Should I Quit Checking?

[sea_u_onboard]

I’ve been checking on the price of our cruise for a while now and it just keeps going up - $600 more right now. I’m glad I reserved when I did.

 

What do you think the chances are that the price will go down the closer it gets? We are in a balcony quad.

 

[Snowball]

What do you think the chances are that the price will go down the closer it gets?

For a quad balcony right smack in the middle of peak season - I'd say your changes are between slim and none, but I would still keep checking just in case.

[bonnys]

It doesn't hurt to continue checking. You never know, they might have a one day sale or something. I am somewhat embarassed to admit that I check the price of our upcoming cruise (March '05) first thing each day when I get online. So far, I have received one discount for $240.00 total for the three of us. Since then the price has gone back up and past our original rates. Yet I still keep checking...

[EBunny4U]

On our last cruise, which was during Spring Break, the price went down 2 weeks before the cruise. We got a total shipboard credit of $280 for 2 cabins.

[ladycaveat]

How and where does one check the price of their cruise?

[kujobie]

I would start with the agency you booked with. Then I would check Carnival's site as well as the major online TA's like the one that ends with -ocity and the one that ends with -pedia. The major sites don't vary much in price and availability. Just make like you are going to book a room in the same category as yours and see what price is given. Don't give up hope. On our last cruise, we saw a price drop of $70 per person 3 weeks before sailing and were able to get shipboard credit in that amount (covered our tips) even after getting a good rate originally ($599, 7-day Glory, E. Carib.) We sailed in April. If you're going in summer, spring break, or holiday weeks, your chances are slimmer that the price will drop.

[1tonysmom]

I check the prices online a couple of times a day. So far, no price drop, but I keep on hoping. The week after Thanksgiving isn't a really busy week to cruise, so maybe I will get lucky and be able to get a shipboard credit before we sail 11/27. At least my category hasn't sold out yet. Even if we don't get a price drop, I am happy with the price we paid. Happy cruising.

 

Joanne :)

[rothbear]

If you find a lower price, who should you contact to get the credit? CCL or TA? I can't imagine the TA will do a thing for me.

 

Does the same apply to groups? If you find a lower price than the group price, should you bring it to someone's attention? Or are you pretty well locked in?

[HeidiHo]

Go ahead and keep checking. You never know. The price for our spring break cruise 1 1/2 years ago went down about a month before we sailed (maybe because the war in Iraq was due to start soon). Anyway, our TA was unable to get us a credit but but was able to get us a free upgrade from an 8G to a cat. 11 suite. Even if the prices don't go down but stay higher than what you paid, you will at least have the satisfaction of knowing you booked at the right time.

[kujobie]

It's just a matter of your TA calling Carnival. I book with an online TA and they made the call while I was on hold. Took about 15 minutes for us to save $140. If you book with any TA and call CArnival direct, you will likely get nowhere, they will just refer you to your TA.

[sea_u_onboard]

From what I've read and experienced groups are pretty much locked in unless you have a very large group.

[serene56]

If you find a lower price, who should you contact to get the credit? CCL or TA? I can't imagine the TA will do a thing for me.

 

Does the same apply to groups? If you find a lower price than the group price, should you bring it to someone's attention? Or are you pretty well locked in?

 

 

Nancy: You will need to call the agent. No cruise line will talk to you if you have an agent. For your own protection really.

 

Sea you- Keep checking. I have checked prices daily on my cruises. On the voyager it never came down but by the time we sailed the cruise costs almost 250 more pp then what we paid. thats 500 for both of us. The Miracle is following suit. Its almsot double what I paid and the SO finally realizes that it pays off to book in adavance.

[sea_u_onboard]

Well now it's up $625.00 - I'll keep checking.

 

It does make me feel good that I booked when I did.