Personal Cruise Consultants

[kiwi_girl]

Just wondering if we should have, could have or still can enlist the services of a PCC and if there is any advantage in doing so?

 

As a bit of background we are cruise virgins, actually we are overseas holiday virgins! We won part of our trip money (we could do anything/go anywhere we liked with the prize money) but one of the conditions was that we had to use a particular agent. The agent that was specified is actually a corporate travel consultant and I don't think he's a cruise expert. He's very good, and when I've asked him to follow things up he has done so, however I've been the one doing the "leg work" and he's made it happen on my instruction - e.g. cruise price drops and some to-ing and fro-ing with airlines. He was great for the airline stuff but I think he's not so up on cruises. I get the feeling that we aren't his top priority and I feel I am "bothering" him when I email to ask him to investigate/pursue anything. There was a price drop a week or so back which he confirmed, but he still hasn't sent me the details of the exact amount.

 

I've been reading that people who have used a HAL PCC have had very good service and the PCCs have generally been very good at getting them price drops and OBC deals etc.

 

So my question is, is it too late to enlist the services of a PCC and do you think there is any advantage in doing so?

[sail7seas]

I can't speak for how it works in New Zealand but in U.S., if a TA is handling a cruise reservation, the client must get their permission to take the booking away and give it to deal directly with the cruise line or use a different TA. For obvious reasons, the TA's are not eager to agree to that.

 

Ask.

Send an e-mail to HAL through their website 'contact us', seeing you can't use their 800 to call.

 

I suspect you will be in the same circumstance in that you will need the TA's permission to take away the booking.

 

[colbe]

Just wondering if we should have, could have or still can enlist the services of a PCC and if there is any advantage in doing so?

 

As a bit of background we are cruise virgins, actually we are overseas holiday virgins! We won part of our trip money (we could do anything/go anywhere we liked with the prize money) but one of the conditions was that we had to use a particular agent. The agent that was specified is actually a corporate travel consultant and I don't think he's a cruise expert. He's very good, and when I've asked him to follow things up he has done so, however I've been the one doing the "leg work" and he's made it happen on my instruction - e.g. cruise price drops and some to-ing and fro-ing with airlines. He was great for the airline stuff but I think he's not so up on cruises. I get the feeling that we aren't his top priority and I feel I am "bothering" him when I email to ask him to investigate/pursue anything. There was a price drop a week or so back which he confirmed, but he still hasn't sent me the details of the exact amount.

 

I've been reading that people who have used a HAL PCC have had very good service and the PCCs have generally been very good at getting them price drops and OBC deals etc.

 

So my question is, is it too late to enlist the services of a PCC and do you think there is any advantage in doing so?

 

 

HAL bookings from all kinds of agents in NZ seem to all go through the wholesaler Francis Travel. Go to the Holland America site, and do a dummy booking for your cruise with the same cabin type etc. The price will be in USA dollars. This is the price that you will pay, converted to $NZ. If you have problems doing this, leave a message for me with your cruise and cabin type and I will check it for you. In the meantime stop worrying and look forward to a wonderful time on a beautiful ship!

[kiwi_girl]

Thanks guys - when I went to the PCC part of the HAL website there was a tick box to say you were using a TA so I thought it might be possible to do both.

 

colbe, I did the dummy booking process to find the price drop - I printed the screen as a pdf and sent that to my TA. He confirmed there was a price drop which was applied, but he didn't say exactly how much (said he would advise the details which I am still waiting for :rolleyes:). At the same time I asked him to investigate the $140 OBC offer as some posters here said that they had managed to get it applied to their existing bookings but he said that was a no-go. I suspect that got stonewalled by Francis Marketing as he will be liasing with FM, rather than directly with HAL.

 

I guess I will continue to do the dummy bookings up until final payment and continue to "bother" him to have them applied.

 

Don't worry - I am really looking forward to our trip! :D

[erewhon]

kiwi_girl,

 

Please continue to check the price.

 

One of our cruises our stateroom category had a substantial drop in price on the HAL website, I contacted our Travel Agent, who then contacted Francis Marketing, who obtained the price reduction for us.

 

When the full payment is due, our Travel Agent has to contact FM, for the exchange rate to enable us to pay the amount due.

 

Take note on the HAL website of when final payment is due, as FM may need paying several days in advance.

[Hflors]

Kiwi_girl

 

to get a conversion go to Google and type in currency converter (I copies one of the sites I use) http://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/ Follow the directions and it will convert US dollare into NZD dollars. At least this will help you get an idea of what the price drop should be.

 

Hope this helps

 

Helen

 

PS - Make sure your TA gets the changes on the day you call, because exchange rates change every day.

[doublebzz]

Just wondering if we should have, could have or still can enlist the services of a PCC and if there is any advantage in doing so?

 

 

I know a PCC. Their compensation is a small commission. Interestingly enough, the commission is based on sale of the cabin, not gross amount of the sale. So, there is no personal advantage to them whether you book an inside cabin or suite. It makes a big difference to the customer since this compensation scheme motivates them to look after the customer's interests and hopefully get repeats. What particularly irks my friend is when a customer milks him for all kind of information and then transfers the booking to a TA. The TA gets the commission after the PCC did all the work. Obviously, they still must service the customer with all due politeness but is it really fair to the PCC? So, the answer to your question is Yes but I would have a problem with the ethics of it.