Carnival PVP

[MandyMooToo]

Can someone explain to me exactly what a PVP is, what does PVP stand for anyway?? And what their actual function is? Another couple and I just booked an upcoming cruise on Liberty in October and I booked one day before she booked their room. When she booked she used out booking number and pin number to join our reservations as I had been instructed to tell her to do. Shortly thereafter she received a call from carnival saying she now has a PVP to handle their reservation even though it has already been booked and there is nothing left to do. I never heard from a PVP about our reservation so I just wondered what they do exactly and what determines who they call. And yes, I have read some threads here but they all talk about PVP's as tough they are travel agents for Carnival or some such. Is that correct? Are they important to have for cruising Carnival (this our first CCL cruise). Thanks for the help.

[teknoge3k]

A PVP is a personal vacation planner, through Carnival. It's a single point of contact at Carnival that can handle anything you need. I can email or call my PVP and she always gets back to me within 10 minutes. Basically a travel agent that's exclusive to Carnival. Beats calling an 800 number and sitting on hold or getting a different rep. each time you call.

[honestguy]

Can someone explain to me exactly what a PVP is, what does PVP stand for anyway?? And what their actual function is? Another couple and I just booked an upcoming cruise on Liberty in October and I booked one day before she booked their room. When she booked she used out booking number and pin number to join our reservations as I had been instructed to tell her to do. Shortly thereafter she received a call from carnival saying she now has a PVP to handle their reservation even though it has already been booked and there is nothing left to do. I never heard from a PVP about our reservation so I just wondered what they do exactly and what determines who they call. And yes, I have read some threads here but they all talk about PVP's as tough they are travel agents for Carnival or some such. Is that correct? Are they important to have for cruising Carnival (this our first CCL cruise). Thanks for the help.

 

PVP stands for personal vacation planner. They work for carnival. One isn't needed. I good one though is worth it. It costs you nothing, and if you need to know something they are better to deal with than carnival customer service. I can reach mine whenever I want. I have his office number, and cell number.(i never use the cell) I've had issues arrive twice with cruise bookings, and my pvp handled them fast, and painless for me. If you like carnival, I would highly suggest booking your next cruise through one

[MandyMooToo]

PVP stands for personal vacation planner. They work for carnival. One isn't needed. I good one though is worth it. It costs you nothing, and if you need to know something they are better to deal with than carnival customer service. I can reach mine whenever I want. I have his office number, and cell number.(i never use the cell) I've had issues arrive twice with cruise bookings, and my pvp handled them fast, and painless for me. If you like carnival, I would highly suggest booking your next cruise through one

 

So how do I get a PVP? Does Carnival randomly choose cruisers to offer the service to or is it based on how much you spend with them, lol?

[MandyMooToo]

I'm asking so many questions because if we enjoy this cruise we plan to begin booking with CCL and a PVP sounds like something I could take advantage of easily.

[teknoge3k]

So how do I get a PVP? Does Carnival randomly choose cruisers to offer the service to or is it based on how much you spend with them, lol?

 

Honestly I don't know. Our first cruise one called us after we filled out information online and we've stuck with her since. We book on board to get the OBC then transfer the booking to her.

[MandyMooToo]

Honestly I don't know. Our first cruise one called us after we filled out information online and we've stuck with her since. We book on board to get the OBC then transfer the booking to her.

 

Thank you.

[springs741]

I'm asking so many questions because if we enjoy this cruise we plan to begin booking with CCL and a PVP sounds like something I could take advantage of easily.

 

It has been my experience that a good PVP (or a good TA) is very valuable. Almost daily there are questions asked on here that could be easily and accuratelyanswered by a PVP. My PVP says "booking a cruises isn't rocket science. It is after the booking that the problems occur."

 

The rules of CC are such that we cannot recommend PVP (or TA for that matter). My suggestion is on your next cruise ask those you meet if they have a PVP and why they like them. Or you could also ask on other social media sites.

 

When you find a PVP you think you might like I will also suggest that you make it clear what type of and how often you wish to be contacted. I have read here on CC complaints about a PVP calling often with "deals" I asked mine not to call but she is welcome to email. She has been very respectful. I do hear from her when some of the more unique sailings are about to be announce. She is mindful of her commitment to Carnival and will not leak specifics but over the years she has learned we like longer sailings.

[MandyMooToo]

It has been my experience that a good PVP (or a good TA) is very valuable. Almost daily there are questions asked on here that could be easily and accuratelyanswered by a PVP. My PVP says "booking a cruises isn't rocket science. It is after the booking that the problems occur."

 

 

 

The rules of CC are such that we cannot recommend PVP (or TA for that matter). My suggestion is on your next cruise ask those you meet if they have a PVP and why they like them. Or you could also ask on other social media sites.

 

 

 

When you find a PVP you think you might like I will also suggest that you make it clear what type of and how often you wish to be contacted. I have read here on CC complaints about a PVP calling often with "deals" I asked mine not to call but she is welcome to email. She has been very respectful. I do hear from her when some of the more unique sailings are about to be announce. She is mindful of her commitment to Carnival and will not leak specifics but over the years she has learned we like longer sailings.

 

 

Good advice, thanks.

 

 

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[crusinpsychRN]

When you call you get a generalist. Ask that person for a PVP who will have much better info than the generalist. Mine just got my cabin downgraded (I was in a spa balcony on deck 11 on Magic and didn't like it ) even though I was booked early saver rate when I booked on board and insisted I get past guest rate.

[Banks822]

I love my PVP! He never calls and bugs me, but when I call he handles things right away.

 

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[wemjam]

I have always been a "do it yourself" kind of girl and in all my travels all over the world always booked everything directly myself. Never a TA or PVP for cruises This all changed about 2 years ago. After 15+ years of traveling with Carnival, and several emails on and off from Carnival from different PVP's over that time I had never bothered to use them. Then, I found the need to reach out to someone at CCL and it just so happened to coincide with a recent email I had gotten from a PVP. So, instead of calling the main number and getting a random rep, I called him. Will NEVER go back now.

 

He is awesome! NEVER calls and bothers me at all, but I can reach him day or night all week long. When I do call him up, he knows me by name immediately and has me booked with the best rates within minutes. He even knows to ask "is it just you and hubby, or are mom and dad coming this time too." He gives me great advice on things and has handled a few different problems for me flawlessly in the last couple years. He has gotten things done by going higher up the chain faster than I ever could of on my own. Also, there have been a few occasions where I wanted some kind of change and it was a case of "really not supposed to," but he got with his boss and got it done for me.

 

And he is great to talk to, it is like an old friend, we swap travel stories all the time and BS about life in general. In my case, my PVP is invaluable and I don't know what I did before him.

[originalgeek]

In answer to yor other question, you can call the 800 number and ask to be assigned a PVP. I saw another thread where the person asked for a PVP and specified they wanted someone who had been with Carnival for a long time and had actually sailed on the ships so they would have some perspective. (Nothing against newbie PVPs but let them practice on someone else lol). Because of Cruise Critic rules we are not allowed to recommend specific names or give out numbers to PVPs. I wish I could because I got mine from a rec by prolific poster here who has proven time and again to have great info and she gave me her PVP by me emailing her privately. I think they have since clamped down on that and it's their site so I gotta follow the rules. But if you call Carnival and request a PVP you'll get one and if you don't like them you can call and get a new one. Keep going until you find the right one because a good one is a treasure to have. :)

[fair-winds39]

Can someone explain to me exactly what a PVP is, what does PVP stand for anyway?? And what their actual function is? Another couple and I just booked an upcoming cruise on Liberty in October and I booked one day before she booked their room. When she booked she used out booking number and pin number to join our reservations as I had been instructed to tell her to do. Shortly thereafter she received a call from carnival saying she now has a PVP to handle their reservation even though it has already been booked and there is nothing left to do. I never heard from a PVP about our reservation so I just wondered what they do exactly and what determines who they call. And yes, I have read some threads here but they all talk about PVP's as tough they are travel agents for Carnival or some such. Is that correct? Are they important to have for cruising Carnival (this our first CCL cruise). Thanks for the help.

 

We've been cruising since the mid eighties. We've gone from using a travel agent, to booking directly with the cruise line reps by phone, and all were great. Recently we've booked Carnival cruises, and for our last 5 cruises we've booked with a very knowledgeable PVP. In fact, we just came off of a cruise a few weeks ago, and I contacted our PVP yesterday to book another cruise. She gets back to us immediately, she has all of our pertinent information. We know the ship, the cabin, the dining time that we want as well, so the entire booking process takes about 5-10 minutes on the phone. I've emailed her on weekends, holidays, etc. not expecting or needing a response right away, but she gets right back to us. She's great!

[AmeliaAtSea]

When I first registered on Carnival's site (hadn't booked yet), I got a call from a PVP. He didn't say he was *my* PVP (I'm wondering if the phone call your friend got was from *a* PVP or *her* PVP--key difference there), but was offering his services as PVP. I wasn't ready to book yet, as I was still researching a few things. I knew already what a PVP was at this point. The next day I got the same kind of call (both voicemails) from a different PVP. When I was ready to book (within a couple of days of this last call), I called the 2nd one back. Now she's my PVP.

[MandyMooToo]

When I first registered on Carnival's site (hadn't booked yet), I got a call from a PVP. He didn't say he was *my* PVP (I'm wondering if the phone call your friend got was from *a* PVP or *her* PVP--key difference there), but was offering his services as PVP. I wasn't ready to book yet, as I was still researching a few things. I knew already what a PVP was at this point. The next day I got the same kind of call (both voicemails) from a different PVP. When I was ready to book (within a couple of days of this last call), I called the 2nd one back. Now she's my PVP.

 

Hmm, interesting. I wonder how they choose who to call? I guess I will just have to get recommendations on the ship or call and ask for one and try them out.

[AmeliaAtSea]

Oh, and in case you were wondering, when you have a PVP, you can still do as much as you want with your booking online. My PVP started my booking and took my credit card # for the downpayment. I've done everything else myself, so far. I changed the bed from 2 twins to 1 king, I chose our dining time, I put all the passenger info in. I booked one excursion. Etc. But my PVP can do those kinds of things for me if I want her to or need to. I imagine that if I'm away from my computer and need something checked or changed I'd give her a call and have her do it for me, as I may not want to do that sort of thing on a tiny mobile device.

[Saint Greg]

I just text my PVP when I need something during business hours. After hours I will use email and while I don't expect a response until the next day, he always gets back to me that night.

 

I still like picking my room. I basically do a mock booking of what I want and send it to him to book and manage for me.

[AmeliaAtSea]

Just remembered another thing that was very helpful--my PVP created my booking with my chosen cabin but put a hold on it for 2 days without a deposit--we were *this* close to a final decision on our cruise, but not quite ready to put our money on it. So this let us have a couple of days before committing, which was great. She told me to call her back to make my deposit on Monday, but I ended up wanting to do it on Sunday, and I wasn't sure about calling her on a weekend. On that Sunday I couldn't wait any longer and did my deposit online, using the booking she created. Then I read somewhere that if the PVP doesn't take the deposit she doesn't get credited for it. I called her the next day, so worried about it, but she reassured me that it was ok because I used her booking.

[jsglow]

Just remembered another thing that was very helpful--my PVP created my booking with my chosen cabin but put a hold on it for 2 days without a deposit--we were *this* close to a final decision on our cruise, but not quite ready to put our money on it. So this let us have a couple of days before committing, which was great. She told me to call her back to make my deposit on Monday, but I ended up wanting to do it on Sunday, and I wasn't sure about calling her on a weekend. On that Sunday I couldn't wait any longer and did my deposit online, using the booking she created. Then I read somewhere that if the PVP doesn't take the deposit she doesn't get credited for it. I called her the next day, so worried about it, but she reassured me that it was ok because I used her booking.

 

We did the same thing for the cruise we're leaving on this weekend. Vacation permission hadn't quite been firmed up yet. Held our reservation for something like 36 hours. Our PVP has been with the company for something like 15 years. Wonderful to do business with.

 

Oh, one more thing. If we've every had a 'special' request (like a table for 2 for our anniversary cruise), it's always been handled without fail.

[RWolver672]

In answer to yor other question, you can call the 800 number and ask to be assigned a PVP. I saw another thread where the person asked for a PVP and specified they wanted someone who had been with Carnival for a long time and had actually sailed on the ships so they would have some perspective.

 

I was the one that posted that. I just e-mailed Carnival through their "Contact Us" at the bottom of their site. The following day I got an e-mail from him saying he had been with Carnival for over ten years and has sailed on many of their ships. He ask for me to call him as he couldn't book over the internet.

 

I called him and we spoke for quite a while. He knows that we cruise with my brother and sister in law. If we book a cabin, he will look for two that the balconies connect, then take my deposit and hold the other one until my brother calls and makes his deposit. He always know what deck and where we like to book and what time we like to dine. He's been great so far and I wish we could recommend him.

 

The best part is that I told him we only cruise every other year and book one year in advance. One year after a cruise, he will call and "remind :-)" us that it's time to book again.

[MandyMooToo]

I think I'll contact Carnival today and see if I can be assigned a PVP. Thank you all!!

 

 

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[RWolver672]

I think I'll contact Carnival today and see if I can be assigned a PVP. Thank you all!!

 

 

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Tell them upfront that you want one that's been with Carnival for quite a while and has cruised on their ships. When they give you one, ask them how long they have been employed by Carnival and how many of their ships they've been on.

[telebax51]

I contacted my PVP to notify me when the new Horizon itinerary comes out and what cabin i wanted, he held a cabin for me and i was contacted moments when it was available. By all means get a PVP, now if i can get him to let me know when the cruise price drops. LOL

[crusinpsychRN]

The best thing about the PVP is their knowledge. If you don't see a cabin you want on line, the PVP has access to everything available, not just the 10 showing on line. Mine is the best ever. She did just put me in a cabin for 4 and I travel solo. Got a price reduction today, she wasn't in, and the generalist almost took me out of my cabin. I was ticked. I told her I'll tell @@ what you did if you do it and she backed off.

 

Hint: the @@ is her nickname of her first and second names.