Triumph upgrade questions

[sloth]

Hi, a newbie to Carnival here! We're sailing on the Triumph in July, and had booked 2 balcony cabins (8233,8237).

Last week I was just browsing around on the Carnival website and noticed that they were listing aft cabins on Deck 7 at a lower price than we paid. (We booked thru a TA and have already made final payment.) I called the TA, she confirmed with Carnival that we could move to the aft cabins, but said the Carnival rep told her we were not able to get any OBC when relocating, even tho the aft cabins were about $40 less per person than our original price.

 

Two questions:

1. Am I gonna LOVE the aft experience?? (I think so, from reading all the great info here on CC.) We are taking our sons (20 and 23) on their first cruise!

2. Why were we not offered any OBC?...is it because we "upgraded" to a higher category? Not complaining really, just curious. And if these aft cabins now go any lower before we sail...might we be eligible for OBC?

 

Oops, I guess that's 3 questions!

Thanks!

Cindy

[firefly333]

Only if you booked ES rate do you get rate reductions after final payment. Even though you dont say, Im guessing you must have booked a different rate?

 

If its a more expensive cabin, Id move. Im assuming its a aft FACING cabin, not just a baclony in the aft ..as you dont say what category you are moving to either.

 

PS why doesnt your TA know the answers?? Sounds like its time to book thru someone who knows more about cruises?? Your TA should have told you up front about no price drops after final payment etc unless you booked early enough and booked a ES rate (which has some downside/rules also to warn you about)

[Traveler353]

1. Only you can know if you will be happy.

2. If you booked ES you took the upgrade instead of OBC. You usually can not get both. If not booked ES you can not get OBC after final payment date.

[Marie51]

Are the aft cabins you are thinking about getting bigger in size or do they have a bigger balcony, or are they just the same size cabins near the back of the ship???

[sloth]

Only if you booked ES rate do you get rate reductions after final payment. Even though you dont say, Im guessing you must have booked a different rate?

 

If its a more expensive cabin, Id move. Im assuming its a aft FACING cabin, not just a baclony in the aft ..as you dont say what category you are moving to either.

 

PS why doesnt your TA know the answers?? Sounds like its time to book thru someone who knows more about cruises?? Your TA should have told you up front about no price drops after final payment etc unless you booked early enough and booked a ES rate (which has some downside/rules also to warn you about)

 

Sorry to confuse...I'll try to clarify. I'm not sure if we booked ES rate... here's how it went down: I emailed the TA (who has been great in the past by the way) and told her we were looking at this cruise and asked what was available cabin and price-wise. She fired back with some cabin choices/prices, we selected, and she booked it .( At the time, she said there was a promo going on for non-past guest that offered an upgrade from 8A to 8C for the same price.) This was back in March. So is this Early Saver?

The cabins we originally had were Cat 8C, standard balcony on deck 8, pretty far forward on the starboard side...we are now Cat 8M...aft facing extended balcony on deck 7.

So yes, if I'm understanding correctly, it is an upgrade, and we were beyond final pymt. so I think I understand that we were not eligible for OBC.

 

Thanks for the info. Still learning!

[Marie51]

If it's a larger balcony then I would get it in a heartbeat.

[firefly333]

Sorry to confuse...I'll try to clarify. I'm not sure if we booked ES rate... here's how it went down: I emailed the TA (who has been great in the past by the way) and told her we were looking at this cruise and asked what was available cabin and price-wise. She fired back with some cabin choices/prices, we selected, and she booked it .( At the time, she said there was a promo going on for non-past guest that offered an upgrade from 8A to 8C for the same price.) This was back in March. So is this Early Saver?

The cabins we originally had were Cat 8C, standard balcony on deck 8, pretty far forward on the starboard side...we are now Cat 8M...aft facing extended balcony on deck 7.

So yes, if I'm understanding correctly, it is an upgrade, and we were beyond final pymt. so I think I understand that we were not eligible for OBC.

 

Thanks for the info. Still learning!

 

the promo's are never ES rates. With ES there are never free upgrades offered, you choose a particular category and its usually cheaper than the past guest fare, even with considering the free upgrades, (but as Im finding out the no changing dates without penalty can come back and haunt you.

 

The no refunds after final payment for regular rates started 12/1/08 ..a year and a half ago, so thats why Im mentioning ...you would think your TA would know these rules that have been in effect this long and brief you a little more on the ins and outs ...or they dont know, just have to ask... as you said they did.

 

Carnival introduced ES rates in Jan 09.

 

So, no you will not be allowed to get refunds after final payment with your rate.

 

The downside to ES is you cant just cancel and change rates, even before final payment, from the date you book without paying $50 pp fees.

 

For instance 1A on Sept 26th is $409, but a IS two weeks later is only $349, but it would cost me $100 to change two people to the $60 pp cheaper fare 2 weeks later, (and Im before final payment)

 

I now have Ecstasy ES Jan 23 out of Galveston and Elation Feb 12, 11 out of Mobile. Elation is a group cruise, cant change date, Ecstasy is ES so it would cost me $100 to move the date to be a B2B with Elation and save driving to two ports (which I probably will wind up doing).

 

No name changes with ES, if someone cant go, you cant pay the $50 on other rates to change names.

 

So, Iv got two ES bookings that I would for sure change now if I didnt have to pay the $50 pp ES fee to change before final payment. (once I hit final payment, then standard cancellation fees apply)

 

Your TA should discuss these ins and outs with you when you are choosing the rate.