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Upset with email from PVP

flitter306

By flitter306,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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flitter306

flitter306

Posted
Posted

In December I called 888CARNIVAL and booked back-to-back cruises for our honeymoon later this year. I don't have a PVP to call my own - not because I don't want one, but there just hasn't been anyone that stood out and seemed to have an interest in helping me in the future. I've only booked one other cruise through Carnival directly.

 

Which brings me to this email. The PVP who assisted me a year ago in booking a cruise randomly emails me this week with the "One Day Sale" email. I haven't gotten a single email from him since my last cruise, so I was a little surprised. In any event, I wrote back to him and asked if he could check the rate for my upcoming cruises to see if it dropped and then I made sure to add him to my email contact list - thinking that I'd finally have my own PVP like the rest of you!

 

He writes back "I cannot discuss your current bookings with you since I did not make them. I will be happy to help you with your future cruises." Completely confused, I wrote him back and asked who could assist me and explained that I booked through Carnival directly and not a TA. He tells me to call 1-800-CARNIVAL.

 

Can someone please explain this to me? I know that if I booked through a TA that they couldn't help me, but why can't everyone at Carnival? Or does he just not want to help me because I didn't book through him?

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Wennfred

Wennfred

Posted
Posted
In December I called 888CARNIVAL and booked back-to-back cruises He tells me to call 1-800-CARNIVAL.

 

From what I gathered on Cruise Critic, both numbers are different, you need to call the 1-800-Carnival, I guess one is a PVP while the other is a CVP etc. He is probably right about calling the other number. Your confirmation Letter has the name of the person you booked with.

 

Call them and give them a try.

 

Fred

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kujobie

kujobie

Posted
Posted
In December I called 888CARNIVAL and booked back-to-back cruises for our honeymoon later this year. I don't have a PVP to call my own - not because I don't want one, but there just hasn't been anyone that stood out and seemed to have an interest in helping me in the future. I've only booked one other cruise through Carnival directly.

 

Which brings me to this email. The PVP who assisted me a year ago in booking a cruise randomly emails me this week with the "One Day Sale" email. I haven't gotten a single email from him since my last cruise, so I was a little surprised. In any event, I wrote back to him and asked if he could check the rate for my upcoming cruises to see if it dropped and then I made sure to add him to my email contact list - thinking that I'd finally have my own PVP like the rest of you!

 

He writes back "I cannot discuss your current bookings with you since I did not make them. I will be happy to help you with your future cruises." Completely confused, I wrote him back and asked who could assist me and explained that I booked through Carnival directly and not a TA. He tells me to call 1-800-CARNIVAL.

 

Can someone please explain this to me? I know that if I booked through a TA that they couldn't help me, but why can't everyone at Carnival? Or does he just not want to help me because I didn't book through him?

 

He doesn't want to help because you didn't book through him. Just call and ask your questions, anyone can help you, you don't have to talk to the person you booked with. This is one of the reasons I prefer to book with the on-line reps. If I have a question or issue, I want to call and get an answer. I don't want to leave a message or wait for an e-mail.

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Stircrzy

Stircrzy

Posted
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I booked a cruise a couple of months ago (I leave on Thursday...hurrah!) and was asked if I had spoken with a PVP or Travel Agent previously about this cruise I was trying to book.

 

She said they are now required to ask.

 

When I replied that I hadn't talked to anyone else in the travel industry she helped me out and got me booked.

 

I guess since it wasn't something I had already booked she could help me...and couldn't if I booked it with someone else. <shrug>

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luvz2cruz637

luvz2cruz637

Posted
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They Are 2 Different Things And If You Book With The 800 Number Unfortunatly They Have Have To Help You. Pvp's Can Only Help Peolpe That Have Booked Through Them Or A Pvp Who Is No Longer With The Company. Maybe He Should Have Explained That To You. No Need To Sweat Though, Just Call The 800 Number.

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flynrph

flynrph

Posted
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Ya know, now you guys got me thinking. Funny this topic shows up. I get this snail mail saying so and so is my Princess PVP. Then I get a call from this PVP. Wanting to help me with my next cruise. So I talk about a group cruise for 3 itineries for a group. The PVP tells me to pick one and they will get back to me with the pricing. When I called Carnival and RCI about 3 comparative cruises each, I got all the information I requested, on the first call, with enthusiasm. Not so with Princess.

So my point..... I'm wondering if these so called Princess PVP's work directly as an employee of Princess or are a commission basis only.

(Because the group said, "forget about Princess if they want to be stingy with information.")

Maybe I need a new PVP, or maybe I need to call Princess directly.

 

Whoops! My bad. I thought I was on the Princess board. Sorry, guys. Ignore this.

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GoinCruisin

GoinCruisin

Posted
Posted

That PVP isn't who you booked with... you need to just talk to someone at the 888 number. If you book through a PVP, they can assist you... he was just doing his job, not trying to be mean to you. But just so you know, most "sales" specify that they are for new bookings only... next time you book, you can always request a PVP

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cruzincurt

cruzincurt

Posted
Posted

Just curious, is a PVP someone sitting in their underwear in their home office who is working out of their home? My NCL PVP is located in Mesa, Arizona. That's nowhere near the NCL offices or water for that matter.

 

Perhaps these are "contract" employees working wherever there is a phone and a computer.

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GoinCruisin

GoinCruisin

Posted
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Just curious, is a PVP someone sitting in their underwear in their home office who is working out of their home? My NCL PVP is located in Mesa, Arizona. That's nowhere near the NCL offices or water for that matter.

 

Perhaps these are "contract" employees working wherever there is a phone and a computer.

 

My PVP is in Miami...

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zachnlucy

zachnlucy

Posted
Posted

I have never spoken with my PVP, Walter Anagost.... something. He does email me all the time about these one day offers that will never be offered again that I must book right away. Oh please. I usually go through an online TA, this time I booked direct with Carnival, at the 800 carnival #, then bid the booking out, got a price reduction through an online TA, Carnival wouldn't match it, transferred it. PVP, schmeeVP.

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cruisinjerseygirl

cruisinjerseygirl

Posted
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My PVP is also in Miami and she is in an office... this I know because i made a comment about how many hours she works and how accessible she is...she told me that her fiance said that once they get married she will have to work less hours therefore she is working the overtime now because when she gets married he wants her home at night to eat dinner with..so there is the answer on that...I never heard of what is going on with this situation with PVP or no PVP to get the sale thing but whatever...if you DO in fact need a great PVP like the rest of us let me know, I got mine through someone I met on our last cruise and I absolutely LOVE her!! She is very helpful and easy to work with and apparently always available...I have never waited more than a few hours to get a response from her about anything.

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imacruzinma

imacruzinma

Posted
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I too keep reading about wonderful Carnival Vacation Planners. I am on the mailing list for one guy who booked a trip for me 2 cruises ago and I continue to get his stuff. But honestly, whenever I call to ask him quotes, etc, I end up going somewhere else because he just doesn't seem to give me the warm fuzzies. For example, on Sunday morning I emailed him for some info and he (impressively for a Sunday morning) called me right back. I wasn't expecting him to be in the office on Sunday, so basically I was just fishing for some researched deals. Right then and there just started throwing numbers and cabin assignments at me with the "book it now due to the sale" pitch. Frankly, I was standing by the phone in my underwear and not quite prepared to grab my credit card and book a cruise!

 

Anyway, today I got in touch with one of the rep's at the Carnival Vacation Club who was absolutely wonderful and is going to do all sorts of research and get back to me. I will use CVC points, but am hoping to bring along cash customers who qualify for various other rates (military, seniors and interline!)...none of whom have actually committed to going, because they need pricing to decided. So anyway, I'm just looking for someone to make it easy and who can help me convince my friends and family that this would be a great deal. I think the lady at CVC will be my best bet over my mediocre PVP.

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flitter306

flitter306

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I don't have any problem calling the 800# and I have in fact done that over the last couple months and they were very helpful.

 

It's just confusing to me, the customer, why some employees can help and others can't. My first cruise I booked through a TA and found out the hard way that Carnival couldn't speak to me about that reservation. So then I think I'm doing the right thing booking directly with Carnival (based on my need to speak to a Carnival employee every moment I think I might get a better deal :), only to find out that there are restrictions there too.

 

I know it's not a big deal or anything, but you'd think that any customer-facing employee of Carnival's would be a little more helpful (i.e. immediately explaining that I would have to call the 800# instead of "I can't help cuz you didn't book with me.")

 

Either way, I'm going on back to back cruises so I'm happy :D

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GoinCruisin

GoinCruisin

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I don't have any problem calling the 800# and I have in fact done that over the last couple months and they were very helpful.

 

It's just confusing to me, the customer, why some employees can help and others can't. My first cruise I booked through a TA and found out the hard way that Carnival couldn't speak to me about that reservation. So then I think I'm doing the right thing booking directly with Carnival (based on my need to speak to a Carnival employee every moment I think I might get a better deal :), only to find out that there are restrictions there too.

 

I know it's not a big deal or anything, but you'd think that any customer-facing employee of Carnival's would be a little more helpful (i.e. immediately explaining that I would have to call the 800# instead of "I can't help cuz you didn't book with me.")

 

Either way, I'm going on back to back cruises so I'm happy :D

 

Perhaps (and this is no excuse) he was a little upset that you didn't book your cruise with him... but now you were asking for his help. Not an excuse, but I'm not sure what else he could have said. You chose not to book with him for whatever reason, so he was probably ready to move on to someone who would, or helping those that were already booked with him... sorry he wasn't more helpful.

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