Personal Cruise Consultant

[ToadOfToadHall]

I've just had a message on my moby from my "Personal Cruise Consultant" from Cunard/P&O.

 

They must be trying to drum up business !!

[RJChatsworth]

We have had one for well over a year. I had assumed they were a kind of account manager for diamond/platinum members.

 

Ours has been brilliant and able to obtain conditions/changes where ordinary reservations have said 'No' or 'It's against the rules', etc. Also sorts out anything from flights to other questions I raise. I am not going to spell it all out as everyone will want one or I may lose all the advantages. I used to use an agent but the PCS cuts out all the phone calls as everything you ask the agent they have to ask Cunard.

 

Don't be cynical, go for it and I hope you get the same good service as us talking directly to someone you get to know in Cunard who can provide the answers better than anywhere else I have tried previously.

[ToadOfToadHall]

We have had one for well over a year. I had assumed they were a kind of account manager for diamond/platinum members.

 

Ah, well, we're only been on Cunard 4 times, so that's not up to diamond etc level so being at that level that's why I was somewhat cynical. I did mention Mrs Toad that I could see the point if you went a lot (several times a year) but thought it a bit odd for us (who do not go that often).

 

So not as bad as I thought then.

[QE2 fan]

I have spent 356 nights on Cunard ships including 2 full world cruises & have never heard of this.

[Underwatr]

Carnival assigned me a PCC and all I had done was browse their website. Of course by then I had accumulated six cruises with a Carnival company in 3 years...

[Lottie A]

I had an email from my Personal Cruise Consultant three days after we booked our January QE cruise. He seems a very helpful chap and, if I were a novice Cunard cruiser, then I may well have made use of his services, but luckily I'm not a novice Cunard cruiser. :) It was nice to have the offer though.

[balf]

This is Cunard looking after new/ish customers. A friend who has done three cruises, but none for a few years is constantly bombarded by offers we don't get and even phone calls from Southampton trying to get him back again.

 

It does seem us multi cruisers are a bit neglected.

 

David.

[Lottie A]

This is Cunard looking after new/ish customers. A friend who has done three cruises, but none for a few years is constantly bombarded by offers we don't get and even phone calls from Southampton trying to get him back again.

 

It does seem us multi cruisers are a bit neglected.

 

David.

 

That may indeed be the case. I have done about 15 Cunard cruises in the past but have been cruising Azamara, Silversea, Celebrity and Oceania for the last couple of years. I seem to get a special offer from Cunard every other day and I have to say that the one for a QG stateroom on the January mini cruise tempted us to book! :)

[QE2 fan]

So that's why they don't contact me then - they know I'll be back & they're right :)

[Underwatr]

Yeah, they obviously don't need to spend any money marketing to some people. :)

[BlueRiband]

I have spent 356 nights on Cunard ships including 2 full world cruises & have never heard of this.

 

They know they have your business. The industry insider who posts on these boards claims, "...cruise lines are crystal clear on the wants and needs of elite passengers. We are also painfully aware of the spending habits of those same elite passengers - who are so fond of dancing, quilting, and bridge playing - but quite allergic to any activity that involves spending money...The greater number of loyal cruisers a cruise line has, the less profit they make. Trying to play the loyalty card with a cruise line today will get you absolutely nowhere."

[QE2 fan]

BlueRiband,

You're absolutely right about 'being allergic to any activity that involves spending money onboard'. When I pay the single supplement (which incidentally isn't 175% of the double occupancy fare on my 2 transatlantics in 2014 but rather 194%), I have no intention (and no finances left:) ) to spend any more money onboard. The only things I buy onboard are shore excursions (though obviously not on the transatlantics :) ).

[QE2 fan]

And, in relation to what I said above, I rang Cunard after checking the prices for a solo traveller & found out that they were 194% of the double occupancy fare. I was told that it varies by cruise. However, they always advertise it as 175% for the lower class cabins & we are led to believe it is that in all cases. Seems a bit unfair.

[fantasy51]

I have been contacted a few times by a Personal Cruise Consultant. I am Platinum, and halfway to Diamond. I returned from a low-cost cruise (no single supplement so £600 for 12 nights balcony booked at the last minute - so not a cruise that Cunard had made any money on) and was phoned that afternoon by the consultant. She said she knew I had just returned. She asked if I'm interested in any others. I explained that I had my eye on one but generally wait until the last minute. She arranged to phone me back later, as I was going away to visit family the next day.

 

My experience seems to be the opposite of some of you. I'm a frequent cruiser, I buy discounted cruises, I spend very little on board (as I'm usually paying single supplement) and yet they are keeping in touch with me.

 

Is it only UK people who have these PCCs?

[Whitemarsh]

This is Cunard looking after new/ish customers. A friend who has done three cruises, but none for a few years is constantly bombarded by offers we don't get and even phone calls from Southampton trying to get him back again.

 

Don't take it personally David, I'm sure there's nothing behind it.

[tartanexile81]

We're cruising with Cunard for the first time in September and I got a phone call a couple of days ago from a lady who introduced herself as an agent from Carnival, representing Cunard and P&O. At first it seemed like a survey asking me why I cruised, what lines we're used, what our future cruise plans were and so on. She finished by inviting me to contact her if I had any questions about cruising or wanted more info about a future cruise. It all seemed a bit strange and this was compounded later that day when I got an email in which the same lady called herself our Personal Cruise Consultant. We always do a fair bit of research about cabins, itineraries etc then phone around a few preferred agents to get the best price / best OBC or the like so not sure what the advantages of a PCC might be. I replied with an email the same day asking about my loyalty status - and she hasn't answered.

Edited December 22, 2013 by tartanexile81

[DreamflightPat]

We're cruising with Cunard for the first time in September and I got a phone call a couple of days ago from a lady who introduced herself as an agent from Carnival, representing Cunard and P&O. At first it seemed like a survey asking me why I cruised, what lines we're used, what our future cruise plans were and so on. She finished by inviting me to contact her if I had any questions about cruising or wanted more info about a future cruise. It all seemed a bit strange and this was compounded later that day when I got an email in which the same lady called herself our Personal Cruise Consultant. We always do a fair bit of research about cabins, itineraries etc then phone around a few preferred agents to get the best price / best OBC or the like so not sure what the advantages of a PCC might be. I replied with an email the same day asking about my loyalty status - and she hasn't answered.

I cruised with Cunard for the first time last summer. I was contacted a week after I returned home by a lady who asked me if I had enjoyed my trip and would I be likely to book another cruise. When I said I would, she gave me her direct line and said she would be my Personal Cruise Consultant.

 

I have now come to know her very well. She has booked my sectors on the world cruise and answers all my little questions. In fact, on two occasions now, when I have been down to Southampton I have met her at the offices for coffee. I am lucky as I only live just over an hour away from Southampton so realise a lot of people would not be able to to what I do. It is so useful to just have to deal with one person when you have anything you need answers to. I like the personal service which you don't always get with some other cruise lines.

[Fifer]

I had a call from one of them a while back. She introduced herself as being from Carnival UK and as being able to deal with both Cunard and P&O. She then asked when did I think we would return to P&O. When I pointed out that we have never sailed with P&O, she told me that their records showed that we had. I suggested she should check this more carefully and that I would be happy to talk to her once she had done so. This was back in October and I'm still waiting for the call back.

 

In the meantime, I am happily booking our trips directly with Cunard, without the aid of a Personal Cruise Consultant.

[capnpugwash]

I believe that this is a UK based scheme, I have one but the several times that I've phoned her I have found that she is as much use as a chocolate teapot. Other passengers that I know have had great success with theirs so it must be a lucky dip.

[laktex]

I think my Personal Cruise Consultant is my wife - I would not dare book without consulting her!

[lannp]

I suspect this could be a UK thing because I've never heard from them and several of my friends haven't mentioned it either.

I do have a UK friend who gets frequent calls and has received some very good offers. But this is Cunard we are talking about and their shoreside service is very hit or miss.

[Mid-Atlantic Ridge]

I think my Personal Cruise Consultant is my wife - I would not dare book without consulting her!

 

That's a witty response no matter if true...

 

Only started using this service in the last few months but so far so good. I'm a UK resident and an established Cunard cruiser.

 

I have found that I know the ships, staterooms and etc. far better than the consultant but conversely she knows how to navigate through the pricing minefield better than I ever could, so in my situation this combination seems to work.

 

Another thing I like is if she says she will call or correspond on a pre-arranged day she does so without fail - I'm easily put off by broken promises so have only positives to report at this time.

 

M-AR

[ToadOfToadHall]

The chap that called me left a voice mail message and asked me to ring back and also that he was ringing to introduce himself as opposed to sending a cold email. Fair enoughski, but I could not be bothered to ring him back and he never did send an email.

 

Having said that, the one and only time I've contacted Cunard (by phone), which was to arrange to be seated with another party, it was all sorted out without any hassle. So I've never had any problems that needed my own "sorter outer" !

[Strictly Ballroom]

I believe that this is a UK based scheme, I have one but the several times that I've phoned her I have found that she is as much use as a chocolate teapot. Other passengers that I know have had great success with theirs so it must be a lucky dip.

 

 

I'm actually wondering if it's more of a Carnival based thing. After my sailing on HAL's Oosterdam, I was contacted by the woman who would be my HAL personal cruise consultant from here on out.

[Mid-Atlantic Ridge]

The chap that called me left a voice mail message and asked me to ring back and also that he was ringing to introduce himself as opposed to sending a cold email. Fair enoughski, but I could not be bothered to ring him back and he never did send an email.

 

Having said that, the one and only time I've contacted Cunard (by phone), which was to arrange to be seated with another party, it was all sorted out without any hassle. So I've never had any problems that needed my own "sorter outer" !

 

Snap! Though I got the email promised in the voicemail and when I responded a week or two later the consultant sprung into action, sniffing a sale no doubt.

 

That said she is personable, reliable and it massages my ego a bit to have a named someone from HQ attending to me! It also encourages my laziness as I don't have to key in all the details to the on-line booking site. So all round a win-win for Cunard and the Ridge.

 

M-AR

Edited December 23, 2013 by Mid-Atlantic Ridge