booking via a PVP vs. online

[delta13]

Can you get a better deal booking directly with a PVP? I had made a online booking and held for 24 hours and let it expire. Now I have a PVP calling me several times a day saying he has great deals to get me onboard so just wondering if it pays to call?

[firefly333]

No better deal. If you find a great PVP its worth it because life happens and they can go to bat for you... but if its not someone you particularly love .. no advantage price wise.

[Rottweiler Puppy]

Same price. If they are calling that much book online out of spite and tell them why. Pushy salespeople should not be rewarded with that behavior.

 

They do have access to cabins you cant see though so if you are needing paricular cabin arrangements, they can help there.

[Tapi]

...so just wondering if it pays to call?

 

YES, it pays to talk to a PVP. Worst case scenario is that they give you the same exact price that you currently have.

 

But, a PVP can check for other promotions that you may qualify for (and that don't appear on the website). For example, we qualify for an interline rate that must be booked through an agent for verification. It saves us a couple hundred dollars every time we cruise. Just like that promotion code, there are others. One time, our PVP even informed us of a promotional code that had appeared on Travel Zoo and that wasn't appearing on the Carnival website!

 

Also a PVP can give you more cabin choices than the ones listed on the website (on the website, you can only see a handful of cabins, not the entire inventory).

 

Finally if you have questions, concerns, or you need any type of help from the day you book until you sail, your PVP is there to help you.

 

Call, what do you have to loose? :)

[delta13]

Are their interline rates better than what is online? I do work for a major airline so I should qualify for interline.

[Rena921]

Use a PVP. No cost to you and you have access to that person if you have any questions. You can try out different PVP's if you just don't connect with one. We love ours. I can send her an email and she responds immed. You have nothing to lose.

[Tapi]

Are their interline rates better than what is online? I do work for a major airline so I should qualify for interline.

 

Bingo! Yes, as long as you work for a scheduled passenger airline, you qualify. And yes, the rates are better, many times substantially better!

 

And you can call the PVP and they can book you at the same interline rate that appears on dedicated interline websites BUT they don't charge you the booking fee that those other sites charge you.

 

Another advantage of booking through a PVP is that once you submit a copy of your ID to verify elegibility, they keep it stored in their database. That way, next time that you call to book, you don't need to re-submit your information.

 

I've been using the same PVP for over 7 years, partly because of this reason. He just makes everything much simpler. He has all of our information already stored so when we want to book a cruise, all he needs is the credit card information.

[delta13]

Thanks for the interline info...in that case, I guess I will need to check with a PVP.

[crisp1]

Actually, some promotions cannot be booked through a PVP- only online through a TA- CCL is finally giving us the credit( ES/PG). Ta's see all the promotions- some only we can book. CCL agents do see all the open cabins and can see adjoining cabins when trying to book a double/triple ( this part is really stupid from from my end- why can't I)

[Tapi]

Thanks for the interline info...

 

You welcome. Looking at your screen name and location, something tells me that we have some things in common. :)

[504ever]

We've booked on-line, thru local travel agent, thru national travel company, and with PVP. Without a doubt, best experience is w/ PVP. Have used her for several years and she has all our info for discounts, access to ALL cabins, and we can control our booking. Couple of years ago we booked w/ what turned out to be a not-so-good on-line agency and when they wouldn't respond to our inquiries Carnival couldn't help us b/c our agent "owned" the booking. Plus, we live in a port city and our PVP calls us when they have awesome last-minute deals. Can't beat the service she provides. She even called last month to see how we had fared during Hurricane Isaac. No sales pitch, just checked in to say "hope you guys are okay"!

[jayscore]

One of my friends suggested a different PVP than the one I had been dealing with. So, I went with her, and I NEVER heard from her again after I booked.

This time, I booked online, figuring I am no worse off.

If I have any questions, I just call CCL, and get things straight with someone else.

Just saying.........:rolleyes:

[justlaff69]

Plus, we live in a port city and our PVP calls us when they have awesome last-minute deals. Can't beat the service she provides. She even called last month to see how we had fared during Hurricane Isaac. No sales pitch, just checked in to say "hope you guys are okay"!

 

I'm looking for a new PVP, someone that would call us with last minute details.

 

Right now I do all the work and the PVP gets the credit for answering my email, urgghh

 

If you have a good PVP that calls you with sales and provides a service other than just booking will you email me their contact info at coachkam05 hotmail . com (That's zero-five)