Carnival's New Early Saver Program

[cvrap]

OH and a huge plus for me is that by refaring the cruise the fuel surcharge was removed totally :) No waiting to see what happens with it :)

 

THIS IS OFF THE EARLY SAVER SUBJECT, but I figured someone here could clarify. . .

 

I hope this is right on the fuel surcharge, but as I understand it now, if the price goes above, I think, $70 a barrel within a certain time before your cruise date, they can add the surcharge onto your price.

[UpstateCruizer]

THIS IS OFF THE EARLY SAVER SUBJECT, but I figured someone here could clarify. . .

 

I hope this is right on the fuel surcharge, but as I understand it now, if the price goes above, I think, $70 a barrel within a certain time before your cruise date, they can add the surcharge onto your price.

 

Yes they can add it back in.

[Peaceful]

I saved $370 by booking with the Early Saver rate. For us, this is wonderul. I like the room I chose, I won't change, and this is not a small amount of money. Easily pays for gratuities for the three of us...PLUS. I don't mind checking the pricing and if it goes down, we will get onboard credit. For those who know they will not be making changes, this is a good program. We have an 8G for $2482.05 for three, or $827.35 per person for a 7-day cruise; this is an aft extended balcony.

[larsenbiz]

I just called Carnival to ask about this new rate. The rate I am paying through my travel agent is still $40 less for the trip than Carnival's Early Saver Program. I guess that it didn't work out this time. Maybe next time.

[UpstateCruizer]

I just called Carnival to ask about this new rate. The rate I am paying through my travel agent is still $40 less for the trip than Carnival's Early Saver Program. I guess that it didn't work out this time. Maybe next time.

 

I think part of the reason it may not have worked is that you are closer to sailing. This is the time of year that spring cruises tend to go up and since you have 5 months left before sailing yours has probably gone up.

 

The people that will get the best prices are going to be those that book really early....(which is what I've always done and our prices have gone up as we get closer to sailing) and the people that book cruises that have significant price drops right before sailing. Certain times of the year tend to see no price drops only increases.

[charmy733]

I was looking for cruise deals and saw the Early Saver Rates listed on skyauction.com!

 

I called my PVP to make sure the rates were the same and they were for my Ectasy cruise in December 09.

 

I like looking around and researching prices before I call my PVP, so hopefully this will help save some time.

[firefly333]

I was looking for cruise deals and saw the Early Saver Rates listed on skyauction.com!

 

I called my PVP to make sure the rates were the same and they were for my Ectasy cruise in December 09.

 

I like looking around and researching prices before I call my PVP, so hopefully this will help save some time.

 

You arent allowed to mention any specific TA sites here, but yes the lower rate is being shown on multiple sites now (with nothing showing about the rates being nonrefundable deposit early saver rates on the sites Iv seen it at).

[CruiseCentric]

The rates are in the website and the code is PPB.

[martinchem]

I'm sure the program is fair.

[slugo]

Early saver is saving my wife and I about $200 for a Fantasy trip out of New Orleans in June

[cruisingforfunfromnyc]

:rolleyes: Carnival's new sucker bet program is designed to get as much non-refundable deposits on their pockets and letting others to fall for a sucker bet on the OBC if the price fall.

 

Prices will not fall on popular and peak demand sailings and requesting OBC is not possible. It is a waste of time and hassle to fill out paperwork where prices has not fallen.

 

Second thing, no 2 category upgrades are not given for this kind of restricted promo. If you are a past guest of Carnival, a $50 to $100 per person difference between early saver and past guest promo gives you a better value and flexibility because if you cancel before final as a past guest, you get your full deposit refund, without having to prepaid travel insurance to cover the huge non-refundable deposit and travel insurance has a 10 day free look (after that, you have to calculate the non-refundable travel insurance in your budget). Past guest get a cabin assignment 2-category within the same cabin type upgrade.

 

Third thing, name changes, cabin changes, sailing date changes are assessed $50 per changes regardless before final payment while past guest promo, unlimited changes without charge before final payment.

 

Fourth thing, I would is the early saver is combinable with other promos that may appear before final? Most of the time, the early saver would not be combinable with certain promos and Carnival is saying if this is the absolute lowest price, what is the point of offering other promos?

 

What I will look booking a Carnival cruise is the flexibility option if something happened at the last minute before final payment.

 

Overall, Carnival has everything under their belts. The past guest promo are the best thing to none these days after the sucker bet early saver rate.

 

In Blackjack, the insurance bet is a sucker bet.

[letsgocruz1]

:rolleyes: Carnival's new sucker bet program is designed to get as much non-refundable deposits on their pockets and letting others to fall for a sucker bet on the OBC if the price fall.

 

Prices will not fall on popular and peak demand sailings and requesting OBC is not possible. It is a waste of time and hassle to fill out paperwork where prices has not fallen.

 

Second thing, no 2 category upgrades are not given for this kind of restricted promo. If you are a past guest of Carnival, a $50 to $100 per person difference between early saver and past guest promo gives you a better value and flexibility because if you cancel before final as a past guest, you get your full deposit refund, without having to prepaid travel insurance to cover the huge non-refundable deposit and travel insurance has a 10 day free look (after that, you have to calculate the non-refundable travel insurance in your budget). Past guest get a cabin assignment 2-category within the same cabin type upgrade.

 

Third thing, name changes, cabin changes, sailing date changes are assessed $50 per changes regardless before final payment while past guest promo, unlimited changes without charge before final payment.

 

Fourth thing, I would is the early saver is combinable with other promos that may appear before final? Most of the time, the early saver would not be combinable with certain promos and Carnival is saying if this is the absolute lowest price, what is the point of offering other promos?

 

What I will look booking a Carnival cruise is the flexibility option if something happened at the last minute before final payment.

 

Overall, Carnival has everything under their belts. The past guest promo are the best thing to none these days after the sucker bet early saver rate.

 

In Blackjack, the insurance bet is a sucker bet.

 

While I see your point, not everyone is a past guest. New cruisers who are absolute certain they are going on the cruise can save quite a bit with the early saver rates.

 

Also, from what I've been told, if you want to upgrade on the same ship, same date, you would NOT have to pay the $50, but if you wanted to downgrade it would cost you.

 

Right now I have a room booked on the Valor for October under the past guest promo. However, the early saver rate is $90pp cheaper. Once I am positive we are going on this ship (still debating on the Legend...) then I will change over to the cheaper rate. I will cruise again (unless I am dead) so it doesn't bother me to think they will hold my non-refundable dollars. So I don't think I am being "suckered" into anything.

 

Different strokes for different folks and everyone should form their own opinions on what is best for them.

[smc0320]

Very interesting... As Arti Johnson use to say.

 

Non refundable deposit for a chance to get a non refundable OBC up to 2 days before sailing!! Im wondering if previously booked pax can get into this new promotion.

My PVP told me that if we booked at the higher Past Guest discount that we could move to the lower Early Booking rate later if we wanted to...and if it was still available. The reason is that the reservation for the Early Booking rate is non-transferrable. So if Jack & Jill book it, then later Jack can't go...Jill can't change the name for the new person going.

[Litewait]

You can always do a name change on any reservation up until a few days before sailing. There is a $50 fee but it's avaliable to anyone regardless of what program you are booked under. I clarified all that with my PVP before I booked the early saver.

 

I know there are alot of opinions on this program.

 

Simply put, if you KNOW you are going to cruise the cruise you are booking. Not changing your mind down the road it's a great deal.

 

I KNOW I am going to sail over New Years. We do it every year, this will be out 4th. Come heck or high water we will be there. So for me it's a great deal. I got a great balcony cabin and saved $200 per person.

Another bonus is getting the OBC up until days before sailing should the price go down. This is no longer avaliable to the regularly booked cruiser. Mind you.. I have NEVER seen my New Years cruises go down in price. Only up. For me to get a balcony cabin on an 8 day cruise over New Years for 2 for 2 grand is unbelievable.

 

I am very happy!

[calicruise74]

You can always do a name change on any reservation up until a few days before sailing. There is a $50 fee but it's avaliable to anyone regardless of what program you are booked under.

 

 

Hiya Donna!

 

Hope your evening is gettin better ;)

Actually, no name changes allowed on the Early Saver...they had Gabbys name wrong and my PVP had to get an exception from a Supervisor to change it after booking..and after I had faxed over Gabbys birth certificate.

https://www.bookccl.com/pdf/Early_Saver_Overview.pdf

[cvrap]

You can always do a name change on any reservation up until a few days before sailing. There is a $50 fee but it's avaliable to anyone regardless of what program you are booked under.

 

I have another thread going about this sort of thing. What do you think about a name correction and not changing a passenger? My son's ticket has his middle name that he goes by and not his "first name". His birth certificate has his full name, first, middle and last, listed.

[gsu_paintballer]

Saved my girlfriend and I $160 total on our August cruise.

[Litewait]

Yes, my evening is better. I felt really stupid walking back over to the party and saying we were locked out:rolleyes:

 

I'll have to ask Jean about that again. It doesn't really matter to me because it will be Cameron and I.

 

Can't believe you had to fax the birth certificate. It was theie error. What did they do to her name?

[calicruise74]

Yes, my evening is better. I felt really stupid walking back over to the party and saying we were locked out:rolleyes:

 

I'll have to ask Jean about that again. It doesn't really matter to me because it will be Cameron and I.

 

Can't believe you had to fax the birth certificate. It was theie error. What did they do to her name?

 

 

My last name is hyphenated (as you've probably seen from my work email address) and they did that to hers...no big deal but her drivers license and so forth is not with a hyphenated last name.

 

I will say though that it wasnt until I pointed that out that she told me no name changes...and I said "well, it needs to be fixed" (in a not happy tone) and she made the exception.

Apparently it would take doing some homework to be clear on all of the terms of the early saver!

 

Hey, at least you got a ride to go get your keys!!! :D

[k.hill]

Just used the new early saver rates to save us $400.oo per cabin on our cruise in July. I agree that this is only a bonus if you are sure about your plan. We have never changed our mind or our plans in the past, and always book about 6 -9 mos. in advance...so I think we are safe...and I am totally happy with the savings.

[elysium08]

So if I book a cabin with the early saver program, I have to book a specific cabin? The "guaranteed" cabin where Carnival picks my stateroom isn't available so there's no chance of any free upgrades? :(

[calicruise74]

So if I book a cabin with the early saver program, I have to book a specific cabin? The "guaranteed" cabin where Carnival picks my stateroom isn't available so there's no chance of any free upgrades? :(

 

https://www.bookccl.com/pdf/Early_Saver_Overview.pdf

 

Excludes guarantee categories IS, OV, BL and ST.

[lizardhowson]

I have another thread going about this sort of thing. What do you think about a name correction and not changing a passenger? My son's ticket has his middle name that he goes by and not his "first name". His birth certificate has his full name, first, middle and last, listed.

 

Isn't there a whole thread on this ?

[cornyones]

We did the early saver program. I saw lower advertised prices but when I sent in their form they say thats a different category as yours. So basically when they put us in a room and we were given a room number thats when they had us. You can see early saver the lowest and then theres the you pick category and its ussually 200.00 more! Hind sight we would have never selected our room or anything I could really careless but instead of getting the advertised rate of 199.00 we paid 254 which to me is still a really great price. On their web site they basically say are you tired of it being to difficult to get a lower rate honored from other companies like they were gonna take the hassle out of it. There system was as big of a joke as the next guys if not worse. So personally not a fan!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

We did the early saver program. I saw lower advertised prices but when I sent in their form they say thats a different category as yours. So basically when they put us in a room and we were given a room number thats when they had us. You can see early saver the lowest and then theres the you pick category and its ussually 200.00 more! Hind sight we would have never selected our room or anything I could really careless but instead of getting the advertised rate of 199.00 we paid 254 which to me is still a really great price. On their web site they basically say are you tired of it being to difficult to get a lower rate honored from other companies like they were gonna take the hassle out of it. There system was as big of a joke as the next guys if not worse. So personally not a fan!

 

so did the price go down in your category? If it did I'd resubmit.

 

If another category went down and not yours I don't understand why you'd think you should get a reduction.

 

Bill