Early Saver Does Rate get Cheaper

[planb]

Wondering if anyone has found that they booked an "earlier savers" rate and had it go down closer to the cruise. We were told if we find it discounted we can get on board credit or and upgrade. We sail in March and got our rate the end of Nov. We see the rate for the January ones went way down. Anyone? :)

[parentsof5]

I have not experienced this first hand yet, our cruise is in March, too, but have read several posts that specific say to make sure and check the couple of weeks. Our March week is one of spring break weeks for a state local to where our port is, so I don't know if this will hold true then, too. But I will be checking to make sure. We book about the same time as you. We have had one drop of $15pp in our 2 person room.

[Tbay-eh]

Going on a b2b in Feb - got one price break on one leg and applied and got credit but not the other and nothing again so far. We are sailing during one of the break times so don't really expect one but would be nice if we got one. The prices have just gone up not down. Oh well.

[mrpayroll]

Booked last Feb. for this coming January. In April, the rates went down a little. ( $50.00 )per person. We applied and got the cheaper rate. Since then the rates have gone up , up and up....

[k2excursion]

Wondering if anyone has found that they booked an "earlier savers" rate and had it go down closer to the cruise. We were told if we find it discounted we can get on board credit or and upgrade. We sail in March and got our rate the end of Nov. We see the rate for the January ones went way down. Anyone? :)

 

Yes. On our Dream cruise last April, we did get OBC after final payment. The past guest rate had dropped below our current rate, and since we qualify as past guests, we were able to get the difference in the form of OBC. We saw very dramatic changes with that cruise, from hundreds over our rate at one point, then it wound up dropping over $100 below that original rate in total.

[big_duck]

I wouldn't count on rate drops in March, too many spring breaks.

[Karshrimp]

We booked Early Savers in February for our cruise that is in a couple of weeks. We got some really good price drops over the summer (maybe 3 or 4 of them), but nothing since then. In the last months they have just gone up.

I was checking the prices today and they are crazy high from what we ended up paying. About $240 more pp right now. :eek:

[golfadj]

We used ES for a cruise Feb 2010.

 

Got about three reductions in price before the cruise.

 

Have another one for the end of Jan 2011 and so far the price is up about 100 pp.

 

Will check pricing regularly when we get closer to the cruise and hopefully price will come down.

[Ken076]

Wondering if anyone has found that they booked an "earlier savers" rate and had it go down closer to the cruise. We were told if we find it discounted we can get on board credit or and upgrade. We sail in March and got our rate the end of Nov. We see the rate for the January ones went way down. Anyone? :)

 

When you book Early Saver you're not only concerned with drops in the Early Saver Rate itself (which goes away in 3 months cruises 5 days or less and in 5 months cruises 6 days or more) but you also want to monitor drops for any rates that you're eligible for, including the FunSelect Rate, Past Guest Rate (if you're a Past guest), the 55+ Rate (if you're 55+), the Resident Rate for your State of Residence, and the Military Rate (if you're military eligible). If the Past Guest rate drops below your current ES rate, and you’re a Past Guest, you get that rate. Same for FunSelect, 55+, Resident and Military Rate drops. Remember that the price protection is for same ship, same dates, same Cabin Category and same number of passengers (the adjustment is for the combined PAX 1 and PAX 2 rates AND the PAX 3 (if any) and PAX 4 (if any) rates. The Early Saver Price Protection is ONLY for Carnival-advertised rates.

Once Booked, You can check the Past Guest, 55+ and Resident Promo Rates daily using the Quick Search Box on carnival.com .

ken

[Sargent_Schultz]

In general, cruise prices seem to be trending up, so I think the odds of cashing in on ES rates is decreasing. If various rates are close, you might be better off booking a different rate to begin with, and then switch to ES if you later decide you are definitely going.

[Luluwa]

PLUS if the category you booked is sold out - there are no discount's available :o(

[Sargent_Schultz]

PLUS if the category you booked is sold out - there are no discount's available :o(

 

 

perhaps try higher categories? sometimes you can upgrade for almost nothing, or less than nothing. :)

[vanityfur]

We just got an upgrade through early saver... Not a huge change -- from 6B to 6C. But, it means the difference in being forward / hearing that anchor drop at 4:30 a.m. and being mid-ship and sleeping in until 6 or 7 a.m.

 

Keeping an eye out for drops now that final payment date has passed. Sure enough, drops have happened. Now, hoping for another drop to get OBC.

[Luluwa]

Well actually I booked an 8M extended aft balc and they are sold out but 8A's are available - go figure!

perhaps try higher categories? sometimes you can upgrade for almost nothing, or less than nothing. :)

[Sargent_Schultz]

You're welcome!

[Brandi39]

If the rates have dropped, you should call your TA. You can get the better rate every time it drops. It's not a one time thing. :D

[pe4all]

We have been very lucky with ES for our upcoming holiday cruise. We booked in early January of 2010. Since then we have had several price drops - 8D category. Most of them came about a month before final payment - but we had already paid our cruise off in June, so we got some really hefty obc's to use. (over $600 per cabin) So it definitely can happen- keep checking! I think the reason there was such a price drop was because this cruise went from a 7 to a 9 day cruise, and people couldn't get the time off work to cruise for so long, so they were trying to dump empty cabins. In the last month, cabin prices skyrocketed again- ship is almost totally sold out, except for one spa suite, and some interiors.

[flcruisencrazy]

We booked our cruise back in April for out cruise next week for the holidays and had the price drop twice over the summer($250 per person total). We always book 4F or higher, which as someone posted previously helps as the higher categories tend to fill up last.

[Duckie26]

I never thought our rates would get cheaper than they were when we booked a year ago ($719 for an extended balcony) but I've had two price drops in the last year. They went down $20 per person awhile back and just last week, the Past Guest Rate dropped $70 per person!!! I've saved $180 so far.

 

I had success with Early Saver last year as well. I saved a total of $660 from the time I booked it until the sail date. Rates were much higher when I initially booked last year and a week later they dropped significantly.

[Thestral]

We booked a cruise for the Mexican Riviera for Feb 25 and since then the price dropped $110 per person over the year. Once your category sells out though you can't get another drop. Ours sold out (8C) before our final payment, so instead of OBC we just got a cheaper final payment.

[Cozzette2]

If you see a price drop do you assume your TA will let you know or do you have to call them? I had read something about filling some papers to get the discount so I am confussed as to what I am suppossed to do.

Kris

[willowbea]

I have ES for 2/25/12 and had one price drop and saved $120 on two. Hoping for more, but you have to keep checking, because it can go right back up.

[tandemcruzr]

If you see a price drop do you assume your TA will let you know or do you have to call them? I had read something about filling some papers to get the discount so I am confussed as to what I am suppossed to do.

Kris

 

If you find a price drop, it would be best for you to call your TA and have them issue the paperwork.

 

We booked two ES and they have both come down before Final Payment. Thus far, there have been no further price drops for our cruises in January.

[Brandi39]

If you see a price drop do you assume your TA will let you know or do you have to call them? I had read something about filling some papers to get the discount so I am confussed as to what I am suppossed to do.

Kris

 

 

If you booked thru a travel agent then you need to call them and they will have to submit the paperwork. If you booked directly thru Carnival then you fill out the form yourself. http://www.carnival.com/cms/requestforms/CCLEarlySaverForm.htm

[Kitt Lady]

I booked at 370 days out at ES for our Jan cruise. I have gotten 2 big price drops. First drop I got, I decided to up grade after I received the OBC from a balcony to a jr. Suite. Then my DH turned 55 and I sent in for that drop. I found another drop about 30 ish days away from sailing and sent it in....but I got a call from the up-sale fairy and took it. So when they looked at the ES form I didn't qualify. But, I had over $600 in price drops that were approved.