Best way to book on Princess

[ChrisB123]

I've always booked my Princess cruises on their web site. Someone told me you get a better deal or "gift," if you book via a Cruise Consultant or a Travel Agent. What has been your experience?  We will be going with a couple of Newbies and trying to teach them to ropes. 🤭

[wineforhealth]

7 minutes ago, ChrisB123 said:

I've always booked my Princess cruises on their web site. Someone told me you get a better deal or "gift," if you book via a Cruise Consultant or a Travel Agent. What has been your experience?  We will be going with a couple of Newbies and trying to teach them to ropes. 🤭

First before your friends book a Princess cruise registered them both on the Princess web site and you will get some onboard credit.

 

I just use the Princess web site and also have been assigned a Princess Vacation Planner. So I can control my own booking.

 

everyone one has their own method 

 

Happy Cruising

[Coral]

I book with a Travel Agent for their expertise and their savings. Plus - my TA is super responsive as opposed to calling Princess which takes forever nowadays.

[hpeabody]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

I book with a Travel Agent for their expertise and their savings. Plus - my TA is super responsive as opposed to calling Princess which takes forever nowadays.

I agree with Coral and that is my experience as well.  My TA in PA is quite well known here. 

I do the research leading up to booking, I book on the Princess website.  There is a time limit now to turn the booking over to your TA, I believe 60 days.  I don't turn it over until near the deadline in case I want to make changes that I could not if it has been turned over.  There is a form required to do the turn over, my TA does the form for me.  I always book my own air, usually Princess EZAir. There are times I do call Princess reservations with allowable questions and customer relations when needed.  A good TA will always take care of you and mine does.

[Coral]

9 minutes ago, hpeabody said:

I agree with Coral and that is my experience as well.  My TA in PA is quite well known here. 

 

My TA is in PA also! Coincidence 🙂 

[hpeabody]

23 hours ago, Coral said:

My TA is in PA also! Coincidence 🙂 

Hmmmmm, I think we likely have the same TA 🙂

[pris993]

I have been booking direct, by calling Princess now for years.  I check the website for cabin number I want and call and request it.  Sometimes book on board a ship.  Always monitor booking for price reduction and request cheaper booking price by calling Princess.  I don't use a cruise consultant.  Don't need one. 

[Steelers36]

On 5/16/2022 at 7:15 PM, ChrisB123 said:

I've always booked my Princess cruises on their web site. Someone told me you get a better deal or "gift," if you book via a Cruise Consultant or a Travel Agent. What has been your experience?  We will be going with a couple of Newbies and trying to teach them to ropes. 🤭

While it is true you don't need a CVP at Princess nor an independent TA, it seems apparent if you happen to get a good CVP, they can be of great benefit in cutting through some red tape at times.  Note that I wrote "if you happen to get a good one".  I read both ends of the scale here - CVP's people die for and others they cannot stand due to lack of service and communication.

 

Now, the same can be said of your typical TA.  Some may not be very experienced with Princess, or even cruising, so they aren't adding much value.  Some folks like dealing with the Big Box warehouse type of agency, but as I understand it, you don't deal with a particular person most of the time and service is more generic and less personal.  

 

Many larger agencies and volume TA's give discounts off the fare.  IMO, the best situation is to get a cash discount off the fare.  Some agencies send out a gift card after the fact or give store credit. 

 

I seek out a TA that both provides good service and a great discount.  You may get the service with a Princess CVP, but not the cash discounts.  You want to find an agent who is giving more than 10% off the commissionable fare base.  Pre-Covid, I was getting 15% all the time, but now is 12% - still the best you are going to find out there.  

 

If you are interested in finding an agent, but don't have time before you book, try out a Princess CVP and see how they work.  You can ask around with fellow cruisers when you do sail and maybe you will get good referral.  Another option is to book with Princess now, as you have 60 days to transfer to a TA, and then shop around on internet for a TA that will compete for your business.  These days, we can also find customer ratings on most businesses, so try that route. 

 

PS - As stated above, make sure you create a business referral for your friends BEFORE they make a booking and Princess will give you both some OBC - not huge but $25/each is worth a dinner cover in Sabatini's and almost a cover at the Crown Grill.

 

 

[billco]

On 5/16/2022 at 9:46 PM, Coral said:

My TA is in PA also! Coincidence 🙂 

I think my ex TA from PA is the one everyone is taking about. I use a PVP now and I’m very happy with her 

Edited May 18, 2022 by billco

[voljeep]

31 minutes ago, billco said:

I think my ex TA from PA is the one everyone is taking about. I use a PVP now and I’m very happy with her 

curious - why did you switch from "that TA" that 'everyone' raves about the service and discounts, not obc?

[ontheweb]

We book with a TA. Princess is a cruise line that allows TAs to discount the price. Also, we have booked where he has a group rate as he reserved cabins.

 

TAs are not allowed to publish on their website their discounted fare, but you can learn the less expensive fare by calling.

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, voljeep said:

curious - why did you switch from "that TA" that 'everyone' raves about the service and discounts, not OBC?

Her discounts are okay, but not that great IMO.  Perhaps depends on if you give her a LOT of business - or book the more expensive cabins.  She got a lot of referrals through Cruise Critic interestingly, but maybe quite a few happened before the policy - IDK, but I don't think so.  

[Bgwest]

5 hours ago, nini said:

Actually, it was Princess who told them they could NOT do that! So, they offered the cash card to get around the issue.

So I heard.  Nevertheless, the end result is the same. 

[donaldsc]

If you can find a good TA and this is the important qualifier, I think that it is always better to book w a TA.  Once you find a good TA, don't spend all your time trying to find another one that will save you a few bucks.  A good TA is worth their weight in gold.

 

DON

[caribill]

One important difference between booking with Princess or with a TA is that if you have a problem with Princess, a TA can be your advocate to getting it resolved whereas a Princess Agent is representing the company you are having a problem with and may not be a good advocate for you.

 

Also, these days one can wait on hold a very long time when needing to speak with someone at Princess who might transfer you to another person and then have another long wait. If you use a TA, you do not have to do that waiting.

[PacnGoNow]

2 hours ago, caribill said:

One important difference between booking with Princess or with a TA is that if you have a problem with Princess, a TA can be your advocate to getting it resolved whereas a Princess Agent is representing the company you are having a problem with and may not be a good advocate for you.

 

Also, these days one can wait on hold a very long time when needing to speak with someone at Princess who might transfer you to another person and then have another long wait. If you use a TA, you do not have to do that waiting.

On the other hand, a TA can’t do a refare n most cases.  Whereas, Princess or your CVP can refare or reprice when the price drops after final pymt.  Happened to me many times.  😞

[pompeii]

17 hours ago, billco said:

I think my ex TA from PA is the one everyone is taking about. I use a PVP now and I’m very happy with her 

Funny, she is my "ex TA" as well.  After a less-than-stellar experience with that TA a few years ago, I started using my PVP and have never looked back.

[Mary loves to travel]

We’re very happy with our PVP/CVP also.   A quick email to her and everything is resolved to my satisfaction, with no one waiting on hold for hours.  
 

Mary

[Gretchendz]

On 5/19/2022 at 6:02 AM, PacnGoNow said:

On the other hand, a TA can’t do a refare n most cases.  Whereas, Princess or your CVP can refare or reprice when the price drops after final pymt.  Happened to me many times.  😞

 

Not true--TAs can refare and rebook!  In fact Princess recently changed their TA system to make it easier.

Edited May 22, 2022 by Gretchendz

[PacnGoNow]

15 minutes ago, Gretchendz said:

 

Not true--TAs can refare and rebook!  In fact Princess recently changed their TA system to make it easier.

That’s good to know,.  I’m glad it worked for you.
 

This year, I tried to refare 6 different cruises after final payment.  PCL refused to refare all of them for my agent, who held for 3 hours on the phone.

 

One I booked on Monday and paid it in full.  It went down on Wednesday and they would not refare it.  
 

But, I will keep trying or just go through my CVP.

[caribill]

57 minutes ago, Gretchendz said:

 

Not true--TAs can refare and rebook! 

 

Including after final payment?

[Gretchendz]

6 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

Including after final payment?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no--depends on Princess's rules for that fare.

 

No doubt it is tougher after final payment, but sometimes possible.

Edited May 22, 2022 by Gretchendz

[Ombud]

On 5/16/2022 at 4:15 PM, ChrisB123 said:

I've always booked my Princess cruises on their web site. Someone told me you get a better deal or "gift," if you book via a Cruise Consultant or a Travel Agent. What has been your experience?  We will be going with a couple of Newbies and trying to teach them to ropes. 🤭

IMHO that is the worst way because you cannot see all the fares. TA vs CVP can be about the same with good ones. Do you want more onboard credit or a lower price? Do you want to renegotiate a flight mid journey yourself or have someone take over the stress of that? 

 

FWIW I'm all about the lower bottom line and 2 of my future cruise prices have never shown up on the website.