Help me understand Early Saver

[jjdmom8]

We booked Early saver rate for our September cruise. I look now and the Casino rate is about $200 cheaper. Can I request the price difference on the difference or does the early saver price have to be cheaper to get the OBC for the difference?

[Ehpride]

You should be able to price match to any rate you qualify for excluding guarantee rates.

[jjdmom8]

Does that change my booking? I mean, if I price match the casino rate, does my rate change to the casino rate and the early saver price protection over? Sorry for all the questions, I have searched the posts and still wasn't sure. :)

[Isa65]

Once you're booked ES, you'll aways enjoy the price protection (up until 2 days before sailing).

 

Now, quick - give Carnival a call to price match your booking before the rate goes up again!

[krispykreme97]

How do you get a casino rate?

 

 

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[vabchtraveler]

We booked Early saver rate for our September cruise. I look now and the Casino rate is about $200 cheaper. Can I request the price difference on the difference or does the early saver price have to be cheaper to get the OBC for the difference?

 

I always book ES and then I put the cruise in a cruise finder like 'cruisecheap.com' and it sends me an email anytime any rate on my cruise changes. I watch it on the Carnival site, too. I've gained back hundreds of dollars by paying attention. That's the thing about ES, you have to tell them, they won't tell you. Are you on your sailings thread? We always keep each other up-to-date on price changes so everyone gets the best deal possible.

[Ehpride]

Yes, your booking stays as early saver :)

[jjdmom8]

Thanks everyone! I just submitted the form.. Now to wait and see..

[Ehpride]

You may want to take a screenshot just in case!

[riclop]

We booked Early saver rate for our September cruise. I look now and the Casino rate is about $200 cheaper. Can I request the price difference on the difference or does the early saver price have to be cheaper to get the OBC for the difference?

Carnival can give you the right answer.

[Rod in Az]

You may want to take a screenshot just in case!

 

Your suggestion of taking a screenshot is right on point. I have booked all of the cruises we have taken (when it was available) using the early saver rate.

 

We had a price protection request denied for the first time on December 30th, when we submitted a price protection form for the "casino rate" offer we received. The denial simply said that the rate I was trying to price match was not less than the current rate we were booked at.

 

I sent a reply e-mail to the denial, attaching a screenshot of the "mock booking" for the same category stateroom, showing an available price of just more than $100 less than our (it would have been more had the taxes and fees not gone up) early saver booking.

 

Within 8 hours the price reduction request had been approved, and the balance on our booking reduced to the new rate.

 

We have had excellent luck booking early saver, and with the exception of an aft-wrap cabin, have always ended up taking advantage of the price protection feature.

 

Early Saver isn't for everyone, but for us it has worked well.

[MuffyKismet]

yes how do you get a "casino" rate??

[Rod in Az]

yes how do you get a "casino" rate??

 

I'm not sure why it was offered, probably because I spent way more time on the slots on our last cruise than I should have.

 

Regardless, you can check and see if you are eligible for the current offer by going to your "VIFP" account, and clicking on the "My Offers" tab under the "VIFP" logo. Any special offers you are eligible for will then be displayed to the right of the logo.

[fishtaco]

I'm not sure why it was offered, probably because I spent way more time on the slots on our last cruise than I should have.

 

Regardless, you can check and see if you are eligible for the current offer by going to your "VIFP" account, and clicking on the "My Offers" tab under the "VIFP" logo. Any special offers you are eligible for will then be displayed to the right of the logo.

 

This is good info I didnt know about, thanks:)

 

Just went to My Offers and although there are no special offers I can always go here for past guest prices when its not always shown on the web booking.

[jjdmom8]

I assume I am offered the casino rate since I play in the casino every cruise. My DH does not and the casino rate does not show for him. I did take a screen shot to the mock booking. I got an email back quickly saying the requested price was not cheaper but it clearly is. I will email back with the screen shot and see what happens.. One more question for you pros.. When entering the price, do I need to enter the total price after tax and port charges or just the "rate" That could have been the problem, I sent the "final total". Thanks for all the help!

[HUBison2008]

I always book ES and then I put the cruise in a cruise finder like 'cruisecheap.com' and it sends me an email anytime any rate on my cruise changes. I watch it on the Carnival site, too. I've gained back hundreds of dollars by paying attention. That's the thing about ES, you have to tell them, they won't tell you. Are you on your sailings thread? We always keep each other up-to-date on price changes so everyone gets the best deal possible.

 

Great idea thanks. I just save my upcoming cruise.

 

 

I'm not sure why it was offered, probably because I spent way more time on the slots on our last cruise than I should have.

 

Regardless, you can check and see if you are eligible for the current offer by going to your "VIFP" account, and clicking on the "My Offers" tab under the "VIFP" logo. Any special offers you are eligible for will then be displayed to the right of the logo.

 

Also a great idea.

 

 

 

 

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[Ehpride]

I thought it was the total price because they charge you more if the taxes go up.

[Rod in Az]

One more question for you pros.. When entering the price, do I need to enter the total price after tax and port charges or just the "rate" That could have been the problem, I sent the "final total". Thanks for all the help!

 

That is a great question, and while I'm not a "pro", here are my thoughts on that.

 

At some point the form instructions use to say to enter the "Cruise Rate only, before fee and taxes", it doesn't say that now, but says "What is the total fare that you see available for your specific ship, sailing date, stateroom category and number of guests?". Because there was an increase in fees and taxes, I used the total charges shown in our most recent submittal.

 

The only one I have ever had denied was the most recent one, and I entered the total charges, but I'm not sure if that had anything to do with it being denied.

 

Another thing that I have always done in the past, that I didn't do on the one that was denied, is to put the following in the comment section:

 

Cabin Category (i.e., 8c)

Current Cabin Booked, Cruise Fare and Rate Type (7455, $2,077.71, Early Saver)

Cabin Available to be Booked, Cruise Fare and Rate Type (7441, $1,971.46, Casino Rate)

Difference in Current Rate and Requested Rate ($106.25)

 

That may seem like a lot of extra work, but since the only one I have ever had denied was one in which I did not make those notes, I will be returning to putting all of the information in the comment section in the future. It isn't any more work than writing a follow-up e-mail with attachments.

 

Good luck with your submittal, can't wait to hear what your outcome is.

[Sue Do-Over]

You will only see the Casino rate if you earn Players Club points (at the tables, be sure to show your card when you buy in, so that the pit boss can record your play -- i.e. to earn the free drink cards.)

 

The Players Club tags your VFIP number for discounts, which will then become available on the booking site. If you don't have a history as a casino player, you won't be offered those discounts.

 

If one person in your group tends to spend more time and money in the casino (winning or losing) use THEIR number for checking fares. DH qualifies for promotions that I don't, because he plays more, so we use his VFIP number, even though I have more cruise days.

 

Like other discounts, casino fares come and go -- if you see it, grab it, we've seen them available for only a few days, and then be gone for good.

[Isa65]

IOne more question for you pros.. When entering the price, do I need to enter the total price after tax and port charges or just the "rate" That could have been the problem, I sent the "final total". Thanks for all the help!

 

Always submit CRUISE FARE. Don't include taxes, fees, pre-paid gratuities, etc.

 

Price drops are processed upon comparison of cruise fare rate of the same cabin category with the same number of guests.

[HUBison2008]

We just booked yesterday using easy saver and now they're offering OBC. Do you this we can get the OBC with this new sale?

 

 

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[jjdmom8]

That is a great question, and while I'm not a "pro", here are my thoughts on that.

 

At some point the form instructions use to say to enter the "Cruise Rate only, before fee and taxes", it doesn't say that now, but says "What is the total fare that you see available for your specific ship, sailing date, stateroom category and number of guests?". Because there was an increase in fees and taxes, I used the total charges shown in our most recent submittal.

 

The only one I have ever had denied was the most recent one, and I entered the total charges, but I'm not sure if that had anything to do with it being denied.

 

Another thing that I have always done in the past, that I didn't do on the one that was denied, is to put the following in the comment section:

 

Cabin Category (i.e., 8c)

Current Cabin Booked, Cruise Fare and Rate Type (7455, $2,077.71, Early Saver)

Cabin Available to be Booked, Cruise Fare and Rate Type (7441, $1,971.46, Casino Rate)

Difference in Current Rate and Requested Rate ($106.25)

 

That may seem like a lot of extra work, but since the only one I have ever had denied was one in which I did not make those notes, I will be returning to putting all of the information in the comment section in the future. It isn't any more work than writing a follow-up e-mail with attachments.

 

Good luck with your submittal, can't wait to hear what your outcome is.

 

I started to do this, I resubmitted using only the cruise fare, and no reply yet.. The denied one email came within an hour of submitting.

[Rod in Az]

I started to do this, I resubmitted using only the cruise fare, and no reply yet.. The denied one email came within an hour of submitting.

 

The denial I got was the same, within an hour. When I sent the e-mail with the screen shot, it was a little over 8 hours before I got the e-mail approving the price reduction.

 

Good luck, I'm looking forward to hearing that you got an approved response.

[elvisrocks]

OK stupid question.

If I book Early Saver and the price goes down, I submit for the reduction and get credit. Does the lower price now become my rate to go by for further price reductions?

Thank you for your help.

[jjdmom8]

Ok so I replied to the denial email with a screen shot of the new price and asked why it didn't qualify.. Got an email two days later saying that it did qualify and my price had been adjusted.. If there is still a balance due on the booking, the price is reduced, if paid in full then you get OBC.. Sweet! My first early saver price protection submit was a SUCCESS!!