First Early Saver attempt

[spiritkat090909]

This is my FIRST time to book under Early Saver. (Jan 2016) I usually can't book far in advance and get better rates with casino promotions but I wanted to take my daughter, mom, & sister's families with us on a pre-Christmas cruise. So...I'd have to hope my husband could go (probably will be a no-show.) Dec 2017 this year...

 

And since it would be a holiday cruise, rates would probably not go down, but I could get a reduced deposit of $50pp. Since I was paying for these...every PENNY would count. Haunting Verizon/AArp sites for 10% gift cards along the way!

 

So far so good.

 

And then...RATES start actually dropping! I would not have even known about it ...had I not gotten my hoped for CASINO promotion of reduced rate (meh..about $12pp less) and CASH on board (SCORE! $900 for me, $400 hubby, if he goes...and Premier Cruise inclusion drink card/gifts/towels etc.)

 

So...I start submitting forms. Mom's rate up $12 total with port fees, but adds $100 onboard credit. Getting pvp to add the casino rate to our cabin... Somehow my pvp? got a really nice rate reduction of $300 for my daughters quad cabin. She is VIFP red and was on that Liberty sailing that got a 25% discount. I have no idea how they came up with those rates...but ..SURPRISE. THANKS pvp?

 

BUT...the quad cabin for my sister, who is Royal Caribbean & NCL past pax... her rate LOOKED to be $195 less instead of the $300 of my daughters. I submitted the form. Hey..the total for the cabin WAS $195 less on my Early Saver res. They DECLINED IT.

 

Reason: The rates were higher? I looked again.

 

Yep. The first TWO people in the cabin WERE $10 per person higher. TECHNICALLY, they are right. But, bottom line?

 

EARLY SAVER STINKS.

 

That reduced deposit is due if you change anything, and that was known and planned for. But, they purposely fix those rates so they CAN decline on quad cabins! And you can't convince me otherwise. I've asked my PVP to see what he can do. Not hoping for anything...he seems to be rather low on the empowerment pole. And I shouldn't have to ASK him to do anything. I booked them myself and transferred over to him so he could get sales credit. He is earning his sale this week. My fingers are not crossed that he will be successful. Corporate greed. They must have bean counters go over every possible scenario to come up with a way to beat OUR systems!

 

I don't know that I could have done anything differently. To book in advance over a year and a half to get everyone in Cove balconies...maybe I could have gotten the same starting rates with full deposits? But, the rates NOW are less...it is 6 months out for a holiday sailing from Galveston. Who would have thought that possible? But, room locations are no longer together.

 

I didn't expect the rates to drop. So, I am PLEASED for the small bonuses. It just really irritates me that they do those sort of things! As my momma would say, " FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD! "

[firemanbobswife]

Your PVP only gets credit for your booking if they take the initial deposit. If you book online or by the 800 number and put money down, it doesn't count. I asked and that's what mine told me.

[Saint Greg]

Your PVP only gets credit for your booking if they take the initial deposit. If you book online or by the 800 number and put money down, it doesn't count. I asked and that's what mine told me.

 

Interesting. I booked on board and transferred it to my PVP and he seemed very appreciative.

[momof3cruisers]

I'm confused. Have you done a mock booking online with four people in the cabin? If the rate is lower then you should get that rate if your original booking is for four in the same category. I book three in a room all the time and have never had an issue with first/second vs third passengers. It should be the total rate for the cabin.

[firemanbobswife]

Interesting. I booked on board and transferred it to my PVP and he seemed very appreciative.

 

I believe the onboard bookings are different. Next time I call him I'll ask. I have had friends and acquaintances book online or via the 800 number and asked him if he wanted to take them over to get credit and he explained he wouldn't because he needs to be the one to submit the payment. I wouldn't expect him to work for free so we left them alone.

[spiritkat090909]

I'm confused. Have you done a mock booking online with four people in the cabin? If the rate is lower then you should get that rate if your original booking is for four in the same category. I book three in a room all the time and have never had an issue with first/second vs third passengers. It should be the total rate for the cabin.

 

 

Yes, I did the mock booking (after I logged out so it wouldn't throw MY vifp info in). That is how I came up with the 859 pp rate. And I'm even MORE confused the more I look at it.

 

Except my first rates were : total price 3317 (849/849/629/629 +)

 

 

The current rate in the cabin is a total price of 3202. (899/899/259/769 plus port)

(changed from ES to military for $50 obc from Early Saver)

 

The SALE rates for quad/Tx resident/cove rm asgn TODAY is a total price of 3122. plus $100 OBC (859/859/259/769 +)

 

It SHOULD be rather simple. Rate is lower now than I currently have...right?

 

I RESUBMITTED the form. Somebody won't bother to take the time to figure it out and I'm going to make someone TELL me something. In detail. Until I see the reasoning behind...this rate is higher than what I have...because it is not. (Head spinning.)

[lazydayz]

Keep trying. If you could book the same cabin for the same people for a lower price today, Carnival should honor it. And keep watching the casino rate. We once ended up with over $2000 in OBC as two of our three cabins were able to snag the Pack and Play rate a month or two before sailing, and that was over spring break here in Florida. Good luck.

[Mimi2Say]

I got a $100 reduction in my balance due plus got $100 OBC for my January 2018 Dream cruise. I went to fareviewer on the Carnival website. I saw the difference in booking prices, and then called the number listed at the top of the page. Talked to a very nice woman named Melinda. She looked up my booking, and boom, easy as that!! Try calling and talk to someone, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you :-)

[spiritkat090909]

UPDATE:

 

I did the resubmission...and it was refused again with standard form letter stating price was higher.

 

SO...I emailed copies of my 'proof' of lower rate to the earlysaver email on the refusal letter, copied to my pvp. And this morning, I get msg from pvp that everything HAS been taken care of, with confirmation fax.

 

What an ordeal. I'm just guessing that they had temporary help on the weekend for the sale hired to do these price protection forms that couldn't do math? I asked for details on how they were making their math different from mine. The email was 5 attachment pages with each step of each change I had made to the record from inception. (I have my BINDER! lol.... cc101 tip)

 

But, $300 is substantial.

[spiritkat090909]

Keep trying. If you could book the same cabin for the same people for a lower price today, Carnival should honor it. And keep watching the casino rate. We once ended up with over $2000 in OBC as two of our three cabins were able to snag the Pack and Play rate a month or two before sailing, and that was over spring break here in Florida. Good luck.

 

I will keep watching! That is a substantial amount of OBC for the casino. ;) Our last Premier in October, hubby hit the Royal Flush playing quarter Chips on Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em...hence the family trip... We actually had to go through customs to report cash since it was the last day of play when he hit and they didn't get any of it back in the casino. lol

Edited June 12, 2017 by spiritkat090909
chips for ships

[JaniceB]

Rates are so confusing. I went with Military and past guest for my daughters cabin. Her rate was $10 a person higher but we can cancel and get all our money back and since we are going in 2019 I thought the peace of mind was worth it. I missed out on the military OBC because that rate carries early saver rules.