Cheaper price OR Lower deposit ?

[drsel]

For my Carnival Cruise in 2021, I have 3 options.

 

A) Travel agent with payment by CC on phone

Inside guarantee

$550 deposit

$1330 total Cruise fare - $100 OBC (net $1230)

 

B) Travel agent with direct booking engine.

Inside choice of cabin

$205 deposit

$1420 total Cruise fare - $50 OBC (net $1370)

 

C) Travel agent with direct booking engine.

Inside guarantee

$550 deposit

$1330 total Cruise fare - $50 OBC (net $1280)

 

Which should I choose? We are not very fussy about the cabin, since we are out the whole day.

 

 

[jmspk19]

If you're not picky about the cabin, i would pick option A. I always thought a lower deposit is kind of a "fake" deal anyway...bc you have to pay all the money anyway. They're just allowing you to pay it later. But the privilege will cost you $90 cash, and $50 obc. Sometimes I take the lower deposit if I'm booking a whole bunch of people, but I almost always just pay more up front to save more later...plus it's less looming over you later....either way...enjoy!

 

[HaveWeMetYet]

D) Put your wallet in a lock box and do not allow it to be opened until the Covid issue is resolved.

[sanger727]

I would choose B. But I'm a very light sleeper so fussy about cabin location. Are they are all the same in terms of the deposit being refundable or not? I wouldn't pay more for a lower deposit, just for the lower deposit. But to get room choice and it be a refundable deposit, I would.

[SummerXU]

If you aren't picky about cabin location, then I'd go with option A. A lower deposit might be nice in the short-term, but in the long-term, paying less is always better.

[Roz]

Something I'm still not clear on is, if you book with a nonrefundable deposit and the cruise line cancels the cruise, do you get your deposit back?

[MsTabbyKats]

8 minutes ago, Roz said:

Something I'm still not clear on is, if you book with a nonrefundable deposit and the cruise line cancels the cruise, do you get your deposit back?

So far...yes.  You get a choice....cash refund or FCC (of the deposit) and a $600 OBC.

However, there's not a "future guarantee" for this and the refund takes a while to process.

Edited July 1, 2020 by MsTabbyKats

[Joebucks]

If the room location doesn't matter at all, I would go with A. Not to sound rude, but a lower deposit isn't really a deal. It's for people who usually can't afford a cruise in the first place. A is the cheapest, with the most OBC. That is an actual deal.

 

Depending on factors, I may personally go with B. Again, could care less about a deposit. We don't do anything other than an interior. However, we often like to upgrade the location. Being on the bottom of the ship is an annoying location to me. I can't stand using the elevators, and it's too many steps.

[drsel]

not only are all the deposits NON REFUNDABLE, I am not even sure the Cruises will sale as scheduled or if Carnival will remain in business for another year ( or run out of cash.)

[drsel]

I would choose B. But I'm a very light sleeper so fussy about cabin location. Are they are all the same in terms of the deposit being refundable or not? I wouldn't pay more for a lower deposit, just for the lower deposit. But to get room choice and it be a refundable deposit, I would.

In all the options the deposits are non refundable

[drsel]

Something I'm still not clear on is, if you book with a nonrefundable deposit and the cruise line cancels the cruise, do you get your deposit back?

I think that NON REFUNDABLE means that you will not get your deposit back under any circumstances whatsoever (even if Carnival cancels your Cruise), but you may be able to transfer this deposit to another Cruise in future.

 

[drsel]

So far...yes.  You get a choice....cash refund or FCC (of the deposit) and a $600 OBC. However, there's not a "future guarantee" for this and the refund takes a while to process.

 

Are you sure this applies to Carnival or Royal Caribbean? 

Costa cancelled two of my future Cruises in 2021 due to re positioning of the ship (not because of Covid).

They offered me a 100% refund of my 2 deposits

OR

30% discount on 2 future Cruises before 1st November 2020. But no OBC

OR

10% discount on 2 future Cruises after 1st November 2020.

 

But no OBC, no 125% FCC

 

 

[MsTabbyKats]

Carnival...I don't know about RC and OP wasn't asking about RC.

Carnival, or any business, could change the policy at any time but right now they're being very generous with the OBC.

 

 

 

[drsel]

Carnival...I don't know about RC and OP wasn't asking about RC.
Carnival, or any business, could change the policy at any time but right now they're being very generous with the OBC.
 
 
 

thanks, that is very encouraging for me to pay $550 in option A, because in case Carnival cancels the cruise they will give me another 600 OBC which will be a fantastic deal.

I only hope they don't run out of cash or go bankrupt, in which case the deposit will be gone forever.

[Joe817]

10 minutes ago, drsel said:

1 hour ago, Roz said:

Something I'm still not clear on is, if you book with a nonrefundable deposit and the cruise line cancels the cruise, do you get your deposit back?

You will not get your deposit back but you will get an FCC for another Cruise in future.

I don't think that's correct. If the cruise line cancels, then you get your deposit refunded back to you.  If YOU cancel, then yes you are correct. The deposit is forfeited. I just went through this yesterday, when we rebooked our cancelled cruise.

[MsTabbyKats]

8 minutes ago, drsel said:

Are you sure this applies to Carnival or Royal Caribbean?

 

Costa cancelled two of my future Cruises in 2021 due to re positioning of the ship (not because of Covid).

They offered me a 100% refund of my 2 deposits

OR

30% discount on a future Cruise before 1st November 2020. But no OBC

OR

10% discount on a future Cruise after 1st November 2020.

 

But no OBC, no 125% FCC

All lines are different...but I've always found Carnival to be more "passenger friendly" with OBC for things such as missing ports and canceled cruises.  We once missed Great Stirrup Caye due to "something" and everyone got a 25% FCC.  With NCL, which misses that port more than it gets there...all you get is "Sorry" and return of port fees.

[drsel]

All lines are different...but I've always found Carnival to be more "passenger friendly" with OBC for things such as missing ports and canceled cruises.  We once missed Great Stirrup Caye due to "something" and everyone got a 25% FCC.  With NCL, which misses that port more than it gets there...all you get is "Sorry" and return of port fees.

Costa (Carnival group company), didn't give any OBC nor FCC for a missed port in Madagascar on Costa Mediterranea in Jan 2020.

They didn't even return the port fees for that missed port.

[PhillyFan33579]

1 hour ago, Joebucks said:

If the room location doesn't matter at all, I would go with A. Not to sound rude, but a lower deposit isn't really a deal. It's for people who usually can't afford a cruise in the first place. A is the cheapest, with the most OBC. That is an actual deal.

 

Depending on factors, I may personally go with B. Again, could care less about a deposit. We don't do anything other than an interior. However, we often like to upgrade the location. Being on the bottom of the ship is an annoying location to me. I can't stand using the elevators, and it's too many steps.

I wouldn’t be so quick to judge people who take advantage of a lower deposit and jump to the conclusion they can’t afford a cruise in the first place. We always book a balcony when we cruise, but I would never say or assume interior rooms are for people who really can’t afford a cruise. 

[MsTabbyKats]

Just now, drsel said:

Costa (Carnival group company), didn't give any OBC nor FCC for a missed port in Madagascar on Costa Mediterranea in Jan 2020.

They didn't even return the port fees for that missed port.

This is my current Carnival status:

I had a $100 deposit (early saver) and cruise was canceled.

They gave me a $100 FCC....plus $600 OBC.

I booked another cruise (for 9/2021) with a $250 deposit and got another $100 OBC.

Altogether...I gave them $350.  But I have $700 OBC .

The cruise I am booked on cost me $1327.  I live right by (walking distance) to the dock.

If the ship sails....I have a great deal. 

[sanger727]

35 minutes ago, drsel said:

not only are all the deposits NON REFUNDABLE, I am not even sure the Cruises will sale as scheduled or if Carnival will remain in business for another year ( or run out of cash.)

 

When is this cruise?

[MsTabbyKats]

5 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

I wouldn’t be so quick to judge people who take advantage of a lower deposit and jump to the conclusion they can’t afford a cruise in the first place. We always book a balcony when we cruise, but I would never say or assume interior rooms are for people who really can’t afford a cruise. 

 

It's not a matter of affording...it's a matter of "is it worth it".  I've had several "never used" balconies on Canadian cruises.

 

The truth is....the food is the same, the entertainment is the same, the itinerary is the same....and people don't cruise to sit in the cabin.

[ObstructedView2]

 

⬇️  This  ⬇️

 

 

12 hours ago, HaveWeMetYet said:

 

D) Put your wallet in a lock box and do not allow it to be opened until the Covid issue is resolved.

 

 

 

⬆️  That  ⬆️

 

 

[Denverdonkeys]

The OBC being offered for cancelled cruises is $600 for 6+ nights and $300 for less than 6 nights. I didn't see the length of the cruise you are looking at.

[Roz]

3 hours ago, Joebucks said:

Not to sound rude, but a lower deposit isn't really a deal. It's for people who usually can't afford a cruise in the first place. 

 

I think you're assuming a lot.  And who determines who can afford a cruise or who can't?  I have a cruise booked on another cruise line, and a lower deposit was part of a promotional pkg. they were offering.  

[Denverdonkeys]

a lower deposit in this environment might be worth the increased cost because you might be more willing to walk away from the cost. if you wait to book the cruise, then the cruise fare might go up, or disappear.

 

In a normal environment, I would agree that the lower deposit doesn't move the needle for me.