VIFP Rates?

[Knights on the Beach]

We're trying to plan a family cruise for next year. We'll probably need a minimum of 6-8 cabins. We're all past guests. When I and our two sons log into the Carnival site, we're all seeing different rates for a specific cruise date/ship. I'm seeing the highest (low) rates and my husband and I are Platinum with a cruise booked for December. Our sons are close to being Platinum with no cruises booked. The youngest had two cruises cancelled last year due to Covid, the other son hasn't cruised since 2010 nor has he has any cancelled. He's the only one who can see VIFP Rates for this cruise and they're  LOT cheaper. He sent me screnshots and it says VIFP Club next to the rates. Ours just say extra value and we're logged into our accounts and it says VIFP at the top by our search. Has anyone else had this issue? I'm going to call Carnival later but not sure if I'll even be able to get through. We don't have a PVP but would like to get one. Or is a TA better equiped to handle multiple cabins? The one we used regularly years ago has since retired and I booked my current cruise online direct with Carnival.

[Mallow]

Specific rate codes are assigned to a cruisers VIFP number,  There is no rhyme or reason who gets which rate codes and they are not transferable to other members of your party generally.

[firefly333]

13 minutes ago, cruisemom2 said:

We're trying to plan a family cruise for next year. We'll probably need a minimum of 6-8 cabins. We're all past guests. When I and our two sons log into the Carnival site, we're all seeing different rates for a specific cruise date/ship. I'm seeing the highest (low) rates and my husband and I are Platinum with a cruise booked for December. Our sons are close to being Platinum with no cruises booked. The youngest had two cruises cancelled last year due to Covid, the other son hasn't cruised since 2010 nor has he has any cancelled. He's the only one who can see VIFP Rates for this cruise and they're  LOT cheaper. He sent me screnshots and it says VIFP Club next to the rates. Ours just say extra value and we're logged into our accounts and it says VIFP at the top by our search. Has anyone else had this issue? I'm going to call Carnival later but not sure if I'll even be able to get through. We don't have a PVP but would like to get one. Or is a TA better equiped to handle multiple cabins? The one we used regularly years ago has since retired and I booked my current cruise online direct with Carnival.

If only your son got the lowest rate to lure him back, he has to be in the booked cabin. The rate cant be shared to other cabins. 

 

My theory is those low rates are to those who havent booked recently. Mostly people get them who haven't just booked recently. 

 

I dont have any of those low rate to lure me back. For newbies or to lure people back. If you are booked they figure you are hooked perhaps. Trying to push me to rcl. 

[mpacker]

1 hour ago, cruisemom2 said:

We're trying to plan a family cruise for next year. We'll probably need a minimum of 6-8 cabins. We're all past guests. When I and our two sons log into the Carnival site, we're all seeing different rates for a specific cruise date/ship. I'm seeing the highest (low) rates and my husband and I are Platinum with a cruise booked for December. Our sons are close to being Platinum with no cruises booked. The youngest had two cruises cancelled last year due to Covid, the other son hasn't cruised since 2010 nor has he has any cancelled. He's the only one who can see VIFP Rates for this cruise and they're  LOT cheaper. He sent me screnshots and it says VIFP Club next to the rates. Ours just say extra value and we're logged into our accounts and it says VIFP at the top by our search. Has anyone else had this issue? I'm going to call Carnival later but not sure if I'll even be able to get through. We don't have a PVP but would like to get one. Or is a TA better equiped to handle multiple cabins? The one we used regularly years ago has since retired and I booked my current cruise online direct with Carnival.

 

if you are getting >5 rooms, definitely contact a TA they should be able to get you similiar rates (if they are good) not to mention some free stuff

[Knights on the Beach]

I called Carnival and they confirmed everything that was already said here.  Son #1 looked up rates using multiple people's VIFP numbers and the rates are ALLLLLL over the place.  I mean the starting rate for a balcony cabin from one person to the next is a difference of $779!!  One person is seeing $690 and others (me being one of them) are seeing $1469.  What a mess.

[firefly333]

14 minutes ago, cruisemom2 said:

I called Carnival and they confirmed everything that was already said here.  Son #1 looked up rates using multiple people's VIFP numbers and the rates are ALLLLLL over the place.  I mean the starting rate for a balcony cabin from one person to the next is a difference of $779!!  One person is seeing $690 and others (me being one of them) are seeing $1469.  What a mess.

I've contacted them asking for a rate I saw here and was told the rate has to be for my vipf #. I knew because I'd asked carnival. 

 

I'd really like some of these better rates myself. Too bad, so sad, they said.

[Knights on the Beach]

7 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I've contacted them asking for a rate I saw here and was told the rate has to be for my vipf #. I knew because I'd asked carnival. 

 

I'd really like some of these better rates myself. Too bad, so sad, they said.

 

Yep, makes it really hard to plan a cruise with a big family.  You could be in same category cabins side by side with one paying hundreds more per person.  It's ridiculous. 

 

[firefly333]

1 minute ago, cruisemom2 said:

 

Yep, makes it really hard to plan a cruise with a big family.  You could be in same category cabins side by side with one paying hundreds more per person.  It's ridiculous. 

 

And kinda unfair to long time cruisers. Seems to favor newbies.

[Knights on the Beach]

6 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

And kinda unfair to long time cruisers. Seems to favor newbies.

Ironically, the lowest rate is for my nephew who last cruised about three years ago - for free.  He got a promo then for a free cruise and now Carnival is offering him the lowest price for this cruise.  😂

[Aplmac]

35 minutes ago, cruisemom2 said:

 

You could be in same category cabins side by side

with one paying hundreds more per person.  It's ridiculous. 

 

 

Sounds a lot

like what they say about a line of seats in airplanes...

NO two ppl have paid the same for their seats, which are all equal!

[K_e_short]

I am a perfect example of someone getting amazing deals without cruising a lot.

 

I cruises in March of 2018. I haven't cruised with Carnival since.

 

I have a ton of offers including free interior room, free oceanview room, free balconies, free drinks everywhere.

 

I am saving a ton of money off the 'regular" price and honestly I only gambled about $1000 on that one cruise (all my deals are casino deals).

 

 

[Wanna_Cruize]

This is happening as I plan a family reunion cruise for next July. I have all my family's VIFP numbers from our last family cruise, so I went under each person's numbers, and noted the best offer each one had. We used that info to group people into cabins as needed. For example, two people has the elusive RU1 Cheers code, so they each had a cabin reserved under their names, with that code, and other family members who really wanted Cheers were booked with them. We'll adjust key cards onboard. It not only affects the total price but the deposit requirements, some offers have $50/pp deposits, Cheers offer has $150/pp deposits. I noticed one brother had a screaming last minute deal for an August 7-night cruise for $200/pp so I talked him into joining us on our August cruise. 

 

It's all part of being the family cruise director. 

[Knights on the Beach]

7 hours ago, Wanna_Cruize said:

It's all part of being the family cruise director. 

I did that for years, I think I'm going to retire from that position and hand it down to one of our kids.  😂

[cruisinmems]

Cruisemom2..if you are going to book 8 cabins or more contact Carnival group sales.  I think you will find something there to your liking.  🙂

[Salem615]

14 hours ago, firefly333 said:

And kinda unfair to long time cruisers. Seems to favor newbies.

I don't that is true. I have only cruised a few times with Carnival and I never see a great rate. My sister and my mom get amazing rates and they cruise at least 3 times a year. They scored a Journey's cruise for almost nothing for January. 

[firefly333]

16 minutes ago, cruisinmems said:

Cruisemom2..if you are going to book 8 cabins or more contact Carnival group sales.  I think you will find something there to your liking.  🙂

Group rates would be more than that low vipf rate. 

[firefly333]

15 minutes ago, Salem615 said:

I don't that is true. I have only cruised a few times with Carnival and I never see a great rate. My sister and my mom get amazing rates and they cruise at least 3 times a year. They scored a Journey's cruise for almost nothing for January. 

It's still unfair to me as one is is not getting targeted prices. 

 

Even the cheers rate where some get ru1 and some ru9 was unfair imo. Someone got worse rates for no reason they know of. 

[K_e_short]

2 hours ago, firefly333 said:

It's still unfair to me as one is is not getting targeted prices. 

 

Even the cheers rate where some get ru1 and some ru9 was unfair imo. Someone got worse rates for no reason they know of. 

 

Whats unfair is that the rates are not published for anyone unless you get the offer. There is no transperancy.

 

[firefly333]

31 minutes ago, K_e_short said:

 

Whats unfair is that the rates are not published for anyone unless you get the offer. There is no transperancy.

 

It's a sneaky way around not giving obc for price drops. Not a good sign for transparency as you say. Sneaky.