Free cruise offer directly from Carnival???

[Jzx1103]

Just got a call from the carnival sales rep that we booked from previously. He offered me a deal that seemed too good to be true. He said carnival randomly selected past guests for free cruise and all I have to pay is $271 port charge and taxes for both me and my wife with a $100 OBC for carnival magic 7 days in Aug. I couldnt believe it. Anyone else gotten these offers from carnival? I know about the timeshare scams from 3rd party but this isnt it. My carnival rep directly called and offered this. Unfortunately im not even sure if I can take time off from work.

[Lisichka]

This is true offer

[Jzx1103]

Probably includes gratuities also. There are at least 2 other threads about these offers today.

 

He told me gratuities is not included. But still, this kills me that I may not be able to take time off from work.

[WindsorFred]

He told me gratuities is not included. But still, this kills me that I may not be able to take time off from work.

 

After re reading another thread it seems that there is a $100 charge for the cruise, they then give you $100 OBC which technically makes it a free cruise.

Hopefully you can get the time off.

[srjones1]

It's for real. I actually started another thread about the same thing. We were already planning for the week offered so it worked out in our favor. We took the OV for $85pp so with OBC it was $15pp plus tax. They might be getting desperate but we enjoy cruising so we jumped all over it.

[srjones1]

Also, my PVP said if you don't buy the insurance and you have to cancel for any reason you don't just lose what you paid but will also be obligated to pay the full fare with no discounts. We went ahead and got it...

[WindsorFred]

Also, my PVP said if you don't buy the insurance and you have to cancel for any reason you don't just lose what you paid but will also be obligated to pay the full fare with no discounts. We went ahead and got it...

 

Do you get VIFP points if you just accept the free offer or do you need to upgrade to get them?

[volfan22701]

last night booked two balconies for 8 day southern caribbean on the sunshine in august. $419 total per room. the day before these same rooms were $2150 each. had been watching them for the last few weeks in anticipation of booking. got an email around noon and booked about 6 last night. our pvp said there were only 6 balconies on that cruise available at that time for this deal, and i took two of them. first time we ever got any offer like this and my wife and i each got it.

 

doug

[lottsomom]

Do you get VIFP points if you just accept the free offer or do you need to upgrade to get them?

 

We get our points on these offers every time.

[bingomamma19]

Also, my PVP said if you don't buy the insurance and you have to cancel for any reason you don't just lose what you paid but will also be obligated to pay the full fare with no discounts. We went ahead and got it...

 

 

Mine did not say that, and I have no idea how they would enforce it--I booked mine yesterday over the phone, I signed nothing. I checked my cruise contract in my profile and dont see anything like that---they try to sell you their insurance all the time--but carnivals insurance is very pricey and doesnt cover near what other private ones do.

 

I booked through insure my trip last night for $40.00 total for my daughter and I for comprehensive coverage.

 

Either way, I am psyched to be going on the Breeze for the 3rd time in 2 years--this time almost free!!! (I did an 8 day free cruise on the Splendor last summer out of New York and there were 3 medical evacuations on my cruise, so I do take the insurance--you never know)

[Jzx1103]

Well, too bad we couldnt take full advantage of this deal since I couldn't get the days off from work, but I didnt want to completely waste it either, so we booked a 4 day on the Triumph for $199 with $100 OBC in July. We were last on the Triumph just a few months before the fire incident. I head she has the 2.0 upgrades since, so it'll be nice to see the difference.

[srjones1]

Mine did not say that, and I have no idea how they would enforce it--I booked mine yesterday over the phone, I signed nothing. I checked my cruise contract in my profile and dont see anything like that---they try to sell you their insurance all the time--but carnivals insurance is very pricey and doesnt cover near what other private ones do.

 

I booked through insure my trip last night for $40.00 total for my daughter and I for comprehensive coverage.

 

Either way, I am psyched to be going on the Breeze for the 3rd time in 2 years--this time almost free!!! (I did an 8 day free cruise on the Splendor last summer out of New York and there were 3 medical evacuations on my cruise, so I do take the insurance--you never know)

 

I admit I haven't had time to dig into the fine print but I will this morning and drop their insurance if I can. But what we were told that if we were unable to make the cruise we would be responsible for the full fare amount on the day we bought at the lower price because it was casino related. So, if we can't go for whatever reason it becomes about $1400 meaning they would charge our card another $900 to make the difference.

[ibcnusoon]

I got the free cruise offer in February and booked.

 

About the insurance, YES, you will be charged the Fun Select rate if you cancel the free cruise. It is best to get insurance to cover in case you have to cancel. We bought it through a third party, much cheaper than Carnival plus I needed pre-existing conditions because my dad and stepmom have been in and out of the hospital. Also, you cannot insure only what you paid (we paid $288 for our cruise). I had to pay whatever the prevailing Fun Select Rate was at the time I booked. So I'm bought insurance based on the Fun Select Rate, which was $2500.

 

If you look at the fine print of the offer given to you, you will see where it outlines the cancellation policy.

Edited June 11, 2014 by ibcnusoon