No More Courtesy Price Reduction

[tatay]

As long as you realize that the stateroom you currently have may not be available when you attempt this.....it's your call. But since the current rates are HIGHER than what you paid originally... you really are making a gamble and are either a good gambler or a high risk taker !

 

I would leave it alone.

 

Actually the current CCL rates are just about the same when I booked but since I used a TA, the rates was discounted about $200.

As far as the cabin is concerned, I don't have a balcony, so they can just stick me anywhere :D.

I also checked the sailings for last 2 weeks of July and 1st week of August and it appears that the rates for those have dropped. It was done through lowered rates for 3rd & 4th passenger, so unless you do a fake booking, it is hard to tell.

So confused!!

[poobears]

If you don't mind where you are on the ship and don't need a special room, like a quad room it might be worth the risk to cancel and book last minute. Especially if you are flexible enough to have a few ports/dates to pick from.

 

 

 

I know early saver wasn't available when OP originally booked but she could have switched to that when it came up. I don't mean this hateful but I'm glad Carnival is sticking to the new policy and not giving other bookings price drops. Early saver bookings assume more risk then other bookings so the other bookings shouldn't get the same rewards.

 

I think they went way above by offering an upgrade to a suite, they didn't have to do that.

[brt49]

That is why they wait till the final payment date to lower the prices!!!! You can guarantee that they will be lower after that date.

 

I just was also offered an upgrade after the 3rd and 4th person rate went down $80 each for a June Valor cruise, but we have 2 rooms and it only applied to one, so we didn't take advantage of it! Would've liked an OBC though!

 

Not true always, I have a suite booked on the Freedom 07/18/09 and it has actually gone up.

[travelntreats]

Actually the current CCL rates are just about the same when I booked but since I used a TA, the rates was discounted about $200.

As far as the cabin is concerned, I don't have a balcony, so they can just stick me anywhere :D.

I also checked the sailings for last 2 weeks of July and 1st week of August and it appears that the rates for those have dropped. It was done through lowered rates for 3rd & 4th passenger, so unless you do a fake booking, it is hard to tell.

So confused!!

Thats a whole different topic.... you got a discount from your TA and I assume you will ask/hope they will provide the same $200.00 discount off the new lower fare (if it materializes)....Thats up to your TA. Good Luck

[marilole]

after I make the final payment in August 11th, I will NOT look for any other prices, that way, if it goes down, I will not be mortified.

[spencercoop]

after I make the final payment in August 11th, I will NOT look for any other prices, that way, if it goes down, I will not be mortified.

 

You can still switch to Early saver. That way you can change your price within 2 days of your sailing.

[FlaKrznNubie]

I had the same person come back and tell me that there is no supervisor and another agent will tell me the same thing and that I am not getting anything back on it. I politely told her I understand because she has told me the same thing about 5 times, every time I ask to speak to someone else. I may be 50 but I do understand things and all I want to do is speak to someone else. I guess you get penalized for early booking. We booked this cruise last September. They didn't have early saver or any of that back then. I just want to ask what benefit do loyal customers get for booking early.[/quote

 

The date you book has nothing to do with when final payment is due.

 

However, if you are happy with any cabin as long as rate is cheap and can go last minute (no airfare, no hotels) then book with in last 75 days. Price might be better.

[FlaKrznNubie]

You can still switch to Early saver. That way you can change your price within 2 days of your sailing.

 

Early Saver options drops off 5 months out.

 

For many of us cruising in 2009, it is gone.

[kicia]

We also booked under the regular rate because no other rates were available at the time. We booked the Dream for 2/2010 in July 2008 the day bookings opened. We have a 9A cabin and they were all gone by the time Early Saver Rates were instituted so we never had the chance to change. I was hoping Carnival would still let us get lower price if available but it seems like probably not. Besides I don't think any 9As will open up anyway.

[Longin2cruise]

Well, Early Saver didn't exist then. We just "assumed" that if the price dropped we would be credited. And now I was told by Carnival that it is my fault because I did not ask if the price had dropped. I only told them I wanted to make my final payment. It's not their responsibility to notify customers about the drop. I agree it's my fault, I assumed Carnival was still the good old company they used to be, but they are not. I don't want another cabin, if I did I could be upgraded to a suite on the other side of the boat. Just what happened to good customer service. How much would it have cost them to say, I am so sorry, how about a gift certificate for a drink or a picture?

 

I like Carnival, but their policies are really starting to suck. They should send out a disclosure, "We will no longer notify you when you call in that there has been a price drop because you were stupid enough to book early. We don't care about loyalty either so have a fun trip".

 

Hi Linda,

 

I was on the Freedom Med cruise with you in '07 & I have a suggestion for you. I had an issue with the Splendor transatlantic last year & it was one huge mess. No one in customer service was responsive so I sent a message to John Heald via his blog & he got the problem resolved to my satisfaction. Earlier this year I also provided him with a link to another cruiser who was having problems. He took care of that as well. Other posters have sent messages to him regarding Carnival Customer Service as well. Hopefully, he could help you out or at least make Carnival aware once again that their Customer Service is BAD. If they ran their ships like they run the customer service department they would all sink like the Titanic. If you decide to contact John via his blog begin your letter with, "John, please reply". Good luck & happy sailing.

Flo

[themnms]

We also booked under the regular rate because no other rates were available at the time. We booked the Dream for 2/2010 in July 2008 the day bookings opened. We have a 9A cabin and they were all gone by the time Early Saver Rates were instituted so we never had the chance to change. I was hoping Carnival would still let us get lower price if available but it seems like probably not. Besides I don't think any 9As will open up anyway.

 

 

keep checking on the 9a's..unfortunately the economy seems to have an affect as I have seen a few become available. I have one on the Dream sailing from Rome and they were all booked solid and a couple came available. I had one price drop but I doubt there will be anymore..and for a 12 day sailing I was more than happy with my rate...but keep looking!!

[Chigirlcruzin]

Hi Linda,

 

I was on the Freedom Med cruise with you in '07 & I have a suggestion for you. I had an issue with the Splendor transatlantic last year & it was one huge mess. No one in customer service was responsive so I sent a message to John Heald via his blog & he got the problem resolved to my satisfaction. Earlier this year I also provided him with a link to another cruiser who was having problems. He took care of that as well. Other posters have sent messages to him regarding Carnival Customer Service as well. Hopefully, he could help you out or at least make Carnival aware once again that their Customer Service is BAD. If they ran their ships like they run the customer service department they would all sink like the Titanic. If you decide to contact John via his blog begin your letter with, "John, please reply". Good luck & happy sailing.

Flo

 

Sorry, how is this bad customer service? They no longer honor price drops after final payment. Period. They can't do it for some and not others. Unless you book early saver, which the OP could have done after booking, you are not entitled to OBC.

[HTH13]

If the price on my cruise goes up after booking/final payment, should I be upset that they didn't charge me more? It's one of those no-win situtations. We all want a better deal, and understandably so but, only when it benefits us. I, like other posters, book the cruise when I want for the room I want with the price that I agree with and just sit back and wait for it to get here.

[spleenstomper]

Correct me if I am wrong, but the reason some prices drop AFTER final payment is because they are trying to get the ship booked to sail at full capacity. Until everyone makes final payment, they don't have a guarantee of how many people are actually going. The price drop is to get the last minute people on board with whatever rooms are left.

 

I don't really see a problem with this practice. If I want a choice room, I'm going to book early. If I don't care what room I get or where I am on the ship, I may chance it and pay rock bottom prices.

 

I checked prices a few times last cruise and it only went up. I think many of the sailing out of New Orleans sail full and so large price drops are hard to come by.

[kicia]

Hi Flo,

 

I'm not really complaining about the price since the regular balconies are higher than what we paid. The only question I had is since there was no opportunity to book an Early Saver how can they hold me to the new rules when they were not available. It really doesn't matter since the ship is so new and it's Valentine's Day I think the 9As will be gone. We have friends going with us that I just booked under the Early Saver and they are in the 8G next to us so we'll have a great time.

 

I've been on John's blog since the beginning and I'm kiciaski on there.

 

Thanks!

 

Linda

[mikedw]

Booked the Pride out of Baltimore for next June and was quite happy with the early saver rate. Because of my wife's disability, we got a HC Balcony. Once I book it, I never look at the price again, I was happy with it and we're not flexible, it's hard to get a scooter in a regular cabin. Just relax and enjoy your cruise. It's a gamble to book at the last minute, what you want may not be available. Enjoy your cruise.

[Longin2cruise]

Sorry, how is this bad customer service? They no longer honor price drops after final payment. Period. They can't do it for some and not others. Unless you book early saver, which the OP could have done after booking, you are not entitled to OBC.

 

If you notice the OP's signature, she has 9 Carnival cruises, so it seems pretty obvious to me that she's a loyal Carnival cruiser. I'm not saying she should get a reduction, but in my opinion (for whatever that's worth) Carnival should notify, at the very least, their loyal customer base via e-mail when a major policy change takes place. That shouldn't take too much time & effort. Carnival is eager enough to advertise & praise their new innovations. My opinion only, but they also need to notify travel agents of any major changes in company policy. Otherwise travel agents will be relaying bad information to their customers. Only my opinion again, but when asking about a problem, no one should be passed around to 5 different Carnival employees & them say that a supervisor is not present. To me, that indicates that the employees are uninterested. If a supervisor was unavailable at that time, they could have at least volunteered to take a message for the supervisor or give the OP the supervisor's name & number. I've been down that ring-around-the rosey routine with Carnival before & let me tell you, it's no fun! Any customer of any company deserves a clear, non-robotic explaination when there is a mis-understanding.

 

I have been on 10 Carnival cruises, have had absolutely no problems on board & have loved every minute of those cruises. I just think it's a shame that communication from the head office is a problem.

[Longin2cruise]

Hi Flo,

 

I'm not really complaining about the price since the regular balconies are higher than what we paid. The only question I had is since there was no opportunity to book an Early Saver how can they hold me to the new rules when they were not available. It really doesn't matter since the ship is so new and it's Valentine's Day I think the 9As will be gone. We have friends going with us that I just booked under the Early Saver and they are in the 8G next to us so we'll have a great time.

 

I've been on John's blog since the beginning and I'm kiciaski on there.

 

Thanks!

 

Linda

 

Hi there,

 

Yeah, it's a bummer when they change policy in mid-stream & no one knows about it until it's too late. I say this kindly, Carnival really does need to work on communication.

Have a great time!

Flo