New carnival policy - 1a cabins now charged @ 200%

[Froufie]

Hey solos - here a link to my thread on the Carnival board:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=24702654#post24702654

 

Any of you heard of this yet?

 

Your thoughts?

[Traveler353]

I am glad that you posted this here. I was going to do it also. After my next 2 cruises that I already have booked with Carnival I am looking else where to spend my cruising dollars.

[Roz]

Froufie,

 

I responded to your post over on the Carnival board. If this is permanent change, it's a bad one.

 

Roz

[Froufie]

Froufie,

 

I responded to your post over on the Carnival board. If this is permanent change, it's a bad one.

 

Roz

 

I agree - I can't imagine that charging 200% for the ten 1A cabins on a ship are going to make such a huge revenue difference to Carnival - seems like they have forgotten and/or don't care about the solo/single cruises -what a shame!

[ryane369]

Up until now I've spilt my vacations between cruises and all inclusives. If Carnival charges me 200% for a 1A cabin they won't see my business ever again. They make much more off me from the excursions and alcohol than the cabin but it's looking like they don't want the solo cruisers business anymore. Looks like it's all inclusive vacations for me from now on if I can't find another cruise line without paying double.

 

I've been on three solo cruises with Carnival in the past two years and loved them but this definetly turned me away from Carnival. Does anyone know if RCCL or Norweigen has discounts for singles?

[Froufie]

I think people have mentioned RCI and NCL do have some good rates for solos which are discounted closer to sailing - so I guess you might need to watch for some last minute pricing?

[SMSACE6]

I am glad that you posted this here. I was going to do it also. After my next 2 cruises that I already have booked with Carnival I am looking else where to spend my cruising dollars.

 

I have had my gripe over on the Carnival board, but yes, I agree with you, and without repeating myself, I will just say that I too will be looking elsewhere to spend my "solo" cruising dollars!:(

[MOHAVE]

It's true. Lost of good stuff on this in your link. I have two cruises booked at the 150% rate.

[airlink diva]

This is not a good move for Carnival!

One of the primary reasons that I sail with Carnival is the affordable rates for a solo cruiser.

The fact that now, a charge of 200% on 1A cabins will hurt.

The logic of the cruiseline is that two people in a cabin will spend more than one. That is not so true! I admit that while I'm not the biggest spender on board, I know other solo cruisers who spend alot on tours, bar, and casino.

If the Carnival is changing to this policy, they then need to count each cruise as two (like Princess) and allow double OBC for sailings!

I hope that HAL is not next in this thinking!!!

[janetlm]

This is really sad news for me. I am currently booked on 2 CCL. If the 150% disappears it will force me to give up future solo cruises. :(

 

Janet

[zebra36]

Sorry to hear this. I have sailed on a couple of cruises as a solo in the not so secret 1A cabins with the large windows and will just not bother to look to them in the future(unless there is a great deal somewhere along the line)

[MOHAVE]

According to the Carnival web site booking process at 6:20 AM Mountain there are no differences in prices today from yesterday for solo 1A.

[Froufie]

According to the Carnival web site booking process at 6:20 AM Mountain there are no differences in prices today from yesterday for solo 1A.

Just called and spoke with my PVP who advised the new date change of the policy is now June 10th!

 

So I guess people were complaining about the 'short notice' but looks like they are still moving forward with the change - despite giving a few more days for those who wish to book at a lower rate.

 

I did write to Carnival voicing my displeasure and asking why this decision was made and that I (and others) may be spending our cruising dollars elsewhere. Also did not like the 'sneakiness' factor - no mention of this anywhere (on home page, news page or press release) on website - so unless you heard about it here or from your pvp or a friend or ??? you might have been very surprised next time you tried to book a 1A as a solo!!!:eek:

[Traveler353]

Carnival a very recent history of reversing plans for policy changes after hearing from its passengers. Still standing by to see if this will actually happen. After all it has already been postponed once.

[Froufie]

Yes but has it 'heard' from its passengers? Doesn't sound like too many are voicing their opinions - I think this is a 'done deal'!!! But would love to see this decision reversed!

[Traveler353]

Yes but has it 'heard' from its passengers? Doesn't sound like too many are voicing their opinions - I think this is a 'done deal'!!! But would love to see this decision reversed!

 

Only time will tell. We will know one way or another in a couple of days. Remember CC members make up less than 1% of cruise ship passangers and solo passangers even less that that (ya, I know fuzzy math) and there are many more boards with members that do not post on CC. The word is getting out.

[Froufie]

Only time will tell. We will know one way or another in a couple of days. Remember CC members make up less than 1% of cruise ship passangers and solo passangers even less that that (ya, I know fuzzy math) and there are many more boards with members that do not post on CC. The word is getting out.

 

Glad that 'word is out' and that I helped 'start the revolution'!!! :D Hopefully we can overthrow the 'current regime'! :)

[Go-Bucks!]

I've been wanting to do a solo cruise in the nice 1A rooms on the Triumph, so I just snagged it (#2445) today at 142%! BTW, #2444 is still available at this price! I don't like this new policy either, but I wanted to make sure I got one before it ends. When they go up to 200%, I'll be trying HAL or stick with my present favorite, Princess.

[Traveler353]

I just got off the phone with my PVP, he said that as far as he knows it is still suppose to go into effect Thursday as he has not heard anything different. He also said that he has received a few calls from his solo clients voicing concern over the policy change. I asked about other PVPs and he said he has heard of them also receiving a number of calls about it.

My opinion: With so few 1As on each ship I really don’t see Carnival worrying about losing a few bucks from us. They will continue to fill the cabins one way or the other. If I have to pay 200% for a 1A I might just as well move up in category or start looking at other lines. With more ships coming to New Orleans that is a distinct possibility.

[Go-Bucks!]

If I have to pay 200% for a 1A I might just as well move up in category or start looking at other lines.

 

 

HAL often has insides with supplements for 135-145%. I even found an obstructed oceanview (could see out just fine, though) for 138% on Princess. Just have to keep searching all the time since they change prices so often.

 

I agree that Carnival likely doesn't care about losing a few solos and probably figures that the rest will just suck it up and pay more. :rolleyes:

[jpg1747]

I'm booked on Carnival through 2011. After that I will be doing some serious price checking to find the best bargains. The 1A 150% always beat any other lines price for the cruises I wanted. They've also always been cheaper than land vacations. Now I just may not cruise as often and do more land-based trips.

[snowbird1]

So if you are going to pay 200% why even book a 1A anymore unless they have lowered the PP rate drastically. Seems if the rate isn't much lower that a 4A is the way to go.

[Traveler353]

So if you are going to pay 200% why even book a 1A anymore unless they have lowered the PP rate drastically. Seems if the rate isn't much lower that a 4A is the way to go.

 

My thoughts exactly. Might as well go ahead and move up in category and get a little more value for the money spent. I am hoping that with NCL and RCL bringing more ships to New Orleans that the prices will come down. Supply and demand kind of thing. Right now their listed prices are much higher than Carnival for their lowest category cabins.

[MOHAVE]

Are you sure more ships are still coming to New Orleans? With the hole in the bottom of the Gulf, the area is not looking as atractive to to cruise lines for fears that people won't book there.

[morrieb1]

I checked my cruises this morning (I'm ES in a 1A on a couple of future cruises) and the supplement is up to 200% - so I shouldn't expect any rate reductions on those trips.

 

Thanks to the OP for giving the heads up - I went ahead and booked one more cruise I'd been debating before the increase hit.

 

Like others have commented - the positive part of this is that I won't be needing to book so far in advance to snag a porthole 1A - and at 200% their pricing will be a lot closer to other cruise lines so I'll feel better about spending a bit more to try something different.

 

Em