Reduced Deposit Sale, Changes, Fare Codes

[NightOne]

Just learned the hard way. If you book under a reduced deposit sale (I believe mine was called National Cruise Week sale) and you want to change to a later sailing date you will lose your entire deposit. No $50 change fee or future cruise credit, just had to let Carnival keep my $300.

 

I wasn't expecting to be able to cancel without any penalty but thought changing to a future sailing on the same ship would only incur a $50 pp change fee. Turns out change fees are not for changing sail dates, etc. but are only for changing something on the current cruise. Second lesson learned.

 

In the future I will just pay more money up front for Fun Select so that I can get a full refund if canceling before 75 days to sail date.

 

Just an FYI.

[lizardhowson]

I NEVER book Early Saver/Super Saver for this exact reason !

 

The measly $20 savings is not nearly enough reward to allow Carnival to keep my deposit (or retain it as a credit) when I can get the entire amount refunded up until final payment date.

 

I have had to cancel a cruise before and I got back every penny.

Edited March 22, 2015 by lizardhowson

[klfrodo]

Those pesky Terms and Conditions

[cruizinisthebest]

I NEVER book Early Saver/Super Saver for this exact reason !

 

The measly $20 savings is not nearly enough reward to allow Carnival to keep my deposit (or retain it as a credit) when I can get the entire amount refunded up until final payment date.

 

I have had to cancel a cruise before and I got back every penny.

 

Don't know of the specific rules with the rate the OP booked under, but with early saver you only ever lose $50 per person for changes or cancellations. The rest of what you've paid is kept as a future cruise credit in your name to use on a new booking within 24 months.

 

Early saver is a good option so long as your not prone to changing your mind. Something I'm guilty of. :p I have booked early saver though.

[NightOne]

Those pesky Terms and Conditions

 

 

Well that is exactly the problem with the rate I mentioned. There are no terms and conditions to be found. It is not the same as ES.

 

Or were you just trying to be a wise ass and not really concerned about that rate?

[Saltz]

I have Early Saver, changed my June 6th cruise to June 20th and only had to pay only $50 per person ($200 total) as a penalty. I still ended up saving money even after the penalty. I love early saver!

[familycruzinnewbie]

I am really not familiar with the rate you booked. I didn't think there was any specific rules with the reduced deposit sale other than the rules pertaining to the the rate you booked under. Did you ask them to send you the rules that that are referring to and can you post them?

 

I've booked early saver, though never saved anything other than the original reduced fair. Guess I just booked at the lowest point well over a year in advance. As I book 4 person rooms, it's hard because sometimes there may only be a few rooms in my category, so no empty rooms to price match even if rates did drop (they have usually gone up and then headed down almost to what I paid close to sailing). People have talked about booking past guest and then switching to early saver when you are more sure about your dates. Not sure how that works.

[klfrodo]

Well that is exactly the problem with the rate I mentioned. There are no terms and conditions to be found. It is not the same as ES.

 

Or were you just trying to be a wise ass and not really concerned about that rate?

 

It was not my intention to be a wise ass.

 

However, since you bring it up,,, it is your contention that a multi billion dollar corporation with hundreds if not thousands of lawyers on their staff, knowingly and willingly sold you a cruise and did not provide you with (electronically) or have you check a box that you agree with the Terms and Conditions of the sale?

 

Now, if you actually read them and didn't understand exactly, that's one thing. If you checked the box without reading,,, that's another. Hell, I never read everything.

 

But to contend you were never provided the terms and conditions,,,,

If that's true,,,

Sounds to me like you've got a major lawsuit on your hands.

[NightOne]

It was not my intention to be a wise ass.

 

 

 

However, since you bring it up,,, it is your contention that a multi billion dollar corporation with hundreds if not thousands of lawyers on their staff, knowingly and willingly sold you a cruise and did not provide you with (electronically) or have you check a box that you agree with the Terms and Conditions of the sale?

 

 

 

Now, if you actually read them and didn't understand exactly, that's one thing. If you checked the box without reading,,, that's another. Hell, I never read everything.

 

 

 

But to contend you were never provided the terms and conditions,,,,

 

If that's true,,,

 

Sounds to me like you've got a major lawsuit on your hands.

 

 

Sigh.

 

First, I booked on the phone. So would I have seen any terms or conditions at that time? Well of course not. However, once my booking was made there were links to the cruise contract, terms and conditions, etc. and I looked at them and they appear to only cover the generic rates and some special rates but. Ot the one that I was booked under.

 

Now perhaps somewhere at sometime during the time I booked u der that sale there were some terms on the website or somewhere else. However, I do not know where to find them. Feel free to post a link if you have one.

 

My point to this post was not to have a debate on fine print but rather to just let people be aware of the cancellation policy of at least one reduced deposit sale.

[jacksmycat]

I have a friend who booked an early saver during the half deposit sale and right after she booked it, she had to change the date of her cruise. All she lost was $50. She also had to pay the rest of the deposit because the sale was over, but the rest of her original deposit went towards her new booking. This happened earlier this month.

 

I also booked under early saver and the half deposit sale and my fine print said I would only lose $50 and the rest would be credit. I haven't changed mine though.

[familycruzinnewbie]

Many of the ads for that sale link to terms and conditions but of course the page it links to has been updated since then. The only mention of non- refundable on the other sales is that if you booked within the final payment period you had to pay 1/2 the cruise fare which would be non-refundable but that would be the case with any fare.

 

But if they are insisting on keeping your $300, they should be sending you the terms and conditions they are referring to.

[Ken076]

This looks to be the relevant part of the National Cruise Week Terms & Conditions (2014) for the National Cruise Week Sale: http://ncvw.cruising.org/member-lines-support/carnival-cruise-lines and indicates a reduced, nonrefundable deposit for bookings outside of the final payment due date.

 

The Terms & Conditions for your booking should be toward the end of your Booking Confirmation under "Guest Notes" It's surprising/disappointing if the Booking Agent didn't mention this caveat!

 

Ken

Edited March 23, 2015 by Ken076

[gone_cruisin]

"Changes made to the reservation may result in the assessment of cancellation penalties or service fees."

 

 

I hate these terms. See them on every single rate code I book. "May". Seriously? That's the most vague statement ever. Of course it's been vetted with the lawyers and covers Carnivals rear end on just about everything.

 

But as for the OPs comment - I too believe you should get some credit as long as you are outside the carnivals standard penalty window. Are you past final payment?

[NightOne]

Thanks for the link Ken. Honestly it was back in October so I do not recall exactly what I was told on the phone. Obviously I was under the impression that it was similar to ES which it is not.

 

Either way, I learned the hard way and am just trying to help others avoid my mistake. In the future, Fun Select would be my primary rate choice.

 

On another note, as someone who has yet to sail on Carnival I will say that honestly that this whole non-refundable thing doesn't feel all that great. :) I am not sure the other lines even have rates like this. (Pretty sure RCCL doesn't --- but do not know about NCL, Disney, etc.)

 

Of course, I am only blaming myself and no one else. :)

Edited March 23, 2015 by NightOne

[NightOne]

Dug up my old e-mails and found the section that applied:

 

Cancellations will be assessed penalties according to your promotional agreement as follows: ; 10/06/2014 - USD150.00 (pp); 08/30/2015 - 50.00% of total fare (pp); 09/25/2015 - 75.00% of total fare (pp)10/10/2015 - 100.00% of total fare (pp).

 

So $150 pp which equalled my deposit.

 

Also:

 

GUEST NOTES

1) Offer is capacity controlled and category restrictions and exclusions apply. Onboard credit is non-transferable and non-refundable. Changes made to the reservation may result in the assessment of cancellation penalties or service fees. Cancellation penalties apply. Subsequent upgrades in lieu of price protection will no longer be offered.

 

I guess that "may result" can be changed to "will result". LOL

[Sparky2]

Just learned the hard way. If you book under a reduced deposit sale (I believe mine was called National Cruise Week sale) and you want to change to a later sailing date you will lose your entire deposit. No $50 change fee or future cruise credit, just had to let Carnival keep my $300.

 

I wasn't expecting to be able to cancel without any penalty but thought changing to a future sailing on the same ship would only incur a $50 pp change fee. Turns out change fees are not for changing sail dates, etc. but are only for changing something on the current cruise. Second lesson learned.

 

In the future I will just pay more money up front for Fun Select so that I can get a full refund if canceling before 75 days to sail date.

 

Just an FYI.

 

 

 

Deleted post because what I was posting has already been stated above & I didn't catch it.

Edited March 23, 2015 by Sparky2

[jacksmycat]

That's too bad. Thanks for letting us know. I will be sure to look at fine print more closely, especially if it seems like a good sale. I hope you're able to still enjoy your cruise when you go.

[NightOne]

That's too bad. Thanks for letting us know. I will be sure to look at fine print more closely, especially if it seems like a good sale. I hope you're able to still enjoy your cruise when you go.

 

No problem.

 

My Dream cruise next April is under ES but I wanted to reschedule my Miami Breeze cruise to a future Galveston Breeze cruise. However, being that the sting is still a little new I am holding off for the short term. Not sure I want to get 2 Carnival cruises booked again when I haven't even been on one yet. :)

[Sparky2]

I am really not familiar with the rate you booked. I didn't think there was any specific rules with the reduced deposit sale other than the rules pertaining to the the rate you booked under. Did you ask them to send you the rules that that are referring to and can you post them?

 

I've booked early saver, though never saved anything other than the original reduced fair. Guess I just booked at the lowest point well over a year in advance. As I book 4 person rooms, it's hard because sometimes there may only be a few rooms in my category, so no empty rooms to price match even if rates did drop (they have usually gone up and then headed down almost to what I paid close to sailing). People have talked about booking past guest and then switching to early saver when you are more sure about your dates. sure how that works.

 

Since CCL no longer has Future Cruise Certificates available, we book our next year's cruises on our current one in order to get the OBC. Even though I have already planned which cruise to book, we book Military rate which is the same price as ES. After we get home and think more about it, I then call to have it changed to ES.