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I received a letter/card in the mail telling me I earned a free cruise. I almost put it in the trash because you never get something for free! However, something told me that I should take a chance and just give them a call.

When I called, I said the same thing, "What's the catch? What's the gimmick?" The operator laughed and said, "Yeah everyone asks that, but it really is a true free vacation package on Carnival Cruise Lines!" I said is this for a time share and she said, NO--it's a vacation package--um, really? Your company needs to train you more becuse Festiva Resorts is a TIME-SHARE!!

To be fair, I already own one so I was going just to get this cruise--I'm not afraid to admit that. She made very sure that I was going to come, even saying, "now this is a package worth over 2 grand, so you must make it!" Really, $2,000?? Just wait, it gets better.

So my boyfriend and I go last Saturday and the stuff sounds great--but like I said, I already own a timeshare with another company and I'm not interested in owning another. So we get our packet and can't believe our eyes---we actually get a free cruise on Carnival!

Yeah well, BIG FAT LIE! We are looking to go at the end of September and found a cruise out of Tampa to Cozumel. Mind you, we have been eyeing this same cruise on the actual Carnival website and sites like Travelocity so we had a round about idea of price. I also knew that you can't get something TOTALLY for free--I was expecting to have to pay the 10.00 a day parking at the port, my gratuity and government taxes. Now, on these websites, the govt taxes were right around estimate of $40.00 per person. So you can see that when they said I'd have to pay taxes and fees I was thinking I'd have to pay somewhere of at LEAST $40.00 in govt taxes and the parking and tips out of my own pocket when I got there--right?

Riiiiight! I call the agency and to go out of Tampa there are fees totaling $250.00 that we would have to pay, PER PERSON. Wow was someone trying to pull the wool over my head! How about on Carnival's OWN website and Travelocity for the same exact cabin the price was 229.00 plus 40.00 in govt taxes. Sorry, but what in the world was I getting for free? Are you kidding me? I just wasted 90 mins of my time to save 19.00?? If I had known this BS, I would have asked for a $75.00 gift card and been done with it. Minimum 250.00 port fees and taxes??!! That is a LIE. I called back and spoke to another agent who admitted that it's also AGENCY fees!!

Good job, Festiva--way to lure in your leeds by telling them it's a "Free" Cruise as a way to say "Thank you." I remember the rep saying that this was how they spent their marketing and advertising money instead of using it for billboards and commercials, they pour it into free vacations for people. Are you kidding me?? You're pouring the money into hiring these marketing companies to then scam your customers into think they are getting a decent vacation package. I still can't get over it--$250.00 in fees??? Why bother with a 90 minute presentation when I could have skipped it and gone online myself. Oh and the agent booking the cruises tried to tell me that you can barely get cruises at that rate these days. Buddy--you're a joke and so is Festiva. The economy is *** and they are begging for business so you can find good cruise deals alllll day long.

Last--I called back the marketing company that Festiva hired and spoke to a manager and told him all this. He did rectify the situation and sent me some hotel vouchers for FL and said all I would have to pay is taxes and no ridiculous agent booking fees like the cruise and apologized. Grrrr!!

Monetary Loss: $500.

Location: Dallas, Texas

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Sara Uyu

To: Confused Winner

We do apologize for any trouble you have had in redeeming your certificate. If you could write to us at comments@festiva.travel with your contact information we would be happy to have a manager look into your situation.

Sara Uyu

To: Confused Winner

Guest

Okay...so I was at a baseball game and they had this contest where you text in the answer for a chance to win a free cruise...well, long behold..I win. And I was asked for all this information and was spoken to very rudely by one of your representatives. 25 dollars was taken out of my account for some kind of fees and I don't expect to see anymore than that.

I have been reading around and all I see is Timeshare and scams. I really hope this is not what I won. Because in that case...I won a headache.

Please let me know asap before I end up in something I don't want.

Guest

I WAS NOTIFD THAT I WON THE CARNIVAL CRUISE, I ASKED BEFORE THE DRAWING IF THIS WAS A TIMESHARE DEAL. HE SAID NO SO I FILLED OUT THE FORM, WHEN I GOT CALL I ASKED AGAIN.

THEY TOLD ME I NEED TO GO AND GET MY PACKAGE.

LIVING APPROX 2 MILES I WENT TO FIND OUT IT IS A TIMESHARE. VERY DISAPPOINTED.

Guest

i am with the original poster we got the card in the mail knowing full well it was a time share deal we figured wont hurt to go for a free cruise do the sales pitch get our cert call the travel agency and they tell us 600$ for 2 people for a 4 day cruise entry level room well for same room off carnivals web site its 245$ per person double occupancy how is that a free cruise.

yes i was aware we would have to pay taxes and port fees but no where in the original document did it mention we would have to pay and exorbitant fee to festiva's travel agency they use for the carnival cruise line. i mean who do they think they are charging a fee for there service which is greater than the actual cruise its self from carnivals own website not a discount website like AAA or travelocity

Sara Uyu

Just to follow up with more information on our cruise offer, there is a sales presentation required at the completion of which we award the Carnival Cruise certificate.

This certificate is good for entry level cabins on select sailings throughout the year. There are also taxes and fees that are the responsibility of the guest, but if you had any trouble booking your cruise we ask that you call us directly to resolve.

Also, if you can please let us know the name of the company that originally contacted you about this offer we would appreciate it so we can make sure they are not misinforming customers.

We take customer satisfaction very seriously and will work hard to make sure you are satisfied with our company.

Guest

I've heard complaints about Festiva but thought I'd give my "free cruise" a chance. I thought the rep was planning to rob my house with all the "when are at work, what is your schedule?" questions.

When I said I couldn't set an appt. the next day she say, "why,what do you have going on." Uhh, None ya!.

Fully aware that it's a time-share pitch but willing to sit through it knowing that I can't be talked into anything.

But if the cruise is a sham then forget it. Looking forward to the conversation when I cancel.

Guest

Thank you for posting this. I figured this offer was too good to be true.

I too was sent a cruise thing in the mail and when I called to ask about it, they swore it wasn't a time share deal. I thought it was strange that they said I needed to make over 50,000 a year as well as bring in my house lease and a bill verifying that my fiance and I live together. They said the 90 minute presentation was to pick out which cruise we wanted and mentioned the taxes but made it sound like it wasn't a lot to pay. I told them I could come sometime next week but they INSISTED on knowing BOTH of our work schedules and then said we HAD to come Saturday because it was a limited offer.

I'm about to call them back and complain, as well as cancel my appointment. Thank you for saving me a 90 minute headache.

Sara Uyu

I'm so sorry that you had a negative experience with Festiva, and we do take all customer complaints very seriously.

We are more than willing to work with you to reach a resolution and would like more information about your situation because if your package was misrepresented to you, then we do want to find out the source of the misrepresentation so that we can ensure that it doesn't happen again.

Please contact me at comments@festiva.travel and let me know your name and the date and location of your tour and the best way to contact you back.

I hope to hear from you soon.

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