Am I a bit Obsessed?

[bingomamma19]

Ok, so in booking our Dream cruise last year, we booked Early saver in the lowest categories. Through my very diligent -ok obsessive- checking-we now have upgraded free to an aft extended balcony and a balcony room on the panorama deck. AND we have a $280 OBC.

 

Now in checking our flights from Southwest often, I was able to switch our flight times around (we are flying in 3 days before cruise and flyinig out 1 day after cruise as was our plan to spend some time in Orlando too)

I have been able to switch back and forth to catch lower fares and have a future credit with Southwest for $162.00 TOO!!!!

 

This has become an adventure to me to catch every last dollar I can. I cant wait-we fly out of Wisconsin Jan 5th for our jan 8th cruise and dont come back til Jan 16th!!!

[Unknotted]

Not obsessed! You are a wise, thrifty shopper who I envy!! I wish I could make things work to my benefit like that more often!

 

Great job!!

[cruisequeen93]

Ok, so in booking our Dream cruise last year, we booked Early saver in the lowest categories. Through my very diligent -ok obsessive- checking-we now have upgraded free to an aft extended balcony and a balcony room on the panorama deck. AND we have a $280 OBC.

 

Now in checking our flights from Southwest often, I was able to switch our flight times around (we are flying in 3 days before cruise and flyinig out 1 day after cruise as was our plan to spend some time in Orlando too)

I have been able to switch back and forth to catch lower fares and have a future credit with Southwest for $162.00 TOO!!!!

 

This has become an adventure to me to catch every last dollar I can. I cant wait-we fly out of Wisconsin Jan 5th for our jan 8th cruise and dont come back til Jan 16th!!!

 

I booked early saver as well for my cruise. How did you find upgrades for free? Where do I need to be looking to find this?

 

Julie

[bingomamma19]

I do a fake re book a couple of times each day. There have been some sales throughout the year that offered free upgrades for past guest, so I jumped on those right away. Once the sale was on a weekend and my PVP was off, so I just called Carnival and (after an hour on the phone) got my free upgrades.

 

The 3rd person price in each room had also dropped by $70.00 each.

I was easier to see these in the old booking system. Now I have to do alot of math when checking.

 

Also, in doing the early saver form, I was incorrectly denied 2x, appealed the first one via email and got it fixed. The second was (which alone was for $120.00) I got on the phone and worked my way up to a supervisor who got it straighted out-good thing because the email appeal never went anywhere on that one.

 

So in short, If you know you are entitled to it-make your screen shots of the prices and call if you get denied via the email form. They are very inconsistent in doing them correctly. And YES, I know what does and does not qualify for ES rate drops, I feel like a scholar now:):)

 

Anyway, its a little bit of work, but prices change all the time and watch those free upgrades, jump on all of them right away.

[*Mach*]

Wow... I am in awe!!

I wish I was as obsessed as you! Normally, I'll book a cruise and then become obsessed with watching my countdown clock!

Congratulations on some wonderful effort! You've done great!

:)

[truchattycathy]

Not obsessed, smart. I look all the time too, but I have never gotten those great deals. My friends are thrilled when I can get us $50 off. Congrats!

[bingomamma19]

Thanks Host Mach!!! I have a competitive nature about me, so I found it a challenge to wiggle every last dollar available.

 

This is going to be an awesome vacation for us and I cant wait. I have been patiently waiting our voyage on the Dream and getting the free upgrades and OBC is just the icing on the cake.

 

We had only booked our airfare last month and I had never used Southwest before. I had not been aware that you could freely change your flights withouth penalties, and once I found that out -game on!! We started out at $199 roundtrip from wisconsin to orlando and are now at $172 roundtrip per person for 6 of us. Leaving me with a $162.00 future credit to use in the next year. And we still have our original flight times by switching back and forth.

[beach410]

I do a fake re book a couple of times each day. There have been some sales throughout the year that offered free upgrades for past guest, so I jumped on those right away. Once the sale was on a weekend and my PVP was off, so I just called Carnival and (after an hour on the phone) got my free upgrades.

 

The 3rd person price in each room had also dropped by $70.00 each.

I was easier to see these in the old booking system. Now I have to do alot of math when checking.

 

Also, in doing the early saver form, I was incorrectly denied 2x, appealed the first one via email and got it fixed. The second was (which alone was for $120.00) I got on the phone and worked my way up to a supervisor who got it straighted out-good thing because the email appeal never went anywhere on that one.

 

So in short, If you know you are entitled to it-make your screen shots of the prices and call if you get denied via the email form. They are very inconsistent in doing them correctly. And YES, I know what does and does not qualify for ES rate drops, I feel like a scholar now:):)

 

Anyway, its a little bit of work, but prices change all the time and watch those free upgrades, jump on all of them right away.

 

 

Peristance paid off, good for you!

[ManyMore]

Yes you are!! and good for you!

[kiraryker]

Thanks Host Mach!!! I have a competitive nature about me, so I found it a challenge to wiggle every last dollar available.

 

This is going to be an awesome vacation for us and I cant wait. I have been patiently waiting our voyage on the Dream and getting the free upgrades and OBC is just the icing on the cake.

 

We had only booked our airfare last month and I had never used Southwest before. I had not been aware that you could freely change your flights withouth penalties, and once I found that out -game on!! We started out at $199 roundtrip from wisconsin to orlando and are now at $172 roundtrip per person for 6 of us. Leaving me with a $162.00 future credit to use in the next year. And we still have our original flight times by switching back and forth.

 

We are booked with Southwest also - how do you change your fares?? I thought you had to buy that insurance so you could make changes without the penalty??

[hlb76]

I too would like to learn about changing w/ Southwest. I have never flown w/ them before but fouond some great flights from MSP to LAX in Feb. It's $700 + cheaper than flying from RST. We will now have to drive a little ways further but I will for that kind of $$$.

 

Now my family from San Deigo want to spend the day pre-cruie together so I am looking at a earlier flight. The prices are the same on the website that I paid but its showing a cost of $112 to switch flight times.

 

Thanks in advance for the info.

 

BTW I wish I could find deals like you. Sadly we never do the ES. And have yet to see a price drop. I wish I was in your shoes. CONGRATS to you!

[bingomamma19]

I found out about switching because my Aunt and Uncle booked a much later flight leaving Sunday than we did and I didnt want them to be so lonely in Orlando:):) So I went back online (we booked online) and the fare to fly out the afteroon was the same-no penalty to switch-there was an icon on the side that said something like change flight. I clicked on it and it brought my flights up and the options to choose from for changing.

 

Well, unfortunately my aunt and uncle cancelled going all together, so I switched our flight to leave back to the morning-it was now $5.00 cheaper per person. So I switched us all back and got a $30.00 credit.

 

Then I checked the flights this morning and found that our morning flight was $22.00 cheaper per person now. So I switched us back to the afternoon flight, and back again to the morning flight and VIOLA- a $162.00 future credit for Southwest.

 

You see, I have a problem :):) I am obsessed with saving on this trip.

[ehfl]

Yes, probably obsessed for a regular person. But what else is there to do in Wisconsin?

[Lyncoya]

Yes, probably obsessed for a regular person. But what else is there to do in Wisconsin?

 

Hey!!!! I resent that! I'm from Wisconsin...... :p

[bingomamma19]

Hey - we have lots of stuff to do

 

Shovel snow

Freeze our arse off

Slip on the ice and fall down

 

umm. . . . . nevermind :mad::mad::mad:

[soccersharon]

Ok, so in booking our Dream cruise last year, we booked Early saver in the lowest categories. Through my very diligent -ok obsessive- checking-we now have upgraded free to an aft extended balcony and a balcony room on the panorama deck. AND we have a $280 OBC.

 

Now in checking our flights from Southwest often, I was able to switch our flight times around (we are flying in 3 days before cruise and flyinig out 1 day after cruise as was our plan to spend some time in Orlando too)

I have been able to switch back and forth to catch lower fares and have a future credit with Southwest for $162.00 TOO!!!!

 

This has become an adventure to me to catch every last dollar I can. I cant wait-we fly out of Wisconsin Jan 5th for our jan 8th cruise and dont come back til Jan 16th!!!

 

Ever thought of a second career in saving other people money! You can base your fee on how much you save your client! Wow!

 

Have a great cruise :)

[stargate fan]

We are booked with Southwest also - how do you change your fares?? I thought you had to buy that insurance so you could make changes without the penalty??

 

It's very easy to re-book your own flight on Southwest:

Go to the link that says Air. (In the blue boxes at the top of the home page.)

Click on "Change Reservation"

Fill in the info.

You will get a screen that shows the amount of the credit.

Read the page and click the parts that you need to.

You'll be asked to confirm before the new flight is actually booked so you can change your mind.

 

Be sure that the flight fare is actually lower or you'll need to pay the difference. (Hey, it can be confusing for some.).

 

Ta Da!

[stargate fan]

Ok, so in booking our Dream cruise last year, we booked Early saver in the lowest categories. Through my very diligent -ok obsessive- checking-we now have upgraded free to an aft extended balcony and a balcony room on the panorama deck. AND we have a $280 OBC.

 

Now in checking our flights from Southwest often, I was able to switch our flight times around (we are flying in 3 days before cruise and flyinig out 1 day after cruise as was our plan to spend some time in Orlando too)

I have been able to switch back and forth to catch lower fares and have a future credit with Southwest for $162.00 TOO!!!!

 

This has become an adventure to me to catch every last dollar I can. I cant wait-we fly out of Wisconsin Jan 5th for our jan 8th cruise and dont come back til Jan 16th!!!

Not obsessed, admired!

 

I also check as often as I can. So far, no luck on the cruise. But just a couple of hours ago our Jet Blue flight went down by $40 pp. Can't re-do the tix online like w/SWA, but I did call Jet Blue and it was taken care of in minutes. And I was able to put the entire credit in my "account". So I now have an $80 credit for our next flight to wherever.

 

I welcome the challenge!

(But DH says that I put so much time into it, that I am not saving $$ because of the man-, er woman-hours expended.)

[stargate fan]

Ever thought of a second career in saving other people money! You can base your fee on how much you save your client! Wow!

 

Have a great cruise :)

 

Ooh, I'd LOVE a job like that! Let's start our own company.

[sjcruiser]

I'm with you on the checking. You're just watching out for your money, to get the most bang for your buck. I check all the travel websites several times a day, just looking for price drops. I was unaware of SW no penalty/fee for flight changes until I read it here a few weeks ago. Our travel plans changed several times. We initially booked a Friday flight, then changed to an early/first flight out on Saturday. On our return flight, we were booked too early at 11:50, then went an afternoon flightprice dropped. On last night, we changed out arrival airport so we could fly into MCO to see family in FL first, then drive the 3-4 hours to MIA to arrive at our port hotel.