Confusing VIFP Rates?

[cruising with the family]

My husband and I cruise with our underage children. We always book 2 rooms, so the kids can have one room and us the other. However, on the "official" booking, we put him in one room and me in the other. It seems that I am always offered either a lower rate or OBC when he is not. We always cruise together, same loyalty status, etc., so it's really weird to me. Are the VIFP rates chosen randomly based on your VIFP number? Is there any rhyme or reason to these "specials"?

[CharlesKru]

I cant say how they are chosen, but can verify they are often different.

 

My wife is 4 days behind me in total days sailed and for some reason she gets better offers than me often. My PVP often laughs about it when we are talking.

 

Does not hurt my feelings, since we just use her offer. But it would be annoying if we were in your case,

[NitsirK21]

When I book with my PVP, he puts my kids in one room and us in another but gives both rooms my VIPF benefits/offers. I get better offers then my husband, don't know why.

 

So much easier then having to switch room keys or names once on board.

[SNJCruisers]

So much easier then having to switch room keys or names once on board.

Not if the Mrs. does not drink and Mr. wants to purchase Cheers.

 

 

 

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[NitsirK21]

Not if the Mrs. does not drink and Mr. wants to purchase Cheers.

 

 

 

Sent from my XT1254 using Forums mobile app

 

 

For safety reasons, if my kids were on board I wouldn't want to drink that much nor would my husband. Without kids is different.

[Tiger0613]

My mom was seven days ahead of me(16 days/3 cruises vs my 9 days/2 cruises) after our cruise in February 2016. My mom has never booked a cruise, and she has never paid for a cruise. My mom got an actual offer(that we used) while I got the standard two offers(aka nothing). I am now one day ahead of her(22 days/5 cruises vs her 21 days/4 cruises), and neither of us has received an actual offer since the offer she received in March 2016. I have spent $7,845.63 on cruise fares, taxes, and fees(1 GS, 2 6E, 1 1A, 1 8D) from 11/2015 - 2/2017, with another $1,437.78(1 7C) due in 11/2017.

 

Booking cruises and actually paying for them doesn't seem to matter. Is there anything I can do to increase the likelihood of either of us(me in particular) getting an actual offer?

[FruitStandaficionado]

If you are booking online, it could be because they are tracking you. I've had really good offers using the private browsing feature and waiting to login only when it is time to pay.

 

 

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[SNJCruisers]

If you are booking online, it could be because they are tracking you. I've had really good offers using the private browsing feature and waiting to login only when it is time to pay.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Bingo.....as soon as you log in, they drop a cookie on you and you're tracked. Even if you don't sign in, they can track you via your ISP number, unless of course you use private browsing.

[cruising with the family]

So, is it better or worse to be tracked? If you are looking often, does it increase your chances for an offer? Or are you saying NOT to let them track you and see what comes up in terms of "deals"?

[PurpleShamrock317]

I track both my husband's and my VIFP accounts and emails. We always get different offers. I get better and more frequent offers. I always sign in as me.

 

(A Disney rep once told me to always sign in when checking on vacations on their website, even if you're not really serious about going. They use complex algorithms to track stuff. They want you to buy so the more often you look the more likely you are to get a deal which appeals to you. I don't know if that is true for Carnival but it seems reasonable that they might use the same tactics. So I always sign in.)

 

On another note; I just booked our next cruise for us and my parents, 2 staterooms. Our VIFP rate was higher than my parents. I walked through the entire booking process online to see the final cost. Then, I called our Carnival booking person, and he was able to apply our discount to my parents stateroom, and lower the price, since I was doing the booking. He had to get a manager to approve it.

Edited April 4, 2017 by PurpleShamrock317

[Galleon1234]

So you are better to leave the cookies if you check rates often or get rid of the cookies?

[maryred]

Can't answer the cookies question but if 2 people from the same mailing address with equal numbers of days sailing are getting different offers, some times this is tied into the amount spent playing the casino and/or Bingo. Other times there are age and military related discounts. So check your family's online VIFP profile to see if all info is correct and that your normal travel companions are crossed referenced.

 

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[bnorris10]

So you are better to leave the cookies if you check rates often or get rid of the cookies?

 

my friend has only been once but spent a fortune in the casino and gets tons of good casino offers - me i get nothing but normal rates

[Tiger0613]

Can't answer the cookies question but if 2 people from the same mailing address with equal numbers of days sailing are getting different offers, some times this is tied into the amount spent playing the casino and/or Bingo. Other times there are age and military related discounts. So check your family's online VIFP profile to see if all info is correct and that your normal travel companions are crossed referenced.

 

Sent from my STV100-2 using Forums mobile app

 

I don't live with my mom. My mom doesn't have her own online account. I never set it up for her. She won't set it up for herself.

 

She doesn't play Bingo. She would probably enjoy it, but she doesn't want to pay those high prices. Bingo prices don't bother me as much. I haven't played Bingo since I was on the Jubilee. I was 13, so my dad was the one who was officially playing.

 

She will gamble at most $5 on penny slots. The most I have gone in with is $50. I only play penny slots.

 

We don't always travel together. I go on solo cruises as well.

 

Neither of us is/was in the military. My father wasn't in the military either. The senior rate(not a VIFP offer) has changed from choose your own cabin to a guarantee cabin.

 

My first cruise was also my mom's first. My father booked it as part of a group. My mom's second cruise was just her and my dad(7 day Conquest out of Galveston). Her third cruise was my second cruise. My cruises after that: solo, together, and solo. The two upcoming cruises are together. I might book another one for December 2017. I don't know if we will go together or if I will go solo.

 

I pay for almost everything because she can't afford to pay for a cruise. All she is responsible for is her souvenirs.

 

I am happy cruising without VIFP offers. It is just a little irritating not getting any offers.

[!!SAM!!]

I am happy cruising without VIFP offers. It is just a little irritating not getting any offers.

 

 

If it makes you feel any better I have 95 cruises on Carnival and I never get any VIFP offers but the standard two category upgrade blah blah blah. And yes it can be irritating seeing everyone else get all the offers and upgrade/upsell calls.