Your guide to Carnival's fares

[taszmom]

I see a lot of questions about Early Saver fares here on the forum and I think sometimes people may be confusing Early Saver with Easy Saver. They are different. Plus this also explains the other Super Saver, Instant Saver, Fun Select and Fun Select Plus. You consider the pros & cons before you book. The only fare that offers price protection is the Early Saver.

 

Early Saver -

Available up to 3 months on short cruises, 5 months on long cruises

Price Protection up to 2 business days prior to departure

Lowest price option with cabin assignment

Cancel before final? Deposit will be given in a FCC plus a $50pp service fee. To use the FCC, you must sail within 24 months from the cancellation date.

Cancel after final? Same terms as the standard cancellation policies.

Change ship or sail date before final? $50pp service fee/per change.

Change ship or sail date after final? Same terms as the standard cancellation policies.

Early Saver is not eligible for any Super Saver or Instant Saver or any other fares that does not allow cabin selection at the time of booking.

 

Super Saver -

No price protection.

Select your category, CCL selects your cabin.

Non-refundable deposit

Change ship or sail date before final? Penalty is at least the deposit amount per person.

Change ship or sail date after final? Same terms as the standard cancellation policies.

Change names before final? Treated as a cancellation. CCL will assess the per person deposit as the penalty fee.

 

Instant Saver -

Available closer to sailing.

No price protection.

Select your category, CCL selects your cabin. You will receive your cabin assignment when you check-in.

Full payment required at the time of booking.

Any changes to ship or sail date are subject to at least the the full per person fare cancellation penalty fee.

Change names? Treated as a cancellation. CCL will assess the full fare per person as the penalty fee.

 

Easy Saver -

Available after Early Saver closes.

No price protection.

Same deposit and payment terms as Early Saver.

All other changes, cancellations are the same as Early Saver

 

There is also Fun Select and Fun Select Plus Fares which are usually higher, but give more flexibility, free upgrades and no restrictions on changes before final payment. Can cancel without penalty before final payment. Fun Select – 2 cat upgrade, Fun Select Plus – free best available upgrade. Upgrades are within the same class (inside to inside, oceanview to oceanview, balcony to balcony, etc.)

[CruiseVille]

Thanks for the info. :)

[firefly333]

Cancel before final? Deposit will be given in a FCC plus a $50pp service fee. To use the FCC, you must sail within 24 months from the cancellation date.

 

The terms are you must book within 24 months and sail within 36 months last I heard.

Edited April 24, 2013 by firefly333

[BananaAnna]

The terms are you must book within 24 months and sail within 36 months last I heard.

carnival's website faq says 24 months.

 

op - great overview/comparison!

[mairead224]

Great post OP!! As a carnival newbie would have loved to have seen this post when booking. Great job!!!

[TravelingDiva1]

Great post! :D

[Velvetwater]

I booked a 'sale of the year' rate.

 

It was below the easy saver, do you know about that pricing?

[Mizzouaholic]

Good post!

[taszmom]

I booked a 'sale of the year' rate.

 

It was below the easy saver, do you know about that pricing?

 

No that was probably a one time promotional sale. They have all kinds of crazy fares like Better Homes & Gardens, Ebony Magazine, promotions for certain businesses, etc. They come and go. The ones I listed are their structured fares that they will use consistently until further notice. Every several years they will recategorize their fare structures.

[trish4bruce]

So is Early Saver the only one you can get any price protection on? My past two cruise were Early Saver and we ended up getting OBC because of that. I am hoping our next cruise will be March 2015 on the Breeze but the dates are not for sure so I am hesitant to book as I don't want to face the penalty if I have to cancel or change our reservation.

[vigurl]

I don't want to face the penalty if I have to cancel or change our reservation.

It's just $50...well PP

[big_duck]

So is Early Saver the only one you can get any price protection on? My past two cruise were Early Saver and we ended up getting OBC because of that. I am hoping our next cruise will be March 2015 on the Breeze but the dates are not for sure so I am hesitant to book as I don't want to face the penalty if I have to cancel or change our reservation.

 

It is the only fare that gives you price reduction right up to sailing.

 

Most of the others give it up to final payment.

[trish4bruce]

It is the only fare that gives you price reduction right up to sailing.

 

Most of the others give it up to final payment.

 

So would I be able to book under one rate and then change it before the final date of payment? IF you have cancellation insurance do you still face a penalty with Early Saver if you have to cancel or make changes?

[big_duck]

So would I be able to book under one rate and then change it before the final date of payment? IF you have cancellation insurance do you still face a penalty with Early Saver if you have to cancel or make changes?

 

Only if Early Saver is still available, it disappears as an option long before final payment.

 

Insurance would cover a cancellation ... provided the cancellation is for an insured reason.

[caribbean dreams]

I booked a cruise yesterday and I saw a new one...restricted offer...I have no idea what it was so I clicked details and it said qualifying employees of companies...you would think they would have a list of those companies somewhere. If anyone know the companies, we should add them to this list.

[taszmom]

List of Qualifying Companies

Arnold Worldwide

Zions Bank

General Produce

Church's Chicken

Tiger Direct

LNR

Ryder Corporation

Baptist Health South Florida

Resortcom.com

Miami Dade County

Kentucky State University

Grand Cypress Hyatt

Amtrak

West Jet Airlines

Silver Airways

ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)

Vacation Innovations

Express Jet/Atlantic Southeast Air

Pen Air

Air Wisconsin

Cayman Airways

Caribbean Airlines/Air Jamaica

Pinnacle Air

Air India

Copa Air

Hawaiian Air

Allegiant Air

Boone Hospital Center

Escot Bus Lines

Rosa Mexicano Brands

Progressive Insurance

PSE&G Utilities

Tallahassee Memorial Hospital

Universal Orlando

Razor Fish

Station Casino

Infinity Insurance

Liberty Health Group

Everest Online University

Huntsville Hospital/Healthcare Authority

Telemundo

Great Florida Bank

Marine Max

Peddlers Village

CBS Media Group

Eat’n Park Hospitality Group

Microsoft Corporation

White Castle System Inc

[arkansasboy]

How does Friends and Family fall into the mix?

[caribbean dreams]

WOW! thats a long list, thanks for posting:)

[firefly333]

carnival's website faq says 24 months.

 

op - great overview/comparison!

 

They could have changed these terms as I had not read them since last year before the new fares and other changes.

[jamon]

Be careful if you book an inside using the instant saver rate because you could end up with an upper and lower since it is considered an inside cabin and you won't know your room until you board. This is important if those in the cabin cannot climb a ladder. No one will tell you this unless you ask and even then, some pvp's don't know that this could happen. Or you may get lucky and get two on the floor.

[taszmom]

How does Friends and Family fall into the mix?

 

It's one of those one-time promotional fares and they have been extending it because it has been so successful.

[castagnola68]

Thank you for the explanations.

I have a problem.

I booked Super Saver and now my roommate can't go.

I have someone to take the spot but being told name is non transferable and deposit not refundable.

To make matters worse, the damn cruise price dropped $75 pp and I can't take advantage of that either.

 

Any suggestions?

[Overwhelming]

If we booked early saver and an interior room, do we have to price match the same deck?

 

Thank you.

[big_duck]

If we booked early saver and an interior room, do we have to price match the same deck?

 

Thank you.

 

It has to be the same Category eg 4c.

[jenng1976]

Thank you for the explanations.

I have a problem.

I booked Super Saver and now my roommate can't go.

I have someone to take the spot but being told name is non transferable and deposit not refundable.

To make matters worse, the damn cruise price dropped $75 pp and I can't take advantage of that either.

 

Any suggestions?

 

When is the cruise, are you before/after final payment?

 

After final and close to the cruise:

 

You could probably add the new person as a 3rd person, so they would just have to pay the cheaper 3rd person rate. The other guy who is not going would get a refund of his taxes when he's a no show for the cruise. (Don't cancel the person not going!)

 

If before final payment, I'm not sure, but maybe you could add the 3rd person, then cancel the 2nd person in a separate call. In this scenario. I think new person would have to pay the full 2nd person rate sooner or later. And guy cancelling would lose his deposit entirely and get nothing back.

 

Good luck!