Possible to get better deal on Carnival?

[Allytiel]

My husband and I are about to go ahead and book our cruise for February. We didn't get any discounts at all, and I know they are offered a lot. I guess we aren't booking at the right time? My husband has spoken to someone and got all the details together. I was wondering if we asked for a discount, how likely are we to get one? My hub hates asking stuff like that, I on the other hand am of the mind that it never hurts to just ask!!

[Sauer-kraut]

The only way to get a better deal is to keep looking at the fares, they might go down. Your question would be better off addressed on the Carnival boards.

Go out the main C.C. page and look for Cruise Lines A-O you'll find Carnival listed there.

[paul929207]

Carnival does not allow a TA to discount the fares on their cruises. Some will give OBC or another perk

 

Just keep looking for a price drop.

[Scrapnana]

The best rates are often after final payment time (usually 75-90 days before sailing). Downside to this is you may not get the cabin you want.

[cruisead]

People don't just call a cruise line and ask for a deal. It's not like buying a car where you go back and forth with the salesman. You just have to watch the website and see if the fare for your cabin goes down. If it's not past final payment date, and the lower price isn't for new bookings only, you can call and get the lower price, or an on board credit.

[spookwife]

the price is the price. there are no deals to broker. prices fluctuate based on need and how well the itinerary is selling.

 

any perks are from the TA themselves or if the cruise line is offering a special.

[Lerin]

The best price is the price you are willing to pay.

If you weren't happy with the price, then why did you book the cruise?

[kelkel2]

Like everyone else said, you can't negotiate the price...I wish you could. But really when you read of people getting deals on carnival, they are either booking "last minute deals" where they are waiting until about 90 days before sailing and then booking the cruise. But the downfall to this is you have to take whatever is left of the staterooms to book. You don't get to pick the nice ones. It's kind of like booking the "leftover rooms" sometimes you can get a good room that just went unsold, but sometimes they are unsold for a reason. Like maybe they are in a noisy location, they are an obstructed view etc.

 

Or, people are booking Early Saver and with that rate they can qualify for price drops. So when they see the price go down they can fill out a form and they get the difference in price credited to their account. BUT it's NON REFUNDABLE. You can't cancel. If you do need to cancel they keep $50/pp and the rest of your deposit goes towards a future cruise.

 

And, sometimes, just sometimes. People get phone calls from the "upsell fairy" after they are already booked and the say something along the lines of you are booked in ___ stateroom would you like to move to this stateroom for a certain amount of money. Sometimes they are good deals and sometimes they aren't.

[Flatbush Flyer]

The only way to get a better deal is to keep looking at the fares, they might go down. Your question would be better off addressed on the Carnival boards.

 

Go out the main C.C. page and look for Cruise Lines A-O you'll find Carnival listed there.

 

 

There's a better strategy here folks. Instead of comparing a low end line like Carnival to itself, look at what you want out of the cruise experience. If it's no crowds, great food, no "nickel/diming," etc. Carnival (at any price) ain't gonna do it. But, a higher end mass market (like Celebrity or Disney) or premium (like Oceania) might get you all you want for not much more of a "daily rate."

Comparing cabin prices is a worthless endeavor. Project your total trip cost from the minute you leave your house to the minute you return, including airfare and the projected cost of all extra charge items (e.g., specialty restaurants, excursions, alcohol, etc.. Divide by the total number of days. That's your daily cost.

Now comparison shop the daily rate (allowing some leeway for the value of the better quality) and use top producing TAs for the short list of lines you're considering. Why? Because they are incentivized to pass on allocated savings in the form of added OBC et al. plus however much of their commission they are willing to share in credit or added OBC. This can mean hundreds to thousands (if you add the air credit some premium lines offer) of dollars discounted as opposed to the cheap bottle of wine some TAs may give you for Carnival.

We've done this exercise and have always found that the daily cost of the right itinerary and dates for a premium cruise line easily mirrors the cost of an upper level mass market line (and with pretty much superior everything).

Start with a good TA. Check past Conde Nast Traveler's "best of...." lists for "cruise specialists" as a start.

And, yes, the cabin cost and even the daily rate may be higher for a better product. But, you do get what you pay for and you can save significant money on your "plan A."

Edited June 7, 2015 by Flatbush Flyer

[Allytiel]

The best price is the price you are willing to pay.

If you weren't happy with the price, then why did you book the cruise?

 

 

This question was asked before we booked. We have since booked our trip and are fine with the price we ended up with. I only asked before we booked just in case I was missing something. Never hurts to ask I say.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Allytiel

[Allytiel]

Thanks for the answers everyone. We are first time cruisers so of course we aren't on par with all the pro-cruisers. I always like just ask and make sure. Guess I would rather ask and look dumb than kick myself for missing something later. :D

[kelkel2]

Thanks for the answers everyone. We are first time cruisers so of course we aren't on par with all the pro-cruisers. I always like just ask and make sure. Guess I would rather ask and look dumb than kick myself for missing something later. :D

 

Ask away!! There are no stupid questions. Especially as a first timer. There's so much to learn..

[Hawaiifrank]

Ask away!! There are no stupid questions. Especially as a first timer. There's so much to learn..

 

And most of can be found here on these message boards.

 

Find your roll call in the ROLL CALLS --> Carnival --> "ship name" --> "date of cruise" and join the conversation with folks booked on the same cruise as you.

 

Find the port information section and see what there is to do in the ports on your itenarary, how to reach the points of interest and how much it costs.

 

Use the search function to find reviews on your ship, entertainment and dining options and many more helpful bits of information.

 

You'll also find links to information on other websites such as photos of your cabin or a similar one, port maps, tour oporators and information about how many ships will be in each port.

 

As for deals, you picked a pretty good time frame since Feb means school is in session and the prices come down a bit to attract people to replace the families with kids who are in school, or entice them to be truant. :sly:

 

The best advice, if price is the prime consideration, is to know what a good price is when you see one. Check prices on the line's website for different dates and different ships so you are familiar with prices. Newer ships and popular destinations command a premium.

 

My rule of thumb is, if the basic cost of the cheapest inside cabin is less than $75 per person per day (before taxes), your getting a sweet deal. For example, the base price of a recent booking on a 7 day after Thanksgiving (Dec 5) was $389 pp. That's about $55 pp/day on the Early Saver fare. Nice, if you don't mind the no refund policy and the $50 change fee. :mad:

 

BTW, the absolute cheapest cabin on many ships is an upper/lower type arrangement. Pay the few dollars to upgrade to a regular side by side cabin unless you want bunk beds. :eek:

[Flatbush Flyer]

And most of can be found here on these message boards.

 

Find your roll call in the ROLL CALLS --> Carnival --> "ship name" --> "date of cruise" and join the conversation with folks booked on the same cruise as you.

 

Find the port information section and see what there is to do in the ports on your itenarary, how to reach the points of interest and how much it costs.

 

Use the search function to find reviews on your ship, entertainment and dining options and many more helpful bits of information.

 

You'll also find links to information on other websites such as photos of your cabin or a similar one, port maps, tour oporators and information about how many ships will be in each port.

 

As for deals, you picked a pretty good time frame since Feb means school is in session and the prices come down a bit to attract people to replace the families with kids who are in school, or entice them to be truant. :sly:

 

The best advice, if price is the prime consideration, is to know what a good price is when you see one. Check prices on the line's website for different dates and different ships so you are familiar with prices. Newer ships and popular destinations command a premium.

 

My rule of thumb is, if the basic cost of the cheapest inside cabin is less than $75 per person per day (before taxes), your getting a sweet deal. For example, the base price of a recent booking on a 7 day after Thanksgiving (Dec 5) was $389 pp. That's about $55 pp/day on the Early Saver fare. Nice, if you don't mind the no refund policy and the $50 change fee. :mad:

 

BTW, the absolute cheapest cabin on many ships is an upper/lower type arrangement. Pay the few dollars to upgrade to a regular side by side cabin unless you want bunk beds. :eek:

 

 

As I said in my earlier post: beware using only cabin cost.

Example:

 

Mass Market 10 day balcony Med Cruise this summer (2015)

Cabin per person = $1500 (on sale)

Airfare per person from US = $2000

Specialty restaurants/beverages/gratuities per person = $50/day x10= $500.

Total per person = $4000 or $400/day

 

Premium line 10 day balcony Med Cruise this summer (2015)

Cabin per person = $4000

Airfare = included

Specialty restaurants/beverages/gratuities per person = included

Total per person = $4000 or $400/day

 

Of course, these prices are approximations. But, don't pass on comparing mass market to premium - especially when flying internationally.

[1stime88]

As I said in my earlier post: beware using only cabin cost.

Example:

 

Mass Market 10 day balcony Med Cruise this summer (2015)

Cabin per person = $1500 (on sale)

Airfare per person from US = $2000

Specialty restaurants/beverages/gratuities per person = $50/day x10= $500.

Total per person = $4000 or $400/day

 

Premium line 10 day balcony Med Cruise this summer (2015)

Cabin per person = $4000

Airfare = included

Specialty restaurants/beverages/gratuities per person = included

Total per person = $4000 or $400/day

 

Of course, these prices are approximations. But, don't pass on comparing mass market to premium - especially when flying internationally.

 

 

Could you please tell me how to get extra things included? I am looking at Carnival and Royal Caribbean leaving from Galveston in August or September or October of this year- because I can drive to Galveston. I would love to cruise premium if I can get a better deal, though. For example, cruising RT from Seattle to see Alaska would be nice but I do not want to pay for airfare. I can only drive to Galveston port.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Could you please tell me how to get extra things included? I am looking at Carnival and Royal Caribbean leaving from Galveston in August or September or October of this year- because I can drive to Galveston. I would love to cruise premium if I can get a better deal, though. For example, cruising RT from Seattle to see Alaska would be nice but I do not want to pay for airfare. I can only drive to Galveston port.

 

 

For mass market lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival, there is no "free airfare" or "free specialty restaurants" or "all non-alcoholic beverages" included in the cabin cost for all passengers.

Look at a premium line like Oceania. The cabin cost may be double that of the above lines. But the air, restaurants, etc are included for all passengers.

There may still be a price difference when you look at the bottom line. But, the food, service, etc are significantly better on the premium line and you have to decide what that's worth to you in terms of additional cost.

First step is get a good TA who is a top producer for a line like Oceania (check Conde Nast Traveler "best of..." lists or google "cruise specialists" and look on their website for indications of Conde Nast and other awards.

Make some calls and decide on the TA who specializes in that and similar cruise lines. Ask about OBC over and above whatever Oceania is offering in advertisements or their website (e.g., "your world your way" sale) as added free extras (tips, internet, OBC). Also ask that TA about getting you an additional discount as a first timer on Oceania. Remember - no need to ask about the airfare since it's included (though you can also take a credit instead and buy your own air.

But, don't expect all sorts of free amenities and hundreds to thousands in OBC or refund credits on the lower level accommodations of mass market lines.

Edited June 9, 2015 by Flatbush Flyer

[kelkel2]

If you are wanting to cruise with things included, I was recently pricing Norwegian and they had a sale going with my balcony cabin that the premium beverage package was included. You may consider that and contact them and inquire about it and what sailings that is included on.

I don't know of any of the major cruise lines that offer "included in the price of the cruise" airfare. Typically they will book it for you if you want, but many people will suggest not to do that as you don't get to pick the time and the cruise line has control of when you fly and you don't really have much control. Your usually better off doing it yourself, especially if you want to fly in the day before.

[Cuizer2]

The best price is the price you are willing to pay.

If you weren't happy with the price, then why did you book the cruise?

 

Perhaps they were happy with the price, but would be happier if it is possible to get an even lower price.

 

I check to see if prices have dropped. It doesn't mean I am not happy with the price I paid. However, it does mean I'll be happier with the new lower price.

[Cuizer2]

This question was asked before we booked. We have since booked our trip and are fine with the price we ended up with. I only asked before we booked just in case I was missing something. Never hurts to ask I say.

 

Keep checking. If there is a price drop before final payment, you can still take advantage of it.

[Cuizer2]

For mass market lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival, there is no "free airfare" or "free specialty restaurants" or "all non-alcoholic beverages" included in the cabin cost for all passengers.

Look at a premium line like Oceania. The cabin cost may be double that of the above lines. But the air, restaurants, etc are included for all passengers.

There may still be a price difference when you look at the bottom line. But, the food, service, etc are significantly better on the premium line and you have to decide what that's worth to you in terms of additional cost.

First step is get a good TA who is a top producer for a line like Oceania (check Conde Nast Traveler "best of..." lists or google "cruise specialists" and look on their website for indications of Conde Nast and other awards.

Make some calls and decide on the TA who specializes in that and similar cruise lines. Ask about OBC over and above whatever Oceania is offering in advertisements or their website (e.g., "your world your way" sale) as added free extras (tips, internet, OBC). Also ask that TA about getting you an additional discount as a first timer on Oceania. Remember - no need to ask about the airfare since it's included (though you can also take a credit instead and buy your own air.

But, don't expect all sorts of free amenities and hundreds to thousands in OBC or refund credits on the lower level accommodations of mass market lines.

 

I have an NCL cruise booked. NCL is a mass market line. Included with my fare was the service charge (tips), the specialty restaurants (upgraded meals) and $200 OBC.

 

Don't make sweeping statements regarding what other lines do or don't do. As to accepting cruise air, I have never done before and would be more interested in receiving credit for the airfare than taking a chance what the cruise line books for me.

 

As to your suggestion that Disney (which is a mass market line) might be lower priced than the other mass market lines, I have my doubts about that. I've looked into a Disney cruise a couple of times and in the end found I could take two cruises for the price they want for one cruise.

 

I don't mind paying a little more for better service and quality (HAL, Celebrity ...) but I do object to paying double just for the name on the side of the ship.

[Flatbush Flyer]

I have an NCL cruise booked. NCL is a mass market line. Included with my fare was the service charge (tips), the specialty restaurants (upgraded meals) and $200 OBC.

 

 

 

Don't make sweeping statements regarding what other lines do or don't do. As to accepting cruise air, I have never done before and would be more interested in receiving credit for the airfare than taking a chance what the cruise line books for me.

 

 

 

As to your suggestion that Disney (which is a mass market line) might be lower priced than the other mass market lines, I have my doubts about that. I've looked into a Disney cruise a couple of times and in the end found I could take two cruises for the price they want for one cruise.

 

 

 

I don't mind paying a little more for better service and quality (HAL, Celebrity ...) but I do object to paying double just for the name on the side of the ship.

 

 

Reread my post. My comment regarding mass market lines clearly stated the lack of freebies for ALL passengers without needing to find a deal. And, of all the items included on premium/luxury (e.g., Oceania/Regent), it is the "free" air on international trips that is the great equalizer. I do agree with you, however, that, if air is included in the base price, I will pretty much always take the credit and buy my own.