Early Saver Price Protection Question After Final Payment.

[cloudninecat]

I just received an approved price match for $130 after final payment for my September cruise. I know I receive it as OBC but it doesn't show up on the confirmation email they sent me under the OBC line and it isn't available online. Does anyone know from experience does it not show up until you are actually on the ship, or should I have received it now so I can use it for excursions and other purchases like regular OBC? I'm a little worried they messed it up even though they approved it. TIA!

[wemjam]

It should be  in your booking...and yes you can use it before.

 

They don't make it easy to find.

 

Log in and go to your booking, go to booking order and details, under your names it should say "Paid in Full", click on view invoice details.

 

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and there will be a box that shows the amount.

 

When you go to book stuff it should prompt you with "you have OBC to use, would you like to use it" and follow the prompts.

 

Early saver gets you price changes basically right up to sailing, so keep checking.  Price drops are few and far between now, but watching can pay off.  😛

 

 

[cloudninecat]

Yeah that's where I looked and it's not there. Yes I was surprised to see it because it's on a Vista Suite and those have been sold out for a long time now. I guess someone canceled. 

[wemjam]

6 minutes ago, cloudninecat said:

Yeah that's where I looked and it's not there. Yes I was surprised to see it because it's on a Vista Suite and those have been sold out for a long time now. I guess someone canceled. 

Then Houston, you have a problem.  If it was approved, it would be showing there.

 

IF they just sent you the email, I would give them a day or two to process it to your account.  Just in case there is a lag.  Otherwise, I would start calling our emailing your PVP if you have one.

 

The other concern I would have is, I am not sure what your email specifically said.  But hopefully they didn't change something else on you.

 

I had that happen a long time ago, submitted a price match guarantee and just wanted it back is OBC, instead they moved me to a different category of room as my price match.  If your room was sold out, hopefully they didn't do this and you have a different room now.  Did you check to make sure you were still in the same room?

 

Also, for others that might read this, price matches MAY negate any other "special" things you had with your original booking.  So if you had DOU or say different OBC, they may price match, but you then are booked under a new booking code and often will lose all the associated perks from your first code. 

 

If there was no rooms available in your specific category then there should have been no price match available if you submitted a form. They will only price match IF the same exact category of room is available at a lower price.  Every other room type on the ship may go down in price, but if your category is sold out there is NO price match to be had.

Edited August 21, 2023 by wemjam

[cloudninecat]

I'm on with them now. The new rate had $50 OBC which I already had with the original booking so that shouldn't have changed. She's checking what they did because no they didn't do it right. 

[cloudninecat]

Ok they are saying my gratuities went up because I changed my booking and I had prepaid those before the rate change. I would still end up with $83 net but she's going to see if she can fix it to the whole amount. That kind of sucks but at least the crew will get those extra funds. Though we tip our room steward on top of those. 

[cloudninecat]

Well she couldn't fix the part with the gratuities going up but I don't mind that so much because the crew gets it. At least I got $83. Every little bit helps. That will buy a few drinks or an excursion. Hopefully this helped someone else. 

[wemjam]

38 minutes ago, cloudninecat said:

Well she couldn't fix the part with the gratuities going up but I don't mind that so much because the crew gets it. At least I got $83. Every little bit helps. That will buy a few drinks or an excursion. Hopefully this helped someone else. 

Good example... any change now you have to make sure you compare apples to apples, because it can be a domino effect as to what may change if you switch. Glad it worked out and you are getting some $ back 😁

[Organized Chaos]

5 hours ago, wemjam said:

If there was no rooms available in your specific category then there should have been no price match available if you submitted a form. They will only price match IF the same exact category of room is available at a lower price.  Every other room type on the ship may go down in price, but if your category is sold out there is NO price match to be had.

 

This is true, but if someone with the same category cancels, then price match opens up again. That is, until that cabin gets booked again.

 

So for those watching out for price matches, it's important to know the two-character code for your cabin. It'll be 2 letters or a number & letter. For example, an Ocean Suite on Vista is either a SS, OS, or JS. There has to be cabins available for your specific code in order to be eligible for a price match. I've gotten price matches after the cabin category had sold out, then someone cancelled, but you have to check often to catch that because it usually sells out again soon.

[wemjam]

11 hours ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

This is true, but if someone with the same category cancels, then price match opens up again. That is, until that cabin gets booked again.

 

So for those watching out for price matches, it's important to know the two-character code for your cabin. It'll be 2 letters or a number & letter. For example, an Ocean Suite on Vista is either a SS, OS, or JS. There has to be cabins available for your specific code in order to be eligible for a price match. I've gotten price matches after the cabin category had sold out, then someone cancelled, but you have to check often to catch that because it usually sells out again soon.

You are correct, because if someone in the category cancels then the category is no longer sold out. 😁

 

As long as at least one room is open for that category at a lower price you can price match.

[Haljo1935]

10 hours ago, wemjam said:

You are correct, because if someone in the category cancels then the category is no longer sold out. 😁

 

As long as at least one room is open for that category at a lower price you can price match.

Question on timing of the request  - there's availability when you check so you submit the request. 

Price goes up or category sells out (or both) before CCL looks at it.

Do you still get the credit?

[Organized Chaos]

20 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Question on timing of the request  - there's availability when you check so you submit the request. 

Price goes up or category sells out (or both) before CCL looks at it.

Do you still get the credit?

 

Good question. There's nowhere to enter the current date on the form, but I'd think they could see when it was filled out. Even then, I don't know if they look to see if the request was submitted before the category sold out again.

 

When it happened to me, I called our PVP right away and he processed the claim, so it was instant. If you have the opportunity to call your PVP (if you have one) or customer service, that'd be best.

[wemjam]

I think they can tell when you submit it versus what was available then.  If it was me I would take a screen shot of it with the date and time showing on the screen shot and have it for back up.

[Haljo1935]

Kinda kicking myself cuz I've seen several price drops (and increases) for our cabin category on upcoming B2B Venezia and didn't submit a request  - just griped. One was really significant. 

In the back of my mind I knew there was a request form, but I also remember seeing something that said guarantee price for 48 hours, so I didn't think it would apply.

So used to HAL where there's no form, you just call in and they do it.

[Organized Chaos]

1 hour ago, Haljo1935 said:

 but I also remember seeing something that said guarantee price for 48 hours, so I didn't think it would apply.

 

That sounds like you're referring to a 48-hour hold on a cabin. If you look up a particular booking on the website, then try to exit the booking, it'll ask if you want to hold the room for 48 hours at that price. Or a PVP/cust. service rep. can do it, too.

Our PVP put a cabin on hold for a week one time. I didn't know it was possible to hold them longer than 2 days, but he offered to do it because we were waiting on some Carnival gift cards to come in the mail.

[Haljo1935]

2 hours ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

That sounds like you're referring to a 48-hour hold on a cabin. If you look up a particular booking on the website, then try to exit the booking, it'll ask if you want to hold the room for 48 hours at that price. Or a PVP/cust. service rep. can do it, too.

Our PVP put a cabin on hold for a week one time. I didn't know it was possible to hold them longer than 2 days, but he offered to do it because we were waiting on some Carnival gift cards to come in the mail.

No, not a 48 hour hold. It was a low price guarantee for 48 hours after booking.

[wemjam]

12 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

Kinda kicking myself cuz I've seen several price drops (and increases) for our cabin category on upcoming B2B Venezia and didn't submit a request  - just griped. One was really significant. 

In the back of my mind I knew there was a request form, but I also remember seeing something that said guarantee price for 48 hours, so I didn't think it would apply.

So used to HAL where there's no form, you just call in and they do it.

Oh my that is sad!  I watch mine all the time and will submit the form or call my PVP even if it is $20.  I figure better my pocket to spend on board.  Sadly, mine just keep going up.

 

If you have a good PVP a lot of times it just take a call to them and the form is easy to fill out.

 

It does all depend on your rate code though.  Not all rate codes qualify for the price match (after the 48hr guarantee already mentioned above).  Early Saver does for sure, and you can price match right up to the time you sail basically.

[Haljo1935]

19 minutes ago, wemjam said:

...

It does all depend on your rate code though.  Not all rate codes qualify for the price match (after the 48hr guarantee already mentioned above).  Early Saver does for sure, and you can price match right up to the time you sail basically.

Is my rate code on the original booking confirmation or anywhere else wherecI can see it or would I need to call to find out what is is? Booked so long ago, I don't remember what what we booked. Likely Early Saver, but not certain.

We're now under 30 days to sail date.

[wemjam]

 

53 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Is my rate code on the original booking confirmation or anywhere else wherecI can see it or would I need to call to find out what is is? Booked so long ago, I don't remember what what we booked. Likely Early Saver, but not certain.

We're now under 30 days to sail date.

You would need to call... the rate code doesn't show in your booking anywhere which makes it difficult I know 

[john91498]

I guess it depends on your pvp. I've never had to submit a form, my pvp always made the adjustments for me and sends me the new booking details.

 

On a cruise a few years ago, there were 3 price reductions. My pvp made all the changes for me.

[Organized Chaos]

17 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

No, not a 48 hour hold. It was a low price guarantee for 48 hours after booking.

 

Gotcha. I forgot about those. 👍

 

 

Some travel agents will keep an eye out for you. The first cruise we ever went on, we used someone else's travel agent (the only time we ever used an agent) because we were going with them and they had cruised before. She did get us one price reduction, but we looked ourselves and ended up catching one or two more that she didn't. So if you do find an agent who'll look for you, don't rely on them to look often.

Edited August 23, 2023 by Organized Chaos

[cloudninecat]

On 8/22/2023 at 5:56 PM, Haljo1935 said:

Question on timing of the request  - there's availability when you check so you submit the request. 

Price goes up or category sells out (or both) before CCL looks at it.

Do you still get the credit?

I always screen shot it first but you do enter the code for that rate and that's what they look up along with the fare. They know if it was ever available at the fare you entered for that code. 

[cloudninecat]

Would you believe I received another $100 adjustment before that cabin sold out again. 😄 That's the most price matches I've ever done on one cabin. Not the best but the most. The best was when I got an Aft Excel Vista Suite for 50% off at their birthday sale. That was a $2,594 difference. Now if that countdown clock could move a little faster. 🙂