Phone call from my personal vacation planner

[BillOh]

I know this has been a topic before, but I just had my first experience with them and I'm not searching for an existing thread. I'm around 12 days back from Adventure. I'm on my way back from lunch and I get a call from "my personal cruise planner". She welcomed me back from Adventure and asked me if I have given thought to my next cruise? :eek: There are one million cruise critic members who might already know this answer! If I was to hire a personal shopper, there are certain things I would expect them to know, like my size and tastes. If I was trying to be a personal cruise planner I would first look up their cruise history and check their existing reservations and maybe see if they visited NEXTCRUISE on the cruise they just got off.

 

Not impressed. Any reason I should ever contact her? Was this person even affiliated with Royal?

[Clarea]

I'm fairly certain these PVPs are RC employees or contractors. I suspect your name is popping up on their marketing software and they are just trying to make their numbers.

[BillOh]

I'm fairly certain these PVPs are RC employees or contractors. I suspect your name is popping up on their marketing software and they are just trying to make their numbers.

 

 

Your probably right and working in the Inside Sales team of a souless Fortune 50 company I understand. But I don't bill myself as a "personal" anything. To me a personal planner would need to show some value above my own ability to call in or go to a travel agent. Now, if she said, "I see you took a last minute cruise on Majesty last year, I see a unusually low fare on this date......Or if she noticed the rate on the D1 is now lower than the D5 I booked then maybe, I just don't see any value.

[MiniChunks]

I got the same phone call after my last cruise and asked them if the TA i booked at the NextCruise desk for next year wasnt enough business for them

[Beachammo]

"My personal cruise planner" is always a different person. I get a call a few times a month.

 

Never used them....

 

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

[vavasmom]

I also have multiple personal planning people. They are cold call sales people in my opinion

 

Sent from my VS987 using Forums mobile app

[molly361]

"My personal cruise planner" is always a different person. I get a call a few times a month.

 

Never used them....

 

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

 

Ditto this!!!

[Clarea]

Ditto this!!!

I thought you were my PVP?:confused:

[molly361]

I thought you were my PVP?:confused:

 

I am, I am!!!!!

[vacationlover_mn]

Hmm, our cruise history must not be impressive enough to warrant their time! I've never gotten a call...

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Richst48]

I got one of these calls last year. I told her I prefer to do my own planning but asked her to find out the answers to a couple of questions I had. I never heard another word from her. Even sent her an email, no reply, tried calling which went to voice mail, and again no reply!

[BillOh]

Hmm, our cruise history must not be impressive enough to warrant their time! I've never gotten a call...

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

 

I thought it was because I am the only one that answers personal phones any more.

[Grandma Petania]

I thought it was because I am the only one that answers personal phones any more.

I usually don't answer if I don't recognize the area code.

[ColoradoGurl]

Sales gimmick. NCL does the same thing. I called to ask them a simple question recently, and they got my phone number and passed it on to one of those vacation planners, who called me less than 24 hours later and left me a voicemail to call them back to "...book that cruise I was interested in!" Pretty annoying because I felt they were trying to be pushy and because they took it upon themselves to add me to a sales call list.

 

I can't imagine a scenario where I would suddenly decide to book a cruise just because someone called me, but it must work or they wouldn't do it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[BillOh]

I usually don't answer if I don't recognize the area code.

 

 

I use to be that way, but they can spoof the number they are calling from. I've had plenty of people calling me from India to tell me I have a virus and they show a local area code.

[CVU]

Had many call and they never call back, even when I want then to call for me to book the opening of a cruise ship itinerary.

Never used them to book anything.

[iuki]

Actually they are RCCL vacation planners. I received emails before after returning from a cruise and ignored them. However, I responded and she helped me undo all the errors the onboard agent did, which included the wrong credit card being charged and deposits applied to wrong cruises.

 

They can see inventory we cannot see online, offer gifts, etc., just like any private TA. It's the same as though you booked directly with the cruise line, but you can contact the TA just the same as contacting the C&A Desk.

 

Therefore, you still have control over your booking, because you can call RCCL direct or call your assigned Vacation Planner.

[SkiTeton]

I used my "PVP" at Carnival until she got a promotion; my new one isn't nearly as good as the first. That's part of the reason I am trying out RCCL.

 

After I signed up for a RCCL account online and did a few mock bookings, I received both an email and a phone call within hours. I didn't feel it was too pushy or intrusive; I actually welcomed it. The email used about 3 or 4 different (yet synonymous) titles for the "planner". Vacation Planner, Dedicated Cruise Specialist, & Senior Cruise Consultant. The planner was able to offer significantly lower deposit amounts per person and in-room gifts along with informing me (and updating my reservation) of a price drop within 24 hours of booking. I prefer this type of interaction over a TA.

 

Your mileage may vary with the RCCL (or other cruise line) planners but if you get a good one, use them!

[DrDani226]

I, too, recently used one of their PVPs. Not to book, I like to do that myself, but I did contact him by email re: a new promotion, which included OBC for a sailing I already had booked. It took him about 20 minutes and he emailed me back, with a new invoice and the OBC applied. Saved me a phone call.

[CruiseCheapsk8]

I use to be that way, but they can spoof the number they are calling from. I've had plenty of people calling me from India to tell me I have a virus and they show a local area code.

 

You get those too Bill? Man, I thought I was the only one with a ton of computer viruses!.. Good times, good times!

[pasodancer]

We got our PVP quite by accident - I had originally called RCI to inquire about a cruise and I was not happy with the answer that I received from the customer service rep. Told the CSR that I wasn't happy and that I had no problem going to a different cruise line. Immediately got a call from an RCI service manager apologizing. Next week I got a call from a PVP describing their services. Never thought anything of it other than a cold sales call trying to avoid losing me to another cruise line. On Memorial Day I was browsing cruises for next year and decided to email the PVP thinking I would get an answer sometime in the future. Within 10 minutes our PVP called, found a cabin category that was not showing in inventory, hooked us up with some anniversary celebration gifts (champagne, appetizers, decorations), as well as some yet unknown "gifts" we will receive on the ship. She also mentioned that I should contact her 2x month from now until final payment and she will check to see if there are any promotions running to lower the cabin price. She listed an array of other services (payments, mail out luggage tags (yes, real tags, etc.). After giving her my deposit credit card information - had our invoice and our reservations were already showing. Have to admit I was impressed.

[Snit13]

I have used the same Certified Vacation Planner since 2008. She is awesome. When I find a cruise I am interested in I email her and she calls me back asap. She always finds the best cabins, best rate and offers excellent service. Two tries with TA's was enough for me. Nothing but headaches and grief.

[amby6063]

I called to inquire about a cruise about a month ago, just got some rates but didn't book. I received an email and two voicemails from someone else, a 'vacation planner'. I was ready to book and emailed twice with some questions I wanted clarification on, with no reply to either one. Needless to say, I booked through someone else! Not impressed

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[perfect match]

Bill, I got the same call you did. I had been researching, then booking our 2019 Symphony cruise. The gentleman who called me left a message as I was unavailable to take his call. His message indicated that he had no idea I'd already booked the cruise. Like you, Bill, that left me totally unimpressed. He did follow up with an email about a week later, still with no idea I'd already booked the cruise. I have not returned either his call or his email.

 

Then again, every time I go on the RCI website, whether I'm signed in or not, a banner always appears asking me if I want to complete my booking of that same Symphony cruise. :confused: Yes, the same cruise I've already booked and that does show up exactly as it should when I go into my account.

[SkiTeton]

I don't want to steer this off-topic but what does the cruise company's cruise planner "lose" if the booking is transferred to a travel agent? Does the customer lose any perks after the transfer?