Personal Vacation Planner etiquette

[crusinpsychRN]

This is not your problem, it's Carnival's. Let me try to explain :o.

 

When you filled out your information, it created a profile which was then forwarded to a CVS (Cruise Vacation Specialist) to make the ONE follow up call. These agents have one shot at making the booking, but they can give you an extension for you to call back and nothing really prevents you from calling them back.

 

After that one call, then the computer system automatically assigns you to a permanent PVP (Personal Vacation Planner) who will then follow up with you from that point on. The problem then is that you will have talked to two different people in two different departments.

 

Why would Carnival assign your profile to a CVS and then a PVP? Simple. a CVS gets paid a very small fraction to make your booking than what a PVP makes. If they can get the CVS to book you in that one phone call, they've saved the money that they would've paid the PVP. But if they don't get you in that first phone call, then they need a PVP whose job IS to follow up, research and stay in touch with you on a more permanent basis. But they pay that PVP 10 times more per booking than the CVS.

 

To complicate matters more, there may be multiple profiles for you in the system assigned to different PVP's. This can happen if you've cruised before or registered online using different phone numbers or emails.

 

Unless you have inside knowledge about the process, there's no way for you to know who's who and what the proper "protocol" is. Once again, this is Carnival's problem for having a flawed profile distribution system designed to save them money, but can be a bit nightmarish for you.

 

 

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Doesn't seem like any of the above has happened to my account ever. I look up on linethe cruise and cabin I want then call and speak to whomever answers the phone. Never once have I been given a name or extension. When I call again to change something, I speak to someone else. If I don't believe I'm getting correct info, I ask to speak to the supervisor.

 

I wonder why.

[nitro2448]

Thanks for all the insights. I believe next time I will book online. Since practice makes perfect, I must book more cruises, right? :D

 

 

All that matters is that you're booked, congratulations on that. I don't use PVP's, I find my cruise online, room and everything, then I call and book with whomever answers the phone, as long as I can understand them.

Edited January 31, 2014 by nitro2448

[nitro2448]

Doesn't seem like any of the above has happened to my account ever. I look up on linethe cruise and cabin I want then call and speak to whomever answers the phone. Never once have I been given a name or extension. When I call again to change something, I speak to someone else. If I don't believe I'm getting correct info, I ask to speak to the supervisor.

 

I wonder why.

 

 

Exactly how I do it.

[tropicaledrink]

I was randomly assigned to 2 different PVPs before I finally sought out a new one. Both of the ones I had were rude and one of them got mad at me that I did my own booking online instead of calling him. Okay, I don't hear from you for MONTHS and now you're upset?

 

We found a great one, and the assigned one emailed me stating the he noticed I had been checking out some prices. I politely informed him via that I had someone else that I was using to book, and not a peep since I sent that email. Our new one is great!

 

Don't sweat it, you didn't break any protocol - unfortunately there are some not so great PVPs out there.

[marshalltp]

Hey Paul:

 

Like many others I can tell you that I have an awsome PVP. I think it is a faux pas here to share that information, but if you wish I could figure a way to get you the info....

[Suenos del mar]

Thanks Tapi, that was a very helpful explanation. I don't know if it may have been because I signed up for Carnival's email list a few weeks ago and then signed up for the VIFP program the day before I booked. Anyway, we got it all smoothed over and I have the one PVP's contact info saved on my computer. She was very nice. I am still thinking though that I will book the next one on my own though.

[Tapi]

Doesn't seem like any of the above has happened to my account ever.

 

I wonder why.

 

 

Your profile is probably buried deep in a PVP's database. Each PVP has, literally, thousands of profiles and they work these profiles differently. My PVP has told me that he never touches profiles that are inactive or old because he's been at Carnival so long that he has plenty of business as it is. But other, newer PVP's with less profiles or repeat business do dig up old or inactive profiles searching for business.

 

So your profile may well belong to a PVP who is just not interested in digging you out.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Cruise Envy]

I didn't care for the first PVP we used, so I sought out another for our second. When I told him I wanted to change PVPs, he did ask me to send a quick note via email stating that I was the one initiating the change so he wouldn't get fussed at for "poaching".

 

I sent the email and never looked back. This will be cruise #4 with the current PVP.

[leaski]

We had a great PVP for many years, then she had a baby and left.:( We stuck with the person she had handling her clients while she was on maternity leave, then she left too. :(:(. Now we have a new guy, who is Ok so far. We will see how it goes, but I have no problem dropping, switching, or just doing with out a PVP at this point. ;)

[CatlinSTJ]

Don't sweat it. We're booked on cruise #5 with Carnival and while I know that's not a lot compared to others, we've never had a PVP last from the time we booked until the cruise. The service provided wasn't great, which is more than likely why they didn't last long. I try to do as much online as I can and I just call the main number if I need help with booking. You're booked, which is what Carnival really cares about :)

[kdeltadawn]

We too, had the same PVP for years - he was awesome - emailed or called every few months, just to see if we were planning anything. Always so responsive - reminders up to days before sailing. Alas, he left for another profession (I still follow him on LinkedIn!). The person that took over his customers...not so amazing...no return calls. Made the mistake of booking online for upcoming cruise...no reminder calls, no email reminders, no nothing. Was two days late in paying the final payment - they cancelled my cruise and removed our military discount. I had to go way up the ladder to get this corrected - granted, it was my responsibility to remember, but I was so accustomed to those much needed reminders! Anyway, lessons learned...all to say I miss our special PVP!

We cruise Monday!!:D