Carnival Policy Change?????

[takevtr1]

I have made final payment for my 8/4 cruise on the Valor. 2 weeks later, I had a price drop, for my personally, it was $50pp x 2 people = $100. For others in my group, it was $30pp x 2 people etc.

So I call me trusty T.A. She spent an hour on the phone with carnival and was told no more price drops for me and my group. We had about 4 pre-final payment, all were accepted.

Carnival told my T.A. that they have a NEW policy - no price drops after final payment.

Does this sound right??? It does not to me.

All I want is OBC.

Can I fight this with carnival. My DW thinks so and is drafting a letter to them. Help me before she sends it out.

Thank you.

Mitch......

[Star1]

Did you book Early saver or Past guest rate??? you need to look at how you book. Then go read the rules for that booking. I do not believe they can change the rules mid booking but....this is Carnival. They do as they please.

Relax and enjoy life

[Sarapdot]

Depends on how you are booked. If you booked ES then you should get price drops up until 2 days before sailing. If you are booked with any other fare code then you can only get drops up until final pmt is DUE.

 

I am booked with past guest rate and our final pmt is due July 2nd (even though it has been paid off for a couple months) I have received 3 price drops since we paid it off but I can't apply for any after July 2nd.

 

Hope that helps some.

[Can'tWait2SetSail]

I was told by my PVP as well that it was no drops after final due date, not date you make final payment if earlier. This was for past guest rate.

[ready2cruzagain]

You are not eligible for price drops after final payment unless you booked Early Saver. What rate did you book?

[firefly333]

Its actually been this way for Id say close to two years? Maybe closer to three years. Not exactly a new policy.

 

btw RCL now has no fares that give you price drops after final payment. they changed to this way after carnival.

 

I would be asking to be upgraded, since thats all you can get if you did not book early saver. Your TA should have known this. Its not exactly a big secret... and any TA worth two cents should have known this policy without calling Carnival. Very odd Id say for a TA not to know the rules.

 

As you can see from the posts above.. every single poster knew these rules.. so for your TA to try to tell you this is a new policy when its been like this for years if you did not book Early Saver rate is quite odd. She should have gone over different rates and the options before you booked. Id say tell your wife to not bother with the letter. Why would they give it to her when the policy has been like this for years now. If they made a exception for her, they would for everyone.

 

Tell your wife to ask the TA to upgrade you to whatever cabin the price now matches what you paid.

[takevtr1]

we originally booked as a resident rate (N.Y.) - but not sure if that changed with any of of our price drops.

I have no idea how or where to find this info.

We ARE past guests, not sure if that means anything.

[Sarapdot]

Your TA should be able to tell you what rate you are at.

[Chigirlcruzin]

There are no price drops after the final payment date unless you book early saver. If you make final payment before the final payment date, you're still able to get price drops. Carnival changed this policy a few years ago.

[takevtr1]

OK, so I just called Carnival, actually got right through.

He told me that since we book with a TA, I would have to speak to her.

Of course she is gone for the day.

I will double check with her on Tues.

I think you guys all answered my question.

I highly doubt that we book early saver.

[Josher61]

So it appears you weren't ES. And likely final payment due date has passed as well. I think this line says it all : Carnival told my T.A. that they have a NEW policy - no price drops after final payment. I think your TA is claiming thats what Carnival said so as not to admit the problem stems from the initial booking.

 

I think you need a new TA, or one who knows Carnival's policy when booking you initially so that they dont pass the buck and blame someone else for their lack of knowledge. I doubt anyone at Carnival would have even spent an hour on the phone with your TA on this subject. Its pretty clear cut to Carnival...no ES, no price drop past final payment date. I'm not sure I'd be calling your TA your "trusty TA" much longer :) And Im not bashing TA's at all....just sounds very fishy to me what the TA is telling you "apparently" happened. Its crappy for sure, sorry for your aggravation and disappointment.

[CaribbeanLuver]

So it appears you weren't ES. And likely final payment due date has passed as well. I think this line says it all : Carnival told my T.A. that they have a NEW policy - no price drops after final payment. I think your TA is claiming thats what Carnival said so as not to admit the problem stems from the initial booking.

 

I think you need a new TA, or one who knows Carnival's policy when booking you initially so that they dont pass the buck and blame someone else for their lack of knowledge. I doubt anyone at Carnival would have even spent an hour on the phone with your TA on this subject. Its pretty clear cut to Carnival...no ES, no price drop past final payment date. I'm not sure I'd be calling your TA your "trusty TA" much longer :) And Im not bashing TA's at all....just sounds very fishy to me what the TA is telling you "apparently" happened. Its crappy for sure, sorry for your aggravation and disappointment.

 

Nevermind a new TA, just use a PVP. I prefer to deal with them directly, cut out the middle man.

[takevtr1]

So it appears you weren't ES. And likely final payment due date has passed as well. I think this line says it all : Carnival told my T.A. that they have a NEW policy - no price drops after final payment. I think your TA is claiming thats what Carnival said so as not to admit the problem stems from the initial booking.

 

I think you need a new TA, or one who knows Carnival's policy when booking you initially so that they dont pass the buck and blame someone else for their lack of knowledge. I doubt anyone at Carnival would have even spent an hour on the phone with your TA on this subject. Its pretty clear cut to Carnival...no ES, no price drop past final payment date. I'm not sure I'd be calling your TA your "trusty TA" much longer :) And Im not bashing TA's at all....just sounds very fishy to me what the TA is telling you "apparently" happened. Its crappy for sure, sorry for your aggravation and disappointment.

well, I was "thinking" along the lines that you were. BUT, I have been using this T.A. for well over 15 years now and she has only bent over back wards for me and my group. So, I am not sure if this issue is the T.A's fault or more with Carnival.

Obviously, if we did not book a rate that allows price drops after final payment, so be it. But for $100 for me and DW, and another $60 for my DS/DW, I am going to push the issue a little.

But I guess this is really beating a dead horse.

At the time of booking, the resident rate was much lower than any other rate offered, and in the long run, I think we did the right thing.

Thanks,

[jenng1976]

well, I was "thinking" along the lines that you were. BUT, I have been using this T.A. for well over 15 years now and she has only bent over back wards for me and my group. So, I am not sure if this issue is the T.A's fault or more with Carnival.

Obviously, if we did not book a rate that allows price drops after final payment, so be it. But for $100 for me and DW, and another $60 for my DS/DW, I am going to push the issue a little.

But I guess this is really beating a dead horse.

At the time of booking, the resident rate was much lower than any other rate offered, and in the long run, I think we did the right thing.

Thanks,

 

This doesn't help you now ... But for future cruises you can book the ES rate (even if its more expensive) and then immediately submit the price protection form to match the lower rate (ie sale, resident, past guest, whatever's cheapest at the time). And since you're ES, you would still get price protection for future drops.

 

As for now, i agree with the others about looking for upgrades. Take a look on the website to see if there's a higher category cabin you would be interested in, and maybe you could switch for free or not much money.

 

Good luck!

Jenn :)

[takevtr1]

This doesn't help you now ... But for future cruises you can book the ES rate (even if its more expensive) and then immediately submit the price protection form to match the lower rate (ie sale, resident, past guest, whatever's cheapest at the time). And since you're ES, you would still get price protection for future drops.

 

As for now, i agree with the others about looking for upgrades. Take a look on the website to see if there's a higher category cabin you would be interested in, and maybe you could switch for free or not much money.

 

Good luck!

Jenn :)

Thanks Jenn and everybody else who chimed in.

[BenjiRodney]

I have 2 cruise currently booked. One is booked under Early Saver and one under Past Guest. I have been told my my PVP that the Early Saver is eligible for price drops up until 2 days prior to sailing. The Past guest booking is only eligible up to the final payment date and if you read the fine print with the booking, which is displayed with the fare rules now, upgrades instead of price drops are no longer permitted.

[bsdmhutch]

I see you are booked on the Valor for 8/4? If so, then you are past final due date (we are going 9/15 and our due date for final payment is 7/2).

 

We are booked past guest because there are less restrictions if you have to cancel/move, etc. We paid in full at booking in December and have gotten 4 or 5 price drops since we booked. I know that after next week though, my price is locked. No big deal as we and our TA were well aware of that when booking.

 

As others have said, this is not a new policy.

[takevtr1]

I have 2 cruise currently booked. One is booked under Early Saver and one under Past Guest. I have been told my my PVP that the Early Saver is eligible for price drops up until 2 days prior to sailing. The Past guest booking is only eligible up to the final payment date and if you read the fine print with the booking, which is displayed with the fare rules now, upgrades instead of price drops are no longer permitted.

ok - that is what everybody else is telling me. I just want to hear it from my T.A. on Tuesday.

Plus who has time to read the "fine print" (LOL)

THANKS

[lovebelle]

well, I was "thinking" along the lines that you were. BUT, I have been using this T.A. for well over 15 years now and she has only bent over back wards for me and my group. So, I am not sure if this issue is the T.A's fault or more with Carnival.

Obviously, if we did not book a rate that allows price drops after final payment, so be it. But for $100 for me and DW, and another $60 for my DS/DW, I am going to push the issue a little.

But I guess this is really beating a dead horse.

At the time of booking, the resident rate was much lower than any other rate offered, and in the long run, I think we did the right thing.

Thanks,

 

 

It really is an issue of your TA not staying informed with the policy changes and guidelines. But at least now she knows for future reference. It will be beating a dead horse, pushing the issue though because you are not booked early saver. So not entitled to reduced fare or OBC after final payment. People book the very restrictive ES rate for the Ability to take advantage of that. When I dont book Early Saver I try not to continue checking fares after final payment for this reason because I know rates drop. Try not to let it bother you though and enjoy your trip :)

[takevtr1]

It really is an issue of your TA not staying informed with the policy changes and guidelines. But at least now she knows for future reference. It will be beating a dead horse, pushing the issue though because you are not booked early saver. So not entitled to reduced fare or OBC after final payment. People book the very restrictive ES rate for the Ability to take advantage of that. When I dont book Early Saver I try not to continue checking fares after final payment for this reason because I know rates drop. Try not to let it bother you though and enjoy your trip :)

It "bothered me" before I posted my question here, but after getting the reason behind Carnival saying "no" I am ready to move on.

BUT, a $100 OBC could have bought me a few beers during my week on the Valor.

THANKS!!!

[Sargent_Schultz]

Sounds like it was booked under a group rate through the groups department.

[takevtr1]

Sounds like it was booked under a group rate through the groups department.

Now that sounds the most plausible.

I use one of the biggest travel agency's on the east coast. But had the same T.A. for many many years and she has always done good by me. NEVER an issue with her service or looking out for me - NEVER.

[alreadypacked]

You are not eligible for price drops after final payment unless you booked Early Saver. What rate did you book?

 

 

True. Prior to final payment date on refundable deposit fare codes (non-ES, non-pack and go, etc.), the guest can in actuality cancel for a full refund and rebook at the new lower rate. That is the only reason price drops are honored prior to final on refundable deposit (non-ES) fare codes.

[takevtr1]

True. Prior to final payment date on refundable deposit fare codes (non-ES, non-pack and go, etc.), the guest can in actuality cancel for a full refund and rebook at the new lower rate. That is the only reason price drops are honored prior to final on refundable deposit (non-ES) fare codes.

OK, thanks for the information.

I guess in the future, I need to discuss with my T.A. all the different rate options. At the time, resident rate was really low, so we went for it. Not thinking about how the low the fares actually could go.

Live and Learn.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Sounds like it was booked under a group rate through the groups department.

 

Can you book resident rates when you book into a group? How about ES?

 

Bill