Getting Deals on Carnival Cruise Line
Let me start by saying NO two deals are alike!
You and a friend can book similar cabins next to each other for the same cruise and probably not have the same price.
It's all in your VIFP number, no one knows the secret sauce to getting good deals, or how the algorithm works. It seems random in that way.
But there are some things you can do to get on their radar for special offers:
Do you play in other casinos? They have a Fun Match Program, fill out this form and attach your player cards for consideration:
https://www.carnival.com/.../Promot.../casino-funmatch.aspx/
The first time you use your Sail & Sign (room key/expense card) onboard in the casino, you are automatically enrolled in the Players Club:
https://www.carnival.com/casino/carnival-players-club
If you have never cruised with Carnival before, sign up for the VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) program BEFORE you book. They sometimes send incentives to entice new cruisers to sail.
Once you cruise, and before you even leave the ship, your VIFP account will have a new offer to get you to come back, when you get home sign into your account and look for the "Welcome Home" offers.
There are good deals with third party companies online, but beware, those aren't usually apples to apples, and once you’re booked with them Carnival will not entertain your requests for changes/cancellations on your booking, you have to do it with whom you booked. Always read the fine print!
Some people get special offers for being members with certain groups/clubs (Insurance/Sams Club/BJ's/AAA/AARP, etc.), and those deals are nice and no strings attached. However, we don't know the ins and outs to them so we can't really say either way if those are good in comparison. From what I understand they have a travel department who takes care of you.
Casino deals, can't be beat! But what does it take to get those free rooms, large obc, “free drinks anywhere” for you and a guest??? It takes money spent on gambling. So essentially those aren't free, you have to gamble to get them. How much or how many points earned? No one knows. Casino deals are through the Global Casino Operations, so for casino questions, you'd need to contact them directly, not the direct line to Carnival.
Global Casino Operations is under Carnival Corp and they supply Casino staff to ALL brands.
https://oceanplayersclub.com/home/
Side note: you can apply for a minimum credit line of 10k at least two weeks before sail date: https://oceanplayersclub.com/contact/apply-credit/
If you want to get on the casino radar, you can also go to the casino boss and ask them to rate your play.
Or you can do like I did, you can go in during the day when it's slower, and ask them to teach you table games, and try a variety of them to find what you like. Usually, if it's not busy, the casino boss comes over and watches for a bit, and may even give advice on games. I went back a little each day and played the tables. I get offers now, but nothing out of this world.
Sometimes a travel agent or PVP (Personal Vacation Planner for Carnival) can get you the same price you'd pay, but offer you extras; such as a bottle of wine, gratuities, chocolate covered strawberries, etc.
Booking through Travel by Natalie Kroll, we like to give $25 in cruise cash for our clients, or apply that amount to your final payment. We let you decide. So you have to shop around, compare prices, and deals and see which is best for you!
When you shop around be sure you’re comparing apples to apples and reading the fine print. The T&C (terms and conditions) on all of the offers under your VIFP are completely different from each other. My last client had 12 offers all different T&C's, and she ended up paying more than the cheapest offer, because the T&C was better suited for her needs.
If you use a travel agent or travel company, you should vet them carefully; check reviews, certifications, training etc. Ask them questions, be sure they are doing the job you need them to do. Some are very basic and just book your trip, others, like us at Travel by Natalie Kroll, will go the extra mile and do the little extra things that help make your trip less stressful. Some will charge a fee, others (like us) don’t charge any extra. When you book a trip commission is baked into the final amount, so whether you use a travel agent or not, you’re paying commission. So why not use what you’re paying for? If you do not use an agent, the company or cruise line keeps the commission.
One last thing, you can get discounted gift cards to help with the cost of your trip. Raise is one that gives a small percentage off, but sometimes has good offers. AARP (contrary to popular belief, the minimum age has always been 18 years old to join), and as a member you get 8% off gift cards; a $500 card will cost $460, with a maximum of five per day. One thing to note about using gift cards, should you have a situation where you’re receiving a refund, you’ll be receiving gift cards back. Not cash. And it make take a few weeks.
If you have any questions contact us at: travebynataliekroll@gmail.com