PVP vs Carnival Phone Rep

[Gayle V]

Hi all,

 

I'm a little confused. I have always used a TA that I like a lot, and am pleased with. But just for the sake of understanding the conversations here, I'd like to know the difference between a PVP and a Carnival Phone Rep. I had always thought that a PVP WAS a Carnival phone rep who did bookings. Now I read some posts here where people say they "prefer a PVP vs a phone Rep. So what's the difference?

[Tapi]

PVP-Personal Vacation Planner

CVS-Cruise Vacation Specialist

 

Here are the differences:

 

• The PVP's goal is to create a relationship with the guest, and their duties are much more in depth than the duties of a CVS.
  
• PVP's are more experienced. In order to even be hired as a PVP, you need to be college educated and have a few years of experience in the travel industry. CVS' are only required to have a high school diploma with no experience in the travel industry.
  
• Because of the higher level of experience and education required for the PVP job, they are also compensated much more generously than CVS'.
  
• PVP's are given a database containing thousands of guests. Part of the PVP's job is to research each guest, create profiles, and actively plan their sales campaigns based on that research.
  
• PVP's duties go beyond just booking a cruise. They help the guest research and plan their cruise, they book the cruise, and after that, follow up with the guest until they return from their vacation.
  
• CVS' take inbound calls but they don't create a relationship with the guest. They don't follow up or create a profile for the guests they talk to. They answer the phone, make a booking and move on to the next guest.
  
• PVP's can make and receive calls. CVS' only take inbound calls.
  
• PVP's follow up with their guests after their cruises for future cruises
  

[Not_Done_Living]

so how does one graduate from dealign with a CVS to a PVP?

[rockraiders]

My first 2 cruises I booked online myself and always called for any changes and never had a problem. For our upcoming cruise a decided to try a PVP. When the prices dropped I called him to upgrade my 2 cabins. About a week before I submitted for a price drop online. So when I called my PVP to upgrade he said my rate was changed from early saver to easy saver and he would have to check with the supervisor and call me back the next day. The next day?? I knew once early saver always early saver so I call myself and got my upgrade in 10min. I did not want to wait because I found 2 connecting cabins and did want to loose them. No more PVP for me.

[lylone]

I LOVE my PVP and this is only our first cruise. He was referred to us by my sister who has been cruising for awhile.

He is great at checking the locations of the rooms before we book to make sure they are not in highly congested areas or across from storage rooms.

He also booked my niece's upcoming Honeymoon. He knows we are all related and he is a good source for getting information for Bon Voyage gifts and surprises!:D

[Gayle V]

So if you want a PVP, do you just ask: "I want to speak to a PVP, not just a rep?"

[ShanteS]

So if you want a PVP, do you just ask: "I want to speak to a PVP, not just a rep?"

 

 

Don't you just love how some respond to these types of threads about how great their PVP is without any helpful info about how someone else can get one too?? LOL I have a PVP who's never available and am trying to get a new one as well. I'm ready to book another cruise for next year but I'd prefer to deal with the same person if possible. Good luck and I hope you find a PVP. I think if we just call and ask for one they'd assign one to us?

[Man of Many Hats]

My first 2 cruises I booked online myself and always called for any changes and never had a problem. For our upcoming cruise a decided to try a PVP. When the prices dropped I called him to upgrade my 2 cabins. About a week before I submitted for a price drop online. So when I called my PVP to upgrade he said my rate was changed from early saver to easy saver and he would have to check with the supervisor and call me back the next day. The next day?? I knew once early saver always early saver so I call myself and got my upgrade in 10min. I did not want to wait because I found 2 connecting cabins and did want to loose them. No more PVP for me.

 

 

PVP's are just like with other jobs, some good some bad, I've had the same one since 2006 and after 24 cruises I hope he stays in the position for years to come. He has not only booked my cruises but has helped me avoid some what would have been bad experiences if not for him. I am totally sold on my PVP.

[Tapi]

So if you want a PVP, do you just ask: "I want to speak to a PVP, not just a rep?"

 

PVP's have a dedicated line: 1-800-819-3902

 

Call during the hours of M-Th 11am-8pm or F 9am-6pm. Ask to have a PVP assigned to you. In fact, if you've cruised on Carnival before, a profile might already exist on a PVP's database. They will direct you to that PVP.

[Tapi]

Don't you just love how some respond to these types of threads about how great their PVP is without any helpful info about how someone else can get one too???

 

Unfortunately, Cruise Critic's guidelines prevent us from giving out the name or extension of our PVP's. On my post above, I've included the general number to the PVP department. You can get a new PVP that way. But as someone said, not all PVP's are created equal. Some are great, some are not. Mine has been at Carnival for 8 years and I would NEVER book a Carnival cruise any other way than through him. Unfortunately, I can't give you his extension number. :(

[jsfromsc]

I'm on my second PVP (first one was promoted) and I love both of them. They both contacted me first. Our first 2 cruises were booked through a travel agent. But since we don't cruise often, somehow in the meantime the first PVP contacted us by email and began phoning us. They do see when you browse the web site and do mock bookings. Then they call to see if you're interested in booking. And the emails we'd get from Carnival would have the PVP's name and number on them. So we booked our next cruise through the PVP and stayed in contact with her for questions about possible bookings. Somewhere between my 3rd and 4th cruise I began getting emails from a different PVP. I called him and asked what happened to my first PVP and he told me she had been promoted and he was taking over her customers. He's been great. Booked our last cruise and our upcoming cruise. He got us the cabin we wanted and saw that I got my onboard credit from the FCC I had. I called him when I started seeing all the talk about price drops to see what he could do for us since Carnival's web site is often a problem for me. He told me he'd never seen such a great break in his time working for Carnival, and he was able to upgrade us and get us a very siginificant price drop. Others may have been able to do that on their own, but in my case, without my PVP, I wouldn't have gotten these drops and upgrades because Carnival's web site pretty much sucks. Hopefully, they're going to improve that with the new IT guy they hired. But I'll still choose my PVP over booking online myself. He can answer any questions I have and he never rushes me off the phone to get to the next customer. I consider him a friend.

[ShanteS]

PVP's have a dedicated line: 1-800-819-3902

 

Call during the hours of M-Th 11am-8pm or F 9am-6pm. Ask to have a PVP assigned to you. In fact, if you've cruised on Carnival before, a profile might already exist on a PVP's database. They will direct you to that PVP.

 

Thank you!!! I've been looking for this and couldn't find it anywhere!

 

Unfortunately, Cruise Critic's guidelines prevent us from giving out the name or extension of our PVP's. On my post above, I've included the general number to the PVP department. You can get a new PVP that way. But as someone said, not all PVP's are created equal. Some are great, some are not. Mine has been at Carnival for 8 years and I would NEVER book a Carnival cruise any other way than through him. Unfortunately, I can't give you his extension number. :(

 

Yes, I'm already aware of this. But I was looking for a number to call to have one assigned to me which you have provided. I wasn't asking for anyones personal PVP info. Thank you so so much for giving those us who want one the info to have one assigned! :D It was just a little frustrating that people would come and brag about theirs and not give us any info on how to get one! LOL

[golfadj]

I would suggest you ask someone you meet on your cruise roll call for their recommendation.

[ShanteS]

I would suggest you ask someone you meet on your cruise roll call for their recommendation.

 

Oooooh, good suggestion. Thanks Stu!!

[gtalum]

Don't you just love how some respond to these types of threads about how great their PVP is without any helpful info about how someone else can get one too?? LOL I have a PVP who's never available and am trying to get a new one as well. I'm ready to book another cruise for next year but I'd prefer to deal with the same person if possible. Good luck and I hope you find a PVP. I think if we just call and ask for one they'd assign one to us?

 

Unfortunately we are forbidden, by CruiseCritic rules, to give names and numbers of specific PVP's. I have had several useless PVP's, but the pone I have now is really good and has helped me several times now. I was just assigned to him, I didn't have to do anything.

 

In fact, before I used my current PVP I would have sworn to you that they are all worthless! :D

[Gayle V]

I would suggest you ask someone you meet on your cruise roll call for their recommendation.

 

Are you allowed to do that on the roll calls? or is it just not likely to be noticed there?

 

Also is there any way to contact other posters from the boards directly?

 

On the other cruise message board that I frequent, we can send each other private messages, so that we can trade e-mail addresses and phone numbers, etc. I've never found a feature like that here. How do you get in touch?