Does anyone actually know if a PVP's commission is based on the cruise fare?

[MrMarc]

I just got my PVP, who's name and extension I would love to promote but know I can't, to reprice a cruise by a small amount.  I started wondering if doing that lowers his commission.  Honestly I book incredibly low priced cruises and he treats me like I book suites. So, if doing that lowered his commission, even by a little I don't want to do it again.  I know it's his job, but I hate making someone do additional work to get less money when it's such a small amount already.  However if he is paid by the booking, I don't feel so bad.

[mondello]

Old post says no commission, they get pay plus incentives. They need to show productive results or risk getting canned.

Edited February 1, 2022 by mondello
Correction

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 hour ago, MrMarc said:

I just got my PVP, who's name and extension I would love to promote but know I can't, to reprice a cruise by a small amount.  I started wondering if doing that lowers his commission.  Honestly I book incredibly low priced cruises and he treats me like I book suites. So, if doing that lowered his commission, even by a little I don't want to do it again.  I know it's his job, but I hate making someone do additional work to get less money when it's such a small amount already.  However if he is paid by the booking, I don't feel so bad.

 

Their job is to make you happy so you'll continue to use them in the future.

 

[Rudyard]

Mine just got me a $200 price drop for my cruise later this month without me even asking him to do it. I had talked to him earlier in the day to book two more cruises and he called me back a couple of hours later and said he decided to check after we got off the phone. Like @NutsAboutGolf said, their job is to make you happy and this certainly did. 

[Virga]

I was recently told by the casino folks that they, at least, don't make a percentage - they just get credit for 'a booking' and it looks good / earns them more the more of them they book.  

 

I unfortunately don't know at all if that also applies to PVPs.  I know mine is anxious to book everything for me, even the obscenely cheap ones.  I don't really like mine, but I'm trying to use him to book because I need him to apply all my cancellation credits and I want him to get some amount of pay for the effort I'm asking him to expend.  

[DallasGuy75219]

My impression is that PVPs get incentivized (probably not base pay but some kind of incentives involved) based on number of bookings rather than fare paid.  

 

After bouncing around from one PVP to another who would be gone after 6 months, I found my current PVP years ago.  At first I was a little apologetic because I pretty much only book cheap or free casino offers but he hinted around that the number of bookings is more important than the fare paid.  So basically it's in his interest to keep me happy and booking with him.  He's called me with last minute free cruises (although I couldn't take advantage of them because I have to fly to just about any port and take time off work) and offered to book more free cruise offers when I was only wanting to book one, and he never tries to upsell me, so I don't think he's looking for big dollar bookings.

 

I'm pretty low maintenance and usually email him the exact sailing, offer, category, etc. (and sometimes cabin) I want and all he has to do is call me to book, which is literally a less than 5 minute phone call.  I could book most of what he books for me online, but having a dedicated PVP who will respond quickly or do something by email (like move me to a better cabin in the same category) if I need his help is invaluable, especially right now with the ridiculous hold times.  

[CarolSW]

I have always used an online travel agent, but he went out of business during the shut down.  Now I do it directly online thru Carnival.com.  I have called Carnival several times to make changes (not this week though, so haven’t had the long wait times some have) and have talked with different nice folks each time, but I would love to have a PVP.   How do I get one?   I wondered if I should have asked one of the helpful Carnival agents I have talked with the past 2 months, but it felt a little like asking for a commitment/date LOL .  I did not bring it up, being the rejection-phobic person that I am LOL.  So how does one get some of that  PVP magic?  And do you have to start all over searching for a new one when mine inevitably leaves me??   Asking for a friend 😉 

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 hour ago, CarolSW said:

I have always used an online travel agent, but he went out of business during the shut down.  Now I do it directly online thru Carnival.com.  I have called Carnival several times to make changes (not this week though, so haven’t had the long wait times some have) and have talked with different nice folks each time, but I would love to have a PVP.   How do I get one?   I wondered if I should have asked one of the helpful Carnival agents I have talked with the past 2 months, but it felt a little like asking for a commitment/date LOL .  I did not bring it up, being the rejection-phobic person that I am LOL.  So how does one get some of that  PVP magic?  And do you have to start all over searching for a new one when mine inevitably leaves me??   Asking for a friend 😉 

 

From Google: https://www.carnival.com/personal-vacation-planners/request-form?icid=icp_pvp_03012021_lp_cta_request

[cmukid87]

I will say that I have just recently started using a PVP because I never previously found the benefit.  My sister and I have identical everything booked.  I asked for a rate drop through my PVP which was approved for $90obc.  My sister submitted the price drop form on the website and got $40obc plus a $50 change fee.  

 

I will support the rest of the commenters that said it's a booking aggregate and not a true dollar ratio commission.

[lovecarnivalcruises]

My PVP told me they are paid by how many bookings they get, not how much the booking is. 

 

[Cruiser_1977]

There is an hourly pay roughly $15/hour. Then you get incentives for bookings. There are additional seasonal incentives and upgrade incentives. The first year if you hustle you can earn about $40,000 a year. I was told after about 2 years (if you are hustling) you can earn as much as $80-$90K. You build up your regulars, your database and it's all sales really. 

[MrMarc]

Thank you everyone.  That makes me feel better.

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, lovecarnivalcruises said:

My PVP told me they are paid by how many bookings they get, not how much the booking is. 

 

I have read of people who book through the cruise line, and then they transfer the booking to a TA. If the original booking was with a PVP, does the planner still get an incentive for the booking despite it now "belongs" to the TA?

[audcc77]

I had an offer for a free inside.  I wasn’t going to bother my PVP but I did tell her about it.   I put it on hold just in case.  
 

She said she still wanted to do the reservation so I booked through her.   

[Bevv]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

I have read of people who book through the cruise line, and then they transfer the booking to a TA. If the original booking was with a PVP, does the planner still get an incentive for the booking despite it now "belongs" to the TA?

According to my PVP, yes she still gets credit even if you transfer to a TA

[LaRue1975]

15 hours ago, CarolSW said:

I have always used an online travel agent, but he went out of business during the shut down.  Now I do it directly online thru Carnival.com.  I have called Carnival several times to make changes (not this week though, so haven’t had the long wait times some have) and have talked with different nice folks each time, but I would love to have a PVP.   How do I get one?   I wondered if I should have asked one of the helpful Carnival agents I have talked with the past 2 months, but it felt a little like asking for a commitment/date LOL .  I did not bring it up, being the rejection-phobic person that I am LOL.  So how does one get some of that  PVP magic?  And do you have to start all over searching for a new one when mine inevitably leaves me??   Asking for a friend 😉 

I filled out the PVP request form on Carnival.com a few weeks ago. Within a couple of days a PVP called me and left a message introducing himself. I called him when the letter came out offering full refunds and he helped me cancel three cruises and I have booked two new ones including a family cruise on the Jubilee in April 2024. I am super happy, he has been with Carnival 8 years and now I have a guy. I hope I never have to listen to that lady talking about a unicorn again! 😜

 

Here is the link to the form: 

https://www.carnival.com/personal-vacation-planners/request-form

 

 

[DrSea]

Mine always tries to upsell me. I am not her biggest fan, but she did get me a balcony for $35 for a 3 day cruise. 

 

She always says that she knows "how you love a gooooood deal." Like duh. I cruise once a month. The price adds up. 

[Brkintx]

I realize the OP's experience was related to a revenue cruise that dropped in price, but the same discussion topic applies to casino offer bookings also.

 

I had a lengthy conversation with the executive host about this on my elite sailing last month. She said that some casino promo rates result in 'credit' (not commission) for PVP / TA, but the 'free room' ($200 deposit that is then returned as OBC) ones do not earn them anything but goodwill from people who might book a revenue cruise in the future or get direct referrals from the casino guest.

(Incidentally - I told her directly that in my opinion, these aren't free rooms at all, but prepaid ones... she just chuckled and said that's pretty much how it works in practice, even if the cruise line doesn't view them that way.)

I still don't use a PVP or TA, but if I ever get to the point of being a revenue cruiser I will likely do so.

[MrMarc]

38 minutes ago, Brkintx said:

I realize the OP's experience was related to a revenue cruise that dropped in price, but the same discussion topic applies to casino offer bookings also.

 

I had a lengthy conversation with the executive host about this on my elite sailing last month. She said that some casino promo rates result in 'credit' (not commission) for PVP / TA, but the 'free room' ($200 deposit that is then returned as OBC) ones do not earn them anything but goodwill from people who might book a revenue cruise in the future or get direct referrals from the casino guest.

(Incidentally - I told her directly that in my opinion, these aren't free rooms at all, but prepaid ones... she just chuckled and said that's pretty much how it works in practice, even if the cruise line doesn't view them that way.)

I still don't use a PVP or TA, but if I ever get to the point of being a revenue cruiser I will likely do so.

Actually this was a premier "pre paid" cruise.  That $30 I got will be the first $30 I put in the machines on the cruise to see what happens.  I have been very up front with my PVP.  The only way I can afford to cruise is with these basically free rates, so I refer him business whenever I can to try and make up for it.  

[grantbob]

When I called to reschedule my cruise last month my PVP thanked me for just moving the date and not canceling and re-booking. She said that when someone cancels she has to pay money back for that booking.

[ontheweb]

12 hours ago, grantbob said:

When I called to reschedule my cruise last month my PVP thanked me for just moving the date and not canceling and re-booking. She said that when someone cancels she has to pay money back for that booking.

That seems to imply that they get paid for the booking well before the actual sailing unlike TAs who do not get their commission until after the passenger has boarded the ship.

[ledges1]

My PVP has been in responsive. His voice mail says he is in the office but on another line. I call him with a problem on 1/27 before my cruise on 1/29. I left several messages saying it was very important. He never called me back. Is there a process to switch PVP's?