PVP vs TA

[Juligan]

I've figured out that PVP is the Carnival customer service, but what exactly do the letters PVP stand for?

 

Now to my main question...

 

Why would I choose a PVP over a TA, or visa versa? Please share which you use and why.

 

TIA

[PINEVIEW01]

PVP - Personal Vacation Planner

TA - Travel Agent

 

Travel Agents can offer a lower price than a PVP

Booking with a PVP can give you options on the web site and can be a control issue.

[afcj1]

I've figured out that PVP is the Carnival customer service, but what exactly do the letters PVP stand for?

 

Now to my main question...

 

Why would I choose a PVP over a TA, or visa versa? Please share which you use and why.

 

TIA

 

PVP = Personnel Vacation Planner

 

There are several differences between the 2 and many on these boards use 1 or the other for more personal reasons then anything. I believe the primary reason to use a PVP is to have a "direct" link to CCL and 24/7 service, if necessary. A TA may be able to offer better pricing and different promos, that CCL is unable to offer.

I'm sure you'll get a lot more answers, so hang tight.

[dan40]

TA, better prices and help with any cruiseline, not just Carnival. PVP offers nothing in comparison. Need info 24/7? [WHY?]. Well just call Carnival and ask your question of anybody that answers the phone. Just don't tell them you're booked with a TA. Thinking you MUST have emergency information about your specific booking is just paranoia. General questions that you have a burning need to be answered can be done by anybody. But remember the Carnival answers are always questionable. I'll trust the independent businessman/woman over the hourly clerk any day.

 

Those that have a good PVP, stick with them. Unless you ever might want to try another line someday.

 

I think its silly to book with a PVP and pay the same OR HIGHER price. Carnival pays no commission to the TA or to the PVP, but they DO NOT pass it on to you. The TA gets paid by Carnival and sometimes shares a bit of the commish with you.

 

 

 

Dan

[trutojc]

My PVP use to work for Carnival. When he quit I quit and he took all my bookings that I booked with him when he worked for Carnival with him now he is my travel agent and has lowered my price on all my cruises. He took away all my fuel surcharges, I have been working with him for over 3 years now. He was a awsome PVP anything I needed he tried. Now that he is a TA anything I need he does his best usually 97.9% of the time he will make it happen. :D

[dragonflymy2000]

my PVP is awesome and has offered better service than when i have used a TA.....he has a list of where i want to go and keeps an eye out for bargins, and i have gotten some great deals ...also he has been great at answering any questions i have and helping select awesome staterooms, he actually met us at the Port of Miami last cruise and it was great...ill stick with my PVP

[Ladyvdr]

My travel agent is a long time friend of the family, so if I really needed her 24/7 she is there.

 

I get the same pricing from her that Carnival offers. On my last cruise she also gave DH and I one bottle of white wine, 1 bottle of red wine, chocolate covered strawberries, and a $50 on board credit.

 

I doubt a PVP would do that.

[Pitboss32]

TA, better prices and help with any cruiseline, not just Carnival. PVP offers nothing in comparison. Need info 24/7? [WHY?]. Well just call Carnival and ask your question of anybody that answers the phone. Just don't tell them you're booked with a TA. Thinking you MUST have emergency information about your specific booking is just paranoia. General questions that you have a burning need to be answered can be done by anybody. But remember the Carnival answers are always questionable. I'll trust the independent businessman/woman over the hourly clerk any day.

 

Those that have a good PVP, stick with them. Unless you ever might want to try another line someday.

 

I think its silly to book with a PVP and pay the same OR HIGHER price. Carnival pays no commission to the TA or to the PVP, but they DO NOT pass it on to you. The TA gets paid by Carnival and sometimes shares a bit of the commish with you.

 

 

 

Dan

 

Dan,

 

Not that is matters, but I have always tended to agree with 99.9% of your posts. That being said, everytime a thread pops up about a PVP you always call them "hourly clerks" or something along the lines of being a clerk. You would be suprised at what some of those "clerks" you refer to make. PVP's are also not hourly personel.

 

I really don't understand your last paragraph. You are saying that TA's don't get paid a commision? Most get around 16% of the cruise price. It's true that PVP's don't get a "commision" either, therefore PVP's have no "commision" to pass along to the customer. PVP's are not in competition with TA's. That is why when you call up they will ask if you are working with a TA. If you are, they can only answer general questions and then will end the call. I'm sure you will get varying answers to some questions, like this site is any better for getting the correct answers all the time too.

 

I would have thought with all the great/accurate information you have provided people in the past, you would have a better understanding of just what a PVP "really" is.

[dan40]

Dan,

 

Not that is matters, but I have always tended to agree with 99.9% of your posts. That being said, everytime a thread pops up about a PVP you always call them "hourly clerks" or something along the lines of being a clerk. You would be suprised at what some of those "clerks" you refer to make. PVP's are also not hourly personel.

 

I really don't understand your last paragraph. You are saying that TA's don't get paid a commision? Most get around 16% of the cruise price. It's true that PVP's don't get a "commision" either, therefore PVP's have no "commision" to pass along to the customer. PVP's are not in competition with TA's. That is why when you call up they will ask if you are working with a TA. If you are, they can only answer general questions and then will end the call. I'm sure you will get varying answers to some questions, like this site is any better for getting the correct answers all the time too.

 

I would have thought with all the great/accurate information you have provided people in the past, you would have a better understanding of just what a PVP "really" is.

 

Perhaps sloppy writing on my part. I meant a TA gets no commish when anyone books with Carnival instead of a TA. Assume you are correct about the 16% and a $1000. cruise fare [no tax or non-commissionable fees in that figure]

 

Book with TA:

TA keeps $160, sends $840.00 to Carnival [or credit card for $1000.00 run thru Carnival, then Carnival sends TA $160.00]

You pay $1000.00 plus tax &fees [unless TA rebates part of the $160.00 to you]

 

Book with PVP: Same $1000.00 cruise fare

PVP gets their hourly pay, NO commission

TA, not involved in the booking, gets no commission

Carnival keeps the $1000.00. The $160.00 that would have gone to a TA stays in Carnivals pocket. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

You pay 1000.00 plus tax & fees.

 

PVP has absolutely NO Access to ANY deal that the TA cannot access too.

 

There is a Carnival call center about 12 miles from here. A PVP's pay is primarily an hourly wage. What else should I call them? They work for Carnival, not us. They tell us ONLY what Carnival ALLOWS them to tell us. And they get it right LESS often than this board. Maybe because they have little to NO actual cruise experience. And would be hard pressed to afford to cruise. My guesstimate is that a $40,000.00 a year PVP would be at the very top of the PVP ladder. Under $30,000. would be 10 to 20 times more normal.

 

I have a relationship with a couple of PVP's. I don't book anything with either, but I ask questions of both. Why not, I'm not taking anything out of their pocket. They get paid to be of service.

And, important to me, is that a PVP is useless if I wish to book some other cruise line, or a hotel, or a rental car, or non-cruise air. Carnival is my favorite and I've sailed them MORE than any other line. 15/50. And the next 50 [God willing] will be close to the same ratio. That would be 70 times I would have a need that a PVP could not touch and only 30 where they could help. But I'd bet any amount and give points and odds that NO PVP has ever lasted long enough to help me with all 30 times. Fair's fair, no TA either. We're talking a 50 to 70 year span. Not likely I'll make it either.:o

[dan40]

And Pitboss32,

 

Why so wishy-washy with the 99.9% stuff? You're either with me or against me!!!:rolleyes::D

 

Thanks

Dan

[Robert6260]

The last time I used a TA they charged a fee on top of the cruise and airline cost. I haven't used one since. I can find every thing I need on the internet including trip insurance and book it all myself. If I could find a good local TA I would consider using them but I can't find any good ones now.

 

I have been on nine Carnival cruises and never found a better deal from a TA then the Carnival.com prices.

[Tapi]

Just FYI, PVP's are not on an hourly salary. They have a base salary plus a bonus structure based on the number of cruises they sell. The top PVP's (or "hourly clerks" as Dan40 mentioned) can make close to $100,000 a year.

 

With that said, here are the differences between a TA and a PVP from my perspective:

 

PVP: Works directly for Carnival. Is trained specifically on the Carnival product so they tend to know their product better than anybody else (I know that there are some PVP's that leave a lot to be desired so I'm not going to say that every single one of them is VERY knowledgeable). They don't work on commission but they do make a bonus based on the number of cruises they sell. Usually once a guest finds a good PVP, they tend to stick to him/her and develop a relationship. They offer military, resident, senior, past guest discounts and interline discounts. They are NOT allowed to undercut a TA

 

TA: In addition to selling Carnival they are also trained to sell other products (other cruise lines, airline tickets, car rentals). They make a commission (usually 15% of what you pay). They have access to the same promotions or discounts as the PVP's. They can take a cut in their commission and pass it on to their guests.

 

Why choose a PVP?

You want someone who works directly for Carnival. You don't want to go through a "middle person" to take care of your reservations. If you wish to speak with a supervisor, you are allowed to call directly (If you book through a TA, you can't). Since it's their product, generally their product knowledge is very good. If you book through a PVP you can always transfer your reservation to a TA later on.

 

Why choose a TA?

You want to deal with someone locally. You want to have someone to take care of any issues that you may have. You don't wish to Call Carnival directly (you won't be allowed). Your TA is giving you an additional discount on top of what Carnival offers.

 

Why NOT to choose a PVP?

You have found a better price somewhere. You have created a good relationship with a TA.

 

Why NOT to choose a TA?

You want to be able to call Carnival directly, You want to have the flexibilty to transfer your booking. Some TA's may charge booking fees, change fees or cancellation fees outside of final payment.

[mzloolue]

I don't have a travel agent.

 

At one time I did have a travel agent, but she retired. Since then I have called several different TAs to inquire about various trips, but I have never found one who was really interested.

 

I booked a cruise with an online agent once.

The next tine I wanted to book a cruise I called her and she didn't call me back for several days...after I had booked with Carnival myself.

 

I have been using the same Carnival PVP for 4 years and like her a lot.

She has been really helpful and calls back promptly.

[dmdiver]

i originally booked through a pvp that had called me after i had been logged on to carnival looking at cruises. she was able to get me one price drop. i continued to look at pricing & had a ta offer a much lower rate. my pvp was unable to adjust to meet that price. so, i transferred the booking - saved about $700 on the 2 cabins, got 2 bottles of wine, $200 obc & $30 photo coupons. the only downside was that if i had cancelled my booking through the ta, there would have been a $50 cancellation fee.

[dan40]

Tapi,

I spent an entire career in sales and sales management. A bonus structure IS a Commission. Same thing, different name. If 2 PVP's in the history of Carnival have ever made $100,000.00 in a year, I'd be amazed. Not that there isn't a structure in place where theoretically that could be made. In reality, I think not. But you have an opinion and so do I. Mines way more cynical than yours.

Insurance agents can make over 1 Million a year, in fact a number of Millions a year. A few do, but the AVERAGE INCOME of an insurance agent is around $30,000.00 annually. Possible/reality.

 

 

 

Quote,

" Why choose a PVP?

You want someone who works directly for Carnival. You don't want to go through a "middle person" to take care of your reservations. If you wish to speak with a supervisor, you are allowed to call directly (If you book through a TA, you can't). Since it's their product, generally their product knowledge is very good. If you book through a PVP you can always transfer your reservation to a TA later on."

 

End Quote

 

As stated, you can do all that just by not saying, "I'm already booked and I booked thru a TA so you can't talk to me can you?" 99% of all your questions will be generic and can be answered by anybody. When I'm seeking info, I'm not volunteering info. In 50 cruises, I've asked lots of questions of cruise lines, not just Carnival, and lots of questions of my TA. But not one has been an emergency where I had to have an answer a 2 AM on a Saturday night. At least none they'd be able to decipher.

 

I'm not saying PVP's are bad news and TA's are saints. There's just as much bad and good in either group. And those that have a good PVP, fine, stick with them. But please don't tell newbies that have no relationship with a TA or PVP that a PVP can do more for them than a TA. Because it absolutely is NOT true. The TA can do more. Maybe the same with Carnival, but there IS way more to cruising than Carnival alone. And a newbie may not be willing to be locked in to a one company helper.

 

Dan

[Pegs222]

After being with our PVP who did NOTHING for us, we went with a TA and she is amazing. She has booked everything we needed, and has fought for every penny we are due. I know our PVP would not have done anything but book our cruise for us. I am sure there are PVP that will do anything for you, but we were lucky to get ours to answer an email, much less do anything.

[Tapi]

Tapi,

I spent an entire career in sales and sales management. A bonus structure IS a Commission. Same thing, different name. If 2 PVP's in the history of Carnival have ever made $100,000.00 in a year, I'd be amazed. Not that there isn't a structure in place where theoretically that could be made. In reality, I think not. But you have an opinion and so do I. Mines way more cynical than yours.Dan

 

You may have spent an entire career in sales and sales management, but unless you worked directly for Carnival in the Consumer Research department, I'm sure that I have just a little bit more insight than you on how that department is run...

[dan40]

You're sure. I'm not.

 

But I'll let it go.

 

Dan

[rockwood84]

As others have stated, it's really a matter of personal preference. My PVP is great. I've been with him a few months - my booking was transferred to him when my previous PVP left the company.

 

I prefer using a PVP because I just feel better dealing directly with Carnival. I am a little paranoid, and always assume that more people involved in any transaction just increases the likelihood of errors occuring. Is that always true? No, but sometimes it is.

 

BTW, my PVP does read the CruiseCritic boards, as do others, I would assume. I'm sure that there are TAs on here, also. Anyone who is serious about his/her job will do their best to be as knowledgeable about their product as possible.

[Richiebaseball]

Tapi,

I spent an entire career in sales and sales management. A bonus structure IS a Commission. Same thing, different name. If 2 PVP's in the history of Carnival have ever made $100,000.00 in a year, I'd be amazed. Not that there isn't a structure in place where theoretically that could be made. In reality, I think not. But you have an opinion and so do I. Mines way more cynical than yours.

 

Wouldn't Carnival, in an effort to attract top people, advertise earning potential of $100,000 or close to it instead of advertising $45,000?

 

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/static_templates/promos/PVP_Employment.htm

[dan40]

Wouldn't Carnival, in an effort to attract top people, advertise earning potential of $100,000 or close to it instead of advertising $45,000?

 

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/static_templates/promos/PVP_Employment.htm

 

 

You're as dumb as I am.:D

 

Dan

[Tapi]

Wouldn't Carnival, in an effort to attract top people, advertise earning potential of $100,000 or close to it instead of advertising $45,000?

 

In order for a PVP to keep their job, they have a minimum number of cruises that they must sell. If they do the bare minimum, they're pretty much guaranteed to make $45,000, so that's what's advertised.

 

More than 50% of the department beats the minimum requirements by at least 35% every month. There's no maximum amount that a PVP can make, but there is a minimum that a PVP is expected to make...

[dan40]

In order for a PVP to keep their job, they have a minimum number of cruises that they must sell. If they do the bare minimum, they're pretty much guaranteed to make $45,000, so that's what's advertised.

 

More than 50% of the department beats the minimum requirements by at least 35% every month. There's no maximum amount that a PVP can make, but there is a minimum that a PVP is expected to make...

 

Interesting..........Your source of the information is???

 

 

Dan

[1tuckersmom]

If you want to use a TA, that is fine with me.

I used one once and ended up doing most of the work myself because I learned from Cruise Critic.

I was always telling her things that I learned on this board that she did not know.

Now I have a PVP that is great, if there is a price drop she is on top of it, if I e-mail her, she either e-mails back or calls me right away.

I`m happy.....

[suzyjack]

I have read several times that people have gotten better deals with a TA than with a pvp.

I have only booked one cruise- so I don't have a wealth of knowledge, but... when I booked our upcoming cruise I called about 5 TA's looked online, etc and the lowest price was with a carnival pvp, he was very helpful.. and with only 19 days left before we sail, I still haven't found a price to beat what he found. Maybe it was just a fluke, but I am happy with the service the pvp provides.