PVP vs self booking...pros & cons?

[nchikk]

We'll be booking our next cruise in the very near future. Last year a PVP contacted me out of the blue and yesterday emailed me again. I've always just booked the cruise myself on the Carnival website and I've been happy with my work. I have no problem looking for price drops myself. And I can pick and choose our room and its location. The PVP's email yesterday makes me think about booking thru them. Could some of you nice folks experienced with this let me know the pros and cons of booking with a PVP, or even on my own? Thanks!

[Out to sea!]

Just an FYI, PVPs do not look for nor put in for price drops for you. Personally, I prefer to do my own booking online as I don't want to have to tell my info to a person who then has to type the info in. I just know they will get something wrong. i think the ones who prefer a PVP are those who may not feel as comfortable using a computer but that's just my theory. Whether a PVP books the cruise or you do online, you still own and have control over the booking unlike booking with a TA.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Out to sea!

[love my grandkids]

With a pvp we have someone to help us with any problems and makes it easier to get price drops.

[Marysue11]

The price is the same either way.

 

 

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[2011mom]

I like using a pvp because when I do find a price drop, I just call him and he makes the adjustment immediately. I don't have to fill out forms or anything. I do have to find the price drops on my own, but I'd rather then just call my pvp!

 

Also, when booking, pvp's can see more cabins than you can see on the website. The site will only show 10 cabins but if there are more available, you won't see all of them, but the pvp will.

[Storm0075]

Booking with a PVP I was able to get a special room on my cruise that otherwise I would not have been able to get. So there are certainly some advantages.

[TerReuv]

Our first cruise I booked it myself, second one we used a PVP and we used one this time too. I prefer the PVP not because of computer stuff, but for the same reasons as 2011Mom. I love being able to just call my PVP for a price drop instead of putting in the form and waiting and if denied submitting again or calling. It is done with one quick phone call and he might know something that I do not know.

 

I think if you use one it just gives you a bit of comfort that you have someone who you can deal with directly instead of getting whoever answers the phone. They get to know you and know when to tell you about deals or when to leave you alone. Ours knows currently we sail every other year with my parents. He is a great help!

[Frank12]

Booking with a PVP I was able to get a special room on my cruise that otherwise I would not have been able to get. So there are certainly some advantages.

 

PVP can see more on his screen than you can. We've used the same guy for 10 years and he is fantastic. On my most recent booking, when I booked it he told me that he could see I was going to receive a casino offer in 3 weeks and that when it arrived to call him back.

I received the offer and went on the CCL website to see if it applied to my particular sailing. It did not. Even did a mock booking....no luck. :mad:

Called my PVP anyway and he was able to make it work. My balance due went from $927 down to $707 and he got me $75.00 casino cash.

Also, if there are any issues or changes with my bookings he handles them immediately, including price drops.

If you get a good one and stick with them it will pay off eventually.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Frank12

[ccartman2]

Just an FYI, PVPs do not look for nor put in for price drops for you. Personally, I prefer to do my own booking online as I don't want to have to tell my info to a person who then has to type the info in. I just know they will get something wrong. i think the ones who prefer a PVP are those who may not feel as comfortable using a computer but that's just my theory. Whether a PVP books the cruise or you do online, you still own and have control over the booking unlike booking with a TA.

 

You are probably right about the computer thing, but others have other factors, such as myself. My last cruise, I could have booked online and got the same rate. Of course, after our 2nd cruise, I have always had a new issue, that it was easier to get answered through a PVP. For instance, my wife sailed pregnant twice, which you have to get a letter from the doctor and make sure you don't pass 24 weeks on the cruise. We've also added a new cruiser on each cruise, and it is a lot easier for him to get the crib set up in the room, then us having to do it when we get there.

 

Plus, though I didn't use the Military rate this time, because I did better with a different sale, I had used it on the previous cruises. At the time of those cruises, I don't think you could book Military rate on the computer, plus I at least new who I was sending my documents too. Since I have used the same person since the 2nd cruise, there is a bit of a relationship there, and I know I am close to booking when I talk to him again. :)

[Tapi]

There ARE discounted rates that don't pop up on the Carnival website, which is a huge reason why we've always booked our cruise through our PVP since we started using him (same guy for years). I qualify for a discount which requires eligibility and my PVP has all of my credentials stored in my profile, which makes the process a lot easier.

 

As others have said, not all staterooms available appear on the website, and more than once my PVP has suggested an awesome stateroom that wasn't otherwise available online.

 

Even though I've been cruising on Carnival for 20 years, I find my PVP's suggestions and expertise VERY helpful when it's time to book a Carnival cruise. Also, our PVP delivers a level of service that nobody else has ever delivered. He has even joined us for lunch on the ship on embarkation day in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and Port Canaveral, followed by a personal tour of the ship.

 

The service of a PVP doesn't cost any extra money, so why not give one a try to see if yours is helpful or not. For me, not wanting to use a PVP because "I can do it all online" is more of an indication of an inability to interact with a human being than of technical savvy.

 

 

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Edited January 14, 2015 by Tapi

[mistyinca]

I like doing things myself; however, the Carnival booking engine only shows the first 10 cabins of any one category, and there are often other rooms available that don't show. Also, my pvp will handle price drops. On my recent booking, she mentioned that there was a $20 price drop, and just adjusted it for me.

[Tapi]

I prefer to do my own booking online as I don't want to have to tell my info to a person who then has to type the info in. I just know they will get something wrong.

 

 

Just FYI, once a PVP has your profile, you don't need to spell everything out for them over the phone, unless you need to make changes to past information or someone new is traveling with you. The info is also updated from your VIFP account.

 

When I book a cruise through my Carnival PVP, all he says is "has any information changed since the last time you cruised with us?". He does the rest. :)

 

 

 

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[Out to sea!]

Our first cruise I booked it myself, second one we used a PVP and we used one this time too. I prefer the PVP not because of computer stuff, but for the same reasons as 2011Mom. I love being able to just call my PVP for a price drop instead of putting in the form and waiting and if denied submitting again or calling. It is done with one quick phone call and he might know something that I do not know.

 

I think if you use one it just gives you a bit of comfort that you have someone who you can deal with directly instead of getting whoever answers the phone. They get to know you and know when to tell you about deals or when to leave you alone. Ours knows currently we sail every other year with my parents. He is a great help!

 

That's interesting because my PVP, while helpful in some areas, tells me I must use the computer form to put in for price drops. Wonder if my PVP isn't doing her job or if yours going above and beyond in order to retain your business??

[Out to sea!]

The service of a PVP doesn't cost any extra money, so why not give one a try to see if yours is helpful or not. For me, not wanting to use a PVP because "I can do it all online" is more of an indication of an inability to interact with a human being than of technical savvy.

 

For me, I've had two errors during the days when it was not usual to book online (did not have a PVP back then). In both cases, they misspelled my wife's name wrong which took what seemed like hours to get fixed. This is the main reason I book online so I can assure myself that all of the information is inputted into the system correctly. I have no problem interacting with humans but I am tired of wasting my time getting human's mistakes corrected.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Out to sea!

[Out to sea!]

Just FYI, once a PVP has your profile, you don't need to spell everything out for them over the phone, unless you need to make changes to past information or someone new is traveling with you. The info is also updated from your VIFP account.

 

When I book a cruise through my Carnival PVP, all he says is "has any information changed since the last time you cruised with us?". He does the rest. :)

 

 

 

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Maybe I just need a better PVP. ;)

[Out to sea!]

Maybe I just need a better PVP. ;)

 

When I'm wrong, I have to admit it. I called her to check into a price drop. She did some checking and came back and told me that it was for GTY only but, if I did not mind going into a GTY (which I didn't because I didn't even get to pick the first cabin.......long story), she would move me over to the GTY pool and I would get $600 OBC! Since she offered, I jumped all over that!! And now that I know from Tapi that they don't have to input the information every single cruise, I just may start booking more through her instead of online. Thanks for that heads up Tapi, the screw up of info has always been my greatest fear when verbally telling someone information.

[minerva78]

I haven't used a PVP before, but I've considered it. Frankly, they bug me so much, every time I access the Carnival website, which is a lot, it makes me not want to deal with them. Who I do like working with is a good TA, because she can do all of the work of the PVP, find the best deals for me, deal with price drops and upgrades, and offer me OBC above and beyond what Carnival offers. So even though I have booked online before, I will probably continue to use this TA because I always get OBC. So that's another consideration.

[springs741]

That's interesting because my PVP, while helpful in some areas, tells me I must use the computer form to put in for price drops. Wonder if my PVP isn't doing her job or if yours going above and beyond in order to retain your business??

 

I think there has been a change in policy. My PVP will do price drops but did tell me that they have been encouraged to ask their clients to use the form.

I don't mind using the form because I check prices at odd hours and can submit them right away. I don't think my PVP is working at 3AM.

Last price change was an OBC special. I emailed to ask if I was eligible and before she even emailed back she fix the price.

[TerReuv]

That's interesting because my PVP, while helpful in some areas, tells me I must use the computer form to put in for price drops. Wonder if my PVP isn't doing her job or if yours going above and beyond in order to retain your business??

 

That is a good question. But, if you notice my signature, this is only our 3rd cruise since 2011. We tend to cruise every other year. So, it is not like he or Carnival is getting anything extra or more business out of how he responds to me. He does not seem to mind when I call about a price drop and he puts it on in himself without me having to fill out the forms.

[ccartman2]

I haven't used a PVP before, but I've considered it. Frankly, they bug me so much, every time I access the Carnival website, which is a lot, it makes me not want to deal with them. Who I do like working with is a good TA, because she can do all of the work of the PVP, find the best deals for me, deal with price drops and upgrades, and offer me OBC above and beyond what Carnival offers. So even though I have booked online before, I will probably continue to use this TA because I always get OBC. So that's another consideration.

 

When I first started looking for my cruise, my PVP called a day or two after I looked at the site. I had already been emailing him with some questions I had to make my search easier, but told him I wasn't close to a decision of even when we were going. What he told me was by logging into Carnival, it promts him to call me to see if I need help. I just stopped logging in, as it doesn't seem to get me lower rates when I am logged. Plus, once I have a general idea of where and when, I can then narrow down the best pricing deal.

[Buck64]

I like using a pvp because when I do find a price drop, I just call him and he makes the adjustment immediately. I don't have to fill out forms or anything. I do have to find the price drops on my own, but I'd rather then just call my pvp!

 

Also, when booking, pvp's can see more cabins than you can see on the website. The site will only show 10 cabins but if there are more available, you won't see all of them, but the pvp will.

 

Exactly! For our Sunshine cruise coming up in July, our PVP helped us find adjoining cabins which didn't show up when looking to book by ourselves.

[LUVS2CRUZE]

Will a PVP be able to book a cruise that is further out than what the Carnival website shows? We are planning a cruise for July of 2016 and those itineraries are not showing yet.

[Purplehaze21]

For the last 5 years, we used the same PVP. He was such a big help and always

found us the best deals and locations. I called him to book our

cruise last year. He had been with carnival enough that he was

able to work from home. When I called, I didn't get him. I got

message that the extension was no longer in service. I then

e-mailed him. E-mail came back as that e-mail was no longer

working. (I forget the exact wording) He loved his job but its

like he just disappeared. I decided to book myself. I just booked

my cruise for march by myself. I miss my PVP! :(

[glituner32]

If I have a 24 hold right now that i made on Carnivals site. If I have a PVP call me now do they still get credit for the booking or will they not want to help since I booked online with the hold.

 

Thanks

[GranthamMommy]

I haven't used a PVP before, but I've considered it. Frankly, they bug me so much, every time I access the Carnival website, which is a lot, it makes me not want to deal with them. Who I do like working with is a good TA, because she can do all of the work of the PVP, find the best deals for me, deal with price drops and upgrades, and offer me OBC above and beyond what Carnival offers. So even though I have booked online before, I will probably continue to use this TA because I always get OBC. So that's another consideration.

 

 

According to my PVP, if you log on to the website, they have to call you. So we made an agreement that she lets it ring once, and then hangs up. I see it's Carnival, and I smile. She knows I have her number if I want to reach her. I think it's all about finding someone you like and then building a relationship.

 

Like I said in a thread a few days ago, mine is a saint. I had 26 Verizon gift cards to make my final payment and she put them all through without me having to do it. She wants me to call her for the final payment and she calls me just before the cruise to make sure everything is okay. Again, it's a relationship.

 

I'm hoping in a few years when I retire, she'll call me when she sees things that she'll know I want to jump on.

 

I am computer savvy,I work for a software company. The last thing I want to do in the evening is encounter an issue/mistake that I have to deal with.

 

Happy Sailings.