ES - Am I the only one who doesn't see the value?

[buddylover]

On 8/31 (my sail date is 10/5) I received a $40 credit on my bank statement as a result of the phone call I made to take advantage of the price drop. I don't really want to post a screen shot to prove it. And I have nothing to gain by making this all up.

 

I do understand that when booking a number of cabins together that it makes sense to go ES. If you want an aft balcony, yeah you'd better grab it quick. Outside of that... at least for a Floridian, there is little motivation to book ES.

 

Not asking for "proof", however CCL follows their rules to a "T"....and on Aug 31 it is only 45 days to your sailing date......well AFTER final payment date......there are NO price reductions, OBC or money returned to credit cards for cabin price drops at that time for ANY rate other than ES! So please pardon me, but I am NOT a believer.....CCL does not love you more than any other pax that they are unwilling to break their rules for.....sorry!!! they do not stay in business breaking their own rules, thus giving out $$$$ (even in the form of credit to credit cards) AFTER final payment date has passed!!!

[T. Advisor King]

We generally book many months in advance, because we need to coordinate two different work schedules, two different school schedules and we need to book airfare and hotel. The air travel invariably includes at least two flight segments. The airfare for our cruise this summer out of MIA was a couple $20 bills short of $4,000, so while the cabin rate is important (and was a lot more than $4,000), we still need the certainty of booking well in advance. That isn't to say that ES is always likely to be the best rate for the choices available at that time, but it often does work out that way.

[kristy29]

I booked ES because at the time I booked, over 400 days out, it was the lowest rate. The reason I booked that far out was timing, not because I wanted easy saver. We don't sail in summer because we don't like to pay the extra amount. I am in college, so I have to go when I am off. Last year we had an exchange student living with us, so we couldn't go last winter, so this coming winter was our only option. So last October I booked for this coming January. It's been a loooonnng wait, but I'm getting ready!

[lazyart]

I don't claim they love me more than anyone else. All I can say is I booked originally under Past Guest or Florida Resident rate. And on Aug 31 I was credited $40 because I called in and asked if I could take advantage of the price drop.

 

Please don't have beef with me. All I did was ask, and they granted it.

 

Here is a snippet:

 

 

 

Not asking for "proof", however CCL follows their rules to a "T"....and on Aug 31 it is only 45 days to your sailing date......well AFTER final payment date......there are NO price reductions, OBC or money returned to credit cards for cabin price drops at that time for ANY rate other than ES! So please pardon me, but I am NOT a believer.....CCL does not love you more than any other pax that they are unwilling to break their rules for.....sorry!!! they do not stay in business breaking their own rules, thus giving out $$$$ (even in the form of credit to credit cards) AFTER final payment date has passed!!!

Edited September 19, 2014 by lazyart

[vlynn]

We always book at least a year out and ES. I have yet to see the price go lower (even after final payment) then what we paid booking as soon as a cruise is released, so this works for us. We always know the room we want and never have a problem getting it.

 

Not everyone can plan so far ahead or wants to...:D

 

That being said if we see a great deal we would certainly have no problem doing the pack and go thing either.

[AmberTeka]

We booked ES on our Sept. 2013 cruise. I booked a year out. By the time we sailed, we had over $700 OBC. We ate at the Steakhouse twice. We ate at the Italian restaurant once. ( enjoyed both very much) We took more expensive excursions we ordinary would. I shopped a little more than ususal. IT WAS WONDERFUL. We still had a tab when the cruise was over....but it was certainly small compared to what we were able to do. Now we have been getting casino rates. Not the eye boggling ones, but they are pretty good, so the last cruises I Have booked............have been casino rate. It might sound silly, but I enjoyed checking every day, and then immediately getting that e-mail in for a rate drop when they happened. I felt like a coupon queen must feel when she/he gets $400 dollars of groceries for taxes only. That might just be me. I check prices daily anyway when we are going to cruise.

[AmberTeka]

We book early saver. We can't afford to cruise often and we book well in advance. We also aren't looking for every $5 or $10 price change. We did get a significant price break and upgrade on our last cruise after the Triumph incident. But I like being able to pick the exact cabin I want. I like having plenty of time to plan and look forward to the cruise, which is half the fun for me. At the time I book, it is the best price available and I'm satisfied with that or I wouldn't book. If we get some OBC, an upgrade or money back, so much the better. I think if I lived in FL, I would be more likely to take advantage of a last minute deal.

 

Looking for those $5 and $10 dollar price drops.for a year......gave DH and ME $700in OBC last September on the Breeze. It takes a second to go to the Carnival Rate ..Fare search engine and check rates. I NEVER tried to get a reduction I saw elsewhere than Carnival . Every drop I e-mailed in.and every one was granted was from a CARNIVAL WEb Site. If you are on a tight budget.....you want to maybe think of checking those rates. it takes a few minutes each evening. results can be huge. SALES can be hudge reductions. But you have to check..take ten minutes..eACH day. It is like found money.

[njmomof2]

I have to travel from NJ down to Florida for sailings. I have 2 boys in school so we only travel during school vacations, and since I have an alternating year custody agreement, the one week each year that is guaranteed to be mine is the last week of the summer. So I know when I'm travelling, but I have to get 2 rooms since we sail with my mom and we put the boys in their own.

 

I booked airfare for my August 2014 cruise in October 2013. I booked my hotels and cars at different times before the trip. And then I waited. We ended up booking in early June, since mom was concerned that we would not get connecting cabins, but a month later there was another sale, price dropped $250/pp and there were still connecting cabins not only in our category, but in the ones above us.

 

For next summer, if we decide to sail again, I'll book the air again as soon as I see it priced where I want (we got about $214/pp from Newark into West Palm, then when they changed our flights, moved up to Orlando for no cost and upgraded seats), and just wait out the pricing.

 

ES works wonderfully for many people. For others, waiting until late in the game is the best option. Isn't it wonderful that there are choices for everyone?

[tkportersat]

I know some love it but I will never use it. I book my cruises 6 months to a year out so I can get the location that I want and I also don't want any restrictions. I like having until final payment date to cancel and get all my money back. I always book under the offered Past Guest rate, on my latest the Casino rate.

 

My mom just cancelled a Christmas cruise that she didn't realize was booked under Early Saver (PVP didn't disclose, she is normally an RC person). She lost $100 in "filing fees" and the $300 left she is trying to transfer over to my scheduled booking. She doesn't think they will cruise anymore because of the new smoking rules and would lose the money tied up otherwise.

 

I see the threads with people excited because prices dropped and they are getting OBC for the difference. And I'm happy for all of you.

 

But I booked an OV guarantee sixty days out. Prices dropped so I moved to a balcony guarantee. With the next drop I selected my own room. When prices dropped yet again I called in, but instead of getting OBC I got a refund to my credit card. And with only a couple cabins left available in my category and 26 days to cruise, I'm thinking I've found the lowest price I'm gonna find. And I didn't commit six months, a year (or more) in advance, nor is my cash tied up in Carnival's hands (and let's face it... the more OBC you have, the more you're likely going to use up).

 

So I ask myself... what did I miss out on by not going Early Saver?

 

BTW I live in Florida and might have an advantage with more frequent (and more enticing) sales offers.

 

(Maybe this is just a perfect storm of pricing and timing. Wifey's birthday lands during hurricane season.)

[Lovefuninthesun]

Not asking for "proof", however CCL follows their rules to a "T"....and on Aug 31 it is only 45 days to your sailing date......well AFTER final payment date......there are NO price reductions, OBC or money returned to credit cards for cabin price drops at that time for ANY rate other than ES! So please pardon me, but I am NOT a believer.....CCL does not love you more than any other pax that they are unwilling to break their rules for.....sorry!!! they do not stay in business breaking their own rules, thus giving out $$$$ (even in the form of credit to credit cards) AFTER final payment date has passed!!!

 

Buddylover -- why are you getting your shorts in a wad and behaving like a douche? Who cares? Calm down.