"Assigned" Cruise Planner?

[zdcatc12]

I started looking for 2023 TAs in May and they hadn't come out yet, so I couldn't book anything. I haven't been on Princess for the last 10 years and when I was, I did my own bookings. After perusing the web site periodically every couple of days, I recieved an email that says

"Dear ZDC,

This is xxx, your Princess Cruises Cruise Vacation Planner. I want to personally thank you for your interest in Princess Cruises. During this unprecedented time, we want to share that we have updated our cancellation policy to ensure you can Book with Confidence through October, 2021. As a Cruise Vacation Planner I am available to assist you and be your direct contact with Princess. I would love to talk to you more about your future cruise plans. 

Please read below and respond to this email with the following information so I will be able to contact you by phone. 

I provide permission to Princess Cruises to contact me by phone regarding my inquiries related to their goods and services.

Guest Full Name:
Telephone Number:
Captain Circle Number (if applicable):".

 

 This took me by surprise, as I mostly prefer to do booking myself, and if I wanted to use one, I would call the 800 number and probably use whomever picked up.

 

 Also, since the 2023 schedules have come out, I did put one on hold last week and since have received two phone calls from this person. I have never sent back this form stating that I agreed to calls.

 

 Has anyone else had or heard of this happening? And would it be worth elevating?

 

Thanks.

Edited July 25, 2021 by zdcatc12
Clarity

[Ombud]

Elevating to whom?

[pompeii]

Sure.  I was assigned a PVP a while back and then was assigned another one after that one left.  She always gets in touch with me when I put a cruise on courtesy hold.  I can then either book it, have her cancel the hold, or extend the hold date if I'm still not certain.  I have reached out to her a couple of times recently and she was able to assist with issues that the regular 1-800 number couldn't help with.  

[ProfMHC]

I love ours.  She solves so many issues and I don’t have to go through the regular Princess customer service line and get whomever and/or a long wait time. I put a cruise on hold and she carries on with completion, etc. Also — lately Princess seems to have “CVP specials” on $100 deposits that can only be applied when a Vacation Planner does your booking. Saved me a ton when the 2023 cruises came out.

[Jadn13]

6 hours ago, zdcatc12 said:

I started looking for 2023 TAs in May and they hadn't come out yet, so I couldn't book anything. I haven't been on Princess for the last 10 years and when I was, I did my own bookings. After perusing the web site periodically every couple of days, I recieved an email that says

"Dear ZDC,

This is xxx, your Princess Cruises Cruise Vacation Planner. I want to personally thank you for your interest in Princess Cruises. During this unprecedented time, we want to share that we have updated our cancellation policy to ensure you can Book with Confidence through October, 2021. As a Cruise Vacation Planner I am available to assist you and be your direct contact with Princess. I would love to talk to you more about your future cruise plans. 

Please read below and respond to this email with the following information so I will be able to contact you by phone. 

I provide permission to Princess Cruises to contact me by phone regarding my inquiries related to their goods and services.

Guest Full Name:
Telephone Number:
Captain Circle Number (if applicable):".

 

 This took me by surprise, as I mostly prefer to do booking myself, and if I wanted to use one, I would call the 800 number and probably use whomever picked up.

 

 Also, since the 2023 schedules have come out, I did put one on hold last week and since have received two phone calls from this person. I have never sent back this form stating that I agreed to calls.

 

 Has anyone else had or heard of this happening? And would it be worth elevating?

 

Thanks.

You are always assigned a PVP regardless if you use them or not. I received a recent email and phone call as well to update me that my PVP has changed.

I think they are reaching out to make everyone aware that they exist if you need them. With hold times reaching  1.5 hours it’s an expedited process if you need any type os assistance. 

 

 

 

Edited July 25, 2021 by Jadn13

[Dar & Bob]

We love our PVP, why not just reach out to yours with an email and tell them that you will call them if you need them otherwise no communication.  Ours has helped us with all of the rebooking, refunds etc that went along with Covid.  He also has helped us get others booked with us.  

 

[Steelers36]

7 hours ago, zdcatc12 said:

I started looking for 2023 TAs in May and they hadn't come out yet, so I couldn't book anything. I haven't been on Princess for the last 10 years and when I was, I did my own bookings. After perusing the web site periodically every couple of days, I recieved an email that says

"Dear ZDC,

This is xxx, your Princess Cruises Cruise Vacation Planner. I want to personally thank you for your interest in Princess Cruises. During this unprecedented time, we want to share that we have updated our cancellation policy to ensure you can Book with Confidence through October, 2021. As a Cruise Vacation Planner I am available to assist you and be your direct contact with Princess. I would love to talk to you more about your future cruise plans. 

Please read below and respond to this email with the following information so I will be able to contact you by phone. 

I provide permission to Princess Cruises to contact me by phone regarding my inquiries related to their goods and services.

Guest Full Name:
Telephone Number:
Captain Circle Number (if applicable):".

 

 This took me by surprise, as I mostly prefer to do booking myself, and if I wanted to use one, I would call the 800 number and probably use whomever picked up.

 

 Also, since the 2023 schedules have come out, I did put one on hold last week and since have received two phone calls from this person. I have never sent back this form stating that I agreed to calls.

 

 Has anyone else had or heard of this happening? And would it be worth elevating?

 

Thanks.

This is SOP AFAIK.  When they first came up with the PVP, I received a similar email and replied "No thanks".  I might have heard from another one once.  I also think they leave you alone if they see you use an external/independent travel agent. 

 

I prefer to use an external TA as many give cash discounts and additional OBC you won't get from Princess.  I appreciate that some people like the service they get from their Princess PVP.  If you are used to doing your own travel arrangements, I'd look for an outside TA to get a good discount.

 

[Wishing on a star]

This seems to be an effort to make sure that they reach out with somebody on staff to provide support.  It is nothing cast in stone.  You can contact them and work with/thru them, or not.

I think some are better than others.  The one that last contacted us seems okay!

 

I have seen the contact for one particular Princess staff that is said to be really great.

I printed that one off for future reference!

[MCC retired]

Ignore the pressure .

Go ahead and book yourself or even better , contact a Good TA for "their Best Deal" .

 

[voljeep]

I've had a 'few' PVP's - actually got 'fired' by one of them for asking why she waited until Monday afternoon to contact me when I had sent an email on Friday ... she didn't like that and stated she could no longer work we me ... oh well ... got a 'new one' the next day, and I believe that is my current one

 

saw a price drop the other day, and a new 'promotion' that didn't offer any OBC like the one I had booked under.  I knew what I wanted - to get the re-fare and to keep the OBC, so I called the general 1-800Princess # first instead of my PVP to see if I could get it that way, knowing I could follow up with my PVP if that didn't work ... but it did

 

didn't get any cash back since the cruise fare had been paid with FCC, so no new cash was applied - the price drop was applied to our FCC account(s) - right at a 13% price drop - and I didn't have to 'feel bad' because I didn't have a TA to 'bother' and reduce their commission

 

flame on

[voljeep]

5 minutes ago, MCC retired said:

Ignore the pressure .

Go ahead and book yourself or even better , contact a Good TA for "their Best Deal" .

 

just make sure your "Good TA" will honor price drops and forward to you any Princess offers including Move Over Offers - which MUST be addressed immediately if you want to take one

[Sea Hag]

Our PVP is very good, and I appreciate her a lot. I like to manage all our bookings myself, but I depend on the PVP to do things that I can't do. She's the best.

[LImom]

Can you change PVP's? If so, how does one go about this? would my current one be notified? I have one i have been working with and I am not happy with the service.  Im thinking about changing after my current bookings sail. 

[pompeii]

Just now, LImom said:

Can you change PVP's? If so, how does one go about this? would my current one be notified? I have one i have been working with and I am not happy with the service.  Im thinking about changing after my current bookings sail. 

You definitely can because I did a while back.  I was speaking to a regular Princess rep who was experienced and knew her stuff and I mentioned the lackluster service I was getting from my then PVP and she said I could be reassigned.  I said yes, and very soon after that my current PVP contacted me and it has been smooth sailing ever since.  

[cr8tiv1]

The first time that happened to me was when I was "researching" Carnival cruises.  It really took me back a few steps.  Now, I don't get these communications from Princess.  Guess my folio is tagged that I have a TA.

 

To the defense of Princess Agents, they have been very polite when I call and ask questions (knowing that I work with a TA).  The brain seems to comes up with questions on the weekend/after hours.  Hopefully, Princess will get up to full speed and have more agents and better hours.  Wait time is too long for many. many, many businesses.

[birdiebill]

We also have a Princess Vacation Planner.  We do our own bookings online, but when we need to ask a question, to change a booking, to cancel one, to reprice a cruise, to have help with staterooms, to add vacation protection, or to have any other problem taken care of, we contact our PVP either via phone or e-mail.  She is very good at responding and taking care of our issue.  Love having her available.

[pompeii]

On 7/25/2021 at 11:54 AM, LImom said:

Can you change PVP's? If so, how does one go about this? would my current one be notified? I have one i have been working with and I am not happy with the service.  Im thinking about changing after my current bookings sail. 

I reached out to my pvp and this is her answer: 

 

"I am sorry to hear your friends are unhappy with their vacation planner, they can call our (800)901-1172 number and press 0 or stay on the line until our support agents answer and can request a new vacation planner and they will transfer them to our supervisors to be reassigned."

[zdcatc12]

19 hours ago, birdiebill said:

We also have a Princess Vacation Planner.  We do our own bookings online, but when we need to ask a question, to change a booking, to cancel one, to reprice a cruise, to have help with staterooms, to add vacation protection, or to have any other problem taken care of, we contact our PVP either via phone or e-mail.  She is very good at responding and taking care of our issue.  Love having her available.

This is interesting. I have one that I use at NCL and forgot to call him for my last booking and booked it myself and he isn't allowed to touch it. I was not even allowed to cancel and rebook using him, he said that he could get fired!!!

 

 As for this issue, I think that I will just call the 800 number and get a new "unsolicited" one. Something just rubs me the wrong way on how this went down.

[LImom]

18 minutes ago, pompeii said:

I reached out to my pvp and this is her answer: 

 

"I am sorry to hear your friends are unhappy with their vacation planner, they can call our (800)901-1172 number and press 0 or stay on the line until our support agents answer and can request a new vacation planner and they will transfer them to our supervisors to be reassigned."

Thank you.