Brand spanking new cruiser...questions

[susquehannaretriever]

I recently booked my family (DW,DD,DS) and extended family on the Legend for next year. I have been reading these posts every day and continually hear of people getting upgraded, having the cost of their cruise go down, etc. I booked thru a TA. SO...should I occassionally ask her about an upgrade? Do I call & ask her to check the price if it goes down? I don't want to bug her constantly but at the same time I don't want to miss out if an occassion arises. Also how does one get an upgrade? Is it just luck or do you guys pester someone or...? Oh I didn't book a specific room, just a guarantee if this matters.

 

Thanks for any and all answers:D

[serene56]

If you booked your cruise now for a year for now-- dont expect to see them go lower. Every cruise i booked was always a year out. and sailed at least 250 more per person.

 

BUt i look anyways...just to see. You do the looking yourself as the prices fluctuate all the time.

 

Go to carnivals web page and click on funships- Legend -- scroll all the way to the bottom and it gives you options on what cruise you want to do---make believe you are buying a cruise. put in the same amount of people (sometimes the 3rd/4th rates change.) Carnivals site does not add gvmt tax--which is usually 50.00 bucks. that is the price you go by when comparing prices.

 

DId you register your cruise on carnival web page?

 

to carnival web page...top right hand corner will say my profile...click on that then add a booking number-- put in your information. You rcruise is now on the left hand side of the carnival screen.

 

To get upgrades you need to book a guarantee. Booking ayear out-- I would pick a set cabin. My first 4 cruises were guarantee and I never was upgraded...probably due to the fact that I booked so far out.

[kitty9]

Personally, I don't think guarantees are the best way to go. You don't get an assigned cabin until 30 days out, and they can put you in a not so great location that you might not be happy with. With your cruise being so far away, you can pick the cabin you're happiest and most comfortable with and go with that. Don't count on any upgrades---they just don't seem to happen that much anymore. With cruises going out at capacity, upgrades just aren't there, plus cruise lines would prefer to sell those higher up cabins instead of giving them away. I always tell people, pick the cabin you can live with, and don't take something just because you're hoping for an upgrade. It's also not worth it to "pester" anyone about an upgrade, especially this early out. And, if you're cruising during the summer, you can count on the ship being sold out, as I just read in the newspaper yesterday, cruise lines like RCCI and Carnival are sailing at 105% of capacity this summer (they sail above capacity because they put more than 2 passengers in a cabin---therefore the 105% of capacity). If you booked, for instance, an inside cabin, don't count on being upgraded to a balcony. Usually, they will just put you in another inside room but in a better location, like a higher deck or more midship.

 

With the price of fuel going up, cruises are going up in price as the cruise date gets closer. But tell your TA to check prices every few weeks to see if they've gone down. On all our recent cruises, the prices have actually gone up on the average of $800, the closer we got to the sail date.

[Sheffie]

I have found that TAs are extremely busy, and I always check the prices myself. Last year our prices dropped after our final payment and we were able to get the adjustments, I just called the TA and told her what I found. It seems that the only time the prices go down is if, close to sailing, the ship isn't full and they are trying to fill it up.

 

I sure wish I had found these boards before our first 2 cruises, I would have saved $$ on excursions and would have packed a WHOLE lot less!

 

You will have a great cruise!

[montgomeryfamily]

Most people who talk on these boards about getting free upgrades are on Princess. RCI and Celebrity rarely give complimentary upgrades, but you can sometimes buy an upgrade at the pier for a much reduced price. HAL rarely gives complimentary upgrades and usually doesn't discount an upgrade even at the dock. Princess gives complimentary upgrades to people who book a specific cabin as well as a guarantee. But no one really knows why/when the upgrade fairy will strike, although early bookers and first time cruisers often are the recepients.