Price Protection????

[MissesB4409]

Hey guys,

I am hoping someone on here can help me. I booked a cruise under Early Saver. At the time I booked, I was able to book a higher category inside stateroom for the same price as the base category. Now, there is a promotional sale on Carnival's website. The total price is $59 cheaper than what I paid, however the promotion is one where Carnival assigns your stateroom instead of being able to choose. So does this mean that if I fill out the form for the onboard credit, that I will lose the room we are currently booked in? Also, if I switch rooms, and I am assuming I would be switching from early saver to more = merrier does that mean if I see the fare for cheaper in the future I can no longer get the price protection? I'm just really confused how this works, and if its even worth it for $59 to have an inside guarantee vs knowing our exact stateroom. And also will we lose the price protection if there are any future price drops? It seems like a gamble, but does this also mean if we are switched to a guarantee category instead of an exact room we have the possibility of an upgrade? I am pretty new to the cruising world, so I am just trying to figure out the best option. Thank you!

[mdsgu]

If you switch, you WILL lose the room you are currently booked in. Carnival will assign you a room closer to your sailing date. It will be at least the category you booked (inside) and there is a SLIGHT chance you could get an upgrade, but don't count on it. And remember, the room they give you could be anywhere on the boat, on any deck. If you like where you are, for $59, stay. If you really really want, say a midship cabin, and you already have it, stay.

 

As far as price protection in the future, everyone has price protection up until the final payment date. Only ES fares have price protection after that time.

[MissesB4409]

Thank you. So just to clarify, if I were to switch to this rate, I wouldn't be able to use the ES price protection anymore, because it would be as if I was no longer booked under ES? I mean, we got a good deal when we booked, and we paid in full at the time we booked. I can't imagine it going even lower than it is right now, but you never know. I did check out all the rooms that were available on the ship in all categories, and I would be happy with any of them, with the exception of 2 that are right up against the elevators so I'm not sure about that location. I'm just feeling super indecisive right now. I am the type of person who will be happy and can sleep anywhere. I make the most out of everything, and we will be on a cruise, so no complaints from me...My hubby is the opposite, so I don't want him to be unhappy. It's probably not worth the $59 to cause a fight over.

[calbred01]

Thank you. So just to clarify, if I were to switch to this rate, I wouldn't be able to use the ES price protection anymore, because it would be as if I was no longer booked under ES? I mean, we got a good deal when we booked, and we paid in full at the time we booked. I can't imagine it going even lower than it is right now, but you never know. I did check out all the rooms that were available on the ship in all categories, and I would be happy with any of them, with the exception of 2 that are right up against the elevators so I'm not sure about that location. I'm just feeling super indecisive right now. I am the type of person who will be happy and can sleep anywhere. I make the most out of everything, and we will be on a cruise, so no complaints from me...My hubby is the opposite, so I don't want him to be unhappy. It's probably not worth the $59 to cause a fight over.

You are correct in thinking that you will NO longer be under ES, BUT you still have price protection up until final payment date. After that only ES people get price protection up to 3 days before sailing (I believe). What you see on the Carnival website is NOT all of the cabins available, you only see 10 at a time in that category on that deck and they will also try to upsell people prior to assigning cabins (maybe) so you never know where you will end up. I have only booked one guarantee cabin and that was on another line, we had a cabin towards the front but the motion did not bother me at all! Hope this helped.

[Moviela]

:rolleyes::rolleyes:I am suspicious of the price protection pledge. If someone tells you don't need to jump through hoops to get credit, it generally means there is a tiny circular device that somehow excludes your situation. I use a travel agency and the agency points to Carnival, and Carnival points to my agency. Carnival will not accept the form from me, and the agency refuses to send it to Carnival, saying it is a waste of time because they always use words like past final payment, interline, booking code, weather, on board credit, new bookings only, website error, no longer available, my manager will say "no" so I won't ask, and my favorite "That is the first time I've heard of that!"

 

So I grin and bear it, enjoying my cruise knowing the guy across the hall is paying $250. less than I am. I try to make it up by collecting swizzle sticks and selling them on Ebay.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Shaded Lady]

:rolleyes::rolleyes:I am suspicious of the price protection pledge. If someone tells you don't need to jump through hoops to get credit, it generally means there is a tiny circular device that somehow excludes your situation. I use a travel agency and the agency points to Carnival, and Carnival points to my agency. Carnival will not accept the form from me, and the agency refuses to send it to Carnival, saying it is a waste of time because they always use words like past final payment, interline, booking code, weather, on board credit, new bookings only, website error, no longer available, my manager will say "no" so I won't ask, and my favorite "That is the first time I've heard of that!"

 

So I grin and bear it, enjoying my cruise knowing the guy across the hall is paying $250. less than I am. I try to make it up by collecting swizzle sticks and selling them on Ebay.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Sounds like it's time to fire your TA & get a good PVP!!!!

[jayscore]

First, did you book through a TA (Local, Expedia, or whatever)? Or did you book through Carnival, (PVP, web site, CCL online or through their 1-800 number ?)

I've booked through all of them, and found dealing with a PVP the best way to go. Mind you, I do all my "homework" before committing, then call my PVP to do the actual booking.

I only mention all this to say my PVP can look up any offers or discrepancies for my booking, with access to the supervisor's discretion.

I recently snagged some OBC for my upcoming cruise because of my PVP's immediate help.

I'm not knocking TA's, just saying dealing with CCL for a cruise may be another option to look at.;)

[kaylahszoo]

I always use my Carnival PVP... until this cruise. I booked thru a large 'box' store that saves me COST..... anyway- my cruise stateroom went down about $75 and I called them and they immediately called Carnival. Had my cost deduction within a few minutes. The reason I used the other travel company came down to a store cash card for $330. Tho I love to deal directly with Carnival, I received no casino perks nor OBC this cruise. Had to make my own.:D

[S.S.Oceanlover]

:rolleyes::rolleyes:I am suspicious of the price protection pledge. If someone tells you don't need to jump through hoops to get credit, it generally means there is a tiny circular device that somehow excludes your situation. I use a travel agency and the agency points to Carnival, and Carnival points to my agency. Carnival will not accept the form from me, and the agency refuses to send it to Carnival, saying it is a waste of time because they always use words like past final payment, interline, booking code, weather, on board credit, new bookings only, website error, no longer available, my manager will say "no" so I won't ask, and my favorite "That is the first time I've heard of that!"

 

So I grin and bear it, enjoying my cruise knowing the guy across the hall is paying $250. less than I am. I try to make it up by collecting swizzle sticks and selling them on Ebay.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

You have a messed up TA if they tell you that. I don't anybody complaining about getting price drops from Carnival. There might be a hiccup here or there but it's rectified pretty easily.

 

Bill

[MissesB4409]

Okay guys...so I decided to go ahead and fill out the form and take my chances on whatever room I might get. We are just happy to be on a cruise. So I filled the form out, and a few hours later I got an email from Carnival saying that they did not approve the form because the price they were currently charging was more than what we had originally paid. Now I am not a math whiz, wait...well actually I am pretty good at math...but we really paid $59 more than what I could pay if I booked the cruise right now!! So what's the deal?!?! Now, I did also include the pre paid gratuities in with the total I gave Carnival for cruise fare....so I'm wondering if thats where I messed up. Maybe I should have just submitted the cost without the gratuity added? I am going to try it again that way and see what happens!

[kaylahszoo]

Pretty sure you need to back out gratuities. I did to get my new total.

[Can'tWait2SetSail]

Cost would be without gratuities added.

[dolita22]

It's been a couple months since I filled out the price protection form, but I thought somewhere in the fine print there was a note about not being able to use the form if you were had an already-chosen stateroom. That the price you saw had to be in a category where you select your stateroom, not Carnival. I could be wrong or not remembering correctly, but I thought that's one of the stipulations of the form. So maybe that's why they denied your price change?

[dmdiver]

It's only the base fare that they are looking at on price protection.

[MissesB4409]

It's been a couple months since I filled out the price protection form, but I thought somewhere in the fine print there was a note about not being able to use the form if you were had an already-chosen stateroom. That the price you saw had to be in a category where you select your stateroom, not Carnival. I could be wrong or not remembering correctly, but I thought that's one of the stipulations of the form. So maybe that's why they denied your price change?

 

Yah, I don't think that is right because that would totally defeat the purpose of the Early Saver rates, which not only have price protection, but also allow you to choose your own room. I am pretty sure it either has something to do with the fact that I included gratuities, or it has to do with the fact that we are in a 4D room and not 4A or 4B. When we booked all those categories were included in the base fare, but now they are not, so that might be where the problem is.

 

The first time I filled the form out, I heard back in about 8 hours that it had not been approved. I filled it out a 2nd time on Wednesday night and I have yet to hear anything back. Hopefully no news is good news???

[dmdiver]

It has to be the same category as well. Both my current cruises have lower fares if I want a lower category, but I have to match to the currently booked category, so no deals for me.

[wemjam]

Ok, let's see if I can clarify some of this for you.

 

ES rate is a special rate that allows you to claim price protection right up to the time you sail - BUT ONLY in an identical cabin. Their special rates where they pick the room for you DO NOT apply. You can only get the price protection if the same room category is available and at a lower price. (So if your cabin is say a 6A, then you would have to see a lower rate specifically on a 6A cabin that was available)

 

Once an early saver rate always an early saver rate - this means if you did find a lower rate for the same exact category under a different promotion you would be entitled to your price protection but would not "switch" to that promotion (meaning say you found a special "summer sale" rate, you would receive that price, but you would still be an ES not the summer sale).

 

Finally, if you try to "change" to the new rate under a new booking (if you were far enough outside of final payment to do so), you would still have issues. You can not just cancel an early saver, you are subject to a $50/pp fee for doing so - and it is my understanding you can not cancel an ES, pay the fee, and then rebook on the same ship and sailing - it has to be a different ship/sailing

 

You can claim price protection under an early saver rate as many times as you see your identical cabin that is available go down in price. If you see it drop 3 times before you sail, you can submit three times. Again must be identical cabin type and must be available for booking.

 

Also, any price drops are on "base rate only". This means if you booked your room (without taxes, gratuities, etc) at $449 per person, it has to be less than $449 per person to get a price cut.

 

Please note any rebates are handled 1 of 2 ways. You will either see your new amount owed reduced by the amount (if you haven't reached payment in full), or if you are past final payment you will receive OBC for the refund amount.

Edited March 9, 2018 by wemjam

[ray98]

As above.....apples to apples. If you are in a 4C then compare it to a 4C. You cannot compare it to a random GTY rate.

[Herbaltees]

I just want to add to what wemjam said in that if you do switch to the GTY rate, it can only be done once. You still remain ES, but once you enter the guarantee pool you can't really match the price anymore because your cabin type is GTY and not a specific cabin (4B, 6A, 8D etc.)

 

If your sailing is within the next say 2-3 months, then maybe take a chance. Anything more than that I wouldn't enter the GTY pool for only $59.

[MissesB4409]

Ok, let's see if I can clarify some of this for you.

 

ES rate is a special rate that allows you to claim price protection right up to the time you sail - BUT ONLY in an identical cabin. Their special rates where they pick the room for you DO NOT apply. You can only get the price protection if the same room category is available and at a lower price. (So if your cabin is say a 6A, then you would have to see a lower rate specifically on a 6A cabin that was available)

 

Once an early saver rate always an early saver rate - this means if you did find a lower rate for the same exact category under a different promotion you would be entitled to your price protection but would not "switch" to that promotion (meaning say you found a special "summer sale" rate, you would receive that price, but you would still be an ES not the summer sale).

 

Finally, if you try to "change" to the new rate under a new booking (if you were far enough outside of final payment to do so), you would still have issues. You can not just cancel an early saver, you are subject to a $50/pp fee for doing so - and it is my understanding you can not cancel an ES, pay the fee, and then rebook on the same ship and sailing - it has to be a different ship/sailing

 

You can claim price protection under an early saver rate as many times as you see your identical cabin that is available go down in price. If you see it drop 3 times before you sail, you can submit three times. Again must be identical cabin type and must be available for booking.

 

Also, any price drops are on "base rate only". This means if you booked your room (without taxes, gratuities, etc) at $449 per person, it has to be less than $449 per person to get a price cut.

 

Please note any rebates are handled 1 of 2 ways. You will either see your new amount owed reduced by the amount (if you haven't reached payment in full), or if you are past final payment you will receive OBC for the refund amount.

 

Thank you so much! This actually cleared up a lot of my uncertainties. I still haven't heard back from the 2nd form I filled out, but we are happy either way. We leave in May so we are just counting down the days!

[MissesB4409]

As above.....apples to apples. If you are in a 4C then compare it to a 4C. You cannot compare it to a random GTY rate.

Gotcha!! I wasn't sure since we were able to book our room for the same price even though it was a higher category. They now charge more for the category we are in versus the base rate. Thank you for clarifying.

[558]

Misses,

For $59, I would not risk Carnival messing your booking up. And from personal experience, I tell you that when that happens, you will be the one having to do all the work to get Carnival to fix THEIR screw-up. If you are happy with what you have, just leave it at that.

What you MAY TRY to do is call their guest relations dept, explain to them what is going on and see if they will give you like an even $50 onboard credit without messing around with your booking. You'd be surprised what one can sometimes accomplish just by being nice and understanding of the other party on the phone. 4 out of 10 times it works for me. Good luck.

 

Thanks,

Fred