Booking advice

[vfb2girls]

For our first cruise I used an online booking agency to book our cruise and I have no complaints what so ever about my TA and the cruise itself. I am now in the process of booking our second cruise and was wondering what are the advantages of booking directly with Carnival? Does Carnvial contact you when and if your cruise drops down in price? Our tablemates from our cruise said that they always let Carnvial book their cruises so I figure I would ask and get some of you who are experts in this cruising business....thanks for any information.

[caribbean dreams]

If there is a price drop, just contact them, If you need something changed, it is way less of a hassle to go thru your PVP than a TA.

If for some reason you have to cancel, a PVP will refund the full amount, up until final payment is due, some TA's will keep your deposit or charge you a cancellation fee.

If you want to ask Carnival a question, you can't if you booked thru a TA, you have to ask the TA to contact Carnival about it.

PVP=less hassles.

[ginacc]

For our first cruise I used an online booking agency to book our cruise and I have no complaints what so ever about my TA and the cruise itself. I am now in the process of booking our second cruise and was wondering what are the advantages of booking directly with Carnival? Does Carnvial contact you when and if your cruise drops down in price? Our tablemates from our cruise said that they always let Carnvial book their cruises so I figure I would ask and get some of you who are experts in this cruising business....thanks for any information.

 

Just so you know, my aunt (the cruising expert) told me that she gets board credits when the price drops no matter who she books with. Sometimes she goes straight to the cruise line, but last year she booked through her Discover card, and when the price dropped she called Discover and they gave her board credits straight away!

 

I actually got a better price, plus a free shore excursion by booking through a cruise wholesale website. And the people I booked through were incredibly helpful and customer service oriented.

 

Do what you feel comfortable with.

[caribbean dreams]

Just so you know, my aunt (the cruising expert) told me that she gets board credits when the price drops no matter who she books with.

 

I guess shes has never gone thru Ex***** because they will not give any further discount, even if the price of the cruise drops, once you give your deposit, that is the price you pay.

 

OP, Ask before you book thru any online TA.

[janetz]

Depends on how hard your TA will go to bat for you. Last year after final payment, the price went down and we had an obc of 500.00. I doubt any Carnival PVP would alert you to it or give it to you. :)

[Kurbanfan]

I guess it's all how you look at it. I have always used a TA. Have always gotten price reduction or on board credit if the price goes down.

If I have any questions I just call her and have her deal with it. So that means less hassle for me.:)

[bluefintuna]

When we went on Liberty it was a group cruise, so we booked directly with Carnival (34 people). There was a lot of back and forth communication necessary, so that was the best way to book. When we booked Miracle (4 people) we booked thru Carnival, but I went into Cruise Compete and got a savings of $318 per couple with a higher deck. I transferred the booking with some hassle from Carnival, but definately worth it to us.

[sinknswimcard]

We booked through ex...... with this cruise (Legend July 22) I noticed a past cruiser special three months after booking.I called up ex......

and they were happy to discount the trip - saved us $600.

[Knights on the Beach]

I guess it's all how you look at it. I have always used a TA. Have always gotten price reduction or on board credit if the price goes down.

If I have any questions I just call her and have her deal with it. So that means less hassle for me.:)

Same here. We've used a great TA for our last several cruises and he's come through with the price reductions or upgrades (our choice) every time the price dropped. A coworker who books through a PVP told me her PVP "always" gives her a past guest discount and actually watches for price drops and adjusts her price automatically. I called her for a quote for our Triumph cruise -- just to see if she could really get a better price for us. My TA then beat the price and got us some good upgrades as well. I'll stick with him! ;)

[Sea Queen Cruiser]

We have booked both ways...TA and directly through cruise line. Perks seem to be better when booked with TA.

[pwopp]

We are using a carnival agent for our bookings. This is our 4th cruise and we get plenty of info from our guy Omar. By the way if anyone out there is a honorably discharged G.I. you can get a nice discount from carnival by faxing your DD214 paper to them. If you are married your spouse will also get the discount. It's well worth looking into. But yes I would always recommend getting with the cruise line versus using an outside travel agent. Good cruising everyone.

[kimandtim]

I think each case is different. I promised to let the Carnival agent who contacted me have a chance to match the price I got through *****. When I told her the price I was getting, she told me that she couldn't touch it. My cruise is a year away and my TA beat Carnival by $742.00. I would compare prices and decide based on that.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

If there is a price drop, just contact them, If you need something changed, it is way less of a hassle to go thru your PVP than a TA.

If for some reason you have to cancel, a PVP will refund the full amount, up until final payment is due, some TA's will keep your deposit or charge you a cancellation fee.

If you want to ask Carnival a question, you can't if you booked thru a TA, you have to ask the TA to contact Carnival about it.

PVP=less hassles.

 

I've heard of agencies charging cancellation fees but never heard of any agency ever keeping someones deposit if it was before final payment.

 

Do you know of this actually happening or is this something you heard?

 

Bill

[madge57]

My PVP is the best. She always looks out for me. When the price falls she will let me know and will give us obc or the reduces the rate which ever is best. She said its a pleasure in making us happy so we will come back.

[caribbean dreams]

I've heard of agencies charging cancellation fees but never heard of any agency ever keeping someones deposit if it was before final payment.

 

Do you know of this actually happening or is this something you heard?

 

Bill

 

 

I guess that just came out wrong, I was trying to say some will charge you a cancellation fee, as high as a deposit.

 

A friend cancelled his cruise and the company charged him $250 fee, that was equal to 1 of his deposits.

He booked 4 people, we went without them, he told us of this fee after we returned, he said it took a long time to get the rest back also.

(that part is hear say)

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I guess that just came out wrong, I was trying to say some will charge you a cancellation fee, as high as a deposit.

 

A friend cancelled his cruise and the company charged him $250 fee, that was equal to 1 of his deposits.

He booked 4 people, we went without them, he told us of this fee after we returned, he said it took a long time to get the rest back also.

(that part is hear say)

 

OK that sounds more believable. For newbies they can get caught up in that web. After you've cruised a little you should know enough to ask about such fees before plunking down your money.

 

Luckily my agent doesn't charge any fees and will lower my rates or get me OBC if after final payment. I change things around so much once i book I'd pay a bundle in fees if she had them.

 

Bill

[TortieGal]

We have yet to sail our first cruise (which I booked through Carnival website) but due to a price change, I first went to the PVP assigned to me to try and get the adjustment. She couldn't do anything but did tell me to call Carnival direct who took the adjustment.

 

With that being said, we have started to look into a second cruise and today I sent my PVP some questions about the past guest discount. She said that they weren't open for the timeframe we were looking at cruising but she said if we booked before she could apply them, she would go in and adjust the reservation as soon as they opened up.

 

Assuming Mom gets through this cruise with her motion sickness, we will probably go the PVP route for the next one.

 

Will keep everyone posted....!

Colleen