CARNIVAL GUARANTEES A GREAT VACATION

Some major cruise news from Carnival -- a new "Great Vacation Guarantee" that promises more than your money back if you don't enjoy your cruise experience with them. That's a big-time customer commitment. We say, kudos!

Here's the full press release:

Carnival Cruise Lines today unveiled an unprecedented new program that offers consumers a one-of-a-kind, hassle-free money-back guarantee when booking a Carnival cruise vacation. Designed to provide consumers with complete peace of mind, the “Great Vacation Guarantee” allows guests to end their voyage early and receive a 110 percent refund plus complimentary transportation home, along with a $100 shipboard credit for a future cruise, should they be dissatisfied with their cruise for any reason.


“We are proud to carry nearly 4.5 million satisfied guests each year and are very confident in the quality of the vacation experience we provide on board the 24 ships of Carnival Cruise Lines,” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival president and CEO. “The ‘Great Vacation Guarantee’ is designed to provide an assurance to those consumers who may be considering a cruise that we stand behind our product and, if they are dissatisfied for any reason, they have a simple and hassle-free means for receiving a full refund and more.”

To exercise the “Great Vacation Guarantee,” guests simply notify the ship’s guest services desk within the first 24 hours of the voyage to receive a full refund of their cruise fare plus an additional 10 percent, along with complimentary return air transportation from the next port of call, and complimentary ground transportation and hotel accommodations (if necessary), along with a $100 shipboard credit to be used on a future Carnival cruise. Carnival will fully handle all the necessary travel arrangements to make it a truly hassle-free experience.

The “Great Vacation Guarantee” is valid on all three- to eight-day voyages to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Canada and New England departing through April 30, 2015. The program applies to U.S. and Canadian residents only and guests must possess a valid passport to return to the U.S. by air.

Carnival is promoting the “Great Vacation Guarantee” through its travel agent partners, as well as a special section on its web site at www.carnival.com/vacationguarantee, and through ads in major market U.S. newspapers and online.