Lowering Fares

[MD320]

Hi,

 

I was wondering if you could tell me the best way to keep an eye out for lowered fares as I get closer to my sailing date. It seems that a lot of people receive on-board credits or upgrades as lower fares become available. Any hints for finding better deals?

 

Thanks!

[mrdood]

Hi,

 

I was wondering if you could tell me the best way to keep an eye out for lowered fares as I get closer to my sailing date. It seems that a lot of people receive on-board credits or upgrades as lower fares become available. Any hints for finding better deals?

 

Thanks!

 

No best way, no secret, you just have to do the legwork, most do it on Carnival's website...

[VentureMan_2000]

Yep... go to canival dott com and check for yourself.

 

Most fares go up over time. You have the best bet of fare going down if you book during hurricane season in the fall.

 

I had my May 2007 cruise go down %70 per person this week. But mostly, I've seen them go uo, and rarely go down.

[INCHARGE]

I would check for price drops every day before signing off my computer. Whenever I saw a cheaper price, I called and got the cheaper price applied to my account, making my final payment lower each time I would call. The last time was a few days before my cruise. They were able to give me an onboard credit. I got 4 price breaks on my last Valor cruise. It never hurts to try. It actually became fun for me to see if I could beat the last change.:-) It took sereral cruises before I realized that I could do this. I have only done this when booking thru Carnival and one other outside agency.

[intothisfire]

do the price breaks and OBC's only apply if you booked through carnival or can i call my PVP at the travel agency i booked with?

[Cruzman]

A good TA will get you the price drop, or an OBC.

[shellmybell]

I don't know if anyone else has had any experience with them, but I called the 800 number on the site, I think I may have rec'd a flyer in the mail too, and the price she gave me was a few hundred less than website and she also gave us an upgrade.

[caribbean dreams]

do the price breaks and OBC's only apply if you booked through carnival or can i call my PVP at the travel agency i booked with?

 

The price drops and OBC apply to you no matter who you book with.

[Traveler353]

I check daily on the Carnival site and have had 3 price drops in the last 2 weeks. I just give my Carnival PVP a call and she takes care of it then and there. All the refunds have been to my credit card, credit received within 48 hours of my calling. That is one of the reasons that I deal directly with Carnival, no middle man to have to deal with. If it drops anymore they are going to be paying me to cruise with them.

[mac4cruise]

It is something that you have to check all the time. my cruise has gone down 3 times since I booked it and every time I had to call Carnival to get the reduction.

[cruiser4life79]

also check vacations to go dot com, they seem to have an edge on the rates as well esp if you are or were in the military,past guest,or a senior.it will give you an idea of what to expect, hope that helps. i always learn about my rate drops on that site,and on my last cruise i got a 120 OBC woohoooo

[Gman2004]

I don't know if anyone else has had any experience with them, but I called the 800 number on the site, I think I may have rec'd a flyer in the mail too, and the price she gave me was a few hundred less than website and she also gave us an upgrade.

 

that's probably cause the agent gave you a special promotion like a resident rate, senior rate, past guest, or something else you might have qualified for. those rates are not adverstisted on the website. the website rates are super saver rates.

[Sashalanda]

Had I not stumbled across this forum..I would never have known about this. I called my husband this morning about finding lower prices..mucho lower than what we paid with supposed breaks with previous sailing and veteran discount. My question is, is the lower price only from carnival.com counted or lower prices quoted from other sites too?

[Gman2004]

mucho lower than what we paid with supposed breaks with previous sailing and veteran discount.

 

the rate is lower than the "supposed" breaks you got because Carnival lowered the price since you booked because they have more inventory than they are supposed to have at that time.....they are trying to fill the ship. The opposite would happen if they had less inventory than they are supposed to have....the rates go up. when you booked the veteran discount was lower than the regular price it just so happens now that the regular price has gone down lower than your previously discounted rate.

[virginiab]

Some travel agents will charge less than Carnival charges. I believe they do this by taking a lower comission. You should not expect either Carnival or a different travel agent to meet those prices, although it never hurts to ask....

[Sashalanda]

That makes sense..kind of like stores huge sales. They will lose money actually at end of season sales to save money on storage/shipping for resale etc. So really, in some cases anyway, if my calendar can be arranged at last minute..and not needing to be too picky about a room..it is possible to get a room pretty cheap. Whats the "worst" part of the ship to be on as far as noise..motion?

[Smiling Cruiser]

The worst part of the ship to be on is the deck side as the ship sails without you! If you get a really great low price, any room is worth it IMHO. Ear plugs will block out minor noise irritations. You spend less time in your cabin than elsewhere on the ship. If only we lived in a state that offered residents discounts.:)

[Sashalanda]

ROFL I agree with you ..just visualized myself standing on dock lol. Noise doesn't bother me too much but a lot of motion might. I take dramamine for car rides. I had only one bout of sea sickness my last cruise..but it was storming and seas were rough that day. Just think maybe if too much motion, I wouldn't leave my cabin cause of being sick lol.

[ROPD184]

I recently booked a cruise on the Ecstasy forNov 4th...when I looked on Carnivals website...for an interior room was 299.00 perperson plus port charges...so est 350.00 PP after port charges....I then checked with a TA...andgot the same thing....except upgraded from a 4a to a 4b...for 275 PP Including port charges and taxes..not a bad deal...but of course I dont know how to check THOSE prices to see if they have been reduced...:o