Military Discount?

[LadySpoilt]

To anyone that has checked out/taken advantage of the Military Discount. A young man in the Air Force is considering joining our family cruise next year and I had a few questions concerning the discount. (Will be checking with TA later today, but wanted a "heads up" before talking to her) What was the Military discount? Did it only apply to the single military person, or for the entire booking?

Spoilt

[staceyvols]

I dont' know if you have to be related or just in the same booking to use the discount. We had already booked our cruise and called back to ask for the discount (husband is active duty) and were told they only do the discount up to a certain capacity and our ship was past that capacity. Good luck.

[skap826]

If you are traveling with a member of the military you can can the "friends of military rate" I have used BuyCruises.com many times and have used this rate.

[KellyJean]

To my recollection, the military fares are supposed to be for the service person and his/her immediate family members and a limit of 3 cabins. If the service person is not traveling, his/her spouse may travel at the military rate but must be able to present their military ID to get the rate.

[luv2cruise03]

We went on the Glory on May 29th. My daughter's boyfriend's dad is in the National Guard and we got the military discount....but, they had to list a person in his family in our cabin, and then my daughter in their cabin. When we got on board we just went to the purser's desk and had it changed. Just make sure that they change the credit card info and everything, because his sister's charges ended up on our bill, and we had to have that changed.

 

But, we were told by our travel agent that in order to get the military discount a member of the family had to be in each room booked.

[serene56]

Does this apply to EVERY sailing or just certain ones?

[northerner]

Carnival gives really awesome military discounts, call them direct and I believe your discount will be outstanding(I was quoted 120 pp, and 80 per child with a window, and the military member gets a $80 rate also) The Military member and family get the discount, but they may make room for friends too.

[sls]

It appies to every sailing but book early because just like there are only so many seats on airplanes for frequent flyer miles there are only so many for military discount. You will have to have a copy of the military id card to send to Carnival. It is a good discount but it never changes so you can't watch for price drops and hope for shipboard credit.

 

Destiny 12/04

Sensation 5/04

Holidy 1/04

Conquest 11/03

USS Kinkaid 9/01

and a few cruiselines that are no longer in business

[Travelitis]

Each sailing has only so many spaces available at the military rate, too. I've found that you need to book very early to get it out of New Orleans. I could get military rates out of Florida for July but not out of Galveston or NO, so we booked RCCL which was the same or a little less than Carnival's military rates. Our Thanksgiving cruise on the Elation was a real deal, though.

[skitch57]

Does anyone know if this rate aplies to retired military too? My husband is retired army and is currently a DOD civilian and I am wondering if we would be able to get that discount too.

[Legend]

It works like this

 

Active Military person traveling:

 

1. Military discount for everyone in their cabin

 

2. Immediate family member which is spouse, mother, father or dependent child under tha age of 21 also gets the military discount

 

This means now you can get two cabins if family member is going also.

 

3. You can also book up to two more cabins at the 'friends' military discount which is about $40 more than the military personel discount.

 

That's a total of 4 cabins

 

 

Active Military person not traveling:

Immediate family member which is spouse, mother, father or dependent child under tha age of 21 are eligible for the military discount for ONE cabin ONLY

 

 

Retired Miitary Personel are allowed one cabin only at the discount and must be traveling.

[4nzic1]

a group of friends and i booked for december 2005 on destiny this past april and my friend who is active army reserve got $400 off the cabin price. her mom decided she wanted to go so we called the ta that booked us to book her mom and dad a cabin and they got the military rate also. the cruise is now $140 more since we all booked in april but they still got the military discount of $400.

[akeka]

I had called Carnival before booking our upcoming Spirit cruise. The PVP asked if either my husband or I was in the military. I said no, but my son is and that qualified us for the military discount. The price was equivalent to the lowest price I could find from internet cruise sites.

 

Because I would need a copy of his ID card and my son is stationed in Japan, I chose to go with the internet travel agent and book at that time, versus waiting to get the information from my son.

 

I was pleasantly surprised that the discount is extended to parents.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

On recent sailings that we have booked (or considered booking) - Carnival told us that the military rate only applies if TWO are in the cabin .... if we wanted to add a 3rd or 4th, they would NOT simply add them at the regular 3rd/4th rate, they said the 1st/2nd would have to be a "regular" rate to even have a 3rd/4th in the cabin!

 

I can only assume that this is either a new twist, or only applies to some sailings (oddly, all of the ones I had inquired about over the last several months!)....

 

When more than my wife and I go, we usually will have my name in one cabin, and hers in another - but this is for purposes of "Shareholder Credit" - though it would also satisfy the TWO IN A CABIN issue which I have encountered..

 

 

Tom

[Krooze Family]

Wow. Seems to be a lot of knowledge on this subject here, so I'm going to tap into it.

 

My sister is married to a "retired" marine. By "retired" I mean that he was severely injured in the gulf war and had to retired due to injuries. He is not disabled however. Would he qualify for military discounts?

 

Also, this same sister has two children from a former marriage. Their dad just retired from the Air Force after serving for more than 20 years in the service. The girls have military ID cards for insurance purposes ect, could they get a discount through that?

 

Thanks!

[ljc576]

It works like this

 

Active Military person traveling:

 

1. Military discount for everyone in their cabin

 

2. Immediate family member which is spouse, mother, father or dependent child under tha age of 21 also gets the military discount

 

This means now you can get two cabins if family member is going also.

 

3. You can also book up to two more cabins at the 'friends' military discount which is about $40 more than the military personel discount.

 

That's a total of 4 cabins

 

 

Active Military person not traveling:

Immediate family member which is spouse, mother, father or dependent child under tha age of 21 are eligible for the military discount for ONE cabin ONLY

 

 

Retired Miitary Personel are allowed one cabin only at the discount and must be traveling.

 

 

My question to Carnival - why are you discriminating against RETIRED MILITARY and their families?? My dad retired after 30 years of service and when we booked our cruise, only his cabin was eligible for the military discount. Why only let active duty personnel enjoy the benefits? Our retired military personnel also served our country and why not let them have the same benefits...

[4nzic1]

Tom and Cheryl, my friend's mom who just booked 2 days ago for the December 2005 S. Caribbean cruise we're all going on (using my friend's military discount) is taking along one of her sons as the third person and the rate was discounted for the first two in the cabin by $200 each and the third person in the cabin didnt receive a discount. Maybe they don't discount the third person because 'technically' the third person is already paying a reduced rate by being in the cabin. : ) I guess if they discounted that anymore the 3rd/4th/5th person would be sailing for darn near free. : )

[PSkinner]

I agree with ljc576! Both my dad and father-in-law retired from the Air Force. Both served in Viet Nam. If they can serve their country for over 20 years, why are they not entitled to same discounts as active duty? They have served their time, now let them enjoy their retirement years!!!

[QTPieRye]

I am also interested in the discount for retired Military... my hubby served 5 years in the Marine Corps. I wonder if I give his (DD214 I think thats what its called) exit papers, honorable discharge if they'll offer the discount???????????????????????????????????????????????

[dbmiller1956]

My husband and I have used the Military Discount on our last 2 cruises and the one coming up in a couple of weeks. It has varied in price, but like others have said, it usually disappears several months before cruising. This is again based upon occupancy.

 

Though the price is fantastic. On our cruise on the Glory, we booked an 8A at only $100 more than our friends who booked an IS GTY and $600 less than ones in 6A.It is a great deal for those of us with military families, though I am not sure why they limit the number of cabins for retired. You would think since they served their country, if cruising, you would get the same discount. I can understand the limit on cabins if the military person is not sailing.

 

As for identification, once we got a copy of our son's military id for the first cruise, our TA has kept it on file. Now when we book, he doesn't even ask...he just sends it in with the booking.

[mattmdv]

Yes, QTPieRye, it's called a DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), I have mine, which shows 22 years of active duty, yes I'm retired from the Army. And I agree, I seved 20+ years on active duty, why shouldn't my family and I enjoy benefits. Going to stop by the TA tomorrow and ask some questions. We have 8 rooms booked, as far as I'm concerned, the TA can spread the discount to all 16 of us. Sounds good, doesn't hurt to ask. And if they say NO, still going on the Inspiration in MAY '05 !!!

 

Matt

 

Fantasy 16 Sep 99

Fantasy 12 May 02

NCL Spirit 31 JUL 04

[QTPieRye]

Matt... Please post and let us know what you find out.... I am cruisin with the girls in two weeks and none of us have ever served in the armed forces... however, i would like this information for our January family cruise!!!

[CruisnCutie]

Just a heads up!

 

My dh is retired military. I wanted to book one cabin for 5 of us on the Elation.

My PVP said why one cabin, when for less we can get you 2 cabins with the discount, then you'll have 2 bathrooms , and if we want just use one for storing our stuff. :)

 

WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After booking the cabins , I received a call from the PVP. He had made a mistake! We could not have the discount on 2 cabins.

 

I talked to customer service, complaints section, etc...to bad....

 

So, we are booked in one cabin, and we did have to send a copy of the ID card before our invoice showed the correct price...

 

If you got more than one cabin GREAT! But buyer beware:eek:

[cruisevers]

I think it is wonderful that Carnival gives a military discount.We have used it and are thankful for it. My husband served 23 years in the Navy and I think it is a nice thank you. Not many businesses do this, very few as a matter of fact. I am truly surprised that they even extend it to retirees.

 

I have no problem wtih them limiting the number of cabins for us retired folks. Most active duty families are on limited budgets and very limited time. You only get so much leave, especially those serving overseas such as Iraq and time is valuable. Who will you spend what precious time you have with? You've been away for up to a year. Taking a cruise with your wife and kids may leave you no time to visit with other family, such as parents and siblings, so this is a nice way for them to not have to choose. Family can afford to go too. No feeling guilty for taking a well deserved vacation. Believe me we have been there done that and done without vacations to make sure he got to visit everyone and not hurt feelings before going back. Also with the pay the military receives it is hard to have extra left over to vacation. Once retired, most are working other jobs and drawing their pension, not just making ends meet on their military pay.

 

As far as friends and friends of friends getting this discount I think is wrong, They have their own life and are not giving anything up for service to their country. They have not suffered being away from home or worrying about a loved one returning alive. How many service members were killed last week while you cruised? How many will never ever cruise because they were killed at a young age? How many will leave their families after their next cruise to go back to Irag or Afganistan? Anyone who has been in the military or has been married to a member of the military can understand the long hours and sacrifices all have made. You basically live your life for your country.

 

Sorry to go on like this but when people take this discount that don't deserve it, remember they may be taking a spot that someone home on leave doesn't get because the quota is already met. I'm afraid "The why can't I have it too" attitude will ruin it for those that have served or are sering their country.

Just MHO. I am not trying to offend anyone. I'm just trying to put this into the perspective it deserves.

[CruisnCutie]

Matt... Please post and let us know what you find out.... I am cruisin with the girls in two weeks and none of us have ever served in the armed forces... however, i would like this information for our January family cruise!!!

Was he retired after 20 yrs or discharged after 5 years?????:)

That would make a difference.