Does Carnival Australia do Price Drop Guarantee?

[SamfromOz]

I do apologise if this has already been answered, but I was unable to find it by searching.

 

I have just noticed that my cabin category has dropped $300 per person for the Carnival Spirit cruise I am booked on in December. That's an extra $600 I'm paying.

 

I booked directly with Carnival (via phone) and its still about four weeks till final payment.

 

Does anyone know whether Carnival will reduce the fare or offer an upgrade?

 

Yes, I do realise I will have to call and ask, but I am a little afraid they are just going to laugh at me.

 

I know that American cruisers expect (and get) this type of thing all the time - but I fear it could be another one of those perks that just don't apply to us.

[keagle]

 

Yes, I do realise I will have to call and ask, but I am a little afraid they are just going to laugh at me.

They will not laugh at you...... They may so 'no' but they will tell you why.

 

If you do not ask you will not receive.

[Crimpy]

I had the same thing happen with me on a cruise in November. The price had dropped to be about $350 cheaper all up than what I booked. We had $250 OBC which was not offered on the latest price so we were really only talking about $100 difference.

 

I called Carnival and they said that they would only match price drops until the deposit refund date had passed. This is 180 days out from the cruise date.

 

I thought of calling again and pushing harder but as I said, how much do you complain for $50 per person?

[Pushka]

Currently Cunard has a 10 day sale. The price has fallen in the several hundreds of dollars, if not '000's on the longer cruises. But of course "applies to new bookings only". So I ended up cancelling, will lose the Cunard deposit, but am still better off.

 

I'd still ask. The more we ask, and possibly complain, then just maybe, we might get some equity with the people in the USA. I can dream can't I?:o

 

The thing is, in the fine print, it says that prices cant be protected at the booking price until final payment is made. Surely that cuts both ways! well, it would in any other industry.

[SamfromOz]

Good news!

 

I called Carnival and they were more than happy to drop the cruise price. She took $500 off my balance payable and sent me a new invoice right away.

 

I can only hope that the price drops again before the final payment is due.

[Pushka]

Now that is excellent.

[gaechann]

Good news!

 

I called Carnival and they were more than happy to drop the cruise price. She took $500 off my balance payable and sent me a new invoice right away.

 

I can only hope that the price drops again before the final payment is due.

 

I was talking to an online TA today and asked if they honour price drops because I'm looking at booking a cabin NOW on Radiance of the Seas for Nov 2014 because we want a particular accessible cabin.

 

He answered that only P&O & Princess honour price drops. Perhaps I didn't ask the right question: "Can you obtain price drops PRIOR TO 150 days out from sailing date?"

[SamfromOz]

Actually, my next 25% payment is due on 21 September which is only 75 days before sailing. I know they will honor price drops at least until that date, which is pretty good.

 

In recent years I have only cruised Celebrity (booked through US agents) and they were great with price drops, too. Some people on my roll call were getting OBC for price drops up to a fortnight before one cruise.

 

Maybe you should try a different cruise line?

[ravie80]

Hi there we are sailing carnival January 2014 b2b 19 days and we booked in June got $1100 obc all up then the price dropped about $2500 last week on our cruises I rang our TA and she rang carnival and got us $1800 off plus we kept our obc it really pays to ask very happy cruiser :)

 

 

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[Fletch1]

Hi there we are sailing carnival January 2014 b2b 19 days and we booked in June got $1100 obc all up then the price dropped about $2500 last week on our cruises I rang our TA and she rang carnival and got us $1800 off plus we kept our obc it really pays to ask very happy cruiser :)

 

 

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If you don't mind me asking, how did you get $1100 OBC? I know you are B2B but I haven't seen that much advertised for a Carnival cruise.

 

Thanks.

[ravie80]

We have interconnecting rooms 1 balcony 1 inside we got $500 for first cruise and $600 for second cruise in june they had great obc deals :)

 

 

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[barnsey1802]

When I booked our Carnival Spirit cruise last year I got half price deposit and $250pp OBC.

The day after I paid the final payment my T/A rang and said there had been a $300 price drop. She refunded the $300 straightaway. I had booked an inside cabin so a couple of days later I rang and asked how much to upgrade to a balcony. The price was $700. As I had already saved $300 I decided to go ahead. When I rang later that same day I was told the price had dropped another $300. I was stoked. I upgraded from an inside to a balcony for $100 an keep my OBC.

 

Deidre:)

[Aus Traveller]

When I booked our Carnival Spirit cruise last year I got half price deposit and $250pp OBC.

The day after I paid the final payment my T/A rang and said there had been a $300 price drop. She refunded the $300 straightaway. I had booked an inside cabin so a couple of days later I rang and asked how much to upgrade to a balcony. The price was $700. As I had already saved $300 I decided to go ahead. When I rang later that same day I was told the price had dropped another $300. I was stoked. I upgraded from an inside to a balcony for $100 an keep my OBC.

 

Deidre:)

Keep that TA. You are on a winner. :) I suggest you give her a bottle of wine or some little token to show your appreciation. :)

[gaechann]

When I booked our Carnival Spirit cruise last year I got half price deposit and $250pp OBC.

The day after I paid the final payment my T/A rang and said there had been a $300 price drop. She refunded the $300 straightaway. I had booked an inside cabin so a couple of days later I rang and asked how much to upgrade to a balcony. The price was $700. As I had already saved $300 I decided to go ahead. When I rang later that same day I was told the price had dropped another $300. I was stoked. I upgraded from an inside to a balcony for $100 an keep my OBC.

 

Deidre:)

 

Yes, I'd be stoked too! This is what we're all looking for when we put our booking into the hands of a local TA. This is practically unheard of with Australian TA's whether online or "bricks & mortar" agencies.

 

It just goes to show what they CAN do for us if they put our needs (the paying public) uppermost! My guess is she must be a friend of the family! If not before, she would be now is my guess! :)

[petal13]

I was on the Carnival Spirit in April and about a week out from my final payment noticed a price drop of $600 per balcony cabin as we had two interconnecting cabins this was a $1200 saving. I rang Carnival as I had booked with them direct and they readjusted the price plus gave me an extra $200 OBC per cabin. I was pretty happy

[barnsey1802]

Yes, I'd be stoked too! This is what we're all looking for when we put our booking into the hands of a local TA. This is practically unheard of with Australian TA's whether online or "bricks & mortar" agencies.

 

It just goes to show what they CAN do for us if they put our needs (the paying public) uppermost! My guess is she must be a friend of the family! If not before, she would be now is my guess! :)

 

Not a family friend, but I had used her for a couple of other cruises.

 

Deidre.:)