PVP vs Carnival Online booking

[FireMedT]

I have a question about booking a cruise through the PVP vs booking online on Carnival. Does the PVP really have anything special to offer me that I won't get on the Carnival site? If not, then why bother with a PVP? I mean if my booking is not complicated because of the quantity of people or other issues.

 

My other question is about booking though American Airlines since I have my advantage mileage card I can get some extra miles. Any one ever booked through AA?

 

I'm looking at 7 day eastern out of Miami on Dec 7 and I'm having mixed feelings about how to book it.

 

Thanks!

[jb_rogers08]

I booked my cruise (this time) through a PVP, United Cruises. I chose to do that because they offer double miles on cruise vacations and it's the same price as doing it through the carnival website, which we did last time. So far we haven't had any complications, but I'll let you know in about a week and a half when it's our day to cruise :)

[jaded99]

If the second poster went through another company (United Cruises) then that is not a PVP, FYI. PVPs are Carnival employees, what you used was probably a travel agent.

 

We only call up and use PVPs if we were linking bookings (with another cabin, or doing a B2B) and even then we call in knowing which room we want from the website. (I know that when you call the 1-800 # though you actually get a PVS I think (personal vacation specialist?) or something like that, they're supposedly not as knowledgeable as PVPs which get assigned to you if you ask for "more information" on the website.

 

In fact, the one time we DID use a PVP (our first cruise) and mentioned wanting one of the Veranda suites (Inspiration), she booked us into one that was DIRECTLY below the gym, and we could hear people running on treadmills over our heads all week long.

 

I've heard some PVPs actually do know the ships well enough not to recommend a cabin in a bad noise location, but for us, we prefer to get all the information from CC and then just book it online by ourselves.

[Sparky2]

I have a question about booking a cruise through the PVP vs booking online on Carnival. Does the PVP really have anything special to offer me that I won't get on the Carnival site? If not, then why bother with a PVP? I mean if my booking is not complicated because of the quantity of people or other issues.

 

My other question is about booking though American Airlines since I have my advantage mileage card I can get some extra miles. Any one ever booked through AA?

 

I'm looking at 7 day eastern out of Miami on Dec 7 and I'm having mixed feelings about how to book it.

 

Thanks!

 

If you book through AA, you will have to have them submit for any price drops. They have control of your booking, not you.

[awhcruiser]

Travel websites are not allowed on CC

My other question is about booking though American Airlines since I have my advantage mileage card I can get some extra miles. Any one ever booked through AA?

 

I'm looking at 7 day eastern out of Miami on Dec 7 and I'm having mixed feelings about how to book it.

 

Thanks!

[golfadj]

PVP offers good advise and has helped us get price reductions and upgrades when prices go down.

 

Since we have been cruising with CCL 2-3x per year for past 5 years think it is worthwhile for us to use pvp.

 

If we only cruised with them infrequently would probably just use their website or TA.

[mzthaij]

Travel websites are not allowed on CC

 

i do believe that this is an airline not a travel agency.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[S.S.Oceanlover]

i do believe that this is an airline not a travel agency.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

Yes it is but if you are booking a cruise through them they are also acting as a travel agent.:)

 

Bill

[FireMedT]

I booked my cruise (this time) through a PVP, United Cruises. I chose to do that because they offer double miles on cruise vacations and it's the same price as doing it through the carnival website, which we did last time. So far we haven't had any complications, but I'll let you know in about a week and a half when it's our day to cruise :)

 

 

That's exactly why I've been thinking of booking it through AA to get my miles and they still offer the onboard credits like the carnival site. Have a great cruise!

 

 

 

We only call up and use PVPs if we were linking bookings (with another cabin, or doing a B2B) and even then we call in knowing which room we want from the website. (I know that when you call the 1-800 # though you actually get a PVS I think (personal vacation specialist?) or something like that, they're supposedly not as knowledgeable as PVPs which get assigned to you if you ask for "more information" on the website.

 

In fact, the one time we DID use a PVP (our first cruise) and mentioned wanting one of the Veranda suites (Inspiration), she booked us into one that was DIRECTLY below the gym, and we could hear people running on treadmills over our heads all week long.

 

That's why from reading these forums I've learned to look on the deck plans to figure out what is around, above, and below the cabin.

 

 

 

If you book through AA, you will have to have them submit for any price drops. They have control of your booking, not you.

 

Thanks. But because of my work I typically book a month or two from sail date. So I guess price drops don't really matter in my case since by time I book them the early saver fare is gone?

 

 

 

Travel websites are not allowed on CC

 

Thanks for the info. But how is this different from mentioning a shore excursion company other than the cruise line? Or hotel names, parking site companies instead of the port? I guess I need to read up on the rules.

 

 

 

PVP offers good advise and has helped us get price reductions and upgrades when prices go down.

 

Since we have been cruising with CCL 2-3x per year for past 5 years think it is worthwhile for us to use pvp.

 

If we only cruised with them infrequently would probably just use their website or TA.

 

My last cruise I booked with the PVS/PVP that's assigned to me now. But I got a little upset with him because he kept calling me every few weeks. So I got tired of him.

 

Thanks for all the help. I think I'm going to put in my reservation today.

[sailawaybellaluna]

I've just somehow been assigned a PVP the past few months, and I did just use her to book two cruises. To me, there are some added benefits:

 

First, I was one of the people stuck fighting for weeks (months?) to get money reimbursed from the Carnival Triumph situation. The week it occurred, I spent hours and hours on hold with Carnival. I'm not trying to make this a "woe is me " situation (I know we were lucky to not be on the sailing that caught fire!), but if I would have had a PVP - i.e., a direct number to a person to call - it would have been MUCH easier.

 

Secondly, I've just booked some local/cheap cruises from my nearest port. I always scour all of the cruise websites, but she was able to offer me price protection up until 8 weeks prior to sailing (even though it's not an early saver rate) + fully refundable deposits, linking cabins and reservations, etc. And, definitely the lowest price for the best upgrades - i.e., I booked a oceanview 6A and was given an oceanview 6E at no additional cost. Upgrades on the other cruise sites were only up to a 6B or 6C.

 

So far, I'm appreciating the service!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I've just somehow been assigned a PVP the past few months, and I did just use her to book two cruises. To me, there are some added benefits:

 

First, I was one of the people stuck fighting for weeks (months?) to get money reimbursed from the Carnival Triumph situation. The week it occurred, I spent hours and hours on hold with Carnival. I'm not trying to make this a "woe is me " situation (I know we were lucky to not be on the sailing that caught fire!), but if I would have had a PVP - i.e., a direct number to a person to call - it would have been MUCH easier.

 

Secondly, I've just booked some local/cheap cruises from my nearest port. I always scour all of the cruise websites, but she was able to offer me price protection up until 8 weeks prior to sailing (even though it's not an early saver rate) + fully refundable deposits, linking cabins and reservations, etc. And, definitely the lowest price for the best upgrades - i.e., I booked a oceanview 6A and was given an oceanview 6E at no additional cost. Upgrades on the other cruise sites were only up to a 6B or 6C.

 

So far, I'm appreciating the service!

 

Is the cruise your pvp offered you price protection on a 5 day or shorter cruise?

 

If so you are price protected until final payment date which would be 60 days no matter how you booked unless it was a gty.

 

A definite plus having the pvp help you with the Triumph mess and the upgrade.

 

Enjoy your cruises.:)

 

Bill