Kids sail free on Carnival!

[MandaHud]

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!

 

 

I googled carnival fare viewer from my phone and when it came up I added it to my home screen. Now I have it just like an app. It's so easy to check rates. I honestly check them at least 4 times a day. I booked in January and my rate has gone down a total of a little more than $800 for my June 29 cruise on the magic. 2 adults, 2 kids.

 

 

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[drolltroll]

I called today about this. The guy I spoke with did not make much sense or provide good reasoning behind why the rate overall was higher on my cruise with kids sailing free. One thing he did do though, was show me where using this promo on a particular sail date did work out cheaper. All he could really say that made sense was some sailings it worked out good, and some sailings it would only work out good if you had multiple children. He also said some sailings it did not work well with regardless of the number of children.

[drolltroll]

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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I do not blame you, but, a sale like this is misleading when only 1 in about 50 people doing mock bookings actually get a better rate.

If 3 out of 5 got a better rate, I do not think people would be griping so much!

[Dreacrusingaway]

So, we are booked on our very 1st cruise for May 25th on the Sunshine. We booked Early Saver and I just called. We saved $138 BUT the savings were not as much as I hoped.

 

Our original fare (not including fees)for an 8M room was $819 per adult and $349 per child with 2 adults and 2 children sailing.

 

When they rebooked it our adult price rose to $1099 with the kids as free. So with the changes we are being credited $138 back to our debit card. This is good because I assumed it would be an OBC.

 

So the price while better is not what I would call "free" since the rate for the 1st two passengers increased by $280 each.

 

But it was simple and she did it over the phone and emailed the new booking info without having to submit a form, which is good because when I tried to do a mock booking there were no 8M rooms left to compare with.

 

Just my experience.

 

 

Well I have to amend this. I looked closely at my email from making my change and the person who helped me made an error. She changed my stateroom without a single WORD and my category went from an 8M to an 8A. :eek: I called back and got someone competent who thankfully was able to get my original stateroom back and fix it. So my new savings is a amazing $28!! :rolleyes: I guess my original rate must have been freaking spectacular because Kids Sail Free is not sounding like a big sale. Oh and my original fare was Early Saver.

 

My per person for the 1st two people has now increased from $818 to $1154 with this "sale" or $336 per person. So in my case all but $28 of my kids original fare was shifted to the adults in the room.

 

At least I am learning the ways of the cruise world early in my journey so I know what to expect when shopping for rates in the future.

[cantwait2cruise]

The Carnival website has been acting strange for a view days. My PVP basically told me today it's job security for her since "it's horrible." I would definitely call to double check pricing right now and not rely on online booking.

 

 

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[2011mom]

I have a family of 4 and the Dreaming of Vacation sale is cheaper than the Kids Sail Free sale right now. I think it's because we are in an extended balcony - the DOV sale includes free upgrades, so if you're in an upgraded class of cabin, the free upgrades will outweigh the free kids, even if you have two kids in your cabin like I do!

 

It would have been nice to get some OBC, but I'm happy with my fare (it's actually cheaper than anything currently available!) and I can't wait until my cruise in July!! :)

[LAdad]

Just saved $800 total on two cabins for 4 adults and 4 kids by calling the carnival number and it took less than 10 minutes total time!

So far it looks good. Same date, same room, same FTTF, same cabana rental, same dining preference... just cheaper and a later final payment date.

 

This was probably a good deal for me because I had booked a semi expensive Past Guest Rate to begin with so it could only go down.

 

So if you are not saving anything with this rate, you were probably savvy from the start!

 

Blessed be the dumb.

Run Forest Run!

[Stinger-pr]

So, let me get this straight... Under the "summer go sale" promotion an aft, upper deck balcony for 4 comes to $3,111 total with taxes and gratuity. Under kids sail "free" promotion, same room, same number of passengers with tips and taxes comes to $2,913. Please, someone enlighten me because, although I'd be saving $198, I don't se where my two kids would sail "free" (yeah, yeah... After taxes).

 

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Edited March 27, 2014 by Stinger-pr

[libertyschool]

Run Forest Run!

 

 

Lol. Thanks for the laugh. You are so right, people keep saying its a rip off and are not grasping the fact that this does not mean kids sail free using a discounted rate such as "dreaming of vacation or the summer sale" where EACH persons fare was discounted. This is Two adults paying the "fun select" which is the basic fare with the kids sailing for free. This is the SAME as the other cruiselines. Only difference is they generally have have less discounted fares to begin with.

 

 

 

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[JRosamonda]

This to be true that the prices would be the same low booking prices that carnival offers then kids free...of course there would be taxes and port charges but I was disappointed to find the prices would inflated so I am cheaper going through NCL for another cruise that they are offering kids free too... Too bad I like carnival but it comes down to money for us.

[RuthlessBoss]

This to be true that the prices would be the same low booking prices that carnival offers then kids free...of course there would be taxes and port charges but I was disappointed to find the prices would inflated so I am cheaper going through NCL for another cruise that they are offering kids free too... Too bad I like carnival but it comes down to money for us.

 

So, you are saying NCL has a comparable cabin, same location, same itinerary but still cheaper? I don't see how you can compare except for the bottom line price on a cruise. I can book a cruise for variable prices depending on cabin category and itinerary too.

[cruizinisthebest]

Lol. Thanks for the laugh. You are so right, people keep saying its a rip off and are not grasping the fact that this does not mean kids sail free using a discounted rate such as "dreaming of vacation or the summer sale" where EACH persons fare was discounted. This is Two adults paying the "fun select" which is the basic fare with the kids sailing for free. This is the SAME as the other cruiselines. Only difference is they generally have have less discounted fares to begin with.

 

 

 

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Same thing I said repeatedly yesterday. Stop comparing other rates. This is two adults paying a fun select rate with kids paying taxes only. This is exactly as outlined on the sale detail if people bother to read it. And nothing different than NCL or Royal. Just that they aren't offering other rates at the same time. It's not hard to understand.

 

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[kajasmin]

I recently switched to "dreaming of vacation" rate... didn't save anything but didnt have to pay til 30 days out. Just called about Kids Sail Free... originally was told couldnt do it, they couldnt switch without a 200 penalty... if they let me switch rooms i would have saved 338. So I hung up and called back, got another person who said well let me try it... she tried it and just kept me int he same room, same booking number everything the same and the price went down 208. It wasnt the 338 but 208 is better than nothing and I stayed in the better room , the 338 was a less desirable deck/room. :) So, I look at it as now parking is covered. lol.

[2bthereagain]

Same thing I said repeatedly yesterday. Stop comparing other rates. This is two adults paying a fun select rate with kids paying taxes only. This is exactly as outlined on the sale detail if people bother to read it. And nothing different than NCL or Royal. Just that they aren't offering other rates at the same time. It's not hard to understand.

 

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What this theory doesn't explain is when the fun select rate is several hundred dollars less than the KSF. And you all can LOL and Run Forrest Run all you want to but the truth is the truth.

 

 

 

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[cruizinisthebest]

What this theory doesn't explain is when the fun select rate is several hundred dollars less than the KSF. And you all can LOL and Run Forrest Run all you want to but the truth is the truth.

 

 

 

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I didn't include any such thing in my post, so if you had an issue with that you should have quoted the posters who said it. Not my goal to try and make fun of anyone. What I agreed with was the explanation. I've yet to see the Fun Select rate cheaper than this or any other rate through any sale. The KSF for 4 is the exact same price as 2 under the Fun Select plus taxes and port fees for the two kids. If you're seeing a KSF rate specifically higher than the Fun Select rate, then I would call Carnival. But I haven't seen that type of pricing with any mock bookings I've done.

[crazyfrazee]

I just did a "dummy" booking for DW, myself and GS. I did it three ways. The following is what I found.

 

 

Booked just the two of us. $695

 

Booked just the two of us with GS free. $894

 

Booked three people. $853

 

Cheaper to just go ahead and book normal. I will now be checking out other cruiselines that may not try to rip me off!

[onewildrice]

Wow! I just sent in the price protection form and not even 10 minutes later got a new email with a $108 adjusted rate and final payment due date moved back another month. So excited!! Wasnt sure if I qualified or not but went ahead and tried just in case!

I had booked ES, 4 to a room, 4D. The rate difference from ES and kids sail free was $178, so not sure how they got $108, but I will take it!

[guxu]

I just did a "dummy" booking for DW, myself and GS. I did it three ways. The following is what I found.

 

 

Booked just the two of us. $695

 

Booked just the two of us with GS free. $894

 

Booked three people. $853

 

Cheaper to just go ahead and book normal. I will now be checking out other cruiselines that may not try to rip me off!

To be "fair", other cruiselines are doing the same thing. And, there are sails that Kids Sail Free may have some discount.

[krdindy]

Looks like we're one of the lucky few that this deal worked for. We are a family of five, so I suspect that helped. Our 7 night cruise on the Fantasy out of Charleston in July dropped by $577!

[golfer1903]

Also. Why jack up the price just to trick you into thinking you got a deal. Then when sale is over reg price goes back down.

 

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[Gman2004]

To be "fair", other cruiselines are doing the same thing. And, there are sails that Kids Sail Free may have some discount.

 

 

I just priced Carnival vs. Royal. I need two ocean view rooms, one for 3 and another for 2. KSF on Carnival was not the best deal. It was the Dreaming sale for $6,337.

On Royal with their KSF promotion the total cost for 2 ocean view rooms was $8,573.45. The difference between the room for 3 and the room for 2 was only $115.49. So the 3rd person was "free" except for the taxes. But I guess you have to consider the fact that the 1st and 2nd person rate was $530 more per person compared to Carnival's 1st and 2nd rate. I guess Royal can do a "real" KSF because their 1st and 2nd rates are so much higher.

[MandaHud]

Please read the fine print before you complain. It really doesn't help your case when your facts aren't correct. Don't tell us that the kids aren't free unless you have read the fine print. If you read and feel like you understand the terms and you are still finding that your 3rd 4th and 5th passengers are being charged for anything but taxes and fees, please call carnival because there is a mistake. They will help you out. They don't want you to feel like they're lying to you. Let a carnival rep help you. We (the people that you're complaining to) can't do anything to fix the problem.

 

 

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[golfer1903]

Please the reps are the ones that told me the situation. Example. My cruise prices for 4 reg day is 504 ppm. Equals 2000. Current promotion reps stat cost be person is 1000 so it cost 2000 and two people free. Come on now. And after the promotion ends I guarantee you its back to 504. Never seen a carnival cruise for over. At 1000 a person on a five day cruise

 

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[Godiva@Sea]

Wow! I just sent in the price protection form and not even 10 minutes later got a new email with a $108 adjusted rate and final payment due date moved back another month. So excited!! Wasnt sure if I qualified or not but went ahead and tried just in case!

I had booked ES, 4 to a room, 4D. The rate difference from ES and kids sail free was $178, so not sure how they got $108, but I will take it!

 

I didn't even notice the adjusted final payment date in my confirmation email until reading your post. This promo gave my group of five a $287 price drop, which made my mom happy.

[dna529]

Please the reps are the ones that told me the situation. Example. My cruise prices for 4 reg day is 504 ppm. Equals 2000. Current promotion reps stat cost be person is 1000 so it cost 2000 and two people free. Come on now. And after the promotion ends I guarantee you its back to 504. Never seen a carnival cruise for over. At 1000 a person on a five day cruise

 

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I completely understand what you are saying. Jacked up prices.

 

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