Future Cruise Presentation Worth It?

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

We will be on the Paradise Aug 17, and we are considering booking a cruise for Jan 2016.

 

Would it be worth it to attend the Future Cruise Presentation, or would it be just a rehashing of everything I read here?

[Dpondex]

Interested to see the responses as for my cruise I'm debating on whether I should buy my next cruise prior to sailing or purchase while on board.

[forwardcabin]

Though the presentation is mostly to promote the Carnival MasterCard, we still go sit through it on every cruise. It's another opportunity to perhaps learn something new about cruising and even make some new friends.

 

Since Carnival discontinued the Future Cruise Vouchers, booking a cruise while on a cruise is the only way to get the OBC that the FCVs once afforded. In addition, you get two Friends & Family vouchers to give to others, who, if they book the same cruise you did within 60 days, they also get the same OBC.

 

If you intend to book a cruise while on a cruise, you should research in advance the cruise date, ship, cabin category, cabin location, deposit needed, etc., and have that info ready when you make the booking onboard.

 

Here's hoping you have a great cruise and an even greater future cruise. Bon Voyage!

[davy jones]

To me, no.

 

I avoid onboard "events" that are sales pitches.

[snc_cam]

You don't need to go to the presentation. Last one we did was when the FVCs were still around and that is where you got them. Now we just go to the future cruise desk, early in the cruise and book our next one.

[Miller_KC]

It depends on how good the future cruise person is. On the Magic in February I learned a couple of new booking ideas in the talk, but the best part was the slide show he had for the new features of the Vista and some of the concepts that were being designed for mega Carnival ships after the Vista. He also talked a little about the longer Journeys cruises. If you get someone that has that kind of information it can be interesting, otherwise its mostly marketing.

Edited July 21, 2015 by Miller_KC

[javajunkie91]

We went last week on the Breeze. Huge push to sign up for the MasterCard. We decided we were interested in booking an Alaskan cruise for next year. Went to the desk three times that day. The first time the guy was leaving for a meeting, the second time he was chatting with someone who apparently knows him from past cruises and the third time the music coming from the lounge next door made it impossible. Besides the fact he didn't really seem interested in selling is a cruise. Forgoing the $100 OBC we decided to book online once we were home as none of our friends or family would want to join.

[StaceySteveDMB]

We always do our research ahead of time on the cruise and room(s) we want to book. We only book while on board now. The OBC for booking onboard is worth it to us.

[Miller_KC]

If I am going to book a cruise I try to catch the guy on embarkation day before the Future Cruise talk. The lines are either short or non-existent.

[stoddaj1]

Can we book a future cruise onboard then transfer it to a travel agent once home?

[crusinpsychRN]

Mostly trying to sell the Master Card which is administered by Barclay Bank. Worst customer service EVER! Disputed charges in January which wasn't taken care of for 7 months! I closed the stupid card.

[forwardcabin]

Can we book a future cruise onboard then transfer it to a travel agent once home?

...when you book onboard, the booking gets transferred to the person with whom you booked the current cruise. You can always change that later.

[Budget Queen]

Can we book a future cruise onboard then transfer it to a travel agent once home?

 

Yes, you have 90 days to transfer your booking.

[Budget Queen]

The future cruise talks, are for people, who are newer cruisers, or have done less cruising on Carnival. Anyone, who has sailed with them 5-10 times, isn't going to get anything new about the basics of cruising. As mentioned, you can get a look at new ships, new itineraries. But these are available online as well.

 

The cruise consultant is a booking agent, NOT a "travel" agent. You have to do all your homework in advance and know exactly, what ship, date, cabin, you want to book. Problem is, some people don't and take up huge amounts of time- causing long waits. The lines are always longer after the presentations. So, it's of significant benefit to go early in your cruise.

 

I use this benefit, frequently, with ALWAYS, purchasing, distant future random cruises- at past passenger rates. I then can transfer these "bookings" to any cruise I want, keeping the extra OBC. You do have 90 days to transfer this booking to any agent you want. I generally buy 3 at a time, so that I have a stockpile. I do cruise frequently- 10 of 17 Carnival cruises last year.

 

If you are a once a year cruiser- you can book into 2017, so still could be worthwhile to have the "extra" booking.

Edited July 21, 2015 by Budget Queen

[Banks822]

If I have time then I like to go. I usually learn something new and it always gets me thinking about what ship I want to go on next.

[love my grandkids]

We went a few times and than found it very conducive to a nap.

[islandatsea]

We go if there is nothing else we would want to do.

[Honolulu Blue]

We will be on the Paradise Aug 17' date=' and we are considering booking a cruise for Jan 2016.

 

Would it be worth it to attend the Future Cruise Presentation, or would it be just a rehashing of everything I read here?[/quote']

 

I've been to four presentations, two each on the two ships that had FC desks. They're interesting, a good way to kill 60-90 minutes if nothing else. The second presentation on each ship was much better attended, I found. Expect a pretty hard pitch for the Carnival Master Card.

 

If you know exactly what cruise you want, when, and what cabin, then my suggestion is to go straight to the FC desk as soon as you can and book it. The lines get longer and longer as the cruise goes on.

 

But if you don't know all the features of the various ships or all the places Carnival can go and you want to know about such things, then the presentations will tell you about them.

[jacksmycat]

Is the FC desk open on the first day as soon as you get on board?

[sarmat1]

I use this benefit, frequently, with ALWAYS, purchasing, distant future random cruises- at past passenger rates. I then can transfer these "bookings" to any cruise I want, keeping the extra OBC.

 

 

Is there a time limit to transfer the booking to another cruise?

[Budget Queen]

Is there a time limit to transfer the booking to another cruise?

 

Well you are going to want to do it before final payment, since you would be canceling it prior to that time.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Thanks all.

 

For the cruise we are looking at, our travel agent is offering $170 discount for booking through them. Saving $170 at final payment is better than $100 obc.

[Martini Mom]

We just went to one a couple weeks ago and it was a total waste of time. We were all jammed into a small lounge and told they would raffle off a free cruise. They didn't. They gave away 2 imitation Pandora bracelets that they sell on the ship ($20 each), gave the same info you can get here or anywhere, and even let people add themselves to the raffle 5 mins beforehand (meaning they didn't listen to the talk).

[djcass4199]

We have been to every future cruise presentation since our honeymoon cruise on the Fascination. Never learn anything new regarding booking the rates and I could probably give the presentation just as good as if not better than the loyalty expert because we have done so much research. We like to go to see if there is any news on future itineraries or future shift deployment and it's never a boring presentation.

 

And we did get confirm this past week on Paradise that the Miracle is indeed coming to Tampa in 2017 and they just haven't announced it yet.

[islandatsea]

We have been to every future cruise presentation since our honeymoon cruise on the Fascination. Never learn anything new regarding booking the rates and I could probably give the presentation just as good as if not better than the loyalty expert because we have done so much research. We like to go to see if there is any news on future itineraries or future shift deployment and it's never a boring presentation.

 

And we did get confirm this past week on Paradise that the Miracle is indeed coming to Tampa in 2017 and they just haven't announced it yet.

 

You are correct........... Miracle has a charter cruise by Bare Necessities out of Tampa. Hopefully, after that charter is over , Carnival will start to have some 7 day or longer sailings from Tampa to include partial transits of the Panama Canal would be nice :) !