Early saver - possible to switch to a guarantee?

I am cruising in December and I have Early Saver. When I booked, that was the cheapest option because it had some OBC thrown in. Now there's a Pack and Go guarantee rate that's cheaper, even including that OBC. Is it possible to switch to that? If I do that, and the guarantee rate drops even more, would I be able to get that price drop? Thanks for any help!

You may be allowed to switch but you will be done for price drops if they do it. Be prepared to get the worst cabin in that category. While some have had good luck with a guarantee, plenty haven't. You will not be able to call and get a different cabin if you're not happy with the one that is assigned to you. That's the chance you take. I am way too picky to ever let them choose my cabin so it's not even a consideration for me.

What would the extra cost be to get a higher category cabin?

I have done it before. Because I book deck 1 or 2 anyway, when I lost my cabin for guarantee, they assigned me the same cabin a few days later. I was lucky , it was possible that I would have gotten a broom closet or a cabin with no toilet lol. It was so worth it that time because we ended up with over 200.00 in OBC. We did it for two of our cabins last year at thanksgiving.

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Yes and you should still be listed as Early Saver and qualify for future price drops.

Just submit the price match form online. Make sure to include the name of the rate you want to switch to where it asks for it and also the correct price. I suggest that you even enter the onboard credit request in the box that asks for other comments.

The only actual problem is that your room could really suck but if that doesn’t matter to you go for it.

If they are advertising Pack and Go as a good deal, they are hawking the least desirable cabins.

Yes and you should still be listed as Early Saver and qualify for future price drops.

 

Just submit the price match form online. Make sure to include the name of the rate you want to switch to where it asks for it and also the correct price. I suggest that you even enter the onboard credit request in the box that asks for other comments.

 

The only actual problem is that your room could really suck but if that doesn’t matter to you go for it.

Once you move yourself to the guarantee pool you lose ES price match status. It’s one and done.

Once you move yourself to the guarantee pool you lose ES price match status. It’s one and done.

I guess that was just more false information the representative on the phone gave me then. *Shakes head* I swear I asked multiple times if I would still be Early Saver and eligible for price matches and was told yes.

*grumbles* sorry people, I’ll go back to not answering questions.

I guess that was just more false information the representative on the phone gave me then. *Shakes head* I swear I asked multiple times if I would still be Early Saver and eligible for price matches and was told yes.

 

*grumbles* sorry people, I’ll go back to not answering questions.

Wouldn't be the first time they gave wrong info. The terms and conditions of ES is that you price match to the same category. When you move to the guarantee pool, it's no longer the same category. Technically they don't have to allow it, but it has been done. The catch is that you no longer get price drops.

I guess that was just more false information the representative on the phone gave me then. *Shakes head* I swear I asked multiple times if I would still be Early Saver and eligible for price matches and was told yes.

 

*grumbles* sorry people, I’ll go back to not answering questions.

I wouldn't trust the phone reps if they told me the sky was blue. I often wonder what it's like in their call center because they constantly dish out wrong information. It's not your fault at all!

I agree with Mrs Fireman Bob, there's no way I'd ever let Carnival pick out my room for me. Not a chance.

I am cruising in December and I have Early Saver. When I booked, that was the cheapest option because it had some OBC thrown in. Now there's a Pack and Go guarantee rate that's cheaper, even including that OBC. Is it possible to switch to that? If I do that, and the guarantee rate drops even more, would I be able to get that price drop? Thanks for any help!

Is Pack and Go considered a downgrade? Would there be a fee to change from ES to P&G?

You definitely need to contact the person with whom you booked.

Thanks for all the responses! It's not a big fare drop when you take the obc into account, but I'm in basically the worst room anyway - 6A, an oceanview on Riviera deck all the way in the back. I don't care what oceanview I get. But I wouldn't be happy if I took it and the guarantee rate dropped even further and I couldn't get that - after all, there was a pack and go last week but it wasn't as cheap as it is this week!

Thanks for all the responses! It's not a big fare drop when you take the obc into account, but I'm in basically the worst room anyway - 6A, an oceanview on Riviera deck all the way in the back. I don't care what oceanview I get. But I wouldn't be happy if I took it and the guarantee rate dropped even further and I couldn't get that - after all, there was a pack and go last week but it wasn't as cheap as it is this week!

As long as it's the OV guarantee, you won't get any lower of a category, but you could get something that is considered an upgrade to a location that you wouldn't like. So for your category, the worst upgrade would be to get a 6C that is below the Galley, where you might hear pots and pans banging around (depends on the ship). You could also get an upgrade to a Balcony....right above the night club where you hear the bass going on at 3:00 AM every night. Those kind of things are rare, but it's always possible.

Technically the rules of ES say you cant price match to a lower category but sounds like once again they gave up and allowing it.

Just shows people can push them into not enforcing the ES rules. The phone reps get tired of arguing. a guarantee is techically a downgrade so they dont have to allow it.

I have only booked an Early Saver rate once. On my first price drop ($30) I submitted the form. A few minutes later, I received an email saying it was "approved"... When I went back to my booking, they had switched me to a "guarantee" cabin. I immediately called in and told them I did not price match to a guarantee rate, and only wanted the small price drop. They said, "well, it's done now. You cannot get your previous cabin back"

I was furious. I asked to speak to a supervisor, and it took about 20 minutes, but I was finally able to get my original cabin back, as well as the modest price break...

I have only booked an Early Saver rate once. On my first price drop ($30) I submitted the form. A few minutes later, I received an email saying it was "approved"... When I went back to my booking, they had switched me to a "guarantee" cabin. I immediately called in and told them I did not price match to a guarantee rate, and only wanted the small price drop. They said, "well, it's done now. You cannot get your previous cabin back"

I was furious. I asked to speak to a supervisor, and it took about 20 minutes, but I was finally able to get my original cabin back, as well as the modest price break...

Yeah I hate those forms. They default to the "Include fares where Carnival picks your room" option. I am always so careful to make sure to hit the "No" button instead. I also put in the notes "Keep same cabin number and do not make any other changes to the booking besides the price drop." But I don't mess with those anymore. I just call my PVP and he gets it handled while I'm on the phone with him and I have an email confirmation before I hang up.

You know, I never looked at the Early Saver form before; I always did it through my pvp. I just looked at it, at https://www.carnival.com/core/requestforms/priceprotection.aspx. On the form it DOES have a place you can check if you agree to a guarantee, and it does NOT say that if you do this, you give up future price protection. Is there any official place that states that policy?

You know, I never looked at the Early Saver form before; I always did it through my pvp. I just looked at it, at https://www.carnival.com/core/requestforms/priceprotection.aspx. On the form it DOES have a place you can check if you agree to a guarantee, and it does NOT say that if you do this, you give up future price protection. Is there any official place that states that policy?

I’m not sure, but it is considered a downgrade so technically shouldn’t be allowed. However, there have been many cases of Carnival allowing it once with the agreement that you are no longer eligible for price drops.

I’m thinking they have that button as an option there in case you did book an ES rate that was a guarantee to begin with and are price matching to another guarantee rate. But I don’t like the fact that it defaults automatically to that. If you’re not paying attention it’s real easy to mess it up.

IF you have an oceanview category you could upgrade to balcony guarantee.

(but i did not think ES rate covered guarantee rates