Process for Switching Person Cruise Consultant

[recruiter 28]

Is there a process to follow if one decides to work with a different PCC?  We are not happy with the one we had on our last booking and want to use a new consultant.

[grandmom4]

Why do you use direct Consultant? The best way is to use outside of the cruise line travel advisor. You do not need to pay a fee to him/her, but they will be always on your site. 

[Sailing12Away]

If you have the name of a different one you want to use, just call/email them directly. There's no rule that you have to use the random person assigned to you.

 

If you want a different one and don't have one, you can always just either book yourself online or call the main number to talk to a random person. I didn't find one I liked until I got a recommendation from another traveler.

 

I personally dislike all regular TA's and won't use them, nothing but trouble have I had.

[dbrown84]

2 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

If you have the name of a different one you want to use, just call/email them directly. There's no rule that you have to use the random person assigned to you.

 

If you want a different one and don't have one, you can always just either book yourself online or call the main number to talk to a random person. I didn't find one I liked until I got a recommendation from another traveler.

 

I personally dislike all regular TA's and won't use them, nothing but trouble have I had.

I agree.  do the initial booking online yourself, o r just call the 800 number and work with whoever you get.  Hopefully it won't be your CC :)

[The Traveling Man]

On 1/10/2023 at 12:31 AM, dbrown84 said:

I agree.  do the initial booking online yourself, o r just call the 800 number and work with whoever you get.  Hopefully it won't be your CC 🙂

On a couple of occasions we called the main number because we were unable to get through to our PCC.  When the person who answered looked up our info, they noticed that we had been assigned a PCC.  They refused to work with us and insisted on transferring our call to our PCC.  Naturally, we got the same answering machine message we already had been getting when we called our PCC directly.  It sometimes took several calls to NCL to find someone who would answer our questions, amend our reservation, etc. without trying to hand us off to our assigned PCC.  YMMV.

[cruiseny4life]

1 hour ago, The Traveling Man said:

On a couple of occasions we called the main number because we were unable to get through to our PCC.  When the person who answered looked up our info, they noticed that we had been assigned a PCC.  They refused to work with us and insisted on transferring our call to our PCC.  Naturally, we got the same answering machine message we already had been getting when we called our PCC directly.  It sometimes took several calls to NCL to find someone who would answer our questions, amend our reservation, etc. without trying to hand us off to our assigned PCC.  YMMV.

This has never been my experience. My husband uses a PCC to book our trips and communicates often with her. If there is something that comes up and he's not available to handle, I'll call NCL to do it. Not once has someone at the 800 number refused to help me. I do ask them to send the PCC a copy of whatever we did, so that she knows what was changed.

 

If this happens to you again, be insistent that they help you. I've never had to insist, but it sounds like you may need to. I've changed all manner of things: deviations, transfers, packages, etc. without needing to contact the PCC. I'd rather do it ASAP, than wait for someone to give me a call back. My husband enjoys the connection he has with out PCC, so that's why we have her.

[The Traveling Man]

As I said, it only has happened a couple of times out of the hundred or more phone calls I have made to NCL.  Rather than being insistent, it always seemed much easier to simply say "Thanks anyway" then hang up and redial.  I never have failed to hit a home run, I simply have had to take a couple of swings of the bat sometimes.

1 hour ago, cruiseny4life said:

This has never been my experience. My husband uses a PCC to book our trips and communicates often with her. If there is something that comes up and he's not available to handle, I'll call NCL to do it. Not once has someone at the 800 number refused to help me. I do ask them to send the PCC a copy of whatever we did, so that she knows what was changed.

 

If this happens to you again, be insistent that they help you. I've never had to insist, but it sounds like you may need to. I've changed all manner of things: deviations, transfers, packages, etc. without needing to contact the PCC. I'd rather do it ASAP, than wait for someone to give me a call back. My husband enjoys the connection he has with out PCC, so that's why we have her.

 

[cruiseny4life]

45 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

As I said, it only has happened a couple of times out of the hundred or more phone calls I have made to NCL.  Rather than being insistent, it always seemed much easier to simply say "Thanks anyway" then hang up and redial.  I never have failed to hit a home run, I simply have had to take a couple of swings of the bat sometimes.

 

Ahh! I didn't realize you had been successful. Good! You did the right thing.😁

[Greenpea2]

On 1/9/2023 at 10:40 PM, recruiter 28 said:

Is there a process to follow if one decides to work with a different PCC?  We are not happy with the one we had on our last booking and want to use a new consultant.

Just call and ask to be connected with one. I wish I was allowed to give you the name of mine, but am not. I love her and have used her for more than 15 years.

 

 

[Sydneyberlin]

We used to have such an awesome NCL consultant here in Sydney but it seems he was laid off during Covid. We then got assigned a lady who wasn’t very proactive, often did not reply to our emails etc. After a while of trying with her, we finally complained to a central NCL email address in the US that I had found here or some place also on the internet.

 

Took a week or so but I suddenly got a call by that same lady apologising profoundly and since then, without a doubt, she’d call or email back within an hour if I ask for something. No complaints since then 🙂

 

Does anyone know- are they on commission those guys?

[cruiseny4life]

11 hours ago, Sydneyberlin said:

Does anyone know- are they on commission those guys?

Yes, the PCC's do receive a commission if you book your cruise with them. 

[jimp1266]

I'm struggling to understand the value of using a PCC. It seems like they are internal "travel agents" that offer no additional discount or perks while creating a barrier between you and your reservation. Am I missing something?

I generally book directly so that I am in control of my reservation (not waiting for a response from a travel agent or playing the phone game). I have, on occasion, used a travel agent when the discount or perks were too good to pass up but have felt frustrated when I wanted to service my own reservation. 

[RocketMan275]

45 minutes ago, jimp1266 said:

I'm struggling to understand the value of using a PCC. It seems like they are internal "travel agents" that offer no additional discount or perks while creating a barrier between you and your reservation. Am I missing something?

I generally book directly so that I am in control of my reservation (not waiting for a response from a travel agent or playing the phone game). I have, on occasion, used a travel agent when the discount or perks were too good to pass up but have felt frustrated when I wanted to service my own reservation. 

Exactly why I don't use a PCC. 

Can  you explain exactly what control do you lose when using a TA?

[cruiseny4life]

1 hour ago, jimp1266 said:

I'm struggling to understand the value of using a PCC. It seems like they are internal "travel agents" that offer no additional discount or perks while creating a barrier between you and your reservation. Am I missing something?

I generally book directly so that I am in control of my reservation (not waiting for a response from a travel agent or playing the phone game). I have, on occasion, used a travel agent when the discount or perks were too good to pass up but have felt frustrated when I wanted to service my own reservation. 

My husband uses a PCC that he's established a great rapport with. When she's not available, he'll just call the NCL mainline and talk with someone. He can make changes, add things, etc. Sometimes when I'm calling NCL on behalf of my client, I'll go ahead and make a change to our personal reservations (that were booked with the PCC). There is no real advantage to using a PCC that I've found other than the relationship my husband has with her, but I'm also not a typical client. 

 

23 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Exactly why I don't use a PCC. 

Can  you explain exactly what control do you lose when using a TA?

For some reason people think they have to go through their travel agent for everything. I can guarantee you this is not true. I have clients reach out to cruise lines all the time. The cruise line happily talks to them and changes the reservation (name change, add airfare, add hotel/deviation, shore excursions). You name it, they've done it. Of course this works for me as I don't have to get on the phone and do it (I don't mind, and do it all the time). But, using a travel agent doesn't mean you can't make changes. 

[jimp1266]

28 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Exactly why I don't use a PCC. 

Can  you explain exactly what control do you lose when using a TA?

Generally, If you wish to service the reservation directly (by calling the cruise line) they will refer you back to the TA you are working with. Which means attempting to contact your TA and waiting for a reply. They add a "middle man" that must first understand your request then relay that request to the cruise line.  Some don't participate in the upgrade bidding process and some charge change fees not related to the line you are sailing.  Some have great TAs that are responsive and actively monitor for price drops and such but I have found that I must make them aware of pricing changes.

 

I'm also jaded. Way back when internet based cruise travel agents were a new thing one of the largest abruptly went out of business. As I recall, the son of the business creator took over and mismanaged customer deposits. They collected payment but did not forward them to the cruise lines. I got very lucky when Princess alerted us to the lack of payment and were able to resolve it, many others simply lost their payment and cruise. 

 

[Lionkingrichard]

2 hours ago, jimp1266 said:

I'm struggling to understand the value of using a PCC. It seems like they are internal "travel agents" that offer no additional discount or perks while creating a barrier between you and your reservation. Am I missing something?

I generally book directly so that I am in control of my reservation (not waiting for a response from a travel agent or playing the phone game). I have, on occasion, used a travel agent when the discount or perks were too good to pass up but have felt frustrated when I wanted to service my own reservation. 

So my PCC(NCL) was randomly assigned maybe from when I called with a question has been great. She just reached out a few days ago about our upcoming cruise.

 

Anyway, this is what she did for us last year. I had been looking at prices/watching and I get random call from her saying she can help us(I'm the biggest skeptic).

 

She was able to apply 10% off. I wasn't owed anything from NCL that I hadn't already received from our canceled cruise.

 

Saved us about $400.00.

 

If I have a quick question I call the main line and someone always spends the 5 minutes I need.

 

Also I can do everything/add, online without her.

 

One thing I was told is if you book online they don't get the commission! I look up prices and rooms and then call her.

 

Last year I change ships/ports 3 times because I hated the flights and she was  never not helpful!

 

I'm hopeful for a discount for Alaska next year($$🥵) Might have to wait last minute for that one?😱

Edited February 2, 2023 by Lionkingrichard

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, cruiseny4life said:

For some reason people think they have to go through their travel agent for everything. I can guarantee you this is not true. I have clients reach out to cruise lines all the time. The cruise line happily talks to them and changes the reservation (name change, add airfare, add hotel/deviation, shore excursions). You name it, they've done it. Of course this works for me as I don't have to get on the phone and do it (I don't mind, and do it all the time). But, using a travel agent doesn't mean you can't make changes. 

The reason so many here on CC think they cannot directly contact the cruise line is because of what they read on CC.  It's a myth, commonly stated here, that the cruise line will not talk with you if you have a TA.  One reason this myth is so common is the animosity of some towards TA.  These posters are trying to justify why they only book directly.

 

I've found that the cruise lines will talk with  you and make any changes as long as those changes do not affect the TA commissions.  None of the changes you mentioned will affect those commissions.

 

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, jimp1266 said:

Generally, If you wish to service the reservation directly (by calling the cruise line) they will refer you back to the TA you are working with. Which means attempting to contact your TA and waiting for a reply. They add a "middle man" that must first understand your request then relay that request to the cruise line.  Some don't participate in the upgrade bidding process and some charge change fees not related to the line you are sailing.  Some have great TAs that are responsive and actively monitor for price drops and such but I have found that I must make them aware of pricing changes.

Generally, I have found the cruise lines willing to talk as long as the changes do not affect the TA commission.  As for dealing with a 'middle man', talking with a TA is no different than talking with a cruise line employee with one major difference.  That difference is the TA has skin in the game.  Their livlihood is directly affected by how well they treat their customers by ensuring they have a good product and by resolving their difficulties.  The cruise line employees you call directly do not have this incentive.  A second factor is this:  my TA is frequenly invited by the cruise lines to directly observe their product.  Name a cruise line, name a ship, name an itinerary, she been there and done that.  Those employees that answer the cruise line direct call number rarely have that kind of experience.  And, if they have, they cannot suggest an altenative cruise line that might be a better fit for your needs.

 

Back to the 'middle man'. When you talk to a TA or a cruise line employee, you are talking to a middleman in both cases.  Both have to deal with the cruise lines computer system.  A good TA will watch over the cruise lines employee to ensure that your cruise is handled correctly.  A mistake by the cruise line employee will directly affect your repeat business with the TA.  A good TA is much more knowledgeable than the cruise line employee who may only have a few months experience.

 

BTW, when I refer to a TA I'm not referring to those travel agencies that advertise on the front page of cruise critic.