Carnival's Early Saver tip

[Gayle V]

Hi gang. Time to pick your brains, before I add this tip to the Cruiser's Compass. This is what I'm thinking of adding: Tell me if this would be allowed.

Getting the best of all worlds:

As I've mentioned before, Carnival now offers special guaranteed lowest rate fare, for their passengers that book early. These "Early Saver Rates" offer great prices, but come with restrictions that the regular bookings lack. The most significant feature being that they are nonrefundable. ...And of course you already know that the earlier you book, the higher the chance that you'll snag one of those fabulous corner aft cabins, or some other prime location.... All the more reason to book early.

But what if your life doesn't come with guarantees. What if you aren't sure you can get off work for that particular week, a year away? How do you secure the best cabin pick, take advantage of the ESR fares, AND still retain the ability to cancel with a full refund should the boss nix your week off ?

The answer: Book early, but at the higher, regular rate. Then later, after your plans are definite, (but still sometime before the ESRs expire) you can switch to Early Saver, giving you the best of all worlds.

[cliptix]

That sounds like a fantastic tip!

[Lurline63]

How would this work with insurance? I'll give you a real-life example (one of mine). I had a cruise on another line booked a year in advance -- got approval from work. To be on the safe side, I purchased a rider to my travel insurance policy that would enable me to cancel for work reasons. As luck would have it, roughly two months before the cruise, my vacation was rescinded as they decided I couldn't be away from the office that long. Fortunately, it was before final payment was due, so I would have gotten a refund had I not booked a shorter cruise to take its place. (Assuming they would have signed the paperwork, of course.)

That said, I know very little about Carnival's Early Saver Rates. Would a rider such as the one I have cover cancellation of an ESR fare? I don't know... just asking. Also, are there a limited number of berths eligible for the ESR?

[Gayle V]

Hi Lurline, I don't know the answers, to that. Hoping one of our TA's here will pipe in with some info.

My main concern was if Carnival would object to this "switching". I have read posts of other cruisers who have switched, but that was do to their not understanding that they could have gotten the lower rate, and found out later. So switching is certainly possible. But would they frown on this as a strategy.

Also I wondering if TAs would object to this. Sure it's additional work, but might mean the difference between getting a booking, and not.

My second concern was also about insurance, but I was wondering how the change of fare would impact any "prior conditions" waivers. And if you buy insurance with the first deposit ? Probably must, because the fine print usually says something about the purchase of the ins. has to be withing a week or so of first deposit, and that the vacation must be the first one you have scheduled for that time frame. (Always got to read the fine print.) Waiting till later to book, would mean buying cancel for any reason insurance, which could cost so much more, as to negate any cost savings.

If I have some time during the week I will call Insure-my-trip and talk to their people about various scenarios. They have been very helpful with questions in the past. Unfortunately the answer usually boils down to "It depends" on which policy you chose and various other factors.

[Just by the by: When I write advice for the Compass I often hesitate to add this kind of tip. At first it seems like a good idea, but I have to include so many caveats, to avoid leading people into potentially unfortunate situations. Not sure if it's worth including. The idea of telling people to "leave their passports in their cabin safes, and just carry a copy of their passports, when going onto the island" was the same kind of concern. Seems like a good idea, but could lead to other problems, so required spelling out, that you have to decide for yourself which risk you want to take.]

[Jamman]

Gayle, one more thing about the Early Saver fares. Though the deposit is nonrefundable, you can change your ship or sailing date prior to final payment at a fee of $50./pp.

[kakarp]

My issue is for the cruise I'm booked on for next April I watched the rate go from 749 pp to 894 pp with a couple of stops inbetween as of last friday and I haven't looked today.

Kevin

[nieciez]

Like Jamman said with Early Saver there is that $50 pp fee. My DD had Alaska booked on Early Saver for this year which she booked after I booked our family cruise. When they were not able to do Alaska and the decision was made before final payment they were able to cancel yet lose the $50 pp fee. The additional monies were able to be credited against the already booked family cruise in September. She thought it was going to be as a "shipboard" credit but when I went to make final payment this week I discovered it was placed against the balance owed on their cabin so I only had to pay $90 for final payment. So now I owe her the difference since this cruise is 'our treat'