Group Bookings

[mkcurran]

Anybody have any experience with recent group bookings?

 

The grandkids are wanting to take a cruise for their senior trip next year. With just the immediate family we'll have 13 people. I wouldn't be hard to get a few more and move into the group booking ranks.

 

NCL has a clearly laid out benefit plan for group bookings. I can't find anything like that for Carnival.

 

So please share your experiences.

 

Thanks!

[flounder315]

we just booked a group cruise last month. Must have a least 8 cabins. it was easy, called my Carnival PVP and she walked us through it and booked all the cabins we wanted. Group cruises are only good for interiors and balconies. Ocean views are not included for some reason... We picked our amenity gifts while we were on the phone with her, Champagne & Strawberries, 2 tote bags and $25 OBC per cabin. We also received an OBC to the account of whoever sets it up. We are using ours to take all 21 of us to the Steakhouse.

[mkcurran]

we just booked a group cruise last month. Must have a least 8 cabins. it was easy, called my Carnival PVP and she walked us through it and booked all the cabins we wanted. Group cruises are only good for interiors and balconies. Ocean views are not included for some reason... We picked our amenity gifts while we were on the phone with her, Champagne & Strawberries, 2 tote bags and $25 OBC per cabin. We also received an OBC to the account of whoever sets it up. We are using ours to take all 21 of us to the Steakhouse.

 

Thanks for confirming I'd have to go through a PVP for Carnival. Sounds like we could spread the OBC to all of the cabins possibly.

[Jeni99]

I just went on a group cruise through Carnival I spent two years organizing. Had pluses and headaches :) I did it with out a PVP. We had all types of rooms... interior, balconies, OV and suites. 13 rooms total. Myself and my friend split the conductor credit as we put lots of time, money and energy into planning and organizing. The amenity gift we chose was each cabin got a bottle of wine and $50 on board credit.

[jakesnana]

Thanks for confirming I'd have to go through a PVP for Carnival. Sounds like we could spread the OBC to all of the cabins possibly.

 

You do not need to go through a Carnival PVP. Find a TA that specializes in groups and you will be much better off. Also, OV cabins CAN be added to the group, you just cannot protect the price on that type of cabin. You can only protect the pricing on IS and BL cabins. If someone wants an OV cabin than they would pay the current rate for it and than you move the cabin into the group so that they get the benefits of the group.

 

My suggestion, find a TA who specializes in groups, have him/her set up the group, spread the word to your family/friends about the cruise. If they are interested in going, give them the name/contact info for the TA and let him/her take care of the rest. A group cruise should be FUN for everyone going, while providing extra perks for everyone. There is no need for anyone in the group to have to deal with the hassles/headaches of organizing the group.

[airlink diva]

My family did our family reunion on a Carnival ship. Started the planning slightly over three years out.

We did use PVP and the pricing was reasonable and was a better deal than with TA (at least with us). We had from two suites, balcony, outside and inside. The majority was outside cabins.

Total of 19 rooms was the final count.

One thing one of my cousins did was set up a website for updates, polls for shore excursions, hotel and flight suggestions.

About half drove and the remaining flew. I normally tell anyone to book their own air, but several of my relatives used Carnival air and it was a good thing because their flight left late out of DTW, but because they and about 75 folks from DTW and other flights who used Carnival air arrived after 2:00 p.m. they still got on the ship (my aunt stated felt a little rushed, but happy they went with this option).

My parents also set up a happy hour for the family, we had Sunday service in a meeting room and a family meeting in the same room later in the week.

Overall great cruise without the stress of one family trying to host everyone. Also got good rates with local vendors in two ports. The other ports different people did different things.

One balcony room was comp due to the booking can't tell you the requirements but they also was the primary folks with our reunion.

Great with family from my grandmother in her 80's to the newest family member at 2 years old. My momma joked got our money worth the amount of pizza and burgers the teenage boys ate.

It can be a lot work, but also fun way to enjoy family. Dinner was eaten together, but other meals weren't same with other items onboard.

[Fatcat604]

Group booking only good for 8 room or more?

And is the discount good? I booked a group of 15 this summer,(not 8 room)

If you are looking for airline ticket, try to contact Alaska airline, 10 or more you will qualify for group discount, cheaper than the rate you found on their website. One good thing is you don't have to pay right away, they give me 3 month to pay. And if you find cheaper rate, tell them to price match, they may able yo do it for you

[jakesnana]

My family did our family reunion on a Carnival ship. Started the planning slightly over three years out.

We did use PVP and the pricing was reasonable and was a better deal than with TA (at least with us). We had from two suites, balcony, outside and inside. The majority was outside cabins.

Total of 19 rooms was the final count.

One thing one of my cousins did was set up a website for updates, polls for shore excursions, hotel and flight suggestions.

About half drove and the remaining flew. I normally tell anyone to book their own air, but several of my relatives used Carnival air and it was a good thing because their flight left late out of DTW, but because they and about 75 folks from DTW and other flights who used Carnival air arrived after 2:00 p.m. they still got on the ship (my aunt stated felt a little rushed, but happy they went with this option).

My parents also set up a happy hour for the family, we had Sunday service in a meeting room and a family meeting in the same room later in the week.

Overall great cruise without the stress of one family trying to host everyone. Also got good rates with local vendors in two ports. The other ports different people did different things.

One balcony room was comp due to the booking can't tell you the requirements but they also was the primary folks with our reunion.

Great with family from my grandmother in her 80's to the newest family member at 2 years old. My momma joked got our money worth the amount of pizza and burgers the teenage boys ate.

It can be a lot work, but also fun way to enjoy family. Dinner was eaten together, but other meals weren't same with other items onboard.

 

I agree with a few exceptions, highlighted in red:

It should NEVER cost more to go through a TA than through a PVP. TA's have access to the same rates as the Carnival PVP's. If you're paying more with a TA than that TA is charging either a booking fee or a cancellation fee. Either way, time to find a new TA.

 

It doesn't need to be a lot of work IF you use a TA. They will make arrangements for all things related to shipboard activities such as meeting space (for your service and family meeting), the private "happy hour" and arranging your dining. Anything off the ship (such as excursions) you would have to coordinate. I have found it just as easy to set up a FB page for a group rather than an entire website. Also, a FB page is more accessible from most devices whereas a website is more easily accessible from a computer or tablet.

[Micahs Grandad]

Friends of ours have done this and after doing it said never again. Lot more work than they realized and some people going were royal pains to deal with.

[carlucci40]

Is the private room used for a happy hour or cocktail party complimentary or is there a fee?

[Cruise-Crazy]

They are talking about doing a high school reunion cruise and since I have done a few cruises (60) it seems I will be involved in the planning. This is about three years away. Maybe I should start looking into details. :(

[jakesnana]

They are talking about doing a high school reunion cruise and since I have done a few cruises (60) it seems I will be involved in the planning. This is about three years away. Maybe I should start looking into details. :(

 

A high school reunion on a cruise can be an absolutely amazing time, but again, who ever is going to do all the work may not think so. If it is 3 years away, I would recommend thinking about a date now and start watching for the ship/itineraries to become available for that date. You will never get a better rate and/or amount of amenities as when the sailing is first released, so keep that in mind.

[jakesnana]

Is the private room used for a happy hour or cocktail party complimentary or is there a fee?

 

If you are talking about a "happy hour" that is private and paid for by the group, then you will get to use one of the private rooms that is not being utilized at the time (we have had the disco several times). You are usually charged a per person/per hour rate and that includes the venue and bar service for an open bar. If you want anything additional (we have had a DJ before) than this is extra. It will most likely be on a sea day in the afternoon.

 

If you're talking about the shared cocktail party that is a group amenity, then that is complimentary and the place and time is determined by the ship's staff.

[serene56]

It was not extra work for me. I let the agent to all the work

 

I have done plenty of groups but they no longer offer any type of incentive. I could find pricing better by booking individual pricing

 

With the amenities-- they add that price on to the cruise so know the price going in when talking with an agent

 

Depends on the sailing for amenities.. higher peak sailing time (Summer) will get less amenities then say something is May.

 

13 people? not a group unless you are booking 8 cabins-- double occupancy

Booking 8 cabins you get a BERTH for free which you can in turn move that free berth among the 8 cabins

BUT beware of one of the cabins cancel all the rest will go up.

[mkcurran]

I decided to go with the plan where I book my own cabin and everybody can take care of themselves. If they can't get their stuff together, then they don't join us on the cruise they picked out. ;)

I did offer up deposit money for the grandkids in lieu of buying any gifts this year. Because I'm not totally heartless.

[AdGuyMG]

My family did our family reunion on a Carnival ship. Started the planning slightly over three years out.

We did use PVP and the pricing was reasonable and was a better deal than with TA.

 

I agree with a few exceptions, highlighted in red:

It should NEVER cost more to go through a TA than through a PVP. TA's have access to the same rates as the Carnival PVP's. If you're paying more with a TA than that TA is charging either a booking fee or a cancellation fee. Either way, time to find a new TA.

 

I agree that TA and Carnival Direct/ PVP pricing is exactly the same.

But besides Airlink Diva's CC post above you don't know anything about her group or their needs. Using 4 GAP Funpoints it's highly possible that the TA quoted standard pricing and offered gobs of amenities such as OBC + Wine + Totes etc.... While the PVP may have taken the GAP points and assigned them to lower the cruise fare for everybody with no further amenities. Hence the "better deal" cruise pricing for Airlink Diva's family.

 

(click the link below / look at example 2)

 

http://static.traveltek.net/images/carnivalmeetings.site.traveltek.net/pdfs/group-fun-points.pdf

 

Insinuating that the TA was up to something nefarious or unscrupulous without knowing the entire story of what was presented to Airlink Diva by the PVP with the GAP point assignment is wrong.