??'s Re: Aft Wrap & ES

[rpouls]

OK - I never much paid attention to the ES rates until I just booked one in March (for June 2011). From viewing this board I see that it may be beneficial for me to check for price drops. Here are my questions:

 

1) I specifically booked an aft-wrap - will this prevent the upgrade fairy from contacting me? I was already offered a JS (after doing a search here, decided against it - balcony too small; not as conveniently located for me).

 

2) When should I start checking for price drops? - I know I'm a little over 10 months away from our sail date.

 

I've read that aft-wraps sometimes sell out quickly - is this true?

 

I've had an aft-wrap on my last two cruises (2007 & 2009), but never received a contact from the 'upsell fairy.' Nor did I check to see if the cost went down. I don't think I booked under ES rate either time.

 

While the JS is very tempting space-wise, I'm still not convinced that it would be a better deal (for me, anyway) than the aft-wrap - love that balcony!

 

I would, however, very seriously consider an upgrade (depending on the additional cost) to a GS - is this just a fantasy, or a possibility??

 

Thanks in advance for any comments and advice,

[firefly333]

My friend in a 9C got a price drop 8 days out. The upsell fairy was hard at work, and one opened up, she said only saw it for a couple of hours, and she got lucky and caught it for a nice OBC on my last May Triumph cruise.

 

I look almost every day. Right now I use a TA site (to check prices daily) and have two main ports to check, so its doesnt take long except for one takes a couple more clicks.

 

I check more often when they get within the last 6 months, and I have several Im checking, Sept, then RCL for Oct and Nov, then I have Triumph and then Ecstasy in January ...Im not checking very often on ones past then.

 

I check and Iv only had three teensy drops in all my bookings. ... I must be unlucky. I got #3 though for next January, so its a good thing I check. ... a whopping $10 pp. lol. It all counts so I put in for it.

[Ashleezmom]

OK - I never much paid attention to the ES rates until I just booked one in March (for June 2011). From viewing this board I see that it may be beneficial for me to check for price drops. Here are my questions:

 

1) I specifically booked an aft-wrap - will this prevent the upgrade fairy from contacting me? I was already offered a JS (after doing a search here, decided against it - balcony too small; not as conveniently located for me).

 

2) When should I start checking for price drops? - I know I'm a little over 10 months away from our sail date.

 

I've read that aft-wraps sometimes sell out quickly - is this true?

 

I've had an aft-wrap on my last two cruises (2007 & 2009), but never received a contact from the 'upsell fairy.' Nor did I check to see if the cost went down. I don't think I booked under ES rate either time.

 

While the JS is very tempting space-wise, I'm still not convinced that it would be a better deal (for me, anyway) than the aft-wrap - love that balcony!

 

I would, however, very seriously consider an upgrade (depending on the additional cost) to a GS - is this just a fantasy, or a possibility??

 

Thanks in advance for any comments and advice,

 

We are booked in an aft wrap for our upcoming Spirit cruise, which is a Vista Suite now but when we booked it they were still classified as Cat. 11. We booked over a year in advance and within the first 2 months our price dropped twice. We got a nice 200$ drop per person, but since the Category is sold out have not seen another lower price.

 

Looking at the prices everyday may seem unreasonable, but thats what my BFF does and found the lower prices listed only a few days on our cabins.

 

Now within one month of our cruise I received a call from Carnival on my answering machine a few days ago, but did not return their call. I assume an upsell as that day there was a Category 12 available. I am so happy to have my aft wrap I wouldn't give it up for free for a Cat. 12!!

 

My daughter was called on her last cruise also, an upsell to a OS but the cost was too much to upgrade to the suite for her.

 

Good luck! You'll have a great cruise wherever your cabin is!

[fig414]

I'm coming up on aft wrap #3 and have never been up selled/sold and would never never ever ever go to a JS if I had a wrap booked. IMO you are very lucky to even get a wrap 10 months out. My 3 experiences about price dropping is that it doesn't exist. Believe me I checked diligently. I gotta believe that since they created a new category for my beloved cabin, the price (higher than ever) will probably never drop. When CCl created the new Cat, I thought "what took them so long". These cabins were actually the same price as a regular Cat 10 suite. Go figure.

Spirit Class rules.

[Wickedwill]

My thought is that you will not see a price drop unless there are cabins in your category available. We have an 8E lido balcony next month and we saw (and got) a $20 pp reduction a few months ago. Since then though I have noticed our category has sold out and I've seen no further drops. Because there are so few aft wraps I have to believe they sell out quickly and you'll likely never see a drop.

[Quampapetet]

1) I specifically booked an aft-wrap - will this prevent the upgrade fairy from contacting me? I was already offered a JS (after doing a search here, decided against it - balcony too small; not as conveniently located for me).

 

I doubt it, but it will prob'ly be much less likely.

 

2) When should I start checking for price drops? - I know I'm a little over 10 months away from our sail date.

 

Now! The price can drop at any time. Check as often as you can - every day, if you can remember to - as sometimes price changes are for a short time.

 

I've read that aft-wraps sometimes sell out quickly - is this true?

 

Not in this economy. I had an aft wrap (booked ES) on my last cruise and the last aft wrap was available until about a week or two before final payment. However, the deck eight and deck seven wraps go before the deck six ones usually, since those are better decks. (The deck six ones are at least sometimes for three ppl, too.) The deck eight ones seem to go before the deck seven ones, but I loved my deck seven one and am glad I chose it over a deck eight one.

 

I've had an aft-wrap on my last two cruises (2007 & 2009), but never received a contact from the 'upsell fairy.' Nor did I check to see if the cost went down. I don't think I booked under ES rate either time.

 

Most ppl don't get a call from the upgrade/upsell fairies no matter what cabin they're in. But, more often than not, the upgrades/upsells are for the lower-category cabins (like insides), as the cruiseline has a much better chance of selling those last minute than a more expensive cabin. For instance, my friend was on a Princess cruise the other month and she had an inside cabin in the lowest/one of the lowest categories, as did two other gals in her group. Princess (with their permission) bumped them up for free to a Grand Suite together (the cruiseline had to ask for permission to room them together) a few days before the cruise. I believe they also did the same with three guys in the group to another Grand Suite on the ship. Princess made more money by selling the inside cabins last-minute than they would have if they'd had to keep the two Grand Suites as the ones for sale. (And, yes, they got all the perks that came with the suites, like VIP status, free mini-bar items, free Internet time, etc. Lucky them!!)

 

While the JS is very tempting space-wise, I'm still not convinced that it would be a better deal (for me, anyway) than the aft-wrap - love that balcony!

 

I would agree!!

 

I would, however, very seriously consider an upgrade (depending on the additional cost) to a GS - is this just a fantasy, or a possibility??

 

I would still keep the aft wrap. Can't beat that balcony!

[Quampapetet]

BTW, as for price drops, on my last cruise, I booked when it was the second-lowest rate since I started looking into the cabin (I originally had booked non-ES in an L-shaped balcony, but later changed to ES on the aft wrap). So, I only got a $20 price drop. But, on my currently booked cruise (less than six months before it), I've already gotten several drops for a total equaling $100. And there are several cabins in my category available still. So, you just never know! :)

[CrusinCyndi]

I have a VS suite booked on the Pride for October 2011 sailing to Bermuda. I check at least once a day if not twice to see if their are any price drops. I booked this in June but I still like to check anyhow. But I did discover that the cabin price for this cruise has GONE UP $100 per person since I booked it in June. Besides, I got a rate thru a TA that was the same as a regular balcony, so I can't complain and I don't excpect a price drop, but it's fun to look anyhow!

[KruznKel]

We have had 7 aft wraps and never received an up sell call.. wouldn't take it any way.. can't beat the balcony...;)

[SueG]

If you really like a large balcony, do not go with a GS. I could not believe how small the GS balcony was on the Glory. I guess I was expecting more.

[Linsuesue]

We have a VS on the Spirit this month, and we booked it 14 months ago. I have looked diligently, and we never got any price drops. Shortly after we booked our aft-wrap category 11, the categories were changed and all of the cat. 11's became JS, OS, and VS. By that time, all of the VS were already sold. The last OS listed for our cruise 5 days ago sold for $370 more dollars than we paid for our VS. I think we're lucky to have found an aft-wrap and and to get a price drop on the VS cabins doesn't seem likely. There are just too few of them now that they divided up the category 11's.

[okwriter]

There is a VS still available on our December sailing on the Legend.

 

It's more than TWICE what we are paying per person for an 8E balcony.

 

I'm sure it's a great cabin, but it's a little too rich for my blood right now.

[Kerryman50]

We are booked on The Miracle in a VS cabin(1st One) and we had 2 past guest price drops total $50.pp. Certainly wasn't expecting it but I was very happy that I kept checking. We were originally booked in a VS on deck 5 and a more desirable VS cabin became available for less money and we changed, no problem. The cabin we were in was gone a couple of hours later. No matter if you think that your category is sold out you never know. Timing is everything, one of the people on our roll call saved $200. pp after I posted that there were price drops. Needless to say she was very thankful.:D

[Quilting_Cruiser]

We just booked an aft wrap on the Spirit for June. It was the last aft wrap for three people. There are still a few available that can sleep only two passengers. If, by some miracle, they remain available and the price drops on those, can I still get that for our three-person VS? At least for the first and second passengers?

 

Thanks!

[Kerryman50]

We just booked an aft wrap on the Spirit for June. It was the last aft wrap for three people. There are still a few available that can sleep only two passengers. If, by some miracle, they remain available and the price drops on those, can I still get that for our three-person VS? At least for the first and second passengers?

 

Thanks!

It doesn't matter, if there is a price drop in the VS category it doesn't matter which cabin. You just have to meet the requirements.(ES, Past Guest etc.)

[Quilting_Cruiser]

It doesn't matter, if there is a price drop in the VS category it doesn't matter which cabin. You just have to meet the requirements.(ES, Past Guest etc.)

 

Great. Thanks for the info. This is the first time we've booked ES so don't have any experience with it. Thanks!

[Kerryman50]

You're welcome. Like I said just keep checking periodically,especially the closer you get to final payment. After final payment if you get a price drop submit your form and if it's approved you'll get OBC, which is very nice too!!