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Would you book a year in advance?

jtdlmc

By jtdlmc,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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jtdlmc

jtdlmc

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DD is in college so we are very limited to when we can cruise - her reading week in February 2011. With travel time it will work out that we need a 5 day cruise that begins on Monday (the best choice) or 6 day cruise that begins on Sunday. The Eastern Caribbean Destiny cruise is our best choice so far. This will be our first cruise. Carnival is offering the Early Booking Fare - which I think is a really good price. But I was reading the "fine print" last night and saw that with cancellations made on a fare booked with th EBF you lose your deposit ($800). What I'm worried about is deterioration of the ship (I've already read a lot of reviews that state the Destiny is getting pretty "worn"), change of itinery, etc. What do you do?

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Socref124

Socref124

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We did for the DREAM. We will not cancel though. The early saver rate is good 6 months out. You could wait until Aug and decide and still get the early saver rate. The Destiny is OK. Not the best Carnival ship but not the worst ship either.

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jtdlmc

jtdlmc

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Our other choice would be 6-day Freedom Western Caribbean but it's not my first pick because of ports - I like the Eastern ports better. But if the Freedom is a much "better" ship than the Destiny, that may sway my decision - we could do a longer Eastern trip another year.

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mdvlprof

mdvlprof

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Unless you need specific cabin, wait to make reservation. You could also look into insurance with "cancel for any reason", which usually has to be bought within a few days of initial deposit.

 

You could wait until Aug and decide and still get the early saver rate.
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Mrs.C05

Mrs.C05

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If you're scheduling it around your daughters time off, why would you think you'd need to cancel it later? I know things can come up unexpectedly so only then would you have the choice to go or not. Or get 'cancel for any reason' insurance but you'd have to really read the fine print in that too to see what the guidelines are.

 

I'd book it if you think it's a great price and especially since your daughter will be able to go. Just stay healthy and if it really worries you, look into getting 'cancel for any reason' insurance. Some of them I've seen only allow you to cancel up to 2 days before departure, not the day of. Do your homework with that.

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happy cruzer

happy cruzer

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Dumb question. Are you sure DD wants to cruise at that time? College age is when lots of kids stop being the kid and start doing their own thing with their friends. Still spend traditional holidays with family but go out own their own at other times. Just a thought and then you would be free to go at much less expensive time with fewer children onboard. Just a thought.

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gargoyle999

gargoyle999

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But I was reading the "fine print" last night and saw that with cancellations made on a fare booked with th EBF you lose your deposit ($800).

 

Keep in mind that if you do need to cancel your cruise booked under ES, you get charged a $50/pp "fee" but the rest of the deposit can be put towards another cruise booked within 12 months. So if you don't cruise at all you would lose the entire deposit. But if you rebooked during those 12 months you wouldn't lose all of it.

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jtdlmc

jtdlmc

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Dumb question. Are you sure DD wants to cruise at that time? College age is when lots of kids stop being the kid and start doing their own thing with their friends. Still spend traditional holidays with family but go out own their own at other times. Just a thought and then you would be free to go at much less expensive time with fewer children onboard. Just a thought.

 

 

Yes she is more than willing to go with "the family". We usually do resort vacations and she has already asked if I am planning anything for this coming winter as some of the kids at college are thinking of it. She said she would rather go with us than them!

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MamaParrotHead

MamaParrotHead

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Yes, we plan all of ours atleast a year in advance. And do note what the other poster said, the deposit is NOT "nonrefundable"....they take $50 pp for a fee to switch you all, but the remaining $200 pp gets moved to whatever sailing you end up choosing, should you have to cancel. Booking Early Saver PLUS that far ahead, and you'll have a great rate as well.

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jtdlmc

jtdlmc

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Keep in mind that if you do need to cancel your cruise booked under ES, you get charged a $50/pp "fee" but the rest of the deposit can be put towards another cruise booked within 12 months. So if you don't cruise at all you would lose the entire deposit. But if you rebooked during those 12 months you wouldn't lose all of it.

 

 

Oh ok, I didn't realize that - well that settles it then - I will book as soon as I find out when her break will be in 2011. I have to call the school for that one - hopefully it is a standard week in February, although this year it is the 3rd week and last year it was the 4th week, so....?

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Ken076

Ken076

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Unless you need specific cabin, wait to make reservation. You could also look into insurance with "cancel for any reason", which usually has to be bought within a few days of initial deposit.

 

If you're looking at "Cancel for Any Reason" be sure to read & understand the Policy's Terms for same. Some policies only cover up to 75%. Others cover up to 100%, but cover less-and-less the later you cancel. ken

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firefly333

firefly333

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Oh ok, I didn't realize that - well that settles it then - I will book as soon as I find out when her break will be in 2011. I have to call the school for that one - hopefully it is a standard week in February, although this year it is the 3rd week and last year it was the 4th week, so....?

 

Lately last minute prices have been better and dont forget the small print also wouldnt let you make any name changes if someone changes their mind. They have the no name changes buried even further down in the small print.

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Crusin6

Crusin6

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DD is in college so we are very limited to when we can cruise - her reading week in February 2011. With travel time it will work out that we need a 5 day cruise that begins on Monday (the best choice) or 6 day cruise that begins on Sunday. The Eastern Caribbean Destiny cruise is our best choice so far. This will be our first cruise. Carnival is offering the Early Booking Fare - which I think is a really good price. But I was reading the "fine print" last night and saw that with cancellations made on a fare booked with th EBF you lose your deposit ($800). What I'm worried about is deterioration of the ship (I've already read a lot of reviews that state the Destiny is getting pretty "worn"), change of itinery, etc. What do you do?

We always book all of our trips a year out...for the same reason you state.....school schedules! However, my 19yo has too much work to finish up during study week and wouldn't be able to leave campus...even if she did bring her materials with her....her major requires her to be in the lab that week...that being said.....we do a family beach to Cape Cod the first 2 weeks of every August and if she can arrange her work schedule, she will join us the last week of June for something. However, in July of 2012...no one works...goes to camp..or takes classes in this family....because we are doing Europe big time...if the money holds out that is!! It is just so difficult to arrange schedules for a family with teens, adults and young kids like our is right now that we are just making really long term plans for 2012!! So to answer your question.....book as far out as you can as you know your time is limited.

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Crusin6

Crusin6

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Oh ok, I didn't realize that - well that settles it then - I will book as soon as I find out when her break will be in 2011. I have to call the school for that one - hopefully it is a standard week in February, although this year it is the 3rd week and last year it was the 4th week, so....?

MY dd's school's website has everything scheduled until the class of 2014 graduates...maybe her school does as well. And they rarely change those type of dates......the hotels in the area are actually taking fully prepaid reservations for the graduation weekend in May 2013!!!!

 

 

Yes, it is a very large Ivy League school....but really now...May 2013?

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Casino Player

Casino Player

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DD is in college so we are very limited to when we can cruise - her reading week in February 2011. With travel time it will work out that we need a 5 day cruise that begins on Monday (the best choice) or 6 day cruise that begins on Sunday. The Eastern Caribbean Destiny cruise is our best choice so far. This will be our first cruise. Carnival is offering the Early Booking Fare - which I think is a really good price. But I was reading the "fine print" last night and saw that with cancellations made on a fare booked with th EBF you lose your deposit ($800). What I'm worried about is deterioration of the ship (I've already read a lot of reviews that state the Destiny is getting pretty "worn"), change of itinery, etc. What do you do?

 

HHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLLLLOOOOO jtdlmc: I've booked several cruises a year or more out. Just go with the flow and stay with the ship. Once they even changed ships on me. Congarats on y9ur first cruise. My first cruise was on Carnival too, the Triumph in it's first year of service.

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