Book online or call?

[ldw81]

We are looking to book our second carnival cruise. We took our first as our honeymoon and booked with a TA. This time we will book it ourselves. Should I call carnival direct or just book online with their website?

[LambKnuckles]

I book by phone to the PVP at Carnival...

I like to have all my questions answered and a voice to contact if I have more... The price seems to be the same...

But I book my parking online... EZCruise in Galveston lets you save money to book a reservation on line!!! ;)

[Terrafreaky]

We booked online. Of course I also hate talking on the phone, so there you have it. :)

[JRock59]

CALL there are better cabins available than what shows online. Better locations in the same Cat plus if you have questions they can be answered right then. If you get someone you don't like you don't have to stick with them, but call IMHO you'll be much happier with the cabin choices. :)

[pokergirl34]

I would call. The one time I booked online Carnival charged me the whole cruise amount rather than the deposit, and yes I had selected to only pay the deposit.

[Ehpride]

I prefer to call while I have it pulled up online. You have more cabin choices available, but I can also check the rates myself to make sure they're the same as what I'm being offered.

 

Keep the deck plans up or have a brochure handy so that when they tell you available cabins, you can check the locations easily.

[viaggi_per_mare]

Call:d

[mrpayroll]

I prefer to call while I have it pulled up online. You have more cabin choices available, but I can also check the rates myself to make sure they're the same as what I'm being offered.

 

Keep the deck plans up or have a brochure handy so that when they tell you available cabins, you can check the locations easily.

 

This is what we do also. By having the deck screen up on computer you can actually see what pvp is talking about. Works great for us...

[jpg1747]

I start the booking online to check out available cabins (location, etc.) and then call my PVP to complete it. I like my PVP and if I have any questions, she can answer them right away. She's also found me 1A's that didn't show up online.

[SemperFi_Cruiser]

I suppose everyone gravitates to a method that works best for them...but in answer to your question...

 

I do all my research online which may involve multiple sites...but as I zero in my desired cruise, I go through the motions of booking online which brings up the cabin categories and locations, the fare, port taxes, deposit required etc.

 

Then I call my PVP to actually book. I have two computers going, one has the booking fare info, the other has the deck plans, so essentially I am verifying in person with the PVP what I am seeing online. But when I book this way I have a live person that I can come back to if anything goes wrong, I need to make changes, make a payment, etc. Besides, Carnival's website seems to be undergoing constant revisions and changes and has not been without its share of glitches in recent months. To me, booking a cruise online without human involvement is tantamount to tossing your credit card into the dark hole of Calcutta! Okay for routine purchases online but not for a cruise!

 

Also, PVP's frequently have access to information that is not displayed online. For example, I qualify for military discounts, however you won't find that fare info on Carnival's website. PVP's also have access to additional information about cabin availability etc. So even if you decide to book online, at least check in with your PVP first to make sure you're getting the best deal possible.

 

I used to use TA's years ago, but you know how it is with travel these days, you can just as easily do it yourself and eliminate the middle man. But you have to be willing to spend time and do your research. That having been said, there are some TA's and cruise websites that offer things like additional on-board credits, sometimes free airfare in conjunction with a cruise, and so on. Bottom line - you have to really do your homework before you book, but when you do finally plunk down that credit card...do it with a live person. :D