Carnival offering cheaper rates after I paid-- Help Please!

[happyphaze]

Hello, I am new to all of this. I am booked on the Carnival Pride in April. We booked and are paid in full for an 8A balcony guarantee. I recently went on the site to see what rooms are still available and they are offering free upgrades to an 8H balcony if you buy an 8A. Are we able to ask for this even though we already paid in full? Also, I think the price itself is a little cheaper. What should I do (if I can do anything)?

 

Also, I've read on here that sometimes guarantee rooms get upgraded but the upgrades aren't always better (because of location, etc.). Can anyone tell me what bad upgrades would be so I don't end up with one. Thanks!

[tamaram26]

I would call Carnival and ask them if they can do anything for you. It never hurts to try!:)

[leaveitallbehind]

Hello, I am new to all of this. I am booked on the Carnival Pride in April. We booked and are paid in full for an 8A balcony guarantee. I recently went on the site to see what rooms are still available and they are offering free upgrades to an 8H balcony if you buy an 8A. Are we able to ask for this even though we already paid in full? Also, I think the price itself is a little cheaper. What should I do (if I can do anything)?

 

Also, I've read on here that sometimes guarantee rooms get upgraded but the upgrades aren't always better (because of location, etc.). Can anyone tell me what bad upgrades would be so I don't end up with one. Thanks!

 

I realize it is a different line, but RCI - through our TA - has upgraded us twice in stateroom class and refunded a credit to our overall booking fee as their rates have dropped closer to our sail date and in response to the economy to help assure a full ship. Call Carnival and /or your TA to find out what may be available to you. I would think they would responde similarly - especially if the rates have dropped and they've had full value of your payment on their books!

[eventfarm]

You're best to ask this on the carnival forum...

 

If you have an 8A GTY, then you don't have an 8A. You probably paid less. If you want to upgrade, you can probably pay the difference between what you paid and the curren 8A priceing and get the auto upgrade. If the current 8A price is less than what you paid, you might be able to get an on board credit for the difference. It's at carnival's descrition, but they are usually good about that.

 

If you booked through Carnival, chances are good that you'll get something better than what you have now... give them a call.

 

If you booked through a TA, it's really totally up to them.

[NCTribeFan]

Call whomever you booked with (TA or Carnival). If you called Carnival, you were probably assigned to a PVP. You should have that person's name and extension. If you booked online at Carnival, you can call their generic 800 number and someone will help you. But if you booked online through a big agency, you'll have to contact them. Carnival can only help you if you booked directly with them. Have your booking number ready if/when you call.

 

I had booked an 8C on Miracle (before they were recategorized to 8I; had to finally get that aft balcony), and they're currently having a sale. The code is P1S.

 

I called my PVP, and my price was lowered $200 per person using the sale code. All balcony cabins were being upgraded to the 8I (the aft cabins), so he was able to reprice it at the 8A price.

[cherylandtk]

Above advice is good; you need to call, whomever you booked with, and ask. I just wanted to point out that you paid in full well before final payment due date. You still have all the flexibility to cancel, rebook, etc. just as if you had not paid yet. It is the DATE that determines the cancellation penalty, not the act of paying early, and you still have about two months of wiggle room.

[firefly333]

Above advice is good; you need to call, whomever you booked with, and ask. I just wanted to point out that you paid in full well before final payment due date. You still have all the flexibility to cancel, rebook, etc. just as if you had not paid yet. It is the DATE that determines the cancellation penalty, not the act of paying early, and you still have about two months of wiggle room.

 

I paid early thru a TA and you might not have as much wiggle room as if you booked thru the cruiseline. The price dropped $60 and the TA was unwilling to refigure their commission, said it had already been figured out by Carnival, and the commission was so small they were unwilling to get me the price drop. I had paid off my Jan 09 Ecstasy 5 day cruise when I paid off my Conquest Sept 08 cruise, never guessing it could come back and bite me. Not a good idea to pay off early I found out, the $60 would have been subtracted from the total due at final payment had I waited.

 

My TA also now has a $25 pp change fee. So, there could be consequences, but if it was pay a change fee vs. upgrading to the highest deck, Id still do it, thats a nice upgrade.

 

OP let us know if you got your upgrade and maybe even some OBC.

[cherylandtk]

That is a good point Firefly--once a TA finalizes payment they figure their commission and might not be willing to re-figure. (I wonder if that is why my TA has a final payment date about 25 days earlier than Princess, just to finalize prices before any last minute price drops ahead of the actual final payment?)