Has Anyone Figured Out the New Carnival Web Site?

[flyingb]

The old way was very easy to compare and see all room types. I dont like this new system at all.

 

Neither do I! That's why I will continue to use my PVP. ;)

Luv's Crusin'

[stewpapa]

Stateroom Categories can still be found by putting in

" 'Ship Name' Deck Plan" in the Carnival web page search box. You can copy it and find rooms in the catergory that match yours and "pretend book" an available room and compare prices. It is more difficult, which is the objective, but not impossible. Those willing to work for it will just have to work harder for their price drops.

 

ES is still the best price option if you can book early and don't mind risking $100 to make a change. We have always saved more than $100 by booking ES.

[dnj1]

Am I crazy...My work computer still shows the old website, but home shows the new website...what?

[Mary Ellen1]

Am I crazy...My work computer still shows the old website, but home shows the new website...what?

 

Oh cool! Can you check all of our rates for us??? :D

 

Seriously, though, I think that sometimes it takes time for site updates to wind their way through all of the servers that make up that Big Bad Internet. You'll probably see the change soon.

[papilliontraveler]

ES is still the best price option if you can book early and don't mind risking $100 to make a change. We have always saved more than $100 by booking ES.

 

Help me out with this one please. When I called/booked with our PVP, it was the same price to go with the "past guest" as it was with the ES. The advantage I had by doing this was I can make changes with no fees, if need be.

I here alot of people talk about how the ES is the best, cheapest way to go.

Am I just missing something? or could it be dependant on each cruise?

Thanks.

[CruisinManiac]

Am I crazy...My work computer still shows the old website, but home shows the new website...what?

 

Perhaps your cookies are still in place for your work computer. I delete mine every few days.

 

Finally figured out how to work the new Carnival site and it shows my drop. Now to ask my TA. :eek: See my original post from a day ago when I couldn't get the prices to show for my category.

 

I cannot check the price for my category on Carnival, but on a TA site that I check, it shows that my category dropped by $20 pp since yesterday. I don't know if I should contact my TA or not about this. She seemed confused the last time. We did finally receive the $80 OBC that we were promised, if the rate went down under the ES rate.

[balcony bound]

I'm going to have to chime in and agree -- the new booking system STINKS.

 

Not sure how they (Carnival) think that having us visit other websites instead of theirs is good for business. I mean, it's much easier to look up cruises now on other sites - that also sell other cruiselines.

 

Good play, Carnival.

[loveJake]

Help me out with this one please. When I called/booked with our PVP, it was the same price to go with the "past guest" as it was with the ES. The advantage I had by doing this was I can make changes with no fees, if need be.

I here alot of people talk about how the ES is the best, cheapest way to go.

Am I just missing something? or could it be dependant on each cruise?

Thanks.

 

If the price of your cruise drops up to 3 days before sailing you will get(according to time frame) reduced fare or OBC, not so with other rates. I book ES if it is at lease $100 less then any published fare at the time of booking, that way if I have to change cruise dates I am not loosing anything. So for this cruise I have $190 OBC, all rate drops coming after final payment and also got the past guest rate which was lower after the ES rate expired before final payment.

[Ken076]

Help me out with this one please. When I called/booked with our PVP, it was the same price to go with the "past guest" as it was with the ES. The advantage I had by doing this was I can make changes with no fees, if need be.

I here alot of people talk about how the ES is the best, cheapest way to go.

Am I just missing something? or could it be dependant on each cruise?

Thanks.

 

ES is usually (but not always) lower than Past Guest or Military. You also have to factor in that the Past Guest rate usually includes a several category upgrade at time of booking.

 

 

If you book with Past Guest you can cancel with no Penalty up to final Payment. You can get price drops for Past Guest (or you can switch to any Promo Rate with a better rate) only up to Final Payment - after that you may be able to get an upgrade if your fare drops. You can do name changes for $50 fee.

 

If you book Early Saver you can cancel up to final payment but you pay a $50 per person penalty and the balance of your deposit is basically transferred to a furture cruise w/in 2 years. You get price drops for any fare that you're eligible for, up to 2 business days before sailing. You cannot do name changes.

 

ken

[Ken076]

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. What you're saying is that there is no more price-matching because they've re-named the "Categories" - that's not true - they will determine what new "Deck - Fwd/mid/Aft" category your cabin is in and compare fares accordingly - I verified this with the ES Processing Department.

 

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. I had not (yet) noticed this variation in pricing between Fwd/Aft!!!

 

 

 

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. Same problem here (Windows 7 and Internet Explorer 8)!!!!!

 

ken

[papilliontraveler]

Ok, so in my case, I paid for the cruise in full, at the time of booking(I was redeeming points from my Carnival CC). My PVP told me that any price drops would be credited toward my account, I assume in the form of OBC.

 

I did book past guest and yes, there was a free upgrade involved.

 

The way he explained to me was I was getting the best of both worlds with how I booked, ie: any drops in price I would receive and no $50 penalty for changes made.

 

I guess I don't know if I should keep checking the price or not?

[Ken076]

Ok, so in my case, I paid for the cruise in full, at the time of booking(I was redeeming points from my Carnival CC). My PVP told me that any price drops would be credited toward my account, I assume in the form of OBC.

 

I did book past guest and yes, there was a free upgrade involved.

 

The way he explained to me was I was getting the best of both worlds with how I booked, ie: any drops in price I would receive and no $50 penalty for changes made.

 

I guess I don't know if I should keep checking the price or not?

 

I'm not sure how all this works in your specific situation wrt redeeming points....but for a "normal" booking:

 

It shouldn't matter that you paid in full at time of booking, it only matters where you are relative to your final payment deadline date.

 

Prior to final payment date, if the fare for your cabin's past guest rate drops, you're eligible for a price adjustment and prior to final payment date if your cabin's fare for 55+ or Resident or military (whichever you qualify for) you should be able to "switch" your booking to that rate.

 

So, I'd continue checking all these rates.

 

ken

[CruisinManiac]

My TA just submitted ours! I will post back to let you know the outcome. ;) TA said she received the standard "you will hear back from us within three days, if approved."

[cruzzza]

Let me just agree that it STINKS that they don't tell you what each category costs, along with charges for 1st & 2nd, and also for 3rd, 4th person separately. I want to be able to, at a glance, see how each cabin category goes up in price, as well as the 3rd/4th rate.

 

The other way, we had a one-page view of all the categories, prices for them, and pp rates based on how many people were traveling. Why do away with that? It was a great way to check for price drops, but also a great way to do research for upcoming cruises. I don't want some generalized dumbed-down version of this. I want the REAL infomation.

 

Yes, it may help first time cruisers book, but look at how many of Carnival's cruisers are past guests. I agree that this might be some attempt at preventing Early Saver's from getting OBC, but if that's the case, why not just do away with the ES rate?

 

This is not giving us a real view of the whole pricing situation, and is borderline a scam to me. Making us call to get the individual rates? They know most people won't do that.

 

One UNhappy customer.

 

p.s. I did write Carnival on their website and let them know how I felt, and I suggest that anyone unhappy about this do the same.

[papilliontraveler]

I'm not sure how all this works in your specific situation wrt redeeming points....but for a "normal" booking:

 

It shouldn't matter that you paid in full at time of booking, it only matters where you are relative to your final payment deadline date.

 

Prior to final payment date, if the fare for your cabin's past guest rate drops, you're eligible for a price adjustment and prior to final payment date if your cabin's fare for 55+ or Resident or military (whichever you qualify for) you should be able to "switch" your booking to that rate.

 

So, I'd continue checking all these rates.

 

ken

 

Thanks for the information.

[vacation_junkie]

Oh cool! Can you check all of our rates for us??? :D

 

Seriously, though, I think that sometimes it takes time for site updates to wind their way through all of the servers that make up that Big Bad Internet. You'll probably see the change soon.

 

Ha..Ha..I was just going to say the same thing...lol

[Paratina]

I wrote Carnival today expressing my frustration. I have 3 cruises booked ES and it is horrible trying to check for price drops...

[Ken076]

I wrote Carnival today expressing my frustration. I have 3 cruises booked ES and it is horrible trying to check for price drops...

 

paratine - after you go through the one-time effort to convert your cabin ### to it's new, equivalent Deck-Fwd/MidShip/Aft Category, it looks pretty straightforward???? ken

[marcyjane]

Which would you select for the old 8E cat.

Balcony, Premium balcony or Vista Balcony.

I booked ES and when I called they said since I took advantage of an upgrade showing at one point back that you could upgrade for 8C to 8E for same price as I booked the 8c that I was put to Past Guest instead of ES.

And since I paid in full on my pay in full date. That I was in pentaly and could not get OBC for a price reduction. Talked with 3 different people and none of them could tell me which balcony was now compared to 8E.

Now top all this off my PVP is no longing working at CC and they have not assigned me a new one.

I told all 3 people I spoke with about the confusion searching and that I didn't like the new booking engine.

They said sorry.

When I search for the Lido deck which my cabin is in. I get a $50.00 less price but they say NO cause they was a 8A and I booked 8C when I book. Now 8a did not give a choice of the Lido deck it was Main & Empress I believe.

This is driving everyone crazy and they need to keep their customers happy in my thinking .

I don't like the new website one bit.

Marcy

[blyle]

Perhaps the FLorida attn general needs to hear about some of this bait and switch. They've taken care of things in the past.

[Ken076]

Which would you select for the old 8E cat. It would be easier if you don't mind sharing the ship & Cabin number.

Balcony, Premium balcony or Vista Balcony.

I booked ES and when I called they said since I took advantage of an upgrade showing at one point back that you could upgrade for 8C to 8E for same price as I booked the 8c that I was put to Past Guest instead of ES. As ES doesn't have upgrades at the time of booking (and Past guest usually does) it sounds like you are booked as Past Guest. Your booking Confirmation should give an indication of your Boooking, either showing a 3-letter fare code somewhere (DP3 is Past guest) or in the Terms/conditions at the end (if phrases like "no name changes" or "nonrefundable deposit" appear, then you're booked ES).

FIRST, you need to confirm if you're booked Past Guest or if you're booked Early Saver.

 

And since I paid in full on my pay in full date. That I was in pentaly and could not get OBC for a price reduction. All that matters is where you are relative to your Final Payment Deadline date, some 60 to 70 days from sailing. If you are booked Past Guest, prior to Final Payment Deadline you can get Past Guest price drops - if after the Final Payment Deadline, you may be able to get an upgrade if your Past Guest rate drops. If you are booked ES, you can get price drops up to 2 business days before sailing. Talked with 3 different people and none of them could tell me which balcony was now compared to 8E. If this is for Your November 2010 Freedom Cruise, you're well past the final payment deadline and not entitled to any price drops, if you're booked Past Guest !!!!

 

Now top all this off my PVP is no longing working at CC and they have not assigned me a new one.

 

I told all 3 people I spoke with about the confusion searching and that I didn't like the new booking engine.

They said sorry.

 

When I search for the Lido deck which my cabin is in. I get a $50.00 less price but they say NO cause they was a 8A and I booked 8C when I book. Now 8a did not give a choice of the Lido deck it was Main & Empress I believe. The bottom line is that you essentially booked an 8E at whatever price you paid when you booked - the 8A is now immaterial. If an 8E drops below that rate, you're entitled to a price drop (if you're booked Past Guest and before the Final Payment Deadline)

 

This is driving everyone crazy and they need to keep their customers happy in my thinking .

 

I don't like the new website one bit.

 

Marcy

 

ken

[Ken076]

Perhaps the FLorida attn general needs to hear about some of this bait and switch. They've taken care of things in the past.

 

Where is the "bait & switch". Re-naming the "categories doesn't make it "Bait & Switch" You simply convert your old Category to the new Deck-Fwd/mid/aft Categorization and follow the menus and if the cabin fare is lower than your current cabin fare, submit your claim? ken

[Ken076]

marcyjane - Your Freedom Cat 8E equates to:

 

FWD Panorma Deck if it's cabin 1006 to 1059

 

Mid Lido Deck if it's cabin 9268 to 9294

 

ken

[dnj1]

Oh cool! Can you check all of our rates for us??? :D

 

Seriously, though, I think that sometimes it takes time for site updates to wind their way through all of the servers that make up that Big Bad Internet. You'll probably see the change soon.

 

WOW, I will consider myself lucky for a little while. :) thanks

[Earthworm Jim]

It's ALWAYS been the case that you pay more for mid-ship than for fwd/aft...

 

I don't believe that as true. As I recall, the charging more for mid-ship than forward and aft just began within the last few years. It used to be each entire deck was the same price.

 

But if no one else remembers it that way maybe I'm imagining things.