free berth for booking a group

[ebandive]

I know this has been posted somewhere, but the search is not working--not sure if it is the site or my old computer. I can't find it on the carnival website either.

 

Does anyone know the details on how to get a free berth for booking a certain amount of cabins?

 

My husband and I are palnning a cruise for late 2009 and have mentioned it to a couple of people, and already have 4 rooms of people wanting to put down a deposit when we do, and we havn't really put the word out yet. So I figured I'd look into if/when we would qualify for any perks for booking so many people.

 

We were planning on going with a travel agent on a competing website for the best OBC. Does this matter, or do I have to book with a Carnival Group Representitive to qualify? Also, does it matter what type of cabins are booked (example 1A?)

 

Any information anyone could give me would be apprecciated. Thanks in advance for your help! :D

[barberljs]

You have to book 8 cabins. I know because we only had 7. I believe you can go through Carnival or your own planner.

 

Not sure about different cabins.

[*Mach*]

You might want to look here for additional information on booking group cruises through Carnival:

http://www.carnivalconnections.com/faqs.aspx

[ebandive]

Thanks for the info. I've just looked over the infomation from the carnival connections. Let's say I book 5 rooms now, and closer to the final payment date I get a total of 8 rooms. Would I still qualify if I didn't orignally start out as an official group? Anyone know?

Thanks again! :D

[*Mach*]

Thanks for the info. I've just looked over the infomation from the carnival connections. Let's say I book 5 rooms now, and closer to the final payment date I get a total of 8 rooms. Would I still qualify if I didn't orignally start out as an official group? Anyone know?

Thanks again! :D

 

 

If they are booked as part of your group they would count and you would qualify for the berth.

[ClerkPatsy]

Let me pipe in here to say .... You must have 8 cabins to qualify for a free berth. That means 8 paying cabins and the 9th cabin will get 1 free berth (1/2 the cabin).

 

This part I'm not 100% positive but I want you to know what I've learned (depending on the agency) ... the free berth would have to pay upfront and would receive their money for the cruise only once the sailing has passed (approximately two weeks after sailing). The berth only entitles you to the cruise, not the taxes, port fees, fuel surcharge, and gratuities.

 

Hope this helps and have a wonderful cruise.

[wawapeg]

Let me pipe in here to say .... You must have 8 cabins to qualify for a free berth. That means 8 paying cabins and the 9th cabin will get 1 free berth (1/2 the cabin).

 

This part I'm not 100% positive but I want you to know what I've learned (depending on the agency) ... the free berth would have to pay upfront and would receive their money for the cruise only once the sailing has passed (approximately two weeks after sailing). The berth only entitles you to the cruise, not the taxes, port fees, fuel surcharge, and gratuities.

 

Hope this helps and have a wonderful cruise.

 

 

I have had groups on both my cruises. I needed 8 cabins (not 9) to get the free berth. The first time I only had 8 cabins, the second time I had more. It is not exactly a free berth as they subtract taxes, port fees, etc. from the cost of the cruise. Also, if your group has a mix of cabin styles Carnival averages it out somehow. So if you booked a suite you would not get the full refund (less fees, etc.) but an average of the cost of a berth for your entire group. Last cruise I had a suite and got back about half of what I paid. I used it to upgrade my brother and his wife to a suite, made goodie bags for everybody in the group, and covered the tips for the bus driver (up and back). I ended up spending way more than I got back! :D I think I spent that awaited refund three to four times over (I kept thinking I am getting extra money back after the cruise and I can afford this and that...haha). I booked with a travel agent (who is a friend) and got the refund back a few weeks after we sailed.

 

Enjoy your cruise!!!

[ClerkPatsy]

I have had groups on both my cruises. I needed 8 cabins (not 9) to get the free berth. The first time I only had 8 cabins, the second time I had more. It is not exactly a free berth as they subtract taxes, port fees, etc. from the cost of the cruise. Also, if your group has a mix of cabin styles Carnival averages it out somehow. So if you booked a suite you would not get the full refund (less fees, etc.) but an average of the cost of a berth for your entire group. Last cruise I had a suite and got back about half of what I paid. I used it to upgrade my brother and his wife to a suite, made goodie bags for everybody in the group, and covered the tips for the bus driver (up and back). I ended up spending way more than I got back! :D I think I spent that awaited refund three to four times over (I kept thinking I am getting extra money back after the cruise and I can afford this and that...haha). I booked with a travel agent (who is a friend) and got the refund back a few weeks after we sailed.

 

Enjoy your cruise!!!

 

 

I'd be the same way and give up more than I earned. LOL I surely always thought that it was not until the 9th cabin that the benefits of the berths started. I thought 8 was a group and 9 was the magic number for free stuff. Thanks for the update.

[msnyder6706]

Ok, we have 6 cabins so far with 17 people, what exactly is a berth? I have booked and planned for all the cabins so far. Does this apply with cabins that have military rates on them also?

[rphx2nc]

We had 7 cabins on Celebrity and I got a free cheap bottle of wine. whoopie!

On Carnival we had 5 cabins and I had a blast, nothing free.

[GoinCruisin]

Ok, we have 6 cabins so far with 17 people, what exactly is a berth? I have booked and planned for all the cabins so far. Does this apply with cabins that have military rates on them also?

 

You have to be booked as a group... and I don't think groups get the military discount, or any additional discounts. If you are not booked as a group, it doesn't matter how many cabins you have. Also, single cabins don't count, they have to be double occupancy. You can always rebook as a group but the pricing could be higher... you would need to talk to a TA that does groups, or the groups dept at Carnival.

[wawapeg]

Ok, we have 6 cabins so far with 17 people, what exactly is a berth? I have booked and planned for all the cabins so far. Does this apply with cabins that have military rates on them also?

 

 

A berth refers to a bed, i.e., with a group booking of 8 cabins or more, one passenger (group leader) gets a partial refund for their bed. It is not the full refund as they do not refund the taxes, tips, port fees, fuel charge, etc.

 

As Terri noted you must be booked as a group and they only count cabins (so 3 or more in a cabin has no impact on the discount). And the group cannot be taking advantage of any other discounts (eg military/past guest/over 55).

[dan40]

Ok, we have 6 cabins so far with 17 people, what exactly is a berth? I have booked and planned for all the cabins so far. Does this apply with cabins that have military rates on them also?

 

Did you register it as a group booking in the first place? Doesn't matter if one person does all the booking or if the people book themselves as long as they identify the group when they book. If you did not establish it as a group initially, then you will have to rebook [at current prices] as a group. You get the group rate only, no multiple discounts for mil. past pax., etc. On our last one, the TA also provided each cabin with $100 OBC and a bottle of wine along with the 1 free berth [+tax, etc,] for each 8 cabins booked.

 

Dan