Bad news for all Cruise Critic Groups on Carnival

[going to see the world]

It will certainly increase the number of CC groups on the other lines, therefore on their forums.

 

You can look at it like a huge bummer...or you can look at it like a real incentive to cruise on other lines and have new experiences. I realize that there are people that will never cruise outside of Carnival, and with good reason, but I also really love cruising on Royal as well. I never tried starting a group on Royal because they didn't offer the reduced deposit. Now they will, and so I am going to try organizing a group.

Of course, lets all admit that the group prices on Carnival are a lot more attractive than Royal or Celebrity, but I am seeing the prices come down on the Oasis so I am going to give it a try. :D

 

I agree that this is definitely a bummer. BUT, like you said, I will DEFINITELY be looking into other cruiselines. This will be a great opportunity to check them out and get a good deal. Not the smartest move for Carnival. I would absolutely LOVE a group cruise on the Oasis :D

[MrPete]

So, who's contacting the Florida AG?

[gtalum]

I agree that this is definitely a bummer. BUT, like you said, I will DEFINITELY be looking into other cruiselines. This will be a great opportunity to check them out and get a good deal. Not the smartest move for Carnival. I would absolutely LOVE a group cruise on the Oasis :D

 

I doubt that many people who are worried about the reduced deposit benefit will be sailing on Oasis. Have you checked the fares?

 

The only shady part of this is the fact that they altered bookings that are already made. It's probably legal, but it's not good business.

[going to see the world]

I doubt that many people who are worried about the reduced deposit benefit will be sailing on Oasis. Have you checked the fares?

 

The only shady part of this is the fact that they altered bookings that are already made. It's probably legal, but it's not good business.

 

Clearly I have checked the fares if I am interested in the Oasis :) And whether one can afford them or not, a reduced deposit is always a nice thing-especially when it comes with amenities.

[gtalum]

Clearly I have checked the fares if I am interested in the Oasis :) And whether one can afford them or not, a reduced deposit is always a nice thing-especially when it comes with amenities.

 

Oh I agree, a reduced deposit is nice, but if someone can't afford a $250 deposit, they're not going to be looking at Oasis in the first place. Just a thought.

[chickie_mite]

 

How is that a choice ... that Carnival is breaking the contract they previously agreed to... and the pax either has to scramble to come up with more $$ or lose $100 ($25 X 4 as ship addict said). $100 may be nothing to some of you to lose ..it would be to many.

 

 

That's just wrong on so many levels!!

[going to see the world]

Oh I agree, a reduced deposit is nice, but if someone can't afford a $250 deposit, they're not going to be looking at Oasis in the first place. Just a thought.

 

Sorry, lol. Guess I took your post the wrong way. Like I said, I personally would be interested in a group cruise because of the amenities and possibly meeting some fun people. :) The reduced deposit is just a plus to me. :)

[reggierail]

Is true. What can a travel agent provide that a PVP can't. Why add a middle man, book direct.

 

First and foremost, a travel agent works for you and a PVP works for Carnival. How long do you think a PVP would have a job if they had your best interests in mind when a problem with a booking happened? Not very long I would bet.

[Cuizer2]

Well, it stinks but Carnival will no longer offer a reduced deposit of $25.00 to book into a CC group cruise. AND if you have one booked already, and the second deposit was due AFTER Nov. 1st. Your complete deposit is due by Nov. 1st, 2010 now.

You have the option of letting your booking cancel, and pay the rest of the deposit when you want to, but you will lose your booking number, dining time, excursions booked. etc.

Carnival will lose a lot of groups by doing this. The GREAT news is that because Carnival dropped the ball, Celebrity, NCL and Royal are all going to start offering the reduced depsoit for their lines!

 

Oasis/Allure here I come!~:D

 

I have never understood the advantage of a reduced deposit. If the cruise cost $2,000 you still have to pay $2,000. The only difference is you pay less up front and more at the end. Big deal.

[pnjkeith]

First and foremost, a travel agent works for you and a PVP works for Carnival. How long do you think a PVP would have a job if they had your best interests in mind when a problem with a booking happened? Not very long I would bet.

 

 

And that TA is at work 24/7 to take care of you? Carnival is, PVP probably not. TA's only interest in you is commission, don' kid yourself. Carnival has taken just about anything they can do for you away.

 

TA working for you? Who pays the commission?

[AuntieBon]

I have never understood the advantage of a reduced deposit. If the cruise cost $2,000 you still have to pay $2,000. The only difference is you pay less up front and more at the end. Big deal.

 

I think for many it comes down to more time to save for the trip but still have one on the books.

 

I'm now looking at an additional $275 that I need to come up with by November 1st 2010 instead of November 1st 2011! I'm one person and will be able to come up with the funds without trouble but for a family of 400 they now need to find $1100 in a month. That's is a huge difference!:eek:

 

Yes, the money is all due eventually but being able to spread it out over many months makes it an affordable and easier to manage vacation.

[QuentinH]

Been reading through this whole thread (not all that fun) and reading that Carnival is doing this because they are heartless, money grabbing b**ards.

Yeah OK but besides that is the problem that alot of these $25 dollar deposits are just like pool chair hogs? People can reserve their spot

in one case by the pool and in the other in a choice cabin and then decide later to take the spot or not. Perhaps Carnival has done the math

(I'm sure they have) and noticed that these group cruise people aren't pulling thir weight profit wise?

What with group perks and a bunch of smart CCers maxing their own benefits, perhaps Carnival sees that this is a very low profit group.

Flame away.

 

How about a standing ovation for the best post:D;)

[Cuizer2]

And that TA is at work 24/7 to take care of you? Carnival is, PVP probably not. TA's only interest in you is commission, don' kid yourself. Carnival has taken just about anything they can do for you away.

 

You are very wrong. If a TA wishes to grow, then the TA must look out for your interests, not theirs. For example, my TA has a $50 cancellation fee. I have been with this TA for years and I have booked ten cruises with her. When friends called to ask if I would like to go on a cruise with them, I had to cancel one of my cruises to make room for the new one. The TA waived the $50 fee. My TA also helped me get a $15 refund from one of the cruise lines when a service I paid for was not given to me. It saved me a lot of time. I have yet to want to contact the TA at 2:00am and she responds to any weekend e-mails on the following Monday.

 

A TA that is only interested in your commission will not last long.

[Cuizer2]

I think for many it comes down to more time to save for the trip but still have one on the books.

 

I'm now looking at an additional $275 that I need to come up with by November 1st 2010 instead of November 1st 2011! I'm one person and will be able to come up with the funds without trouble but for a family of 400 they now need to find $1100 in a month. That's is a huge difference!:eek:

 

Yes, the money is all due eventually but being able to spread it out over many months makes it an affordable and easier to manage vacation.

 

I don't save for a cruise after I've booked it. I save for a cruise by putting money into a special savings account every month. Cruises I have not even booked yet are already paid for. As a result, the cruises don't impact my budget one bit.

[firefly333]

How about a standing ovation for the best post:D;)

 

you must have missed the posts following explaining the $25 is ONLY FOR GUARANTEES.. ... no one is hogging any particular cabin. So, the post you are applauding is wrong on many points....

 

I think people are also missing the point .. lets say the person with a family of 4 booked for $100 wants to cancel and rebook .. now that TAs cannot discount .... they will never again be able to rebook at a discounted price where the TA discounts the price up front. (never mind they will also lose the $100 because of the $25 non refundable deposit).

 

Its pretty clear to me many people dont know how group cruise booking used to work.

[richstowe]

And that TA is at work 24/7 to take care of you? Carnival is, PVP probably not. TA's only interest in you is commission, don' kid yourself. Carnival has taken just about anything they can do for you away.

 

TA working for you? Who pays the commission?

 

So your point is screw the TA's because Carnival screwed them?:confused:

 

 

How about a standing ovation for the best post:D;)

 

Aaaaaah:o

[Koval]

My daughter's wedding party booked a group cruise for next spring almost a year in advance to take advantage of the group amenities and lower deposits being offered at the time. All of them are under 25 years old and need time to save money for their full deposits. Now that the rules have changed, several of them are going to cancel and re-book next year when they have enough to pay for the entire deposit. So basically her group has unraveled, which doesn't bother us particularly, but our TA should have told us about the new rules and she didn't.

 

Furthermore, when I emailed her after reading about this on Cruise Critic last night, she said that nothing has really changed and please don't cancel. Then she added, "I would say it would not be a bad thing for any of the cabins to pay the 2nd deposit early and secure the reservation now."

I love the $25 reduced deposit,

but for this case, it sounds as though this group should have already met the Full Deposit Date anyway.

If the wedding is in the Spring and they booked a year out, shouldn't they have some of that money saved by now?

 

Just saying...If they are canceling their booking because they can't afford it,

better the bride know now, and not come March or when ever she is getting married.

 

On another note, More details about this new change for those

ALREADY BOOKED and who BOOK BEFORE NOV. 1st @ the reduced deposit price

I believe that if you already have a CC group booking with the Cru Con TA, you still have your $25 reduced deposit up until the 1st of NOV.

(You can still book with the reduced deposit until Nov. 1st)

At that point, you will either pay the Full deposit, or be removed from the "Carnival" bookings.

and no longer be able to see your Carnival web stuff and your Booking # will be gone and a new one added when you make full deposit.

You will however still be "Booked" have a reservation I suppose with the TA, and can still wait until that Full deposit is due.

So the Cru Con TA is still living up the her contract with you, even if CCL is not living up to theirs.

I could be wrong on this, but this is what I believe I read about the policy for those who have already booked, or are soon to book a CC Group cruise.

Now the question is, what happens to the Gty Cabins, if you are paying full deposit, why go Gty. for a chance at a better cabin I suppose...

[Ship Addict]

So what is stopping you from gathering up the grand and then booking.

 

I'm not trying to "tell you how to book your cruise", I'm just curious what you perceive as the difference.

 

big_duck, I have to admit, I'm not much of a "saver." It seems that if I wait til I have the $1000 to book, I end up waiting a much longer time. However, if I am able to book at a lower deposit, I look at my booking as a "bill" and can make payments along the way.

 

Just a different perspective I guess, but it gets the job done.

[StevieG]

So, who's contacting the Florida AG?

 

They would have no case, they are only cancelling your booking not taking your deposit so you have no monetary losses.

[dan40]

I guess I fail to see why a reduced deposit is a big deal. It's not like they're giving away the $25. It's a pay me now, pay me later.....

 

 

I agree, if you're going on a cruise, pay the deposit.

[pnjkeith]

You are very wrong. If a TA wishes to grow, then the TA must look out for your interests, not theirs. For example, my TA has a $50 cancellation fee. I have been with this TA for years and I have booked ten cruises with her. When friends called to ask if I would like to go on a cruise with them, I had to cancel one of my cruises to make room for the new one. The TA waived the $50 fee. My TA also helped me get a $15 refund from one of the cruise lines when a service I paid for was not given to me. It saved me a lot of time. I have yet to want to contact the TA at 2:00am and she responds to any weekend e-mails on the following Monday.

 

A TA that is only interested in your commission will not last long.

 

Wow $15 bucks saved. Booked 10 cruises with her. Hmmmm wonder what her commission has been? Ya still thinking she workin for ya? Its all about the benjamins, not you.

[Kurbanfan]

You are very wrong. If a TA wishes to grow, then the TA must look out for your interests, not theirs. For example, my TA has a $50 cancellation fee. I have been with this TA for years and I have booked ten cruises with her. When friends called to ask if I would like to go on a cruise with them, I had to cancel one of my cruises to make room for the new one. The TA waived the $50 fee. My TA also helped me get a $15 refund from one of the cruise lines when a service I paid for was not given to me. It saved me a lot of time. I have yet to want to contact the TA at 2:00am and she responds to any weekend e-mails on the following Monday.

 

A TA that is only interested in your commission will not last long.

 

Hey you use my TA:D

People that seem to be totally against TA's are not customers a good TA wants.......

[StevieG]

I think for many it comes down to more time to save for the trip but still have one on the books.

 

I'm now looking at an additional $275 that I need to come up with by November 1st 2010 instead of November 1st 2011! I'm one person and will be able to come up with the funds without trouble but for a family of 400 they now need to find $1100 in a month. That's is a huge difference!:eek:

 

Yes, the money is all due eventually but being able to spread it out over many months makes it an affordable and easier to manage vacation.

 

The end result to this is people will no longer book cruises 12-18 months out. I know I won't and where I was happy to stay with Carnival I am now open to other cruise lines. NCL goes out of Boston so I may look at them. I will save at least $250 per person in airfare so I can look at more cost and still end up cheaper.

[Kurbanfan]

Yes, the money is all due eventually but being able to spread it out over many months makes it an affordable and easier to manage vacation.

 

How is it easier and more affordable:confused: You can do the same thing saving before you purchase........

[deborahjo]

First of all, was I having a "pissy fit?" No, I don't think so, just pointing out that your theory didn't make much sense.

 

I'm not stressing over $25 -- I'm stressing over $1000. I enjoyed taking group cruises cos for my family of four it allowed me to book a cruise for only $100 and I could make payments. I usually had it paid off before final payment anyway. But now I will have to come up with $1000 for a deposit, which is more difficult for me. I'm glad you can whip out your credit card and pay whatever you want on a cruise; I don't have that luxury. Mine are carefully budgeted. Even though I obviously make less money than you, I still believe my family deserves a vacation. And as many have pointed out already, cruising is a great vacation deal.

 

I understand your point of view. But you can't even empathize for a minute for those of us that it's an issue for?

 

Thank you. We are in the same boat.