Good rate, bad rate, anyone know?

[woohoo4ue]

After reading the thread below about how everyone gets such great deals I'm wondering if I scored a good deal. My husband and I booked a 7 day western on the Conquest for June, and paid $1800 for a balcony guarantee. That doesn't include airfare or insurance. Good deal or bad deal? What's the best deal you've got?

[Cuizer2]

I would rank that as a good deal. Not a great deal, but I would be surprised to see anything significantly better.

[firstcruiserDB]

I sure hope you get lots of replies to this post! I'm VERY INTERESTED....

 

We, too, are going on the Conquest this summer. We booked a 9A over a year ago. We have received a couple of onboard credits and one price reduction since then. I won't say my total charge right now.....I want to see some replies first...but I will tell you YOU HAVE A MUCH BETTER PRICE than we do! I realize a 9A will be more $$ than a guarentee, but I'm beginning to think we were CRAZY!

 

I know we'll love the aft balcony (our first balcony, by the way), I just hope it's worth the extra $$$$$$!:eek:

[molly361]

I would say a good deal- A good deal to me is basically any balcony for two for under $2000 (especially winter season)$1800 or under (fall) - best deal was a balcony for 2 for seven days for $1400, but it was during hurricane season and it was 1999-

[texas greeneyes]

We are booked on the Conquest in October. :)

I got an 8C balcony for two for $1630.20 including port fees & taxes. Booked through my PVP.

[aggieastrosfan]

For a winter cruise, I'd say you could do better. For a June cruise, I think that's fair.

[LHP]

Again, no one wants to think they got "taken" by paying way to much....but as long as I get the cabin I want for the price I want .... I don't really compare prices to everyone else.

 

Our family of four has always cruised for $100.00 per person, per day or less for an outside. (except for Alaska)

 

As long as we get that, we are happy.

[woohoo4ue]

So it sounds like I got a pretty average rate. =) All I care about it being on the ship...Just curious if I got screwed.

[GoinCruisin]

I would imagine that is pretty good for primetime... we are paying $1538 for 2, plus we get a $100 shipboard credit, so $1438 for a balcony, AFT :D, plus a cocktail party... but we are cruising in October, as part of a group... And I am just THRILLED with our prices!!!!! You are going to pay a premium in the summertime, so your rate sounds very reasonable.

[caribbean dreams]

I sure hope you get lots of replies to this post! I'm VERY INTERESTED....

 

We, too, are going on the Conquest this summer. We booked a 9A over a year ago. We have received a couple of onboard credits and one price reduction since then. I won't say my total charge right now.....I want to see some replies first...but I will tell you YOU HAVE A MUCH BETTER PRICE than we do! I realize a 9A will be more $$ than a guarentee, but I'm beginning to think we were CRAZY!

 

I know we'll love the aft balcony (our first balcony, by the way), I just hope it's worth the extra $$$$$$!:eek:

 

Don't worry it will be worth the extra price, we have an corner aft wrap around on the Valor for July, We have had afts on the last few cruises and don't know what we would do if we ever had to go back to a regular balcony.

$1194 pp

[VentureMan_2000]

Your price is a good deal!

 

My take is that I rarely see cruise prices go down anymore... I only see them go up.

 

Each ship and the time of years supports a certain price point. I have found that you get the best pricepoint two ways... 1) Past guest specials, 2) booking about 6 months or more in advance.

 

I booked on the Victory for $1600 in November, but the Victory is older and can't support the higher prices that the Conquest can (people like new ships). The same cabin is now going for $2600 six weeks before the cruise.

 

Cruises in the summer can increase as much as 75% as that is when all the families cruise... Balconies seem to start at $2600 during summer.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[poptart]

$1590.66 includes port and tax charges, no insurance, for two cat. 8C balcony, midship on the Glory the Saturday after Thanksgiving. That's 113.62 per day for a balcony. I'm satisfied. The price has already gone up since I booked--but I always watch for it to drop. Booked thru TA. We chose our cabin due to the fact it's near the midship elevators and one floor away from the pool and buffet. Quick flight of stairs and you're there. Yeah, you can run back to the cabin for potty breaks. I hate the bathrooms by the pool--always wet!

[JuniorCruiser]

We booked our 2nd cruise on Carnival for May 12th and are staying in an aft balcony Cat 8C for $2000 plus $200 onboard credit. I think we got a pretty good deal :D That's for the both of us ;)

 

~~Debbie~~

[YooperGale]

Hi,

I am not informed enough to comment on what is or is not a good deal, but I did notice nobody mentioned military discount. I just recently found out, from a Carnival TA, that the military discount applies (at least sometimes) to anyone who has had an honorable discharge--even as far back as 1964. My husband and I have booked an Alaskan cruise for late May of '07 for 950.00 each--including port charges and taxes. We have an obstructed balcony (lifeboat below).

Thanks,

Gale

[KruznKel]

I would imagine that is pretty good for primetime... we are paying $1538 for 2, plus we get a $100 shipboard credit, so $1438 for a balcony, AFT :D, plus a cocktail party... but we are cruising in October, as part of a group... And I am just THRILLED with our prices!!!!! You are going to pay a premium in the summertime, so your rate sounds very reasonable.

 

We are paying the same for the aft wrap.... these prices and the people really are priceless!!!:D :p ;)

[GoinCruisin]

We are paying the same for the aft wrap.... these prices and the people really are priceless!!!:D :p ;)

 

Okay, so now I'm going to be upset Kel! How did you get the same price for the freaking wrap???? OMG... let's finish this discussion over on our thread, LOL!!!!

[gileyman]

That's a good deal. Summer time is high season and some people are paying a $1000 p/p for an interior now. Galveston used to be the lowest priced place to go out of. It's inching up to be one of the higher places to travel out of now, behind NY and LA.

[atlcple2]

For a balcony room, that is a very good rate. We have sailed on the Pride & Spirit and paid $900/person for a balcony room on the Panorama deck (just under Lido) with an extended balcony. We were on the Caribbean Princess ship last September and paid $999 for the Baha Deck (not as high up as Carnival cruises) and we paid $1240/person for the Mariner of the Seas in February of this year. Hope that gives you something to compare to.

[firstcruiserDB]

Well, this thread has turned out to be REALLY DEPRESSING for me!!!:mad:

 

I knew prices would be higher in the summer (our only available time to cruise), I guess I just didn't know HOW MUCH higher!!! We're paying WAAAAAAAYYYYY TOOOOOO MUCH for the 9A wraparound! Please, please, please....don't tell my DH!:eek:

 

Sure wish I could get another price reduction or at least an onboard credit to make me feel alittle better! Any ideas???

 

I know we'll have a wonderful time and absolutely love the aft balcony. I guess you "get what you pay for", right???

[aggieastrosfan]

Well, this thread has turned out to be REALLY DEPRESSING for me!!!:mad:

 

I knew prices would be higher in the summer (our only available time to cruise), I guess I just didn't know HOW MUCH higher!!! We're paying WAAAAAAAYYYYY TOOOOOO MUCH for the 9A wraparound! Please, please, please....don't tell my DH!:eek:

 

Sure wish I could get another price reduction or at least an onboard credit to make me feel alittle better! Any ideas???

 

I know we'll have a wonderful time and absolutely love the aft balcony. I guess you "get what you pay for", right???

 

You've got me really curious now. We have a wrap on the Conquest in October, and I won't tell you what we're paying because it'll probably make you feel worse, the way you're talking. ;)

 

ETA - WOW. I just priced the Conquest in July, and they're listing a 4C at what we're paying for our 9A. Now I know why I don't cruise in the summer!

[Sue L]

It is really funny to me that the summer ( hurricane season) is so much more expensive now.

 

When I started cruising 20 years ago. mid Jan-April 30 was "Prime season", June1- August 15 was "Value Season" and August to Nov was "Economy Season" as historically the greatest number of hurricanes are during this time.

 

But since cruises have become such a family vacation the summer months are the most expensive. I just sailed over Feb winter break, which much of the Northeast has and you would think the rooms would be higher. But I paid $779pp for a Cat 8A, with an extended balcony. and ended up having the cabin go down 100pp which they gave us shipboard credit for as it was past final payment. I think I got a GREAT deal!!

 

Sue

[firstcruiserDB]

 

Don't worry it will be worth the extra price, we have an corner aft wrap around on the Valor for July, We have had afts on the last few cruises and don't know what we would do if we ever had to go back to a regular balcony.

$1194 pp

 

:mad: :mad: Why would the Conquest in June be so much more than the Valor in July??? We're paying 1000 more for the same wraparound in June! :mad: :mad:

[GoinCruisin]

:mad: :mad: Why would the Conquest in June be so much more than the Valor in July??? We're paying 1000 more for the same wraparound in June! :mad: :mad:

 

That poster has mentioned that they booked using the Military friends and family rate...

[aggieastrosfan]

:mad: :mad: Why would the Conquest in June be so much more than the Valor in July??? We're paying 1000 more for the same wraparound in June! :mad: :mad:

 

Have you checked for price drops? I just went to carnival.com, and a 9A is going for $1599/pp right now. I don't know how that compares to what you paid, but it that's it, looks like you're just on a popular sailing. :(

 

If that's lower than what you paid, contact your TA about getting shipboard credit for the difference.

[bubbles1209]

I'm starting to be not so sure about the rates that we got now.:confused: In Feb. we booked a cruise for 3 ocean view with transfers and airfare , port charges and taxes for $3700. I'm thinking that's not so great now.:( Now by 3 ocean view, I mean 3 people in 1 ocean view room