Carnivals Military discount policy ?

[rosegrower]

Does anyone know what the Carnival:confused: policy is pretaining to military discounts? I read on another website this morning about all these discounts people have received. My husband was in the Army for 25 years so I was excited that we might get a discount so called our TA and she called Carnival and we got total $100 discount. That was nothing compared to what the others had received. They got upgrades plus $150 - $233 discount per person. We are booked on the Miracle for Jan 29, 2006. We were already booked as an 8B so maybe that is why? Is there a standard policy or does it depend on the individual cruise you are on? Sorry, do not mean to sound greedy but would like to understand the big difference.

[Sablerose]

Does anyone know what the Carnival:confused: policy is pretaining to military discounts? I read on another website this morning about all these discounts people have received. My husband was in the Army for 25 years so I was excited that we might get a discount so called our TA and she called Carnival and we got total $100 discount. That was nothing compared to what the others had received. They got upgrades plus $150 - $233 discount per person. We are booked on the Miracle for Jan 29, 2006. We were already booked as an 8B so maybe that is why? Is there a standard policy or does it depend on the individual cruise you are on? Sorry, do not mean to sound greedy but would like to understand the big difference.

 

Here's how I understand it (we are taking advantage of military discounts currently)

 

The discounts are applied to certain categories of rooms on certain ships, and the amount of the discount depends on how many people have already used their discount, and how many rooms there are on the ship.

 

So the farther out you book and the larger category of room you book, since it's a % discount, you'll get more off. Maybe a bunch of 8Bs were already booked so there weren't that many discounts available in that category - you should see about a higher category of room or something maybe, the discount might be better!

 

Congratulations on your discount, though!

[WeatherGeek]

I don't believe they have a policy such as so many $$$ off or so much % off of a cruise. Instead, I believe it has to do with proximity to the cruise and how many military discounts were avilable when you booked. (I believe only so many berths per ship are eligible, and once those are gone, there are no more discounts for that particular sailing). They can adjust the amount of the discount at their discretion, and I've found it to be quite unclear as to the exact method they use to determine such discounts.

Hope that helped. I know it's not a lot, but at least you were able to save a little money!

Many thanks to your husband for his service :D

[jeanneful]

We just booked through Carnival and got a huge discount. We saved 560.00 total on two cabins. I would go through Carnival because you will get the discounts that you deserve. We booked one inside cat. 4c and one room cat. 8A

[Sablerose]

I'd have to say, if I had to think about it, that we ended up saving uhhhh... let's see. *doing math in my head*

 

We've saved $400 on one room, but that is also with some fare decreases that came along, so each time the fare went down we moved into a higher category of room. If we had stayed in our original 4a guar, we probably would have saved "more" money than that.

[cruisevers]

I have found it greatly depends on the time of year and the particular ship. It also varies on how much is saved by the category you book. The higher priced cabin you book the more you save (not counting upgrades from GTY). All the mil rates on a particular cruise are set. Meaning if I book the first one and you book the last one left on a ship (they are limited as to number available on each ship) our prices would be the same for the same category. (In Rose's case the military rate was not available when she booked but became available later, so she got a refund). Now they would be different for a different ship or date. You can check prices and see how they vary at some web sites. *****.com has them listed. The more popular the date the less you will save. Hope this helps.

[serene56]

The earlier you book a cruise the better the discount. Call and ask for January 2007 same ship same week.

[cruisevers]

I guess since the Military rate sells out so fast I never have had it go up!:confused: After I book I always keep a check on it, almost weekly, to make sure it has not gone down. The price for my cruise right now for the military rate is the same as when I booked and we sail in 3 weeks. Of course they only have insides left but they are still the same Military price. They seem to keep the military rate pretty constant once they set it. This has been true for all 6 cruises that we have had the military rate on so I can only go by my own cruises.

[Sablerose]

I guess since the Military rate sells out so fast I never have had it go up!:confused: After I book I always keep a check on it, almost weekly, to make sure it has not gone down. The price for my cruise right now for the military rate is the same as when I booked and we sail in 3 weeks. Of course they only have insides left but they are still the same Military price. They seem to keep the military rate pretty constant once they set it. This has been true for all 6 cruises that we have had the military rate on so I can only go by my own cruises.

 

I dunno, I don't necessarily trust that TA/cruise website that lists the "military rate." Becuase I always understood the military rate was a percentage off of whatever the going rate was, and not a set rate or set price.

 

So, I just check with Carnival - I figure out what the "real rate" was for my cruise, or that's what I did this time anyway - and then if the REAL RATE goes down, I can call and see if the discount went with the lower rate or not.

 

I hope that makes sense.

[rosegrower]

Thanks for all your input. The cruisers on the other website all were in inside cabin category and got upgrades plus discount. One couple got $233 off each for a five day cruise so their percentage off must have been alot! Our percentage on our 7 day/ 8B was 5 percent. I booked the cruise 3 weeks ago and our TA never mentioned the possibility of a military discount even though we had a rather long discussion about military families since her son in law is in the Army so she knew we were a retired military couple. I will remember this for our next one! That's assuming my husband enjoys this first one and wants to go again! Thanks again for you information!

[Sablerose]

Thanks for all your input. The cruisers on the other website all were in inside cabin category and got upgrades plus discount. One couple got $233 off each for a five day cruise so their percentage off must have been alot! Our percentage on our 7 day/ 8B was 5 percent. I booked the cruise 3 weeks ago and our TA never mentioned the possibility of a military discount even though we had a rather long discussion about military families since her son in law is in the Army so she knew we were a retired military couple. I will remember this for our next one! That's assuming my husband enjoys this first one and wants to go again! Thanks again for you information!

 

I think my first military discount, when we had originally booked on the Elation, was close to half. It was a pretty substantial discount. My PVP told me the discount can be up to 50% depending on category, when you book, rate, etc.

 

Here's a question for you...

 

Are you within the final payment/penalty phase of your cruise? You could always call Carnival, talk to a PVP, tell them you're military, and price out a discounted rate on the ship you're on in the category of room you're already in, and see if they give you a better rate or a higher discount. If they do, then you could have your TA check in on it, or even though slightly more work, cancel with your TA (depending on what your penalties would be) and rebook through Carnival.

 

I was fortunate enough that I saw a small "advertisement" for my PVP on http://www.military.com so I knew when I called him, he understood the military discount situation and was familiar with it.

 

Good luck!

[dennisl]

My husband was in the Army for 25 years so I was excited that we might get a discount so called our TA and she called Carnival and we got total $100 discount.

 

What earlier posts have said is correct, the availability and size of military discounts varies a lot depending on a number of conditions. And the web sites sometimes don't reflect the most accurate information. But ...

 

You should check again with your TA, and I'd also check directly with Carnival. I checked an online TA and right now they're showing a $200 p/p military discount on a cat. 8B for the Jan 29 sailing on the Miracle.

 

Maybe accurate, maybe not. And maybe hard to get because you're already booked. But keep after your TA until you're satisfied.

[WeatherGeek]

I booked the cruise 3 weeks ago and our TA never mentioned the possibility of a military discount even though we had a rather long discussion about military families since her son in law is in the Army so she knew we were a retired military couple.

 

You should definitely call Carnival and see what they have to offer for the military rate of that cruise. Your final payment for a 1/29 cruise should not be due yet - if your TA won't match Carnival's discount, cancel with your TA and rebook with Carnival.

Since you had discussed your military status with your TA, your TA should have booked you at the military rate. If your TA is shady (and most aren't, but there are definitely some out there who are), he or she could have booked you at the military rate and pocketed the rest of the $$$ you paid, since you were under the impression that you were booking at the full rate.

I mean well in posting this, I am not trying to rain on anyone's parade, just bringing up another aspect to consider. Of course, if the OP has used this TA in the past and has a good relationship with him or her, then the foregoing is probably not the case.

[Astronomer]

Even though I am a newbie cruiser I have looked into this one.

 

There is more than one kind of military discount. There is a limited number of military discounts they will allow on a given cruise, so even if you qualify the better ones might already be taken, the tip is... ask early.

 

 

The better military discount, which is what I received was actually 20% off the entire stateroom for 2. But there are lesser military discounts they also give. I also was honorably discharged over 25 years ago.

 

The difference is probably that I asked them about the discount some 10 months before the cruise departs. That probably helped me get the better one.

 

 

Maybe it is just me, but I would ask Carnival directly, or a Carnival PVP.

 

After reading aobut Sable Rose and her 50% off, I could be wrong about what I thought I knew. Or maybe it jsut applied to the ship I am sailing on or I dont know what kind of personal favors Sable offered to get that kind of discount, and even more importantly that the rep at Carnival would probably not want the same kind of favor from me. :eek:

[Sablerose]

After reading aobut Sable Rose and her 50% off, I could be wrong about what I thought I knew. Or maybe it jsut applied to the ship I am sailing on or I dont know what kind of personal favors Sable offered to get that kind of discount, and even more importantly that the rep at Carnival would probably not want the same kind of favor from me. :eek:

 

Ow! Ow ow! :D:D

 

I hunted the ad where I found my PVP on military.com, this is what the ad says (with an 'expiration date' of 6/06, though I doubt they're planning on discontinuing the program as much as he may only be running his little 'ad' until that time):

 

10-50% Off Carnival Cruises

 

 

 

Active, Retired, Reserve, Honorably discharged Military personnel enjoy a 10-50% discount on select 2-12 day cruises. Please call (fabbo PVP) at CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES (1-800-819-3902 Ext. *****) for cruise details and information. Discount is capacity controlled and can expire at any time so do not hesitate call NOW.

[nycruise]

I checked on a military discount for the Liberty next September, none available. On the otherhand, I did get a past guest discount and a shipboard credit, so I guess it all evens out.;)

[misterchatter]

Our upcoming cruises in Jan. (Cat 11) and Apr 2006 (Cat 12) we received a $400 military discount on each cruise. Cruise to Hawaii in 2007 (Cat 11) received an $800 discount.:)

Mike

[Astronomer]

Phewy Sable you are just trying to cover your posterior! Which is probably better looking than mine is.

 

darn... 10-50% and I was all happy about my 20% off.

 

Actually I still am happy with it.

[Sablerose]

Phewy Sable you are just trying to cover your posterior! Which is probably better looking than mine is.

 

Aw, are you flirting with me? :D:D

[rosegrower]

Our final payment is due Nov 15. I just called our TA, who we have never used before and she was to say the least not very happy with me. She told me to not believe all the stuff I read on the internet. She said she could call Carnival again but she would need details like the online TA that listed the price with $200 per person for military discount. She says the price now listed for our cruise is $200 more than what we are paying so we were in a sense getting $200 off so we should be happy with that. Guess I will not be calling her again! Thanks again for all your comments!

[newmexicoNita]

Does anyone know what the Carnival:confused: policy is pretaining to military discounts? I read on another website this morning about all these discounts people have received. My husband was in the Army for 25 years so I was excited that we might get a discount so called our TA and she called Carnival and we got total $100 discount. That was nothing compared to what the others had received. They got upgrades plus $150 - $233 discount per person. We are booked on the Miracle for Jan 29, 2006. We were already booked as an 8B so maybe that is why? Is there a standard policy or does it depend on the individual cruise you are on? Sorry, do not mean to sound greedy but would like to understand the big difference.

I think all the lines are now offering military discounts. NMNita

[Sablerose]

Rosegrower, I would call Carnival directly and ask about the discounts.

 

You don't need to be pushed around like that by a travel agent. You're the client, not them. They are supposed to be looking out for your best interests.

 

I seriously hope you'll call Carnival and then either tell that travel agent to kiss your uh, cheek, or get them to get you the discount you and your husband truly deserve!

 

Thank your husband for his service. I hope you guys get everything coming to you!

[Eliot Ness]

........She says the price now listed for our cruise is $200 more than what we are paying so we were in a sense getting $200 off so we should be happy with that. Guess I will not be calling her again! Thanks again for all your comments!

I have no idea what the current military discount would be for your ship/sail date at this point in time, but I would call Carnival and find out. Anyone who answers the phone will be able to tell you the price of a cabin and if a discount is available. I booked our next cruise about 11 months out and our military discount was in the 20% range.

 

If you find out that your TA is jerking your around I would investigate the cost of canceling the cruise with her and booking it with Carnival. You shouldn't have to put up with an attitude like that.

 

John

[Mgetta]

There is really large variations in what Carnival gives for military discounts. I'm sure it depends on how well they are filling the cruises. There's an on-line travel agency that has a great web site for seeing what's being offered on all the discounts Carnival is giving. I checked, and on the Miracle it was only $100 per person, but on the Conquest (which they are having a hard time filling out of Galveston) they are offering $300 discounts per person on balconies and $250 on oceanview rooms. That's 33% off. Haven't seen any larger than that.

 

A TA couldn't book you a military discount without you knowing as you have to provide your DD214 discharge papers and a picture ID.

[Sablerose]

Rosegrower, I just got off the phone with my PVP of Carnival.

 

He says he can't do anything for you or to adjust your rate of course if you have it held through a travel agent, but I wanted you to know this from the horse's mouth:

 

 

An 8b room on the Miracle for January 29th, for two people at the military rate, would be $1,807.84 (and he says, "that's everything.")

 

He says that works out to $200 off PER PERSON, or a total discount of about $400. That's almost a 20% discount.

 

So.

 

Now you can tell your travel agent you heard it directly from Carnival.

 

Hope this helps.