OMG... Early Saver! How OBSESSED do you become???

[ava_girl_123]

Hello everyone:) -- new to cruising and cruise critic -- but I've been stalking the boards for about three weeks now since I discovered the site. I must say this before I address the topic at hand. This site is VERY , VERY informative and helpful-- especially for newbies like myself -- but it is also very cutthroat and intimidating. Wasn't ever quite sure if I would participate in any threads because of the constant "mobbing" that goes on here. Wow, I've never seen so many passionate people react so harshly to what is nothing more than a matter of opinion. Afterall, we're talking about VACATIONS here, not health and human rights. At any rate, I decided to change from an onlooker to a participator after I saw this thread.:rolleyes:

 

And on to the discussion at hand: OBC's are AWESOME. Never new they existed til someone in my roll call explained to me what they were and how you get them. I didn't think my cruise pric was going to do anything as it stayed at $200 over the price of what we paid for our back in August but low and behold 4 weeks before we cruise, the price is now AT what we paid so hopefully it will drop a little more and we will have an OBC as well. That would be icing on the cake. Wish us luck!!:D

 

 

 

Good Luck! I wish you many OBC's.. :D

[oreomaximus]

Thanks AVA-GIRL!! Right back at cha!!

[ava_girl_123]

My TA had the same problem when we first started submitting requests for OBC's. At first they said the ES program had expired (until I noted it was still on their website homepage), then they said we were past the 5 month cut-off (until I showed them where it counted until a couple of days before sail date).

 

Just keep asking till they get it right!

 

 

 

Oh I wanted to jump threw the phone.. while they had me on hold both times I kept reading any thread that had to do with ES.. I was like I know I am right.. I was sweating.. I am Italian and we have bad tempers..Lol.. I was like Gail (that is my name, everyone thinks it is Ava, not sure why though:rolleyes: Lol) Calm down, it is only $40 bucks... Calm down.. Then I thought there was something that I was missing in understanding how it all works..

Exhausted..:cool:

[jules815]

Nope. Our last cruise the price dropped for 6 hours, then went back up again. Saw it, claimed it, got the a bunch of OBC.

 

This happened to me last year on a RC cruise; the price dropped for a few hours. Luckily for me I noticed, but my friends didn't get to it in time! I called them at work and they waited until they got home from work to check. :eek:

 

I check at least twice a day; first thing in the morning, and before bed. And sometimes in between if I have time.

[Dallen*]

So, what is the FASTEST way to check for current pricing on Carnival's site? Currently, I'm doing it in several steps. I have a link saved to my itinerary, then click on Balcony, then click on ES, then Edit to change to my Category. Is there a better/faster way? :confused:

[michelle1836]

I check daily. We got a $460 savings yesterday.

 

WOW! awesome! mine was only $40 but I'll take it. I dont check that often at all. just happened to get lucky

[firefly333]

So, what is the FASTEST way to check for current pricing on Carnival's site? Currently, I'm doing it in several steps. I have a link saved to my itinerary, then click on Balcony, then click on ES, then Edit to change to my Category. Is there a better/faster way? :confused:

 

I use a TA site, that I have saved to Galveston, and can see at a glance if prices changed ..sometimes I get fooled though since the bottom rate might not have changed but another one has ..but it works 99% of the time.

 

i.e. I see all galveston starting rates, by clicking once on the link.. and then can go into them more if one changes. then I check the carnival site if I want more info. The TA site is a one click answer. If the starting price is higher than what i paid, no sense looking further usually.

[ava_girl_123]

I wonder how close to sailing do people receive the most OBC'? 9 weeks out, 8 weeks, 6? How can I start a poll on that?

[elcuchio24]

Hello everyone:) -- new to cruising and cruise critic -- but I've been stalking the boards for about three weeks now since I discovered the site. I must say this before I address the topic at hand. This site is VERY , VERY informative and helpful-- especially for newbies like myself -- but it is also very cutthroat and intimidating. Wasn't ever quite sure if I would participate in any threads because of the constant "mobbing" that goes on here. Wow, I've never seen so many passionate people react so harshly to what is nothing more than a matter of opinion. Afterall, we're talking about VACATIONS here, not health and human rights. At any rate, I decided to change from an onlooker to a participator after I saw this thread.:rolleyes:

 

And on to the discussion at hand: OBC's are AWESOME. Never new they existed til someone in my roll call explained to me what they were and how you get them. I didn't think my cruise pric was going to do anything as it stayed at $200 over the price of what we paid for our back in August but low and behold 4 weeks before we cruise, the price is now AT what we paid so hopefully it will drop a little more and we will have an OBC as well. That would be icing on the cake. Wish us luck!!:D

 

Welcome! Try not to be intimidated, some just use the facelessness of the internet to be jerks. But there is a ton of good info here. OBC's are the best, they can really be the icing on top of a great cruise. Stay vigilant about checking rate drops, right til the last week before you sail. Some prices that look like they will never drop end up doing just that at the last minute.....:)

[elspeth]

We have saved $60.00 pp so far on the cruise we have booked for Jan. 2011 in three different price drops.

[DpTxQt31]

I have been checking every hour on the hour! I feel like I am going nuts!! I do not want to miss a price drop! :eek:

 

I checked just yesterday and ours had dropped by $10.00. When I called to speak to them they informed that we can get a balcony for $769. (online it is at $799) Needless to say the difference of what we paid for our Oceanview and the Balcony was not much so I took it. :D

[astropilot]

I have been checking every hour on the hour! I feel like I am going nuts!! I do not want to miss a price drop! :eek:

 

After a $440.00 price drop on the Dream in April, and so far a $70.00 price drop on the our november cruise on the Dream, I check it at least once a day. Ya Gotta love ES.

[kelkacric3]

Looking at this thread made me check the rates for my upcoming cruise on the Valor in August. I just check past guest rate and it was $40pp less with the same balcony category that I currently have. Printed out the rate page and sent in my request. Keeping my fingers crossed...last time they denied me saying it was turned in too late...so lesson learned, print out what the saving rate is and have it as back up! Good luck to those who get it. $$$$ is $$$$ and I'm always looking for a deal!

Stacy

[ava_girl_123]

Looking at this thread made me check the rates for my upcoming cruise on the Valor in August. I just check past guest rate and it was $40pp less with the same balcony category that I currently have. Printed out the rate page and sent in my request. Keeping my fingers crossed...last time they denied me saying it was turned in too late...so lesson learned, print out what the saving rate is and have it as back up! Good luck to those who get it. $$$$ is $$$$ and I'm always looking for a deal!

Stacy

 

 

Let us know what happens Stacy!

[ava_girl_123]

After a $440.00 price drop on the Dream in April, and so far a $70.00 price drop on the our november cruise on the Dream, I check it at least once a day. Ya Gotta love ES.

 

 

WoW! That is AWESOME!

[PictureChris]

I submitted two ES Forms online last week. Called the other day and they said they had not rcvd them and asked if I had used dashes when I entered my phone number.

 

I was like really, that will cause a from to not go through? I said they should note not to use dashes if that is the case.

 

Anywho, the same price is still available so I resubmitted yesterday and actually got an email saying the rcvd it and would get back to me.

 

So, just make sure you get an email confirming your es form went through.

[UpstateCruizer]

I have been checking every hour on the hour! I feel like I am going nuts!! I do not want to miss a price drop! :eek:

 

I check every few days or when someone from the roll call mentions they've seen a price drop. When I'm really close to a cruise I'll check daily. Anything more than that and I'd go nuts and it would stop being worth it to me to book ES. :)

[kirchubel]

I was the laughing stock of my family when I checked constantly on prices [at least once a day...I made carnival my home page.] We leave tomorrow and have more than $600 in on board credits. Who's laughing now??!! :D

[ava_girl_123]

I submitted two ES Forms online last week. Called the other day and they said they had not rcvd them and asked if I had used dashes when I entered my phone number.

 

I was like really, that will cause a from to not go through? I said they should note not to use dashes if that is the case.

 

Anywho, the same price is still available so I resubmitted yesterday and actually got an email saying the rcvd it and would get back to me.

 

So, just make sure you get an email confirming your es form went through.

 

 

 

When I filled mine out I did have dashes in with my phone number and I received an error message stating that I needed to take the dashes out...

[TinkyPatz]

Now everytime this thread comes back up I feel the urge to check :o

Even though I just checked 20 minutes ago! :eek:

[ava_girl_123]

I was the laughing stock of my family when I checked constantly on prices [at least once a day...I made carnival my home page.] We leave tomorrow and have more than $600 in on board credits. Who's laughing now??!! :D

 

 

 

Love it! That is awesome!

[ava_girl_123]

Now everytime this thread comes back up I feel the urge to check :o

Even though I just checked 20 minutes ago! :eek:

 

 

All I keep thinking about is the poster who checked and it was like $500 cheaper but only for 6 or 7 hours! I am going nuts! Lol.. :D

[kelkacric3]

Just checked it again and it went back up $20pp...crazy :eek: all in the matter of an hour...Now I really hope I get the cheaper price! :p

Stacy

[firefly333]

When I filled mine out I did have dashes in with my phone number and I received an error message stating that I needed to take the dashes out...

 

I think someone else said they just got a error message, not what the error was and asked here, and someone said be sure not to use dashes.

 

It wouldnt go thru if you put dashes in the form on your phone number, which I didnt, just chance.

[misguidedangel]

I have booked two cruises with early saver and the first one never went down, it only went up, and disappeared for that category of cabin 8E four months before the cruise. I booked my September cruise as early saver and it too has gone up and around four months out the 8E early saver rate disappeared....

 

No saving for me, but I did get a good price...