Has Anyone Figured Out the New Carnival Web Site?

[Mary Ellen1]

I'm hardly defending the new site.....but since the ES price-matching is for the total fare for all passengers in the cabin, all you need to do is know your total fare (not including the "Govt Fees & Taxes" add-on) from your ES booking and then compare that to the total fare (not including the "Govt Fees & Taxes" add-on) shown on the new site - the per passenger breakdown is irrelevant.

 

Knowing your cabin location and Category you should be able to fight thru the new booking sequence to get the current fare for that cabin.

 

ken

 

Ken, how do you see the current fare for that cabin, if the cabin isn't offered anymore?

 

I've got a 4C. It looks like new bookings for 4A's are being upgraded to Deck 6 or 7. And then it offers an upgrade for around $1.30/day to a higher deck - I'm guessing that's the 4B price, but who knows? :mad: And as everyone has said, I can't see the 4C anymore.

 

My solution might be to just send a blizzard of Early Saver price protection requests (daily??) & let them figure it out. Thoughts, anyone?

 

(p.s. Shout-out to mishelly76 -- I'm on your cruise over Thanksgiving. :))

[Bunkie103]

I just sent them an e-mail to voice my displeasure....like that will do any good. Of course my DH said to me...."do they know who they're dealing with?" and laughed. It would take a lot of phone calls between now and May, but what the heck, I have the time. Feel bad for those of you who don't have the time and might miss out on OBC. ES rate will die an untimely death if they don't change this.

[tef43]

I just sent them an e-mail to voice my displeasure....like that will do any good.

Not so fast, my friend... :p

 

I just fired off a similar nasty-gram to CCL, and lo and behold, I receive a reply from my PVP shortly after stating, "That's what I'm here for."

 

Allrighty then! If that's the way they want to play, I'm in.

[stewpapa]

I'm hardly defending the new site.....but since the ES price-matching is for the total fare for all passengers in the cabin, all you need to do is know your total fare (not including the "Govt Fees & Taxes" add-on) from your ES booking and then compare that to the total fare (not including the "Govt Fees & Taxes" add-on) shown on the new site - the per passenger breakdown is irrelevant.

 

Knowing your cabin location and Category you should be able to fight thru the new booking sequence to get the current fare for that cabin.

 

ken

 

 

This is true. Also, I put the Ship and Deck plan for the level I wanted in the website search and got a copy of the deck plan with Categories. I saved it on my computer. Now I can go online and "pretend" book a similar room and check the price, and I know which Category I'm looking at. The Deck plans with Categories are still there, just not on the booking engine. Good Luck! I will not call 10 times a day, but I hope lots of you do!

[mouche]

ES rate will die an untimely death if they don't change this.

 

 

This may be what they want!!!:rolleyes:

[dnj1]

I'm trying to understand this. I understand that we cant price check anymore. But here is my situtation... wouldn't it still be best for me to book ES because it is the cheaper rate? I ask this because we always cruise in Augsut and book ES, NOT ONCE has the rate gone down for me. I'm assuming thats becuase Summer is peak time.

So shouldn't I keep ES, or am I missing something?

[croozlady]

I don't think that's always the case Ken.

 

I have an 8F booked early saver for 3ppl for my Feb 2011 cruise. When I try and check on the new site it does not give me any 8F cabins. I have gone to 2 OL TA sites today, and there are still 4 8F cabins available on them.

 

I see no way on the new site to get the 8F's to show... If someone can talk me through it I'd love to understand how! All I can do is put in deck 10 forward, but again, it doesn't give me 8F's, I know the cabin numbers that I need to compare to, and they are not there.

 

It is certainly very frustrating to have booked ES, with the draw of it being able to get price drops/OBC, and then have the tool to use to find them taken away. It seems like dirty pool to me.

[Mary Ellen1]

I'm trying to understand this. I understand that we cant price check anymore. But here is my situtation... wouldn't it still be best for me to book ES because it is the cheaper rate? I ask this because we always cruise in Augsut and book ES, NOT ONCE has the rate gone down for me. I'm assuming thats becuase Summer is peak time.

So shouldn't I keep ES, or am I missing something?

 

If ES is the cheapest rate, then you should certainly book that rate. Just be prepared for some difficult & frustration in checking for price drops. :(

[blyle]

My TA is not booking carnival since she says they are trying to do everything in house and there is very little commission or OBC that she can offer due to their new rules. Sounds like she may be correct!

[tandemcruzr]

I have an 8F booked early saver for 3ppl for my Feb 2011 cruise. When I try and check on the new site it does not give me any 8F cabins. I have gone to 2 OL TA sites today, and there are still 4 8F cabins available on them.

 

I see no way on the new site to get the 8F's to show... If someone can talk me through it I'd love to understand how! All I can do is put in deck 10 forward, but again, it doesn't give me 8F's, I know the cabin numbers that I need to compare to, and they are not there.

 

Two thoughts - 1) My experience with the new site has been you only have 3 choices for each deck choice - forward, mid, and aft. My experience on the Legend was that I expected my cabin to be Aft (none available) but it showed up on the new site as Mid. Got a $20 price drop this past Sunday.

 

2) Perhaps what is showing up on the other sites as available are part of a block of cabins reserved by that TA and that Carnival shows as 'not available.' Could change if the TA returns the rooms.

 

Certainly not as 'user friendly' as the previous site.

[Ken076]

I don't think that's always the case Ken.

 

I have an 8F booked early saver for 3ppl for my Feb 2011 cruise. When I try and check on the new site it does not give me any 8F cabins. I have gone to 2 OL TA sites today, and there are still 4 8F cabins available on them.

 

I see no way on the new site to get the 8F's to show... If someone can talk me through it I'd love to understand how! All I can do is put in deck 10 forward, but again, it doesn't give me 8F's, I know the cabin numbers that I need to compare to, and they are not there.

 

It is certainly very frustrating to have booked ES, with the draw of it being able to get price drops/OBC, and then have the tool to use to find them taken away. It seems like dirty pool to me.

 

On the new site, for Liberty 2-192011

Deckplan shows the eight CAT 8F Cabins as Panorama (and they actually Mid-Ship in Carnival's opinion).

 

If I go thru the booking:

Select BALCONY

Select 3 TRAVELERS

Select Booking PAST GUEST for example

Select BALCONY

Select MID-SHIP (Let the Display complete)

DeckPlan display shows the eight Panorama Deck "8F's"

 

See if you can reproduce this?

 

You do not need the 3rd and 4th PAX breakdown, as The ES Price-Matching is stated as being for the total Fare for All the PAX in the Cabin, which is the info that the new layout displays.

 

ken

ken

[croozlady]

Thanks, Ken, that does it. I find it interesting that they are referring to it as mid ship, as this will be the third cruise we will be in that same stateroom, and it's always been referred to as Forward on our luggage tags and on my reservation.

 

So the rooms are still available, but price has gone up again...

 

At least now I know where to look to try and find a price drop, but I'm not counting on any...

 

Thanks again for the help!

[Ken076]

I'm trying to understand this. I understand that we cant price check anymore. But here is my situtation... wouldn't it still be best for me to book ES because it is the cheaper rate? I ask this because we always cruise in Augsut and book ES, NOT ONCE has the rate gone down for me. I'm assuming thats becuase Summer is peak time.

So shouldn't I keep ES, or am I missing something?

 

You can still price check - see my post 2 or 3 posts above. .

 

Yes, by booking ES in advance you generally get about the lowest going rate, which you'll appreciate if rates continue upward.

 

ken

[blyle]

My daughter could not take a chance with Early saver so she booked a past guest special on our family cruise. Her price has gone down and is now only $10 more than our Early Saver plus she gets OBC and she can change cabins, cancel etc without penalty. For $10 more I should have booked Past Guest! Early Saver is not working for us!!!

[RD64]

This seems like the ultimate in nickel and diming....$7.20 to select a cabin amidships...more for each deck you go up from Riviera. I think a lot of people will miss the fact that these are per person, per day charges - and Carnival is counting on it. Last week it was the steak debacle...now this

[bibetnh]

I also can't stand the new site. I have been tracking one specific cruise for a few months now. The prices have changed, but the net cost is the same give or take about 20.00. I don't know why Carnival is playing with the numbers the way they are....but the price was about 1,025.00 for the first and second guest and 700.00 for the 3rd guest. The total 2,750.00. Currently, the prices is 903.00 per guest including 3rd....the total, 2,706.00. However, I had to call to get the breakdown on the price since the website did not break it out for me....it only shows the total cost. I agree with most here on this thread....having always booked early saver for the price protection, this method does not at all help me. I wish they would change it back!

[k2excursion]

Also, I put the Ship and Deck plan for the level I wanted in the website search and got a copy of the deck plan with Categories. I saved it on my computer. Now I can go online and "pretend" book a similar room and check the price, and I know which Category I'm looking at. The Deck plans with Categories are still there, just not on the booking engine.

 

I hope this would work, when filing for price drops, but I wouldn't count on it. The deck plans with categories are on the website (not in the booking engine). But when you're checking the price of your room in the booking engine, there are not categories like we have on our own booking. So, if I'm booked in a 4A (Riviera-aft), I can go to the website and check prices for interior, Riviera deck, aft. And if my room is included in this "newly defined category" and the price is lower, I should be able to get a price drop. But, Carnival does not have to honor it, because it's no longer a 4A.:mad: It's now considered an interior, Riviera deck, aft. That's the category for the lower price I'm seeing, not 4A. Without any 4As (by Carnival's new definitions of categories), I can't get any price drops. I'm hoping that they don't do this, and they'll go ahead and honor situations like this hypothetical example. But with what Carnival's been doing lately, I'm not counting on it.

 

And, what about if the room you're in is a 4A-aft, and the new interior, Riviera deck, aft is the same price. But the interior, Riviera deck, forward is a lower price (I've seen similar to this already). That used to be the same category (4A), but not any more. You can't match to that price anymore.

 

It's crazy that someone like me is actually bashing Carnival. That's really saying something, for anyone that knows me.

 

 

Another one that agrees that the site sucks :( It keeps saying no rooms available in the category I pick. Not only that but every single time I go to the fun ships area to look at a specific ships itinerary,it freezes my computer.

 

I've had the same problem. It seems to freeze up my browser, then I have to "End Task", and takes down all of my windows.

[lady in tx]

On an earlier thread, I mentioned a possible option for offering your opinion to CCL about the new site, and the current challenges . . .

 

.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=26338026&highlight=#post26338026

.

.

 

Thanks for the link but for some reason I don't see the business card or any information about who I'm supposed to email.

 

Can't post a link cause it will be to my facebook page but if you search for Carnival Cruise Lines page, then under where it says "write something", click on Carnival Cruise Lines + others and it will take you to the page where all comments can be viewed. I noticed that Mischelle replied to Rita's complaint saying she has forwarded all complaints to the proper department. Mischelle is also one of the employees who monitors the forums on Carnival's web page but she has not replied to any complaints over there - so maybe facebook is the place to go!

 

Will check it out!! thanks!! :D

[M&M Fantasy Cruise]

I have sent my letter of complaint to Jordan Corredera the Director and Manager of Carnival online. Just use his first initial and whole name @ carnival.com.:(

[mishelly76]

But, Carnival does not have to honor it, because it's no longer a 4A.:mad: It's now considered an interior, Riviera deck, aft. That's the category for the lower price I'm seeing, not 4A. Without any 4As (by Carnival's new definitions of categories), I can't get any price drops. I'm hoping that they don't do this, and they'll go ahead and honor situations like this hypothetical example. But with what Carnival's been doing lately, I'm not counting on it.

 

 

That is exactly what I am afraid of!

 

From Carnival's Early Saver "fine print":

Lower rate must be: (i) for the same ship, sail date, stateroom category and number of guests;

 

There is no stateroom category anymore! :confused:

 

=========

 

However, as I mentioned in my earlier post, I filled out a form this morning and already received the approval back...so no problems. Yet. :rolleyes:

[near the beach]

Even if I can’t check for price drops to get OBC I will still book Early Saver. I don’t like the new system, web site or whatever it is called. :confused: I book Early Saver because it is the lowest rate available when I book. :) I have let Carnival know I don’t like the upgrade. I hope the person on the phone relays messages to management. So far only concerns about the Carnival Forums have been answered on the Forums web site. Nothing yet about the booking page. I am concerned on what the upgrade to the Past Guest Recognition Program will be like when that gets announced before the end of the year.

[Ken076]

Two thoughts - 1) My experience with the new site has been you only have 3 choices for each deck choice - forward, mid, and aft. This has always been the case - for example on Riviera Deck 4A is Fwd or Aft and 4B is midship, and so on.

 

It DOES look like they've changed the dividing line between fwd/aft and midship cabin designations!

 

 

 

ken

[Ken076]

This seems like the ultimate in nickel and diming....$7.20 to select a cabin amidships...more for each deck you go up from Riviera. I think a lot of people will miss the fact that these are per person, per day charges - and Carnival is counting on it. Last week it was the steak debacle...now this

 

It's ALWAYS been the case that you pay more for mid-ship than for fwd/aft, and that you pay more for higher decks; it IS irritating to have it broken down by day, but it is shown as a trip total in the right border. IMO It's pretty clearly stated right on the page that the charges are per person.

 

ken

[Bunkie103]

I was able to price check yesterday on our May cruise and did get a price reduction. There are still lots of rooms available, so it isn't too tricky, BUT once the final payment is made it will no doubt be nearly impossible.:mad:

[Ken076]

I was able to price check yesterday on our May cruise and did get a price reduction. There are still lots of rooms available, so it isn't too tricky, BUT once the final payment is made it will no doubt be nearly impossible.:mad: Why do you say that???

 

ken