Carnival is refusing to honor Price Protection?!

[Cruisin'CaveChick]

Has anyone had this happen before?!

I booked through a travel agent on the Early Saver deal with Price Protection. I have had 2 Early Saver Price Protection claims go through without a hitch, but today when my agent tried to get it to go through, they did the wrong sale and kicked me out of my room to a TBA. My agent called because she was very clear that was not what she had requested or approved. They insisted that's how Early Saver Price Protection always works, that there is no way to keep your room/ select which rate you want, that it will always be whatever the current lowest rate type is (which we know isn't true from both the online terms and previous experience). They finally agreed to change the booking back to how it was before, but are refusing to allow me to use the "Sailebration of Cruising" fare. They insist that I have to accept the "24 Hour Sale" rate where my room becomes a "Guarantee" room if I want to use the Early Saver Price Protection. This is not correct as per the terms of the Early Saver Price Protection and is not ok. :mad:

 

I'm really glad they got me my room back, but I don't see any reason for them to not honor the Early Saver Price Protection. My agent said in the 30 years she's been doing this this has never happened to her, and she tried to get them to do the correct lower fare, but they just wouldn't budge. Has anyone else ever had this happen?? :confused:

[hftmrock]

have them call back and talk with someone else

[Cruisin'CaveChick]

have them call back and talk with someone else

 

I asked and she said Carnival's Guest Services is closed for the day. :(

[swscruiser]

If the sailebration fare is a guaranteed cabin fare then you can not get the lower fare unless you give up your cabin choice. the early saver can only be matched to same category cabin as you originally booked. you could upgrade to a higher category cabin if the price is the same as you originally booked.

[tropicaledrink]

Has anyone had this happen before?!

I booked through a travel agent on the Early Saver deal with Price Protection. I have had 2 Early Saver Price Protection claims go through without a hitch' date=' but today when my agent tried to get it to go through, they did the wrong sale and kicked me out of my room to a TBA. My agent called because she was very clear that was not what she had requested or approved. They insisted that's how Early Saver Price Protection always works, that there is no way to keep your room/ select which rate you want, that it will always be whatever the current lowest rate type is (which we know isn't true from both the online terms and previous experience). They finally agreed to change the booking back to how it was before, but are refusing to allow me to use the "Sailebration of Cruising" fare. They insist that I have to accept the "24 Hour Sale" rate where my room becomes a "Guarantee" room if I want to use the Early Saver Price Protection. This is not correct as per the terms of the Early Saver Price Protection and is not ok. :mad:

 

I'm really glad they got me my room back, but I don't see any reason for them to not honor the Early Saver Price Protection. My agent said in the 30 years she's been doing this this has never happened to her, and she tried to get them to do the correct lower fare, but they just wouldn't budge. Has anyone else ever had this happen?? :confused:[/quote']

 

Ok, I haven't looked at the fare you mentioned, but you absolutely cannot price match to a guarantee rate. That is true. You have to match to a rate where you are able to select your room. That is in the terms of the Early Saver fare.

 

However, if this rate allows you to select you cabin location and is NOT a guarantee rate, you should be able to price match it.

 

If you have been able to price match to a guarantee before, you have gotten quite lucky.

[seamusdad]

I asked and she said Carnival's Guest Services is closed for the day. :(

I have called and changed things in my booking as well as booked a cruise at 1 am. Carnival agents can be reached 24 hrs a day. I dont use a TA for this very reason, I want to have communication with the cruise line instead of going through a middle nan.

 

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[firemanbobswife]

Ok, I haven't looked at the fare you mentioned, but you absolutely cannot price match to a guarantee rate. That is true. You have to match to a rate where you are able to select your room. That is in the terms of the Early Saver fare.

 

However, if this rate allows you to select you cabin location and is NOT a guarantee rate, you should be able to price match it.

 

If you have been able to price match to a guarantee before, you have gotten quite lucky.

 

Actually, you can price match one time to a guarantee rate but once you do that, you can't get anymore price drops. It has been reported here numerous times.

[firemanbobswife]

But here's a thought. Could it be that the "Sailabration of Cruising" sale wasn't cheaper than the rate you currently had? Did you have previous OBC with your initial reservation? If so, you must calculate that in when comparing to the new rate. So if the new sale didn't have OBC, but your original ES Rate did, then your total could be more by switching. It may be that the 24 hour sale was the only rate that was actually cheaper once you factored all that in.

 

Just throwing that possibility out there.

[cbCRR]

Also keep in mind that if you match to a rate like Pack n Go or Super Saver, you will give up your cabin for guarantee (they choose cabin) and no longer eligible for early saver protection .

[bakersdozen12]

Actually, you can price match one time to a guarantee rate but once you do that, you can't get anymore price drops. It has been reported here numerous times.

 

 

But my understanding is that in order to do so, you have to give up your cabin. Sounds like the OP doesn't want to do that.

 

 

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[firemanbobswife]

But my understanding is that in order to do so, you have to give up your cabin. Sounds like the OP doesn't want to do that.

 

 

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Yes that is true. I was just saying that price matching to a guarantee is actually possible using ES.

[Angelboys3]

Screen shot the rate you're seeing and have your TA e-mail it to them if needed. I had a similar issue a month or 2 ago. I was eligible for a cheaper casino rate that happened to be the same price as a guarantee rate they had available. Even though I specified I wanted the casino rate, I still got bumped into the gty pool and didn't notice until the next day. Luckily when I called they were able to get me my room back along with the OBC I was owed.

[Cruisin'CaveChick]

I do know that changing to a Guarantee type rate would require changing to a Guarantee room, that's exactly what I don't want to do. They have 2 sales right now. The 24 Hour Sale is lower, but would be a "Guarantee" room, the "Sailebration of Cruising" isn't as low, but it still $40 less than my current rate and is a "choose your room" rate. My agent spent an hour on the phone with them and they insisted their computers won't allow them to do the "choose your room" rate because the "guarantee" rate is lower than the "choose your rate", despite both being lower than my current rate.

 

I do not have any onboard credit currently to factor into the price.

 

:confused::confused::confused:

Edited April 2, 2016 by Cruisin'CaveChick

[Cruisin'CaveChick]

Screen shot the rate you're seeing and have your TA e-mail it to them if needed. I had a similar issue a month or 2 ago. I was eligible for a cheaper casino rate that happened to be the same price as a guarantee rate they had available. Even though I specified I wanted the casino rate, I still got bumped into the gty pool and didn't notice until the next day. Luckily when I called they were able to get me my room back along with the OBC I was owed.

 

That gives me hope, thank you! I've definitely been screenshotting things, so I will have her do that! :D

[Jamman54]

I do know that changing to a Guarantee type rate would require changing to a Guarantee room' date=' that's exactly what I don't want to do. They have 2 sales right now. The 24 Hour Sale is lower, but would be a "Guarantee" room, the "Sailebration of Cruising" isn't as low, but it still $40 less than my current rate and is a "choose your room" rate. My agent spent an hour on the phone with them and they insisted their computers won't allow them to do the "choose your room" rate because the "guarantee" rate is lower than the "choose your rate", despite both being lower than my current rate.

 

I do not have any onboard credit currently to factor into the price.

 

:confused::confused::confused:[/quote']

 

You are absolutely right as you have described it. You should be able to price match to the Sailabration of Cruising rate, and not be forced to match the guarantee rate and lose your cabin. If it were me I would have let my PVP handle it, or if I booked on line, submitted the form myself, and if it was rejected, I would have called again and again until I was able to speak to someone who knows what they are doing. Now it seems that you have confidence in your TA, but I would be leery of a TA that told me that Carnival's Customer Service was closed when in reality they are available 24/7. Just sayin.....

Edited April 2, 2016 by Jamman54

[firemanbobswife]

I do know that changing to a Guarantee type rate would require changing to a Guarantee room' date=' that's exactly what I don't want to do. They have 2 sales right now. The 24 Hour Sale is lower, but would be a "Guarantee" room, the "Sailebration of Cruising" isn't as low, but it still $40 less than my current rate and is a "choose your room" rate. My agent spent an hour on the phone with them and they insisted their computers won't allow them to do the "choose your room" rate because the "guarantee" rate is lower than the "choose your rate", despite both being lower than my current rate.

 

I do not have any onboard credit currently to factor into the price.

 

:confused::confused::confused:[/quote']

 

 

 

Well dang. That's the first I've heard of that one! Good luck and I hope you get it straightened out soon. But tomorrow is Saturday and that dept is closed. I had some issues before and had to wait until 8AM Monday morning.

 

Good news is the 24 hour sale should be over in about a half an hour. Maybe once it's gone the regular people can switch it.

[JLee1973]

This is why I don't use a TA. I prefer to talk to the agents myself. Customer Service is not closed you can reach them 24 hours a day.

 

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Edited April 2, 2016 by JLee1973

[oldvato]

If the sailebration fare is a guaranteed cabin fare then you can not get the lower fare unless you give up your cabin choice. the early saver can only be matched to same category cabin as you originally booked. you could upgrade to a higher category cabin if the price is the same as you originally booked.

 

In my case, I was told that the price drop was not for my cabin class, which was Ocean View mid ship. The drop was for unsold cabins at the back section. We got the price drop, but we had to cancel our cabin and take one at the back section. I had no problem with that since it did get me a credit.

[HamSammie]

Reason # 74 as to why people should not use Travel Agents.

 

Instead of customer <-> Carnival, you get

 

Customer -> Travel Agent -> Carnival -> Travel Agent -> Customer

 

And 96.538% of the time, the average cruiser knows more than a travel agent.

[crazyboutdisney]

Yep. I book all my travel, not only with Carnival but with Disney as well on my own. I want to be the one making the calls and talking to the customer service person myself. Alot can be lost in translation, as they say.

Good luck op!! Hope you get some satisfaction :) Let us know how it works out

[tropicaledrink]

Actually, you can price match one time to a guarantee rate but once you do that, you can't get anymore price drops. It has been reported here numerous times.

 

Let me clarify. You can not price match to a guarantee rate and KEEP early saver.

[firemanbobswife]

Let me clarify. You can not price match to a guarantee rate and KEEP early saver.

 

Yep. Meaning once you switch to a guarantee rate, you are done for price drops.

 

Wonder if OP got any answers today. Carnival Customer Care is closed on the weekend so I wouldn't be surprised if they have to wait until Monday.

[dave_k58]

Reason # 74 as to why people should not use Travel Agents.

 

Instead of customer <-> Carnival, you get

 

Customer -> Travel Agent -> Carnival -> Travel Agent -> Customer

 

And 96.538% of the time, the average cruiser knows more than a travel agent.

 

and most of them just work from home doing what you can do yourself

[Cruisin'CaveChick]

In my case, I was told that the price drop was not for my cabin class, which was Ocean View mid ship. The drop was for unsold cabins at the back section. We got the price drop, but we had to cancel our cabin and take one at the back section. I had no problem with that since it did get me a credit.

 

Mine was definitely for my same class, I was very careful. Midship, Main Deck, OceanView. :(

[Cruisin'CaveChick]

I don't have answers yet, still working on it. :(