Doing something wrong ?

[oklahomasunshine]

So I check the websight where I booked my ES (Not CCL) and CCL daily and never see the prices fluctuate, someone else who has the almost exact booking as I has received 2 price drops already...... what am I doing wrong ?

[mondello]

You're comparing apples to oranges. Must price match to exact same category or higher.

[golfadj]

You're comparing apples to oranges. Must price match to exact same category or higher.

 

yes

[NCTribeFan]

Well, unless you know when everyone else booked and at what rate, then it's impossible to figure out why they're getting price drops that you aren't. I mean, not every booking made on every day on every sailing is going to have price drops!

 

My prices always seem to go up. That tells me that I must have pretty good timing that I booked at exactly the right time. To me, all these price drops simply tell me that others didn't book at the optimum time. Of course, no one knows when that will be!

 

I mean, you can't really expect that the price will drop for every person, regardless of when they booked and what they paid. Right? :confused:

[oklahomasunshine]

Wow.. sorry I asked.

[debster11]

Why are you sorry, no one was rude to you?

[firefly333]

Its a almost impossible question to answer is the problem. No one knows why your price is not showing its dropping but someone else's is.

 

Make sure you check all the boxes, like for your state, are you a senior, past guest.. and that you are seeing all the options. try two sites when you check and see if another site comes up with more rates.

 

but we really dont know what you might or might not be doing wrong.. maybe nothing?

[S.S.Oceanlover]

So I check the websight where I booked my ES (Not CCL) and CCL daily and never see the prices fluctuate, someone else who has the almost exact booking as I has received 2 price drops already...... what am I doing wrong ?

 

did the other person pay the same price as you did? If you booked at different times maybe they paid more then you.(just guessing)

 

Bill

[mondello]

Key words are: "almost exact booking," could mean a number of things. There is still time for you to find price drops before 10/22. It just means you booked at the lowest possible price available at that time. At this time of year, just keep checking and you may yet get some OBC. Enjoy your cruise regardless.

[oklahomasunshine]

did the other person pay the same price as you did? If you booked at different times maybe they paid more then you.(just guessing)

 

Bill

 

Booked the same day, the same cabin cost... only difference is I have two passengers , they have 3.

[oklahomasunshine]

Key words are: "almost exact booking," could mean a number of things. There is still time for you to find price drops before 10/22. It just means you booked at the lowest possible price available at that time. At this time of year, just keep checking and you may yet get some OBC. Enjoy your cruise regardless.

 

Thank you !

[kycruiselover]

The price can go up and down within hours. If you are not on the website at just the right moment you may not be seeing the same price drops. The person you are comparing prices to needs to tell you when they see price drops so you can submit the form immediately.

[Nadersmom]

Are you both from the same state? I know that recently I got a price drop based on residency in my state. If you are from different states, maybe thats why they received a drop and not you ? Only think I can think of if it is otherwise the same type of booking.

 

Also, Check it ALL THE TIME. I've been fanatical about it LOL. My TA never checks it. As a newbie, I dont know if that is because TA's usually don't check it, or if I happen to have a somewhat lazy TA. HOnestly, I think it's the latter.

 

I say check all of the time because 2 of the 4 price drops I've received didn't show up for my exact catagroy the first time I looked. For example, I'm booked in a 6A Ocean View. When I checked one day, there was a price reduction on Ocean View rates. I went further into the fare viewer. Filled out the info, i.e. cruise date, ship, catagory OV ect. and then when is shows the rate that was lower than mine, I clicked the price I was checking, and then clicked CONTINUE and went even further. That's where is shows you the actual CATAGORY fares such as 6A 6B 6C ect. While it did show 6B 6C and so on, there was no 6A. So my SPECIFIC catagory didnt have a reduction, but some of the other Ocean View rooms did. Make sense? So I went back in and did it again like 4 hours later and that time my 6A catagory WAS listed. So I called TA quick and had her submit form. So check it alot. It's so confusing I know. It took me months and the help of many posters on here to figure it out.

 

Funny thing is, because of all the help on here, when my last price drop came up and my TA said they denied it saying there wasnt a drop in my rate. and she said that the total with grats, taxes ect were the same as previously, I was able to "discuss" with her that I was told it was the cruise fare only that you check for. So she resubmitted and I got the OBC. I'm sure she thinks Im a pain in the butt, but I booked ES rate so I could get these drops.

 

Had I not read these forums, I would probably have never received any OBC. Now I have $80

 

I hope this helps. Like I said, I know it's confusing. Thank God for this forum and the CCL forum. I'd know NOTHING without reading these.

 

Good luck!!!

[Joie]

If your 6a is sold out but 6b or 6c are cheaper than what you paid can't you still get OBC for the difference because they are selling higher rooms ( same type balcony or inside ) for less?

I would be ticked if I paid 649.00 for a 8C and then 8-D went to 629.00 and I wasn't allowed the $20 credit. Shouldn't matter that 8C is sold out....same type of cabin.....same area.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

If your 6a is sold out but 6b or 6c are cheaper than what you paid can't you still get OBC for the difference because they are selling higher rooms ( same type balcony or inside ) for less?

I would be ticked if I paid 649.00 for a 8C and then 8-D went to 629.00 and I wasn't allowed the $20 credit. Shouldn't matter that 8C is sold out....same type of cabin.....same area.

 

That is not how it has been in the past. ES rules say you must match to the same exact category.

 

I know if you booked an 8C and the 8D went down you could upgrade. I have even seen where people have upgraded and given the reduction.

 

But with CCL being so inconsistent you could send in the form for the price drop and maybe you would get it.

 

Bill

[barbatkins]

Booked the same day, the same cabin cost... only difference is I have two passengers , they have 3.

 

I book with a TA........but I check the ES price every day on CCL........if I see a price drop in my category........I call or email TA and have him submit for the drop

 

I have found that some sites do not always match Carnival's site........but Carnival's prices are the ones that count.......for the pricedrop

[Bibble]

Booked the same day, the same cabin cost... only difference is I have two passengers , they have 3.

 

That would probably be the problem - they are getting the "More the Merrier" rate, which is for 3 or 4 in a cabin.

My husband, my daughter and I are booked in a cabin right next to my parents (we have 3, they have 2).

At this point, there are no cabins to hold only 2 people, so no specials for them.

Sadly for them, our 3 are now cheaper than their 2. I thought about booking a phantom person with them to move them to a 3 person cabin, and get the More-the-Merrier rate, but then I realized they'd also get charged taxes for that third person.

 

So, we are two cabins with everything the same, except the number of passengers. Actually, they could go even cheaper with the senior rate, IF there were cabins available in their category. They don't want to move though, as we have connecting Lido deck balconies.

[harlekuin]

Also, Check it ALL THE TIME. I've been fanatical about it LOL. My TA never checks it. As a newbie, I dont know if that is because TA's usually don't check it, or if I happen to have a somewhat lazy TA. HOnestly, I think it's the latter.

 

I just love these statements. Let's see, good size TA, 200 Carnival cruisers, 150 Princess, 50 Celebrity, hotel reservations, any other number of misc cruises, flights, car rentals. Yea, like they have time to sit there all day, every day, checking your cruise to see if you can get $20 in OBC which in turn will diminish their commission. If you don't like their work, just book it yourself and skip the middle man.

 

Keep in mind, you don't pay them, the company they book for you pays them. That's what the cruise lines want anyway so they can keep that 10-16% they pay out in commissions. BTW they don't get paid on the total, only the cruise fare itself which is about 50-60% of what the guest pays.

[oklahomasunshine]

I honestly have no idea what category I have , I have looked at every document I have and do not see anything like the categories mentioned ........:eek: Maybe thats what I am doing wrong lol , dont know what I am looking at...

[Mrs CruisinCritter]

I honestly have no idea what category I have , I have looked at every document I have and do not see anything like the categories mentioned ........:eek: Maybe thats what I am doing wrong lol , dont know what I am looking at...

 

 

I see that nobody came back and helped you with this one. Since I don't know what site you used, I don't now how their paperwork looks so I will tell you how to look on the Carnival site.

If you go to the Carnival site and click the "Explore" tab at the top it will list the ships. Find your ship and click on "View Deckplans". Find your floor and your stateroom # then click on your stateroom. It will then give you a box with a room description and at the top it will show you what your category is.

You can use the fair viewer site to show you what the current pricing is for all of the categories remaining in your stateroom type. The price they show will be the base rate before they add in taxes and fees so make sure you compare your base rate and not the total amount you paid.

http://www.carnival.com/BookingEngine/FareViewer

[Bibble]

Look in a confirmation email, you should have your category listed there.

 

ETA: just realized it wasn't booked through carnival, so you wouldn't have the exact email I'm talking about. Sorry!!

 

But I do think your issue is having 2 in the cabin rather than 3.

[Nadersmom]

I just love these statements. Let's see, good size TA, 200 Carnival cruisers, 150 Princess, 50 Celebrity, hotel reservations, any other number of misc cruises, flights, car rentals. Yea, like they have time to sit there all day, every day, checking your cruise to see if you can get $20 in OBC which in turn will diminish their commission. If you don't like their work, just book it yourself and skip the middle man.

 

 

Keep in mind, you don't pay them, the company they book for you pays them. That's what the cruise lines want anyway so they can keep that 10-16% they pay out in commissions. BTW they don't get paid on the total, only the cruise fare itself which is about 50-60% of what the guest pays.

 

Well......Again, because this is the first time I've used a TA, as I said, I didnt' know if they just don't normally check them or not. HOWEVER, it was HER suggestion that we book ES, not mine. Additionally, my TA toldl me when we booked, "because we are booking you ES, whenever we see a price reduction, we'll apply for an OBC. So I guess that I assumed when she said "WE" she meant them, or them and I also.

 

And I guess if she was too busy to check for my $20 OBC, then I guess she should have told me that I should be the one checking for them, or maybe she should have NOT suggested that I book the ES rate.

 

And on my next cruise I most likely WILL book it myself and skip the middle man. Again, this was my first time. Couldn't possibly know I would be unhappy with them until I used them for the first time. And I dont think it's TA's in general. I think it just happens that MY TA has the issue. My opinion of her is based on various things that have happened, not just the price reductions.

 

At any rate, the TA asked us to book with her. SHE suggested we book ES rate, SHE said they would check for price drops. SHE said, "that's our job, that's why you use us". So yes harlekuin, I guess she DID make it sound as though they had time to sit there and see if I could get an OBC.

[oklahomasunshine]

I see that nobody came back and helped you with this one. Since I don't know what site you used, I don't now how their paperwork looks so I will tell you how to look on the Carnival site.

If you go to the Carnival site and click the "Explore" tab at the top it will list the ships. Find your ship and click on "View Deckplans". Find your floor and your stateroom # then click on your stateroom. It will then give you a box with a room description and at the top it will show you what your category is.

You can use the fair viewer site to show you what the current pricing is for all of the categories remaining in your stateroom type. The price they show will be the base rate before they add in taxes and fees so make sure you compare your base rate and not the total amount you paid.

http://www.carnival.com/BookingEngine/FareViewer

 

 

Indeed, found it!! Thank you very MUCH!!

[Momma1980]

I'm getting frustrated with CCL. Obtaining OBC for ES price drops is a painful process. I'm starting to wonder if they are making it difficult so that people will give up. I did get a price drop prior to final payment of $80.00, but am having no luck getting OBC for an additional $40.00. (price drop after final payment)

 

I know it is only $40.00, but money is money......

[Eeyoregon]

only difference is I have two passengers , they have 3.

 

That's the answer right there. I booked the same day as my friends...I actually DID the booking. We have identical categories, decks and side by side cabins and both did Early Saver.

 

We are 4 in a cabin and they are 2. My price has dropped more than theirs has which tells me that the demand for double occupancy cabins has stayed strong whereas demand for quad occupancy cabins has been lower, thus the lower price for my cabin.

 

At least that's the only reason I can come up with ;).