Early Saver Price Protection - to use it or not?

[gcooper]

This may be a stupid question because I am not sure I understand 100% how Price Protection works but here goes.

 

The background:

We have booked for an August cruise using Early Saver. We have already received one price protection price change due to a new lower Early Saver rate (that's correct, they changed our price due because we have not made the final payment)....yea for us! :D

 

Now I've noticed there is a decent 4-day sale that would save us about $100 on the cabin. However this sale rate does not include price protection!

 

So my question is this:

If we fill out the price protection form what will happen? :confused:

 

1)

Carnival will change my amount due to the new 4day sale rate and I will still be booked as "Early Saver" allowing me to continue to receive price protection price drops.

 

2)

Carnival will change my amount due to the new 4day sale rate and I will no longer be booked as "Early Saver" thus no longer able to receive price protection from price drops.

 

August is a long ways away and I want to make sure that I am not cutting off any further opportunities to receive price protection.

 

Can some of you veteran cruisers share your Price Protection experiences?

 

Thanks in advance for sharing.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

When you book Early Saver, that doesn't change no matter what you price against. So, you should get the price reduction and remain ES. Your option 1 is correct.

[pj woods]

Absolutely use it. In the past two weeks I have put in at least seven requests and my total including the one I received today is 670 dollars on my 2 rooms. And I still have the early saver rate so I hope it goes down even more woohoo

[droy]

When did you book ES? I was reading some place that ES rules changed on bookings after Dec but I could be wrong?

[gcooper]

When did you book ES? I was reading some place that ES rules changed on bookings after Dec but I could be wrong?

 

We booked in January 2013. I am curious about these 'rules changes' as I noticed a couple of posts about ES rules changes as well but I don't know what the specifics are.

[psychtobe]

I know nothing about any of this! But please help.

 

I booked for $3390 (cruise fare only) (4 pax) on Sat 2/23 with an online TA.

 

On Sun 2/24 I got a cheaper quote from a different online TA of $3190. I have the email. Cruise fare is clearly delineated in the email.

 

On Mon 2/25 I completed the online form at Carnival, but it mentioned something about 48 hours and I completed the form at more or less 48 hours (actually 47:58:00 but by the time I had to reenter the date correctly in their desired format it was 48:02:00).

 

The cruise departs on 3/31.

 

What should I expect?

[emelvee]

I know nothing about any of this! But please help.

 

I booked for $3390 (cruise fare only) (4 pax) on Sat 2/23 with an online TA.

 

On Sun 2/24 I got a cheaper quote from a different online TA of $3190. I have the email. Cruise fare is clearly delineated in the email.

 

On Mon 2/25 I completed the online form at Carnival, but it mentioned something about 48 hours and I completed the form at more or less 48 hours (actually 47:58:00 but by the time I had to reenter the date correctly in their desired format it was 48:02:00).

 

The cruise departs on 3/31.

 

What should I expect?

 

If you booked through a TA, the TA has to request the price drop. It's my understanding that the lower price would have to be available through Carnival.

 

To submit a Price Protection claim, visit carnival.com/earlysaver. When requesting a cruise fare adjustment, you must provide the lower rate amount and where the rate can be found. Requests will be accepted up to two business days prior to sailing. Lower rate must be: (i) for the same ship, sail date, stateroom category and number of guests; (ii) a qualifying Carnival advertised rate (iii) available for booking at the time the request is reviewed by Carnival's reservation agents.

link

 

If you booked your cruise with a travel agent and need to make a Price Protection Claim, simply contact your travel agent and they will submit it for you.

link

[Quilting_Cruiser]

It's my understanding that the lower price would have to be available through Carnival.

 

 

 

This actually isn't correct. You can find the lower price anywhere and submit the form (or your TA submits it on your behalf); however, Carnival's rules are that no TAs can offer their cruises for a lower price than they do, so you should be able to find it on carnival.com, too, if you find it elsewhere. One of our TA members would undoubtedly be able to explain it better than I.

[CoasterJoe]

Option 1 is correct. I had this same scenario yesterday and emailed my PVP to ask and she matched the lower past guest rate and you stay early saver but you are able to match to any rate you are eligible for except instant saver and super saver.

[gcooper]

Thanks to everyone for their input. I will submit my ES PP form tonight :D

[gcooper]

I booked for $3390 (cruise fare only) (4 pax) on Sat 2/23 with an online TA.

The cruise departs on 3/31.

What should I expect?

Sorry to say but you should not expect to get anything from the price protection form because I suspect you are not booked Early Saver. :(

 

How do I know?

 

From the carnival website:

Early Saver fare is only available for short cruises (5 days or less), 3 months prior to sail date, and available for long cruises (6 days or longer), 5 months prior to sail date.

So if you booked on 2/23 for a 3/31 cruise, you are not booked using the Early Saver fare rate and thus Carnival does not provide price protection.

 

Perhaps you are booked Easy Saver. Which is an unfortunately similarly named fare rate that Carnival offers.

[ksh66]

:) Thanks for explaining this

[gcooper]

The post I was responding to was edited so this post makes no sense now....deleting ;D

[ksh66]

Sorry Gcooper. Misread your post so corrected mine. :o Makes a lot more sense now. :D