ran it through my bank...then came back and told me it was approved and I was in good standings with my bank!  I was so very very upset!!  they agreed to reverse and then proceeded to talk me into the $600 deal.....told them I needed to discuss with my husband....the lady told another guy and he called my husband (so stupid)....my husband was working on someones roof and hung up on them....that guy told me he just talked to my husband...so I drove to where he was working.  I hate being talked into something...and by that I mean when I say "no" and they keep on and on and on.  any way.....I now have a bank account that will be overdrawn cause that stupid woman took it upon herself to take out $800 without my approval (I told her I "could not" afford that)....so now my car payment will not go through tomorrow.....and the credit card payments....and the other bills. I do not like how they can just take out something without me saying "yes". anyway, how can I get my money back.  after I got off the phone with them I was so mad.....and the later it got the madder I got.  of course they werent open and of course I will probably not get a rep on the phone!  Please help!!