JohnMI

Date: 2015-03-12

Ship: Carnival Sensation

Class of Guarantee: OV

Cabin Assigned: M203 (Main Deck, Aft section but almost Mid - 6B)

Date Assigned: 58 days out

To note it, we are vegetarian and have been on the Imagination and had no trouble. I've done some searching here and lots of veggie people seem to have plenty of food options on most of the Carnival ships. Especially recommend is the Mongolian Wok, for example. And pizza. (I love pizza and had some veggie pizza ever night for a midnight snack on the Imagination.)

We cruise on the Sensation in March and I don't think we'll have any trouble with veggie options.

All that being said, we didn't have a single veggie burger. To be honest, I end up having to eat veggie burgers all over the place because that is often the ONLY option. A cruise is a chance to try lots of different things. So, while you may have trouble finding a veggie burger -- I don't think you'll have trouble finding OTHER veggie options.

- John...

My cousin is getting married on the Sensation in March. Apparently, if at least 8 cabins book through their group, everyone in the group gets some sort of "gift" in their cabin. Anyone know what that is, by chance? I am just curious.

(They have the 8 required, but we're not part of the group due to me not knowing I had to do it that way early on. I booked through our normal PVP, so we didn't get added to the group. It doesn't really matter since they reached 8 cabins anyhow -- so we didn't mess anything up by doing it that way, at least!)

- John...

Thanks -- I just did a quick searching using her name and birthday and it indeed found her old number from 2010. Added that to our booking, so we should be all set. Thanks!

- John...

Hmmm... Well, I tried looking at my own cruise documents (where I know I booked Early Saver since I've already done one price adjustment/OBC already) and I don't see anything in there that would indicate that I have ES.

The problem is that it looks like the Ticket Contract page is the same for everyone. It just goes to a general Carnival page (that doesn't reference your booking number at all). And that page just says things about penalties or cancellation policies that vary based on the type of booking you have. (I.e. it says "this applies to Early Saver bookings and that does not", but does not indicate which you have anywhere).

The only booking-specific documents you can look at are just the "Important Information" stuff -- which doesn't say anything about the type of booking, cancellations, and so on.

Anyone else have an idea on how to tell from something on the web site?

Just seems crazy to me that you can't tell if you have an ES booking or not without having to call Carnival and ASK them?? :(

- John...

So, my wife and I cruised in 2010 and will again at least once in 2015. Do I need to sign her up for her own Carnival account and VIPF number so that she gets "credit" for the cruises also? Or does it see the booking for both under my account since I did the booking and that is fine?

Thanks!

- John...

Indeed -- my PVP even gave me his cell phone so that I could text him. Very happy to have him handy. Texted him about a price change and he called me right back and made the adjustment. Awesome!

- John...

From what I can tell, those little numbers show up on the confirmation EMAIL only. I don't see them on the web site anywhere. She doesn't have an email. So it needs to be something I can see on the web site somehow.

Thanks though.

- John...

So, my mom booked over the phone a couple months ago for a cruise in March. She normally cruises Disney and this is her first Carnival (it is for a wedding for a relative). How can we tell if she booked an ES rate or not? When we log into her account, I see nowhere where it indicates the type of rate that was booked. (I booked an Last Call Early Saver just a couple of weeks ago -- and mine also doesn't say anywhere -- I just knew that I had done it, but she doesn't know.)

So -- is there somewhere where we can look on her account and see if she has an ES rate or not?

She does have a PVP -- so I guess she could call and ask -- it would just be more convenient if there was a quick way for us to just look and check.

- John...

Sorry for yet-another-newbie-ES-question, but here goes...

I booked the "Last Call Early Saver" price for my wife and I on the Sensation in March just a couple weeks ago. Price was $299/person plus taxes for a porthole room. I paid half up front with the last payment due this coming 11th.

Yesterday, I saw a lower rate with a OBC. It is listed as the "VIFP Club Member Exclusive Offer" and is $279/person (plus $10 to upgrade to a porthole room) and comes with a $30 OBC. I called my PVP and, after some trouble where he had to get a Supervisor to put it through, was able to get me that rate. So, I saved $10/person, kept the exact same porthole room, and got the $30 OBC. Seems great!

My question is this... Am I correct in my understanding that, should the rate lower again, I would again qualify for a discount since I originally booked at an ES rate?

The reason for my concern that that might not be the case is this note in my new booking confirmation:

A valid and qualifying VIFP Club Member number is required from at least one person in each stateroom to be eligible for this rate. Onboard credit offer is non-transferable and is provided as a non-refundable credit. Subsequent upgrades in lieu of price protection will no longer be offered. Cancellation penalties apply.

What does that mean exactly? That part about subsequent upgrades no longer being offered seems odd to me. Can someone fill me in on where I stand as far as potential future upgrades and/or OBC for price drops?

Thank you!

- John...

For convenience for those that come looking for a recommendation (like me), here's a link to the Belkin one mentioned several times here (and it's the 2.1amp one so that it can charge all your USB stuff no problem):

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00ATZJ5YS/gtzso-20

- John...

Interesting. I actually called on this yesterday and my PVP said that I COULD price match to the Pack and Go rate no problem -- but that I'd lose my porthole room because the Pack & Go rate does not guarantee a specific room.

So, I passed on that, but they had another promotion going on for past cruisers instead that was the same rate. And they were able to match me to that instead. I got the cheaper rate, the OBC, and was able to keep my same room.

EDIT: Note that I believe you -- my PVP must have been telling me wrong. I just re-read the ES FAQ over at Carnival and it says that for it to apply, the room must be assigned, correct? In which case, Pack & Go would indeed not qualify.

- John...

Everyone has a different size wrist and not everyone likes to wear a wristband that is tight, and naturally, the standard size would only for a fraction of the passengers....

Just to note it, Disney does wristbands of ONE size for everyone in the park from little kids to large adults like me. They are adjustable and work quite well.

Don't get me wrong -- if you don't want them, that's cool. I don't really care either way if they use them on ships one day. But if the size is your concern, it really shouldn't be. Disney has already been the test case for hundreds of thousands of people and there really isn't a significant "wrist size" issue. :)

- John...

Just to confirm for those above that mentioned screenshots -- is a screenshot from the Fare Viewer page enough? Or do you need to do something better than that (i.e. start a booking and screenshot the total before checking out)?

- John...

All the people that keep talking about how a wristband would look with their clothing on a particular night seem really odd to me. I mean -- are you wearing your S&S card around your neck with that dress? Or are you sticking it in a little purse or something instead? Wouldn't you do the exact same thing with a wristband?? It's not like these are bonded to your wrist or something. The ones at Disney, at least, come off and on just fine.

Just seems weird that so many people are worried about whether or not a wristband would go with their outfit. Well, then don't wear it with that outfit -- just like you wouldn't wear your S&S card currently...

- John...

Just to follow up on this, we ended up booking the U16 porthole room! Thanks for all the comments, everyone!

(On a side note, I think it fairly likely that there will be a price drop -- so we'll see if I end up in that room or get upgraded to an OV.)

- John...

Note that there is also the "Early Saver Last Call" stuff sometimes that goes beyond the 3 or 5 month windows. I just booked the "Early Saver Last Call" rate yesterday for a short cruise on March 12th -- so, slightly less than 3 months from now.

According to Carnival, this is done "based on availability" to "encourage" people to sign up. So, basically, sounds like if it isn't selling that well, they may extend the ES period.

- John...

Thanks, everyone! I just booked it. It was the last day of the "Last Call Saver Plan" thing. I get price protection for drops through January 11th with an actual refund -- and then OBC after that.

I did book through a PVP as suggested above, so I have his direct number plus his extension at the 800 number to get back in touch with him if I need him to help with a price drop thing and such.

Again, thanks for advice!

- John...

Sounds good -- thanks for the advice. I'm thinking I'll take the Early Saver option that expires tomorrow and go for it (with a Porthole room) -- then see if I get lucky with a price drop. (And, even if I don't, it'll still be fine.)

One last question: can you submit price change requests more than once? For example, if I book it and it drops in a week and I submit it and get the credit -- and then it drops again a week before we sail -- can I submit another request? I assume so, but wanted to double-check.

Thank you, all!

- John

Anyone have any advice on selecting a porthole room on the Sensation? My options would be Forward only on the following decks:

Upper:

Rooms U1-U16 available.

Empress:

Rooms E2-E4 available.

There are also rooms on Riviera and Main decks, but I thought it would be better to be up higher unless someone suggests otherwise.

Suggestions appreciated! Thanks!

- John...

Indeed -- there is an "Early Saver Last Call" deal that expires tomorrow.

- John...

So by "best price" you mean "lowest price".

Correct. :rolleyes:

If the lowest price is more important to you than attending the wedding than wait it out and see if you might get a last minute bargain basement deal. You said you didn't mind if you didn't go to the wedding. So if a better deal does not materialize or the ship sells out you won't be disappointed.

Ok -- that is the sort of advice I was looking for. But, it does bring back my other question then: so -- there ARE drops in price or deals that might come along that Carnival wouldn't price-match to then?

Again, as I said, I'm new to this. So, the big push from Carnival that they will "price match" any lower price that comes along if I book now sounds attractive -- unless there are significant deals that they won't match to, of course.

Keep in mind though that last minute deals are often guarantees and you'll likely end up in a crappy cabin location - like next to the anchor chain, under a galley, etc. Those cabins are unsold because more experienced people know not to book them.

Ok -- I will keep that in mind as it makes good sense. That being said, my first cruise (in 2010) was a guaranteed OV room and we really liked it. But, maybe we just got really lucky or something.

- John...

I don't see a reason why you haven't booked yet. What do you have to loose?

Well, I guess my thought was that I'm not sure that it really is the "best price." I don't have any experience with their price-matching policy. I've seen other companies (hotels, for example) get out of any "if it gets cheaper, we'll refund you the difference" policies by saying that the offer was slightly different.

Does that happen with Carnival? Or are they pretty good about really matching everything after you book if you submit a request? I did a quick search and found some people saying that they filled out the form and it was denied -- then had to call and sometimes were able to still make them match it. So, based on that quick search, it appears that Carnival tries to get out of these price matches.

So, that is why I wasn't sure what to do here -- to just book it and feel confident that they will refund the difference if it goes down -- or if there might be other cheaper options closer to the cruise date that are slightly different so they wouldn't price match to if I booked it now and it dropped to that later.

- John...

I'm still a newbie -- only cruised once before (Carnival Imagination in 2010). I have a cousin getting married on the Sensation on March 12, 2015. We've been invited to attend -- and would like to do so since some other family is going -- but it wouldn't be horrible if it didn't happen to work out (i.e. I'm not super worried about waiting for a better deal even if there is a slightly risk of not being able to go at all).

So -- I'm trying to figure out the best time to buy for my wife and I. I want either a porthole or an OV room. Right now, the best pricing I am getting for the two of us is $299 pp for a porthole room plus $155 in fees for a total of $753.

Carnival is telling me that if I book now and the price drops before January 11th, then they will refund the difference -- and if the price drops after January 11th but before the cruise, they will give the difference as an on-board credit.

So -- any suggestions? Do I just go for it and, if the price drops, do the request? Or do I wait it out and hope for a lower price to come along?

Again, I'm in a nice situation where I don't have to worry too much about it not working out -- so I feel a bit like I can wait and see. But, if it won't make a difference, then I'd go ahead and book just to note have to worry about it, I guess. So, I'm open to ideas. Thanks!

- John...

Wow! This thread is actually 4 years old. I have to admit that I don't remember any more, sorry.

Basically, we got the wristbands when we got off the ship while we waited for the van to arrive. It did not take long and we were there pretty quickly -- and, as I said, the tour was quick just to show us around. So, if it were me, I'd just do the same thing again -- wait for the van, ride over, get the quick tour, and be all set to enjoy the day.

If the tour started going through the actual aquarium stuff or anything, I'd just tell the tour person that we'd rather do that later and just get to the fun now and ask her to point you to the lockers.

But, again, it's been 4 years, so I don't remember the details quite so well, sorry! :)

- John...