What are the details of Early Saver?

[scrapperluv]

I get it that there are some saving if you book with an early saver, but it sounds like there are a lot of restrictions that I don't know. We've been on 1 cruise (last month) and booked 3 months in advance so it wasn't an early saver. The prices dropped 17% a couple weeks before the cruise so I asked our TA if we could get the difference as OBC. She said no, but she was able to upgrade us from an inner cabin to a balcony!

 

With ES would we be able to get OBC or an upgrade? I think there is a clause that says you don't get credit for drops after final payment is due? Do we get ANYTHING if it drops after that? When is the final payment due? We paid in full when we booked it last time.

 

Really, I don't know a thing about ES and I'm nervous about booking with it. Can someone please outline the pros and cons? We're booking for Christmas 2014.

 

Thanks!!!

[aikenps611]

Not sure of exact restriction, but I believe you can chose either OBC or upgrade. My final payment was due in April and since then I have received $470 OBC. We already had a balcony room so no need to upgrade.

 

 

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[KenMo]

All cancellations that occur prior to the final payment due date will receive a non-refundable and non-transferable future cruise credit in US dollars in the amount of the deposit less a $50 pp service fee. Future cruise credit must be used on a sailing within 24 months from the date of cancellation.

 

Final payment date is about 75 days before sail for a 7 night cruise.

 

If you book ES, you are eligible for any price drops you qualify for up to 2 business days before sail.

 

If there is a price drop before you paid off the cruise, it will come off the amount you owe, unless you choose to upgrade.

 

If there is a price drop after you've paid off the cruise, you would get OBC unless you choose to upgrade.

Edited June 6, 2014 by KenMo

[scrapperluv]

Great! Thanks! So it looks like I'm limited on changing rooms if Ibook it this way?

[winddawn]

I get it that there are some saving if you book with an early saver, but it sounds like there are a lot of restrictions that I don't know. We've been on 1 cruise (last month) and booked 3 months in advance so it wasn't an early saver. The prices dropped 17% a couple weeks before the cruise so I asked our TA if we could get the difference as OBC. She said no, but she was able to upgrade us from an inner cabin to a balcony!

 

With ES would we be able to get OBC or an upgrade? I think there is a clause that says you don't get credit for drops after final payment is due? Do we get ANYTHING if it drops after that? When is the final payment due? We paid in full when we booked it last time.

 

Really, I don't know a thing about ES and I'm nervous about booking with it. Can someone please outline the pros and cons? We're booking for Christmas 2014.

 

Thanks!!!

If you scroll down in this list, you can read all of the early saver terms and conditions:

 

http://www.carnival.com/legal/specials-terms-conditions.aspx

[bar10der421]

All cancellations that occur prior to the final payment due date will receive a non-refundable and non-transferable future cruise credit in US dollars in the amount of the deposit less a $50 pp service fee. Future cruise credit must be used on a sailing within 24 months from the date of cancellation.

 

.

 

Can someone explain "non-transferable" to me? I think it means that the person using the fcc must be the same person who booked the cancelled cruise? I really am not trying to be funny or maudlin, but suppose the cancellation is due to the death of the person booked. Does that mean their deposit is totally forfeited? (presuming no trip insurance was purchased)

[ashkramer8]

I have booked early saver several times and have always been able to put in a claim and get on board credit when I see a reduced fare on the Carnival site. However, I thought that if a lower rate was found on another site that Carnival would also honor it (thus, why on the price protection form they ask where you found the lower rate and the website it was found on). I just submitted a claim because Travelocity has rates listed lower than my current rate. However, it was rejected with the claim that the "rate is higher than my current rate." I am going to follow up with Carnival, as I have a screenshot that shows the rate is in fact lower, but I'm wondering if it is because it was on another site and in fact I can only compare using Carnival's site?

 

Hopefully that made some sense to someone!

 

Thanks,

 

Ashley

[snc_cam]

Ashley,

 

Are you comparing the cabin (category) rates or a total rate. For example, the 4A rate may be cheaper but they increased the cost to go to a higher deck (say 4E). Also, the taxes/fees may have gone up. What I do to determine if there is a cheaper rate is go to to Carnival.com and do a mock booking, up to the point where you select a cabin in the same rate class. This way I have a total amount to include higher category and taxes/fees. Then, if it is cheaper than what I have paid, I contact Carnival.

 

Steve

[ashkramer8]

Steve, This is how I typically have gone about checking for a drop in price. The difference this time is I happened to find a lower price for the same category (in this case it was 4s) but it was on the Travelocity website. It was listed lower on Travelocity, but not on Carnival. My problem was trying to compare my booked rate to a rate on any other site than Carnival's, which I am not surprised is not allowed, but I think their form is a little confusing when it asks to know where/what site you found the lower rate. I was able to email back and forth with with a Carnival rep and suggested they do something to make this more clear. I'm happy with the price I paid, but less is always better of course! Oh well... fingers crossed that there is still a drop in my future in the next 40 days!

[snc_cam]

Steve, This is how I typically have gone about checking for a drop in price. The difference this time is I happened to find a lower price for the same category (in this case it was 4s) but it was on the Travelocity website. It was listed lower on Travelocity, but not on Carnival. My problem was trying to compare my booked rate to a rate on any other site than Carnival's, which I am not surprised is not allowed, but I think their form is a little confusing when it asks to know where/what site you found the lower rate. I was able to email back and forth with with a Carnival rep and suggested they do something to make this more clear. I'm happy with the price I paid, but less is always better of course! Oh well... fingers crossed that there is still a drop in my future in the next 40 days!

Hey Ashley,

 

Could you have taken a screen shot of the final price on Travelocity for the 4S? Or as an alternative, maybe you could have called and walked the Carnival rep through the Travelocity site.

 

I too am happy with the prices I paid, or I wouldn't have booked the cruise. But agree with you, if I can get price drops, so be it :) Our cruises leave about the same time. The price I paid for this cruise is still lower than the current price.

 

Hope you enjoy your cruise.

 

Steve