Booking through Carnival or cruise agency

[cruisin'4fun]

The name of this travel agency is legendary Journeys based in Florida. They went out of business in November. This large group of people arrived for the cruise and were denied boarding. This happened on June 15th of this year

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I have appreciated ALL the answers I have received from the question. The bad part, I have NOT acted anymore since I have been on here, other than a PVP was "supposed" to contact me over 4 days ago from Carnival, and I have yet to hear from anyone. I just got my husband out of the hospital, so I have sort of let this ride.:(

 

 

 

I guess, yes even at my age, I'm a little scared of something going wrong, if I don't book through the TA, that I have always used, but I do know her prices are $40 or $50 more. I'm thinking that is where they get their cut.

 

 

Here is my question for those of you who have BOOKED through Carnival directly,as it doesn't look like I will be getting a PVP, as I have tried 3 times, and nothing seems to work.:( I know they will give me a quoted price, but will NOT send me an email with that directly. I don't want to give them my credit card #,etc. and then they tell me (I have no way of proving what they say to me over the phone) they did not quote that price to me, and charge something else. How can I prove what they have quoted me?

Best wishes for your hubbys improved health.

 

I don't think there is a way to get it in writing before you give them your credit card. They will send you a confirmation within minutes after you book and if is not correct you could call them immediately but I have never had that happen before.

 

Travel agents get their cut directly from the cruise line. They must be charging a booking fee or something. That is the only way I could see the price being more so they are just padding their bottom line.

 

Bill

 

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[beshears]

Bill, thanks for your response to my last posting. I know the TA I go through, the company has been here in KC over 20 some years, and are on the radio every Saturday. I just wanted to get other opinions of booking directly through a Carnival agent, instead of someone close by, so after what you told me, it looks like I will try that direction. :)

[DukeASUGirl]

I booked directly through Carnival because when I was looking around all the online TAs I'd found charged a convenience fee that was equal to the OBC they would get me. So what's the point?

 

I did realize after the fact that had I booked through the online TA I use when booking Disney that I could have ended up getting a donation for my kids' school. So I'll keep that in mind for next time.

[beshears]

Maybe that is what my TA calls it, "convenience fee," as I had never heard that term, but I do know there is always around $40 or $50 added to the cost of the room. I have never brought up the subject of this fee, but I may just mention it, and see what she says. Just curious.:)

[beshears]

I clicked too soon on my last comment.:( If I did book "directly" through Carnival, I guess I could book their transportation from the airport to the ship as well, right?

[gilmorefan]

At this point, after reading all your postings, I believe I will go directly through Carnival, instead of a TA, but just have to "fine time" to get it started.:)

 

I tried using a Carnival PVP for the first time. Normally, I just do everything myself online. She told me I had to call back to pay for it and that I couldn’t pay online. Long story short, she made a mistake and when I called back to pay after my airline reservations were made, the reservation had been cancelled and there isn’t another cabin available. I can book a more expensive cabin and they said they’ll put a note to give me a $50 onboard credit when I get on the ship. They said they “can’t” give me the credit when they make the reservation. Not really a good solution if you ask me. I don’t have a lot of confidence in Carnival right now.

[firemanbobswife]

I tried using a Carnival PVP for the first time. Normally, I just do everything myself online. She told me I had to call back to pay for it and that I couldn’t pay online. Long story short, she made a mistake and when I called back to pay after my airline reservations were made, the reservation had been cancelled and there isn’t another cabin available. I can book a more expensive cabin and they said they’ll put a note to give me a $50 onboard credit when I get on the ship. They said they “can’t” give me the credit when they make the reservation. Not really a good solution if you ask me. I don’t have a lot of confidence in Carnival right now.

 

How did you get the PVP?

[beshears]

Gilmorefan, I'm sorry to read this.

 

 

Yes, I'm like Firemanbobwife, how did you get the PVP? I have made 4 calls, and nothing seems to be working, and I've never received the last call, which I should have received over 5 days ago.

 

 

We just had our big 4th of July picnic/celebration all day/night Saturday, so I haven't even had a change to contact Carnival to see what can be done. After Gilmorefan posted what she did, that makes me a little scared to do this.:(

[firemanbobswife]

Gilmorefan, I'm sorry to read this.

 

Yes, I'm like Firemanbobwife, how did you get the PVP? I have made 4 calls, and nothing seems to be working, and I've never received the last call, which I should have received over 5 days ago.

 

We just had our big 4th of July picnic/celebration all day/night Saturday, so I haven't even had a change to contact Carnival to see what can be done. After Gilmorefan posted what she did, that makes me a little scared to do this.:(

 

I was asking how she got her “PVP”. You don’t just call the 800 and get one. Those are CSRs. I have my PVP who I love and would never change. I think they called and got a CSR and are confusing the 2 titles.

 

Sounds like you still haven’t found the right one. You really should get a recommendation (outside of here, of course).

[beshears]

Firemanbobswife, yes, you are right. I always get the other people, and they TELL me they will get a PVP for me, but it never seems to happen, as they want to get the "credit" for making the sale.

 

 

I'm really at a standstill on this situation right now.:(

[firemanbobswife]

Firemanbobswife, yes, you are right. I always get the other people, and they TELL me they will get a PVP for me, but it never seems to happen, as they want to get the "credit" for making the sale.

 

I'm really at a standstill on this situation right now.:(

 

The only thing I can tell you is quit relying on people at Carnival to give you that info. Time to go outside and find one.

[beshears]

Well I know I can "trust" the TA, even if I have to pay $40 or $50 more for the room. Maybe just feeling more trust in the company I have always done business with, may be just the way I have to go, no matter what.

[firemanbobswife]

Well I know I can "trust" the TA, even if I have to pay $40 or $50 more for the room. Maybe just feeling more trust in the company I have always done business with, may be just the way I have to go, no matter what.

 

I can’t say as I agree and I’ve given you all the advice I can. Whether you choose to follow it is up to you. But you need to do what you feel is best and only you can make that decision. Good luck whichever way you go.

[piescruises]

book through a trusted cruise agency.

[Moonarino]

Anybody who's paying more through a TA needs to find another TA. I've used 2 different online TAs and both times got the same or a better price than Carnival (or RCI) was quoting (total price incl. taxes and port fees), and on my latest booking I got a rate a few bucks cheaper (same exact room) plus an extra $50 OBC. That doesn't happen all that often -- I've shopped nearly a dozen other TAs -- but I think you're more likely to "get lucky" with independent TAs than dealing with any cruise line directly.

[beshears]

Hello, I just want to thank everyone for the responses to my question that I had posted.

 

 

Believe it or not, I just booked our reservations today, going through the same TA I had before. As you know, I was having a hard time getting a PVP to contact me from Carnival. NOW, that I have done it through my TA I had before, Carnival is trying to contact me.

 

 

To make the long story short, I really didn't know when I posted last on here, what I was going to do. I decided to contact Carnival again, and get the quote/prices of what I was looking for. I then contacted my TA, and told her I wanted to be honest with her, and hoped she would be with me. I told her I had contacted Carnival, which she was not happy about, but since I missed the deadline on what she had quoted me earlier, would she check, and see what she could come up with. Well..............are you ready for this??? She came up with the same quote or price, along with the OBC that Carnival had quoted for me, so I decided to stay with the TA.:)