Finding a TA online...

Getting ready to book my 10th cruise in 4yrs. Have always used my PVP. We are consider ourselves to be fairly self-sufficient. We know what rooms we want, they are available & have little-to-no contact with our PVP outside of booking. We generally do a hold on rooms, call her with payment & we are booked.

Now..from these wonderful boards I have learned about a site where you input your desired cruise date, room category & get bids for the cruise from travel agents. These seem to include substantial OBC vs booking with PVP.

I've actually already booked 1 room using the future cruise rate (OFW) and soon to book the other room.

I've talked to a couple of agents that submitted bids. It all sounds good. I've been told I will qualify for the same OBC offers if I just "transfer" the booking to them.

My question is about other people's experience. I'm nervous transferring my booking to someone "online." But, the savings are substantial & we cruise enough for it to make a big difference to my bottom line.

I've done my research online. I'm down to 2 companies where I have spoken to an agent I liked.

Does anyone have any personal experiences to offer? Any input will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Amanda

I have booked every cruise I have been on thru a local TA so little bit different than booking thru an online agency. I would just suggest to make sure it is a reputable company that has been in business for a while and also that you will actually be able to get in touch with someone if there is a problem. Not the type of company that you have to email or submit a request online and eventually someone will get back to you, Good Luck.

If it is that site where the agents compete for your cruise business, just be careful.

Many of their agents/travel agencies associated with that site practice real shady sales policies....like cancellation

fees of their own (in addition to the cruiselines' cancellation fees) that they do not disclose upfront to you until you have paid!

I have used that site over the years and in all honesty I have only come across one travel agent associated with that site that ever really made it worthwhile to book using that site and that happened only once. And I have been on over 50 cruises.

I had one jerk of a travel agent associated with that site that pulled up my personal info from a major cruiseline's database

and the ahole had the nerve of calling me home at 9 o'clock at night. I gave the ahole a piece of my mind, I reported him to

both the owner of that website and also to the CEO of the cruiseline concerned.

And you will usually get much better and quicker service with pvp.

Q: Should I use a TA instead of a PVP?

A: Yes, because a TA can give you discounts that a PVP can't.

Q: I have a TA and he/she doesn't offer anything extra over a PVP. What gives?

A: Your TA sucks. Find another one.

Q: Someone on CC says they use a PVP because their PVP is very responsive and they had a bad experience with a TA. Should I get a PVP if I want the best service even if it means I have to pay a little more?

A: There are good and bad TAs just like there are good and bad PVPs. I had an outstanding TA, but she retired.

Q: Are there any downsides to booking through a (good) TA?

A: Many TAs charge a "documentation fee" or some other nonsense, usually around $25. You should be able to get them to waive it on request. If they won't, go somewhere else. TAs may add additional cancelation fees above and beyond the cruise line. If you have trip insurance, it shouldn't matter, but you should be aware. Trip changes and price matches have to go through the TA. While a good TA should handle this for you efficiently, many TA's work part-time. However, a good TA will have a competant back-up.

Have you thought about potential what-ifs? What happens if you make a payment and the TA fails to forward the payment to Carnival? If could take a while to get it worked out with your credit card company, and hopefully it would be resolved before your cruise date--but maybe not. What if other problems come up and the agent decides to avoid you instead of addressing your concern? What is your recourse if that happens? Carnival usually won't talk to you about your booking if you book with a TA. Some less reputable TAs don't like to talk with you if you're inquiring about an issue that could potentially lower their commission, such as a price drop. Personally I wouldn't ever turn my booking over to a TA. I see it as adding another layer of potential problems and fees.

I agree with the above, using a TA, you will no longer be able to discuss your cruise with Carnival directly. Everything needs to be done through your TA.

I think I have used the website you are referring to, where TAs compete for your cruise booking. I've used it several times with no issue.

On our last cruise we got the same price we would have gotten booking directly with the cruise line + $275 cabin credit + prepaid gratuities for two people in the cabin + dinner for two at Central Park.

It is not a blind booking site so you will know the name of the travel agency before you book and can check reviews before you buy.

In addition, we had proof of all of the perks but didn't need them as everything showed up on our account.

I think I have used the website you are referring to, where TAs compete for your cruise booking. I've used it several times with no issue.

 

On our last cruise we got the same price we would have gotten booking directly with the cruise line + $275 cabin credit + prepaid gratuities for two people in the cabin + dinner for two at Central Park.

 

It is not a blind booking site so you will know the name of the travel agency before you book and can check reviews before you buy.

 

In addition, we had proof of all of the perks but didn't need them as everything showed up on our account.

I think you’ll find perks given by TAs on other cruise lines much better than on Carnival. At least that’s been my experience. When I used a TA for Carnival not only did I almost miss out on a several hundred dollar price drop, but I only got $25 or $50 in the form of a check mailed to me from the TA. It was such a cluster that I will only book direct with my PVP now.

With that being said, I did find a TA online for my Edge cruise and he was able to do MUCH better than Celebrity.

I thought I would also copy some posts I made about this on another thread:

Q: Do you like to maintain control of you booking as in not having to go through a middleman?

A: Any questions you have regarding your booking have to go through your TA. With a PVP you can speak directly to Carnival 24/7.

Q: Do you want someone that won’t try and talk you out of Early Saver Fares or even Carnival in general? How about someone who has actually sailed the cruise line and very likely the same ship you are interested in (or at least the same class of ship).

A: PVPs are experts at Carnival and won’t look down on you, try to switch you to another cruise line, or possibly even flat out refuse to book a Carnival cruise. Yes there are TAs that do exactly that. Many also don’t like you to book ES because any price drops will cost them commission. Plenty of TAs have never stepped foot on a Carnival ship. They have no idea what it’s actually like. The good PVPs have and know the ships in and out oftentimes offering up recommendations based upon their experiences.

Want a price reduction? Call TA, they call Carnival, TA gets back to you. Want to see your pricing online? Nope, not through Carnival’s website. Hopefully you have an invoice from the TA. Have a question? Call the TA who prob doesn’t know the answer. They call Carnival and get back to you. If I want something changed or have questions, I want it done now.

Not to mention your chances are slim on getting an upgrade offer. They are going to go the fastest route which is direct to the guest. I even asked the lady once when I took a super cheap upsell. She confirmed that yes, they go through direct booked guests first as it’s much quicker. It was her job to get the one sailing done and move onto the next.

I have used TAs before and it almost cost me $400 or so one cruise. I would have to go back and look - it was on my first Glory sailing. How many times you see people post questions here and they are frustrated because Carnival won’t talk to them and their TA is out? While I know not all TAs are bad, I don’t have patience for them. PVP is the only way to go IMHO and I’ve booked 7 ways to Sunday. And yes, some do look poorly on Carnival. There are lots of cases of that in here.

I have had some good TAs and some terrible ones. Fortunately I’ve only had one PVP and that’s where I’m staying. I wouldn’t give him up for FF miles, OBC, Steakhouse dinner, Bottle of wine, or even a Cheers package.

This is why it pays to do your research and go with a reputable TA. I use only 1 but there are others out there. While I do everything over the phone, the TA has a brick and mortar building with lots of agents and an outstanding reputation, and they only handle cruises. I can reach them 5 days a week with extended business hours to handle anything a PVP could handle and it is worth the 'extras" that they throw in for no cost to me. It may not be for everyone. As for the "what ifs", reading these boards, I see where more problems happen with cancellations and payment issues with people booking directly with Carnival than I see people complaining about using a TA. I don't know for certain, but I would expect that the TA's have a direct link to Carnival either with access to their booking engine or a dedicated group of their own PVP's which get their rooms booked.

Have you thought about potential what-ifs? What happens if you make a payment and the TA fails to forward the payment to Carnival? If could take a while to get it worked out with your credit card company, and hopefully it would be resolved before your cruise date--but maybe not. What if other problems come up and the agent decides to avoid you instead of addressing your concern? What is your recourse if that happens? Carnival usually won't talk to you about your booking if you book with a TA. Some less reputable TAs don't like to talk with you if you're inquiring about an issue that could potentially lower their commission, such as a price drop. Personally I wouldn't ever turn my booking over to a TA. I see it as adding another layer of potential problems and fees.

Some TA's are great. I get at the very least $100 OBC every 7 day cruise for a entry level balcony. A good TA provides great service with NO fees. TA's can provide the same service as a PVP. I have friends that are TA's and they even give me the cruise cost minus any commissions they would make. Carnival tried to eliminate the TA years ago but it backfired. Just don't use any of the TA cheerleaders on this board. lol

Q: Isn't it more difficult to make changes if you book with a TA?

A: No. You need to contact your TA for price adjustments or cancelations. You book excursions, make dining reservations, etc. through the Carnival website just like everyone else. No extra effort is required on your part, just the TA.

Q: Do you want someone that won’t try and talk you out of Early Saver Fares or even Carnival in general? How about someone who has actually sailed the cruise line and very likely the same ship you are interested in (or at least the same class of ship).

A: Then you'd better not rely on a PVP nor TA since they're all biased towards their own company's interests. Thankfully, you have Cruise Critic.

Q: Isn't it more difficult to make changes if you book with a TA?

A: No. You need to contact your TA for price adjustments or cancelations. You book excursions, make dining reservations, etc. through the Carnival website just like everyone else. No extra effort is required on your part, just the TA.

 

Q: Do you want someone that won’t try and talk you out of Early Saver Fares or even Carnival in general? How about someone who has actually sailed the cruise line and very likely the same ship you are interested in (or at least the same class of ship).

A: Then you'd better not rely on a PVP nor TA since they're all biased towards their own company's interests. Thankfully, you have Cruise Critic.

But again, it doesn’t get handled immediately. They need to contact Carnival and then get back to you. I want the confirmation of whatever it is I need immediately which is what my PVP gives me before I even hang up. And I don’t have to hold while the agent calls Carnival on the other line. Trust me, I’ve been through this with TAs for both Carnival and Celebrity. My PVP is much faster and being he’s been there for 26 years, he knows all the ins and outs. When there were issues, he knows exactly who he has to talk to personally and gets it handled. His office is in the Carnival building so it’s not just a matter of sending an email or calling. If it’s something that can be handled in house, he can go to their desk.

If I’m booking a specific cruise line then I don’t need a non biased opinion because I already know what I want. It’s nice if I have a question about something and he knows the answer to with 100% certainty because he has actually sailed that ship. Possibly multiple times.

But again, it doesn’t get handled immediately. They need to contact Carnival and then get back to you. I want the confirmation of whatever it is I need immediately which is what my PVP gives me before I even hang up. And I don’t have to hold while the agent calls Carnival on the other line. Trust me, I’ve been through this with TAs for both Carnival and Celebrity. My PVP is much faster and being he’s been there for 26 years, he knows all the ins and outs. When there were issues, he knows exactly who he has to talk to personally and gets it handled. His office is in the Carnival building so it’s not just a matter of sending an email or calling. If it’s something that can be handled in house, he can go to their desk.

 

If I’m booking a specific cruise line then I don’t need a non biased opinion because I already know what I want. It’s nice if I have a question about something and he knows the answer to with 100% certainty because he has actually sailed that ship. Possibly multiple times.

Well, aren't you just the 'lucky' one. Seems you have a great PVP.....we've tried probably a half dozen or so over the years and found them to be only bothersome and fairly useless....NOT getting instant answers or being very helpful at all. We have used TA's who ONLY work with cruiselines, have also been on many of the different ships on many different lines and thus much more valuable to us in our choice than a PVP from ONE cruise line. Just our opinion, but we book most cruises on our own, unless the TA is offering great perks, then we move the booking to the TA. Has always worked out well for us (and these days, there aren't many price reductions any how) and timing has never been an issue for us!

Well, aren't you just the 'lucky' one. Seems you have a great PVP.....we've tried probably a half dozen or so over the years and found them to be only bothersome and fairly useless....NOT getting instant answers or being very helpful at all. We have used TA's who ONLY work with cruiselines, have also been on many of the different ships on many different lines and thus much more valuable to us in our choice than a PVP from ONE cruise line. Just our opinion, but we book most cruises on our own, unless the TA is offering great perks, then we move the booking to the TA. Has always worked out well for us (and these days, there aren't many price reductions any how) and timing has never been an issue for us!

I agree that I am VERY fortunate to have gotten assigned my PVP. He has actually been mine since after my first cruise, but I never saw the value in one either so always booked by phone, online, or through a TA. Then one day when I was getting ready to book, I figured I’d give this guy a try. I found an old email with his contact info and called him up. That one phone call was all it took and I haven’t looked back since. I know it’s hard for people to relate if they haven’t had the same experience.

you should NOT be seeing a substantial savings on a cruise price. Carnival does not allow discounting their prices.

so that tells me either- the price does not include the port taxes OR they are trying to book you into a group cruise.

Early savers rate comes with huge penalties and is only 20 pp cheaper

I just thought of one benefit of a PVP. Carnival appears to direct upgrade fairy calls to those PVP bookings first. Probably because they don't need to adjust and pay more commission to the TA. It's probably why the upgrade fairy has never called me from any cruise line. I'm happy with my TAs and all the OBC or no commision fares.

Only issue with going through a TA is you have to go through them to make any changes to your booking other than those you can make on Carnival.com (like selecting a King bed vs. 2 singles). So if you get a price drop or want to add gratuities to your booking, you've got to call the TA. In the case of a price drop that might be an issue if they're not johnny on the spot and get it processed ASAP.

I just thought of one benefit of a PVP. Carnival appears to direct upgrade fairy calls to those PVP bookings first. Probably because they don't need to adjust and pay more commission to the TA. It's probably why the upgrade fairy has never called me from any cruise line. I'm happy with my TAs and all the OBC or no commision fares.

I am booked using an outside agency and was asked to pay for upgrades.

I am booked using an outside agency and was asked to pay for upgrades.

Does this happen often? They never call me :(

I have been upgraded by Carnival at no cost as my wife knows people but the upgrade fairy has never called. I'm usually in a balcony. HAL or Royal has not called either. Costa called and asked if I wanted an extra life jacked, JK LOL

Thank you to everyone who shared their opinion. I'm still a little apprehensive about transferring to a TA. The onboard credit on this cruise is significant ($375), but I still haven't decided what I will do.

I don't post a lot. I add to things when I can. But I come here daily and have learned invaluable information that has helped enhance my family's vacations.

I sincerely appreciate everyone who shared their point of view/experiences.

Thank you to everyone who shared their opinion. I'm still a little apprehensive about transferring to a TA. The onboard credit on this cruise is significant ($375), but I still haven't decided what I will do. .

yep that is huge- i would transfer in a nano second for that amount.

I fight for a 50 for a 7 day cruise--LOL

Update from OP: I took the plunge. I transferred to agent today. Received $350 in on-board credits.

I've stressed over this for months. All the "what if's?"

I feel fantastic about it! II researched a few companies I got bids from extensively. My agents name came up multiple times with positive feedback. I've talked with him 7-8 times in the past week. He's answered every question as expected.

We are pretty low-need as it comes to what we want. I booked what I wanted online & transfered to him.

If it had been a $50 difference..maybe I would not have done it. But..$350 is a LOT of cash for me (family of 6 in 2 rooms.)

I really appreciate all info people shared. It gave me a lot to think about & know what questions to ask.

Thanks to all..

Getting ready to book my 10th cruise in 4yrs. Have always used my PVP. We are consider ourselves to be fairly self-sufficient. We know what rooms we want, they are available & have little-to-no contact with our PVP outside of booking. We generally do a hold on rooms, call her with payment & we are booked.

 

Now..from these wonderful boards I have learned about a site where you input your desired cruise date, room category & get bids for the cruise from travel agents. These seem to include substantial OBC vs booking with PVP.

 

I've actually already booked 1 room using the future cruise rate (OFW) and soon to book the other room.

 

I've talked to a couple of agents that submitted bids. It all sounds good. I've been told I will qualify for the same OBC offers if I just "transfer" the booking to them.

 

My question is about other people's experience. I'm nervous transferring my booking to someone "online." But, the savings are substantial & we cruise enough for it to make a big difference to my bottom line.

 

I've done my research online. I'm down to 2 companies where I have spoken to an agent I liked.

 

Does anyone have any personal experiences to offer? Any input will be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Amanda

It's against the rules to name a TA.