Price drop repricing

[MsTabbyKats]

7 hours ago, mpk said:

True story- my TA pushed back on me wanting to take advantage of a $50pp drop.  Said "it'll probably go lower, call back then"

 

😑

Having owned a business for 25 years where I often ended up "not getting paid" for time worked, and knowing that the TAs can put in a lot of time for the compensation received for cruises.....here's my TA story.

 

I had a Carnival cruise booked for 6/2020 and an MSC cruise booked for 10/2020...both booked well in advance.  And both getting price drops.  Every time there was a drop I called him...and the price was adjusted.  It was at least twice, maybe more, for each cruise.  And there were cancellations and rebookings too because of Covid.  Ultimately both were canceled.  So, no commission for him. (And I admit...he did put in a lot of time.)

 

Then I decided to rebook on Carnival...an expensive cabin....for 6/2021. It was at "casino rate".  This was the last 2 weeks of April.  Unfortunately DH and I both had covid at the time...so I wasn't hovering over "the re-booking".  Came May...casino rate was gone and cruise was never booked (TA said he had the paper work done).  I'm sure he didn't "do his job" because of all the "price drops etc) he had done...and never got time for his work.

 

Needless to say I found a new TA....and ended up booking a different cruise....at an inexpensive rate. 

[firefly333]

38 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

Having owned a business for 25 years where I often ended up "not getting paid" for time worked, and knowing that the TAs can put in a lot of time for the compensation received for cruises.....here's my TA story.

 

I had a Carnival cruise booked for 6/2020 and an MSC cruise booked for 10/2020...both booked well in advance.  And both getting price drops.  Every time there was a drop I called him...and the price was adjusted.  It was at least twice, maybe more, for each cruise.  And there were cancellations and rebookings too because of Covid.  Ultimately both were canceled.  So, no commission for him. (And I admit...he did put in a lot of time.)

 

My travel agent said commissions were protected on cancelled cruises. They still got paid. Idk if he just meant rcl or all cruiselines paid the agents commission on cancelled cruises.

[Joe817]

3 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

My travel agent said commissions were protected on cancelled cruises. They still got paid. Idk if he just meant rcl or all cruiselines paid the agents commission on cancelled cruises.

I agree. I remember reading the same thing, back in April or May. It might have been on the TA portal on Carnival's website, or Cruise Industry News. 

[MsTabbyKats]

9 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

My travel agent said commissions were protected on cancelled cruises. They still got paid. Idk if he just meant rcl or all cruiselines paid the agents commission on cancelled cruises.

Well....I hope he did.  And actually....I think I remember reading something like that.

 

However, I canceled two sailings and "regrouped" (too many cruises...too confusing) before the official cancellations.  I did on MSC...and MSC is a very difficult company to work with.  And on Carnival...I canceled one before the official cancellation...and the rebooked cruise was canceled.  Bottom line....3 bookings....2 with several price drops...... and only one "official cancellation".

 

Anyway....there was no excuse for not rebooking the Carnival cruise for June, 2021.  If he was really having a problem (lines busy etc) he should have told me.  Otherwise, I'll blame it on him thinking that I'm a "pita". 

 

I am currently praying to the cruise gods that cruising resumes.  I should be on "the non-existent" Radiance right now! 

 

[Butterbean1000]

We have a TA family member who we always use.  He's gotten paid for our 2 canceled cruises. 

[Organized Chaos]

13 hours ago, drsel said:

My Cruise was repriced with the same OBC $50.
I am happy. It was only a 2% price drop, but since you all said to go for it, I did! Thanks

 

Every little bit helps, we always say. We matched our 2022 cruise with a sale they had a few weeks ago and we saved $30 per person, plus an additional $50 OBC on top of the $50 we already had.

 

8 hours ago, mpk said:

True story- my TA pushed back on me wanting to take advantage of a $50pp drop.  Said "it'll probably go lower, call back then"

 

😑

 

Yeah, get a new TA. Maybe it'll go down, but there's just as good of a chance, if not better chance, that it goes up and you'll have missed the opportunity. Fares often rise as ships fill up, not to mention with demand being high for the return of cruising, prices are going up. That's part of the service a TA offers, or should be, so if it was me and they didn't want to do it, I wouldn't hesitate to drop them.

[firefly333]

38 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

Well....I hope he did.  And actually....I think I remember reading something like that.

 

However, I canceled two sailings and "regrouped" (too many cruises...too confusing) before the official cancellations.  I did on MSC...and MSC is a very difficult company to work with.  And on Carnival...I canceled one before the official cancellation...and the rebooked cruise was canceled.  Bottom line....3 bookings....2 with several price drops...... and only one "official cancellation".

 

Anyway....there was no excuse for not rebooking the Carnival cruise for June, 2021.  If he was really having a problem (lines busy etc) he should have told me.  Otherwise, I'll blame it on him thinking that I'm a "pita". 

 

I am currently praying to the cruise gods that cruising resumes.  I should be on "the non-existent" Radiance right now! 

 

I just might hold the pita award. I cant even tell you how many hours my TA has put in, and he booked the Oct 4th carnival cruise he probably gets to rebook.

 

Pretty much moved every single rcl cruise, big jobs, hours on hold. I'm like let's just leave everything alone., rcl decides to change out allure for liberty. It's not like rcl didnt cancel building terminal 3 in Galveston in march, so knew for 3 months. So 3 weeks ago, hes back on hold to move my b2b to another ship.

 

Forward to beginning of this week. I come on cc and see a thread said jewel OTS feb 14 cancelled. No email, nothing, find out from cc. I have a b2b booked feb 7th, feb 14. 2nd leg now cancelled and letter posted on cc says my options are to move one week either way. To save b2b either have to move cancelled week 2 weeks or both down, I dont really want to just cancel. And my fcc from canc april cruise already paid balance for feb 7th, plus moved deposit, so I'm not eligible for 125% refund. 

 

He called yesterday on hold over 2 hours, called back later, 2 times disconnected and by the time he got thru the dept that needs to make the exception closed.,closed today for holiday. Hes tried 4 days to move me, hours and hours on hold.

 

No commission. Lol and he still has to call back monday to try again. The option moving one week doesnt work. One week forward, I'm already booked, 1 week later, I have a week between b2b. 

 

I'm pretty sure I'm near the top of the list for pita.

 

I met a guy who is a cruise newbie. Try explaining why my cruises march 2022 have to be changed, 2 weeks later its oops you know those jewel itineraries I showed you, ooops one is cancelled. Some reason they decided to send liberty back early and sending jewel no one knows where or why the week I'm booked. I've given up even trying to explain why and give him firm dates and where its going.

 

It would be different if it was a close in date cancelled .. easier to explain. Like send him a picture of allure... ooops well not that ship a smaller ship. Trying to convert a cruise newbie isnt easy in these times.  ... and I was interested in radiance to panama ... fall 2021. .. not even going to try and explain well there might be a problem with radiance too.

 

5 weeks booked on rcl, 4 of these weeks changed in the last 3 weeks.,b2b march way out march 22, moved to new ship, now the other b2b feb 2021 one leg cancelled, still not resolved. ... I'd say that's pretty bad luck.

Edited July 3, 2020 by firefly333

[MsTabbyKats]

Let's face it....TAs don't make a lot of money for the time put in.  But, they do get excellent travel benefits.

 

 

[drsel]

Let's face it....TAs don't make a lot of money for the time put in.  But, they do get excellent travel benefits.
 
 

What exactly are their travel benefits ?
do they get some free Cruises?

[fishteacher10]

After reading this thread I decided to check on my April 2021 cruise that is booked with a TA. The cost seems to be more than $200 cheaper right now. If I wanted to take the lower price, would I lose the $600 re-booking on board credit that Carnival gave us when we rebooked our Covid cruise? Also, if the cruise is already paid in full, would they credit my credit card or give me an OBC for the difference in price? Thanks in advance!

[drsel]

Guess what, the prices of my Carnival Cruises have gone up again today.

Thank goodness I claimed the price drops yesterday.

 

it's crazy, why does Carnival keep fluctuating the prices of their Cruises on a daily basis?

Its just like their stock price!

MSC and Costa are pretty much consistent for many months

 

 

 

 

[drsel]

 

 

 

After reading this thread I decided to check on my April 2021 cruise that is booked with a TA. The cost seems to be more than $200 cheaper right now. If I wanted to take the lower price, would I lose the $600 re-booking on board credit that Carnival gave us when we rebooked our Covid cruise? Also, if the cruise is already paid in full, would they credit my credit card or give me an OBC for the difference in price? Thanks in advance!

I don't think you can claim a price drop if you already paid in full, but try your luck!

(why would anyone pay the full amount so much in advance?)

 

 

if you are lucky, they may give you the difference as extra OBC

OR

a cabin upgrade in lieu of the price difference.

 

They cannot reduce your fare because you already paid in full. They will not credit your credit card either.

 

The re-booking OBC should remain the same.

 

 

[drsel]

We have a TA family member who we always use.  He's gotten paid for our 2 canceled cruises. 

Did he get the usual commission of 10 to 16 % ?

[Organized Chaos]

1 hour ago, fishteacher10 said:

After reading this thread I decided to check on my April 2021 cruise that is booked with a TA. The cost seems to be more than $200 cheaper right now. If I wanted to take the lower price, would I lose the $600 re-booking on board credit that Carnival gave us when we rebooked our Covid cruise? Also, if the cruise is already paid in full, would they credit my credit card or give me an OBC for the difference in price? Thanks in advance!

 

You don't lose the cancelled cruise OBC when you price match. Since you're paid in full, they'll give you the difference in the form of OBC.

[bury me at sea]

1 hour ago, fishteacher10 said:

After reading this thread I decided to check on my April 2021 cruise that is booked with a TA. The cost seems to be more than $200 cheaper right now. If I wanted to take the lower price, would I lose the $600 re-booking on board credit that Carnival gave us when we rebooked our Covid cruise? Also, if the cruise is already paid in full, would they credit my credit card or give me an OBC for the difference in price? Thanks in advance!

 

If you apply to match the $200. price drop you should not under any circumstances lose the $600. rebooking OBC.

 

If there was any OBC in your current cruise fare you will lose that amount if it's not also a part of the current fare.

 

If your cruise in paid in full the difference in price will be credited as additional OBC.

 

Phone them.  Verify while on the phone that this is the case.  Don't hang up until everything is settled to your satisfaction.

 

And Happy Sailing!

[Butterbean1000]

21 minutes ago, drsel said:

2 hours ago, Butterbean1000 said:

We have a TA family member who we always use.  He's gotten paid for our 2 canceled cruises. 

Did he get the usual commission of 10 to 16 % ?

I have no idea.  I told him I was sorry that our cruises kept getting canceled.  He said no worries, he got paid anyway.  I've never asked him how much he makes. Who does that?

[Butterbean1000]

2 hours ago, MsTabbyKats said:

Let's face it....TAs don't make a lot of money for the time put in.  But, they do get excellent travel benefits.

 

 

That's for sure. My TA nephew and his wife are always going on cruises.

[firefly333]

4 hours ago, fishteacher10 said:

After reading this thread I decided to check on my April 2021 cruise that is booked with a TA. The cost seems to be more than $200 cheaper right now. If I wanted to take the lower price, would I lose the $600 re-booking on board credit that Carnival gave us when we rebooked our Covid cruise? Also, if the cruise is already paid in full, would they credit my credit card or give me an OBC for the difference in price? Thanks in advance!

I booked with a ta and when my August cruise price dropped it was before final payment. They credited it back to my credit card.

 

If you have early saver, before final payment date they credit it back to your card. It's only after final payment date you get it as obc. I think it says that in terms somewhere. Btw I had paid in full too. That's why the $20 credit back to my card, rather than off the final price.

 

And no you dont lose the $600. The only time you would lose obc is if the obc was part of the fare.

 

 

 

Edited July 3, 2020 by firefly333

[drsel]

Why would anyone pay in full much in advance or before the final payment date?
You never know what can happen in future.
Some illness, Cruise cancellation, Cruise line insolvency, virus attack, terrorist attack, etc

[fishteacher10]

Our cruise is currently paid in full because we were supposed to have cruised during this past spring break. When that got canceled, the amount of that trip covered the cost of the newly booked trip. Thank you very much to those who answered my question. I will give the TA a ring!

[xDisconnections]

28 minutes ago, drsel said:

Why would anyone pay in full much in advance or before the final payment date?

Disposable income.

[firefly333]

4 hours ago, drsel said:

Why would anyone pay in full much in advance or before the final payment date?
You never know what can happen in future.
Some illness, Cruise cancellation, Cruise line insolvency, virus attack, terrorist attack, etc

I've got one feb 7th paid in full because of the fcc from a cancelled april cruise. These are odd times.

[satxdiver]

On 7/2/2020 at 11:40 AM, firefly333 said:

I only have oct 4th freedom booked. It's been sold out a long time and I think would only complicate things if there was a price drop as it's almost for sure getting cancelled. 

 

Might or might not rebook fall of 2021. Rcl has can cancel or move any cruise with no penalty vs early saver here. I wanted one carnival for the extra obc. Prices so high becoming not worth it. Just waiting now to be cancelled. I should have booked 2021 in the first place but the prices seem ridiculous for non refundable es options.

Off the subject but curious about the October 4th sailing.  I went onto the Carnival website to check and they are offering quite a number of cabins being available for booking.  Curious why you think the cruise is sold out.  

[firefly333]

8 hours ago, satxdiver said:

Off the subject but curious about the October 4th sailing.  I went onto the Carnival website to check and they are offering quite a number of cabins being available for booking.  Curious why you think the cruise is sold out.  

Yes I just went to look and it's back. First time it's been listed for a while. Super high price, over 1k for inside. It used to say sold out on booking site and wasnt listed on carnival site. Interesting to see it's back. 

 

Maybe some people cancelled? Thanks for the heads up. 

[satxdiver]

6 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Yes I just went to look and it's back. First time it's been listed for a while. Super high price, over 1k for inside. It used to say sold out on booking site and wasnt listed on carnival site. Interesting to see it's back. 

 

Maybe some people cancelled? Thanks for the heads up. 

I just looked again on the Carnival website and the October 4 sailing of the Freedom is still listed but the funny part is that the next sailing after that is November 15 followed by the 21st and 29th.  So wonder what the Freedom is going to do for over a month between the October 4 sailing and the next one on November 15.   Maybe the October 4 sailing slipped by their scheduling department and was posted. 

 

These are indeed strange times now.