Worst Kids Sail Free Promotion of ANY line

[Kristi Williamson]

We've cruised a lot and we have taken advantage of NCL and RCCL's kids sail free promotions in the past. With those lines, the first two passenger's are well within the parameters of traditional pricing AND the kids sail free...no bumping up the 1st/2nd passenger rates or hiding in fine print. They are truly great deals.

 

We called Carnival because we thought the website was doing whacky things...it happens, right? ;)

 

Nope. The price for an interior on the May 31st sailing out of Charleston came out to be 2106.00 for four passengers with 3rd/4th supposedly sailing free. We're platinum on Carnival and I can't find any 7 day cruises that are 800.00/1000.00 for the first two passengers in an interior UNLESS they are part of the kids sail free promotion.

 

We love Carnival, but if you're going to run a promotion, don't jack up prices and pretend like anyone is sailing free. Just don't run the promotion. And to the cheerleaders who'll say this is from standard pricing: No, it's not. Interior rooms on a seven day Carnival are NOT 800.00 to a 1000.00 bucks a person even with standard prices. Ever. They typically run anywhere from 300-550.00 dollars for the 1st and 2nd passengers. That's what they should be and the 3rd and 4th passengers should be FREE, like the promotion suggests.

 

On this, Carnival could take a lesson from NCL and RCCL. Their kids sail free are TRULY kids sail free promotions without price hikes. :)

[jmediii]

And to the cheerleaders who'll say this is from standard pricing: No, it's not. Interior rooms on a seven day Carnival are NOT 800.00 to a 1000.00 bucks a person even with standard prices. Ever. They typically run anywhere from 300-550.00 dollars for the 1st and 2nd passengers. That's what they should be and the 3rd and 4th passengers should be FREE, like the promotion suggests.

 

What do you call their "Fun Select" pricing then? I just pulled up multiple 7 day interior rooms and they are all in the $1,000 range. If you book under anything other than "Fun Select" (the standard/base fare) you've been booking a discounted/sale rate.

[SmogMonster]

I agree with the OP. We are booked on the Glory. Bokked it many months ago. You would think that the kids sail free program would be cheaper than what I am payingn now. At least thats what I thought. So I logged on to carnival to see and low an behold. NOPE. Actually it would cost me $100 MORE for the kids to sail free!

[champagne123]

The people I feel sorry for, are the one's that are not knowledgeable with booking a cruise. We know what to look for.....know how to do dummy bookings.....know about the price drops.....how the promotions work...etc.etc.etc.

[SmogMonster]

The people I feel sorry for, are the one's that are not knowledgeable with booking a cruise. We know what to look for.....know how to do dummy bookings.....know about the price drops.....how the promotions work...etc.etc.etc.

 

Thats exactly what I did. Did a dummy booking without logging into carnival under my account. basically, a brand new booking with no way for Carnival to know that I was already booked. Still $100 more for the kids to sail free.

[Kristi Williamson]

The people I feel sorry for, are the one's that are not knowledgeable with booking a cruise. We know what to look for.....know how to do dummy bookings.....know about the price drops.....how the promotions work...etc.etc.etc.

 

 

I thought about that, too, Champagne. Honestly, it left a sour taste in my mouth because they are the only line who does the kid's sail free promotion in this way. We saved loads of money with NCL and RCCL when they ran this promo. Seems like nothing more than a way to trick new family travelers to me. Boo for Carnival on that one...

[cruizinisthebest]

This again......:rolleyes:

 

The other sale/promo rates aren't eligible for the KSF promo. The only thing wrong and/or confusing is that Carnival offers several pricing types simultaneously and people think you should be able to combine them. You can't. Fun Select is always the most expensive, non discounted rate.

 

Pick the rate that gives you the best price and leave it at that. Other lines only offer one pricing promo at a time with maybe some standard discounts for past guests.

[glassman352]

They do the same thing with their watches on board, Hike the price up so they can advertise a 70% discount.:eek:

[rarasnake]

Thats exactly what I did. Did a dummy booking without logging into carnival under my account. basically, a brand new booking with no way for Carnival to know that I was already booked. Still $100 more for the kids to sail free.

 

 

Ours was the same way.. We booked 2 rooms on the Fantasy for this month. I went online to "mock" book and for the same rooms, adding a 3rd guest and each room came up alot more than what we paid back in February.. It is a reason that my Hubby said we will look at RCCL next time we cruise. We could have used their promo, paid for 1 suite cabin and saved a ton of $$$$, if we had just wanted another week... It definitely left a sour taste in our mouth..

[prattmom]

I'd rather have the various discounted pricing options so I can pick the one best for my situation. If kids sail free doesn't give you the best price for your situation, then don't use it. I prefer early saver. I don't expect carnival to discount my already discounted fare... I also have to live with the early saver restrictions. If I were not a past guest and didn't want the early saver restrictions and wanted to choose my own cabin, the kids sail free promotion would save me money on several cruises I looked at... It saves money over the always higher fun select pricing...

 

RCCL doesn't give me the same pricing options so o usually end up paying more anyway...

 

 

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[crusinpsychRN]

When I first read the title of the thread I thought there was a new promotion for Worst Kids....

[SmogMonster]

I'd rather have the various discounted pricing options so I can pick the one best for my situation. If kids sail free doesn't give you the best price for your situation, then don't use it. I prefer early saver. I don't expect carnival to discount my already discounted fare... I also have to live with the early saver restrictions. If I were not a past guest and didn't want the early saver restrictions and wanted to choose my own cabin, the kids sail free promotion would save me money on several cruises I looked at... It saves money over the always higher fun select pricing...

 

RCCL doesn't give me the same pricing options so o usually end up paying more anyway...

 

 

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I think the point that the OP is making is that while advertized as kids sail free, this is not really true. Our evidence is what we have experienced when attempting to do a mock booking for the same cabin, same cruise etc. The price is not different when compared to what I paid for 4 paying customers. two adults and two kids. Also, I did not book early saver and had not other discounts other than past guest.

[prattmom]

I think the point that the OP is making is that while advertized as kids sail free, this is not really true. Our evidence is what we have experienced when attempting to do a mock booking for the same cabin, same cruise etc. The price is not different when compared to what I paid for 4 paying customers. two adults and two kids. Also, I did not book early saver and had not other discounts other than past guest.

 

So if you book four under Fun Select and then two under Fun Select its more expensive with two? Past guest is a discount.

 

 

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[Warm Breezes]

I think the point that the OP is making is that while advertized as kids sail free, this is not really true. Our evidence is what we have experienced when attempting to do a mock booking for the same cabin, same cruise etc. The price is not different when compared to what I paid for 4 paying customers. two adults and two kids. Also, I did not book early saver and had not other discounts other than past guest.

 

Past guest is still a discounted rate. To be fair you need to compare it to the Fun Select Rate not the Past Guest Rate as the Kids Sail Free is based off of that rate....not the one you booked at.

[cruizinisthebest]

I think the point that the OP is making is that while advertized as kids sail free, this is not really true. Our evidence is what we have experienced when attempting to do a mock booking for the same cabin, same cruise etc. The price is not different when compared to what I paid for 4 paying customers. two adults and two kids. Also, I did not book early saver and had not other discounts other than past guest.

 

If you do a mock booking using the fun select rate for 2, the kids sale free rate for 4 will be the same plus taxes and port charges for the 2 free individuals. I just did a mock booking for my cruise and it came out exactly that way.

[originalgolfer]

Yes I will agree that the Carnival kids sail free is a placebo sale....unless you have 3 kids.

 

Almost any other promo priced out with 3rd and 4th cruisers were cheaper than the KSF promo although I did find it odd that a suite with 4 vs a balcony with 4 was only a couple hundred more dollars for the week.

 

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[originalgolfer]

Coincidentally I stuck it back to Carnival when I found a babysitter for our infant.

 

My wife and I will be sailing as 2 solo cruisers on Valor on June 22nd. We got an aft wrap and L shaped cabin balcony (you know the double size balcony for 8a balcony price) For a total of 2300 bucks for the two rooms. Now we have balconies on either side of the ship for coming in and out of port.

 

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[Kristi Williamson]

Also, if you'll read my title, the point was that Carnival simply doesn't compare to other lines with this promotion. Other lines give you what is their standard offer for you and then the kids also sail free.

 

For example: When we sailed with RCCL's promotion, we got to use our balcony discount as past guests and the kids still were able to sail free. (other than port charges and taxes, of course) They didn't use only their highest fare for the promo and call it a discount that is equal to other rates. Actually, on some of the bookings we've looked at with Carnival, kid's sail free is higher than any other offer.

 

NCL tops that with allowing their past guests to use their PG rate AND kids sail free. Their deals with this are off the charts! (just FYI)

 

Carnival is the WORST line for this promo and that's what I said. They'd do better to dump this one as it's not comparable to other mass market lines.

[wanderingjew]

I thought about that, too, Champagne. Honestly, it left a sour taste in my mouth because they are the only line who does the kid's sail free promotion in this way. We saved loads of money with NCL and RCCL when they ran this promo. Seems like nothing more than a way to trick new family travelers to me. Boo for Carnival on that one...

Its called BRILLIANT marketing:D :eek:

[jmediii]

Also, if you'll read my title, the point was that Carnival simply doesn't compare to other lines with this promotion. Other lines give you what is their standard offer for you and then the kids also sail free.

 

For example: When we sailed with RCCL's promotion, we got to use our balcony discount as past guests and the kids still were able to sail free. (other than port charges and taxes, of course) They didn't use only their highest fare for the promo and call it a discount that is equal to other rates. Actually, on some of the bookings we've looked at with Carnival, kid's sail free is higher than any other offer.

 

NCL tops that with allowing their past guests to use their PG rate AND kids sail free. Their deals with this are off the charts! (just FYI)

 

Carnival is the WORST line for this promo and that's what I said. They'd do better to dump this one as it's not comparable to other mass market lines.

 

You also said this:

 

"And to the cheerleaders who'll say this is from standard pricing: No, it's not. Interior rooms on a seven day Carnival are NOT 800.00 to a 1000.00 bucks a person even with standard prices. Ever. They typically run anywhere from 300-550.00 dollars for the 1st and 2nd passengers. That's what they should be and the 3rd and 4th passengers should be FREE, like the promotion suggests."

 

Which isn't true......

[Kristi Williamson]

You also said this:

 

 

 

Which isn't true......

 

 

Actually, it is true. I've just looked at two cruises with "standard fare" prices that don't have the kid's sail free. They are 389.00 for passengers 1 and 2.

 

With the kid's sail free promotion...the average cruise price is almost 800.00 bucks. ONLY the ones with KSF are jacked up like that, at least during the times we want to go.(Granted, I haven't checked them all)

 

They ARE jacking the prices up to make the same amount for KSF and that's their option as a business owner, but I think it's a pretty crappy one, too.

[jmediii]

Actually, it is true. I've just looked at two cruises with "standard fare" prices that don't have the kid's sail free. They are 389.00 for passengers 1 and 2.

 

With the kid's sail free promotion...the average cruise price is almost 800.00 bucks. ONLY the ones with KSF are jacked up like that, at least during the times we want to go.(Granted, I haven't checked them all)

 

They ARE jacking the prices up to make the same amount for KSF and that's their option as a business owner, but I think it's a pretty crappy one, too.

 

 

 

Show me a 7 day cruise with a $400.00 Fun Select rate (The actual base/standard rate) and I'll stand corrected.

 

You are looking at already discounted rates.....not the "standard" or base rate.

[originalgolfer]

It's OUR job to be the informed consumer. They are free to advertise any "special" they want. Truth is every booking I looked at for my wife and 2 kids....it was cheaper to book a different promo then the KSF one.

 

Now is it right or competitive how they price it? Nope.

 

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[guxu]

I do not like Carnival's Kids Sail Free either. But to be fair, RCCL does the same thing on popular sails. I actually started a thread in RCCL board and most people there agreed with me.

[carib1]

We've cruised a lot and we have taken advantage of NCL and RCCL's kids sail free promotions in the past. With those lines, the first two passenger's are well within the parameters of traditional pricing AND the kids sail free...no bumping up the 1st/2nd passenger rates or hiding in fine print. They are truly great deals.

 

We called Carnival because we thought the website was doing whacky things...it happens, right? ;)

 

Nope. The price for an interior on the May 31st sailing out of Charleston came out to be 2106.00 for four passengers with 3rd/4th supposedly sailing free. We're platinum on Carnival and I can't find any 7 day cruises that are 800.00/1000.00 for the first two passengers in an interior UNLESS they are part of the kids sail free promotion.

 

We love Carnival, but if you're going to run a promotion, don't jack up prices and pretend like anyone is sailing free. Just don't run the promotion. And to the cheerleaders who'll say this is from standard pricing: No, it's not. Interior rooms on a seven day Carnival are NOT 800.00 to a 1000.00 bucks a person even with standard prices. Ever. They typically run anywhere from 300-550.00 dollars for the 1st and 2nd passengers. That's what they should be and the 3rd and 4th passengers should be FREE, like the promotion suggests.

 

On this, Carnival could take a lesson from NCL and RCCL. Their kids sail free are TRULY kids sail free promotions without price hikes. :)

 

 

 

Just priced this out--the price is 2106.00 for 4 people in an interior under the kids sale free promotion, but for 2 people under Fun Select rate it is $1867.30. Fun Select rates are $839 p/p for an interior

Edited May 1, 2014 by carib1