Carnival Cruise Line Makes Changes to Future Cruise Vacation Program

Won't book on board again.

I too will not book onboard anymore:(

I haven't yet booked one onboard but I do like having two weeks to do so once getting back. Of course I will only book if the terms and conditions don't matter (i.e. we know we're taking the cruise).

I never found the incentive great enough to book on board anyway.

20% off the early saver rate sounds like a good incentive to me!

20% off the early saver rate sounds like a good incentive to me!

I agree. Sorry to lose some OBC but a discount is better. Plus I really like being able to book once we get home. The Carnival person wasn't able to book fully accessible cabins (only modified accessible) so this way, once we get home I can call and get a fully accessible cabin, 20% off and a bit of OBC.

Score!

In the past, we would know before we ever boarded the ship which cruise we wanted to take next, the cruise date, and which cabin we wanted. Pretty easy for the Carnival rep. at the Future Cruise Desk, right? Wrong. Something would always get screwed up. But, at least we got our OBC. As soon as we got back home, I'd make a call to our PVP, give her the booking number, and she'd make the necessary corrections. Kind of a pain in the aft just to get some OBC. This new program will (hopefully) be much better, even if it does mean less OBC at the outset.

a discount is better.

I'm not sure how much OBC was given with the old program but our Glory cruise was $2200, so a 20% discount is $440 which I'd take any day over OBC.

20% off Early Saver sweetens the deal but I have a question. It says you can do it later either on-line or through the Fun Hub app. I'm interested in knowing if you can use a TA.

Also wish they would state if current bookings made on board are grandfathered regarding keeping OBC when price matching.

I am happy to see it's a better deal than I thought.

I'm not sure how much OBC was given with the old program but our Glory cruise was $2200, so a 20% discount is $440 which I'd take any day over OBC.

I agree! We never need much OBC. We book tours privately and don't buy much on ship. Paying for 5 of us to go, and 20% off sounds like a great deal to me!

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20% off is freaking awesome that would give me $120 off my 3 day cruises I book for hubby and I during our anniversary - we always go for our anniversary and because its labor day weekend the prize has been roughly the same the last 3 years so $120 off and OBC is way better than just $50

When does this start?

20% off the early saver rate sounds like a good incentive to me!

You have a point. For a balcony it's $327 off. Not bad.

I just did this last night. It was nice to get back from the cruise and look at what our options were.

One negative I believe I read in the fine print was that it is 2 weeks from embarkation. That shortens the time quite a bit.

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I just did this last night. It was nice to get back from the cruise and look at what our options were.

One negative I believe I read in the fine print was that it is 2 weeks from embarkation. That shortens the time quite a bit.

 

 

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Glad to hear that this change does have some perks to the situation. Guess will just have to do some research prior to our next cruise and get my choices decided on ahead of time. I am also curious to know how the OBC is affected for future price matching with the Early Saver fare. Anyone heard anything specifically concerning this situation? But 20% off an early saver fare is really worth it as long as you are pretty sure about your specific plans and dates.

Glad to hear that this change does have some perks to the situation. Guess will just have to do some research prior to our next cruise and get my choices decided on ahead of time. I am also curious to know how the OBC is affected for future price matching with the Early Saver fare. Anyone heard anything specifically concerning this situation? But 20% off an early saver fare is really worth it as long as you are pretty sure about your specific plans and dates.

When matching, you'll need to match to another Early Saver fare, otherwise you'll lose the $50 OBC. The gal on the Miracle confirmed this for me, emailing her boss for the answer. You can book onboard thru ShoreEx or GS. (Great, longer lines at GS.).

Carnival has been very good about grandfathering in other programs. We booked 3(!) cruises last week under the old program, even after the new program was started. Not expecting any issues for these cruises.

I do like the fact that the new program includes group cruises.

Does anyone know if this includes repositioning and/or cruises across the pond?

We are looking at the Med. cruise on the Horizon for our son's graduation next April and we're leaving on the 4 day Sunshine out of Charleston next Thursday. It would rock to get 20% off that Med. cruise just for taking a quick weekender!

I think this is incorrect information. The new future cruise program is just early saver pricing and does not have 20% off.

Reduced deposit, onboard credit and 2 category upgrade.

If you price match you will lose the obc and the reduced deposit if the new price does not include the same offer.

You may want to verify with Carnival before you decide to book your next cruise.

I think this is incorrect information. The new future cruise program is just early saver pricing and does not have 20% off.

 

Reduced deposit, onboard credit and 2 category upgrade.

 

If you price match you will lose the obc and the reduced deposit if the new price does not include the same offer.

 

You may want to verify with Carnival before you decide to book your next cruise.

That's my understanding as well when I read the new terms.

We were just on a cruise and went by the future cruise desk to check out what other ships were doing Curacao and Aruba. The man working there was in no rush to sell any cruises. I asked him why they changed the name of the Destiny. He told me because that was the worse ship Carnival ever had and they had to change the name because of it's bad reputation. When we told him we had been on the Triumph, he asked if we were on the 'poop' cruise. It was a very interesting conversation with someone who was suppose to promote Carnival. LOL

I think this is incorrect information. The new future cruise program is just early saver pricing and does not have 20% off.

 

Reduced deposit, onboard credit and 2 category upgrade.

 

If you price match you will lose the obc and the reduced deposit if the new price does not include the same offer.

 

You may want to verify with Carnival before you decide to book your next cruise.

Well that's just sad. Wonder where the original post came from.

It definitely didn't give me 20% off early saver. It gave me $20 off early saver per person. If I had waited to book it now, it would only give me $10 off per person.

Early Saver gives you up to 20% off Fun Select fares.

Carnival's FAQ page about the new program doesn't say anything about 20% off early saver. The picture on the VIFP offers page does say 20% off early saver. When I click on offer details on my smartphone, it searches applicable cruises instead.

Does new program charge you $50 if you cancel,like early saver does?Not actually understanding the difference between this program and early saver?

I am going on a cruise in a few weeks and would like to think ahead if I would want to book another cruise.When I read 20% offer my eye lightened up.

Does new program charge you $50 if you cancel,like early saver does?Not actually understanding the difference between this program and early saver?

 

I am going on a cruise in a few weeks and would like to think ahead if I would want to book another cruise.When I read 20% offer my eye lightened up.

The program is a set of benefits(not as good as before) that is only available if you book Early Saver. The terms of Early Saver haven't changed.

Well that's just sad. Wonder where the original post came from.

Cruise Critic's editors with a link to the article.