Question for the Travel Agent types

[StingRaysfan]

If someone wanted to do a raffle fundraiser... the prize being a 7 day cruise on the Legend. Is a travel agent able to "lock in" a price for a certain date.... to where if the winner chooses to change the date to another date there is no price difference penalty????

 

I am ONLY asking because I have a friend setting up this sort of raffle to raise funds for a sick family member and her travel agent just told us this... I just find it hard to believe. She picked a cheap week in May, and I asked her about them needing to go in June or July and she stated it would all be "locked in" and it was ok to switch with no penalty as long as it's 75 days before the original date (final payment)... and I sat there in astonishment. I'm not really sure what deals travel agents have access too but I REALLY wanted to make sure this is true, since directly after the person started talking about Carnival waiters dressing up each night for a different theme.... LOL wow! Really made me question her knowledge of the line, so I want to be sure this isn't going to bite my friend in the rear.

 

I will say this.... the price quoted was the Fun Select rate for that category.... as a guarantee instead???? anyone anyone??? Bueller, Bueller??? I don't want my friend to get hung up in the end with problems...

[mdbowl300]

I am not an agent type, but based on what happened to us last year, I believe who ever wins the trip will need to pay something.

It is probably more about semantics when they say it would not be a penalty.

To get a room on the same ship at a different time or on a different ship altogether, you would be required to pay the difference between the purchase price and the price at the time they re-book the room.

Even if they use the same room at the same time, the reservation has to have the names changed. This would require either a change fee, not even sure you can do this, or the first reservation be cancelled and a new one submitted, causing a difference of rates to be charged.

Hopefully someone with direct knowledge will provide a better answer.

[StingRaysfan]

I am not an agent type, but based on what happened to us last year, I believe who ever wins the trip will need to pay something.

It is probably more about semantics when they say it would not be a penalty.

To get a room on the same ship at a different time or on a different ship altogether, you would be required to pay the difference between the purchase price and the price at the time they re-book the room.

Even if they use the same room at the same time, the reservation has to have the names changed. This would require either a change fee, not even sure you can do this, or the first reservation be cancelled and a new one submitted, causing a difference of rates to be charged.

Hopefully someone with direct knowledge will provide a better answer.

 

That makes a lot sense. Of course it was not how it was presented, and I asked her 3 times....

 

That is really not what my friend wants to do though because she knows that most people can't go on a certain preplanned date, and she doesn't want to jack the winner up after it is advertised otherwise. I also see the logic behind it in the respect that it would still be a cheap cruise on a balcony if you won and had to change the date.

 

I was thinking she should sell a ton of tickets... pick the winner and then when they pick their cruise book it at that time... and work with a better travel agent. The travel agent did try to sell Royal Caribbean as a "step up" and seemed to be mocking Carnival with the whole "dressing up for themes in the dining room." I was like.. "man, I don't know how long ago you cruised but they definitely don't do that anymore......"

 

 

Thanks for your input...

[LMKakaThing2]

What you might want to do is post this on to Carnival's site and go to the forum board and post this question under looking for Carnival assistance. Mary or Mischelle might be able to answer this question for you. Who knows, they might be able to tell you if they offer something like this too. If so, it might be easier to work directly with Carnival for the raffle.

[cruisinfanatic]

If someone wanted to do a raffle fundraiser... the prize being a 7 day cruise on the Legend. Is a travel agent able to "lock in" a price for a certain date.... to where if the winner chooses to change the date to another date there is no price difference penalty????

 

I am ONLY asking because I have a friend setting up this sort of raffle to raise funds for a sick family member and her travel agent just told us this... I just find it hard to believe. She picked a cheap week in May, and I asked her about them needing to go in June or July and she stated it would all be "locked in" and it was ok to switch with no penalty as long as it's 75 days before the original date (final payment)... and I sat there in astonishment. I'm not really sure what deals travel agents have access too but I REALLY wanted to make sure this is true, since directly after the person started talking about Carnival waiters dressing up each night for a different theme.... LOL wow! Really made me question her knowledge of the line, so I want to be sure this isn't going to bite my friend in the rear.

 

I will say this.... the price quoted was the Fun Select rate for that category.... as a guarantee instead???? anyone anyone??? Bueller, Bueller??? I don't want my friend to get hung up in the end with problems...

IMPOSSIBLE!!!

The TA can't just lock in a price for any old week.

The TA would also need a name for the booking before they can even get a price quote confirmation

[patseacruiser]

I don't see how anyone can pick the cheapest week and think you can switch to any other week for the same price. That's about all I can say.

[patseacruiser]

Why don't they raffle it as a voucher for x amount of dollars and then if the winner wants to change the week and pay more they can.

[B and C Blake]

Perhaps your friend can purchase Funship dollars equal to XXXX amount.

 

That leaves the winner open to pick and choose when and where as well as if they go over the value.

 

 

 

Our knowledgeable Fun Ship Dollar representatives are available to answer your questions about our products, help you make a selection, and take your credit card order. You can reach our Special Programs and Promotions department by telephone; toll free, at 1-800-906-7603 during the following hours:

 

Monday - Saturday 8:00am - 8:30pm, Eastern Time

Phone orders are accepted up to one week prior to sailing. Visa, MasterCard, Discover® Network and American Express accepted.

 

Customer Service is closed Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day.

[StingRaysfan]

I don't see how anyone can pick the cheapest week and think you can switch to any other week for the same price. That's about all I can say.

 

AND THIS... is why I sat there looking at the Travel agent dumbfounded... LOL!

 

The funship dollar thing is an idea... I think my friend needs to work this out another way, so maybe she can raffle off a "7 day Cruise on the Carnival Legend"... let the winner pick the week, and just book and pay for it when the week is chosen....cut out the travel agent middle man. Or even work something similar out with a REPUTABLE travel agent....

[rtfnl]

I would purchase funship dollars and state that it is a cruise worth the amount of the funship dollars and if the winner chooses to go on a more expensive cruise then he will need to pay the difference. The problem may be that Carnival will ask for names and if you give two names, one may be only able to change the name of one of the passengers not both. I don't remember if this only applies if it is after final payment.

[Genesis803]

There are cruise certificates you can buy for raffles and give aways. There are different levels with different prices for times of year and type of stateroom. There are also some levels in which the winner pays for gratuities, port charges, and taxes and there are levels in which those are all included. The cheaper levels are for travel in the fall and early spring. They do not limit the winner to specific ships or dates, just length of cruise and give them a range of months in which they can travel. RCI does seem to promote this "incentive travel" as they call it more than Carnival, but Carnival does have a similar program.

 

I believe Fun Ship dollars require a name etc. at the time of purchase.

 

Find a good travel agent and with a little research they should be able to help you.

 

Good luck with your fundraiser.

[jakesnana]

There are cruise certificates you can buy for raffles and give aways. There are different levels with different prices for times of year and type of stateroom. There are also some levels in which the winner pays for gratuities, port charges, and taxes and there are levels in which those are all included. The cheaper levels are for travel in the fall and early spring. They do not limit the winner to specific ships or dates, just length of cruise and give them a range of months in which they can travel. RCI does seem to promote this "incentive travel" as they call it more than Carnival, but Carnival does have a similar program.

 

I believe Fun Ship dollars require a name etc. at the time of purchase.

 

Find a good travel agent and with a little research they should be able to help you.

 

Good luck with your fundraiser.

 

I was going to mention the incentive travel certificates that are available through Carnival. I'm sure that is what the original TA had in mind, however, the price point would be higher for a summer sailing than it would for a sailing in March.

 

The certificates are priced by season, length of cruise and whether or not they include non-commissionable fares and/or gratuities. As far as I know, there is no distinction between ships, just length of cruise, although I haven't looked at one since the Dream came out.