Does this sound reasonable??

[captainc]

Hello -new to posting to this board but have been reading for awhile now ..great board!

 

 

We are looking at a Carnival cruise(Valor balcony ) for the end of the year and one of the larger cruise agencies can offer us close to $300 off the rate that Carnival quoted , throw in 8 drink coupons and some champ & strawberries on our arrival and will give us the past passenger two Cat upgrade.This includes all taxes ,port charges and fees.

 

This to me seems like a good deal but since I normally don't shop around , I really don't have a good knowledge of these things.This seems like it could almost be too good to be true..

 

Like I said , we normally don't shop around .This time we thought we would see if we could grab a bargain.

 

I guess my question is "does this seem a little too good?" or is this a normal type of offer?

 

Thanks in advance !!

[venusjems]

5th cruise, first time i shopped around. I got 400 off the carnival price for the three of us, plus the two category upgrade and 50.00 on board credit.

 

Yours isnt too good to be true, it just takes work and bargaining.

[imlulu]

Last week, I got $200 off Carnival price, 2 cat upgrade, and $75 credit. That was for a 5day in July. I think your offer is about right.

[captainc]

okay thanks everyone..I am not so worried now!

[evy123]

That's why I never book directly throught the cruise line :) .

[bucket_O_beer4john]

My buddy sets up our cruises, and usually goes through a TA. This time, after bouncing around between TA's, he called Carnival. They beat his lowest price by A LOT. Just gotta shop around.

[captainc]

My buddy sets up our cruises, and usually goes through a TA. This time, after bouncing around between TA's, he called Carnival. They beat his lowest price by A LOT. Just gotta shop around.

 

 

Funny you should say that..I did call Carnival and asked them if they matched any promotions such as drink coupons . etc,,but the PVP I spoke with said no they only offer what the going Carnival rate was .. that they know that some agencies discount their cruises but they could not match prices or give incentives.

 

This is why I though going with a TA is better,However, it does sound like you may have better luck getting an onboard credit if there is a price drop if you are directly booked with Carnival than with a TA.

[LHP]

Our family of four has a "rule of thumb" about what is a good deal for "us".

 

First, at least an outside on a middle floor range. We have done interior cabins and have no problem with them. I just prefer outside. (Actually what I prefer is a balcony, but that is for another thread.) Anyway, we sail for less than $100.00 per person, per day. Since we have children in school, we can only sail during that dreaded "peak seaons" because we always take them with us.

 

Our Spring Break cruise is running us about $85.00 a person. But that is with one of the "can't see anything but a lifeboat" french door rooms. (I got hooked on the "sounds" with our balcony last July.) So I hoping this will fill that bill without the price of a balcony.

 

Anyway, 100.00 per person per day for an outside (middle floor) and we are pleased. Any time we can beat that, we are even more pleased!

[captainc]

Our family of four has a "rule of thumb" about what is a good deal for "us".

 

First, at least an outside on a middle floor range. We have done interior cabins and have no problem with them. I just prefer outside. (Actually what I prefer is a balcony, but that is for another thread.) Anyway, we sail for less than $100.00 per person, per day. Since we have children in school, we can only sail during that dreaded "peak seaons" because we always take them with us.

 

Our Spring Break cruise is running us about $85.00 a person. But that is with one of the "can't see anything but a lifeboat" french door rooms. (I got hooked on the "sounds" with our balcony last July.) So I hoping this will fill that bill without the price of a balcony.

 

Anyway, 100.00 per person per day for an outside (middle floor) and we are pleased. Any time we can beat that, we are even more pleased!

 

 

Thanks for this info!

 

Based on 3 people in our cabin , we would be looking at $88 a person per day for a balcony cabin but it is in a slower time ..But still that doesn't seem too bad when you look at it that way..

 

Thanks !

[LHP]

Thanks for this info!

 

Based on 3 people in our cabin , we would be looking at $88 a person per day for a balcony cabin but it is in a slower time ..But still that doesn't seem too bad when you look at it that way..

 

Thanks !

 

 

I would definately do a balcony for $88. Have a great time!!! Ours is during Spring Break on the Pride, but again with children you have to "follow the school schedule" (at least sometimes!)

 

You know there may be folks that will get it cheaper sometimes, but as long as you are satified with the price than nothing else matters.

[bucket_O_beer4john]

Is that just the base cruise, or after all port charges and such?

[LHP]

Is that just the base cruise, or after all port charges and such?

 

Our price is "out the door". When ever we get a quote on anything, we tell them up front that we want the "out the door" price, so there are no surprises. (I told you we were direct.) Of course, that does not include alcohol (which is another 100.00 per person per day.... not!)

[Erinl]

Who are you working with and how would I go about getting those discounts through my PVP?

 

THanks!

[LHP]

Who are you working with and how would I go about getting those discounts through my PVP?

 

THanks!

 

We get Interline rates, which apply to anyone who works for a company that uses aircraft. (Airlines, of course...UPS, Fed Ex, DHL) But not USPS, since they use other companies to "fly" their deliveries and do not actually own the planes.

 

I also understand that you must be "full time". You have to fax your credentials to the PVP for verification.

 

You can use Interline, but our PVP gives us the Interline rates automatically without having to use the middle man.

[Timmys_mom]

We get Interline rates, which apply to anyone who works for a company that uses aircraft. (Airlines, of course...UPS, Fed Ex, DHL) But not USPS, since they use other companies to "fly" their deliveries and do not actually own the planes.

 

I also understand that you must be "full time". You have to fax your credentials to the PVP for verification.

 

You can use Interline, but our PVP gives us the Interline rates automatically without having to use the middle man.

You do not have to use an interline cruise agency to get interline rates. I always go straight to a Carnival PVP and they have my interline information on file.

[LHP]

You do not have to use an interline cruise agency to get interline rates. I always go straight to a Carnival PVP and they have my interline information on file.

 

 

Yes, that is what we do. Some people though are leary of using the cruise line directly. I don't understand that. Maybe they think a 3rd party will do something special for them. So that is why I said you can go through Interline or use a PVP directly and still get the Interline rates...as we do.

[mgasaway]

We just returned from 5 days on the Elation. We booked direct through Carnival with them giving us our interline (DH works for FedEx) discount and it worked out to $51.80 per person per day - $518 total including port taxes for both of us in an outside cabin on the Main deck (M18 - forward, 2 portals, king bed). We did book close to the sailing date- booked the cruise Jan 5th for a Feb 20th sailing. Booking direct through Interline was $150 per person higher!!!

 

It pays to shop around. I got quotes from every TA and on-line vacation site I could find before calling Interline and Carnival direct.

[LHP]

We just returned from 5 days on the Elation. We booked direct through Carnival with them giving us our interline (DH works for FedEx) discount and it worked out to $51.80 per person per day - $518 total including port taxes for both of us in an outside cabin on the Main deck (M18 - forward, 2 portals, king bed). We did book close to the sailing date- booked the cruise Jan 5th for a Feb 20th sailing. Booking direct through Interline was $150 per person higher!!!

 

It pays to shop around. I got quotes from every TA and on-line vacation site I could find before calling Interline and Carnival direct.

 

 

You did great!!! Hope you had a wonderful cruise...but then at that price..how could it not be wonderful. Wow, hotel rooms alone cost that much!!!

[captainc]

well now we have a problem..I called to make the booking this morning and the TA was not there so I left a message to tell her we were going to go with her. I asked her also to check on a cabin farefor some friends who are thinking of joining us but want only an outside cabin.I would call her back this afternoon.

 

I had an email from her asking me to call her before 6 , she needed to talk to me.So I called and she said that the price had gone up , that the cruise lime had changed the prices. I know they didn't because I had rechecked today when I called to get an idea of price for our friends outside cabin. Then she says that she "might " have been looking at the wrong ship when she quoted me our price.

 

So now we are back to only $ 100 off the Carnival fare and no extras..she misquoted us by $210

 

I guess it is back to the drawing board for us..I will have to call around to get some different quotes I guess.

 

I knew it was too good LOL!

[LHP]

well now we have a problem..I called to make the booking this morning and the TA was not there so I left a message to tell her we were going to go with her. I asked her also to check on a cabin farefor some friends who are thinking of joining us but want only an outside cabin.I would call her back this afternoon.

 

I had an email from her asking me to call her before 6 , she needed to talk to me.So I called and she said that the price had gone up , that the cruise lime had changed the prices. I know they didn't because I had rechecked today when I called to get an idea of price for our friends outside cabin. Then she says that she "might " have been looking at the wrong ship when she quoted me our price.

 

So now we are back to only $ 100 off the Carnival fare and no extras..she misquoted us by $210

 

I guess it is back to the drawing board for us..I will have to call around to get some different quotes I guess.

 

I knew it was too good LOL!

 

I don't know if my PVP can beat their price, but I would be glad to email you his name and number for comparison. We have used him for years and in fact he was sent to us by "Uncle Bob" (Bob Dickinson) himself. The boards do not allow specific PVP info to be posted.

[captainc]

I don't know if my PVP can beat their price, but I would be glad to email you his name and number for comparison. We have used him for years and in fact he was sent to us by "Uncle Bob" (Bob Dickinson) himself. The boards do not allow specific PVP info to be posted.

 

 

Thanks I would love to give it a try!

 

You can contact me at

 

learningles@hotmail.com

 

I will let you know how I go !

[NRWO]

Refer to thread about large TAs and group space. Enjoy these rediculous bargains while you can.. the days are numbered.

[captainc]

Refer to thread about large TAs and group space. Enjoy these rediculous bargains while you can.. the days are numbered.

 

 

Can you tell us which thread specifically?

 

Thanks again to everyone

[NRWO]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=305801

[LHP]

Can you tell us which thread specifically?

 

Thanks again to everyone

 

Ooops ...replied to wrong post...sorry!