Early saver price reduction denied

[amyh13]

I have posted about this booking before. I'll try to briefly explain.

 

Book an Early Saver Room

Saw a price reduction (Great Resident Rate)

Submitted form - denied

Called and got $130 OBC

Saw another reduction of $150 today

Called and denied because they said my fare wasn't Early Saver, it was Great Resident Rate.

 

Is that right?  I am past final payment but more than 2 weeks before sailing.  I was not very confident his knowledge so I thought I'd ask here before I call back and get put on hold for 30 minutes again.

[nwcruiselover]

In the past, the rule was “once early saver always early saver.”  A person could match any generally advertised price up to 2 days before sailing.  However, currently when a person accepts a Great Resident’s Rate, Carnival now switches them from early saver to the Great Resident’s Rate and then says they are not eligible for future price matches.  It’s a new thing and in my opinion it’s bait & switch.  When we sign up for early saver, we have the expectation that price matching goes to 2 days before sailing.

Edited March 10, 2022 by nwcruiselover

[amyh13]

20 minutes ago, nwcruiselover said:

In the past, the rule was “once early saver always early saver.”  A person could match any generally advertised price up to 2 days before sailing.  However, currently when a person accepts a Great Resident’s Rate, Carnival now switches them from early saver to the Great Resident’s Rate and then says they are not eligible for future price matches.  It’s a new thing and in my opinion it’s bait & switch.  When we sign up for early saver, we have the expectation that price matching goes to 2 days before sailing.

So you only get to reduce again if you keep choosing another Easy Saver Offer?  

[Illbcruzn4life]

1 minute ago, amyh13 said:

So you only get to reduce again if you keep choosing another Easy Saver Offer?  

They either keep changing the rules or the people on the phones don’t understand the rules.

 

if you book a resident rate where it allows you to pick your room can you cancel before final payment and get your full deposit back?

[amyh13]

I think so.  The excuse they gave me is that I am not ES and it's past final payment.

[nwcruiselover]

14 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

They either keep changing the rules or the people on the phones don’t understand the rules.

 

if you book a resident rate where it allows you to pick your room can you cancel before final payment and get your full deposit back?

If you book a resident’s rate that allows you to pick your room, the deposit is still non refundable, and not an early saver rate.

[nwcruiselover]

19 minutes ago, amyh13 said:

So you only get to reduce again if you keep choosing another Easy Saver Offer?  

Yes, that’s the way it was explained to me, and I have heard it on these boards as well.

[Ellaleah]

It happened to me in 2014.  I’m not exactly sure what people mean when they say “once an early always early saver.”  That was not the case for me.  I switched from ES to resident rate and when I saw another reduction, was told that I could not switch because I had switched to the resident rate.

[80sGal]

After reading many posts on here about this and reading the Term and Conditions fine print, that appears to be the new rule.   Price match on OTHER advertised Early Saver promos and you're all good.  Price match to anything else, you accept the NEW terms and conditions associated with that rate.  

[nwcruiselover]

3 minutes ago, 80sGal said:

After reading many posts on here about this and reading the Term and Conditions fine print, that appears to be the new rule.   Price match on OTHER advertised Early Saver promos and you're all good.  Price match to anything else, you accept the NEW terms and conditions associated with that rate.  

I have also read the Terms & Conditions and found the same thing.  They have obviously changed the terms.  However, for those of us who booked months or even a year ago under Early Saver, it seems like we should be grandfathered in since those were the terms when we booked.

[vwrestler171]

I had that happen to me and I fought them because your rate code isn't supposed to change, just the rate.  They ended up moving me back to ES rate and gave the reduction.

[cruizinisthebest]

At least you was able to go down to the resident rate. They denied me for it saying it was for new bookings only. Did the same with a Senior rate I found. It was never like this before with Early Saver. Carnival coming up with all kind of new rules. You almost better off nowadays waiting till the very last minute to book. 

[Benbrook]

In the last 2 weeks I reduced my rate twice from an original Early Saver Rate. The first reduction was for a Resident Rate ($50.00 savings) then yesterday a senior rate ( $305.00 savings). I am 56 first time I have ever been happy to be 56 😂. I verified at the time of each price change that I am still under the early saver rate code. Unfortunately it depends who you talk to.

[MeganGC1983]

Carnival is really buckling down on price reductions and rate code changes. 

[cruisingguy007]

6 hours ago, cruizinisthebest said:

At least you was able to go down to the resident rate. They denied me for it saying it was for new bookings only. Did the same with a Senior rate I found. It was never like this before with Early Saver. Carnival coming up with all kind of new rules. You almost better off nowadays waiting till the very last minute to book. 

 

Probably true, I logged in through a family members account (trying to sell them on coming on a cruise with us next year) and I couldn't believe the low rates they were getting on our upcoming April cruise. Felt a bit irritated to see those prices and offers. They haven't booked anything in a long while though, so that's probably why. The price I paid is still very good and I'm very happy with the deals I've gotten recently so that is a bright side, and I'm still seeing the glass half full.   

[mz-s]

23 minutes ago, MeganGC1983 said:

Carnival is really buckling down on price reductions and rate code changes. 

 

They used to be by far the easiest cruise line to work with regarding price adjustments so it is definitely a change!

[cruisingguy007]

27 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

They used to be by far the easiest cruise line to work with regarding price adjustments so it is definitely a change!

 

To be fair, they really have been offering great deals. Quibbling over a few bucks when still getting an insanely great deal shouldn't ruin anyone's vacation. When you look at it in the context of pricing history and previously paid cruises, it should cheer folks right up (It does for me anyway). There are deals for all, some better than others, but the getting is very good right now. It also seems some have better luck when they re-inquire with a different agent. Probably a lot of customer service churn and new hires to blame as well.

[Illbcruzn4life]

3 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

To be fair, they really have been offering great deals. Quibbling over a few bucks when still getting an insanely great deal shouldn't ruin anyone's vacation. When you look at it in the context of pricing history and previously paid cruises, it should cheer folks right up (It does for me anyway). There are deals for all, some better than others, but the getting is very good right now. It also seems some have better luck when they re-inquire with a different agent. Probably a lot of customer service churn and new hires to blame as well.

speak for yourself. I have seen no insane cruise deals. I think you need to be one of the chosen ones.

[nwcruiselover]

I haven’t seen any insane cruise deals either.  I have 6 cruises booked, none of them at bargain prices, pretty much same as pre-pandemic prices.

Edited March 14, 2022 by nwcruiselover

[jsglow]

5 hours ago, nwcruiselover said:

I haven’t seen any insane cruise deals either.  I have 6 cruises booked, none of them at bargain prices, pretty much same as pre-pandemic prices.

Seriously?  We haven't paid pre-pandemic prices once in now 8 post pandemic bookings.  Are you doing unique cruises or rooms?

[MeganGC1983]

I think the bottom line is book at what you feel comfortable paying. If a price drop happens, and you are approved, YAY! But be prepared to not get a price drop. Since the restart, I’ve been trying to figure out the rhyme or reason for special rate offers and deeper discounts, and I’ve decided it’s above my pay grade. 😆 

[nwcruiselover]

10 hours ago, jsglow said:

Seriously?  We haven't paid pre-pandemic prices once in now 8 post pandemic bookings.  Are you doing unique cruises or rooms?

3 Transatlantics, 1 Panama Canal, 1 Mexican Riviera + 1 Transpacific (which is on another line).  Not unique rooms.  I’m not getting any bargain offers.

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, nwcruiselover said:

3 Transatlantics, 1 Panama Canal, 1 Mexican Riviera + 1 Transpacific (which is on another line).  Not unique rooms.  I’m not getting any bargain offers.

I got the birthday special so I cant say no bargains .. that was exciting.

 

Other than that to me no bargains. I think a bargain is $100 a day. I got harmony inside balconys a few dollars more than insides, less than $1200. Less than a inside on jubilee. I'd be willing to book more if I saw some better prices on either line. 

[scoutfinch72]

On 3/10/2022 at 1:27 PM, nwcruiselover said:

In the past, the rule was “once early saver always early saver.”  A person could match any generally advertised price up to 2 days before sailing.  However, currently when a person accepts a Great Resident’s Rate, Carnival now switches them from early saver to the Great Resident’s Rate and then says they are not eligible for future price matches.  It’s a new thing and in my opinion it’s bait & switch.  When we sign up for early saver, we have the expectation that price matching goes to 2 days before sailing.

Huh, my PVP told me on Saturday while I was booking that I would still be eligible for price drops if I had her book one ES rate and then immediately change it to resident rate.  I didn't have her change it yet because I didn't want to fork over the increase of the deposit for that cabin.  She used the words "once an early saver always an early saver".  I will really have to double check this!

[Illbcruzn4life]

4 minutes ago, scoutfinch72 said:

Huh, my PVP told me on Saturday while I was booking that I would still be eligible for price drops if I had her book one ES rate and then immediately change it to resident rate.  I didn't have her change it yet because I didn't want to fork over the increase of the deposit for that cabin.  She used the words "once an early saver always an early saver".  I will really have to double check this!

 

so apparently they changed the rules and didn't inform the public or their travel agent partners.