Customer Appreciation Event no big deal

[texreno]

Is it just me or is Carnival's current Customer Appreciation Event no big deal. I've been checking a future cruise date for some time now and see that the price under their current event is about the same as it's been for some time now. The Customer Appreciation Event does offer a 2 category cabin upgrade but that doesn't really interest me. Unlike the older ships, there's very little difference in a balcony cabin upgraded from what I would normally choose anyway.

[Cruizinman]

It's not just you ;) NCL actually has a few better deals !

[Mimi9095]

It doesn't seem like a big deal to me either because we usually pick a high category balcony and so the upgrade doesn't apply. It would be better if it was something like either a two category upgrade or get $50 obc per person.

[texreno]

Thanks for the validation.

 

Does anyone know what Carnival's next promotion might be like? Someone has to have some inside connections.

[brilliantseas]

The price of the cruise that I have been watching in March dropped by $70, so at least some cruises are "on sale".

[winterpeg2004]

I have been looking at booking a cruise for next year.

 

With this promotion does anyone know if your deposit is refundable?

 

If it is, it looks like I can get a good price for my cruise and not be locked until next September.

[riclop]

I have been looking at booking a cruise for next year.

 

With this promotion does anyone know if your deposit is refundable?

 

If it is, it looks like I can get a good price for my cruise and not be locked until next September.

Yes its refundable fully, i just cancelled and i got my deposit back in 3 days.

[winterpeg2004]

So if we book now and in 4 months there is a better deal is there anything stopping me from cancelling my booking and re book with the better special.

[texreno]

That depends on which offer you book under and who you book through. Some travel agents are charging fees if you cancel or change a booking. If you book directly with Carnival you need to read the fine print under the particular promotion you book under.

[winterpeg2004]

They have early saver and guest appreciation sale right now for the same price. Early saver is non refundable but believe the guest appreciation is fully refundable up to 76 days before.

 

Going to call my PVP tommorow to find out for sure.

[2 cruzen]

Sale worked for us.. $100 off balance due for cruise in March. :D

Edited November 25, 2013 by 2 cruzen

[nowendy]

worked for our inside rooms for Alaska. TA told us it was a reduction in the 3rd and 4th passenger rates..... saved $135 woo hoo!

[texreno]

I know the current event shows a savings off published rates but the savings was no more than the previous savings offered before the Customer Appreciation" event.

[winddawn]

Is it just me or is Carnival's current Customer Appreciation Event no big deal. I've been checking a future cruise date for some time now and see that the price under their current event is about the same as it's been for some time now. The Customer Appreciation Event does offer a 2 category cabin upgrade but that doesn't really interest me. Unlike the older ships, there's very little difference in a balcony cabin upgraded from what I would normally choose anyway.

Carnival's "sales" are usually more marketing gimmicks than they are sales. The "free upgrade" can also knock you out of future price drops, so I rarely take them.

 

Carnival's overall rates this year are the cheapest I've ever seen them though, and other cruise lines have some great deals now too. You don't really need to wait for a sale. You're better off shopping for a special fare within about 4 to 8 weeks of when you want to sail IMO. Watch for resident rates, 55+ rates, military rates, casino rates, or whatever special fare you qualify for by logging into Carnival's website and clicking on the "Cruise Deals" link at the top of their home page, then clicking on the VIFP tab and entering your VIFP number.

 

Carnival uses marketing ploys to try to entice you book way in advance, but IMO, you're better off booking the last minute special fares unless you have your heart set on a special cabin that is likely to sell out (like an aft-wrap balcony cabin).

 

I'm considering booking Celebrity for my next cruise. Celebrity is offering a free drinks package right now. That's a great deal. I like that they include specialty coffees and bottled water in their alcoholic drinks package too. And Celebrity has a more restrictive smoking policy which appeals to me.

 

I hope you find a great deal on a great cruise! :-)

[gusandgidgetsmom]

Normally I think Carnival's sales are kind of silly. Not much of a bargain. They used to have great ones years past but not so much now. We have been booked on a cruise for a year now and finally got our besties to come with us. I booked for them and the sale was 100.00 cheaper each leg than the early saver was.

[Aplmac]

That depends on which offer you book under and who you book through.

Some travel agents are charging fees if you cancel or change a booking. ===> Not mine, thankfully.

I had zero trouble and zero penalty

when my local TA/Cruise Consultant switched my VALOR booking from one date to another date!

 

At the time, all I had paid was the deposit to hold the booking

-but now I'm sailing in Feb. instead of May! :) Works for me!

 

.

[slybear]

This "sale" worked great for me. I was able to upgrade from an interior cabin on the Riveria deck 1 to interior cabin on the Lido deck for no additional cost. I originally booked Early Saver while onboard the Conquest & was able to keep my $100 on board credit too! Now I doubt an interior 4H is going to drop below $878 for the 2 of us but it is a great price so I'm quite happy!

[riclop]

Is it just me or is Carnival's current Customer Appreciation Event no big deal. I've been checking a future cruise date for some time now and see that the price under their current event is about the same as it's been for some time now. The Customer Appreciation Event does offer a 2 category cabin upgrade but that doesn't really interest me. Unlike the older ships, there's very little difference in a balcony cabin upgraded from what I would normally choose anyway.

A new event starts tomorrow.

[T. Advisor King]

Carnival's "sales" are usually more marketing gimmicks than they are sales. The "free upgrade" can also knock you out of future price drops, so I rarely take them.

 

Carnival's overall rates this year are the cheapest I've ever seen them though, and other cruise lines have some great deals now too. You don't really need to wait for a sale. You're better off shopping for a special fare within about 4 to 8 weeks of when you want to sail IMO. Watch for resident rates, 55+ rates, military rates, casino rates, or whatever special fare you qualify for by logging into Carnival's website and clicking on the "Cruise Deals" link at the top of their home page, then clicking on the VIFP tab and entering your VIFP number.

 

Carnival uses marketing ploys to try to entice you book way in advance, but IMO, you're better off booking the last minute special fares unless you have your heart set on a special cabin that is likely to sell out (like an aft-wrap balcony cabin).

 

I'm considering booking Celebrity for my next cruise. Celebrity is offering a free drinks package right now. That's a great deal. I like that they include specialty coffees and bottled water in their alcoholic drinks package too. And Celebrity has a more restrictive smoking policy which appeals to me.

 

I hope you find a great deal on a great cruise! :-)

 

Lots of good advice here for sure, but not necessarily practical depending on where you're flying in from and what your flexibility is booking time off work. Sure you might save on cabin fare with a last minute deal, but did you book your flights first and got lucky with the cabin deal or are you now paying an extra $250 pp for your flight to get to the port? Or did you book the flights first and waited but now there are no cabin deals and in fact the fares have gone way up?And what if yo haven't booked either but there is no deal on fares and you and your partner have both booked time off work and are scrambling to figure out what "Plan B" is going to be.