Lizzy

Hi to all Cruise travelers,<BR><BR> If you haven't already boooked a cruise yet with Carnival, please read. I was looking on the websites like Expedia and ICruise.com and so on and even called a couple of travel agents here in town. But if you call Carnival they have this promotion called Past Guest Promotion and if you have sailed with them before the rates are unbelievable. I mean the travel agents and websites were telling me a room on 8A catagory was going to be like 860.00 per person and 176.50 for port charges. This is from Miami to Eastern Carribean. May 24-31, 2003 I just called carnival one night last week and they gave me a rate for being a past guest of 836.00 for 8A catagory and that includes port charges, so roughly I got a room w/balcony for 659.000 + 176.50 for port charges which any travel agent will add on. I was amazed so I just wanted to past this on. <BR><BR>Also, I have never been to the U.S. Virgins Islands before. Does anyone know how much it cost to catch a ferry to go to St. John from St. Thomas. I know they will tell you on the boat but I would like to know about how much. <BR><BR>Thanks for all your help.<BR>Liz

LLindaC

Liz,<BR> There are 2 ferries from St Thomas. (good choice, by the way) You can take a cab to Red Hook and take a 15-min ferry,($3 one way adults) or you can take the ferry from Charlotte Amalie -about a mile from your ship- which is 45 min.($7 one-way)Here is a ferry schedule and info for you. Enjoy!<BR>http://www.st-thomas.com/week/ferries.html

Lizzy

Thank you so much, I thought it was going to be really expensive. I appreciate all your help.<BR><BR>Liz

Misha

Keep in mind -- if you dock in Havensight you will need to taxi to Charlotte Amalie ($6.00) to get the 45-minute ferry. From Havensight or Charlotte Amalie you have to taxi to Red Hook, which costs $6.00 each. AND after the ferry ride to St. John, you have to taxi to Trunk Bay or one of the other beaches, for another $6.00 a head! It's worth it, but bring your cash!!!

traveller333

Are Carnival's rates for past cruisers even less than cruisequick.com?? This wasn't the case last week when I booked a cruise for my daughter...(she's also a past Carnival cruiser)??

LLindaC

traveller- we booked a Spring Break cruise for next week with Cruisequick. I tried Carnival, plus seven other agencies and nobody beat them!

Lizzy

Dear LLindaC,<BR><BR> I tried that cruisequick.com and it was cheaper they gave me a guarantee rate of 1510.00 for two people on the same deck and you know it will have to be upgrade because there are no more rooms on that deck 8A and that is probably why they say guarantee, which is good, but I already made my reservation. I wish I would have known about that sight sooner. Thanks againfor all your help.<BR><BR>Liz

LissaJ

Did you tell your TA that you were a past guest? TA's can get the past cruiser discounts for thier clients if they are told you have it.

Lizzy

No I did not tell them and they surely did not offer it to me. So I was kinda upset by that. But I think I got a great rate anyway, but now I have to work on airfare to Miami. <BR><BR>Liz

andy

Lizzy- If you do NOT tell your TA that you are a past passenger, how in the world do you expect to get the past passenger rate....I am sure your TA cannot read minds---<BR><BR> I always TELL any cruise or TA that I am a past passenger ( if I am) and that is when the lower rate is offered....

traveller333

In years past I have booked cruises then found a cheaper fare....out of fairness I always try to give the original TA the opportunity to match it. If they do, great...if they can't match it, I cancel my reservation (assuming I'm not within the penalty phase of cancellation) and book with the lower fare company, all done &quot;above board&quot;. Of recent times I really have had the best rates and excellent service with cruisequick.com so I think my &quot;shopping days&quot; are over.

Lizzy

Dear Andy,<BR><BR> Thanks for the advice. I don't expect anyone to read my mind or anyone else's for that matter. I do expect a TRAVEL AGENT to offer everything possible to there client and any good travel agent would have asked and I called three of them and not one mentioned Past Guest to me and even the first one that I sat with and discussed the kind of cabin I wanted and knew that I had twice crusied before, never mentioned it. So I really think it depends on you the customer to do some research to and not always rely on a travel agent. I know we all have different opinions about travel agents and customer service, and I always give everyone the same advice. The TA are making money off of what they sell. I am in customer Service and I offer the best that is why I wanted to share that with everyone about Past Guest Propmotions, because not all TA's are the same just like people are not all the same. Thanks again.<BR><BR>Lizzy

Theresa

My TA ALWAYS gives me a better rate then I can get from the cruise line direct. ALWAYS!<BR><BR>TAs can also get you the past passenger discount.<BR><BR>My TA offers so much more then a great price - I will never go directly through the cruise line.

Lizzy

Dear Readers,<BR><BR> I thought fodors was a place to post information to help others and that is all I was trying to do. I wanted to pass on something just in case a reader like me did not know about Past Guest promotion, that all. Nothing more. I am sorry if have more to say, but I was just trying to help others. I like to help others find hotel deals in bargain places to stay in New Orleans and other cities. I thought fodors was suppose to be a help center for information. That is all I was trying to get across to people. If you have a travel agent then great. Have a great life and keep traveling. Have a great summer too!!<BR><BR>Liz

Patty

Lizzy,<BR><BR>I think most other readers here are just trying to help you get an even better deal.<BR><BR>I think you should be able to transfer your direct booking with Carnival to cruisequick.com to get the lower rate without having to make a new booking/pay a new deposit. Check with them if they will do this. I've done this in the past with direct bookings transferred to an agency but have no specific experience with Carnival or cruisequick.

Lizzy

Well thank you for that information. I will definitely ask.<BR><BR>Thanks, Liz

Theresa

Lizzy,<BR><BR>Patty was right - we were trying to also help. Most TAs discount their commission so their rate will always be less then the cruise line.<BR><BR>Have a great time on your cruise.

Starfish

Let's not all get into a tizzy over this. <BR><BR>Lizzy, people are trying to help you get a better price. It is very common to transfer your booking from the cruise line to a TA. <BR><BR>Cruise Line prices are tradionally higher than a TA, BUT you can find TA's charging more than a cruise line. This happened to relatives of mine recently. They went to 2 local TA's then called Carnival. Carnival was lower so they booked. I then told them about all the .com's and found them a deal so much better. They moved their booking. They are saving $700 and change plus they got a 6 catagory upgrade. Mostly all good cruise only .com site will beat the cruise line price by a mile.<BR><BR>Sorry, but TA's do not always do what you expect. It is best to have all your information together when you ask for a quote, past cruiser, AARP numbers, since some cruise lines will give you another discount with this, any other type of disount coupon etc. <BR><BR>Always ask for port and taxes, also<BR>addional things like processing or booking fees, shipping of document charges, transfer fees if transfering a booking to them. <BR><BR>You should also have all your information together, past cruise info, AARP number if that line gives a discount, any other coupons, and if booking on HAL and you own CCL stock, copies of your certificate for on board credit. <BR>Sometimes some of the things I have mentioned is not valid for a certain promotion, like past cruiser discount, since they already have it discounted very low. <BR><BR> <BR>

cruiselover

On my last cruise on the CCL Pride (which I booked a year in advance, with a great rate through my TA)&lt; a last minute disaster happened and within two hours of our departure, my husband was unable to go with me. Talk about a nightmare. To make a long story short, my TA went to bat and had not only arranged for my daughter to me in Orlando the day of the cruise, she arranged her airfare at a wonderful price, and had her safely to me within plenty of time to board. Lesson learned that sometimes things come up beyond our control that make a good TA worth their weight in gold. Thanks Tammy Peffley, Signal Travel rep from saving my 302 day countdown from a disaster. I doubt that would have happened over the net.