Phantom Price Protection

Good explanation, a lot of people don't understand about the sub categories because Carnival does not particularly explain or go into detail about that on their site. It's been years, but I like the way the site was set up in the past that clearly stated each individual subcategory along with the prices for each. I wish they would go back to that.

That sums it up well. It's just not clear on the website. Carnival's website is lacking in so many ways! I had another discussion going on regarding them not showing if you booked Early Saver anywhere in your booking record on the website.

In my case, there are only eight cabins in my category. So, the price protection benefit is VERY limited when there are so few cabins. But, they advertise it like it is going to save you money if the price goes down in the future. Sure, it saves you money if you want a less desirable location for a lower price, but how many of us really want that?

That sums it up well. It's just not clear on the website. Carnival's website is lacking in so many ways! I had another discussion going on regarding them not showing if you booked Early Saver anywhere in your booking record on the website.

 

In my case, there are only eight cabins in my category. So, the price protection benefit is VERY limited when there are so few cabins. But, they advertise it like it is going to save you money if the price goes down in the future. Sure, it saves you money if you want a less desirable location for a lower price, but how many of us really want that?

When I had my price protection request approved about a month ago, I'm pretty sure there were less than 8 cabins left in our category, so don't give up looking. It will save you money if the price goes down in the future, as long as that lower price is for the same category cabin. And no, it doesn't have to be for a less desirable location. Like I said in my other post, we saved over $200 total for three of us a couple years ago. For the same cabin we started with. And with our recent price adjustment, we're saving around $150 total. Unfortunately, I looked last night and our category is sold out, so unless it opens up again, price protection is closed for us. I'll keep looking just in case, but if not, we still saved $150.

Not exactly price protection but re Carnival's 110% Low Price Guarantee within 48 hours of booking:

On our Imagination cruise last month, we booked the cruise last-minute directly with Carnival.

The following day they reduced the reduced fare, same cabin category, even further, so I then

submitted their online form to request the 110% Low Price guarantee.

By the time they got around to process my request, the price had gone up again and they wrote

back with some BS of an excuse that the low price I was referring to was no longer available.

I told them "Tell you what, go back in your system to the day I booked the cruise and then check

what the same exact cabin category price was on your very own website 24 hours later, furthermore,

if you processed my request in a timely manner, NOT a week after I submitted it, chances are we would

not be having this conversation". They had the gall to tell me they can only go back in their system

48 hours and I called their BS and pulled my ace card from my sleeve....."OK, I said, how about if I

provide you with a screenshot of the lower price?"

30 MINUTES LATER I HAD MY FARE PRICE-MATCHED 100% TO THE LOWER PRICE

PLUS AN ADDITIONAL 10%.

Both the price difference and the extra 10% were processed as an onboard credit. It is a bummer that

they put you through the wringer to get them to honor what they prominently promise in writing both

in their marketing emails and on their website.

Thanks,

Fred

As far as the rate at which you booked (e.g. Early Saver), they see it in their system. It doesn't show up anywhere when we login to our Cruise Manager, but then again, it doesn't really need to since a person already knows which rate plan they bought.

A person knows the rate plan when they buy it... but how long do they remember it? We book cruises way in advance.The older I get, the harder it is to keep up with that stuff. I usually am very good about organizing my important emails but the Carnival confirmation, if I got one, was a victim of a mailbox cleanup mistake.

I'm overly reliant now on websites to keep records for me, rather than to keep my records for myself. Bad idea, I know.

Who knows, maybe I will get lucky and one of those other seven cabins will open up and nobody else will book it before I can notice and file for price protection... but I am not counting on it.

Not exactly price protection but re Carnival's 110% Low Price Guarantee within 48 hours of booking:

 

On our Imagination cruise last month, we booked the cruise last-minute directly with Carnival.

The following day they reduced the reduced fare, same cabin category, even further, so I then

submitted their online form to request the 110% Low Price guarantee.

By the time they got around to process my request, the price had gone up again and they wrote

back with some BS of an excuse that the low price I was referring to was no longer available.

I told them "Tell you what, go back in your system to the day I booked the cruise and then check

what the same exact cabin category price was on your very own website 24 hours later, furthermore,

if you processed my request in a timely manner, NOT a week after I submitted it, chances are we would

not be having this conversation". They had the gall to tell me they can only go back in their system

48 hours and I called their BS and pulled my ace card from my sleeve....."OK, I said, how about if I

provide you with a screenshot of the lower price?"

30 MINUTES LATER I HAD MY FARE PRICE-MATCHED 100% TO THE LOWER PRICE

PLUS AN ADDITIONAL 10%.

Both the price difference and the extra 10% were processed as an onboard credit. It is a bummer that

they put you through the wringer to get them to honor what they prominently promise in writing both

in their marketing emails and on their website.

 

Thanks,

Fred

I submitted a price match two days ago. When I hadn’t heard back by the end of the day, I was screen-shotting like a mad man. I still haven’t heard back, but I’m prepared if they wait until the next price hike.

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I submitted a price match two days ago. When I hadn’t heard back by the end of the day, I was screen-shotting like a mad man. I still haven’t heard back, but I’m prepared if they wait until the next price hike.

 

 

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TWO THUMBS UP, Pops. (y)(y)

Be prepared to stand your ground with them, like I said, they attempted to shy away from honoring their own Low Price Guarantee but I stood my ground and when they gave me the "we can only go back 48 hours" bs, that is when I 'confronted' them with the proof that a screenshot provides. And don't forget that they have to give you an additional 10% of the price difference as obc as well.

Good luck to you buddy and let me know how things work out for you.

Thanks,

Fred.

I submitted a price match two days ago. When I hadn’t heard back by the end of the day, I was screen-shotting like a mad man. I still haven’t heard back, but I’m prepared if they wait until the next price hike.

I never did hear back from my submission. I had to call and talk to an actual human.

Funny story ... when I called, I got a recording which said "your estimated hold time is 15 minutes" and it gave me an option for a callback. I have used this feature with the airlines and it works great. So I entered my phone number for the callback.

I kid you not. The moment I did that my phone rang, and it was Carnival's robot calling back. Fastest 15 minutes of my life!

A person knows the rate plan when they buy it... but how long do they remember it? We book cruises way in advance.The older I get, the harder it is to keep up with that stuff.records for myself.

Me too. :D

If I have a question as to what fare I booked under, I can always call my PVP. However, If she is not readily available, I go to Carnival's web site and go to Manage My Cruise. (Currently have 6 booked. :eek:) I pull up the applicable cruise Booking Number and then scroll down to the section titled IMPORTANT NOTES. Then scroll down to Guest Notes. If you booked Early Saver, you will find a sentence in one of the notes that reads "Early Saver terms and conditions (T&C) apply."

Hope this helps. What hair I have left is grey.

Me too. :D

 

If I have a question as to what fare I booked under, I can always call my PVP. However, If she is not readily available, I go to Carnival's web site and go to Manage My Cruise. (Currently have 6 booked. :eek:) I pull up the applicable cruise Booking Number and then scroll down to the section titled IMPORTANT NOTES. Then scroll down to Guest Notes. If you booked Early Saver, you will find a sentence in one of the notes that reads "Early Saver terms and conditions (T&C) apply."

 

Hope this helps. What hair I have left is grey.

If that is the case, you're ONE UP on me in that respect. lol lol lol :D;);p

Me too. :D

 

If I have a question as to what fare I booked under, I can always call my PVP. However, If she is not readily available, I go to Carnival's web site and go to Manage My Cruise. (Currently have 6 booked. :eek:) I pull up the applicable cruise Booking Number and then scroll down to the section titled IMPORTANT NOTES. Then scroll down to Guest Notes. If you booked Early Saver, you will find a sentence in one of the notes that reads "Early Saver terms and conditions (T&C) apply."

 

Hope this helps. What hair I have left is grey.

I tried to follow these instructions, but I see no section named IMPORTANT NOTES.

I tried to follow these instructions, but I see no section named IMPORTANT NOTES.

I don’t have it either. Only in the email confirmation my PVP sends me.

I don’t have it either. Only in the email confirmation my PVP sends me.

Yes, that circles back to my lack of email-preservation skills :D, and Carnival's lack of a customer-friendly website.

I had a much different experience with my last Price Protection submission. Carnival says it may take up to 2 days to review, but I got approved for both of our cabins in an hour or two.

I take it Price Protection is different than the 110% guarantee y'all are referring to? Because the Price Protection info doesn't say anything about 110%, that's on a different webpage and seems to be a separate deal. I know I didn't get that extra 10% when my adjustment was approved.

A person knows the rate plan when they buy it... but how long do they remember it? We book cruises way in advance.The older I get, the harder it is to keep up with that stuff. I usually am very good about organizing my important emails but the Carnival confirmation, if I got one, was a victim of a mailbox cleanup mistake.

 

I'm overly reliant now on websites to keep records for me, rather than to keep my records for myself. Bad idea, I know.

 

Who knows, maybe I will get lucky and one of those other seven cabins will open up and nobody else will book it before I can notice and file for price protection... but I am not counting on it.

We booked our upcoming June cruise just over a year ago. I tend to be forgetful sometimes, too, but booking Early Saver seems to stick. If all else fails, you can call and ask which rate you booked. I save everything I want to keep track of in a folder on my computer. Screenshots, saved webpages, links to things on online retailers we might want to buy for the cruise, Word documents with pertinent info., stuff like that.

Don't give up, keep a close eye on your category. As it gets closer, there's a good chance they'll drop the price if they don't fill up. I look at it this way...we only have two bookings under our wings and have saved what we consider a good amount of money both times with Price Protection. That's no fluke.

I had a much different experience with my last Price Protection submission. Carnival says it may take up to 2 days to review, but I got approved for both of our cabins in an hour or two.

 

 

 

That’s the same experience I had the last time. I was surprised it was so quick. Pleasantly surprised, but surprised nonetheless. That’s why I took the screen shots after it didn’t happen that quickly again.

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That’s the same experience I had the last time. I was surprised it was so quick. Pleasantly surprised, but surprised nonetheless. That’s why I took the screen shots after it didn’t happen that quickly again.

There should be no surprise in being quick. In fact, it should be instantaneous. Carnival's computers know the price you paid, and they know the current price. It's a trivial comparison for a computer. I have no idea why they would be taking up people's time with this, except that they are woefully behind in technology.

There should be no surprise in being quick. In fact, it should be instantaneous. Carnival's computers know the price you paid, and they know the current price. It's a trivial comparison for a computer. I have no idea why they would be taking up people's time with this, except that they are woefully behind in technology.

It will never be instantaneous, because an actual human has to verify the rate and if the person qualifies for it. When they get a ton of requests it can take awhile for them to work through them all.

Lots of people who, knowingly, don't even qualify for an adjustment, send in requests that bog down the system.

I put for a fare change and received $50. Great. My second request was denied a week later, but I called and spoke with the sweetest lady. She pushed it through (because it was correct). Rebooked my room because the system was being cranky. Got her manager involved. Both apologized to me. End result? $309 in OBC.