Josie2015 Posted April 23, 2016 #1 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Hi everyone! My family is thinking of taking are first cruise next summer. We're looking at the 5 day cruises going from either Jacksonville or Ft. Lauderdale. We are a family of 7, as a result I'm pretty price conscience. Here is the list of questions I have at the moment : For you that booked the Early Saver rate, how much credit did you ended up receiving after price drops? Our there other special rates that I should look out for that would end up being a better deal? When would be the best time to book? Which ship would be better for kids and have the least crowded pool (ages 12, 10, 9, 9, & 8)? Thanks in advance for any answers and advice offered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilcruisers Posted April 23, 2016 #2 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Welcome to cruising. Once you do it once you will be hooked. I have always booked early saver because we book our family of usually 6 or 7 in multiple cabins. I have gotten price drops of 100 or 150 per cabin. Some years nothing. Another year I was able to upgrade my cabin to a higher deck for 20 more. It depends on what sales are going on and you have to catch them and call carnival or submit the forms asap. You also have to be careful about going to another promotion which could disqualify you for a better one closer to cruise time. I have always had the best luck price wise with the early saver rate though. Your kids will have a blast, although all pools are crowded, the ships water slides are easy to use , the lines move fast and if you cruise on a ship with water works that is even more fun for them. The pools get less crowded when the sun is setting -sometimes they are empty by 3 or 4pm as people start to do things inside. I think the Carnival Magic is one of the best ones for kids out of Florida. Any of the ships even the older ones are going to be a hit with the kids. We cruised last year with 18 people and had about 7 kids from 10 to 16 years old and they had a total blast on the 5 day cruise. There are so many things to do for every age group. We never heard a complaint and we were in the Carnival Triumph 5 day cruise. Best of luck to you in deciding and don't forget, there are pools at most of the ports too that the kids can enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess_K Posted April 23, 2016 #3 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Booked early saver twice. The first time we got price drops of $30 each. Second time we got $40 each. I think early saver is your best chance or "guarantee" of the lowest rate unless you allow Carnival to pick your cabins. However with young children, you probably have to pick your two cabins to ensure you can be close. I have never traveled during summer, but I don't know if there is such a thing as a less crowded pool. Hope you get everything settled out and have a great first cruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloud9Family Posted April 23, 2016 #4 Share Posted April 23, 2016 The only better rate than early saver is if they offer a special early saver rate with on board credit or some other promotion. Those come and go. The best time to book is always now. The prices tend to go up and in the event of a price drop you can match it with your early saver price protection. I hope you are able to book and you and your family enjoy your first cruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffatsea Posted April 23, 2016 #5 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Hi, Be aware that the Early Saver rate is strict about things like no name changes or cancellations. Only book it if you are very sure of your dates and of the people who want to go. You can get price drops with all the other price categories until your final payment date. Early Saver is the only one where you can also get price drops after you have made your final payment. I don't know your family situation but if anyone is military(present or retired) there are also military rates which might work well. I have booked Early Saver several times and a few times we got maybe $100 price drops and other times nothing. Other types of lower pricing may be found if you don't pick your cabin and let Carnival pick it for you.Those are called "guarantee" rates. You are guaranteed to get the type of cabin you ask for(or a better one) but you don't get to pick the exact one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hirent Posted April 23, 2016 #6 Share Posted April 23, 2016 We're looking at the 5 day cruises going from either Jacksonville or Ft. Lauderdale. We are a family of 7, as a result I'm pretty price conscience. Hello fellow 'Louisvillan'. Are you planning to fly or drive down? Jacksonville is a small port and as far as I can see, it has only the Carnival Elation, which is one of the smaller/less fancier ships in the fleet. Ft. Lauderdale & Miami are two of the busiest ports and have the most variety of cruiselines and ships to choose from; thus more competition and lower prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lolavix Posted April 23, 2016 #7 Share Posted April 23, 2016 We have two cabins which were booked Early Saver in January. For one, I've gotten nothing so far. For the other, we wound up with a net gain of $10 (it was a $30 price drop per person but we lost the $50 OBC). We don't sale until August, and we're still before final payment, so I can't say if we'll get any more drops, but I'm not counting on it. If we do, it will be a nice surprise. :) The one thing I'd caution you about Early Saver is that if you have to cancel, you'd be out $50 x 7 ($50 pp cancellation fee). I didn't want a guarantee rate because I have my kids across the hall from us, and I want to be sure it stays that way. If you have Verizon Wireless or join AARP (you can join the "Rewards for Good" program at any age), you can collect points and use them to purchase Carnival gift cards at a 10% discounted rate. The GCs are not always available, so you need to keep an eye on the sites (or subscribe to the threads on here which have done a pretty good job at alerting me when they are available). My entire cruise will be 10% off because I've purchased enough cards to cover the cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josie2015 Posted April 23, 2016 Author #8 Share Posted April 23, 2016 (edited) Hello fellow 'Louisvillan'.Are you planning to fly or drive down? Jacksonville is a small port and as far as I can see, it has only the Carnival Elation, which is one of the smaller/less fancier ships in the fleet. Ft. Lauderdale & Miami are two of the busiest ports and have the most variety of cruiselines and ships to choose from; thus more competition and lower prices. Hello neighbor and Happy Thunder!!! Thanks for all the good and timely responses. I wasn't expecting so many so fast. We plan on flying. Found out about a smaller discount airline (Allegiant) that flies out of Cincinnati. They only fly to their destination on certain days of the week. Right now service to Jacksonville is only on Mondays and Thursdays, but Ft. Lauderdale all but 2 days of the week. Don't want to book until the airline starts booking flights for next summer, right now they only go up to November. I had looked into the cancelation policy, want to eliminate as many things as possible that could lead to canceling. I forgot to mention that we want 2 Ocean view cabins. Wish we could the interior with picture windows, but it wasn't an option when I did the mock booking. Guess we would have to many people in each room. Are there any sites that will alert you to the price drops? Edited April 23, 2016 by Josie2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stressedmomof3 Posted April 23, 2016 #9 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Hope I can help a little. Early Saver has saved my family and I in the past, over $1000 each time we were on the Magic in 2 separate rooms, but only $200 this time around on the Breeze and that was only a promotion not a price drop ! We always book over a year out so we can make payments through the year-just easier for us and prices do seem to be a bit cheaper booking it out a year or more . Now, as soon as we book Early Saver, I do book outside insurance with a cancel for any reason policy ( this has to be done within so many days of your booking or you are out of luck of getting it) . Be sure to check your medical insurance too and see if you are covered on your cruise. The more family members you have cruising, the more chances you might need to use the insurance. (Something a lot of people don't think about until they need it) And if you happen to have Krogers by you, they are running a 4x points sale on the gift cards which includes Carnival Gift Cards. Oh, and I second a vote for the Magic. My kids were sad to see her leave Galveston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAPERBKWRITER Posted April 23, 2016 #10 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Since there are many discounts available for a lot of reasons it may be smart to call Carnival and ask for a PVP (personal vacation planner) Some in your group may qualify for something; resident, military, senior, teacher, firefighter, cop, interline etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josie2015 Posted April 23, 2016 Author #11 Share Posted April 23, 2016 (edited) Hope I can help a little. Early Saver has saved my family and I in the past, over $1000 each time we were on the Magic in 2 separate rooms, but only $200 this time around on the Breeze and that was only a promotion not a price drop ! We always book over a year out so we can make payments through the year-just easier for us and prices do seem to be a bit cheaper booking it out a year or more . Now, as soon as we book Early Saver, I do book outside insurance with a cancel for any reason policy ( this has to be done within so many days of your booking or you are out of luck of getting it) . Be sure to check your medical insurance too and see if you are covered on your cruise. The more family members you have cruising, the more chances you might need to use the insurance. (Something a lot of people don't think about until they need it) And if you happen to have Krogers by you, they are running a 4x points sale on the gift cards which includes Carnival Gift Cards. Oh, and I second a vote for the Magic. My kids were sad to see her leave Galveston. I have never seen Carnival gift cards in the Kroger stores in my area, but I'll check today when I go. What company do you get your insurance through? Edited April 23, 2016 by Josie2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familyfun4 Posted April 23, 2016 #12 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Hi,Be aware that the Early Saver rate is strict about things like no name changes or cancellations. Only book it if you are very sure of your dates and of the people who want to go. I'm about to book for May 2017 for myself, husband and daughter (24) in one cabin with the early saver rate. My question is, what if she wanted to get her own cabin with her friend wants to join us, would that be considered a cancellation from our cabin? I think my husband and I would have to change cabins to accommodate only the of two of us too. Not sure what to do yet... Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stressedmomof3 Posted April 23, 2016 #13 Share Posted April 23, 2016 at my Krogers they only had one row of Carnival Gift cards on the gift card display all the way at the bottom-lol.( if that helps) And I know I can't post links, but you can find an array of what insurance plans you might look for at insuremytrip hope I can do that. You'll have to do a little bit of work to find the plans you feel comfortable with But you can do mock bookings to see about the cost of each. Usually the cancel for any reason option costs a little bit more, but when booking so far out, it gives peace of mind if you are intent on booking Early Saver ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffatsea Posted April 23, 2016 #14 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Before you book Early Saver read the rules carefully!! I know you are not allowed to change any names so I don't know if you can take your daughter off your cabin and put her in another one with her friend. I'd not book anything until she and her friend are sure of their plans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakersdozen12 Posted April 23, 2016 #15 Share Posted April 23, 2016 (edited) I personally think that the best time to book is as early as possible. I've seen prices go up more than I have seen them go down because cruises are very popular right now. By the time we sailed last fall the price of balconies had gone up over 40% from when we booked. And if it does go down and you book Early Saver, you most likely can get a price match. Just be very sure that you can go, because as others have warned you, Early Saver deposits are nonrefundable and subject to a $50/person penalty if canceled. Anyway, hope you do book something and if you do, have a great time! Cruises are quite addicting, so just be prepared for this to not be your last. [emoji6] Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app Edited April 23, 2016 by bakersdozen12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familyfun4 Posted April 23, 2016 #16 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Before you book Early Saver read the rules carefully!!I know you are not allowed to change any names so I don't know if you can take your daughter off your cabin and put her in another one with her friend. I'd not book anything until she and her friend are sure of their plans. I will. I didn't think even think of this being an issue switching things around until I read your response to the OP. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k2excursion Posted April 23, 2016 #17 Share Posted April 23, 2016 (edited) Hello neighbor and Happy Thunder!!! Thanks for all the good and timely responses. I wasn't expecting so many so fast. �� We plan on flying. Found out about a smaller discount airline (Allegiant) that flies out of Cincinnati. They only fly to their destination on certain days of the week. Right now service to Jacksonville is only on Mondays and Thursdays, but Ft. Lauderdale all but 2 days of the week. Don't want to book until the airline starts booking flights for next summer, right now they only go up to November. I had looked into the cancelation policy, want to eliminate as many things as possible that could lead to canceling. I forgot to mention that we want 2 Ocean view cabins. Wish we could the interior with picture windows, but it wasn't an option when I did the mock booking. Guess we would have to many people in each room. Are there any sites that will alert you to the price drops? Be aware that Allegiant has charges for luggage. Southwest does not for your first 2 bags, and they have reusable funds within a year, in case you need to cancel. That's why I always use them. I agree with a previous poster that the Magic would be the best ship for kids, of the ones out of Florida. I loved that ship, as did a family of 7 that I know of who took the Magic for their first cruise. Early Saver will be cheaper, but others have warned you of their restrictions. Lately, prices have only been going up and up as it gets closer to sailing, so I wouldn't count on getting any price drops at this point. If you're thinking you may need to cancel, you might want to use one of the rates that let's you cancel before final payment & get all your money back. Edited April 23, 2016 by k2excursion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josie2015 Posted April 23, 2016 Author #18 Share Posted April 23, 2016 I personally think that the best time to book is as early as possible. I've seen prices go up more than I have seen them go down because cruises are very popular right now. By the time we sailed last fall the price of balconies had gone up over 40% from when we booked. And if it does go down and you book Early Saver, you most likely can get a price match. Just be very sure that you can go, because as others have warned you, Early Saver deposits are nonrefundable and subject to a $50/person penalty if canceled. Anyway, hope you do book something and if you do, have a great time! Cruises are quite addicting, so just be prepared for this to not be your last. [emoji6] Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app That sucks that the rates have been going up. I'll check Southwest. I checked it flying out of Louisville, but I'll see about flying out of Cincinnati or Lexington. The current prices out of Louisville were just to expensive for all of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaMommyof3 Posted April 24, 2016 #19 Share Posted April 24, 2016 I've got 3 booked cruises and so far no price drops ... darnit. But I'm cruising in the summer for 2 and Thanksgiving week for the other, so I doubt I'll see any drops. The prices have only gone up. However, last cruise I ended up with $400 in OBC with price drops, so you never know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BananaAnna Posted April 24, 2016 #20 Share Posted April 24, 2016 I'm about to book for May 2017 for myself, husband and daughter (24) in one cabin with the early saver rate. My question is, what if she wanted to get her own cabin with her friend wants to join us, would that be considered a cancellation from our cabin? I think my husband and I would have to change cabins to accommodate only the of two of us too. Not sure what to do yet... Thank you. We did this with no penalty a while back - friend and I booked together. Later we added my daughter to our cabin, then even later we moved my friend to a new cabin so she could add her mother. All were under early saver and all were without penalty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewtoCruisewKids Posted April 24, 2016 #21 Share Posted April 24, 2016 That sucks that the rates have been going up. I'll check Southwest. I checked it flying out of Louisville, but I'll see about flying out of Cincinnati or Lexington. The current prices out of Louisville were just to expensive for all of us. We flew on Allegiant to Florida and while the service was fine, they nickled and dimed for luggage AND to pick our seats. If it was just me and hubby I wouldn't have an issue p, but I wanted to be sure the kids were next to us on the flight. It was still cheaper than Southwest and JetBlue though. We started cruising eight years ago and it is our best, RELAXING, family vacation. Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinsly Posted April 24, 2016 #22 Share Posted April 24, 2016 The last Carnival cruise we took was with Early Saver. I always book about a year in advance. We had booked for May, 2 rooms. One was an inside room and the other a balcony room. Our inside room did not drop much in price - maybe about $200. The balcony room was about $600. All in all, it was enough to just cover the price of the cheers package for hubby and me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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