ES to Pack and Go - Magic 5/22

[NAUdebo]

I booked Early Saver back in December for my wife and I, along with another cabin for our in-laws. Both cabins are large oceanview with the two-bathroom setup on the Riviera deck, and we paid $1399 pp.

 

I just logged on to the Carnival site, and was shocked - they're now offering Pack and Go rates of $999 pp for oceanview, or $1199 for balcony. Of course, I'm aware the room category and location is not guaranteed. Still, those are substantial savings.

 

Has anyone made this kind of switch before? I'm leaning strongly towards asking my TA to put in a call to Carnival and switch to balcony... would we also get $200 OBC per person? That seems like a no-brainer.

 

Any advice on how to make this work would be much appreciated!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I booked Early Saver back in December for my wife and I, along with another cabin for our in-laws. Both cabins are large oceanview with the two-bathroom setup on the Riviera deck, and we paid $1399 pp.

 

I just logged on to the Carnival site, and was shocked - they're now offering Pack and Go rates of $999 pp for oceanview, or $1199 for balcony. Of course, I'm aware the room category and location is not guaranteed. Still, those are substantial savings.

 

Has anyone made this kind of switch before? I'm leaning strongly towards asking my TA to put in a call to Carnival and switch to balcony... would we also get $200 OBC per person? That seems like a no-brainer.

 

Any advice on how to make this work would be much appreciated!

 

AFAIK this is not possible but I have read a couple success stories.

 

Doesnt hurt to try.

 

Good Luck

 

Bill

[firefly333]

Sometimes the person had to push. They were turned down saying for new bookings only, so the person just called someone else back until they found someone to say yes.

 

If your TA wanted to get it thru, they should be able to with a little dilligence.

 

Id do it, even though you are giving up the split bath?

[NAUdebo]

I'll see what my TA can pull off... split bath is nice, but not worth $400 and a balcony! :D

[Ken076]

"New Bookings Only" doesn't apply to ES price matching. The ES Price -matching for Guarantee Bookings like Pack-and-Go is: if you're booked ES and the fare for the Guarantee category (BL, ST) above yours drops below your rate, you can give-up your assigned cabin for a TBA cabin in the Higher Category, and get OBC for any difference. This is standard procedure for price-matching to guarantee bookings. Ken

[NAUdebo]

"New Bookings Only" doesn't apply to ES price matching. The ES Price -matching for Guarantee Bookings like Pack-and-Go is: if you're booked ES and the fare for the Guarantee category (BL, ST) above yours drops below your rate, you can give-up your assigned cabin for a TBA cabin in the Higher Category, and get OBC for any difference. This is standard procedure for price-matching to guarantee bookings. Ken

 

Ken, I saw that you mentioned this on another thread when I ran a search... do you know where that is mentioned in Carnival policy, just so I can refer to it if I run into trouble?

[Ken076]

Ken, I saw that you mentioned this on another thread when I ran a search... do you know where that is mentioned in Carnival policy, just so I can refer to it if I run into trouble?

 

Ha!!!! this is one of those unwritten, but fully accepted, "policies". If you get flack, you need to ask to have the situation elevated to the so-called Guest Solutions department who I (pretty-much) guarantee would "rule" in your favor. I suspect the correct path is to file a Price Adjustment claim form while the rate reducrtion is active and explain this in detail in the comments section - some PVP's could probably handle this for you, others would be clueless. Understand that you would be giving up your already assigned Oceanviews for the "worst" or the "best" Balcony, anywhere on the ship, maybe not assigned until very late. Post in this thread if you have a problem (or a success). ken

[DWNYC]

I booked a ES Inside for $999 and now OV pack and go is at the same price. I called the general 800 number and they wouldn't allow me to switch stating the pack and go is for new bookings only. I then called my PVP the next day and she basically stated the same thing. I needed to find a Past Guest Rate to upgrade to and that was my only choice. I felt I was stuck, but there's a Guest Solutions dept? How do you contact them?

 

Ha!!!! this is one of those unwritten, but fully accepted, "policies". If you get flack, you need to ask to have the situation elevated to the so-called Guest Solutions department who I (pretty-much) guarantee would "rule" in your favor. I suspect the correct path is to file a Price Adjustment claim form while the rate reducrtion is active and explain this in detail in the comments section - some PVP's could probably handle this for you, others would be clueless. Understand that you would be giving up your already assigned Oceanviews for the "worst" or the "best" Balcony, anywhere on the ship, maybe not assigned until very late. Post in this thread if you have a problem (or a success). ken

[firefly333]

Call the 800 number during business hours and ask for guest solutions if no one here knows the number.

 

Iv heard mixed results, so cant hurt to push it a little.

[mzloolue]

I changed a resident rate to a lower pack and go rate last Wednesday.

It was before final payment.

No problem.

I had to get guarantee cabins instead of what we had booked, but what we had on the resident rate were lowest deck all the way forward anyway.

And the gamble of the guarantee is kind of fun.

I don't see how we could do a whole lot worse...

 

Hope it works out for you NAUdebo, $1600 is a lot of money right now.

[Ken076]

I booked a ES Inside for $999 and now OV pack and go is at the same price. I called the general 800 number and they wouldn't allow me to switch stating the pack and go is for new bookings only. I then called my PVP the next day and she basically stated the same thing. I needed to find a Past Guest Rate to upgrade to and that was my only choice. I felt I was stuck, but there's a Guest Solutions dept? How do you contact them?

 

 

As suggested above, in parallel

(1) file a price adjustment form with this info in the comments section, telling them that the Pack-and-Go OV has dropped below your ES inside rate, and that you want to giveup your ES assigned cabin and take the Pack-and-Go OV "TBA" cabin and the difference as OBC, and

 

(2) call your PVP, relate this scenario to him and tell him this is accepted Policy for ES price-matching, and if he doesn't cooperate ask/tell him you want to go over this with his Supervisor on the line and that you want to elevate this to Guest Solutions for resolution.

 

 

ken

[NAUdebo]

I'll be calling my TA in the morning - will report back to the group here on how things go. Thanks again, everyone...

[girlscruise2011]

I know that ES is non refundable deposit but I thought I read that there is a small cancellation fee (maybe $50 each) and you get a credit (not 100% sure on this), if so, for the price difference, it might be worth cancelling and rebooking. You are talking a balcony and less money. Might be something to try.

[girlscruise2011]

I know ES is a non refundable deposit but I thought I read you can pay a small cancellation fee (I think $50 each) and the balance is put on a credit (not 100% sure about this, I think it depends how long before you cruise) but it may be something to check into if you can. It seems a balcony & less money would be worth it. Good Luck

[Ken076]

I know ES is a non refundable deposit but I thought I read you can pay a small cancellation fee (I think $50 each) and the balance is put on a credit (not 100% sure about this, I think it depends how long before you cruise) but it may be something to check into if you can. It seems a balcony & less money would be worth it. Good Luck

 

You have to re-book a different cruise. ken

[NAUdebo]

My TA is having problems... they're saying Pack and Go only applies to new bookings and they won't allow the upgrade at that rate. She's elevated it to two different supervisors. What should I do from here?

[firefly333]

My TA is having problems... they're saying Pack and Go only applies to new bookings and they won't allow the upgrade at that rate. She's elevated it to two different supervisors. What should I do from here?

 

The rules say you have to compare to only the category you book. They told me that means they evaluate each upgrade or downgrade on a case by case basis (downgrade seems to be automatic no).

 

You really cant make them give you the gty rate because nothing says they have to upgrade you. Usually asking again works, but I dont know with a TA.

[Ken076]

My TA is having problems... they're saying Pack and Go only applies to new bookings and they won't allow the upgrade at that rate. She's elevated it to two different supervisors. What should I do from here?

 

NAUdebo -

 

I've lost track of the details on this thread, but..... The price-matching for ES and Pack-and-Go (Guarantee) is: If you are booked Early Saver and the rate for a Guarantee Category (OV, BL, ST) above yours drops to/below your ES rate, you can give-up your assigned cabin for a TBA cabin in the higher category and receive OBC for any difference.

 

Your TA should have submitted an ES Price Adjustment Form with words to this effect in the Comments section and requesting to give-up their assigned cabin for a TBA Cabin in the higher category. Carnivals agents and PVP's aren't supposed to handle ES Adjustments (and often don't know all the ins-and-outs).

 

If you want to send me your booking info ?

 

ken

[firefly333]

Ken nothing says they have to give you the pack n go rate. Its case by case. Lots of others are reporting the same thing, that they were told its for new bookings.

[girlscruise2011]

You have to re-book a different cruise. ken

 

I learned something new..guess then it wont work in this case

[BeccaBecca1713]

Hmmm..... I can see where the GTY OV might not work cause it could be for a cat lower than yours, but it seems to me that a GTY Balcony is definitely an upgrade from OV. So don't understand why that wouldn't be approved. Oh well. Keep pressuring your TA to keep calling Carnival. Good Luck!

[Ken076]

Ken nothing says they have to give you the pack n go rate. Its case by case. Lots of others are reporting the same thing, that they were told its for new bookings.

 

ABSOLUTELY - As usual nothing is documented anywhere that we customers have access to - that would make it too easy and eliminate 50% of the posts here!!!

 

I was given this "policy" when I was corresponding with the Head of the Guest Solutions activity a number of months ago; the same person indicated that the caveat for "new bookings only" in general does not apply to price-matching with Early Saver (in that when a new special offering comes out, they are working to establish a way of price-matching that offer to ES, like the quirky way they price-match to Pack-and-Go).

 

I've since lost contact, but my project this week (in addition to a new lawn and planning a Mexico wedding!!!) is to determine what the current position is on this. One thing I'm suspecting, is that this has to be done by submitting the ES Price Adjustment form, and not by calling your agent and his/her supervisor.

 

There's a handful of ES "issues/interpretations" that come up again and again and again, and a lot of dissatisfaction/confusion could be avoided by simply expanding/re-wording the ES Terms and Conditions to reflect these!!!!!!!!

 

ken

[firefly333]

Hmmm..... I can see where the GTY OV might not work cause it could be for a cat lower than yours, but it seems to me that a GTY Balcony is definitely an upgrade from OV. So don't understand why that wouldn't be approved. Oh well. Keep pressuring your TA to keep calling Carnival. Good Luck!

 

Because ES does not give you the right to upgrade or downgrade. Its only if they approve a cabin change.

 

Usually they have been allowing upgrades, but lately they havent, indicating they are not allowing them en masse as before.

 

Nothing in the terms says you can upgrade to a gty. ...nothing.

[Ken076]

My TA is having problems... they're saying Pack and Go only applies to new bookings and they won't allow the upgrade at that rate. She's elevated it to two different supervisors. What should I do from here?

 

NAUedebo - Your TA is probably calling his/her Carnival counterpart or Business Manager. But......Technically, all ES Adjustments are supposed to be submitted (in your case by your TA) on the ES Price Adjustment Request Form which ensures it will be processed by the ES Price Adjustment Department who are knowledgeable in these situations.

 

I'd suggest that you get your TA to specifically submit the TA form with the words I suggested, and see what happens in a few days. Your other option is to attempt to submit the TA ES Price Adjustment form (I don't have the link, offhand) yourself this weekend, copying TA info from your booking materials, but with the risk of "ticking" off the TA.

 

I'm doing some legwork on this subject (which I still believe to be Carnival's "policy" for pricematching guarantees with ES) later this week, but you'll probably be resolved by then.

 

ken

[firefly333]

Ken as you know I went up to VP level and was told the policy is upgrades too are a case by case basis ....that is their policy.

 

I talked to at least 6 people.