Price Drop by $20.00 worth a call?

[evandbob]

7 hours ago, teknoge3k said:

I would take it.

 

In case you didn't know, you do not have to call anyone when there's a price drop. You can simply submit the form that's on the Carnival homepage. Very quick and easy and don't need to call anyone.

 

Exactly what I would do. Usually get a reply within an hour.

 

https://www.carnival.com/core/requestforms/priceprotection.aspx

Edited June 25, 2019 by evandbob

[amyj23]

1 hour ago, evandbob said:

 

Exactly what I would do. Usually get a reply within an hour.

 

https://www.carnival.com/core/requestforms/priceprotection.aspx

You stole the words out of my "mouth". It takes me about 5 minutes to fill out the form online. I wouldn't spend time on the phone. And $20 pays for a bucket of beer. So it's worth my time.....

[modes]

11 hours ago, phoneman69 said:

A cruise i have booked on the Magic in May of 2020 has had the price drop by $20.00. Is it worth calling now to get the price reduced or should i keep checking to see if it goes lower?

Get your $20 and keep checking.

[phoneman69]

12 hours ago, Joebucks said:

What is the point of these questions? Do you want the $20 or not?

 

 

Yes i called and Got the $20. I did not know if you can only take advantage of price drops so often or if the amount had to be over a curtain dollar value. Was very happy with ALL who responded with the make the call answer as i did.

[naxer]

18 hours ago, Szoyka said:

does carnival keep track of price drops and give you onboard credit if you are booked through the early saver booking? i have seen extra OBC on past cruises and was told this was the reason.

 

That would be news to me.  As far as I know, Carnival doesn't automatically give the price drop credit to people; either the cruiser or a representative of the cruiser, like a travel agent or a PVP,  has to ask for it.

 

Port fees and taxes change frequently, especially for people like me who book over a year in advance, as do other odds and ends.  There has always been a small amount of credit for me from this sort of change on my cruises.  There might also be credits to an account if an itinerary has to change or a port is skipped.  

[canes20]

Just called PVP for what was going to be a net $5 gain. Cruise went up $20 but $25 on board credit. PVP ended up finding even better rate with $50 saving.

[Lee Cruiser]

20 hours ago, luv2trvlnow said:

There a form if you booked within the last 48 hours and a form if you booked Early Saver. There is no form if you booked any other way.  You call.  We booked Past Guest rate and we call.  

I never knew that the past guest rate included price protection. If that is the case, then I'm not sure what the benefit of early saver is. Especially since the past guest rate deposit is refundable. 

[luv2trvlnow]

2 minutes ago, Lee Cruiser said:

I never knew that the past guest rate included price protection. If that is the case, then I'm not sure what the benefit of early saver is. Especially since the past guest rate deposit is refundable. 

It only includes price protection up to the date of final payment, after final payment you get nothing.  For my last couple of cruises there has been little or no fare drops after final payment.  And some of the fare drops after final payment are for a Guarantee only.  Carnival has let some people on ES switch to this but they give up their room and they cannot get any more rate drops.  You take your chances either way.  I like the flexibilty to make changes and get my money back.  And when I book there is usually only a $20pp difference in the price.

 

If you are booking a cruise a year or so in advance it would be better to book at Past Guest rate since it is a long ways off and you can still cancel without penalty.  We watch how the rates are going.  You can get fare drops before final payment.  There is also the possible of switching to ES before the final payment date.  We did that on a couple of cruises a few years ago. Our last cruise did not have a fare drop until 3 days before final payment.  After final payment the fares only went up.  But every cruise is different.

 

  

[Lee Cruiser]

2 minutes ago, luv2trvlnow said:

It only includes price protection up to the date of final payment, after final payment you get nothing.  For my last couple of cruises there has been little or no fare drops after final payment.  And some of the fare drops after final payment are for a Guarantee only.  Carnival has let some people on ES switch to this but they give up their room and they cannot get any more rate drops.  You take your chances either way.  I like the flexibilty to make changes and get my money back.  And when I book there is usually only a $20pp difference in the price.

 

If you are booking a cruise a year or so in advance it would be better to book at Past Guest rate since it is a long ways off and you can still cancel without penalty.  We watch how the rates are going.  You can get fare drops before final payment.  There is also the possible of switching to ES before the final payment date.  We did that on a couple of cruises a few years ago. Our last cruise did not have a fare drop until 3 days before final payment.  After final payment the fares only went up.  But every cruise is different.

 

  

We typically do book a year or so out and have several booked at the time. Most of our rate drops have been before final payment. As a matter of fact I can't think of a single one where we have gotten a credit after that. Typically just comes off the price. 

[luv2trvlnow]

27 minutes ago, Lee Cruiser said:

We typically do book a year or so out and have several booked at the time. Most of our rate drops have been before final payment. As a matter of fact I can't think of a single one where we have gotten a credit after that. Typically just comes off the price. 

That seems to be the way it has been lately.  Most rate drops have come before final payment.  You get those with Past Guest.  If they didn't lower your rate you could just cancel and rebook at the lower rate and have no penalty since you're booked with a refundable deposit. 

[canes20]

On 6/24/2019 at 10:13 PM, amyj23 said:

You stole the words out of my "mouth". It takes me about 5 minutes to fill out the form online. I wouldn't spend time on the phone. And $20 pays for a bucket of beer. So it's worth my time.....

What beer bucket is only $20?

[phoneman69]

The form looks like it only apply to Early Saver bookings. 

The $20 will be a good down payment on the Bucket of Beer !! Ha

[amyj23]

52 minutes ago, phoneman69 said:

The form looks like it only apply to Early Saver bookings. 

The $20 will be a good down payment on the Bucket of Beer !! Ha

You guys have never heard of the Natty Light special?? 🍻🤣

Well, I guess I'm wrong on many counts in my post. I didn't realize that form was only for one type of booking! Why wouldn't anyone with price protection get to use it? Ok, I'm learning a lot! 

[finoky]

If you saw a $20 bill laying on the ground would you pick it up? Of course you would. There's your answer.

 

[LMaxwell]

On 6/24/2019 at 11:39 AM, phoneman69 said:

A cruise i have booked on the Magic in May of 2020 has had the price drop by $20.00. Is it worth calling now to get the price reduced or should i keep checking to see if it goes lower?

 

You got $0 for posting this.  Which action is better for the wallet?  (call) 

[phoneman69]

Check again this morning at Guess What !! Another $20.00 Drop on my May 2020 Magic Sailing. I am Loving It. Total up to $40.00 savings now.

THANKS ALL

Matt

[ShakyBeef]

1 hour ago, phoneman69 said:

Check again this morning at Guess What !! Another $20.00 Drop on my May 2020 Magic Sailing. I am Loving It. Total up to $40.00 savings now.

THANKS ALL

Matt

Congratulations!  That's how you DO IT!  Keep watching for more!

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, phoneman69 said:

Check again this morning at Guess What !! Another $20.00 Drop on my May 2020 Magic Sailing. I am Loving It. Total up to $40.00 savings now.

THANKS ALL

Matt

 

sounds like the song from Dire Straits---"Money for nothing and all the chicks for free"---well maybe you don't get all the chicks for free. LOL

[VentureMan_2000]

Three weeks ago, I did a mock booking of a cruise I already booked...  and the price came up $400 lower.  Wow !

And a bigger Wow was that it included a 1 category upgrade where my balcony cabin was now center ship.  I was booked waaayyy forward.  I rebooked at the lower price with the new cabin.

Never hurts to look... you might be surprised.  I was.

[phoneman69]

6 hours ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

Three weeks ago, I did a mock booking of a cruise I already booked...  and the price came up $400 lower.  Wow !

And a bigger Wow was that it included a 1 category upgrade where my balcony cabin was now center ship.  I was booked waaayyy forward.  I rebooked at the lower price with the new cabin.

Never hurts to look... you might be surprised.  I was.

Finding out that it never hurts to check.

[toober]

Where are you looking for an 'equivalent' room price drop? Are you going through the 'book a room' process to get to the same rated room price? or is it more of a general price somewhere? 

[purplephenom]

15 minutes ago, toober said:

Where are you looking for an 'equivalent' room price drop? Are you going through the 'book a room' process to get to the same rated room price? or is it more of a general price somewhere? 

 

Yes, I believe that's what you have to do.  There used to be a fare viewer site that was much faster to check with, but I think that was taken down. 

[JustJosephine23]

I had no idea there was an online form! Will definitely be using that if I notice a price drop. 

[waterwatcher]

On 6/24/2019 at 11:39 AM, phoneman69 said:

A cruise i have booked on the Magic in May of 2020 has had the price drop by $20.00. Is it worth calling now to get the price reduced or should i keep checking to see if it goes lower?

 

Thank you so much for this post.  I just checked my Nov 2020 and it also dropped $20 per person.  I called Carnival and saaved $40 from my balance.  Every little bit helps.

 

[phoneman69]

6 hours ago, toober said:

Where are you looking for an 'equivalent' room price drop? Are you going through the 'book a room' process to get to the same rated room price? or is it more of a general price somewhere? 

Yes logged in and went threw the complete menu like i was going to book a cruise and have the same room ( or the next room as mine was taken naturally ) and same date. The total cost on the cruise was $40 dollars cheaper so i called Carnival and had my cruise fare reduced. Yes some call it a fake or phantom booking. there use to be a site that did the same thing but i no longer know if it exist.