Upgrading Stateroom Requires Re-booking

[pirateg11]

Back in April I booked a cruise (departing Sept.); was in a bit of a time crunch to get it booked before my casino offer with OBC expired.  At the time the price of the cruise was fluctuating almost every day, and on the day I booked it was cheaper to reserve an Inside guarantee as opposed to picking a room.  Flash forward several months later and the price of the cruise has dropped more than 50pp but unfortunately the offer I booked under expired.  So to save like $120 I'd have to re-book and give up the $500 OBC, no thanks. 

 

Knowing that I couldn't cancel and re-book without losing my OBC, I decided to call today and see if I could pay to upgrade my room selection as some Spa Interiors just became available.  Apparently upgrading my room also requires re-booking.  Upgrading my room selection would once again have me losing out on the OBC, so I declined.  Was a little shocked at this.  I guess I'm back to crossing my fingers and hoping I get a good room assignment with the guarantee.  

[PhillyFan33579]

Not sure if you had a question, but any time you change your cabin you are subject to the current offer(s) that are available. Sometimes this works in your favor, sometimes it doesn’t, which appears to be the case in your situation. 

[DallasGuy75219]

I don't understand why OP expected a different outcome with the second attempt.  Unless you get a true "upsell" or "upgrade" offer from Carnival, changing your cabin category (or between guaranteed and assigned cabins) requires the reservation to be repriced with current rates and offers.  You can't rebook by mix and matching an expired offer with a current rate.

[pirateg11]

25 minutes ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

I don't understand why OP expected a different outcome with the second attempt.  Unless you get a true "upsell" or "upgrade" offer from Carnival, changing your cabin category (or between guaranteed and assigned cabins) requires the reservation to be repriced with current rates and offers.  You can't rebook by mix and matching an expired offer with a current rate.

 

On my previous cruises I did receive "upsell" offers, so my assumption going in was that it would be the same simple process to pay a fee and upgrade my stateroom selection.  I didn't realize that trying to upgrade your stateroom counted as re-booking.  Today I learned that, and I thought it was an odd because it comes across as penalizing me for wanting to pay more.   I would have booked the Spa Interior initially but they weren't available when I booked.  

 

Also, this was the first attempt, I never tried to re-book during the price drop because I knew I re-booking would lose the OBC, I just didn't realize the policy was the same for just changing the room.  

[StolidCruiser]

5 hours ago, pirateg11 said:

 

Today I learned that, and I thought it was an odd because it comes across as penalizing me for wanting to pay more.  

 

 

 

What led you to believe that because you wanted to change your booking by upgrading and “paying more” it would exempt you from the policy of handling it as a rebooking to current published promotion pricing?

[pirateg11]

5 hours ago, StolidCruiser said:

 

What led you to believe that because you wanted to change your booking by upgrading and “paying more” it would exempt you from the policy of handling it as a rebooking to current published promotion pricing?

 

Wasn't looking for an exemption, simply didn't realize upgrading your stateroom was handled as a re-booking...

 

[Siora7777]

I upgraded my cabin about a month ago and did not have to rebook. I am booked as a past guest still outside of final payment and I didn't have a problem. They used the current prices. 

[Elaine5715]

32 minutes ago, Siora7777 said:

I upgraded my cabin about a month ago and did not have to rebook. I am booked as a past guest still outside of final payment and I didn't have a problem. They used the current prices. 

Apples and oranges...the OP booked under a special offer that expired

[Siora7777]

10 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

Apples and oranges...the OP booked under a special offer that expired

Most cruise lines allow people to upgrade and pay more for a different cabin up until 2 days before sail date. I would be confused too and I've cruised 5 different lines. 

[DallasGuy75219]

1 hour ago, Siora7777 said:

Most cruise lines allow people to upgrade and pay more for a different cabin up until 2 days before sail date.

So does Carnival, at least in my experience.  The key is that you have to book under a current offer/rate.  Again, you can't rebook/upgrade by mix and matching an expired offer with a current rate.

[lobo55]

I have changed to to higher grade room on 3 or 4 occasions and never had to rebook. Nor did I loose obc I got when I first booked.

[AtSeaWithChris]

I may be wrong but rebooking seems like a new booking number would be assigned, like starting over. Upgrades or changing rooms would just be comparing old rate to new rate as far as OBC and other benefits and seeing where the bottom line is as to whether you take it or not.

 

[mistycruiser]

The OP was booking a special offer from the casino.  When the casino makes offers they only have a certain number of cabins available not the entire availability of empty cabins for the whole ship. A normal booking change of cabins doesn't apply here.  Once the offer expired regular rules and rates apply just like everybody else.  So if they want a different cabin they lose the perks that the casino offered and they end up as just a regular passenger. 

[Nic6318]

On 7/17/2019 at 12:43 AM, pirateg11 said:

 

On my previous cruises I did receive "upsell" offers, so my assumption going in was that it would be the same simple process to pay a fee and upgrade my stateroom selection.  I didn't realize that trying to upgrade your stateroom counted as re-booking.  Today I learned that, and I thought it was an odd because it comes across as penalizing me for wanting to pay more.   I would have booked the Spa Interior initially but they weren't available when I booked.  

 

Also, this was the first attempt, I never tried to re-book during the price drop because I knew I re-booking would lose the OBC, I just didn't realize the policy was the same for just changing the room.  

 

Hi

You keep going back to  the idea that you are "wanting to pay more", but you aren't... You purchased a "product" that was a "package" which included the onboard credit. Now you want to make a change to the initial purchase but want to keep part of the original purchase. They are saying no. You are not so much rebooking, as making a "change" to an existing booking. Very often changes to existing bookings have restrictions. This situation seems simple to understand.

 

Imagine going to a store to purchase something... "this week only" they will give you a $50 store certificate with any purchase. Next week you return to the store and say you changed your mind and would rather have another product that costs $10 more. You go to the cash to pay the extra money and they ask you for the gift certificate back. Does it sound reasonable?

 

Exactly the same thing. You made the initial purchase then because if you waited the OBC offer would not be available. If the OBC offer was still available to you now then you would have been allowed to make the change as you wanted.

 

In regards to the "spa interior" not being available initially, it may just not have been available with your specific offer, and now that you aren't looking with that offer it shows as being available. (this might not be the case but is possible) 

 

 

[Djptcp]

OP, you may have some current casino promotions you could use to re-book the same cruise. Right now, I have  promotions for Premier, Getaway, and Dealer's Choice cruises with $200-500 Fun Play. Check your VIFP offers and maybe the same cruise you want to take is available for them. Keep in mind, however, that it is later in July and you may run into your final payment deadline and cancellation after that may cost you something.

[pirateg11]

4 hours ago, Djptcp said:

OP, you may have some current casino promotions you could use to re-book the same cruise. Right now, I have  promotions for Premier, Getaway, and Dealer's Choice cruises with $200-500 Fun Play. Check your VIFP offers and maybe the same cruise you want to take is available for them. Keep in mind, however, that it is later in July and you may run into your final payment deadline and cancellation after that may cost you something.

 

Yeah, final payment is only a few days away and the other casino offers I have either don't apply to that cruise or the benefits don't outweigh my current deal.  Don't get me wrong, I love the deal I got even though the price dropped afterwards, the OBC more than makes up for it, I just got excited when some Spa Interiors became available and wanted to upgrade.  

 

I still find it weird that if "they call you" and make an upsell offer you get to keep your package but if "you call them" to try to upgrade you can't keep your package.