Price Protection Frustration

[mcgratru]

Is anyone else frustrated with the Price Protection form for Early Saver?

 

You have to submit it to get price drops. I almost always get a pretty quick, obviously computer genrated reply that says "No, please be advised that the rates available are more expensive than the rates on the booking." Which is wrong. Then you have to call or email to get them to actually check it.

 

Why bother with the form? Just let me call or e-mail in the first place!

[declansdad]

We have used it 3 or 4 times in the last month and have never had a problem.

[ladygal4.4]

I got it to work the first time I did it. I was surprised that it was so easy. Saved 240 dollars

[zzzz1978]

Used it once two weeks ago. Had a response in 24 hours and my account was credited immediately.

[jcearth]

Yes, I am very frustrated -- last year, I had over $1000 in price drops for our cruise in September on the Conquest. This September for the Breeze - nothing, nada, zilch. Our cabin category is sold out, and prices keep going up. I really wish I had to call them to lower my price.

[snc_cam]

I've experienced both. Sometimes I get rejected and have to call and get them to see what I am seeing. Other times (especially lately), they have accepted the form with no problem and applied the credit or obc. But when I do call, it is usually just a 5 minute conversation and all is corrected.

 

Would I rather just call? Yes. But I am sure Carnival has done its due diligence for determining return on investment with the form.

[camper49]

Yes, I am very frustrated -- last year, I had over $1000 in price drops for our cruise in September on the Conquest. This September for the Breeze - nothing, nada, zilch. Our cabin category is sold out, and prices keep going up. I really wish I had to call them to lower my price.

 

Sounds like you booked at a good rate..so no price drops ...

[snc_cam]

Yes, I am very frustrated -- last year, I had over $1000 in price drops for our cruise in September on the Conquest. This September for the Breeze - nothing, nada, zilch. Our cabin category is sold out, and prices keep going up. I really wish I had to call them to lower my price.

 

I am not frustrated but I too am watching the prices climb for our Sept Splendor cruise. I got some price drops a few months ago, nothing substantial but over the past few weeks, the price has jumped significantly and checking today, both IS and OV are sold out. So, very doubtful if we will see any more price drops. Oh well, but at least I have a good rate plus I got an additional $100 for booking this cruise onboard.

[fattymcfatfat]

What is Price Protection and Early Saver? This will be our second cruise and wondering if we're missing out on something?!!

 

Thanks!

[Bo59rt]

Does no one go through their PVP? I always just call my PVP and request it. Better yet when I call to make payments, she automatically checks all the crazy booking rate codes for me (which is the only reason I still call to make payments and don't just do it online)

[snc_cam]

What is Price Protection and Early Saver? This will be our second cruise and wondering if we're missing out on something?!!

 

Thanks!

 

Early saver is one of the rate types you can book. Price Protection allows you to get a direct credit or on board credit if the price of your cruise goes down. Price Protection is good on most rates up to final payment date and good for up to 2 business days prior to the cruise for an Early Saver rate.

[jcearth]

Sounds like you booked at a good rate..so no price drops ...

 

Carnival had a fire sale last fall to fill some of its ships. My final price for an 2 OV rooms on the Conquest was $259pp (about $37/day). I had booked the rooms at $549pp.

 

This year, I booked Lido deck balconies on the Breeze for a 6 day at $649pp with a $50 per room OBC ($104/day). The price never dropped, and my category sold out. I understand that I booked a very popular room category, but even the OV rooms are still in the $579 range.

 

Carnival ran a lot of commercials this past year, and it looks like it worked. Good for the stockholders, bad for the price droppers.

[Donh44]

Is anyone else frustrated with the Price Protection form for Early Saver?

 

You have to submit it to get price drops. I almost always get a pretty quick, obviously computer genrated reply that says "No, please be advised that the rates available are more expensive than the rates on the booking." Which is wrong. Then you have to call or email to get them to actually check it.

 

Why bother with the form? Just let me call or e-mail in the first place!

 

 

 

I have never had a problem. I always book ES. My Sept cruise is coming up and I got one price reduction and two OBC as a result of ES booking. I filed the form each time and got immediate results.

[mcgratru]

I have four rooms booked. The first three were accepted on the first try within minutes.

 

The fourth room was rejected three times with an obvious automatic rejection letter that states " the rates advertised are more expensive than the rates on the booking" even though this was not the case.

 

I sent a screen shot to the e-mail provided each time. This morning I got an apology and the requested price drop.

 

I am simply frustrated to have to resubmit, call or e-mail to get the price drops and feel that these automatic rejections are not good customer service.

 

Still happy to get the price drop and happy to be cruising but the form seems to be an extra and inefficient step.

Edited August 11, 2015 by mcgratru

[wemjam]

I have always had success just filing out the form and submitting. Just a couple months ago though I had one rejected. I called and it was cleared up immediately. I realized the mistake is mine.. I had not made it clear what rate I was looking at and they had likely missed it as well (it was a special VIFP rate).

 

When you submit the form it is best to indicate the price you paid and that it was an ES, and the specific price per person you are seeing (with date and time) and what rate it is - such as Pack and Go, Past Guest, VIFP, etc. this helps them identify the specific lower rate you are seeing as they may miss it. Also if it is a VIFP or Past Guest rate, make sure to says something like "as a past guest I qualify for this rate.".

 

The more precise you can be the more likely you won't have an issue.

[mcgratru]

Yes. I agree. I always give them every possible detail in the comments section and have gotten at least $200 in price drops on every cruise (except the one to Alaska this spring).

 

I have often had to submit the form and or call multiple times because you sometimes get someone who doesn't know what you are talking about.

 

Again, glad to get the price drops:)

[ready2cruzagain]

OP, I am quite the opposite. On my last 2 price drops, the website was down so I just called and adjusted my price. I realized I needed to clear my browser finally.

 

The times before that, 5 in the last 3 months, I have received an email confirmation stating that my price reduction has been credited. All were received in less than 5 minutes but one of them set a record. I submitted the form and then went to my email, the price reduction was approved in less than a minute.

 

You need to fill in every detail. I also put in the comments section what my current price is and then give the new price showing the difference I should be credited.

[Martini Mom]

I just submitted another PP form and was denied. I called to find out why and she said it was because my cruise is paid off (I will have this same problem until October) and I have to call for price drops. Why can't the form just say THAT? She also tried to give me a lesser deal than the one I was applying for. Once I pointed it out, she said, "Oh yeah, that one IS better."

 

You really have to stay on your toes with Early Saver.

[mcgratru]

Early Saver is good until 2 days before sailing. Last year I had to submit the form after final payment before they would talk to me at all and now they are telling you to call....urghhhh!!.

 

Inconsistent. I hate that it is so unorganized.

[D4]

Cruise rates were unusually low last year due to the abnormal amount of ship problems (fires, engine problems, etc.) on several cruise lines (not just Carnival.) When demand goes down, they lower prices to fill the ships.

 

So people shouldn't expect cruise rates this year to be similar to last year.

[StolidCruiser]

Early Saver is good until 2 days before sailing. Last year I had to submit the form after final payment before they would talk to me at all and now they are telling you to call....urghhhh!!.

 

Inconsistent. I hate that it is so unorganized.

 

It's enough to make you want to give up cruising completely.

[lazygal]

The FRUSTRATNG part is that you pay more for the early saving guarantee in the first place. I pad $300 more for the cabin I booked to get the early saver. When I saw the ship was selling out I knew I would not get any savings. Carnival ran a sale and I called my travel agent to have the savings applied - 3 months before final payment. She said the sale applied to new bookings only. Frustrated, I cancelled my cruise and rebooked. At least I got my $300 back, in a very frustrating transaction.

[BenjiRodney]

Is anyone else frustrated with the Price Protection form for Early Saver?

 

You have to submit it to get price drops. I almost always get a pretty quick, obviously computer genrated reply that says "No, please be advised that the rates available are more expensive than the rates on the booking." Which is wrong. Then you have to call or email to get them to actually check it.

 

Why bother with the form? Just let me call or e-mail in the first place!

 

I always call I never use the form.

[glentally]

Is anyone else frustrated with the Price Protection form for Early Saver?

 

You have to submit it to get price drops. I almost always get a pretty quick, obviously computer generated reply that says "No, please be advised that the rates available are more expensive than the rates on the booking." Which is wrong. Then you have to call or email to get them to actually check it.

 

Why bother with the form? Just let me call or e-mail in the first place!

 

just got another one last night. $40 per cabin, came within a few minutes.

 

I also was disappointed because there was a 24 hour sale last week Friday that was a $180 per cabin discount!! BUT they get o choose your room which i would have taken ( even though my wife would have killed me) but the tickler is they can assign you a upper and lower bunk and let me tell you from experience I would never do that again . ( maybe by myself if I was doing a solo which i do frequently but it is murder( almost hilarious) trying to get in that upper bunk sober or not!.

 

So you need to see if your deck is available, under the category you booked. We were 4 F interior. You must click on I want to choose my room or you will lose your cabin.

Edited August 11, 2015 by glentally

[simplelife]

Another reason to love my TA . She fills out the forms and makes the calls for me. I just enjoy the OBC