Early saver keeps failing me

[Who Cares?]

I'm finding Carnival doesn't have the best deal anymore. Other lines are offering free drink packages and other freebies for the same fare.

 

Hardly for the same fare but you are free to believe what you want. Also, at least with NCL, you need to remember to add 18% gratuity to those *freebies* (not so free anymore are they).

Edited November 28, 2015 by Who Cares?

[simplelife]

Correct. If you switch from ES to a GTY, you lose ES. I have only done it once but it was worth it for the $600 OBC I got.

 

Also, I disagree with the poster that moving to GTY is a downgrade. If you are in an 8A (the lowest balcony category) the worst you can get with a GTY Balcony is an 8A so it is a lateral move, not a downgrade. If you were in an 8B, then it is possible that you would downgrade.

 

 

On our last cruise (Victory) we had ES but got an email close to sailing that had GTY oceans view at a considerable savings (I think it was a pack & go for past guests). Carrival allowed us to switch to GTY and take OBC. Enough to cover all gratuities and drinks for the first day. This meant we were no longer ES, but that close to the date, we didn't miss out on any drops. We were assigned a different cabin but very similar to the one we originally booked. Very happy. We booked our Valor cruise at a great ES rate. So far there have been no drops, only increases. Even if there are no drops at all, I am satisfied with ES because I got a great rate.

[dogchopper]

I guess I should of worded my post differently, my bad.

 

I'm happy with the price. Of course I'd be happier with an upgrade or some obc but I'll be happy either way.

 

I am disappointed that they do things to avoid price gaurentees but not much I can do about it.

 

So far the black Friday 'sales' are a bust too.. again, I guess that means I got a good deal.

 

I only book a cruise if I'm OK with the price. I dont book expecting it to drop. But hopeful that it may.

 

I may just see what happens a few weeks out and if a gaurentee cabin drops to a better price (for an upgrade) I will take it and get out of the early saver then.

 

If not I will still enjoy my cruise

[Who Cares?]

I guess I should of worded my post differently, my bad.

 

I'm happy with the price. Of course I'd be happier with an upgrade or some obc but I'll be happy either way.

 

I am disappointed that they do things to avoid price gaurentees but not much I can do about it.

 

So far the black Friday 'sales' are a bust too.. again, I guess that means I got a good deal.

 

I only book a cruise if I'm OK with the price. I dont book expecting it to drop. But hopeful that it may.

 

I may just see what happens a few weeks out and if a gaurentee cabin drops to a better price (for an upgrade) I will take it and get out of the early saver then.

 

If not I will still enjoy my cruise

 

Just remember there is no guarantee that Carnival will switch you from ES to a GTY. Some (such as myself) have done it before but I(we) used a lot of sugar while asking. Technically it is a violation of the ES rules so they can say no if they want to.

[dogchopper]

Just remember there is no guarantee that Carnival will switch you from ES to a GTY. Some (such as myself) have done it before but I(we) used a lot of sugar while asking. Technically it is a violation of the ES rules so they can say no if they want to.

 

Well, I guess if it happens I'll consider myself lucky then :cool:

[Badfinger]

I am having a little difficulty here. ES is "failing you" because you didn't get any price drops? So, in other words, you got the best possible price, bought it, and then sat back and watched the price go up and your fellow cruisers pay MORE than you for the same accommodations?

 

Take a little time and pat yourself on the back for timing your purchase well and snagging a better deal than others are getting.

 

When I lost booked, the ES rate was the best rate available. So, there was no real risk. Maybe it "failed you" if a lower rate was available, but you booked gambled on the ES payoff?

 

Agree. We booked ES for our cruise next summer. It was the cheapest rate at the time and the prices have only gone up and up. In fact, all the rooms of the type and location we wanted are sold out. So yeah, I got the the best possible price after we made the decision to take another cruise. It is all good!

[nlrhogfan]

If the price keeps going up you saved money booking early. Pretty much what the rate is called. You just booked expecting a price drop.

[cruizinisthebest]

I'm finding Carnival doesn't have the best deal anymore. Other lines are offering free drink packages and other freebies for the same fare.

 

I would be interested in seeing an example or two of this, because I do price comparisons all of the time.

 

Of the 3 major lines, Norwegian is the only one doing a bunch of freebies, and their prices are considerably higher.

[kelkel2]

This cruise, early on, we did get a price drop including $50 OBC. That is the first time for us. The way we look at it, with ES, we always book it when it's the cheapest rate. The way we see it, we win no matter what. We will either get a price drop or we booked at the best price possible. Either way we got a deal!

[SMSACE6]

I don't know how or why I have never booked early saver before this year, or maybe I did and did not know what I had booked.

 

This year, I booked the Splendor out of NY for a Canada New England cruise, then discovered I could not cruise in Sept, but only late Oct and therefore too late for that route. so I rebooked a 5 day on the Victory out of Miami. I cost me 50.00 to change. I checked and checked prices, and did get a 20.00 price drop on Victory, and then later a 30.00 OBC, so I got my 50 dollars back.

 

I will however not ever book early saver again...way too labor intensive for me. and I hate that my deposit will be held for another Carnival cruise when I might just want to go elsewhere.

 

No more early saver for me. but I know others have success, just not for me.

Edited November 29, 2015 by SMSACE6

[loxley]

Chin up those if you that have not seen a price drop. If another ship catches fire it gets stranded in the gulf, prices will fall again.

 

In all honesty, I have been pricing a cruise and I am shocked at how much higher the dates are than a few years ago. Maybe it is just an inverted bell curve.

 

My first cruise on the holiday was expensive. Over the years the price for lower and lower, then over the past couple of years, they are creeping back up. I think they hung at the low point because of the problem carnival had.

 

I am sitting here really considering if I really want to take a cruise this time.

 

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

[Who Cares?]

I would be interested in seeing an example or two of this, because I do price comparisons all of the time.

 

Of the 3 major lines, Norwegian is the only one doing a bunch of freebies, and their prices are considerably higher.

 

And they (NCL) suck! :)

[kteachcruiser52]

early Saver doesn't seem to be as good as it used to be. For one Journeys cruise we got $100 total for 2 people and for another we got $89 total for 2 people for our 4K room. We got an upsell from a Fremch Door interior to an extended balcony for a total of $19 per day per cabin for the 21 day cruise.n since the upsell,Mae have not found any price drops and all balconies for both cruises are sold out so I am not anticipating any price drops. if we had kept the French Door interior, we would have had a couple of price drops.

 

It seems like most good sales are for guarantees and you have to give up your room and ES to price match to that.

[moseylou]

Hi. Newbie to carnival and early saver. I booked a spa interior, so when I check fare viewer, I'm only checking to see if the 4s price went down, right? I wouldn't be eligible for a price reduction if other categories go down? I'm getting confused about the Es match to guarantee discussion.

[cruzelover55]

2012 was also the last time I got any steady price drops. I had about $900. OBC owed me. I find it fun to check everyday and if I don't get any, at least I know I got the best price. I just checked Carnival's Fare Viewer and my cruise balcony category has dropped $58. I filled out the form and was denied. I called and after quite a bit of hassle they applied the credit. It was worth it. It is called Cyber Monday Early saver Sale.:)

[moseylou]

2012 was also the last time I got any steady price drops. I had about $900. OBC owed me. I find it fun to check everyday and if I don't get any, at least I know I got the best price. I just checked Carnival's Fare Viewer and my cruise balcony category has dropped $58. I filled out the form and was denied. I called and after quite a bit of hassle they applied the credit. It was worth it. It is called Cyber Monday Early saver Sale.:)

 

 

Why was it denied initially?

[cruzelover55]

Why was it denied initially?

 

I am trying to figure that out myself. The form is not set up like it used to be and warns you, you may forfeit your room and be moved to another. So, any place on it I can type in, I am stressing that they, PLEASE don't move me, I just want the credit. The 1st two I sent in, that were denied, it stated you could purchase a category 8C and get upgraded to 8E, which is where I'm at, for $20. less than I paid. Seems a no brainer to me I would get the credit. Denied twice. This time in the Cyber Monday offer, my cabin was $58. less, than I paid for it. So, when I sent that info in and was again denied, I called. She danced around and gave a lot of excuses and said that rate was not listed. I told her to please just go to the Carnival Fareviewer Site, I was looking right at it. She finally caved and gave me the drop. If I see any further drops, I think may just call in the 1st place. We book very early in order to get a balcony on Lido. Don't want any upgrades, but would like any price drops. Hope this makes sense and helps.:)

[Bugman]

For my cruises in 2011, I received only a $20 price drop. For 2012, I matched to a casino rate that saved me a lot but I considered the casino rate a one off thing.

 

For our cruises in January, we were able to take advantage of several price drops in August and September and saved $500 so there are occasional price drops still (and we booked right when the Pride Journey cruises were announced).

 

It can happen, it just doesn't always.

Booked a B2B Early Saver on the Valor for Sept/October 2016 and have had prices drop $160 so far. You have to look every day. It is really kind of fun.

[zdcatc12]

Was looking today and got upgraded from 6C to 6J for $40 less. Lost my $30 OBC, but still got the upgrade and saved $10.

[dogchopper]

I obsessively check it every day:) so far no luck.

 

I was hopeful with the black Friday sale but, funny thing, it went up 55 bucks over the weekend and today it dropped back down. Still not low enough for me to benefit from but.... I shall keep checking.

Edited December 1, 2015 by dogchopper

[moseylou]

Hi. Newbie to carnival and early saver. I booked a spa interior, so when I check fare viewer, I'm only checking to see if the 4s price went down, right? I wouldn't be eligible for a price reduction if other categories go down? I'm getting confused about the Es match to guarantee discussion.

 

 

Just bumping this question for the experts! [emoji6]

[lizardhowson]

Just do a "mock" booking (to the point where the price is displayed) on the Carnival website using the same fare category (ES) and same cabin classification (4S). If the price is lower, request a reduction (take a screenshot).

 

There is nothing expert about it.

Edited December 1, 2015 by lizardhowson

[moseylou]

thanks - just wanted to be sure I understood that I can only ask for a price reduction (obc now that final payment has passed) on the same category. That's what I thought - but then people were talking about going to guarantee cabins so I was confused.