Buy at end of cruise or better deals later?

[mferris77]

Hi all -

 

I'll be leaving on the Glory next Saturday and we're already talking about booking another cruise. :) We've been telling our friends about it and they're interested in maybe doing a 3 or 4 day cruise sometime this spring.

 

I've heard that booking your next cruise at the end of your cruise can get you some good discounts - is that true? Are there any stipulations to that, such as the cruise has to be 1 year out? Are there better discounts to be found if we wait until we're back home? (Like the 'dp3' discount code or things like that).

 

Also, there is the added difficulty of other people who will not be on this cruise that may want to go on the later cruise. If booking at the end of this cruise is the best deal, can we reserve more rooms for the people we know will be on the spring cruise?

 

Thanks for your feedback!

[Cotton]

Hi all -

 

.........I've heard that booking your next cruise at the end of your cruise can get you some good discounts - is that true?

 

I've never heard of any discounts or perks that come with booking a cruise while on a cruise. I'd just wait till you have your whole group together before booking...would save you the hassle of adding later.:)

[sam73]

i think if you book within 60 days of your cruise you get $50 off

[firefly333]

If you buy a next cruise certificate, you get the same OBC on a future cruise and can book it when you get home if you dont have specific dates in mind.

 

Its not a discount, you get OBC according to how long the cruise is. $50 OBC for shorter cruises like you mentioned. PS its $50 per cabin, not per person.

[mferris77]

Thanks all - I know at the end of my last (and first) cruise, they came around asking us if we wanted to make arrangements for our next cruise. Based on that and what I'd been told, I thought there was a discount for booking right then and there.

 

Just so I'm clear (and convey the info to others who are under the same assumption I had) you are saying:

 

If making plans for your next cruise at the end of your cruise:

- There is no discount

- You are given an OBC for the next cruise (amount depends on length of cruise)

- You do not need to decide on which cruise you want to take right then and there (I assume it's just a matter of putting down a deposit or something?)

[KAWS]

Is this available for all Carnival cruises now? I thought it was only select ships that allowed what other lines call a future cruise credit where you can buy your deposit ahead and then get the OBC.

 

From what I'm seeing here it looks like this is Carnival wide now? This would be great if it is but I just wanted to check.

[firefly333]

If making plans for your next cruise at the end of your cruise:

- There is no discount

- You are given an OBC for the next cruise (amount depends on length of cruise)

- You do not need to decide on which cruise you want to take right then and there (I assume it's just a matter of putting down a deposit or something?)

 

Thats true, but as the next poster said, this is only available on certain ships, so depending on which ship you are on, you may or may not be able to book with the Next Cruise desk. Not on any Fantasy class ships for instance that Im aware of.

 

Im waiting on the 2010 cruises to come out to book, since I have 5 cruises for 2009, 3 of which are Carnival, dont want any more then.

[cowetamom]

Not sure how true this is, but I called my pvp to check prices on a future cruise and he told me to wait til I got on the Conquest and book from there. He said it would be cheaper. Now I don't know how cheaper, but when we get back I will let you know if its true.

[beccadoby]

The last thing Carnival sent out was back in July.

 

Per the travel agent site (as of today):

Future Carnival Vacations desk on board the Carnival Liberty, Carnival Valor, and soon aboard Carnival Freedom and soon on our brand new Carnival Splendor

 

On another note, sam73 mentioned the $50 off if you book with 60 days of your last sailing. This IS also true BUT

you can not combine discounts with this offer (past guest, military, state, senior, etc..) :( weird if you ask me...

[firefly333]

Not sure how true this is, but I called my pvp to check prices on a future cruise and he told me to wait til I got on the Conquest and book from there. He said it would be cheaper. Now I don't know how cheaper, but when we get back I will let you know if its true.

 

I have been on the Conquest and can verify that cruises will NOT be cheaper. They are referring to the OBC you can get when you book.

 

Note: NONE of my three booked cruises were elgible either because either the price went up or the fuel supplement went up, so these cant be rebooked with the OBC.

 

I was on Conquest in September. I am sure of my facts. I talked to the Next Cruise desk at length.

 

PS the OBC for a 7 day cruise is $100 (same as RCL's program and Princess's program). So, you will get $100 per CABIN if you book onboard or buy the Next Cruise certificate.

[misguidedangel]

I booked my Sept 09 40th birthday bash cruise for the Splendor while on the Liberty. I booked a Cat 11 Spa Suite--got to go all out for the big Four OH!!!! I am going solo, so I am getting $50 OBC, but if I had someone else going with me, they'd also get $50 OBC.

 

Since I prefer to cruise alone--no one to drag around, wait for, etc--I only get the $50 OBC and a whole Cat 11 suite to myself as well as unlimited use of tepidarium and Thalasso therapy pool....now I don't know if I get two passes for the spa, or one cuz I am going solo....

[Casino Player]

Hi all -

 

I'll be leaving on the Glory next Saturday and we're already talking about booking another cruise. :) We've been telling our friends about it and they're interested in maybe doing a 3 or 4 day cruise sometime this spring.

 

I've heard that booking your next cruise at the end of your cruise can get you some good discounts - is that true? Are there any stipulations to that, such as the cruise has to be 1 year out? Are there better discounts to be found if we wait until we're back home? (Like the 'dp3' discount code or things like that).

 

Also, there is the added difficulty of other people who will not be on this cruise that may want to go on the later cruise. If booking at the end of this cruise is the best deal, can we reserve more rooms for the people we know will be on the spring cruise?

 

Thanks for your feedback!

 

My rule of thumb, book it when you realize you want to go on that cruise. If you are going with other people and want to wait until everyone gets their act together then you could do that. The only danger is the accomodations you may want might not be available at that time.

[mykiddiewinks]

The last thing Carnival sent out was back in July.

 

Per the travel agent site (as of today):

Future Carnival Vacations desk on board the Carnival Liberty, Carnival Valor, and soon aboard Carnival Freedom and soon on our brand new Carnival Splendor

 

On another note, sam73 mentioned the $50 off if you book with 60 days of your last sailing. This IS also true BUT

you can not combine discounts with this offer (past guest, military, state, senior, etc..) :( weird if you ask me...

 

 

We booked as past guests when we got back from our last cruise in June an then a week later I read about the $50 for booking within 60 days called our PVP and they took the $50 off so it was combined with past cruiser discount. (Not sure if it should have been but it was).

[NCTribeFan]

I've never received a "discount" for PG. It's always been an upgrade. The $50 "welcome home" can be combined with the PG upgrade.

 

BUT, you don't always receive that email, and from what I've been told, your PVP has nothing to do with whether you receive it or not. Got it after sailing Miracle last December, so booked both Glory & Fascination within the 60 days, and received the discount on both.

 

When I returned from Glory, I did not receive the email. I don't know if it has anything to do with already being booked, but I suspect it might.

 

When I return from Fascination, we'll see if I receive one, since I'm already booked for next December. I bet I don't get one, and I'd appreciate it, since I'm thinking about booking for next May.

[OhioJeff]

 

When I returned from Glory, I did not receive the email. I don't know if it has anything to do with already being booked, but I suspect it might.

 

Did you call your PVP when you returned an inquire about the $50 off? Most will be more than happy to give it to you regardless if you get the email.

[mykiddiewinks]

We never got the e-mail, we just called our PVP and told him we had heard about this discount on Cruise Critic and that was it, he reduced our balance by $50 per cabin. I'm guessing it depends on how accommodating you PVP is but it is worth a phone call to ask the question - whats the worse they can say - no.