Princess Direct and PVP questions

[Tedferg]

This is a repeat of a previous question with some additional points. I used a TA and booked and paid for two cruises, one for DW and me, and one for DD and DGD.

Our cruise was rescheduled several times and we rescheduled the final cruise due to Omicron concerns. Out TA is a one-person shop and we have always been happy with her service. It has been so frustrating being referred back to TA by Princess and I wonder if the TA discount is worth it.

 

If I had booked the two cruises directly with Princess, would they deal with me on DD's cruise? Currently I get no response from Princess and don't know if this is because of TA or because of separate ID on the cabin.

 

If I do go directly with Princess would a PVP provide better response than current CSRs? Seems everybody who books directly should have a PVP.

[Buckeye10640]

I have a a cruise booked in May that originally was booked for 2020 and after the first reschedule added a second cabin for my DD and her BF.  I am now working with a PVP who called me after the first cancellation because the big box store I was booked with didnt handle that, seems they turned it over to Princess. PVP has been quite responsive. I have fully managed both cabins from changing ships, changing rooms, refaring.

[generichandle]

Whereas my PVP has been abominable! I am tempted to give her name, so as to warn you away. I am NOT judging them all by HER, but it is harder to get one now than use one afterward. 

 

Note: That PERSON won't answer messages or e-mails. I do not even know if she is there anymore. Can someone here recommend a good one they use. If so, let me know and I will get you my e-mail. 

[pris993]

I have never used a PVP, always booked directly with Princess in at least the past 10 years.  I find it easy to just deal directly with Princess.  Now with less staffing there may be longer wait times but I rather just wait and deal with Princess.    I get emails from a PVP, I ignore because don't need any help. 

I have 29 cruises with Princess, going on 30th next Sunday.  Have over 60 cruises total, so early on we used TAs, harder and harder to find a good one.  

[Steelers36]

21 minutes ago, pris993 said:

......don't need any help

Neither do I.  I just need a TA that (a) works well with Princess and their system; and (b) provides a good cruise fare discount.  I have found that once for a rating of A+ and once for a rating of A-.  It was a progression from Princess direct to a good agent with no meaningful discount and then what seemed Nirvana.

[Tedferg]

12 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

  It was a progression from Princess direct to a good agent with no meaningful discount and then what seemed Nirvana.

Is your TA familiar with Princess policies and do they give faster response than Princess?

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, Tedferg said:

Is your TA familiar with Princess policies and do they give faster response than Princess?

Familiar enough and don't need to wait on hold for two hours.

[USC Sailor]

18 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Familiar enough and don't need to wait on hold for two hours.

I have previously always booked directly with Princess, didn't realize there was a TA discount to the fare. My dad arranged a family cruise with a big company and that TA complained about waiting on hold all day for Princess, lol. I'm not planning to use her again.

[Steelers36]

8 minutes ago, USC Sailor said:

I have previously always booked directly with Princess, didn't realize there was a TA discount to the fare. My dad arranged a family cruise with a big company and that TA complained about waiting on hold all day for Princess, lol. I'm not planning to use her again.

All the TA's are in same boat.  Mine has told me he can have four phones going at once on hold.  Didn't ask him what happens if they all answer at once.

[PacnGoNow]

5 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

All the TA's are in same boat.  Mine has told me he can have four phones going at once on hold.  Didn't ask him what happens if they all answer at once.

Mine gets all his Princess client’s bookings together and makes 1 call to do them all at once. 

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, PacnGoNow said:

Mine gets all his Princess client’s bookings together and makes 1 call to do them all at once. 

Yup.

[Tedferg]

2 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

 Didn't ask him what happens if they all answer at once.

A friend was on long hold with Lufthansa, daydreaming, listening to Muzik when he finally heard "Hello can I help you?" he had forgotten who he was calling - he said, " Oh, Oh, is this Luftwaffe" The agent laughed and said, " not quite sir" 🙂

 

[generichandle]

1 hour ago, Tedferg said:

A friend was on long hold with Lufthansa, daydreaming, listening to Muzik when he finally heard "Hello can I help you?" he had forgotten who he was calling - he said, " Oh, Oh, is this Luftwaffe" The agent laughed and said, " not quite sir" 🙂

 

LOL! Memorable.

[cjpj]

I always email my requests to my PVP and she makes the change and sends it to me. Sometimes she makes the change when I'm just asking for a price and tells me to let her know if I want to take it off. Sometimes I try phoning, but when your whole business day is on the phone, your not likely to connect. If I leave a voice message with what I want, same thing.  She'll respond almost immediately with the request. I did one time have to change some flights and wanted my PVP to do it, but somehow I ended up talking to someone and they did what I needed. Had to talk nice, because I wanted the airfare changed after final payment for my departure and return for no cost. I new exactly what I wanted, so I think that helped... made it easy for them.  Remember, the nicer you are to them; the nicer they are to you!

[Valiamo]

On 1/24/2022 at 9:44 PM, generichandle said:

Whereas my PVP has been abominable! I am tempted to give her name, so as to warn you away. I am NOT judging them all by HER, but it is harder to get one now than use one afterward. 

 

Note: That PERSON won't answer messages or e-mails. I do not even know if she is there anymore. Can someone here recommend a good one they use. If so, let me know and I will get you my e-mail. 

Does your PVP's name start with an "A"... she could be mine as well.    I have more success calling the PVP line, and pressing zero.   Wish I knew how to change PVP's.

Edited February 14, 2022 by Valiamo

[Ombud]

6 minutes ago, Valiamo said:

Does your PVP's name start with an "A"... she could be mine as well.    I have more success calling the PVP line, and pressing zero.   Wish I knew how to change PVP's.

Contact Customer Service to change PVPs. It needs a supervisor to sign off and I don't know of a different way to get their attention. 

 

(I was recently assigned to a new one [MR retired] and wanted someone else. No idea how satisfied I'll be with her but she responds fast. And resolved all issues so far inc over charge on last cruise's disembarkation tour)

[Coral]

On 1/25/2022 at 1:37 PM, Steelers36 said:

Familiar enough and don't need to wait on hold for two hours.

I think all agents are on hold with Princess, even those very familiar with Princess. There are too many people with odd situations right now that POLAR isn't cut and dry for them when making modifications.

 

They may not need to be on wait for creating bookings but there are some situations where they do need to call.

Edited February 14, 2022 by Coral

[pompeii]

We're very happy with our pvp.  I email or leave her a message and she always gets back to us promptly.  I asked her one time how to change pvps and this was her answer: 

 

"I am sorry to hear your friend is unhappy with her vacation planner, she can call our (800)901-1172 number and press 0 or stay on the line until our support agents answer and can request a new vacation planner and they will transfer them to our supervisors to be reassigned."

[billco]

10 hours ago, Valiamo said:

Does your PVP's name start with an "A"... she could be mine as well.    I have more success calling the PVP line, and pressing zero.   Wish I knew how to change PVP's.

My PVP's name started with an "A". I called the PVP line, pressed zero and asked for a new PVP. In just a few minutes I was speaking with my new PVP whose name begins with "M". She made some complicated changes to my bookings. I think I am going to like her.

[Sea Hag]

1 hour ago, billco said:

My PVP's name started with an "A". I called the PVP line, pressed zero and asked for a new PVP. In just a few minutes I was speaking with my new PVP whose name begins with "M". She made some complicated changes to my bookings. I think I am going to like her.

If you were assigned to my PVP, whose name begins with "M", you're going to love her. 

[generichandle]

12 hours ago, Valiamo said:

Does your PVP's name start with an "A"... she could be mine as well.    I have more success calling the PVP line, and pressing zero.   Wish I knew how to change PVP's.

No, her initials are BR. I do not even know if she is still there. That might explain, though even then she should inform clients of her departure. *shrug*

[generichandle]

43 minutes ago, Sea Hag said:

If you were assigned to my PVP, whose name begins with "M", you're going to love her. 

We want 'M'! We want 'M'!

[fawnie]

I will remember " M " We have "L' now bad , bad ,bad. I really hope she is not there any longer because she hasnt  responded to any emails or calls for months Nice to know about M😀

[MountainEER74]

Has anyone had pvp NM? Is she still aroumd? Sent her an email in 2020 that was not responded to and sent her one again 3 days ago with no response.

[san diego sue]

I had one who's name started with Br.  Really bad. Seemed friendly enough when I booked with her.

I was getting ready to cruise and had some questions and a problem that needed solving.

She didn't answer my emails or messages left by phone. After 3 days, a friend suggested hers and gave me her direct line. Wonderful  "D" took care of getting me changed over. The original person same day called me back. I think she may have gotten in trouble. I asked why she didn't respond to emails.

She said well I have over 500 emails and I am very busy with my customers. I told her "I thought I am a customer". Glad to be rid of her. She was so stupid in her response.