Big price drop at night when agent is closed

[bury me at sea]

3 minutes ago, drsel said:

My TA has given me a significant amount of OBC.

He was going to reduce the agent gifted OBC more than the amount of price drop, because he said he would be out of pocket otherwise.

What is the minimum price drop that would make you phone your agent to claim it?

 

Oh so simple -- any amount that saved me money.  Any number of times.

[drsel]

 

Oh so simple -- any amount that saved me money.  Any number of times.

But this particular carnival cruise has price drops two or three times every week!

I would consider myself a pest to keep phoning the agent three times a week for a small price drop of a few dollars.

 

[molly361]

Doesn't Carnival have a Cruise with Confidence type thing now where you would get a future cruise certificate for your non refundable first booking?

[PhillyFan33579]

4 hours ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

I suppose this is one of the reasons I don't use a TA: I am a control freak, I suppose, and it would drive me nuts if I wanted to change something or take advantage of something and I had to rely on someone else's availability.  If I can do it myself, I generally will.

 

Maybe if you screen-shot the deal you can email it to your TA and they will get it negotiated with Carnival for you?

I feel the same way. I have booked every one of my cruises with multiple cruise lines myself and I have no plans to change that. Same thing for airline reservations, hotel reservations, etc, I always do them myself. Years ago I thought the Internet was going to make travel agents obsolete, but apparently a lot of people feel differently than I do. 

[bury me at sea]

29 minutes ago, drsel said:

But this particular carnival cruise has price drops two or three times every week!

I would consider myself a pest to keep phoning the agent three times a week for a small price drop of a few dollars.

 

 

Your money, your choice.  The price drop of a few dollars seemed to be bothering you enough to post about it here.

 

Happy sailing.

[drsel]

 
Your money, your choice.  The price drop of a few dollars seemed to be bothering you enough to post about it here.
 
Happy sailing.

No, see the title.
I posted about a BIG price drop at night.
Small price drops keep happening and don't bother me.

[MrPatches]

49 minutes ago, drsel said:

No, see the title.
I posted about a BIG price drop at night.
Small price drops keep happening and don't bother me.

It must be a very large drop if it "more than covered" your OBC.

It sounds like you're better off leaving it alone.

Most likely if you booked at that low price the TA wouldn't have offered any OBC.  I'd consider it a wash.

[BlerkOne]

5 hours ago, drsel said:

 

My TA just informed me that every price drop claimed by the passenger reduces their commission significantly.

 

I would not like to be cruel to my TA, who has been very helpful.

Hence I would really feel guilty about claiming a price drop, knowing that this would reduce the TA commission

 

 

 

As your TA is bribing you with OBC paid for out of the TA commission, your bribe could also be reduced accordingly. I wouldn't think twice about either.

 

With small price drops, you have to make sure any changes in port taxes and fees don't negate any price drop and then some.

[drsel]

 

As your TA is bribing you with OBC paid for out of the TA commission, your bribe could also be reduced accordingly. I wouldn't think twice about either.

 

With small price drops, you have to make sure any changes in port taxes and fees don't negate any price drop and then some.

I compare the new total price with the total price I paid.

the carnival website always shows the total price including all port fees and taxes. (In my case the total price is for two in one cabin)

In any case the port fees and taxes fluctuate just a dollar or two, quite insignificant.

OBC is separate.

 

[drsel]

TA told me that if I ask for any more price drop adjustments, he will remove the the OBC completely.

[shof515]

47 minutes ago, drsel said:

TA told me that if I ask for any more price drop adjustments, he will remove the the OBC completely.

i think it is time to stop using that TA and find a better TA

[ProgRockCruiser]

40 minutes ago, shof515 said:

i think it is time to stop using that TA and find a better TA

Based on what the OP stated about how much OBC they are getting, I would assume that for now it is better to roll with the OBC offer on the table and not do a price adjustment.  Only the OP can do the math.

 

But I would certainly be shopping around for an new TA after this - the attitude astounds me.

[jean87510]

The TA responses should be taught in a travel agency 101 course of What not to do to keep a Customer. Good Lord!! 

[crzndeb]

Since you are in Australia, are you using a TA in Australia, or a US agent. Rules can be different. Also, is the OBC from your TA or did it come with the rate code you booked? If it was a gift from your TA (taken from their commission), disregard the next part.

Normally if you book a rate code that includes some OBC, if you call for a price drop, and that rate code does not include OBC, then you lose the existing OBC if you book a new rate code. That’s why most people don’t call on small price drops if it isn’t more than the OBC they might have. 

Edited July 24, 2020 by crzndeb

[Computer Nerd]

6 hours ago, drsel said:

TA told me that if I ask for any more price drop adjustments, he will remove the the OBC completely.

WTH?!?

I'd tell that TA to do his damn job and he won't have to worry about me bothering him again with any future bookings.

[drsel]

 

 

 

Since you are in Australia, are you using a TA in Australia, or a US agent. Rules can be different. Also, is the OBC from your TA or did it come with the rate code you booked? If it was a gift from your TA (taken from their commission), disregard the next part.

Normally if you book a rate code that includes some OBC, if you call for a price drop, and that rate code does not include OBC, then you lose the existing OBC if you book a new rate code. That’s why most people don’t call on small price drops if it isn’t more than the OBC they might have. 

I am not from Australia and I am using a US agent found on the bidding website for this particular Cruise.

 

OBC gifted by the TA (from their commission) is approximately 8% of the basic Cruise fare (excluding port fees and taxes).

This OBC is purchased from Carnival in multiples of $25.

The TA may be getting a small discount on OBC purchased from Carnival. Is this true?

 

He told me clearly that any reduction in the Cruise fare will also reduce their commission, hence they will have to to remove the OBC completely if there are any further price reductions.

 

And many of you must be knowing that the Carnival cruise fare fluctuates just like their share price on a daily basis!

While it does rise occasionally, it mostly falls

 

[quattrohead]

Don't fret, it was not a "real" big price drop at all, just a website glitch lol.

You would not have got all the way through the booking, the price would have changed before the end. I have posted about this before.

Call it bate and switch if you like.

[drsel]

Don't fret, it was not a "real" big price drop at all, just a website glitch lol. You would not have got all the way through the booking, the price would have changed before the end. I have posted about this before. Call it bate and switch if you like.

thanks for the heads up.

 

What is the largest price drop anyone has ever got in dollar terms or as a percentage of the basic Cruise fare? 

 

I once got a 50% last minute price drop on a 9 night Cruise on Celebrity Constellation.

 

Around 45-60 days prior to sailing, the fare crashed from $900 to $450 per person for an Ocean view, with $150 celebrity OBC (or the unlimited classic alcoholic beverage package) also given as an added bonus.

 

I guess there must have been some last minute cancellations, where some folks had to forfeit their deposit. No wonder that they could offer the cabin so cheap.

 

I also wonder that for Cruises in 2021, if there are not enough passengers, will they cancel the sailing?

 

Because it becomes financially unviable to sail with less than 50% passengers

 

 

[drsel]

recently in feb 2020 when the pandemic had just started, the Norwegian Jade Cruise price also dropped by a similar extent and the cost per night went below $30, including all port fees and taxes.

 

 

 

[crzndeb]

1 hour ago, drsel said:

 

 

 

 

I am not from Australia and I am using a US agent found on the bidding website for this particular Cruise.

 

OBC gifted by the TA (from their commission) is approximately 8% of the basic Cruise fare (excluding port fees and taxes).

This OBC is purchased from Carnival in multiples of $25.

The TA may be getting a small discount on OBC purchased from Carnival. Is this true?

 

He told me clearly that any reduction in the Cruise fare will also reduce their commission, hence they will have to to remove the OBC completely if there are any further price reductions.

 

And many of you must be knowing that the Carnival cruise fare fluctuates just like their share price on a daily basis!

While it does rise occasionally, it mostly falls

 

Sorry, I thought you had mentioned on another post you were in Australia...my bad!

Also you mentioned you were sailing on Splendor, so I thought you were probably in Australia or close.

 

I occasionally use a TA, but she is a friend and works in a very small brick and mortar company, so I don’t get anything booking with her. Most cruises I usually just book directly. She has also told me that Carnival pays very little in commission to TA’s, so I think getting any OBC from your TA is a nice gesture, especially with what is happening in the cruise industry right now with Covid. 

Most cruise lines do not honor price drops after final payment, and the only time I got one was when I booked Early Saver in 2012 on the Spirit moving to Australia...I got a $400 drop prior to final payment and $600 after, which came as OBC

Edited July 24, 2020 by crzndeb

[drsel]

Sorry, I thought you had mentioned on another post you were in Australia...my bad!
Also you mentioned you were sailing on Splendor, so I thought you were probably in Australia or close.
 
I occasionally use a TA, but she is a friend and works in a very small brick and mortar company, so I don’t get anything booking with her. Most cruises I usually just book directly. She has also told me that Carnival pays very little in commission to TA’s, so I think getting any OBC from your TA is a nice gesture, especially with what is happening in the cruise industry right now with Covid. 

The commission ranges from 10 to 16 % depending on your cabin category

[drsel]

On what basic Cruise fare did you get a $1000 price drop ?

[Jasalth]

I would drop that TA in a heartbeat IMO. Basically they are telling you that they won't do something that the cruise line allows in their booking terms! 

 

Yes, getting price drops does lower commission. The last time I got a significant price drop on something it was about $800 for a med cruise. For saving that $800, I lose $75 in OBC. My TA gives 8-10% of all fair, including taxes and port fees, and I found out airfare booked through the cruise lines also. 

 

This TA also has no issues taking a SS for a price drop from me, and also before the world changed, got Carnival to price match a 3 person fair for our room because there wasn't an option to book 2 in that category at the time. 

 

Also you have to take into account something REALLY important right now also. Yes, while it sucks for TA's and other commission based position, they are NOT loosing their commission for canceled cruises, at least with Carnival!! Their commission is protected by Carnival and they are still getting paid it! And they are not "passing" it along because the cruises aren't happening!!! 

[Purvis1231]

On 7/23/2020 at 8:57 AM, drsel said:

 

My Carnival Splendor cruise had a big price drop at night,(after 9pm US eastern time) when my agent as well as the Carnival head office are always closed.

 

How can I claim this price drop if Carnival as well as my agent are both closed

In the morning, 9am, the price had increased again.

 

 

Did you file the online form?

[MsTabbyKats]

I'm not too sure I'd drop that TA.  I know "it's his job", but who wants to do more work so you get paid less money?

He was generous with the OBC with the initial price.  You don't know what his offer would have been if "the dropped price" was the initial price.  Also....depends on how helpful he was in general.

 

I had a TA a couple of years ago that was giving nice OBC per cruise.  I found an NCL cruise that was a last minute "just about giveaway" price, and that TA told me that I should book it myself since he couldn't add any obc or reduce the price.