Future Cruise Desk

[chrislo]

If we book next years trip at the Future Cruise Desk is that considered Early Saver or would we not be elgible for price drops? We would be booking 12 months out.

 

I'm trying to decided if we should bother visiting the future cruise desk while on our upcoming trip.

[booknerd2011]

We booked at an early saver rate through the future cruise desk. I think you can book at any rate, just as you would a normal booking.

[stargate fan]

If we book next years trip at the Future Cruise Desk is that considered Early Saver or would we not be elgible for price drops? We would be booking 12 months out.

 

I'm trying to decided if we should bother visiting the future cruise desk while on our upcoming trip.

 

You can book Early Saver while on board so you will still be eligible for price drops. Other rates are also available.

 

My opinion is that, if you know exactly which cruise you want for 12 months out, it's definitely worth booking ES on the ship for the on board credit for the next cruise. ($50 for three to five day cruises, $75 for six days, $100 for seven-12 days and $200 for 13+.)

[Legend]

Early Saver is the name of a promotion just the same as past guest, resident, military etc. are all promotional rates.

 

Booking early is not the same as booking under the early saver promo. If you want to be able to match prices later you will need to book under the Early Saver promotional rate.

[jh2360]

My opinion is that, if you know exactly which cruise you want for 12 months out, it's definitely worth booking ES on the ship for the on board credit for the next cruise. ($50 for three to five day cruises, $75 for six days, $100 for seven-12 days and $200 for 13+.)

 

 

Bingo! We will be on the Breeze in December and will be booking our 4-day August 2016 cruise and our 13-day Pride cruise while on board.

[love my grandkids]

Sometimes I think the Future Cruise Desk consultant has rocks in his head. Twice I've requested a particular rate and didn't get it. I was able to change it once we got home, so just make sure you ask for and get the Early Saver rate. Ask for it over and over and over again. Then call Carnival when you get home and make certain that's what you got.

 

Agreed, need to check what they give you as they are very prone to making mistakes.

[NCTribeFan]

You can book under any rate for which you are eligible. Unless you are 100% sure you can go on the cruise you book, I would NOT book ES.

 

You can still get price drops under any fare code up until final payment.

 

And, once your plans are finalized, and you're sure you won't be changing sailing dates or the people in the cabin, THEN you can change to ES just before it goes away (depends on the length of the cruise when ES fares disappear).

 

I'm not a fan of ES simply because my plans are rarely firm way out. In fact, I booked my Bermuda cruise coming up on 10/23 back when I was on the 5/4/14 Pride sailing - 1-1/2 year early. I did NOT book ES. I was solo and it turned out a friend I met on that Pride sailing, who was also booked to Bermuda, had her cabin-mate cancel. So, I moved into her Spa Balcony cabin. If I'd had to cancel my cabin under ES, it would've cost me.

 

ES isn't always the best option. I do hope people realize that. I also tend to do more "unique" itineraries (1-way repo, 1-time sailings) which sell out because if people want them, it's the only choice. Those prices have tended to just go up and up, so there aren't price drops.

 

Anyway, you don't have to book ES this far out if there's any chance your plans might change. You can switch to it later.

[booknerd2011]

Also, there's no future cruise desk in ships leaving from San Juan and one other port.

[SadieN]

Agreed, need to check what they give you as they are very prone to making mistakes.

 

 

We check carnival.com before we go over to the FCD.

 

Also, there's no future cruise desk in ships leaving from San Juan and one other port.

 

 

The ships doing the 3&4 day cruises out of Los Angeles.

[Schoifmom]

Don't mean to hijack your thread, but ... If you get the OBC from the FCD and you change your booking (i.e., get price drops), do you loose you OBC? Just asking, because I have an early saver fare for my next cruise that has a little bit of OBC, but I would loose it if I take any price drops (so the drop has to be more than the OBC to make it worth my while).

[stargate fan]

Don't mean to hijack your thread, but ... If you get the OBC from the FCD and you change your booking (i.e., get price drops), do you loose you OBC? Just asking, because I have an early saver fare for my next cruise that has a little bit of OBC, but I would loose it if I take any price drops (so the drop has to be more than the OBC to make it worth my while).

 

No, you would not lose the obc for booking on the ship.

 

We always book the shortest, cheapest, farthest out cruise using Past Guest rates only*. (We have no intention of sailing the cruises we book on board.) Once we get home, when the "perfect" cruise comes along, we contact our PVP and he transfers the booking to the new cruise. The amount of the obc adjusts according to the length of the new cruise.

 

*We incur no fees nor penalties for changing our cruises because we use PG rates. We also get price drops up until the day before final payment date.

[love my grandkids]

No, you would not lose the obc for booking on the ship.

 

We always book the shortest, cheapest, farthest out cruise using Past Guest rates only*. (We have no intention of sailing the cruises we book on board.) Once we get home, when the "perfect" cruise comes along, we contact our PVP and he transfers the booking to the new cruise. The amount of the obc adjusts according to the length of the new cruise.

 

*We incur no fees nor penalties for changing our cruises because we use PG rates. We also get price drops up until the day before final payment date.

 

Wonder why Carnival hasnt closed this loophole.

[stargate fan]

Wonder why Carnival hasnt closed this loophole.

 

What loophole?

[love my grandkids]

What loophole?

 

The one that allows you to book on board and than change down the road making what you purchased the equivalent of an FCC.:)

[stargate fan]

The one that allows you to book on board and than change down the road making what you purchased the equivalent of an FCC.:)

 

loop·hole

ˈlo͞opˌ(h)ōl/noun

1. an ambiguity or inadequacy in the law or a set of rules.

 

There's nothing ambiguous nor inadequate about booking a cruise in order to receive obc, then changing said cruise. We are following every rule.

[love my grandkids]

loop·hole

ˈlo͞opˌ(h)ōl/noun

1. an ambiguity or inadequacy in the law or a set of rules.

 

There's nothing ambiguous nor inadequate about booking a cruise in order to receive obc, then changing said cruise. We are following every rule.

 

Let me clarify

 

You are doing absolutely positively nothing wrong and respect you for following the Carnival system to save money.

 

Carnival did away with the FCC and by doing this they are allowing people to in effect buy an FCC.

[sturderick]

I don't see this as a loophole at all. Carnival just wants a cruise booked. That's their main objective and that's what they're getting. That's just good/smart business.

[love my grandkids]

I don't see this as a loophole at all. Carnival just wants a cruise booked. That's their main objective and that's what they're getting. That's just good/smart business.

 

One last time

 

They used to offer FCC's. You purchased on board and than received a benefit when you booked AFTER the cruise.

 

they did away with it and replaced it with a cruise that you needed to book on board to get the benefit of.

 

Stargate is purchasing the new one and than by changing dates in effect is converting it to an FCC.

[chrislo]

Thank you all. I will book while on board.

[Davey Wavey]

If you get the OBC from the FCD and you change your booking (i.e., get price drops), do you loose you OBC? Just asking, because I have an early saver fare for my next cruise that has a little bit of OBC, but I would loose it if I take any price drops (so the drop has to be more than the OBC to make it worth my while).

 

Just to clarify, if you have an OBC from the FCD, that OBC will stay no matter what you change. It may increase or decrease if you change the length of sailing.

 

If you have an OBC from a promotional rate code and change to a different rate code because it has a lower price, you will lose the OBC associated with the original rate code.

[Sparky2]

We usually book next year's B2B while on our current B2B. VERY IMPORTANT - Do your research before you are ready to book. I agree that the loyalty "expert" really may not be. I've had problems 2 years in a row with 2 different experts.

 

We book Military while onboard since it is usually the same price as ES. Then after we're home and know everything is what we want, I switch to ES.