CruiseMate can no longer go - what happens?

[SandyBShores]

Our family has multiple cabins booked Early Saver, one of which my college-age daughter and her friend were to occupy. The friend has paid her half, but can no longer go on the cruise. She did purchase Carnival's vacation protection. The plan is for my daughter to find someone to take the friend's place and hopefully pay her back the full fare. My questions are:

 

1) If my daughter CANNOT find someone else to go and pay the friend back the full fare, does the friend just get the 75% insurance credit toward a future cruise and my daughter gets the cabin to herself? Or will my daughter lose her cabin altogether?

 

2) If my daughter CAN find a new cruise mate will the friend still be able to get the 75% insurance credit?

 

3) Is there a "best" way to do this to avoid penalties? I've read on these boards in the past that it's better to not tell Carnival about the cancelled cabin mate and just go on cruise day and list her as a "no show".

 

I'm having trouble wrapping my brain around this b/c of the insurance factor.

[riffatsea]

Early Saver fares have strict rules about no name changes on the reservations so I don't know if you can just switch people in the cabin.

I'd call and ask about that before doing anything else.

[Schoifmom]

Our family has multiple cabins booked Early Saver, one of which my college-age daughter and her friend were to occupy. The friend has paid her half, but can no longer go on the cruise. She did purchase Carnival's vacation protection. The plan is for my daughter to find someone to take the friend's place and hopefully pay her back the full fare. My questions are:

 

1) If my daughter CANNOT find someone else to go and pay the friend back the full fare, does the friend just get the 75% insurance credit toward a future cruise and my daughter gets the cabin to herself? Or will my daughter lose her cabin altogether?

 

2) If my daughter CAN find a new cruise mate will the friend still be able to get the 75% insurance credit?

 

3) Is there a "best" way to do this to avoid penalties? I've read on these boards in the past that it's better to not tell Carnival about the cancelled cabin mate and just go on cruise day and list her as a "no show".

 

I'm having trouble wrapping my brain around this b/c of the insurance factor.

 

• Are you past final payment date?
  
• Are you aware that you cannot have name changes with Early Saver?
  

 

Worst case scenario: Friend makes insurance claim. DD cannot find another cabin mate. DD must pay single supplement, but can keep her room.

[RuthlessBoss]

Did both of them buy insurance? In order to collect, it must be for a covered reason unless there is a cancel for any reason clause.

[ryano]

Our family has multiple cabins booked Early Saver, one of which my college-age daughter and her friend were to occupy. The friend has paid her half, but can no longer go on the cruise. She did purchase Carnival's vacation protection. The plan is for my daughter to find someone to take the friend's place and hopefully pay her back the full fare. My questions are:

 

1) If my daughter CANNOT find someone else to go and pay the friend back the full fare, does the friend just get the 75% insurance credit toward a future cruise and my daughter gets the cabin to herself? Or will my daughter lose her cabin altogether?

 

2) If my daughter CAN find a new cruise mate will the friend still be able to get the 75% insurance credit?

 

3) Is there a "best" way to do this to avoid penalties? I've read on these boards in the past that it's better to not tell Carnival about the cancelled cabin mate and just go on cruise day and list her as a "no show".

 

I'm having trouble wrapping my brain around this b/c of the insurance factor.

 

if it were me, I definitely would just have the friend "no show" for the cruise. That should avoid the cabin being repriced or a single supplement having to be paid. I doubt very seriously you will be able to switch names with ES rate.

[SandyBShores]

Yes, we are past the final payment date. Is the 'single supplement' fee a percentage of the cruise cost or a flat rate?

[Schoifmom]

Yes, we are past the final payment date. Is the 'single supplement' fee a percentage of the cruise cost or a flat rate?

 

It is equal to the fare paid by the second person. That's why it is better for DD if her cabin-mate is just a no-show.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

It is equal to the fare paid by the second person. That's why it is better for DD if her cabin-mate is just a no-show.

 

If the other person no shows they wouldn't be able to file an insurance claim would they?

 

Don't you have to file the claim as soon as you are aware you can't go?

 

Bill

[RuthlessBoss]

It is equal to the fare paid by the second person. That's why it is better for DD if her cabin-mate is just a no-show.

 

That's the easy way, but will her friend be willing to give up her money she paid for her half? Or will your daughter just pay her?

[klfrodo]

If the friend cancelled for a covered reason, the friend can get everything back in cash. If they use the Cancel For Any Reason clause, they receive a 75% future cruise credit.

Did your daughter also have the insurance. If so, the insurance will cover the Single Suppliment.

If no insurance, your daughter will have to pay the Single Suppliment.

 

If you No Show the friend, the friend cannot file a claim and would get nothing back. Your daughter would owe her friend some cash in my opinion since daughter didn't get insurance

[It's a Ship!!!]

Since the cancellation penalties go up as you get closer to the sail date, the amount refunded will depend on when the cruise is. If your daughter's friend cancels, she gets 75% of whatever the current non refundable portion of the cruise is. Let's say that the total for the cabin is $2,000. If you are within 50% penalty, then your daughter's friend would get back $500 plus 75% of the other $500 because she had Carnival's insurance. I know that's confusing, but basically she would get back $875 of her $1,000. Remember that the percentage would change based on how close we are until the ship sails.

 

This is where the single supplement comes in. The single supplement is 100% of the full fare minus taxes and port fees. So you would need to pay the full fare for the second person minus taxes and port fees in order to keep your daughter's reservation. If we use the example above and say that taxes and port fees are $100, then you would need to pay an extra $900 to keep the reservation. If you later want to add someone to that reservation, then you would just need to pay the taxes and port fees for the second person. At that point you can have the new person pay the taxes and port fees, and pay back whoever paid the single supplement.

 

I know everyone is telling you to have the daughter's friend be a no show, but if you do that, then the friend doesn't get any of her money back. On the other hand, if the friend cancels and your daughter can't find anyone else to go, then your daughter would be forced to pay the single supplement.

 

Does your daughter also have the insurance? I know that if the friend canceled for a covered reason and they both had insurance, then the insurance would cover the solo supplement, but since she is cancelling under Carnival's cancel for any reason policy, I don't know how it works. You might want to call carnival for that.

[RuthlessBoss]

Since the cancellation penalties go up as you get closer to the sail date' date=' the amount refunded will depend on when the cruise is. If your daughter's friend cancels, she gets 75% of whatever the current non refundable portion of the cruise is. Let's say that the total for the cabin is $2,000. If you are within 50% penalty, then your daughter's friend would get back $500 plus 75% of the other $500 because she had Carnival's insurance. I know that's confusing, but basically she would get back $875 of her $1,000. Remember that the percentage would change based on how close we are until the ship sails.

 

This is where the single supplement comes in. The single supplement is 100% of the full fare minus taxes and port fees. So you would need to pay the full fare for the second person minus taxes and port fees in order to keep your daughter's reservation. If we use the example above and say that taxes and port fees are $100, then you would need to pay an extra $900 to keep the reservation. If you later want to add someone to that reservation, then you would just need to pay the taxes and port fees for the second person. At that point you can have the new person pay the taxes and port fees, and pay back whoever paid the single supplement.

 

I know everyone is telling you to have the daughter's friend be a no show, but if you do that, then the friend doesn't get any of her money back. On the other hand, if the friend cancels and your daughter can't find anyone else to go, then your daughter would be forced to pay the single supplement.

 

Does your daughter also have the insurance? I know that if the friend canceled for a covered reason and they both had insurance, then the insurance would cover the solo supplement, but since she is cancelling under Carnival's cancel for any reason policy, I don't know how it works. You might want to call carnival for that.[/quote']

 

They are early saver so can't simply add nor subtract someone like with a regular booking.

[It's a Ship!!!]

They are early saver so can't simply add nor subtract someone like with a regular booking.

You're right. Otherwise it would just be a $50 change fee to add a new person instead of the friend. Since they are early saver they have to actually cancel and go through the process of using the insurance. Then they can add someone.

[SandyBShores]

You all have been very helpful and I thank you for your responses! I called Carnival a couple times and got somewhat different answers - which just brought more confusion to the mix.

 

I learned that, as written here, we cannot just change the reservation to a new person because of the Early Saver. The friend cannot travel because she cannot take off a week of summer without losing her stake in a pretty big future employment opportunity, so it's not a 'covered' cancellation reason in the eyes of insurance. On May 17th the cancellation penalty will go up to the 50%. Right now the penalty is $250.

 

What's peaking my interest is that after the friend would go through the cancellation process my daughter could then try to find another cruise mate?? What's the difference between that and her changing her cruise mate now? That doesn't make sense to me!

Edited April 26, 2016 by SandyBShores

[klfrodo]

 

What's peaking my interest is that after the friend would go through the cancellation process my daughter could then try to find another cruise mate?? What's the difference between that and her changing her cruise mate now? That doesn't make sense to me!

 

ES has some great benefits. It also has some downfalls as you have found out.

 

What sense does it make?

To receive the benefits of ES the consumer has to have some skin in the game.

Otherwise everyone and their brother would be booking ES and taking the benefits knowing there would be no consequesnces if they don't feel like complying with the terms and conditions of ES. You now have skin in the game that is going to require you to jump through some hoops.

Edited April 26, 2016 by klfrodo

[RuthlessBoss]

You all have been very helpful and I thank you for your responses! I called Carnival a couple times and got somewhat different answers - which just brought more confusion to the mix.

 

I learned that, as written here, we cannot just change the reservation to a new person because of the Early Saver. The friend cannot travel because she cannot take off a week of summer without losing her stake in a pretty big future employment opportunity, so it's not a 'covered' cancellation reason in the eyes of insurance. On May 17th the cancellation penalty will go up to the 50%. Right now the penalty is $250.

 

What's peaking my interest is that after the friend would go through the cancellation process my daughter could then try to find another cruise mate?? What's the difference between that and her changing her cruise mate now? That doesn't make sense to me!

 

Doesn't make sense, but that's the way it is. No name changes. If the person cancels, it puts your daughter in a no win situation because she'll be now a solo and will have to secure that cabin with another full fare and no name change. To add someone, she'd have to cancel too and rebook another cruise.

[Ken076]

SandyBShores - As asked earlier, does your daughter have Carnival VPP (or other Insurance)? Ken

[SandyBShores]

My daughter has other, outside travel insurance. I checked with them. Single occupancy rate would be covered IF the friend's cancellation was for an acceptable reason. In this case, the reason is not acceptable to be granted the coverage.

 

True about the Early Saver risks. My hard lesson learned.