Vacation Planner experience

[gunnywife]

Over the years I've always dealt with a TA, but the one I had just recently retired.  So I thought I would try a Princess Vacation Planner.  Princess assigned one to me, he sent me a text introducing himself and I called him about a cruise for 3 cabins.  He indicated he would need more info about the trip (which I understand).

And he would prefer it to be sent by e-mail rather than a phone call.

So I sent him an e-mail with all the pertinent  information and stating if he need more information to let me know and then provide me with prices.

This e-mail was sent 24 hours ago and I still haven't heard a word from him.  

Am I being unreasonable to expect some sort of answer from him?  Isn't one full day enough time for him to respond?

[memoak]

They are all different we love ours and she usually gets back to us within 24 hours or less

[voljeep]

I sent my CVP an email about the cost to 'upgrade' from PLUS to Premier ( the answer was $270 for a 5 day cruise, so $27 pp per day...didn't take it, yet)

 

she replied in 30 minutes.  Now it's usually the next business day - an east/west coast thingy

[JF - retired RRT]

I'd give it one (maybe 2) more days. If no answer in that time frame, get a different one.

[Sunwanabe]

Only issue I have with previously used PVP is that I wouldn't get a response over a weekend, where our TA would be available 7 days a week. 

[Lady Arwen]

 Our CVP, as they are now named, is fabulous.  Always accommodating and always available, unless weekends.  I just leave a VM message and she takes care of it.  On weekends or holidays I just put a hold on what cruise I want or the change of fare or change of cabin.  So easy.  I’ve been let down by so many TAs, I just gave up on them.  Perhaps I’m missing some OBC or a bottle of wine or even a lower fare, but whatever.  My CVP is worth her weight in gold

[JF - retired RRT]

34 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

 Our CVP, as they are now named, is fabulous.  Always accommodating and always available, unless weekends.  I just leave a VM message and she takes care of it.  On weekends or holidays I just put a hold on what cruise I want or the change of fare or change of cabin.  So easy.  I’ve been let down by so many TAs, I just gave up on them.  Perhaps I’m missing some OBC or a bottle of wine or even a lower fare, but whatever.  My CVP is worth her weight in gold

That's what I miss. I'm always on the lookout to save $$.

DH says that I'll push you out of the way to pick up a penny on the sidewalk. Don't think I'd actually push...

[boone2]

Our CVP is useless,  first time I’ve used one. I sent her a question pertaining to our upcoming transpacific cruise on Memorial Day weekend. Still waiting for an answer (can’t remember what the question was now but I obviously sorted it). Another time it took 2 emails an 3 voice mails and then calling as soon as the office opened before I got any response. Won’t use one again 

[Marauder]

42 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

 Our CVP, as they are now named, is fabulous.  Always accommodating and always available, unless weekends.  I just leave a VM message and she takes care of it.  On weekends or holidays I just put a hold on what cruise I want or the change of fare or change of cabin.  So easy.  I’ve been let down by so many TAs, I just gave up on them.  Perhaps I’m missing some OBC or a bottle of wine or even a lower fare, but whatever.  My CVP is worth her weight in gold

This is where I'm at too.  The minimal OBC that I've gotten from TA's in the past is not worth it to me.   I usually email my CVP and I've never had to wait more than 15 minutes for a response

[gunnywife]

Obviously  some are good and some not so good.  Guess I got a not so good one.  I sent another e-mail to him awhile ago asking what the hold up was and still no answer.  Maybe I'm too impatient but I'm tired of waiting.  And I sure don't want to see the prices go up on 3 cabins that I'm paying for.  I just want to take my son and his wife and daughter and her husband on this trip and be able to see them having a good time cruising.

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, voljeep said:

I sent my CVP an email about the cost to 'upgrade' from PLUS to Premier ( the answer was $270 for a 5 day cruise, so $27 pp per day...didn't take it, yet)

 

she replied in 30 minutes.  Now it's usually the next business day - an east/west coast thingy

Seems odd to exceed $25/pp/day.

[Steelers36]

7 minutes ago, gunnywife said:

Obviously  some are good and some not so good.  Guess I got a not so good one.  I sent another e-mail to him awhile ago asking what the hold up was and still no answer.  Maybe I'm too impatient but I'm tired of waiting.  And I sure don't want to see the prices go up on 3 cabins that I'm paying for.  I just want to take my son and his wife and daughter and her husband on this trip and be able to see them having a good time cruising.

Call in to the CVP line and ask for someone else.  This guy is a loser for sure.

 

ETA:  In the meantime, if you intend to book direct with Princess, do yourself a favor and book those cabins on Princess.com and put on a Courtesy Hold for 3 days.

Edited August 3, 2022 by Steelers36

[gunnywife]

I owe him a BIG apology.  He call me this evening with all the information I needed.  He was as nice as he could be.  VERY helpful.  I feel terrible for being so impatient.  He did a lot of work and all is well.  He is definitely one of the good ones.

[Coral]

23 minutes ago, gunnywife said:

I owe him a BIG apology.  He call me this evening with all the information I needed.  He was as nice as he could be.  VERY helpful.  I feel terrible for being so impatient.  He did a lot of work and all is well.  He is definitely one of the good ones.

Glad he got back to you. Remember people can be sick, have a doctor's visit or maybe even a funeral. Life can often interfere.

[voljeep]

15 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Seems odd to exceed $25/pp/day.

we booked under PLUS almost a year ago now

 

current pricing (not our price) - 5 day

Base - 631

PLUS - 881

Premier - 1066

[Steelers36]

10 hours ago, voljeep said:

we booked under PLUS almost a year ago now

 

current pricing (not our price) - 5 day

Base - 631

PLUS - 881

Premier - 1066

Interesting.  The Plus is $250 above Standard/Base - which is as expected.  But the Premier is $185 over Plus which is more than one would expect (+$125 is what I would expect).

[dreaminofcruisin]

11 hours ago, voljeep said:

we booked under PLUS almost a year ago now

 

current pricing (not our price) - 5 day

Base - 631

PLUS - 881

Premier - 1066

 

Are you past final payment? Some reports showed when there was just the Plus package that it went up in price after final payment.

 

[voljeep]

12 hours ago, dreaminofcruisin said:

 

Are you past final payment? Some reports showed when there was just the Plus package that it went up in price after final payment.

 

Final payment is due mid-September - about 35 days out now

[Murray's Pop]

Interesting thread.  Years ago we had a PVP (now CVP I guess) with Princess.  He was great but is no longer there.  We have been doing all ourselves since then.

 

About a week ago I sent in a request for a new CVP to contact me (via the on-line request form).  Have not heard anything so far.  Is this the current state of Princess customer service?

[Steelers36]

42 minutes ago, Murray's Pop said:

Interesting thread.  Years ago we had a PVP (now CVP I guess) with Princess.  He was great but is no longer there.  We have been doing all ourselves since then.

 

About a week ago I sent in a request for a new CVP to contact me (via the on-line request form).  Have not heard anything so far.  Is this the current state of Princess customer service?

If you're doing it yourself, do yourself a favor and find a good discounting TA.

[Murray's Pop]

2 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

If you're doing it yourself, do yourself a favor and find a good discounting TA.

Thanks, but not new to cruising. Have been doing this now for about 20 years and have used pretty much all variables.  What I have found is that most of the "discounting" TA's provide very little in service other than a typically minor discount on the cruise fare.  My main reason for trying the Princess Cruise Planner again was more for the convenience of not having to do everything myself. 

[Steelers36]

5 minutes ago, Murray's Pop said:

Thanks, but not new to cruising. Have been doing this now for about 20 years and have used pretty much all variables.  What I have found is that most of the "discounting" TA's provide very little in service other than a typically minor discount on the cruise fare.  My main reason for trying the Princess Cruise Planner again was more for the convenience of not having to do everything myself. 

Gotcha, but you are not finding the right TA's.  Took me a couple of tries, but been great since then.

[Murray's Pop]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

Gotcha, but you are not finding the right TA's.  Took me a couple of tries, but been great since then.

👍

[Ombud]

4 hours ago, Murray's Pop said:

Interesting thread.  Years ago we had a PVP (now CVP I guess) with Princess.  He was great but is no longer there.  We have been doing all ourselves since then.

 

About a week ago I sent in a request for a new CVP to contact me (via the on-line request form).  Have not heard anything so far.  Is this the current state of Princess customer service?

To request a new CVP call #1-800-901-1172

 

Be specific (prefer morning hours or afternoon, need a rapid response or at least acknowledgement,  email or phone). If 1st assignment doesn't fit, change IMMEDIATELY.  Especially if 1 of the requirements is to acknowledge email .... that's just an auto response. (Fired one never responded)

[Murray's Pop]

On 8/7/2022 at 9:56 AM, Murray's Pop said:

Interesting thread.  Years ago we had a PVP (now CVP I guess) with Princess.  He was great but is no longer there.  We have been doing all ourselves since then.

 

About a week ago I sent in a request for a new CVP to contact me (via the on-line request form).  Have not heard anything so far.  Is this the current state of Princess customer service?

Just an update... Still have not received a response from Princess so I sent in another request.

No, I do not plan on calling them.  This is now becoming an experiment to see how long it will take to get a response.