Ok Newbie with a booking ?. Best ways to book?

[fllady61]

precicesly why using a TA does not save. If they are giving you the same price, they why bother. I don't care what anyone says Most TA's especially small companies charge a fee. how much in port cost and tax does your TA charge?????? That is where they get their fee. I know by now what port cost and tax is for the cruise, if it is more than 60$ they charge you for port cost and tax, that is your hidden fee they are charging.

[firefly333]

precicesly why using a TA does not save. If they are giving you the same price, they why bother. I don't care what anyone says Most TA's especially small companies charge a fee. how much in port cost and tax does your TA charge?????? That is where they get their fee. I know by now what port cost and tax is for the cruise, if it is more than 60$ they charge you for port cost and tax, that is your hidden fee they are charging.

 

Port fees run a little over $50 per port. The price on the Carnival site INCLUDES port fees, but not govt taxes.

 

Unless it is a cruise to one port, I can guarantee you the port charges are taxes will be more than $60.

 

Its true that sometimes a TA will break down the cruise and break out port charges, but it should still add up the same.

 

Personally I have 3 cruises booked with a PVP and before final payment I will transfer them to a TA. I do it this way so my PVP gets her credit and then a TA can get the commission and she will throw a little my way. I will not be paying extra either. I always check the math.

 

I did use a TA to book my first Conquest and then changed my mind and she was upset with me so now I book first with a PVP and then transfer it. Im also using a new TA because my TA made it uncomfortable to call her if I had to change.

 

Best of both worlds. My PVP doesnt seem very knowledgeable, but she never makes me feel like Im wasting her time, she is always nice and friendly. My next Carnival cruise has already gone up twice, so Im glad I locked in the price ahead of time.

 

I would never use a TA who was charging me extra. Shop around. It sounds like things have changed in the last 10 years since you used a TA last.

[3rdshiftkustoms]

Wow my post blew up!!

 

Thanks for all the great info. The MIL comments about jumping ship pushing over etc.. were hilarious. My MIL is a great person, and sides with me a lot when my wifes calls her to complain about me. Woo Hoo!!

 

My whole reason for asking this b/c I want to do something special and different for my family for Christmas. Something they are gonna remember better than clothes and toys etc... I am just trying to figure out how I will get the best deal on a cruise so I know where to start planning. I will not be able to book it quite yet, but plan to by summers end if funds will allow.

 

Its either this or Disney World over Christmas. Which ever one I do will actually be a surprise present this year for next Christmas.

 

Oh and I am welcome to use my companies TA anytime so I am planning on calling her up and getting prices and options from her. She swindles some pretty good deals from time to time. On our cruise in OCT we what was explained to me as an awesome deal. 50.00 per person credit on the S&S and 4a rooms for I think like 239.00 a person. Of course that is a group of I think 26 people going.

 

Thanks

Ricky

[MszKitty]

precicesly why using a TA does not save. If they are giving you the same price, they why bother. I don't care what anyone says Most TA's especially small companies charge a fee. how much in port cost and tax does your TA charge?????? That is where they get their fee. I know by now what port cost and tax is for the cruise, if it is more than 60$ they charge you for port cost and tax, that is your hidden fee they are charging.

 

I'm sorry...but you don't have a clue what you are talking about! Port charges and taxes are set by the cruiseline and the government. They are the same whether you book with a cruiseline rep or a TA. A TA does not charge more for port charges or taxes. (and if they do, they are the ones to stay away from because they are doing something underhanded.) And port charges and taxes are set according the itinerary and number of ports. There is no set $60 tax rate. Some cruises (3 day cruises for example) only charge anywhere from $24-26 taxes. Longer cruises charge more.

 

No one is saying that using a TA always saves you money. We are saying booking it thru the cruiseline does not save you money. You pay the same no matter who you go thru.

 

Actually...thats not entirely true. Take this example: A TA set up a group. She booked it when the rates were lower. Time passes and rates go up. Because the TA got her group space before the prices went up, she now has a little bit better deal than the cruiseline because they now have to charge you the going rate.

 

So, yes, in some situations using a TA can save you money. But you will never get a better deal from the cruiseline as you do from a reputable and knowledgeable TA

[fllady61]

Port fees run a little over $50 per port. The price on the Carnival site INCLUDES port fees, but not govt taxes.

 

Unless it is a cruise to one port, I can guarantee you the port charges are taxes will be more than $60.

 

Its true that sometimes a TA will break down the cruise and break out port charges, but it should still add up the same.

 

Personally I have 3 cruises booked with a PVP and before final payment I will transfer them to a TA. I do it this way so my PVP gets her credit and then a TA can get the commission and she will throw a little my way. I will not be paying extra either. I always check the math.

 

I did use a TA to book my first Conquest and then changed my mind and she was upset with me so now I book first with a PVP and then transfer it. Im also using a new TA because my TA made it uncomfortable to call her if I had to change.

 

Best of both worlds. My PVP doesnt seem very knowledgeable, but she never makes me feel like Im wasting her time, she is always nice and friendly. My next Carnival cruise has already gone up twice, so Im glad I locked in the price ahead of time.

 

I would never use a TA who was charging me extra. Shop around. It sounds like things have changed in the last 10 years since you used a TA last.

 

 

You know with me, it is like a bad glass of wine. Once you taste bitter wine, you lose your taste for that brand. I got a bitter taste for TA's so I don't use them. Oh and by the way my first cruise 4 yr ago, i did go to a TA to start. A cruise for 2 was going to cost me and my new DH was going to be nearly 700$. Went stright through the company and it was 549$ for the two of us. So there is that bad wine taste again. The PVP i had then i could not get ahold of, so last year we found a good one. He gives me better deals than I find on line even.

[MszKitty]

You know with me, it is like a bad glass of wine. Once you taste bitter wine, you lose your taste for that brand. I got a bitter taste for TA's so I don't use them. Oh and by the way my first cruise 4 yr ago, i did go to a TA to start. A cruise for 2 was going to cost me and my new DH was going to be nearly 700$. Went stright through the company and it was 549$ for the two of us. So there is that bad wine taste again. The PVP i had then i could not get ahold of, so last year we found a good one. He gives me better deals than I find on line even.

 

And that's totally fine. Just know that there ARE good TA's out there. You've had bad experiences so its understandable that you don't want to use a TA. My only objection to what you are posting is that you are misinformed and therefore passing on misinformation about how pricing, port charges, taxes, etc, work. Just know what you are talking about before making false statements.

[bigphilky]

Wow my post blew up!!

 

Thanks for all the great info. The MIL comments about jumping ship pushing over etc.. were hilarious. My MIL is a great person, and sides with me a lot when my wifes calls her to complain about me. Woo Hoo!!

 

My whole reason for asking this b/c I want to do something special and different for my family for Christmas. Something they are gonna remember better than clothes and toys etc... I am just trying to figure out how I will get the best deal on a cruise so I know where to start planning. I will not be able to book it quite yet, but plan to by summers end if funds will allow.

 

Its either this or Disney World over Christmas. Which ever one I do will actually be a surprise present this year for next Christmas.

 

Oh and I am welcome to use my companies TA anytime so I am planning on calling her up and getting prices and options from her. She swindles some pretty good deals from time to time. On our cruise in OCT we what was explained to me as an awesome deal. 50.00 per person credit on the S&S and 4a rooms for I think like 239.00 a person. Of course that is a group of I think 26 people going.

 

Thanks

Ricky

 

Tough choice between Disney and a Cruise! Disney is great during Crhistmas. I am a certified Disney "FANATIC" thats why I am a Disney Vacation Club Member. If your kids haven't been to Disney? WOW! That would be a really hard choice for me. Good LUCK!

[bigphilky]

I use a CVP...you can email me for her extension if you'd like.

I have never gotten a better deal then from Carnival directly.

 

I do all the research, call all the TA's, search the web and I call her. She has never had a problem matching anything. Plus, the Carnival Supervisors are right there, not like a PVP who works from home.

 

She can always tell me about the cabins, look up what is near me, such as laundry, etc. I have never been steered wrong or talked into any cabin that wasn't good!

 

I was curious if the PVP's worked from home or in an Office so I asked mine. She works in miami @ Carnival HQ's. I also asked her how many cruises she had been on? 4 not all on Carnival. She had just returned from her honeymoon cruise (carnival). Somone posted something about the pvp's not ever having been on a cruise. That Isn't quite accurate either!

 

I had even inquired about a group cruise thru a Carnival group planner. Without telling my PVP. My PVP called me and said she could help me with group plans also. (something I didn't know) I was impressed that she was actually looking out for "her" people.

 

I appreciate people that can remember yuor voice, your face and immediately put a name too it. After just 2 phone calls about a month apart she recognizes my voice, calls me by name and has all my booking info without me giving her anything! I was very impressed!

[fllady61]

I was curious if the PVP's worked from home or in an Office so I asked mine. She works in miami @ Carnival HQ's. I also asked her how many cruises she had been on? 4 not all on Carnival. She had just returned from her honeymoon cruise (carnival). Somone posted something about the pvp's not ever having been on a cruise. That Isn't quite accurate either!

 

I had even inquired about a group cruise thru a Carnival group planner. Without telling my PVP. My PVP called me and said she could help me with group plans also. (something I didn't know) I was impressed that she was actually looking out for "her" people.

 

I appreciate people that can remember yuor voice, your face and immediately put a name too it. After just 2 phone calls about a month apart she recognizes my voice, calls me by name and has all my booking info without me giving her anything! I was very impressed!

 

That is what is so great with a PVP. My pvp has been on a lot of cruises. It is the main vacation he does with his family. Not all on carnival. 7 dayers he goes on another line, short cruises, he does on carnival. I like the fact that he knows my name and calls me by my first name and not Mrs. so and so. I email him, He calls within 2 hours.

 

I did not mean to give anyone a bad impression. But when you get burned,, you tend to stear away from those circumstances. I just know what I was told, and how much more they wanted to charge me. Again, I guess they took me as a sucker or something. But I find it hard to deal with someone when they don't want to remember from one minute to the next why I am there. IE.... i walked in, asked for flight information. She started looking it up. Got a phone call which lasted an unsual 20 min with a client sitting in front of her, then turned to me and now what are you here for. Happened with 4 different ta's, so I AM NOT SAYING ALL ARE LIKE THIS, but again, the old wine statement.

[bigphilky]

That is what is so great with a PVP. My pvp has been on a lot of cruises. It is the main vacation he does with his family. Not all on carnival. 7 dayers he goes on another line, short cruises, he does on carnival. I like the fact that he knows my name and calls me by my first name and not Mrs. so and so. I email him, He calls within 2 hours.

 

I did not mean to give anyone a bad impression. But when you get burned,, you tend to stear away from those circumstances. I just know what I was told, and how much more they wanted to charge me. Again, I guess they took me as a sucker or something. But I find it hard to deal with someone when they don't want to remember from one minute to the next why I am there. IE.... i walked in, asked for flight information. She started looking it up. Got a phone call which lasted an unsual 20 min with a client sitting in front of her, then turned to me and now what are you here for. Happened with 4 different ta's, so I AM NOT SAYING ALL ARE LIKE THIS, but again, the old wine statement.

 

 

It is funny I should run across this thread. Reason being, I had just inquired about becoming a TA and working from Home, for a little extra cash. Good to hear the things people like and dislike before i actually make a decision.

[firefly333]

It is funny I should run across this thread. Reason being, I had just inquired about becoming a TA and working from Home, for a little extra cash. Good to hear the things people like and dislike before i actually make a decision.

 

Iv been to TAs like that when I was doing a little day cruisin' 13 or so years ago. The age of the internet has changed a lot of things. Yes, I can remember going in like a doctor's office and waiting to book a flight or ask about a cruise.

 

The fact is things HAVE changed .... thank goodness. With the internet so much more communication about prices and no one gets by with hidden fees. I do remeber those days of walk in travel agencies. I hear a lot of them have gone under.