PVP vs. T/A vs. Website vs. Call Carnival direct

Having taken a few cruises, I was called by a nice lady who introduced herself as my Carnival PVP. I have previously booked cruises through a T/A, the Carnival Website and calling Carnival directly. I have not noticed any real difference in price but have found some advantages and some disadvantages to each method.

My question; Has anyone found a PVP to either give a better price or provide something of extra benefit (value) to booking a cruise than any of the other methods mentioned above. Does the PVP have any extra benefits or is it just another method of booking?

FYI, I have not booked yet but just curious and getting information before booking.

Thanks in advance.

I have never gotten anything extra or a better price with a PVP. Switched to travel agent and getting some OBC.

Sadly, PVP's don't offer you anything you cannot get booking by yourself on their website.

Except a commission. lol

But even if you DO book through the PVP, you still have complete control of your booking.

I'll only book using Carnival's website. We compare many itineraries, ships, prices and dates...and it'd be impossible to do that with a PVP or TA. Carnival's website is incredibly easy to navigate and book through. Not only that...when I made the mistake of asking a PVP who called a question about the Cheers package...he smelled a possible sale and I receiving daily voice mails and emails pressuring us to book. We were weeks away from deciding whether we'd book a cruise or all-inclusive resort vacation.

I also have never used a PVP, only booked directly through the website. I'm no where near ready to book anything, but recently I've begun getting phone calls & text messages from a Carnival PVP - usually multiple in a week from the same PVP! It seems excessive.

PVPs have access to cabins you can't see on the web site.

If you log in to your account they know it and start calling you

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A TA will give you OBC.

I've been using a pvp, but thinking about using a TA next time to get obc. How are TA's with getting you credit for price drops?

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If you get a great PVP like I have you will never book any other way. My last booked cruise I passed using a different site, and losing out on 100 obc, to stick with my PVP. Why you may ask. Well I always book on an early saver. Yesterday my cruise dropped. Emailed my pvp, and 5 minutes later I had my price drop. This is probably the tenth time I've done this.

2nd reason. I had an offer I didn't know about. I got a free cruise inside cabin offer for the first ever journeys cruises. I only had to pay the taxes. For 150 bucks I got a 11 day cruise. To make it even better he booked me into a 4J handicap cabin, knowing I'd have a good chance of getting bumped. after being booked only a week, I get a call from carnival that they needed my cabin. They moved me to a cove balcony for free, so for 150 bucks I had an awesome cruise I would've never had without my pvp.

problems. Had a 7 day cruise booked for my wife and two young kids. wife couldn't go last minute, so my PVP did all the work, and got the booking changed so my mom could go and help with the kids. we had a great time.

problem 2. booked a cruise out of charleston. hurricane matthew was baring down. we made the decision to cancel free of charge. we wanted to book another carnival cruise. my pvp took care of everything, while I was driving in route to fla. I won't book any other way

I got to give it to my PVP. Yes the emails and phone calls can get annoying but in the end it is the easiest stress free option. Here is the cruise we want, room we want, and dates we want and GO! They also give very good advice with where on the ship you want to stay and where to stay away from due to noise and other things like paying an interior price for an ocean view ect. I book early saver as well and have been able to get price drops and OBC with ease. We booked a cruise for Feb 2018 and some of our friends had some interest to join but never cruised before and didnt know where to start. I contacted my PVP and explained the situation. He has now added 4 additional bookings and everyone was very pleased with how quick and easy it was. Yes, I am bummed out that I cant get some additional OBC (Or can I? Anyone know if there is a referral program?).

I have also had my PVP call me with deals, some small and some free upgrades. Overall I think its the easiest way once you have the cruise dates picked and ready to go.

I guess it depends on which PVP you are connected with. After booking our first 2 cruises via the website, I started getting calls from a PVP, so I used him to book the 3rd one. I actually had their website open and told him exactly what we wanted to book. Afterward, I never received any type of follow up from him, so I didn't really see any benefit from continuing to use him to book, therefore I went back to just booking through the website. I don't think I would ever use a TA - I prefer to have control myself.

PVP. A good one is worth their weight in gold. It's kind of like insurance, you don't think you need it until you do. How many times do people come on here with questions or issues because the CSRs they called keep giving them different answers? Or they need to switch dates, or whatever the glitch might be.

If you have a great PVP like me, it only takes one call to get it straight. I don't need to keep trying until I get the "right" answer, I don't need to ask for a supervisor and explain the story over again wasting my time. He gets it taken care of. He knows a lot of the people there personally since he's been there since 1992. He can make things happen. As far as the argument of "What if they aren't available?" Well that doesn't hold true for him. I have his cell phone number and if he's away on a cruise, he gives me the name of one of his co-workers in case I need anything. As a back up last resort there is always the 800 number. I have called him on Sundays when he was cutting his grass and he answered. Even booked a cruise New Years Eve!

It's a personal choice. I have done it every way and I am quite capable of booking online by myself. But why would I? I get top notch service from him. I know it's done right, he can link all our bookings together for dinner, I can make changes to any of our reservations with one call and it will be done the right way. I also hear a lot of times on CC that CSRs ended up switching/booking people under ES when they weren't asked to and now they are stuck. This will never happen with my PVP. I see zero reason to do it any other way and so do my friends and family that have used him as well. A few of them are even on here and they can attest to the type of service he provides. Doesn't cost me anymore than booking direct and I know I will be taken care of like family should I need anything.

As far as a TA, been there, done that, learned my lesson. I wouldn't trade my PVP for OBC, a bottle of wine, dinner in the steak house, or prepaid gratuities.

What if you are booked with a TA only 44 days to go. Can I switch my booking back to Carnival? I have always use a PVP. Now I feel lost.

We use our PVP, he's been able to find us better cabins than available on the website, called us with good deals that we have taken, etc. Most importantly --- we were SUPPOSED to board our cruise this morning. Instead, we are at the hospital due to emergency surgery DH needed. One call to my PVP to cancel, he knows all my info and it took less than a minute with no hoops to go through. Immediately had everything I needed in my email to make a cancellation claim on our (3rd party) travel insurance.

Everyone does what they are comfortable with; for us our PVP has been invaluable. Personal contact does have advantages that outweigh the supposed ease of the online "take care of it myself" route. I'm sure he'll be looking for a replacement cruise for us in the very near future, and I appreciate him making my experiences better than they could be on my own.

Bottom line, whatever you are comfortable with will work for you.

I've been using a pvp, but thinking about using a TA next time to get obc. How are TA's with getting you credit for price drops?

 

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Mine was awesome.... I sent an email and within a few hours I had $200 OBC (in addition to what he gave me when we booked). I have used them several times and never had an issue. PM me and I will share the name.

I booked ONCE through Carnival online. We were booked in a suite- the price of the suite had dropped $800, and there was one left. There was an issue a few days before sailing which caused a change in itinerary, and Carnival offered to refund cruises without penalty. I called to see if I could get the credit for the price drop. Instead of simply crediting us with $800 OBC, they actually made us go through cancelling the first reservation and rebooking, which meant re-doing all of the online paperwork for all 4 of us. Not a huge deal, but this was actually one day prior to sailing, and it happened to be my birthday. I definitely took the time to do it (for $800? You bet I did). But I'm guessing my TA would have found a way to get the discount.

I have used a PVP on our last few CCL cruises, she has helped me with getting connecting rooms, using my diamond cabin upgrades, looking at any discounts I can get when booking, and any booking changes that would get me obc. She has called her supervisor on any questions I may have had. I didn't need to call and stay on the waiting. She is just and email or call away.

So for me PVP is best

Thanks to all. Good information provided.

Agree on the PVP. I have an awesome one. Received a casino rate offer but it did not come up for a spa cabin. Gave her a call and she added it to that grade of cabins. She has done refunds and re-deposits so I could get the AMX $100 offer. And moved cabins many times. Yes, I will look online for rates and availability first, but my PVP has come through for those over and above items. And I figure it's keeping someone employed with computers taking over so many jobs these days.

I think the operative word when booking with either a TA or PVP is "good" A good TA or PVP can make life so much easier. I won't say one is better than the other but rather a personal preference.

I like a PVP because I am a control freak. I do know a TA that is very well versed in cruising and might consider her to book. She offers OBC, little gifts, and actively looks for price drops. But not all TA's do this.

My PVP is always available either by phone, email or forwarded to a trusted coworker. She never phones (my request) except right before a cruise to ask if everything is set and wish us a good trip. I hear from her via e-mail is something unique is on the horizon. (Like when the Splendor relocation to Long Beach was announced.)

Booking with a CSR, this is the person that answers the 1-800, is not an option for me. I am more knowledgeable in Carnival policy than the bulk of them. And booking on line is easy but doesn't allow me to see all the stateroom choices.

My PVP always says booking the cruise isn't rocket science. Any body with a computer and a credit card can do it. What is difficult is when life happens. And life happens in my family often.

I really like having an a trusted source.

PVPs have access to cabins you can't see on the web site.

Exactly!

The website doesn't always show what is available for cabins.

OP , TA's or other travel sites you have to deal with them only, Carnival doesn't /won't get involved with you personally.

Choose what you are comfortable with.