Kids sail free on Carnival!

[libertyschool]

Good to know. My PVP has already given us our $149 credit. I would not call it a SCAM for some bookings it is cheaper. Months ago we had already booked for August and now this Kids sail free rate is cheaper and it is cheaper than the rate was last week for the same cruise, because I was checking last week too for a price drop.

 

Did you originally book early saver? I was not able to get an adjustment. I booked "dreaming of vacation" and it is before final payment. :(

Edited March 26, 2014 by libertyschool

[dna529]

Just to give you an example of what "kids sail free" means to me: (and I'm not trying to be an NCL cheerleader, because I love Carnival also)

 

Last fall during the NCL "kids sail free" promo we booked a 7 day Western Caribbean for under $1400 total for 2 adults and 2 kids in an inside cabin. The adult price was around $500 per person. The other $300 something was for taxes and port charges for all 4 people in the room. Therefore, the kids were actually FREE, except for the port charges and taxes of course. I did not feel that the adult prices were inflated to compensate for the kids being free.

 

In my opinion, this Carnival promotion is false advertising.

[2bthereagain]

This is my last post about this with you because I'm done....I completely disagree with you because advertising "kids sail free" when someone can book the exact same cruise today for a cheaper price justifies that the kids are not sailing for free. They jack up the price for 1 & 2 and advertise free just to get people to book. Scam.

 

Yes. Exactly. This. For example, I did not wish to Frankenstein two promotions together. I did two brand-new, first time, exact cabin bookings for 2 adults and 1 child - the first one using one current promotion and the second one using the Kids Sail Free promotion. The KSF was much higher. Kids are not sailing free - you are paying for them in the 1 & 2 rates. Period. End of story.

 

Caveat - if you have more than 1 kid it might have a different outcome. But the real deal is Carnival is saying "Kids Sail Free" and that is an outright lie.

Edited March 26, 2014 by 2bthereagain

[libertyschool]

In my case the kids sail free promotion did make a difference of $180 on my 3 day cruise in May.

 

After having a bad experience earlier today and being told nothing could be done even though I have not made my final payment yet, I just called again and spoke to a very helpful nice young man who credited my balance owing. YAY!!

[CCe-mail]

Do you need a code or something for this?

I am looking at May Cruise from Sydney Australia.

[dnj1]

In my case the kids sail free promotion did make a difference of $180 on my 3 day cruise in May.

 

After having a bad experience earlier today and being told nothing could be done even though I have not made my final payment yet, I just called again and spoke to a very helpful nice young man who credited my balance owing. YAY!!

 

Yes, I booked 'dreaming of vacation' too. Im glad you got your credit. I do realize that the savings amount does not add to totally "free", but it is a savings and I'm ok with that.

[cruizinisthebest]

Part of the problem is Carnival offers too many rate categories. No other cruiseline does that I believe. Go on other websites, see the price, there's no this and that sale to compare it to. See one price and if the kids are only being charged taxes and fees, that's a kids sail free promo. And then you decide if the rate for the fully priced passengers is good for you. Having 3 and 4 different rate categories for the same sailing is not helpful and very confusing. Also with this promotion, it seems the sweet spot is 4 or 5 in a cabin. Don't see the benefit with 3 to a room. Just my thoughts.

[jaxcruiser23]

I don't see the cruise offer?

 

 

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[dna529]

Yes. Exactly. This. For example, I did not wish to Frankenstein two promotions together. I did two brand-new, first time, exact cabin bookings for 2 adults and 1 child - the first one using one current promotion and the second one using the Kids Sail Free promotion. The KSF was much higher. Kids are not sailing free - you are paying for them in the 1 & 2 rates. Period. End of story.

 

Caveat - if you have more than 1 kid it might have a different outcome. But the real deal is Carnival is saying "Kids Sail Free" and that is an outright lie.

 

Exactly. Period. Even with 4 booked it's still not a deal.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Yes. Exactly. This. For example, I did not wish to Frankenstein two promotions together. I did two brand-new, first time, exact cabin bookings for 2 adults and 1 child - the first one using one current promotion and the second one using the Kids Sail Free promotion. The KSF was much higher. Kids are not sailing free - you are paying for them in the 1 & 2 rates. Period. End of story.

 

Caveat - if you have more than 1 kid it might have a different outcome. But the real deal is Carnival is saying "Kids Sail Free" and that is an outright lie.

 

But you are trying to combine two promotions. You said it yourself. "The first using one current promotion"

 

Kids Sale free is 2 adults paying the full fare (fun select) and kids paying nothing. Other promotion is everyone getting a discounted rate. I wouldn't expect anything different than this.

Edited March 26, 2014 by PrincessArlena'sDad

[2bthereagain]

But you are trying to combine two promotions. You said it yourself. "The first using one current promotion"

 

Kids Sale free is 2 adults paying the full fare (fun select) and kids paying nothing. Other promotion is everyone getting a discounted rate. I wouldn't expect anything different than this.

 

Let me give this example - I have been stalking the rates for the exact cruise and exact cabin for way over a year. I have seen all sorts of sales and promotions come and go. The rate has never, at any time, SALE OR NO SALE, been over $1,479.00 pp. It has usually stayed around $1,369.00 and has never been lower than $1,103.00. Again, the highest it has ever been with no sale is $1,479.00. With the KSF the rate is $1,769.00. So yes, the 2 adults are paying full fare, an over-inflated $300 more expensive, full fare in order for the kids to be 'free'. This is a deceptive business practice and an outright lie. Not everyone 'stalks' rates for a year straight like I do, and these are the people (families!) that Carnival is preying upon. I love Carnival, but this is downright unethical.

[mpcaruth]

I checked the promo for our June cruise for a quad cabin. The Kids Sail Free price is $100 more than we booked over 5 months ago. However, the promo price is $140 less than the cabin price offered last week.

[lollylew]

I think this promotion is beneficial if you have more passengers. Just did a price drop form for my upcoming Inspiration cruise in August and for our cabin of 5, it dropped $337!! :D:eek:

[jaxstiles]

Ours went down $210! Thanks Carnival!

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

We're currently booked early saver, for our Aug 16 cruise. For us, the price drop is $57 (total, not pp). If we take advantage of this, would we then be "locked" into the kids sail free promotion, and not eligible for a lower price if it comes out?

 

I think I might be willing to risk $57 in case there are any cheap pack and go sales.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Let me give this example - I have been stalking the rates for the exact cruise and exact cabin for way over a year. I have seen all sorts of sales and promotions come and go. The rate has never, at any time, SALE OR NO SALE, been over $1,479.00 pp. It has usually stayed around $1,369.00 and has never been lower than $1,103.00. Again, the highest it has ever been with no sale is $1,479.00. With the KSF the rate is $1,769.00. So yes, the 2 adults are paying full fare, an over-inflated $300 more expensive, full fare in order for the kids to be 'free'. This is a deceptive business practice and an outright lie. Not everyone 'stalks' rates for a year straight like I do, and these are the people (families!) that Carnival is preying upon. I love Carnival, but this is downright unethical.

 

You say the rate has never been over $1479. Is that the highest rate you've seen, or the highest rate you would have had to pay on any given day? For example, for my cruise, there are 3 rates right now, early saver, KSF, and Fun Select. For us, the KSF is the cheapest. But, until today, early saver was always the cheapest. So, was that $1479 you saw the fun select, or an early saver? To compare apples to apples, you need to compare today's KSF with a fun select, not an early saver.

 

Secondly, the rates can, and do, change all the time. You can't compare a sale price of today with any previous price, sale or no sale. Right now, KSF is paying for 2 Fun selects, and kids are free. If it's better for you, you can still book early saver, or any other rate that may be available. I really don't understand how this is deceptive. In a few days KSF may be gone. Then the rates may be higher. Or a new sale will come out, and it'll be lower. Just like airline fares.

[Pete C]

This is an utter and complete joke. Kids Sail Free costs more than any other current promo. With RC's version you get a vastly cheaper cruise compared to their normal prices.

[jay49307]

Looked at our upcoming cruise for May and it would be about 250 more for us to bring a child the only increase was for taxes, and fees. Think we might bring our niece with us this time.

[CharlesTownEer]

I actually did see some savings. It definitely wasn't entirely free for my two kids, but it made enough of a difference where it was cheaper than renting a beach house. I have been stalking this one cruise for a while now and it wound up being a little below when I started looking at it a month or so ago as compared to what it was last week. I guess YMMV? Definitely not free, but it worked for us...

[MandaHud]

Wow...I must be the odd person out.....oh well, I'll take my $350 savings...after getting 2 prior price drops...guess I am special...;)

 

 

Me too! My June 29th 8f balcony on the magic went down another $517 with the kids sail free. I am comparing it to the summer go sail or whatever that one was that was the lowest price yesterday.

 

 

 

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[Ellsinore]

We were able to knock $108 off our total for 2 adults 2 kids in one cabin. Booked yesterday. Got the decrease today. It did take two phone calls and I still think we should be getting another $108 off. However, I was happy with the first price so any reduction is gravy.

Edited March 27, 2014 by Ellsinore

[morganboys]

There is another thread on this here that states that there is a problem with the Carnival website for the booking costs. They are working on it and are trying to get it corrected as quick as possible.

 

I don't buy this excuse that it is a problem with the website. I thing a lot of folks are griping about how the price went way up or even cost more so they are using this as an excuse. now they may also be starting to lower their prices to make them selves not look so bad.

[T2C]

Think again! Looks like the price of the cruise nearly doubles if you select the "kids sail free" price! What a rip off. False advertisement!!!! :mad:

 

What a freaking joke. I checked it out and if I decided we wanted to have our kids (grandkids) "sail free" it would cost us $484 more then what we are spending now.

 

CCL has got to get new people in their promotion department, people who know how much stupidity like these sales actually hurt the CCL image

[MCAT48]

I for one think carnival website booking is so stinking confusing I have no idea how to tell if I'd be getting ripped off or not!

[MandaHud]

I don't care if they call it the "Kids Sail Free" Sale or the "Argue With Your Neighbor" Sale or the "This Is A Scam" Sale... I'll take the reduced rate every time.

 

 

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