Disappointing first try at playing the "price drop" game.

[babs275]

I am booked "with" a group but supposedly not "as" a group on the Paradise June 13th. The TA the lead person used said they would honor price drops. When I booked I had confirmed that the price was ok - my regular TA said she couldn't beat it, and I think it was a tad more than an internet site or 2 but not worth taking the chance of not having the cabins grouped together.

 

A week or 2 ago I read posts by several people here on CC that they too were sailing the Paradise in June and that the price had dropped. Unfortunately I had not noted the price Carnival was charging on the day I booked. Anyway - I contacted this TA and asked about the pricing. Last week he said they were "negotiating" with Carnival. Never gave me an answer. I contacted him again today since my final payment is due today and he said that Carnival told them they are offering the lowest price - but I could send him an email, newsletter or whatever showing the price and they would investigate (I had given them the internet sites last week!) So I made him Acrobat Adobe copies of the webpages showing the prices from bestpricecruises and emailed them to him. Unfortunately since my final payment was due to Carnival today so I had to authorize the charge.

 

Carnivals price on their website is now only $20 more than we paid this TA - but for 2 cabins/4 people bestpricecruises was $450 less! I know many of you will say that I should have cancelled this booking and rebooked with bpc but this particular cruise it is really important to us to be in the same location with the rest of the group and we take up quite a few of the cabins in that location - and I just didn't want to take the chance of losing the cabins. I was ok with the price initially - just don't like the way this TA has dealt with things. The lead person feels that as long as it is still less than Carnival is charging (now $20) then we have to room to argue the point. I'm still hoping something will come through, but I'm not holding my breath. This TA will NOT get my business the next time we cruise with the group!

 

Barb

 

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[CruiseFever]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I am booked "with" a group but supposedly not "as" a group on the Paradise June 13th.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

Lets nail that one down a little better first.

 

You either are or aren't part of the group and the distinction could be pivotal in the answer to your dilemma.

 

Which is it? Do you have an individual booking with an individual booking number or are you part of a group and a group booking?

 

Happy Cruising

 

Chris

 

www.LifeIsCruising.com

 

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[babs275]

I have been "told" we are are not booked through the group dept - but some of the stuff has led me to feel that we are. Can you tell I don't really trust this TA? Only reason I used them this time (didn't last time 2 years ago) was I wanted to make sure I was in the same area with the rest of my traveling companions (the one missing element 2 years ago!)

 

I had emailed an ok to make my final payment but don't know that they did that - never got a confirmation today. Hope that's doesn't become an issue with Carnival.

 

Barb

 

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[tclowe]

Maybe this will make you feel better. I was told by a Carnival rep on the phone that Carnival will not price match BPC because it could be a commission reduction and Carnival never seems to be able to call BPC to confirm the lower price.

 

However, Carnival rep will try to price match sites like Travelocity or Orbitz and etc. Our cruise (4/18 on the Conquest) was selling fast so I think the reps and their supervisors have no incentive to give up perks or use their discretion to price match.

[babs275]

Yeah - this is what his email said in part:

 

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I have been advised by Carnival Cruises that we still are holding the best rates. If another agency has lower rates it is generally a rebate situation. If you want to supply me details (copy of mailing, flyer, e-mail) I will have Carnival investigate. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

I know the lead person likes to go with this guy because he does (or at least has in the past) some of the "travel agent" perk stuff - a free 8x10, bottle of wine - yadda yadda. I could buy an aweful lot of that stuff for myself for my family with $450! Oh well - live and learn I guess. Next time I will go with my first instinct and book separately!

 

Barb

 

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[bthorn1108]

Hi Babs, that fact that he does all the "travel agent perk stuff", leads me to believe that he has booked your cabins as a group. Many passengers think their TA's are the best, because they received the bottle of wine, 8 x 10 photo, etc., when in reality, these are items that the people got as benefits for being part of a group. Alot of people are booked as part of a group, and don't even know it. Especially people who book through the bigger agencies, Crucon, BPC, etc, since these agencies have enough volume and capital to have group space on ALOT of sailings.

 

Beverly

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[babs275]

It's probably already too late now cuz the final payment was supposed to go through yetserday (still haven't gotten any confirmation though ) - but I was curious how group bookings like this would be done. does the agency actually "buy" the cabins and then resell them - ie they are the only one allowed to sell those particular cabins? The reason I was hesitant to bail out is my wanting to be in the midst of the group. I wasn't sure if I could have "wait listed" for those cabins with another TA and then cancelled with him. Unfortunately my regular TA is in transition with her agency and this all would have been last minute since I thought of it yesterday and my final payment was due yesterday - but wonder if that would have worked.

 

Barb

 

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[BrendaB1]

Never too late...be persistent. We were & got $139 each back from TA after our last cruise. It took several emails & phones calls but was worth it in the end. Good Luck!

 

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[mrsbooger]

Recently 4 couples booked separately on BestPriceCruises.com and got the cabins we each wanted. After all booked, I called BPC and had the booking numbers linked so we can request dining together. I've done this in the past too with no problems. I'd rather save the money upfront than get a bottle of wine that I'll never drink.

 

Happy Cruising!

 

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[PINEVIEW01]

I also had a disapointing experience. I called when Travelocity dropped the price $20 per person. Carnival would not honor it. I called when they dropped the price of a OV on travelocity. Again Carnival would not honor it. I was trying to give them more money for the upgrade but they said no, go figure.

 

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[mrsbooger]

I have found that Carnival is the worst when it comes to price drops. Other lines work with you, but Carnival has a take it or leave it attitude. Mine just went down $93. The best I could get from Carnival is a $50 shipboard credit. I booked within the penalty phase and paid in full the day I booked. Next time I'll wait until closer to the cruise to book with Carnival.

 

Happy Cruising!

 

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[eerbeek]

CCL gave me the best price going... Not a single TA or internet site could beat it and I have NO frustrations!

 

Playing this little game with TA's, sites, and CCL just seems ridiculous and time consuming. If you aren't willing to pay the agreed upon price at booking, then don't book.

 

If I bought ANY thing in ANY store and the price dropped somewhere else, I wouldn't be running back to the original store for a refund of the difference... I guess I just pay what I contract to pay, knowing I was satisfied with the price when I booked.

 

Lido Deck Linda

 

 

 

 

 

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[Kenster]

Babs, is it worth paying a $450 premium to be in a cabin close to your friends. You'll be able to spend every waking minute with them anyway. Why must you sleep next door to them.

We're going on a cruise with a group this summer. We specifically, but discretely, asked the TA to NOT place us in cabins next to the rest of the group. We love 'em but don't have to live with 'em.

 

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[babs275]

Actually yes - with this particular group it is half the fun - one of our party had to talk her BF into NOT getting a balcony in order to stay with the group. Last time I was not with the group for exactly the reasons you said - and I spent the week having a great time but wishing I was there with them.

 

My real irritation is that I had specifically asked and was told that this group was not being booked through the groups dept - just linked reservations - because I knew that if it was booked as a group his promise of "honoring price drops" was empty - and I would have just left it alone. My TA couldn't beat them at the time of the booking, so that would have been that. I was specifically told it wasn't being booked as a group. However, I emailed yesterday asking why I hadn't received a final payment confirmation and he said " I am still finalizing the Group with Carnival and will send you an invoice in the mail."

 

So my irritation is that he has turned out to be one of those TA's that says one thing and does another. It's not enough to make me miserable on the cruise - just makes me make a wiser choice next time - I will book on my own in the same location while those cabins are still available.

 

I'm also wondering - if we are booked as a group - who's pocketing the free berth? I'm guessing the agency is. Another reason not to book with him again.

 

Barb

 

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[pgmrdev]

No business wants to compete with its resellers. It is bad business for obvious reasons. Think about it. Would you sell for Carnival if they were undercutting your pricing? AT&T learned this the hard way some years back ......

<html>

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<body>

<font color="#FF0000">Grand Princess 2-2001</font>

<font color="#0000FF">Grand Princess 12-2001</font>

<font color="#FF8000">Carnival Paradise 3-2002</font>

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[BigDoug]

Many retail stores have a lowest price guarantee, that if you find a lower price within a certain time period, they will refund the difference or more. If her TA said he would honor a price drop then she should hold him to it. The amount of money involved is considerable. Also, check if the final payment date is the TA's or Carnival's. Many TA's require your final payment days sooner than actually due to Carnival.

 

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[cruisinfanatic]

babs275

something doesn't sound right. Your lead person is the TA? You booked through Carnival? With a group of 8 cabins, someone is getting a big rebate. With a group of 16 cabins, someone is getting a bigger rebate.

 

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[babs275]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Cruisinfanatic:

babs275

something doesn't sound right. Your lead person is the TA? You booked through Carnival? With a group of 8 cabins, someone is getting a big rebate. With a group of 16 cabins, someone is getting a bigger rebate.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

The lead person is just a friend - not a TA.

 

However, she has a TA she has used for this group for the last several cruises that for some reason she loves and won't think of booking outside of him (she is paying over $500pp for airfare from San Diego to Miami and possibly 1 hotel night - I had emailed her a fare of less than $200pp and she didn't switch).

 

I point blank asked this TA is we were being booked as a group or as individual linked bookings - he said individual. But everything seems to indicate that it was in reality booked as a group. I emailed him last night and asked him that and he hasn't emailed back yet.

 

I'm the new kid on the block with the traveling group - I've asked the questions and tried to point everyone in the right direction price wise but nobody in the group wants to listen. Like I said - next time I'll be wiser and book independently. The price was "ok" when we booked being that it is the start of the summer season (actually getting a balcony on my 10 day rccl for So Carib for only $100 more pp but it's earlier)

 

I refuse to let it ruin the cruise for me though. I'm all for saving money but in the end I will have the experience that I want for my family and that is what really counts.

 

Barb

 

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[Knights on the Beach]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BigDoug:

Many retail stores have a lowest price guarantee, that if you find a lower price within a certain time period, they will refund the difference or more. If her TA said he would honor a price drop then she should hold him to it. The amount of money involved is considerable. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I totally agree about the price guarantee. A couple years ago I bought an evening gown. A few days later, it was in the store's sale flyer for $30 less. I went into the store with my receipt and they refunded the difference. Why not? I hadn't WORN the dress yet. If NO ONE adjusted prices (or gave upgrades or shipboard credit) after final payment, none of this would be an issue. But, the fact is that price adjustments do happen, and they're not always consistent. I see nothing wrong with asking for the best price possible as long as Carnival continues to make these adjustments.

 

Now in this case, the problem I see is that Carnival's price hasn't dropped, but BPC's price has. If the TA can't get Carnival to honor the price, I'm guessing the TA can't match BPC's price without possibly losing money.

 

Beth

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[cruisinfanatic]

babs275

Too late now if you are within penalty period, but you could have transfered your booking to anyone you wanted and kept the same cabin.

 

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[babs275]

Conveniently he put me off all last week telling me they were aware of the price drop and were "negotiating" with Carnival. All of a sudden on monday (when final payment was due to Carnival) they knew nothing of a price drop and told me Carnival said they were offering the lowest price.

 

As of Tue when I asked for final payment confirmation he said he was still getting "the group" together to send it in (remember this wasn't supposed to be booked as a group). Hopefully there is some leyway in the date!

 

Barb

 

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[mathgal]

Barb,

 

I am hoping for the best for you! We will also be traveling with you on the Paradise on June 13th!!

 

We (hubby and I and another couple) booked the cruise back in January and thought we had a decent price. I continued to check the price regularly on some of the bigger online agencies and a couple of weeks ago I noticed they all had dropped their prices. I called our TA and asked if he could lower our price any to match some of the prices I was seeing. He said no so we cancelled and re-booked with Buycruises.com. Luckily this all happened before the penalty period and we didn't have to pay any fees. I will continue to monitor prices, but I am happy with what we are paying.

 

I think its pretty rotten for your TA to delay giving you an answer until it was too late for you to cancel. Even though our first TA wouldn't do a price match, he was very cooperative and did not give us any hassles when I chose to re-book.

 

 till we are in Paradise again!

 

 

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[novellaherman]

I have a question about a shipboard credit. We booked the elation and got a 2 catagory upgrade at booking. Now the price for the 4C is lower than we paid. We have paid in full and booked through a PVP with carnival. I called and inquired about a credit of some kind and was told. Too bad.........Other online agencies are even lower priced that Carnival now on this cruise. Is there anything I can do? Or is it really too bad........so sad

 

novella

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[babs275]

Hi mathgal! Nice to meet ya!

 

Like you, when we booked I wasn't unhappy with the price - I just think that this agency has been less than honest with the way they have dealt with things (like the whole "group thing"). But like I said - I wouldn't dream of letting it ruin my cruise - I just know better next time!

 

I've had more than my share of travel bargains that I've found where I know people on the plane and such were paying WAY MORE than I was - so it all evens out!

 

Barb

 

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[lynnber]

Bestpricecruises was lower than we paid through Carnival for our recent Victory cruise. About two weeks before the cruise I called Carnival and spoke to a customer rep, who wound up giving me a $225 shipboard credit. I think it's the luck of the draw on who answers the call, and how much experience they have.

 

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