Early Saver Question

[rlkubi]

I am hearing conflicting stories. We booked a cruise in September and had to cancel immediately because of a conflict my DH forgot about. We were told we had one year to book so we wouldn't lose the deposit. We would lose $100 though. Fine.....were just called by PVP and told we had to book and cruise within the year. I love my PVP and I don't want her in trouble but what have you all experienced. We just took a cruise so don't want to have to take a cruise by September. We like to go in cold weather to get away.

 

Comments?

[firefly333]

The rule seems to be 1 year from the date you cancel ... so sometimes it is worth while waiting to cancel so that 1 year starts as late as possible ... but since you already cancelled, the clock is ticking.

 

Did you discuss this with your PVP before cancelling?? If the 1 year was a issue, you would have been smarter to wait until closer to final payment to cancel, since the $50 pp penalty would be the same, but the one year from date of cancel would have been a longer window.

 

sorry for the bad news.

[rlkubi]

One year to book or one year to cruise. She told me when I cancelled I had to book within a year.

[firefly333]

Iv been told both, one year to book and to cruise.

[rlkubi]

If I would have known that I would have waited to cancel.

[G'ma]

One year to book or one year to cruise. She told me when I cancelled I had to book within a year.

 

While you are planning, you need to know that the deposit being held can only be applied to final payment...it cannot be used as a deposit. So, you'd need to plan accordingly.

[rlkubi]

My problem is that I was told that I had a year in which to book but did not have to cruise by then. If I would have known that I had to book and cruise within a year I would have waited to cancel. I am not a happy camper right now.

[Ken076]

Iv been told both, one year to book and to cruise.

 

I just found this From Carnival's TA Instructions:

 

Future Cruise Credit (FCC)



Offered for cancellations outside of standard penalty in the unlikely event the guest is unable to immediately decide on their future sail date



Guests will be informed of the FCC at the time of cancellation



Full and partial cancellations will receive the FCC



The FCC amount is minus the $50 per person service fee assessed



Letters will be sent to guests and travel agents with the FCC amount and terms



Guests must sail within a year of cancellation



Guests are not required to book another Early Saver rate



Guests will have to re-deposit on their new reservation



Full commission will be paid on the new reservation

 

Ken

[TamLaiSang]

Here is one of my problems with the Early Saver rate:

 

Here's how the Early Saver program works:

 

1. When you book a 3-5 day cruise three months in advance, or 6 day or longer cruise five months in advance, you are assured the lowest rate.

 

2. In the unlikely event that you do find a lower Carnival-advertised rate* after booking your cruise, we will honor it and adjust your cruise rate accordingly. Simply fill out the Price Protection Claim form and we'll take care of the rest. If you booked your cruise with a travel agent and need to make a Price Protection Claim, simply contact your travel agent and they will submit it for you.

 

Okay...so it only applies to the Carnival advertised rate...what does that mean?

 

Applies only to a Carnival.com or Carnival advertised fare available to the general public and excludes group rates, membership programs, charters or other Travel Agent promotions not offered by Carnival to the general public, including but not limited to travel agent rebates.

 

So if I am to understand this correctly...the rate ONLY applies to the rates offered by Carnival?

 

LOL

 

How is that supposed to be a deal?

 

I've always booked through a TA...and I've never seen Carnival's published rates even come close...

[firefly333]

Here is one of my problems with the Early Saver rate:

 

 

 

Okay...so it only applies to the Carnival advertised rate...what does that mean?

 

 

 

So if I am to understand this correctly...the rate ONLY applies to the rates offered by Carnival?

 

LOL

 

How is that supposed to be a deal?

 

I've always booked through a TA...and I've never seen Carnival's published rates even come close...

 

Sounds like your TA is cutting their commission to lower your cost ... why in the world would Carnival pay a TA commission and then after the TA shares it with you ... Carnival pays you the difference. TAs arent supposed to advertise lower rates, so if you see one, its a mistake or something ... your TA is probably giving you the lower rate privately, over the phone or via email.

 

Carnival would pay twice if they matched TAs undercutting their commission.

[grandmato4]

I just found this From Carnival's TA Instructions:

 

Future Cruise Credit (FCC)



Offered for cancellations outside of standard penalty in the unlikely event the guest is unable to immediately decide on their future sail date



Guests will be informed of the FCC at the time of cancellation



Full and partial cancellations will receive the FCC



The FCC amount is minus the $50 per person service fee assessed



Letters will be sent to guests and travel agents with the FCC amount and terms



Guests must sail within a year of cancellation



Guests are not required to book another Early Saver rate



Guests will have to re-deposit on their new reservation



Full commission will be paid on the new reservation

 

Ken

 

Thanks for this post Ken. Haven't booked an ES rate cruise yet but are considering one(or maybe a b2b) and want to be sure we understand ALL of the rules/conditions and possiblities before we ever do. We never plan to cancel but one never knows what is really going to happen in the future. I knew for certain the cruise had to be booked within a year of cancelation but was still fuzzy on if it had to be taken within a year. Now we know that if we knew we have to cancel but don't wish to book another cruise immediately we will be better off waiting until final payment time to actually cancel. We don't sail Carnival every year so this is valuable information for us should we ever book ES and find ourselves needing to cancel.

[TamLaiSang]

Sounds like your TA is cutting their commission to lower your cost ... why in the world would Carnival pay a TA commission and then after the TA shares it with you ... Carnival pays you the difference. TAs arent supposed to advertise lower rates, so if you see one, its a mistake or something ... your TA is probably giving you the lower rate privately, over the phone or via email.

 

Carnival would pay twice if they matched TAs undercutting their commission.

 

 

True Firefly...no argument from me on that...I'm just not sure that people realize the price matching is ONLY through Carnival (I'm not sure I understand that...still looking for clarification). Many buy Early saver, then find a lower price elsewhere and Carnival won't match it. I think were some of the confusion lays, is in other areas of consumer spending, If you find a lower price from a competitor, retailers will often match, and people are often assuming, without reading the fine print, that the same applies here.

 

Of course...others...pay a much higher price through Carnival, and are ecstatic when a price drop actually does occur through Carnival, even though they may still be paying more for their cruise AFTER the drop, than someone that purchased elsewhere.

 

While it is certainly true that T.As don't publicly advertise lower prices, like you said, they do privately! It also pays to look at cruises through TAs that offer the same price as Carnival, because they may offer other incentives (On Board Credit, Wine and Chocolate, Free Upgrade, etc.) that can range from minor to quite substantial.

 

I'm not arguing that Carnival should make more cuts...I'm just wondering if Early Saver is really all that valuable in terms of savings.

[Ken076]

True Firefly...no argument from me on that...I'm just not sure that people realize the price matching is ONLY through Carnival (I'm not sure I understand that...still looking for clarification). Many buy Early saver, then find a lower price elsewhere and Carnival won't match it. I think were some of the confusion lays, is in other areas of consumer spending, If you find a lower price from a competitor, retailers will often match, and people are often assuming, without reading the fine print, that the same applies here.

 

Of course...others...pay a much higher price through Carnival, and are ecstatic when a price drop actually does occur through Carnival, even though they may still be paying more for their cruise AFTER the drop, than someone that purchased elsewhere.

 

While it is certainly true that T.As don't publicly advertise lower prices, like you said, they do privately! It also pays to look at cruises through TAs that offer the same price as Carnival, because they may offer other incentives (On Board Credit, Wine and Chocolate, Free Upgrade, etc.) that can range from minor to quite substantial.

 

I'm not arguing that Carnival should make more cuts...I'm just wondering if Early Saver is really all that valuable in terms of savings.

 

It IS clearly stated in the Early Saver Terms and Conditions that the price-matching is for Carnival-advertised rates.

 

I agree, you have to shop the various options, look at the "bottom-line", and find what's best for you.

 

ken

[lcantwait]

We just had to deal with this!! We were booked on Dream for this past Jan(great cruise), DD and DSIL had to cancel -we had booked w/ the early saver rate. OK so Carnival keeps the deposit for a FCC with a $50pp penalty. Here's where the problem is no one at Carnival is on the same page with this. I was told different things by different people, all did sail it was one year to cruise but from when?? We though one year to cruise from the original sail date and booked myself DH, DD an DSIL on a Dec '10 cruise and was told by the Carnival rep (after booking all of them and unfortunately another Early Saver rate because up to then no issues) to call the dept that deals with the FCC to get them to change the dates (this will be no problem she says) Since I booked on Saturday, I had to wait until Monday to call during normal business hours and was told that DD and DSIL could not use the FCC on this sailing because it was beyond the 1 year from cancellation. after much pleading and arguing to no avail, I called the reservation dept to change the bookings to Sept when they could use the FCC, theirs was changed no problem, however they wanted to now charge DH and I the $50pp for changing our booking!!:eek: Finally had that waived but it did take a very long phone call.

I will never book early saver rate again!!! (Maybe I should write that 100 times?? That's what my teacher mother would say!!:))

The price savings may look tempting but in the long run it is not worth it!!