Repost: CRUISE INFO with prices

Just spoke with the group cruise specialist thru Carnival.  It turns out we don't get any discount in price but we will get a $50-$75 per CABIN onboard ship credit that can be used anywhere onboard the ship.  SO if 2 people share a room they will get $25-$37 per person to buy souvineers or spend on the ship.  If 4 people share a room, each person would get $6-18.

In order to get the absolute BEST pricing we need to act quickly.  From the time I book the cruise, each person needs to pay a $200 deposit within 30 days.  So if I book it tomorrow, each person needs to pay $200 by February 4th. (So $400 per room if 2 people are in a room).   The balance would then be due by July 29th.

The cabin prices get booked according to the following rules:
Early saver: lowest price-no cancellations, no refunds, no date changes, no selling it to another person or no name changes.  This is SET IN STONE.  You pick the stateroon TYPE (inside, outside, balcony) they pick the location.  ***Go to Carnival and read the terms of the early saver pricing before booking***

Early Saver Inside cabin: $309 per person with 2 people to a room PLUS $32.03 taxes per person= $341.03 each.  Each additional person in that room would be $149 each plus $32.03 taxes=$ 181.03.  If 4 people split a room that makes it $261.03 per person.  If you've never been on a cruise before please know the rooms are extremely small and the bathroom is very tiny.   

Early Saver Oceanview Cabin:  $349 plus $32.03 taxes= $381.03 per person for 2 people to a room.
for each additional person (3rd or 4th person) it would be $201.03 per person.  Making 4 people to a room $291.03 each.

Other pricing options include:
Fun Saver pricing: you pick your stateroom type and THEY pick the location.  It does guarantee you a room in whatever class you pick (inside. oceanview, balcony) but it can be located on any deck of the ship.  This catagory does allow for refunds, changes and cancelations.  It is $60 more per person per room.

Fun Select: this is the most expensive booking.  You pick your exact room number off a schmatic.  It's $90-100 more per person per room.  This also allows for cancellations, changes and refunds.

I would highly suggest each person goes to www.Carnival.com and reads all the fine print and makes their own decision as to how they want to book it.  Travel insurance is also a good idea since we're going during the height of hurricaine season.  Also with an 88 year old mother if something happened to her, I need to be able to get a refund.  Looks like it costs $49 per person.

Anyway, I NEED each person that's signed up to let me know their status on when they can place their deposit and who's going to be in their room.  I need full legal names of everyone that's going.  From what I understand, they hold the room under the FUN SAVER price but when you book it you can tell them you want the EARLY SAVER price and they can give you the rest of the details on getting that price and when payment in full is due, etc.  The sooner we book the better, prices are subject to change.  Once I get it booked, I will give you guys the info as to how you can call and book it through our group.

She said you CAN go with just your birth certificate BUT if anything happened and you got stranded in Mexico without a passport/passcard, you couldn't fly home.  SO IMHO a passport/passcard is a must.  Pictures can be made thru CVS pharmacy for cheap then you can get your passport done at your local postoffice.

Details of the cruise:  5 day Western Carribbean Carnival Cruise
Ship:  Ecstacy
Departs: Galveston on Monday Sept 27
Arrives back in Galveston: Sat. Oct 2nd

Everyone is welcome.  Please respond ASAP so we can get this thing moving.

***please feel free to PM me if needed.  I don't want for anyone to feel like they have to put their financial cir****tances out here for everyone to see**

 

Ok stupid question.....do we ALL have to book. i.e. Early Saver or can some do Early Saver and others do Early Saver Oceanview?

Each person can book the type room they want under our group name.  (Clay and I are either getting an oceanview or a balcony and will probably do the Early Saver with travel insurance.)  Also if you're a past Carnival cruiser they might give you a free upgrade when you call-it's worth asking.  The only reason to do it "en mass" is to get the onboard ship credit and to guarantee rooms will be available.  But we all need to pay deposits within 30 days of the time I book it to hold the price.

Steph,

I'm good to go but I need a cabin mate.  Two possible, but I think a room with 4 peeps might be a bit much.  I think I would choose the Early Saver Oceanview cabin. 

do I also need to pick a pricing option?  If so, I would do the fun saver pricing.  Since i've never cruised I'm gonna be happy with any view I get.

I too am a virgin cruiser so I will needs lots of help!

Why don't you start a thread to see who's looking for a roomie or two?  I bet lots of people need to match up with each other.

What I need to know is WHEN you can pay the deposit so I know when to book it.  You can pick the pricing option when you book your individual cruise.

If I have 30 days to scrounge up the $200, then I am good for anytime.  It's a set $200, right?

I just want to make sure I do like you guys and get the ability to cancel (old parents, young kid) and the insurance for hurricanes.

HEY what about ME, Roomie????

Do you really need a cabin with a window??  How much time are you really going to spend in the cabin looking out the window??  We discovered that on the first cruise we took.  If you get a cabin with a balcony, that's different, but we found that we were only in the room to change, sleep and shower. Just sayin'

Mari,

We're not going, but on the subject of a window, we had an inside cabin last time we went.  I'm just slightly claustrophobic and I don't like to feel closed in.  It drove me INSANE!  I hated not being able to see out.  It didn't bother others in our group, but I could not stay in the room hardly at all.  I would not do it again in an interior cabin.  Anyone who is a first time cruiser should keep that in mind if they have those issues.

I'm with Vicki, I loved having a window each time we've cruised.  I like sitting and looking out of it.

 well if you like to wake up in the morning.. a window is the way... i have had both.. and you feel like your in a coffin.. 

just my 2 cents.. i dont do inside cabins..and really its less that $50 for the upgrade