Final payment due 8/18 for Nov 2 cruise

[mapgirl34]

Everyone has a story, here's mine.  I booked an amazing deal, approx $1000 for 2 of us for 9 days Bermuda/Bahamas out of NYC.  It was canceled.  I was offered $600 OBC and FCC.  I took it, rebooked for Nov 2, 5 days (Bahamas for family of 4), essentially same price.  Now I'm in for $600, $500 of which was gift cards ( I saved about $50 by buying discounted gift cards).  $100 was on my Carnival credit card, which I had the points to cover.  So out of pocket, I've spent maybe $450, plus 10,000 points.  I owe $412, $200 of which will be covered by 20,000 points.

But why would my ship on Nov 2 be sailing, if ships through Oct 31 are canceled.  I read that I could ask for a delayed final payment, but of course, I attempted to deal with a TA this time to score some OBC, (all I got was $25, but way back at the first booking, that was exciting for a 9 day $1000 cruise).  Now, I'm at the mercy of what I consider an inexperienced TA who doesn't respond to my emails all day.  Yes, I know, they're all busy.  Here's his canned response:
"Sorry for thee delayed response. According to Carnival, as of right now, they are planning on cruising after October 31^st. If you don’t pay by final payment, Carnival will automatically cancel it and you will be assigned penalties and you may get very little back from your Deposit or they may hold the entire deposit amount. If you willingly decide to cancel before final payment, then you will get 100% of your deposit back. You may also pick any other sailing if you decide to move your sailing to a future date."

So what really happens if I don't make my final payment in time?  It's not like there are people lined up waiting to book my room.  No one is booking cruises in November, unless they're using FCC from this whole virus debacle.  It's not like they're going to find someone that wants my room.

Furthermore, if this cruise gets canceled by Carnival, am I losing my $600 original OBC offer, because I booked a shorter 5 day cruise to take the family?

Since my original payment was gift cards, I know I'm going to get yet another FCC when this cruise is canceled, so is it worth just paying the final payment, since I'll then have an FCC of $1000 vs $600... it's not as though I'm going to find a cruise for $600 anyway.

I know we're all in the same boat (pun intended), but what to do?!

[lidoplease]

Yes, you lose the OBC. It's 300 if you rebook from a cancelled 5 nite cruise. We are in the same boat. No pun intended.

We have to call our Carnival PvP on the date of final payment due and it can be stretched two weeks. We believe November will be cancelled, so we're risking losing our $. 

[firefly333]

Someone else in your shoes, and me. Since you rebooked a 5 day or less if you rebook will only get $300 obc offered. I took a oct sailing and also lost the extra $100 obc offered at the time.

 

Wishing I booked further out in 2021. Yes if you dont make final payment and ta refuses to try and move the date, you will lose deposit money. The terms will be listed on your cruise as the go up the closer to sail date if you cancel by not paying final payment.

 

Stinks lately. I wish I'd booked further out with the $100 obc offer and not been so optimistic. Glad I only have one ccl cruise booked, rcl is much less rigid. Woulda should coulda. Could have booked at a lower rate too besides losing obc in the rebooking. At the time I was considering the partial Panama in fall 2021 on radiance but kept reading radiance upgrade in limbo. 

 

Tough times for cruisers and cruiselines.

[skridge]

1 hour ago, mapgirl34 said:

Everyone has a story, here's mine.  I booked an amazing deal, approx $1000 for 2 of us for 9 days Bermuda/Bahamas out of NYC.  It was canceled.  I was offered $600 OBC and FCC.  I took it, rebooked for Nov 2, 5 days (Bahamas for family of 4), essentially same price.  Now I'm in for $600, $500 of which was gift cards ( I saved about $50 by buying discounted gift cards).  $100 was on my Carnival credit card, which I had the points to cover.  So out of pocket, I've spent maybe $450, plus 10,000 points.  I owe $412, $200 of which will be covered by 20,000 points.

But why would my ship on Nov 2 be sailing, if ships through Oct 31 are canceled.  I read that I could ask for a delayed final payment, but of course, I attempted to deal with a TA this time to score some OBC, (all I got was $25, but way back at the first booking, that was exciting for a 9 day $1000 cruise).  Now, I'm at the mercy of what I consider an inexperienced TA who doesn't respond to my emails all day.  Yes, I know, they're all busy.  Here's his canned response:
"Sorry for thee delayed response. According to Carnival, as of right now, they are planning on cruising after October 31^st. If you don’t pay by final payment, Carnival will automatically cancel it and you will be assigned penalties and you may get very little back from your Deposit or they may hold the entire deposit amount. If you willingly decide to cancel before final payment, then you will get 100% of your deposit back. You may also pick any other sailing if you decide to move your sailing to a future date."

So what really happens if I don't make my final payment in time?  It's not like there are people lined up waiting to book my room.  No one is booking cruises in November, unless they're using FCC from this whole virus debacle.  It's not like they're going to find someone that wants my room.

Furthermore, if this cruise gets canceled by Carnival, am I losing my $600 original OBC offer, because I booked a shorter 5 day cruise to take the family?

Since my original payment was gift cards, I know I'm going to get yet another FCC when this cruise is canceled, so is it worth just paying the final payment, since I'll then have an FCC of $1000 vs $600... it's not as though I'm going to find a cruise for $600 anyway.

I know we're all in the same boat (pun intended), but what to do?!

There is little to know chance your cruise is going to sail on November 2nd.  Carnival is desperate and they are trying to extract every dollar out of it's customers they possibly can.  The only reason they didn't cancel through December 15th like all the other major lines including all the other lines owned by Carnival Corp. is they know the Carnival customers are willing to shell out interest free loans.  It seems like you have already given them alot and would only have to bet another $212 dollars that they will not go bankrupt and you will get a FCC.  In the poker world they call that being priced in to call and it seems like you are in that situation.  I hope people will read your post and think twice before booking, because it is a pretty dangerous shell game right about now.  It really has been a dangerous game since March and if you said anything about it on these boards you were shouted down for being a doom and gloomer.  I hope it works out for you.  

[kona_wahine]

I wouldn’t book a cruise for 2021 at this point. I am looking at march 2022.... have my $600 OBC to use. 

[sanger727]

I would cancel and get your deposit back. Yes, if you fail to make a final payment in time you could certainly lose your deposit. It’s not because carnival can resell your room, it’s because carnival needs every dime they can get right now so there’s no reason to be lenient with cancellation policies. If you have the option of $600 fcc and $400 cash vs $1,000 fcc; either way it’s the same amount of money to book a new cruise. But I would prefer to have as much of it as cash in my pocket. Maybe your next cruise will only be $800. Or worst case carnival goes bankrupt and then you are out $600 instead of $1,000. Either way, cash is king right now. Gives you the most options. 

[firefly333]

4 hours ago, sanger727 said:

I would cancel and get your deposit back. Yes, if you fail to make a final payment in time you could certainly lose your deposit. It’s not because carnival can resell your room, it’s because carnival needs every dime they can get right now so there’s no reason to be lenient with cancellation policies. If you have the option of $600 fcc and $400 cash vs $1,000 fcc; either way it’s the same amount of money to book a new cruise. But I would prefer to have as much of it as cash in my pocket. Maybe your next cruise will only be $800. Or worst case carnival goes bankrupt and then you are out $600 instead of $1,000. Either way, cash is king right now. Gives you the most options. 

They cant cancel and get their deposit back if early saver. They lose their deposit.. .though op doesnt say how they booked but doesnt mention the option of cancelling with refundable deposit.

[sunonfire]

My TA told me that Carnival was allowing guests (before final payment) to transfer the entire deposit without penalties to another cruise even if it was a non-refundable deposit. My final payment is September 15th.

[mapgirl34]

I'm the OP.  I can cancel but because I paid with gift cards, it's not cash back in my pocket.  It's still essentially a FCC.  And by canceling, I give up my $600 OBC bc now I'm canceling a 5 day cruise, rather than my original 9 day, so I drop down to a $300 OBC if that's even still offered.