HELP I think my travel agent screwed up!!

I have a question. I booked 4 cabins on the Breeze for the end of May at the beginning of February that were all balcony cabins. In the middle of February Carnival did a big sale "Now is the time sale" so I asked my agent to switch to this one for it saved $40 for each cabin and final payment wasn't due until 30 days prior to sail date. We went ahead and paid in full in March but at the beginning of April all 4 cabins have dropped in price by over $200/cabin so a savings of over $800. We only want a OBC but come to find out my agent didn't switch the sale promotion so they are claiming we can't get a OBC. What can I do. THe sad part is my agent's parents were in a bad accident and she now has to be with them to help-which I totally understand but I still haven't gotten any answers and I had emailed her and talked to her a week and a half before the accident! Now our prices have dropped for a total of $1600!! That is huge! If it was under a couple of hundred I would just let it go but now that is a big price difference and could pay for most of our expense on the ship!! Please help. The agent is the owner of the travel agency so I have no one to really complain too and I know that she really should be taking care of her parents but what should I do??? HELP!!!!

No OBC unless you are booked as early saver which you aren't. Sorry.

Yep, since you're past final payment and not ES...no OBC.

Yes, I understand your urgency but the "Now is the time" sale is not early saver so I don't see how you would get those price drops... Call Carnival again and press the matter with them to see if they could help or at least bring clarity to the situation..

Talked to Carnival and if my agent had switched our promo when I asked her too we would have gotten a OBC for final payment wouldn't have been due until the end of April but she got our credit adjustment that day but didn't switch the promo code. So, basically she screwed up and I'm screwed out of my money inless she pays out of her pocket. I even booked another cruise with her in September. This upsets me so much for the amount of money I could have gotten back!

Talked to Carnival and if my agent had switched our promo when I asked her too we would have gotten a OBC for final payment wouldn't have been due until the end of April but she got our credit adjustment that day but didn't switch the promo code. So, basically she screwed up and I'm screwed out of my money inless she pays out of her pocket. I even booked another cruise with her in September. This upsets me so much for the amount of money I could have gotten back!

Isnt final payment due 90 days out? And CCL won't give you credit inless you booked ES.. This is why I dont use a TA.. Just get a good TA who works for CCL I think they are called PVP

Directly with a PVP in the future and you will not have this kind of problem.

Can you still get price drops or OBC inside the standard (60-75) final payment date with these 30 day final payment date promos?

I thought I'd read somewhere that price drops or adjustments would still be honored ONLY until the standard final payment date but NOT until the 30 day mark, which is one of the reasons why the deposit is non-refundable; to prevent people from canceling and rebooking that close to sailing.

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Carnival is not going to give you $1600 OBC. Just not going to happen. I'd be upset as well...that's a big chunk of change.

So the other option is the TA giving you $1600 because you say she screwed up. I'm pretty sure she's not going to part with that kind of money, even if she did screw up and admits it.

As others have already said, next time book directly with Carnival using a PVP. There's no middle man that way, if there's a problem you can go straight to the horses mouth.

Here's my advice (which I'd have a hard time following): Chalk it up to lesson learned and enjoy the cruise. It would be a bitter pill for me to swallow, but I don't see any other options.

Maybe someone else has another idea?

Once again... Never use a travel agent. Nobody watches your pricing better than yourself.

Isn't final payment due 75 days before sailing, not 30. You also failed to say the key words "Early Saver booking," which means too bad so sad.

As for the agent being absent due to family emergency, that is where another agent needs to take over for her and manage her clients.

Can you still get price drops or OBC inside the standard (60-75) final payment date with these 30 day final payment date promos?

 

I thought I'd read somewhere that price drops or adjustments would still be honoured ONLY until the standard final payment date but NOT until the 30 day mark, which is one of the reasons why the deposit is non-refundable; to prevent people from canceling and rebooking that close to sailing.

 

 

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This is a good point about the 30 day final payment and am sure many others will have similar problems if they have not understood the T&C,s of the promo.

It would be nice to see the T&C,s of the 30 day final payment promo to make sure thats how it works so posters can give the correct information to OP.

Isn't final payment due 75 days before sailing, not 30. You also failed to say the key words "Early Saver booking," which means too bad so sad.

 

As for the agent being absent due to family emergency, that is where another agent needs to take over for her and manage her clients.

Final payment for OP is or should have been 30 days under the sale promo.

OP doesnt have to mention ES because once ES always ES and the problem would not be here if ES!

The OP wouldn't have been booked under early saver period if the cruise was for the end of May and was booked in February. That's 3 months. In order to book early saver rates, the cruise date has to be 5 months or more away.

Had the TA switched the fare code when the $40 drop was recognized as the OP asked, the first price drop of $800 found at the beginning of April would have been granted (provided the category wasn't sold out) since that fare did come with a final payment date of 30 days before sailing. The OP said the sailing is at the end of May. Beginning of April....end of May is more than 30 days. The second one probably not. So yes, the TA did screw up by not switching the fare code. I use one, but just saying. Has nothing to do with watching prices. OP did watch the prices. TA didn't complete the second part of a dual request by the OP.

Sorry that happened to you. I would be heated.

Talked to Carnival and if my agent had switched our promo when I asked her too we would have gotten a OBC for final payment wouldn't have been due until the end of April but she got our credit adjustment that day but didn't switch the promo code. So, basically she screwed up and I'm screwed out of my money inless she pays out of her pocket. I even booked another cruise with her in September. This upsets me so much for the amount of money I could have gotten back!

No way would I keep that second cruise in her hands.

Once again... Never use a travel agent. Nobody watches your pricing better than yourself.

Agree. You found the price drops, you don't need a TA next time. Live and learn.

Please enjoy your cruise.

I am a little confused by your original post, but we are booked under one of the special fares with Final Payment not being due until 30 days prior, and when I called to inquire about the last sale, I was told the promotion that I am currently booked under has the same rules as Early Saver, meaning, that I am eligible for price drops, up until final payment.

I would try to do a little more research on your current fare.

Even if you made final payment early and are OUTSIDE those 30 days, you should still get drops/OBC. Good Luck!!!!!:D:D

Have that other reservation switched to Carnival. But first make sure she has paid your deposit TO Carnival . Then call and confront her with what she has done. Sounds like shes a part-time travel agent. Almost anyone can sell cruises from their kitchen table. Chances are you won't get anything from her. But I'd find out if shes a memeber of a TA organization and report her for what she failed to do.

I am a little confused by your original post, but we are booked under one of the special fares with Final Payment not being due until 30 days prior, and when I called to inquire about the last sale, I was told the promotion that I am currently booked under has the same rules as Early Saver, meaning, that I am eligible for price drops, up until final payment.

I would try to do a little more research on your current fare.

Even if you made final payment early and are OUTSIDE those 30 days, you should still get drops/OBC. Good Luck!!!!!:D:D

You must have been booked early saver to begin with. Even if you switch to a certain sales promo in order to get price drops, you're still considered early save if you originally booked that way. OP couldn't have possibly been booked early saver booking just 3 months out. As Tapi pointed out, I believe those other "30 days final payment date" promos still abide by the normal final payment date rules when it comes to recognizing price drops/OBC.

You must have been booked early saver to begin with. Even if you switch to a certain sales promo in order to get price drops, you're still considered early save if you originally booked that way. OP couldn't have possibly been booked early saver booking just 3 months out. As Tapi pointed out, I believe those other "30 days final payment date" promos still abide by the normal final payment date rules when it comes to recognizing price drops/OBC.

Actually, there is at least one of those promos that have the same rules as Early Saver. She needs to look up which promo she booked under.

Also, you can book early saver 3 months out on cruises under 5 days.

I am a little confused by your original post, but we are booked under one of the special fares with Final Payment not being due until 30 days prior, and when I called to inquire about the last sale, I was told the promotion that I am currently booked under has the same rules as Early Saver, meaning, that I am eligible for price drops, up until final payment.

I would try to do a little more research on your current fare.

Even if you made final payment early and are OUTSIDE those 30 days, you should still get drops/OBC. Good Luck!!!!!:D:D

So now there is conflicting views on the 30 day final payment:confused:

Yours must be correct as you actually have the 30 day final payment and know that price drops are available under this promo up to the 30 day final payment:)

Except if your promo was actually under the same rules as Early saver you would be eligible for price drops up to 2 days before sail day:confused:

It must just mean that your deposit shares the same deposit rules as ES?

Seems though that the T/A did screw up in the op,s case but there is nothing that can really be done about it.:(

I even booked another cruise with her in September. This upsets me so much for the amount of money I could have gotten back!

I even booked another cruise with her in September. This upsets me so much for the amount of money I could have gotten back!

Swap it to Carnival if you have time:)

Actually, there is at least one of those promos that have the same rules as Early Saver. She needs to look up which promo she booked under.

Also, you can book early saver 3 months out on cruises under 5 days.

The one that came with the early saver rules was early saver. I know, because I switched to it. lol. There could have been another one. But for sure at the beginning of the year, early saver did come with the reduced deposit and the later payment date. Also, the OP is sailing on the Breeze. There are no cruises under 5 days on that ship. I just don't see how she could have ever been booked under early saver.

All I could find! I cant find the fare rules in T&C,s though.

#nowisthetime!

Now through Friday, February 21, 2014, Carnival is offering $400 off Fun Select rates per stateroom plus free upgrades on select sailings from March 17th through August 31st. The best part? This FUN cruise vacation can be reserved for just $50 per person, AND final payment is not due until 30 days prior to sailing (versus our standard 60 days).

That’s not all ... book at Early Saver rates and still enjoy free upgrades and a $50 per person cruise deposit to reserve your spot. If you were ever on the fence about booking a Carnival cruise, this is a great offer to help you take the plunge!

Re Above:-

If the cruise deal was only for select sailings March 17th through August 31st cruises then the ES option on many cruises during this period would not have been available including OP,s sailing and OP has actually gained money from Now is the time sale and the new price drops are inside the 30 day final so not available!

It reads to me that it is a saving on "Fun Select" rates with an added $50 only deposit and 30 day final payment instead of the usual 60! Fun Select has price guarantee up to final payment, so in OP,s case up to 30 days:)

The ES option of this sale would only differ from normal ES rules by the reduced deposit and 30 day final payment date:)