I'm not sure about that, but we've always booked directly through Carnival, and have gotten the best deals because of our repeat-customer status.
May be different if this is your 1st cruise.
It sounds like you are close to final payment time. If you have made final payment then you cannot transfer the booking.
What benefits you can receive are all up to the TA you choose. You could receive a discount if they rebate part of their commission. Some agents add onboard credits, transfers, a bottle of wine or just a great price. You need to shop around.
I strongly disagree about booking with the cruise line. All of the cruise line discounts, such as past passenger, military, police/fire or resident rates are available for any TA to pass on to their customer. These discounts are not just for people who book with the cruise line. Plus the TA can sweeten the deal if they are willing to rebate part of their commission and/or add additional amenities.
I suggest doing some checking and find a TA who will give you good service and beat the Carnival price. There are MANY who can and will do this.
Take care,
Mike
__________________ Cruisemates Community Leader/Moderator
"There is a great difference between being well traveled and just having been to many places." ~Me
If you have time before final payment search several TAs.
Yours is an easy booking... made already, just have to transfer it to a TA who is willing to discount it for you.
I'm amazed anyone still says they can get the best price booking directly with Carnival. Simply NOT the case, though it might take a bit of shopping to get a TA to offer you a lower price, or at least some shipboard credit.
Click on any of the TAs who sponsor ads at CruiseMates, or Nancy, at Cruise Planners, who handles all our CruiseMates Group Cruises. Then call one of their toll free numbers give them your booking information and ask directly if they can do any better.
VERY DISAPOINTED....I called Carnival and tried to have it switched to a TA and they said I can't do it since I booked it so long ago and I was going to save $240 a cabin. VERY VERY NOT HAPPY!!
VERY DISAPOINTED....I called Carnival and tried to have it switched to a TA and they said I can't do it since I booked it so long ago and I was going to save $240 a cabin. VERY VERY NOT HAPPY!!
Booking it a long time ago is not a valid reason. Have you already made your final payment?
If you haven't made final payment you will have to weigh the benefits of transferring the booking. It is possible that the cost has gone up and you won't receive the same price if you cancel and rebook but you should still be able to transfer the booking.
Take Kuki's advice about a good TA and call them and see if they can transfer the booking. Carnival is going to cover their rear before they cover yours.
Take care,
Mike
__________________ Cruisemates Community Leader/Moderator
"There is a great difference between being well traveled and just having been to many places." ~Me
Thanks everyone. The reason carnival gave is becuase you can only transfer a reservation to a TA within 30 days now. This is a new policy that just went into effect May 09. I even had the TA call with no luck.
Well then I called back this morning and asked to speak to a supervisor and IMAGINE THAT the rules state that if you booked before the rule went into effect that it doesn't count for you. So I conference in TA Nanacy and she handled everything from there. I have 4 cabins and saved $240 on each cabin.
Thanks everyone. The reason carnival gave is becuase you can only transfer a reservation to a TA within 30 days now. This is a new policy that just went into effect May 09. I even had the TA call with no luck.
Well then I called back this morning and asked to speak to a supervisor and IMAGINE THAT the rules state that if you booked before the rule went into effect that it doesn't count for you. So I conference in TA Nanacy and she handled everything from there. I have 4 cabins and saved $240 on each cabin.
NANCY - Your the greatest! Thanks
Nancy is great... but not the greatest. I'm the greatest for knowing everything!!!
Kudos to you for your persistence, and congrats on the big savings!!
I love a story with a happy ending! I strongly advise using a TA. I just finished my 10th cruise and immediately booked my 11th for next March. The last nine cruises were booked through the same cruise-only TA. I'm always treated well and they really go the extra mile to get me into the specific room I want. I always get some sort of discount and/or shipboard credit.
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Celebrity Constellation (Penthouse booked for 2014)
Princess Grand Princess (2012) Vista Suite
Princess Crown Princess (2011) mini-suite
Princess Emerald Princess (2010) min-suite
Carnival Conquest (2008)
Princess Grand Princess (2003)
Carnival Victory (2002)
Celebrity Century (1997) Century Suite
Carnival Fantasy (1997)
Carnival Ecstasy (1994) Grand Suite
NCL Sunward (1992) Marquee Suite
RCI Nordic Empress (1990)
RCI Song of America (1988)
I'm not sure about that, but we've always booked directly through Carnival, and have gotten the best deals because of our repeat-customer status.
May be different if this is your 1st cruise.
donna
I agree with Donna...We only use PVP from Carnival. We used a TA in the past and received nothing...
We will never go with a TA again. Our PVP is so helpful and calls all the time. Not like with a TA...we never heard from them
We use a "brick & mortar" TA and always get something extra. Sometimes her company has a discount on certain sailings, sometimes she just sends a gift to our cabin. The main thing for me is that if there's a problem, she's there to run interference. Yes, I could do it myself, but why not let someone else handle "stressful" things for no charge?
She answers our questions very quickly and, as a Cruise Specialist, knows what she's talking about !
I don't want a TA who calls me "all the time".
(Kuki, you ARE the greatest!)
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Fern
"A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour."
Carnival Inspiration 2002 Carnival Elation 2004
Grand Princess 2004 NCL Sun 2005
Sun Princess 2006 NCL Dream 2007
Caribbean Princess 2007 NCL Dawn 2008
Island Princess 2008 Island Princess 2009
Golden Princess 2009 Carnival Conquest 2010
Grand Princess 2010 Island Princess 2011
Grand Princess 2011 Carnival Magic 2012
Carnival Dream 2012 Island Princess 2013
VERY DISAPOINTED....I called Carnival and tried to have it switched to a TA and they said I can't do it since I booked it so long ago and I was going to save $240 a cabin. VERY VERY NOT HAPPY!!
Carnival instituted a new rule a while back where you only have 30 days from the time of booking to tranfer the booking to an agent.
For the sake of an argument..lets say you run into a problems, once you sail, and need some help/advice...does anyone really believe that your pvp, will be an advocate for you. vs having a ta, that can really help? And I agrre, I don't want constant phone calls...i don't get it...
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Chat Hostess & Board Moderator
For the sake of an argument..lets say you run into a problems, once you sail, and need some help/advice...does anyone really believe that your pvp, will be an advocate for you. vs having a ta, that can really help? And I agrre, I don't want constant phone calls...i don't get it...
I book directly with the cruise line and haven't gotten a phone call in ages and I'm on the site almost every day.
I read a post the other day where a client booked with a TA and had problems. When they got home they contacted the TA and the TA gave them a phone # to call and said fight, fight, fight.
That's not advocating for the client. The TA should be the one on the phone fight, fight, fighting.
That comes with the job, but alas this is the real world where there is good and bad in everything and there is no way to know if a TA will go to bat for you until something goes wrong.
You do have to kiss a bunch of frogs, before you find your prince/princess of a ta...The lucky ones have a reliable one..we do hear about the unreliable I agree...I kissed a bunch of frogs...but, I found a good one.....and have been helped when I needed it...I wish everyone the same...
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Trip, with her book & tea!
Chat Hostess & Board Moderator
You do have to kiss a bunch of frogs, before you find your prince/princess of a ta...The lucky ones have a reliable one..we do hear about the unreliable I agree...I kissed a bunch of frogs...but, I found a good one.....and have been helped when I needed it...I wish everyone the same...
We only had to kiss one frog (and it wasn't too bad because we didn't know better) but, while she worked for an AAA agency, she had no clue about e-mail, etc. We got a good price, but we could never get her to answer our questions since they were all "piled up" in her voice mail (which she didn't know how to use!) .
We now have a wonderful TA who answers our questions ASAP and the only time we go to her office is to pick up our cruise documents (which we did today-yea!). We don't even have to do that, but I like to "touch base" in person a time or two !
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Fern
"A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour."
Carnival Inspiration 2002 Carnival Elation 2004
Grand Princess 2004 NCL Sun 2005
Sun Princess 2006 NCL Dream 2007
Caribbean Princess 2007 NCL Dawn 2008
Island Princess 2008 Island Princess 2009
Golden Princess 2009 Carnival Conquest 2010
Grand Princess 2010 Island Princess 2011
Grand Princess 2011 Carnival Magic 2012
Carnival Dream 2012 Island Princess 2013
OK, I really hope this isn't a stupid question but several of the posts contain the reference to Carnival PVP. I know TA stands for Travel Agent, but what does PVP stand for?
I agree with Donna...We only use PVP from Carnival. We used a TA in the past and received nothing...
We will never go with a TA again. Our PVP is so helpful and calls all the time. Not like with a TA...we never heard from them
Darlene
I'm with you guys on this. We booked twice with a TA and had no perks. Next time I might see what they could do and if it's nothing I'll go to Carnival directly. The last cruise we went through CL and had no trouble at all.
__________________ You can shake the sand from you shoes but it will never leave your soul
~Robin~
Carnival - Fantasy 1998
RCCL - Majesty of the Sea 2000
Carnival - Inspiration 2009
Carnival - Freedom 2011
OK, I really hope this isn't a stupid question but several of the posts contain the reference to Carnival PVP. I know TA stands for Travel Agent, but what does PVP stand for?
For our first cruise (in 6 days!) we booked with a TA. Usually I do all of the vacation planning myself (after all, this is the best part of the vacation! ). However, I had read some recommendations on this site to go through a travel agent when it comes to cruises. So we did. To be honest, it was a wonderful vacation from vacation planning. Our TA was very helpful and went the extra mile in getting information for us (especially as I was concerned about possible visa requirements for my wife who is not.....yet.....a citizen. The TA really set my mind at ease). I'm not sure if we really got any perks, but it was nice to not have to worry about all the mundane details and paperwork!
We stay with carnival PVP for the cruises. TA have been irresponsible in many ways .Try to get one on sat.
We are going on GLORY in OCT out of norfolk, and dealing with carnival via computer. If you are going to FLA and want to take the kids and the car try the AUTO TRain it was great
BoB
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Booked with Carnival Now wondering about TA
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). However, I had read some recommendations on this site to go through a travel agent when it comes to cruises. So we did. To be honest, it was a wonderful vacation from vacation planning. Our TA was very helpful and went the extra mile in getting information for us (especially as I was concerned about possible visa requirements for my wife who is not.....yet.....a citizen. The TA really set my mind at ease). I'm not sure if we really got any perks, but it was nice to not have to worry about all the mundane details and paperwork!
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