110% excursion price Guarantee, my butt!!

[cruizinisthebest]

That's the point. The tour operator wasn't allowed to sell to pasengers on the ship direct, so how could Carnival offer a price match warrenty? The tour in every aspect was identical - but not allowing cruisers, means departure from the ship was not listed on the tour so 100% never going to happen. Its a fake claim.

 

Its like chasing the holy grail, though in this instance you're more likely to locate the grail! :p

Lol. It's not easy but there are examples where the price match has worked. I know there's a tour in either Belize or Cozumel to visit the ruins that alot of people have gotten the match for. You can't seek it for a tour that doesn't pick up from the cruise port. Right there, regardless of the reason, will yield a denial.

 

Anyway, I hope the OP gets back to being excited about their cruise.

 

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[nuthut]

When you say except, it is no longer the same.

 

quit complaning

[joepeka]

Lol. It's not easy but there are examples where the price match has worked. I know there's a tour in either Belize or Cozumel to visit the ruins that alot of people have gotten the match for. You can't seek it for a tour that doesn't pick up from the cruise port. Right there, regardless of the reason, will yield a denial.

 

Anyway, I hope the OP gets back to being excited about their cruise.

 

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You are correct - the tour would have to be with a totally different provider but match the details of CCL's tour in order to be eligible. It obviously would not work with the same provider that CCL uses because most (all?) of them are prohibited by their contract with the cruise line from selling direct to cruise passengers independently. Admittedly, it's probably rare to find such a 3rd party tour operator with an exact excursion that matches CCL's but it does happen.

[2wheelin]

I guess its all about peoples expectations. Whilst you might argue its right they dont arrange tours for nothing, you have to be pretty naive to believe that Carnival not getting very heavily discounted prices. The tour in question, they would be hiring every seat. I doubt they even paid 50% of the public rate being quoted.

 

Anyway, you are missing the point. The OP complaint is that they found the tour at a cheaper price than Carnival and thy refused to give the price match guarantee because there was none to be had. They had manipulated the operator not to sell to cruisers making a price match impossible.

 

Devious and dishonest, but par for the course as I'm learning.

 

Of course they get a discount---IF they sell the required number of seats. But they still need to be compensated for contracting and all the additional paperwork etc. Where did you get the 50% figure? Is that published somewhere? Sounds like a made up number.

And the point IS that the two tours were not identical in this case. In some cases they are--thus the policy which is not dishonest. Same thing as if you take a coupon to the store and then notice that it is not good on all sizes of an item.

[les37b]

Of course they get a discount---IF they sell the required number of seats. But they still need to be compensated for contracting and all the additional paperwork etc. Where did you get the 50% figure? Is that published somewhere? Sounds like a made up number.

And the point IS that the two tours were not identical in this case. In some cases they are--thus the policy which is not dishonest. Same thing as if you take a coupon to the store and then notice that it is not good on all sizes of an item.

 

Where have I claimed I know they pay 50%? Seems pretty clear to me its a suggestion, though how do you know they dont? Have you access to something you can verify its not accurate? My actual comment is I DOUBT THEY EVEN PAY 50% of that fare. You are suggesting they need to sell a certain number of seats - I expect its the whole coach and unless they do fill it, they will disappoint you are the last minute and leave you without a tour.

 

Having used tour companies on behalf of groups in roll calls and negotiated an excellent discount without the promise of even more passengers and repeat business, I think its fair to say an individual fare is going to be nowhere near the price an operator would be prepared to sell the whole coach for.

 

Prohibiting the operator to sell to cruisers direct is pretty clear cut to me manipulating things and most definitely not acting in the interest of its customers. I should be surprised people defend this, but I'm getting used to cheerleading now.

Edited October 13, 2016 by les37b

[Karnyval]

Just book independently--that way you won't have to worry about the cheapest price, as you'll always have it.

 

That's what we do.

 

CeleBrat

 

Usually. You also buy and accept all responsibility if something goes wrong.

 

There are many potential differences - a meal, a tour guide, admission charges, tour duration, etc.

 

Usually cruise line operators (not just Carnival) are under contract to the cruise line and not supposed to sell directly to cruise passengers.

 

One that isn't, as an example, is the Bering Sea Crab Fisherman Tour in Alaska. Another one is one of the Turtle Farm tours in Grand Cayman. They do exist that are apples to apples.

[Karnyval]

 

Prohibiting the operator to sell to cruisers direct is pretty clear cut to me manipulating things and most definitely not acting in the interest of its customers. I should be surprised people defend this, but I'm getting used to cheerleading now.

 

This is quite common with cruise lines and is not limited to Carnival.

[les37b]

If you book direct with carnival you run the risk they will cancel because they haven't sold out leaving you high and dry and without a tour.

 

 

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[cruisequeen4ever]

That sucks! I've wondered how successful pax are with the price guarantee.

 

 

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[tatt2ed]

Cruise line shore excursions are more expensive, always shorter and way too crowded.

[rach1fun]

OP here,

 

Turns out it may be a moot point. The excursion is in Freeport, which is currently closed. Cruise is in 3 1/2 weeks. Odds are we will be rerouted to a different port that day.

[Domino D]

Why would Carnival offer the guarantee if they were going to allow the tour operator to sell the same tour to you at a lower cost, guaranteeing that you would easily collect on the guarantee?

 

The operators who are partners of the cruise lines, get a large percentage of their customers via that relationship. Long before I ever heard of the guarantee, I remember certain operators saying, "Cruise Ship passengers must book through their cruise line"

 

There are some ports where more than one operator offers the exact same tour, and you can collect the guarantee. If it were going to be easy to collect, they would get rid of it.

Edited October 14, 2016 by Domino D

[les37b]

I think your question should have been why are carnival charging more to its own passengers than they could book direct. They obviously are getting a huge discount on bulk bookings so a tidy profit. Smacks of greed to me, but then I'm not someone who applauds when a company rips people off.

 

 

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[Karnyval]

OP here,

 

Turns out it may be a moot point. The excursion is in Freeport, which is currently closed. Cruise is in 3 1/2 weeks. Odds are we will be rerouted to a different port that day.

 

That is unfortunate. Given that there are only so many ports that are shared by many cruise ships, it could be a sea day.

 

With a canceled or missed port, Carnival will automatically refund payments for shore excursions. If you booked privately, you might have to request yourself and wait for payment, deposit, etc. to be refunded.

[les37b]

That is unfortunate. Given that there are only so many ports that are shared by many cruise ships, it could be a sea day.

 

With a canceled or missed port, Carnival will automatically refund payments for shore excursions. If you booked privately, you might have to request yourself and wait for payment, deposit, etc. to be refunded.

 

Its good to know that they're handing back money they are not entitled to. They don't always do that as you know.

 

On that note, the tours I've booked, they only take a deposit and not the full amount upfront and always refund when ships do not call at port on time.

 

And considering $ is not my currency, I could do without the extra loss of funds that conversions always brings.

[vwrestler171]

I've had 2 excursions price matched through Carnival. One was $25/pp cheaper and they honored it and gave me $29 OBC/pp.

[Mr & Mrs Happy]

Grrrr! Just received a reply to my request for the 110% price guarantee on excursions, and I am NOT a happy camper.

 

First of all, I don't normally buy my excursions thru the cruise line, but this one was only offered thru Carnival. I found an independent tour operator that had the same excursion for $15 cheaper, but they only picked up at hotels. Turns out, it is the EXACT SAME tour operator that does the excursion for Carnival, and they have a contract with the cruise lines so they don't sell to cruise guests.

 

Loophole for them so they don't have to pay out on their guarantee. Just leaves a bad taste in my mouth, when I should be excited for the cruise, now I'm upset....

 

I found an excursion through Autoprogresso (I believe is the name) and submitted the form to Carnival. We received a total of $68.00 as a onboard credit.

 

And $15.00 equals some kind of fruity drink, so yeah, I'd want my dang gone $15.00.