Check your rates!! Dropped a lot!

[bury me at sea]

5 minutes ago, AandBmom said:

Does anyone know if Carnival still has that handy price comparison calculator tool to see if the price has changed?

 

It's been gone for several years.  It was so handy.

 

I especially liked that it showed how the two category upgrade within similar cabin types worked.  It takes me two paragraphs to explain in plain English what that chart showed clearly.

[AandBmom]

2 minutes ago, bury me at sea said:

 

It's been gone for several years.  It was so handy.

 

I especially liked that it showed how the two category upgrade within similar cabin types worked.  It takes me two paragraphs to explain in plain English what that chart showed clearly.

boo....I figured as I haven't been able to find it the last 2 cruises. I agree it was quite handy.

[lensonlife]

4 hours ago, 13cheermom said:

Just a note to remember to check your bookings even with a limited quantity of specific type of cabin.  We had a deluxe scenic ocean view with the floor to ceiling windows (very few of these), didn't expect any price drop and was fine with the pricing at time of booking.  But then one dayI was just curious, checked and there was another cabin available that I could price match to, and saved another $60 off our booking.  So just saying. . . .  you never know.

We have an interior booked on deck 9 and they are all sold out. They are also sold out on deck 8. There is 1 interior left on deck 7 for a savings of $160. I’m not sure if they are in the same category though because they are two floors apart? 

[Organized Chaos]

26 minutes ago, lensonlife said:

We have an interior booked on deck 9 and they are all sold out. They are also sold out on deck 8. There is 1 interior left on deck 7 for a savings of $160. I’m not sure if they are in the same category though because they are two floors apart? 

 

If you go to the deck plans on Carnival's site and click on the cabin, it'll show you its category.

[lensonlife]

1 minute ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

If you go to the deck plans on Carnival's site and click on the cabin, it'll show you its category.

I started poking around after and noticed I could locate that information. When I went back to the Carnival website, the cabin on deck 7 was no longer available. There are only cabins now available on deck 1 and I know those are not the same. I’ll keep checking- it may pop up again! 

[HakunaMatada]

thanks for the info, we got $200

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

14 hours ago, AandBmom said:

Does anyone know if Carnival still has that handy price comparison calculator tool to see if the price has changed?

No. That's been gone awhile. And, it didn't work well,  anyway.

 

 

[cruising with the family]

My rate dropped by $100, but I just booked 2 weeks ago, after final payment date.  Is there any recourse?  eek.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

28 minutes ago, cruising with the family said:

My rate dropped by $100, but I just booked 2 weeks ago, after final payment date.  Is there any recourse?  eek.

Depends on your rate code. You have to call and ask. 

[meatloafsfan]

20 hours ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

I wish they'd be more clear about it in their FAQ's. Everything I've read on there points to ES being the only rate with price matching. And the fact that they denied me because (they claimed) it wasn't an ES rate is another indication of that being the case. I've seen plenty of people on here say it, too, so it looks like it confuses a lot of people. There's times when they don't seem aware of their own policies.

 

Price drops before final payment usually aren't an issue with most rates (i.e. if you can cancel without penalty, then you can always adjust because you can cancel and rebook at the better rate); early saver rate is really to protect people after final payment.

[xDisconnections]

1 hour ago, meatloafsfan said:

 

Price drops before final payment usually aren't an issue with most rates (i.e. if you can cancel without penalty, then you can always adjust because you can cancel and rebook at the better rate); early saver rate is really to protect people after final payment.

Early saver is really to secure the advance deposit in Carnival’s favor.

[meatloafsfan]

17 minutes ago, xDisconnections said:

Early saver is really to secure the advance deposit in Carnival’s favor.

 

I guess my phrasing should have been:

 

"From a consumer perspective, booking the Early Saver rate is to ensure that if Carnival drops the price after final payment - which for many years seemed to be the average time for price drops - your price can be adjusted so that you're going to be paying the same as someone who was able to take advantage of a sale within 75-90 days of sailing."

[xDisconnections]

4 minutes ago, meatloafsfan said:

 

I guess my phrasing should have been:

 

"From a consumer perspective, booking the Early Saver rate is to ensure that if Carnival drops the price after final payment - which for many years seemed to be the average time for price drops - your price can be adjusted so that you're going to be paying the same as someone who was able to take advantage of a sale within 75-90 days of sailing."

Perception is everything 🙂 

[Organized Chaos]

2 hours ago, xDisconnections said:

Early saver is really to secure the advance deposit in Carnival’s favor.

 

That's nothing new, though. Plenty of hotels offer cheaper rates, but they come with the stipulation of being non-refundable. The full payment, not just a deposit. Carnival catches flack for a lot of business tactics that are common with many companies.

[TakeMeAway1001]

On 2/26/2020 at 11:55 AM, pinacoladasatpianobar said:

I noticed a price drop, but when I called, Carnival told me they can't make any adjustments after final payment (our final payment was due the week before). Has anyone been able to make any adjustments after final payment?

I booked and paid in full last Sunday for a cruise that departs on March 22. On Monday I saw an offer through the 48 hour sale and called to inquire about getting an OBC, initially I was told no because it was past final payment and I didn't have an ES fare. I asked if I could speak to a supervisor and was put on hold, the rep came back a few times and said I can give you $110 OBC and make your reservation into a guarantee room or give you $80 and you get to keep your cabin you have which is what I wanted. I  think it wouldn't hurt to call again. 

[jetfan0330]

Thanks for the heads up.  Just received $110 OBC.  

[NC.MOMCRUZ]

Thanks I just got $150 OBC!!  You guys rock!!

[Organized Chaos]

1 hour ago, TakeMeAway1001 said:

I booked and paid in full last Sunday for a cruise that departs on March 22. On Monday I saw an offer through the 48 hour sale and called to inquire about getting an OBC, initially I was told no because it was past final payment and I didn't have an ES fare. I asked if I could speak to a supervisor and was put on hold, the rep came back a few times and said I can give you $110 OBC and make your reservation into a guarantee room or give you $80 and you get to keep your cabin you have which is what I wanted. I  think it wouldn't hurt to call again. 

 

Typically, companies will waive their own policies for customers here & there and throw them a bone in the name of good customer relations. But if customers start calling Carnival en masse, asking for supervisors, and demanding OBC that they technically shouldn't get, I'm betting Carnival would put a stop to it real quick. They don't want to hand out too much free money.

[mexicobob]

We may be entering into uncharted territories with the recent developments. I would think, very quickly, this could be the best time in our lifetime to book a cruise. Would involve risk for short term cruises but the price will never be better for something a year or so out. By then the Corona mess will be over. 

Carnival and the other cruise lines will loose $billions in the next few weeks. They will attempt to minimize their losses for already booked cabins no matter who you call. When ships start sailing half empty, they may make adjustments.

For people who complain about crowded ships, this might be a great time to cruise.

[xDisconnections]

7 hours ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

That's nothing new, though. Plenty of hotels offer cheaper rates, but they come with the stipulation of being non-refundable. The full payment, not just a deposit. Carnival catches flack for a lot of business tactics that are common with many companies.

And those same people who decide to book prepaid and non-refundable discounted rates don’t understand why they can’t make changes or get a refund. For the extra few dollars (usually 5-10 per night) or an even further discounted corporate rate when available, I’d rather book a fully refundable private rate and would never book a prepaid hotel. Most rates I reserve allow me to cancel penalty free until 6pm day of arrival with a major hotel chain and are usually less than the prepaid rates.

Edited February 28, 2020 by xDisconnections

[Illbcruzn4life]

unfortunately my cruise for this December is now $200pp more than when we booked.

 

Just means we got a darn good rate. 🙂

[helene109]

15 hours ago, jetfan0330 said:

Thanks for the heads up.  Just received $110 OBC.  

Yeah that’s fantastic!

[Pyrate13]

Our two cruises both went up, one $86 and the other $118. 😞

[CAnative1]

I just happened on a $30 rate drop for our Panorama cruise that is booked for Nov. Not much, but better than nothing I suppose. 

 

Got the rate change speaking to customer service because the price was actually $30 cheaper with my wife's VIFP number. Same onboard credit, but there was a little higher deposit that was due. The representative was making it very clear that in order for the $30 price change, I had to pay up the deposit (I originally booked under a $50 pp deposit). So I just had to pay the difference to make it what today's deposit would be if I were making a new booking. 

[TakeMeAway1001]

21 hours ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

Typically, companies will waive their own policies for customers here & there and throw them a bone in the name of good customer relations. But if customers start calling Carnival en masse, asking for supervisors, and demanding OBC that they technically shouldn't get, I'm betting Carnival would put a stop to it real quick. They don't want to hand out too much free money.

With the amount of info available on sites like this and FB, I am fairly certain that Carnival already receives a large number of guests inquiring about price drops. Price drops and requests for an OBC or an upgrade to a better cabin with a lower price than what one paid is nothing new. I have been cruising since 2001 with 16 on Carnival and it's been a thing for as long as I can remember. I would go out on a limb to say Carnival closely monitors the amount of "free money" their reps are handing out and if it were deemed a major issue they would intervene. Requesting to speak to a supervisor isn't unusual and it would be very simple for the rep to say there isn't one available if they weren't interested in allowing the guest to pursue the request further. Not sure if the comment about demanding an OBC that one shouldn't get was directed at me or not, but in the event it was, I didn't demand anything and while I didn't book the ES fare, I was well within my rights to exercise their 48 hour price guarantee since I booked less than 24 hours before 😉