Is This Fare?

[Leo Jay]

No spelling corrections -- it's a pun, silly. :p :D

 

Let's say a 2-person cabin is priced at $1000pp ($2000 total); you book as a single and pay, in full, the 150% single supplement rate of $1500. Two weeks before sailing you decide to add someone: do you think it's reasonable that if prices have increased for that category, say from $2000 to $2200, that the cruiseline charges an extra $700 for the extra person vs. +$500?

 

CCL has told me this could happen. It's their prerogative and at least I know in advance that I have to hurry up and decide, but I'm a wee bit surprised...

 

Thoughts?

[gazingm42]

But if the price for 2 drops say to 1800.00 I believe the price

will drop to $300.00. So it can work both ways.

[Flip2cruise]

No spelling corrections -- it's a pun, silly. :p :D

 

Let's say a 2-person cabin is priced at $1000pp ($2000 total); you book as a single and pay, in full, the 150% single supplement rate of $1500. Two weeks before sailing you decide to add someone: do you think it's reasonable that if prices have increased for that category, say from $2000 to $2200, that the cruiseline charges an extra $700 for the extra person vs. +$500?

 

CCL has told me this could happen. It's their prerogative and at least I know in advance that I have to hurry up and decide, but I'm a wee bit surprised...

 

Thoughts?

 

Sounds reasonable to me, Im sure if they didnt do it that way, people would just book singles to lock in rates,then add other people right before sailing. Also your fare would be adjusted from the solo rate.

 

The flip side of this scenario is when cruise prices drop.

[Leo Jay]

But if the price for 2 drops say to 1800.00 I believe the price

will drop to $300.00. So it can work both ways.

 

On the price drop, it's not automatic. It's only if you notice it and make a request, and even then no guarantee; it's not policy.

 

But as far as a price increase on a cabin that's already paid for, is my example really any different from automatically charging everyone extra each time the fares go up on a cabin they've already booked? :) There may be a good argument, I'm just not seeing it clearly...

[Leo Jay]

Sounds reasonable to me, Im sure if they didnt do it that way, people would just book singles to lock in rates,then add other people right before sailing. Also your fare would be adjusted from the solo rate.

 

 

I don't get the benefit of that. Don't you lock in the rate as soon as you put down the deposit?

[GaryWT]

Seems right to me, the cost of the day is the cost of the ticket. If your friend decided to book when you did then they would have gotten the better rate.

[Leo Jay]

Hmm... surprised everyone is seeing this but me. I must be having a brain fart today.

 

Well, what if they initially charged me a 200% supplement -- full rate two-person rate of $2000, does that change things? Let's say I call to add the second person, and the category is now $2200. Is charging us the additional $200 still reasonable?

[CruiseCentric]

I don't get the benefit of that. Don't you lock in the rate as soon as you put down the deposit?

In your case you are only putting down 1 deposit and locking in that rate for yourself. If you decide to put more people in the room, they have to pay the going rate for that cabin.

[CruiseCentric]

Hmm... surprised everyone is seeing this but me. I must be having a brain fart today.

 

Well, what if they initially charged me a 200% supplement -- full rate two-person rate of $2000, does that change things? Let's say I call to add the second person, and the category is now $2200. Is charging us the additional $200 still reasonable?

 

In that scenario it would make more sense to book it with your name and TBA, if you feel someone might end up joining you. That way you lock in the initial rate.

 

I believe it would be reasonable for them to charge a new person the going rate.

[Leo Jay]

If you decide to put more people in the room, they have to pay the going rate for that cabin.

 

Hmm, I just found out 3rd or 4th person supplements work the same way -- I always assumed they were either a flat rate, or some percentage of the original booking rate, I didn't realize they depended on the ship's pricing at any given time.

[Drew B]

Hmm... surprised everyone is seeing this but me. I must be having a brain fart today.

 

Well, what if they initially charged me a 200% supplement -- full rate two-person rate of $2000, does that change things? Let's say I call to add the second person, and the category is now $2200. Is charging us the additional $200 still reasonable?

 

IMO, if you're paying a 200% supplement, it makes sense to give you the same rate (plus, perhaps, a $50 name change fee for the second person). At the 150% supplement, though, Carnival's supplement is MUCH BETTER than the industry norm. That is the trade-off. If you add a person, it's essentially as though a single cancelled and they booked the room to a couple. In that case, why should they be locked into the disadvantageous rate?

[G'ma]

No spelling corrections -- it's a pun, silly. :p :D

 

Let's say a 2-person cabin is priced at $1000pp ($2000 total); you book as a single and pay, in full, the 150% single supplement rate of $1500. Two weeks before sailing you decide to add someone: do you think it's reasonable that if prices have increased for that category, say from $2000 to $2200, that the cruiseline charges an extra $700 for the extra person vs. +$500?

 

CCL has told me this could happen. It's their prerogative and at least I know in advance that I have to hurry up and decide, but I'm a wee bit surprised...

 

Thoughts?

 

Any changes you make to your reservation is subject to price increases. You can't compare the single supplement price to the double occupancy rate. Is it fair? That's not the issue. It is the way it is.....

[Leo Jay]

IMO, if you're paying a 200% supplement, it makes sense to give you the same rate (plus, perhaps, a $50 name change fee for the second person). At the 150% supplement, though, Carnival's supplement is MUCH BETTER than the industry norm. That is the trade-off. If you add a person, it's essentially as though a single cancelled and they booked the room to a couple. In that case, why should they be locked into the disadvantageous rate?

 

 

Well... I can sort of see that... but then again by the same logic, assume there were always two booked into the room and fares go up, why should the cruiseline they be locked into the original "disadvantaged" rate then? Why not charge the new rate to the two passengers in that scenario? Just playing devils advocate...

[Drew B]

Well... I can sort of see that... but then again by the same logic, assume there were always two booked into the room and fares go up, why should the cruiseline they be locked into the original "disadvantaged" rate then? Why not charge the new rate to the two passengers in that scenario? Just playing devils advocate...

 

 

Because nobody would book till the last minute if they couldn't count on the prices, anyway. Then, the cruise line would be forced to LOWER prices to fill the ships rather than raise them...

[Leo Jay]

Any changes you make to your reservation is subject to price increases. You can't compare the single supplement price to the double occupancy rate. Is it fair? That's not the issue. It is the way it is.....

 

I'm not talking about fairness, I just used that for the stupid pun, I'm talking more about whether it's reasonable/logical, which is why I expressed it that way in the OP. I understand up front that that's the way it is, and that as a customer, I have the choice to take it or leave it, so there's no argument or complaint or whining on my end (which is probably why there haven't been 100 responses by now :p ). I'm just sort of trying to sort through the rationale.

[Leo Jay]

IMO, if you're paying a 200% supplement, it makes sense to give you the same rate (plus, perhaps, a $50 name change fee for the second person). At the 150% supplement, though, Carnival's supplement is MUCH BETTER than the industry norm. That is the trade-off. If you add a person, it's essentially as though a single cancelled and they booked the room to a couple. In that case, why should they be locked into the disadvantageous rate?

 

Yeah, re-reading this now, the tradeoff does make sense to me. And I agree with you on the 200% supplement cases, though in actuality, I'm pretty sure they'd charge the new higher rate in that instance too; I don't know if it would be different if, as Matigari suggested, the first passenger had had the foresight to book as himself + a TBA vs. initially booking as a single. I doubt it.

 

Anyway, thanks everyone for helping me think through it. Looks like I'm going solo after all anyway...

[Drew B]

Yeah, re-reading this now, the tradeoff does make sense to me. And I agree with you on the 200% supplement cases, though in actuality, I'm pretty sure they'd charge the new higher rate in that instance too; I don't know if it would be different if, as Matigari suggested, the first passenger had had the foresight to book as himself + a TBA vs. initially booking as a single. I doubt it.

 

Anyway, thanks everyone for helping me think through it. Looks like I'm going solo after all anyway...

 

I imagine if he then became a single, it would be at 150% of the NEW rate, whether that was higher or lower than the original. Alternately, you could just pay the original fee for 2 and have one of the people just not show up if that rate happened to be less than 150% of the new rate...

[dan40]

No matter how they do it, someone will be unhappy with that method. What most if not all cruiselines have done as long as I can remember is consider all changes as a cancellation and rebooking at the current days rate and conditions. Name only changes excepted. Is this a fair fare? Depends on the increase or decrease of the fare. But as long as its consistent, I can live with it.

 

Dan

[ioneblair]

yep, adding to the comments.....imo it's fair, fare, reasonable, logical.....whatever......

 

I booked 2 cabins at a certain rate each with three people.......I added a fourth to each cabin at a later date, each time the cruise rates had changed and I was charged the current rate for the fourth person (but doesn't really matter if it was a second, third or fourth person added).......I fully expected to pay the current rate for that 4th person and not what the 4th person would have cost when I had just booked for three......

 

sorry you are having a bit of brain fog on this.....perhaps you are overthinking this? I know we tend to do that when it comes to $$$

 

Carnival also lowered my rates on when I noticed the drop and called......they did not hold me to the rate I originally booked at which could also be considered fair.......no store analogies please because when they do it, it is also a fair thing to do, even when you can return and rebuy........you have still held the merchandise for a time just like you are booked and holding space for some time on a ship.......

 

 

capisce? ;)

[Leo Jay]

yep, adding to the comments.....imo it's fair, fare, reasonable, logical.....whatever......

 

I booked 2 cabins at a certain rate each with three people.......I added a fourth to each cabin at a later date, each time the cruise rates had changed and I was charged the current rate for the fourth person (but doesn't really matter if it was a second, third or fourth person added).......I fully expected to pay the current rate for that 4th person and not what the 4th person would have cost when I had just booked for three......

 

sorry you are having a bit of brain fog on this.....perhaps you are overthinking this? I know we tend to do that when it comes to $$$

 

Carnival also lowered my rates on when I noticed the drop and called......they did not hold me to the rate I originally booked at which could also be considered fair.......no store analogies please because when they do it, it is also a fair thing to do, even when you can return and rebuy........you have still held the merchandise for a time just like you are booked and holding space for some time on a ship.......

 

 

capisce? ;)

 

 

Actually, I don't understand why they do give refunds on price drops (especially when the customer's into the cancellation penalty period) -- the risk that you might be paying a slight premium by booking earlier seems like a fair offset for being able to secure the cabin you want when it's still available. That said, knowing that CCL is willing to do it, I'd certainly ask for it if I happened to notice it, but I don't usually make myself crazy re-checking fares once I've paid.

:)

[mom2boys97]

What is the easiest way to check for price drops.... Do you have to go on and book a fake cruise?

[CruiseCentric]

What is the easiest way to check for price drops.... Do you have to go on and book a fake cruise?

 

Easiest way would be to let others on your roll call board tell you there is a price drop then you can just call in and get it. :)

 

If that's not possible then, yes, you would need to do a fake booking to see if the price of the category you booked has dropped.

[Leo Jay]

What is the easiest way to check for price drops.... Do you have to go on and book a fake cruise?

ask a PVP

[ioneblair]

Actually, I don't understand why they do give refunds on price drops (especially when the customer's into the cancellation penalty period) -- the risk that you might be paying a slight premium by booking earlier seems like a fair offset for being able to secure the cabin you want when it's still available. That said, knowing that CCL is willing to do it, I'd certainly ask for it if I happened to notice it, but I don't usually make myself crazy re-checking fares once I've paid.

:)

 

about the price drop policy.....it's just good business Leo Jay, to put it simply.......and easy to understand......it's also of course not exclusive to CCL or even to cruise lines.......all types of businesses have this policy.......Steve Jobs gave a nice credit when the price of the iphone dropped, airlines do it, clothing stores, Amazon, etc.......just good business.......

 

I dare say that the folks who check fares/prices and end up saving hundreds of dollars feel checking is very worth it :D , some might even say it's fun and sporting to check........glad you don't make yourself crazy about it.......enjoy the booking process however it's best for you and have a great cruise..........:)

[PCcruiser_x]

Actually, I don't understand why they do give refunds on price drops (especially when the customer's into the cancellation penalty period) -- the risk that you might be paying a slight premium by booking earlier seems like a fair offset for being able to secure the cabin you want when it's still available. That said, knowing that CCL is willing to do it, I'd certainly ask for it if I happened to notice it, but I don't usually make myself crazy re-checking fares once I've paid.

:)

 

I agree. I never understood the early booking thing. The times that I have priced cruises that are far down the road I've found that they're more expensive than what I can get 60-90 days from now. It probably has to do with CCL trying to sell out the cruises and dropping prices as they get closer. But, I too would go crazy checking fares all the time. Not to mention the anxiety of having to wait 18 months for the cruise rather than 60 days. And for many others, hundreds and hundreds of CC roll call posts over a long period of time has to be a pain.