Will I lose my ES status if I switch to a Pack & Go rate?

I am booked in a Deluxe Ocean View with Early Saver status and currently have a $50 OBC as a booking special. If I switch to Balcony GA matching the Pack & Go rate will I lose my Early Saver status (and not be able to price match any future lower prices)? And will I lose my OBC? TIA

technically you should not be allowed to match to a pack and go since it is a guarantee...

however some have reported being able to get a 'one time' type price match to it, and some of them have said that yes, they couldn't price match further. others have reported they were not allowed to match to a guarantee at all. it's something they're not supposed to do in the first place though, so really there are no steadfast regulations as to how this should be handled, so ymmv.

regardless of whether they do it or not, yes you do need to factor the obc into the price comparison. if you price match to a rate that does not have an obc, yes you will lose it.

My understanding is that once you book Early Saver, you will always be Early Saver (you'd just be matching rates); but then again, I may not be understanding E.S. at all :eek:

I believe you will lose Early Saver and the promotional obc.

Always Early Saver applies if you price match to another rate that allows you to choose your own cabin,

Calling your TA or your PVP will get you a definitive answer applicable to your own situation.

I am booked in a Deluxe Ocean View with Early Saver status and currently have a $50 OBC as a booking special. If I switch to Balcony GA matching the Pack & Go rate will I lose my Early Saver status (and not be able to price match any future lower prices)? And will I lose my OBC? TIA

Rules state under early saver you cannot price match to a fare that is for a guarantee where Carnival picks the cabin which is what Pack & Go is. Let us know if Carnival allows it.

I actually just did this. Well not with a Pack & Go but with the Mother's Day sale.

I was originally in a 7A with ES and the Mother's Day sale was a guarantee (at least for our sailing) and a whole $70 cheaper for 4 of us.

I did use a TA though and we was able to get us moved to the new promo from ES.

We did loose any ability to price match going forward though. We also lost the room we picked. Neither of these were big deals to me personally but might be to someone else. In our case, if I was to book today instead of when I did in Jan/Feb I would be paying almost $200 more for a 7A.

I would say you would loose the $50 OBC also which could make a difference to you.

A few things to look at before doing this IMO. Have your cruise rates done nothing but go up? If so then it might be worth it to just change. Also has your cruise been eligible for all or almost all of the sales? If it has been, a better one might come along. But it is a gamble. In our case, the rates have done nothing but go up, and the Mother's Day sale was the first one n 5 months we could get. We didn't even have the options for any of the past OBC sales, Bar Credit Sales, or even this current OBC sale.

They will allow the one time adjustment to the Pack and Go rate, however you WILL lose the ES rate and not be able to apply for further price adjustments. You might keep your OBC, it depends on the agent on the phone. I've seen it go both ways.

I believe you will lose Early Saver and the promotional obc.

 

Always Early Saver applies if you price match to another rate that allows you to choose your own cabin,

 

Calling your TA or your PVP will get you a definitive answer applicable to your own situation.

This is correct.

Rules state under early saver you cannot price match to a fare that is for a guarantee where Carnival picks the cabin which is what Pack & Go is. Let us know if Carnival allows it.

As is this. lol. Let us know how you make out.

es or not you can price match till final payment on any booking as long as it is apples to apples. is this not still the rule i know that is the way it has been

I actually just did this. Well not with a Pack & Go but with the Mother's Day sale.

 

I was originally in a 7A with ES and the Mother's Day sale was a guarantee (at least for our sailing) and a whole $70 cheaper for 4 of us.

 

I did use a TA though and we was able to get us moved to the new promo from ES.

 

We did loose any ability to price match going forward though. We also lost the room we picked. Neither of these were big deals to me personally but might be to someone else. In our case, if I was to book today instead of when I did in Jan/Feb I would be paying almost $200 more for a 7A.

 

I would say you would loose the $50 OBC also which could make a difference to you.

 

A few things to look at before doing this IMO. Have your cruise rates done nothing but go up? If so then it might be worth it to just change. Also has your cruise been eligible for all or almost all of the sales? If it has been, a better one might come along. But it is a gamble. In our case, the rates have done nothing but go up, and the Mother's Day sale was the first one n 5 months we could get. We didn't even have the options for any of the past OBC sales, Bar Credit Sales, or even this current OBC sale.

You were able to do it because you did not match your ES booking to the other rate, you literally changed your booking to that rate. There is a difference.

I'm curious though: technically you should have been charged the $50/person fee that comes with ES (when you make changes). Were you?

es or not you can price match till final payment on any booking as long as it is apples to apples. is this not still the rule i know that is the way it has been

ES can price match to any rate except a guarantee rate. You would have to actually change to the guarantee rate and no longer be able to price match.

You were able to do it because you did not match your ES booking to the other rate, you literally changed your booking to that rate. There is a difference.

 

I'm curious though: technically you should have been charged the $50/person fee that comes with ES (when you make changes). Were you?

No fee to change rates. As the poster said, he can no longer do any price matching and gave up picking his/her own room. But no fees would have been associated.

If your rates are steady climbing AND if the savings is significant AND if you don't mind what room you land in, it's a good choice to move to a guaranteed rate.

I know Carnival says that won't allow you to do this, but they were going to allow us to do it for our Vista sailing next year. Move to a guarantee from a ES booking. But I decided against it in the end since the sailing is so far away.