Is travel agent's price almost always lower than PVP's?

[Tian]

The rate for 4a cabin on glory 11-17-2007 is currently at $649 + $66.66 other fee on Carnival site and from PVP.

Quote from a travel agent is as follows:

“1 inside cabin category 4A for 2PAX $1309.16

Your price includes all port charges and Government taxes.”

I have noticed that quotes from travel agents are quite similar. They are about the same price as price online but they all include port charges/tax/fee so you don’t have to pay the $66 tax/fee per person. For a family with 2 cabins, this is a saving of >$200. So is travel agent’s rate significantly lower than calling PVP or book online? Am I wrong? Please enlighten me. Thanks much!

[alexieb]

I booked through a PVP and when I got my bill I was charged for the per person cabin charge and the applicable taxes. That's it. I dont know what type of "fee" you are referring to because there was none for me and the four other people travelling with me.

[BND]

No, if anything you will pay more to a TA who does tack on a fee for processing your reservation and that fee is nonreundable. It is possible the quote on the TA site is old. Or what's called a "teaser rate" to get you "in the door" and they convince you to upgrade and/or you'll discover that particular rate was on one or two cabins that have since sold. I have used both a TA and PVP. Our TA normally charges a fee, but waived ours because they do the travel for my DH's company and dont' charge the employees a fee for personal travel as a perk.

[kristikae]

That is not true. A TA can give you a lower price than a PVP can any time because they can discount their commission. A PVP cannot discount the fares. All they can do is look at which fare codes are available and give you the lowest one. The same fare codes are available to TA's as PVP's can get.

 

Not all TA's tack on fees. I never charge a booking fee or a cancellation fee and before I was a TA I have never booked with someone who did. It was something I always asked and if they did, I found someone else.

[smrn]

I have always received a cheaper rate through a TA because she does cut a portion of her commision.

I guess it just depends on the TA.

[Knights on the Beach]

I totally agree with Kristi. We always book with a TA. After hearing people say they've gotten a better price/upgrade using a PVP, I called one who was highly recommended by a friend. After getting the price from the PVP, I called my TA. He not only got us a better upgrade, but a lower price as well. I will stick with him!

[heymom32000]

Our PVP went to his supervisor about helping us with the military discount thing and got us a better deal than anyone else could have. So sometimes your PVP will get you lower rates. I checked with TAs and PVP for my parents and aunt's rates but everyone was the same no matter what. So we went ahead and just had them book with our PVP.

 

Ours is the cost of the cruise plus port fees. The added is taxes which for our cruise is $58.

[Tian]

Thank you all for sharing your experience in booking with me. I will do my research and hopefully report which one i finally book our cruise with, TA or PVP, in the near future.

[texasnana]

my last experience with a travel agent is that she looked on the computer andtold me the rate.. which was 100 higher then Carinival rate. I then asked about past discounts and she told me that when we book the cruise she can ask but she did not know if i would get it. She did not call then and ask she kinda of brushed me out. I told her i would think about it playing dumb, and she said fine..She never asked my name or phone number to call me etc.. She lost my business.

[kristikae]

my last experience with a travel agent is that she looked on the computer andtold me the rate.. which was 100 higher then Carinival rate. I then asked about past discounts and she told me that when we book the cruise she can ask but she did not know if i would get it. She did not call then and ask she kinda of brushed me out. I told her i would think about it playing dumb, and she said fine..She never asked my name or phone number to call me etc.. She lost my business.

 

Sounds like you made a smart move! When a TA books a cruise all of the rate codes available for the sailing are listed right in front of them. She didn't have to wait to ask when you booked! She would have been able to see it at that time. Past guest discounts aren't available on all sailings but if there was one offered on your sailing she would have known about it right then.

[firefly333]

my last experience with a travel agent is that she looked on the computer andtold me the rate.. which was 100 higher then Carinival rate. I then asked about past discounts and she told me that when we book the cruise she can ask but she did not know if i would get it. She did not call then and ask she kinda of brushed me out. I told her i would think about it playing dumb, and she said fine..She never asked my name or phone number to call me etc.. She lost my business.

 

I had gone thru something similar with a TA in Florida that a group used. The prices were way too high, but I stuck with the reservation to stay with the group. I contacted her after the cruise for a quote on Norweigan and she gave me a quote higher than I could have gotten directly from Norweigan even though I asked for the cheapest quote she could give me. We went back and forth and I finally just said no thanks. I dont understand a TA giving quotes significantly more than you could get the same cruise from the cruiseline direct.

 

Iv got a deposit now thru a PVP and from what Iv read here, wait until closer to the date of the cruise and then shop around for a TA quote and see if I can get it discounted? Go to the compete site as well? Never used them, but they cant be any more than full price you would think.

[alphakitty]

I thought a TA discounted their commission was a no-no for them??? I am under the impression that Carnival doesn't allow TA's to discount the price of the cruise in any way.

[kristikae]

Carnival does allow TA's to discount their commission. They just aren't allowed to advertise a discounted price. RCI and Celebrity don't allow TA's to discount their commission though most have found a way around this.

[mc'smom]

The Only way a TA can discount a cabin onn RCI is if they are an occupant of the cabin and the term is waiving thier commission.

[Ceece911]

Well, I don't know how they did it, but DH and I saved a little over $300 by booking with a TA instead of Carnival. I tried to get the same rate with a PVP, but they said it was nothing they could do. I will use a TA from now on.

[Mumof2]

We used that competing website to save about $500 off Carnival's price for two cabins. The TA has group space and a discount. It pays to shop around...that website is great!

[RjayB]

Apparently this is another one of those topics that boils down to "your mileage may vary." Some people are able to get cheaper deals through TA's, whether through group rates, discouted commissions, or whatever...while others (like me) are never able to find a better deal than the PVP offers.

 

I love my PVP, so I am sticking with her :) I have never been able to find a cheaper deal online.

[caribbean dreams]

Carnival does allow TA's to discount their commission. They just aren't allowed to advertise a discounted price. .

 

Correct, my TA always gives my a past guest discount for booking thru his company again, that is taken from his commission, then if Carnival has any past guest discount specials for that sailing, i will get it also, he also always handles our Military discount and keeps a copy of our DD214 just in case it is asked for again.

[SM2]

Even if the rate is the same the TA gives me free insurance.

[bearette]

I have used a ta and booked directly through the cruiseline. It depends on the sailing what you may get. Sometimes ta's get deals for a particular sailing that you can't get through the cruiseline directly. i would recommend when you are interested in a cruise check the price on the cruiseline's site and then over the phone to see what the standard price is for that sailing. Then check with a few ta's and online agencies and pick the one that has the best price and service. Always check what the cancellation policy is for that travel agency too in case you do have to cancel and if they charge any fees for booking the trip for you. Sometimes paying the booking fee will get you a better discount (happened to me once) so just because they charge a fee doesn't mean they won't have good prices. The moral of the story is check eveything!

[CaptainEdwardJohnSmith]

I'll bite on this one.

Just my opinion: We have booked countless cruises thru PVPs, Cruise Consultants, B&M Travel Agents, Internet Travel Agents, directly with cruise lines over the phone, directly with cruiselines thru their websites....

We have just under 50 cruises under our belts and I can say with all confidence that there is :

NO HARD AND FAST RULE

We are NOT loyal to any cruiseline nor are we loyal to any travel agency. We have been pleasantly surpised with extremely low rates we have paid by booking directly with the cruiselines and have also been blown away by some really inexpensive deals that we have gotten thru one particular travel agency/online site who seem to get exclusive pricing and we just do not find anywhere else. Example: February 07 Mexican Riviera 8-day cruise on the Carnival Spirit: Carnival Returning Guest/Resident Rate for cat 6A $569.00 (includes port charges but does not include govt taxes/fees) while the same exact thing we found thru this travel agency for $349 I believe it was, all-inclusive of port charges/govt taxes/fees.

 

And believe me, I am no big fan of travel agencies but the truth is the truth.

 

Bottom line: Shop around for the cruise you are interested in. Make it your daily ritual to scan the various websites like the plague.............I go thru all the popular ones plus some of the not-so-popular ones.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

Happy cruising everyone :)

[cadburysmom]

I know this is a dumb question but what is a PVP?

[caribbean dreams]

I know this is a dumb question but what is a PVP?

 

 

"Personal Vacation planner", they are like Carnivals own personal travel agents, you will book with them when you call Carnival direct.

[sa7776]

TA's often have rooms that they have "held" at group rates. These rates are often lower than the published rates. This also allows the TA to offer you the same amenities they are offering the group. Also, sometimes special discounts will not show up online (resident rates, PP rates, senior rates) even if you indicate you are eligible for them.

[5String]

...We have booked countless cruises...

We have just under 50 cruises under our belts...

 

You stated you can't count 'em then went and counted 'em. I'm sooo confused. Got a little too much salt air in yer lungs eh Cap'n?

 

Sorry. Couldn't resist.:D