Carnival charging more per person for rooms with more than 2 guest

[Saint Greg]

Makes my solo rate look almost decent..except I’m leaving in Feb not June.

[jimbo5544]

28 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

Makes my solo rate look almost decent..except I’m leaving in Feb not June.

Details, details details.....when it looks good, go with it.  Not often you can do that with singe rates 

[cruizinisthebest]

There's no huge conspiracy theory or the fact that it's a new ship. I'm booked on a back 2 back on the Victory, which will go into dry dock 2 months after the cruise. The 3rd and 4th person is priced higher. It's still a price I am fine with, so I paid it. My kids don't pay a dime regardless.

 

Typically and usually does NOT mean always.  If you book enough rooms with 3 and 4 people, eventually you will run into this. 

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, cruizinisthebest said:

There's no huge conspiracy theory or the fact that it's a new ship. I'm booked on a back 2 back on the Victory, which will go into dry dock 2 months after the cruise. The 3rd and 4th person is priced higher. It's still a price I am fine with, so I paid it. My kids don't pay a dime regardless.

 

Typically and usually does NOT mean always.  If you book enough rooms with 3 and 4 people, eventually you will run into this. 

We can debate the comment on new ship but stand by my post of supply and demand.  

[marshalltp]

why not book 2 adjoining cabins and no show the 4th

[cruizinisthebest]

1 hour ago, jimbo5544 said:

We can debate the comment on new ship but stand by my post of supply and demand.  

We don't have to debate anything. I was just commenting. I don't disagree with you. 

[jimbo5544]

14 minutes ago, cruizinisthebest said:

We don't have to debate anything. I was just commenting. I don't disagree with you. 

Ir was non confrontational, did not imply anything by it, just meant we could discuss whether it being a new ship would be a factor.  

[lobster1313]

My booking is on the Magic and the 3rd person was $200 more.

[cruizinisthebest]

34 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Ir was non confrontational, did not imply anything by it, just meant we could discuss whether it being a new ship would be a factor.  

understood. Sorry if I misinterpreted. 

[Nic6318]

9 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Ir was non confrontational, did not imply anything by it, just meant we could discuss whether it being a new ship would be a factor.  

 

Hi

 

I think it is easy enough to suggest that because it is a new ship it may be more in demand and it is that demand that always dictates the price on any given cabin class. That is why the prices for different cabin classes can move independently.

 

People have to be aware. You certainly shouldn't count on a TA to pick things like this out for you. It might very well be a better option to choose a higher cabin class. As a consumer you always need to do your own homework.

 

Hi Cruzinisthebest. I was just wondering, in the situation where you saw that the 3rd. & 4th. passenger in the cabin paid more than the first two, why you wouldn't have just booked 2 cabins? It would have been less expensive for twice as much space.

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, Nic6318 said:

 

Hi

 

I think it is easy enough to suggest that because it is a new ship it may be more in demand and it is that demand that always dictates the price on any given cabin class. That is why the prices for different cabin classes can move independently.

 

People have to be aware. You certainly shouldn't count on a TA to pick things like this out for you. It might very well be a better option to choose a higher cabin class. As a consumer you always need to do your own homework.

 

Hi Cruzinisthebest. I was just wondering, in the situation where you saw that the 3rd. & 4th. passenger in the cabin paid more than the first two, why you wouldn't have just booked 2 cabins? It would have been less expensive for twice as much space.

That is exactly what a TA can do for you.  They are the experts, they can see all the options, cruisers cannot, they can view different classes of cabins at the same time, cruisers cannot, their booking engine allows this, cruisers view cannot.  Get the picture yet?  It is easy to suggest it because....it is true.

[meatloafsfan]

13 hours ago, cruizinisthebest said:

There's no huge conspiracy theory or the fact that it's a new ship. I'm booked on a back 2 back on the Victory, which will go into dry dock 2 months after the cruise. The 3rd and 4th person is priced higher. It's still a price I am fine with, so I paid it. My kids don't pay a dime regardless.

 

Typically and usually does NOT mean always.  If you book enough rooms with 3 and 4 people, eventually you will run into this. 

 

Absolutely.

 

Typically 3rd and 4th passengers pay less. Sometimes though - when there are few cabins left that will sleep 3 or 4, the price for those additional passengers go up. Just like when a cruise is selling well, you see the price for 1st and 2nd passengers go up - the fewer cabins they have left, the more they charge.

 

When I originally booked my brother's room for his family (4 people), it was cheaper to book 1 cabin. Had I waited a couple of months, it would have been less expensive to book them 2 cabins because there were so few 4 person berths left, that the 3rd and 4th rates had skyrocketed.

 

Yet I have consistently paid less for the 3rd person on the Sunshine when I've booked my parents and I into a 3 person cabin.

 

[Eli_6]

If you are booking a time where the three and four person rooms are in higher demand (spring break, winter break, etc.) the price is higher because there are many people who HAVE to have that room due to the age of a child.  

 

I have also found that Carnival is a little different than some of the other cruise lines like Royal Caribbean or Celebrity because they have specific rooms designated for three people or four people. On some of the other cruise lines, most of the rooms (at least the suites and balconies) can accommodate a 3rd or 4th person.  Therefore, there is a premium on those 3 and 4 people rooms that isn't there on RC or Celebrity.  For example, on Celebrity, my kids can stay free in the same room with me on many bookings or, at the most, pay half of what I pay.  The reason is that almost all the rooms (at least the ones I am looking at) have a couch that makes into a bed.  This is not the case with Carnival.  

 

What I end up doing is booking a room beside my room for my two kids on Carnival. Carnival allows you to book children in an adjacent room or a room directly across the hall so long as your children are not booked in a balcony irrespective of age.  But I have two kids. This obviously wouldn't make sense if I just had one kid because then you'd be paying the single passenger rate. 

Edited November 1, 2019 by Eli_6

[Eli_6]

Another trick I figured out for the Panorama, Vista and Horizon:

 

If you want to stay in a Havana room but have under 12 kids, book yourself an inside Havana on decks 6-8 (or whatever the decks with the Havana rooms are) and book your under 12 kids in the inside room next to you that is a non-Havana room.  Your kids go to camp ocean (or Stingrays or whatever the kids club is called) during the day and you go to the over 12 Havana area. Everyone is happy.  

[Jamesatgsu]

The pricing doesn't always make sense. I've never looked for 3, so I don't know about it all.  What I can say is I'm usually booking for 5.  Sometimes that 5th person is free (it doesn't show up that way, but it lowers the 3rd & 4th guest fee, for a net zero cost, excluding taxes/fees/tips), but other times it doubles my cost to go from 4 to 5 even without a change in room type.  I'd understand if it was forcing me into a better room, but nope, it just costs an arm and a leg. I won't complain too much because they actually let me book 5 people online, while most don't let you.

 

When we did the Carnival Victory last October, it only cost us $1,069 after taxes for 5 people on a 4 day cruise.

[Nic6318]

8 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

That is exactly what a TA can do for you.  They are the experts, they can see all the options, cruisers cannot, they can view different classes of cabins at the same time, cruisers cannot, their booking engine allows this, cruisers view cannot.  Get the picture yet?  It is easy to suggest it because....it is true.

 

Hi

 

While some may actually do this, like in all job positions, there are people that don't do their jobs very well. So, if you are relying on a TA to do all kinds of things just because you read on Cruise Critic how these professionals will check for best prices, keep on top of special promotions maybe even check for price drops and don't do your own research, it might cost you a lot of money. Not surprisingly, you won't even realize it. 

 

The bottom line is that not all TA's are competent, just like in any profession. If you don't know what you are doing and your TA doesn't care any more than making the booking, it will cost you eventually. Until you are sure that your TA is reliable, you are much better off spending the extra time to understand all those options, otherwise how are you going to know that they are truly "experts". You might have a harder time making this kind of assessment with your mechanic, but booking travel isn't that complex, so you can actually see if they are indeed finding you a better price, or doing something special. Believe me, I have gone through a number of lemons, at least enough to understand they are not all "experts".

[Illbcruzn4life]

10 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

That is exactly what a TA can do for you.  They are the experts, they can see all the options, cruisers cannot, they can view different classes of cabins at the same time, cruisers cannot, their booking engine allows this, cruisers view cannot.  Get the picture yet?  It is easy to suggest it because....it is true.

Spoken like a true TA.🤗

[jimbo5544]

2 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

Spoken like a true TA.🤗

I notice you are not disputing the facts.

[jimbo5544]

3 hours ago, Nic6318 said:

 

Hi

 

While some may actually do this, like in all job positions, there are people that don't do their jobs very well. So, if you are relying on a TA to do all kinds of things just because you read on Cruise Critic how these professionals will check for best prices, keep on top of special promotions maybe even check for price drops and don't do your own research, it might cost you a lot of money. Not surprisingly, you won't even realize it. 

 

The bottom line is that not all TA's are competent, just like in any profession. If you don't know what you are doing and your TA doesn't care any more than making the booking, it will cost you eventually. Until you are sure that your TA is reliable, you are much better off spending the extra time to understand all those options, otherwise how are you going to know that they are truly "experts". You might have a harder time making this kind of assessment with your mechanic, but booking travel isn't that complex, so you can actually see if they are indeed finding you a better price, or doing something special. Believe me, I have gone through a number of lemons, at least enough to understand they are not all "experts".

All true, but with that logic you would not go to a doctor, lawyer, fire fighter, cop, etc etc. Of course it helps to be well informed, but at the end of the day for 99% of the people here, they would be better off, read that as MUCH better off by going to a professional, TA or PVP.

[2wheelin]

1 hour ago, jimbo5544 said:

All true, but with that logic you would not go to a doctor, lawyer, fire fighter, cop, etc etc. Of course it helps to be well informed, but at the end of the day for 99% of the people here, they would be better off, read that as MUCH better off by going to a professional, TA or PVP.

There are apparently good TAs but I know there are bad TAs so I think 99% is a pretty optimistic figure. Don’t normally use one but have interviewed a few. Never found one who offers any perks for my once a year cruising schedule. Currently working with a TA because of a group booking which was initiated by someone else. She has a minimum of 15 cabins booked, several with 3 or 4 people, mostly balconies and is giving NOT ONE THING for perks.

I even noticed online that my reservation was offered an upsell which she did not notify us about at all.

I don’t dispute that you are a good TA but it gets very frustrating to continuously read on here about all the OBC etc offered by a TA and not be able to find any of it in spite of interviewing several. Many here in the Midwest even charge for their service. No way I need them.

[Illbcruzn4life]

4 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

I notice you are not disputing the facts.

 

OK fact is TA's or should I say not all of them are experts. There have a few along the way that I knew more than they did.

 

The secret is finding a good one. How many must one go through before you give up and book on your own?

 

Some are experts like you but with Carnival I see no need to book with a TA. Other lines yes but from what TA's have told me Carnival gives lower commissions so they can't offer more in the perk department like you can get on other cruiselines.

[jimbo5544]

6 hours ago, 2wheelin said:

There are apparently good TAs but I know there are bad TAs so I think 99% is a pretty optimistic figure. Don’t normally use one but have interviewed a few. Never found one who offers any perks for my once a year cruising schedule. Currently working with a TA because of a group booking which was initiated by someone else. She has a minimum of 15 cabins booked, several with 3 or 4 people, mostly balconies and is giving NOT ONE THING for perks.

I even noticed online that my reservation was offered an upsell which she did not notify us about at all.

I don’t dispute that you are a good TA but it gets very frustrating to continuously read on here about all the OBC etc offered by a TA and not be able to find any of it in spite of interviewing several. Many here in the Midwest even charge for their service. No way I need them.

Understand, to a certain degree it has  become a quid pro quo environment.  I was not referring to costs or premium, but to knowledge.   Not looking for business or driving that either.  My point was that TA’s and PVP’s have a knowledge base that can be used by cruisers.  There are posts where some say they do not need anyone and then ask simple questions That show they do not know what they think they know.  I will not belabor the discussion further.    

[jimbo5544]

3 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

 

OK fact is TA's or should I say not all of them are experts. There have a few along the way that I knew more than they did.

 

The secret is finding a good one. How many must one go through before you give up and book on your own?

 

Some are experts like you but with Carnival I see no need to book with a TA. Other lines yes but from what TA's have told me Carnival gives lower commissions so they can't offer more in the perk department like you can get on other cruiselines.

Nothing is perfect in this world and options are a good thing.  As I think I mentioned in my first post here, there are some here that have significant knowledge  (More than me) and MANY who would benefit from the service.  Nobody is getting rich booking cruises. I would hope the decision to use or not use an advisor was on what they brought to the table in totality vs the perk, but again it is not a perfect world.  

[Nic6318]

10 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

All true, but with that logic you would not go to a doctor, lawyer, fire fighter, cop, etc etc. Of course it helps to be well informed, but at the end of the day for 99% of the people here, they would be better off, read that as MUCH better off by going to a professional, TA or PVP.

 

Hi

 

No. The logic was that if you need a doctor or lawyer most often you don't have many options. That isn't the case for what a travel agent does. 

 

If someone isn't willing to spend any time to research anything, they can call a TA and there bookings will be taken care of. The problem is that they will never know if they are getting good service. It's just that you are making a general suggestion these people are "professional experts", while I feel that very often it isn't the case. With just a little effort, unlike studying laws or medicine, you can actually make yourself aware if this person is doing a proper job or not.

 

Of course if someone doesn't care, it doesn't matter. As I pointed out, if this "professional expert" were not to be so much an expert, the customer would likely not even ever realize they were losing a lot of money. So it can be just a case of "ignorance is bliss".  

[jimbo5544]

23 minutes ago, Nic6318 said:

 

Hi

 

No. The logic was that if you need a doctor or lawyer most often you don't have many options. That isn't the case for what a travel agent does. 

 

If someone isn't willing to spend any time to research anything, they can call a TA and there bookings will be taken care of. The problem is that they will never know if they are getting good service. It's just that you are making a general suggestion these people are "professional experts", while I feel that very often it isn't the case. With just a little effort, unlike studying laws or medicine, you can actually make yourself aware if this person is doing a proper job or not.

 

Of course if someone doesn't care, it doesn't matter. As I pointed out, if this "professional expert" were not to be so much an expert, the customer would likely not even ever realize they were losing a lot of money. So it can be just a case of "ignorance is bliss".  

As I said, I will move on.