Group Booking vs Individual Bookings

What are the pros and cons of booking as a group or individual cabins? As soon as they come available we will be booking 30 or so cabins for Aug 2015.

Group bookings can earn you amenity points that can be used for things like on board credit depending on how many points you get. Also with every 8 berths you can earn a free cabin, just to name a few advantages of booking a group.

Group bookings can earn you amenity points that can be used for things like on board credit depending on how many points you get. Also with every 8 berths you can earn a free cabin, just to name a few advantages of booking a group.

I knew of the 8 berths and free cabin, but how do you get points? A few years ago when I was looking to book a group, individual bookings were 20-25% less than the group rate.

I did a group booking last year. Unless it has changed again, it is no longer a free cabin. You receive money back based on what class of cabin your group books in. I cant remember how the money breaks down though.

We received 4 points on a 7 day cruise, we chose as a group to give each cabin $75 OBC.

In my opinion with the way prices drop you are better off booking individually.

I thought it was one free berth for every 8 cabins booked?:confused:

Bill

You do get 1 free berth for each 8 booked. That being said you still pay the taxes and fees and the free berth is based on the category where the most cabins are booked. Also you get amenity points each sailing has a certain number of amenity points. Can be used for on board credit/cocktail party in room gift etc. I am a TA and book groups quite often.

You can book a group cruise using any available discounts - senior, military, resident, early saver etc. The prices will generally be a little higher than individual prices since you're receiving amenity points. But, since you're getting the one free berth and whatever your amenity points gets you, you come out ahead. If you do book early saver you still watch for price drops just as with individual bookings.

I did a group booking last year. Unless it has changed again, it is no longer a free cabin. You receive money back based on what class of cabin your group books in. I cant remember how the money breaks down though.

We received 4 points on a 7 day cruise, we chose as a group to give each cabin $75 OBC.

In my opinion with the way prices drop you are better off booking individually.

It use to be that they gave you one free berth, not cabin. Now they make everyone pay upfront, then send the money for that free berth to the person making the arrangements after the cruise. It's based on the category with the largest amount of bookings. For instance, if you have 5 on the Riviera deck and 15 on the Panorama Deck, it will be based on the Panorama Deck category.

I have been booking group cruises for over 5 years and it has never been a 'free cabin'. It is a 'free' cruise fare for every 8 cabins booked. This cruise fare does not include taxes and port charges which are charged on the original booked cruise fare. What has changed is how Carnival bases the 'free' cruise fare. It used to be on the category of cabin of which was the most booked. The past couple of years and most recently (we just booked another group cruise for Jan. 2015 a couple of weeks ago) it has been based on the average price of all categories of cabins booked. My experience has been that this comes out to about 1/2 of one persons cruise fare. We do receive amenity points with which each cabin receives on board credit. It has only been in the past two years that we have been able to book early saver and receive price drops.

All this being said, I really think it depends on the TA or PVP as to what information you receive!

You should definitely book that many cabins as a group. You will receive amenity points that you can use for onboard credits and more. You will receive the average per person rate minus taxes/port charges for every eight double occupancy or higher rooms booked into the group. This money can be applied to your balance before final payment to save you money, spread among the group as onboard credit, or used for private parties, etc.

Carnival recently revamped their group program. Now group rates are almost always lower or equal to the lowest individual rates available. You can also book special rates such as Early Saver into the group and still receive the amenities. You'll also be able to pay a reduced deposit by booking as a group.

Find a good travel agent that specializes in groups and let him/her do all the work. I always set up a website where my groups can get info and book online. I also set up a private facebook group so all the members can discuss plans, ask questions, etc. Your travel agent should make it as easy as possible for everyone to book into the group.

Carnival recently revamped their group program. Now group rates are almost always lower or equal to the lowest individual rates available. You can also book special rates such as Early Saver into the group and still receive the amenities. You'll also be able to pay a reduced deposit by booking as a group.

 

Find a good travel agent that specializes in groups and let him/her do all the work.

I just asked my PVP about group rates (my daughter will now make our "family cruise" her wedding cruise) so the 7 cabins we have now should be growing by at least another 8-12 cabins.

My PVP said that group rates were typically "more than" the Early Saver we'd booked under......she makes it sound like it would cost us MORE over-all to change our bookings to a group without a lot of benefit (OR is this simply a lot of work she doesn't want to get into??)

IF we can change to a group rate and get money back (in the form of a free cabin) AND keep our Early Saver rates (where we can look for price drops) We would LOVE it since WE are personally paying for 5 of the rooms ourselves (too many kids:))

Please advise.......how can I get accurate information if not my PVP??

I just asked my PVP about group rates (my daughter will now make our "family cruise" her wedding cruise) so the 7 cabins we have now should be growing by at least another 8-12 cabins.

 

My PVP said that group rates were typically "more than" the Early Saver we'd booked under......she makes it sound like it would cost us MORE over-all to change our bookings to a group without a lot of benefit (OR is this simply a lot of work she doesn't want to get into??)

 

IF we can change to a group rate and get money back (in the form of a free cabin) AND keep our Early Saver rates (where we can look for price drops) We would LOVE it since WE are personally paying for 5 of the rooms ourselves (too many kids:))

 

Please advise.......how can I get accurate information if not my PVP??

To the best of my knowledge, individual reservations cannot be rolled into a group once they're created as individuals. I don't think Carnival allows individual reservations to be changed to group reservations. Ask your PVP to clarify.

There may be a rare instance where the group rate would be higher than Early Saver, but you could have booked the Early Savers into a group from the beginning and gotten the free berth as well as Early Saver price drops.

It use to be that Early Saver was always the lowest. However, this provided no incentive to book groups and created confusion for guests. Travel agents complained about it last year and Carnival, trying to lure travel agents back after the Triumph incident, revamped their groups program so that now group rates are almost always lower. They also changed to allow Early Saver to receive group amenities whereas before, they could not.

Good luck!

you could have booked the Early Savers into a group from the beginning and gotten the free berth as well as Early Saver price drops.

 

I'm going to guess at the answer here.......But, shouldn't my PVP have known this when I told her we were booking seven cabins immediately for a family reunion.......actually my aunt also booked (possible cabin #8) but I'm not sure if she booked with my PVP (I do know that she got my reservation number so that she could connect to our "group" for early dining). These PVPs!!!!! - we count on them to KNOW......

Since we are sending out the wedding invitations this week and I already know that there will be another 8-12 cabins being reserved I will talk with my PVP (or try and find SOMEONE knowledgeable) and perhaps start a new GROUP reservation and somehow connect it with the original family reunion group........for early dining, etc.

Geez....this should be easier than it is - - thank goodness for Cruise Critic where I learn everything.........Although on the other hand if I didn't read it here I'd just be entirely ignorant and not know what I was missing........

I'm going to guess at the answer here.......But, shouldn't my PVP have known this when I told her we were booking seven cabins immediately for a family reunion.......actually my aunt also booked (possible cabin #8) but I'm not sure if she booked with my PVP (I do know that she got my reservation number so that she could connect to our "group" for early dining). These PVPs!!!!! - we count on them to KNOW......

 

Since we are sending out the wedding invitations this week and I already know that there will be another 8-12 cabins being reserved I will talk with my PVP (or try and find SOMEONE knowledgeable) and perhaps start a new GROUP reservation and somehow connect it with the original family reunion group........for early dining, etc.

 

Geez....this should be easier than it is - - thank goodness for Cruise Critic where I learn everything.........Although on the other hand if I didn't read it here I'd just be entirely ignorant and not know what I was missing........

I would have thought your PVP would have created a group when you told her you had that many cabins too. Maybe you can create a group for the other cabins you'll be booking. You'll have 60 days to get a reduced deposit to hold them rooms. Not sure how far out the wedding is, but that could help encourage more people to book if they can pay it off over a longer period of time.

I haven't heard many good things about dealing directly with Carnival when it comes to groups. I'd suggest you find a good travel agent that can help you with the rest of the cabins if you're wanting to create a group. I'm sure everyone will have a great time on the cruise!