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TA or Carnival Direct


fisch10

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i booked thru a t/a and my cousin went thru carnival - we are sailing on miracle 8/21 - her price was cheaper than mine and next to my cabin - i called my t/a and asked why her price was lower - his response "oh yeh, the price went down and i forgot to tell u" - luckily it was before my final payment -

then i wanted to upgrade to cat. 12 which would have been great if my t/a moved fast - i called him and asked about it he waited and waited - i finally called carnival but they said had to deal with my t/a - called my t/a back and someone else took the last cat 12 suite - boy was i upset - i couldnt get an 11 suite because it only accomodate 2 people and i have 3 in a cabin - if he only moved a little faster, i would have lucked out.

my guess, stick with carnival direct

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I've done it both ways. Booking directly through Carnival worked out just fine, and there were no issues. My last couple of cruises have been group cruises and booked through a TA who I really like. As long as his rates were in line with Carnival's, I'd book with my travel agent.

 

Another alternative is booking via one of the online discount sites. Some are limited to email support, and that's something to keep in mind. Probably wouldn't matter much to an experienced cruiser.

 

A couple of advantages for booking early come to mind. (I'm sure there are more. :D )

 

1. You can get the cabin of your choice. Or, if you book a guarantee, it might increase your chances of an upgrade.

 

2. Prices could go up. If they do, your fare won't change. If prices go down, you can get your fare reduced by the difference.

 

If I'd made a choice for next July, I'd go ahead and book it.

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Last year, not knowing any better (and before I discovered this board!) I booked a seven day cruise on the Elation through a TA who told me there were no past cruiser discounts and charged me the full brochure price. I booked ten months ahead and never heard about any later fare reductions.

 

This year I wanted to book the same cruise. After lots of research on-line, I booked directly with Carnival. Still ten months out, Carnival PVP gave me a lower price than the year before on the same staterooms for the same cruise and told me I would get any fare reductions available before final payment. At that point I was already money ahead.

 

Then a few months after booking, Carnival sends me an email saying there was a sale on my cruise. I call the PVP and receive a total of $200 in rate reductions.

 

Wait, it gets even better. Last month, I got an another email from Carnival about another fare reduction. I called again (PVP didn't return my calls, but I just called the Carnival general number and they were happy to help me.) This time I got $180 worth of fare reductions. I'm paying substantially less per person this year for the same rooms on the same cruise.

 

As far as I'm concerned, a TA is just somebody with their hand in your pocket. Plus, I like the fact that I can call and talk directly to Carnival any time I want.

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I've booked my future cruise way ahead of time to 1) get the specific cabin I want and 2) to lock in the fare from any increases. I first booked with a Carnival PVP. Because I was still checking on prices, I did contact some TA's. With one, I got a lower price. I called my PVP and she contacted the TA, verified the price and my booking was transferred to the TA, but with Carnival still actively involved. So, I got the best price and I can contact either my TA or the PVP with any questions. Either one can make changes such as price reductions or ???

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Guess you need a professional Travel Agent who is up on everything especiall price changes and credits! Carnival NEVER offers a better deal to the public!

You just think so......Maybe your agent never gave you the best deal and ALL bonsus certificates coming to you! DID you ask? LOL

 

 

i booked thru a t/a and my cousin went thru carnival - we are sailing on miracle 8/21 - her price was cheaper than mine and next to my cabin - i called my t/a and asked why her price was lower - his response "oh yeh, the price went down and i forgot to tell u" - luckily it was before my final payment -

then i wanted to upgrade to cat. 12 which would have been great if my t/a moved fast - i called him and asked about it he waited and waited - i finally called carnival but they said had to deal with my t/a - called my t/a back and someone else took the last cat 12 suite - boy was i upset - i couldnt get an 11 suite because it only accomodate 2 people and i have 3 in a cabin - if he only moved a little faster, i would have lucked out.

my guess, stick with carnival direct

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I think it really depends on how saavy you are at getting a good price and at booking travel in general. Some people shouldn't book their own travel, because they need a TA to remind them about proper identification or final payment, etc. People who are familiar with the fine print or who read and understand it can book it themselves without a problem. I've seen posters on these boards present problems that would've benefited from booking with a competant TA. Long ago and far away I was a TA, so I'm a pretty informed traveler. I know to check the CIC and State Dept site for travel advisories when taking an exotic itinerary, but plenty of people don't. I have both booked with a TA and booked on my own and had a TA assume the booking. It doesn't change the price, unless the TA can get it for less.

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When you book on the internet you NEVER recieve the travel agents bonus or special code for discounted prices. Things have changed over the years.

We always can do better than the internet!

I think it really depends on how saavy you are at getting a good price and at booking travel in general. Some people shouldn't book their own travel, because they need a TA to remind them about proper identification or final payment, etc. People who are familiar with the fine print or who read and understand it can book it themselves without a problem. I've seen posters on these boards present problems that would've benefited from booking with a competant TA. Long ago and far away I was a TA, so I'm a pretty informed traveler. I know to check the CIC and State Dept site for travel advisories when taking an exotic itinerary, but plenty of people don't. I have both booked with a TA and booked on my own and had a TA assume the booking. It doesn't change the price, unless the TA can get it for less.
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well at least i thought he was a professional t/a - once my cousin told me her price thru carnival i immediately called my t/a and he was like "oh i guess u are a sherlock holmes, checking out prices" - i think he was annoyed that i asked him why his price was higher and when i booked thru t/a, he said he called carnival and their price was better (which i think he was pulling my leg) - whatever....it pays to check out all your resources - if u know someone who dealt with a good t/a, then go for it but u mentioned carnival is out for themselves...well some t/a are only out for themselves too.

once i told him about the price, my price droped $200/person

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Nothing beats cutting out the middleman in my book... I have booked with Carnival DIRECT the last several sailings... I really enjoy being able to reach a live person on the phone 24/7!

 

1-800-CAR-NIVA (L)

 

(I can remember that wherever I am...)

 

Even if I could save $100 booking with a TA, I would STILL go through Carnival, as I have been frustrated on at least 2 occasions with different TA's (yes, I am sure there are GREAT ones out there - but I will NEVER know!)

 

LEFTY : I know what you mean about some TA's being too slow to scoop up ONE LAST cabin... it happened to me too.. My thought: just give me 1-800CARNIVAL and I will take care of things myself!

 

Recall the saying : "If you want something done RIGHT, do it yourself"!

 

...having said that, I agree that some people are too inexperienced or inept to make their own arrangements - for those folks a TA may be helpful.

 

I have seen one SMALL FIRM (3-4 in office) TA actually hold deposit $ in their OWN account (I guess to cover their own floating checks) for too long, and then lose the reserved cabin because too much time elapsed.. of course other explanations were made to the customer...:(... I am sure this is an exception to the rule, but "seeing" it was disturbing...

 

 

Tom

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We always can do better than the internet!

CruiseDr -Since you are new here, and you are obviously a travel agent (key word "we", above) - you probably need to tone down your replies a bit - two in this thread alone. This forum is for discussions, not debates.

I cringe every time I see something like "so-and-so NEVER does this-and-that". Never is a misnomer.

Many of us get great deals from different places. Personally, I prefer booking with Carnival PVP - and yes, I do a LOT of research on each cruise before booking. She has always given me a better cruise rate plus incentives.....but that doesn't mean Carnival direct is the only way to book.....nor is an online agency.....nor is your industry, the brick and mortar travel agency. Everybody will find their own BEST way to book.

Bottom line is - back off a bit, would you? We like having travel agents post here, if they have good input and manners, but don't come here shooting with both barrels. Relax and have fun.:)

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I am a travel agent and at our company we never put your deposit in our account and hold it to float checks. as soon as we get your check in we send a agency check right out to the cruise line. and there are some of us that can get better rates then those online.

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It is always best to be an informed consumer.

 

RESEARCH - RESEARCH - RESEARCH

 

Prior to booking I always check with Carnival and numerous online brokers. For those with no cruising experience I highly recommend a PVP at Carnival for the simple fact that you will have lots of questions that your TA might not have the answers or may be misinformed. If you book with Carnival you get to deal directly with Carnival. If not you are at the mercy of your agent who may or may not be interested in helping. It is always a good idea whether dealing with Carnival or a TA to confirm the information you have been given. I have had a couple issues come up in the past that had I not been diligent in my efforts for accurate information could have been a problem. Two situations come to mind: 1st is the issue of children not traveling to Mexico with BOTH biological parents. Although Carnival will tell you it is a "good" idea to have a notarized letter from the other parent, THEY Carnival do not require it; however, if there is an emergency and it becomes necessary for you to leave Mexico by plane you will have problems. Also, without the notarized letter you would not be able to use the vacation guarantee that Carnival offers (not that you would want to but you just never know what might happen). Our second issue was regarding the Canopy tour age requirement; Carnival stated the minimum age was 12 the tour company said 8. I talked to four different people at Carnival and was told three different things. It wasn't until I was put in contact with the Excursion Director on the Pride that we reached a resolution (done before the cruise and put in writing).

 

Personally I like to book months (sometimes as many as 18) in advance, my last five cruises have been booked with the same online broker for the simple fact that I got the best deal. On two occasions the price dropped and I simply sent an e-mail and requested the difference. I have found that if I have issues that do not deal directly with my booking I too have the services of Carnival available to me. If there is an issue with my booking I make sure I have the facts and if necessary will walk my agent through the process; this was necessary when one of the children were unable to join us on our Pride cruise.

 

 

Bottom line for us has been to be an educated cruiser; know what we want or need, ask, confirm and have it put in writing.

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I had already spoken with a TA when Carnival called me to find out what kind of trip I wanted to take (I had requested brochures) and the man from Carnival told me that using a TA was fine, as they would give me the exact same pricing that Carnival would. I thought that was interesting

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CruiseDr -Since you are new here, and you are obviously a travel agent (key word "we", above) - you probably need to tone down your replies a bit - two in this thread alone. This forum is for discussions, not debates.

 

I cringe every time I see something like "so-and-so NEVER does this-and-that". Never is a misnomer.

 

Many of us get great deals from different places. Personally, I prefer booking with Carnival PVP - and yes, I do a LOT of research on each cruise before booking. She has always given me a better cruise rate plus incentives.....but that doesn't mean Carnival direct is the only way to book.....nor is an online agency.....nor is your industry, the brick and mortar travel agency. Everybody will find their own BEST way to book.

 

Bottom line is - back off a bit, would you? We like having travel agents post here, if they have good input and manners, but don't come here shooting with both barrels. Relax and have fun.:)

Well said Cotton, lol!

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We booked our first cruise directly through Carnival. No problems, but no extra service either. Since then I use a TA simply because she is so informed and really does give great service. She keeps an eye on the price drops and even applied a coupon to my upcoming cruise while I was away on another cruise. :)

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I think it is important to research because it seems like there are all sorts of different specials and such offered by different online agencies, PVP's or TA's at any one time. I researched and found the best deal with an online travel agency because they offered a free upgrade and ship credit. I ended up saving $100 per person as well as getting the upgrade. I called a PVP and they couldn't match the deal offered by the online agency. I am not limiting myself to booking through an online agency just because there was a good deal this time. I'll do my research to make sure I get the best price whoever may be offering it.:D

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Can you tell me if it's now standard practice for TA's to charge an agent fee?

Mine charged me $80.00. First time I've used her to book a cruise. I usually do most of my own travel booking through the internet. I didn't even give Carnival a call because when I kept checking their website for rates, they were always so much higher than my TA or other internet sites. Do these PVP's do better for you than the posted rates?!!? I'm such a newbie!!!

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Prior to booking our upcoming September 19th Conquest cruise, I checked not only prices, but also policies relating to payments, price drops, cancellations, shipboard credits, etc. with travel agencies both on-line and via the telephone and also Carnival.

 

Using a TA has been the best experience for us for the following reasons:

 

1. TA booked a large quantity of rooms for our sail date; therefore, she was able to offer our sail date for an EXTREMELY low price; She beat the competition and Carnival's lowest fare by at least $200.00 per person.

 

2. TA has been extremely honest and helpful in advising us with regard to our expectations. i.e. we booked an 8A guarantee, but wanted side by side. Although she said she could not guarnatee this without booking specific cabins, she said she would do everything in her power to make it happen. Not only are we side by side... we were upgraded to the Empress Deck :)

 

3. TA has arranged for us to receive a $100.00 shipboard credit (per cabin); plus has been incredible in keeping us informed of our reservation status; documents, etc.

 

4. By using a TA, we were allowed more flexibility regarding payment options. Since we have a large family, this is probably the biggest advantage, as we did not have to come up with the $250.00 pp deposit up-front.

 

It is great knowing that we got the lowest price possible for our balcony cabin. We got an 8A balcony on the Conquest for $757.50 per person, including taxes, port fees, etc. We plan on sending our TA an extra special thank you upon our return and are working on booking our winter cruise.

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Can you tell me if it's now standard practice for TA's to charge an agent fee? Mine charged me $80.00.

 

I've never heard of that! Did she say exactly what that charge was for? I would definitely question her on that!

 

I didn't even give Carnival a call because when I kept checking their website for rates, they were always so much higher ...PVP's do better for you than the posted rates?!!?

 

Never think that the brochure price or the website price can't be beat by a PVP! My cruises thru PVP are much lower than any published rates, plus getting rate reductions and/or shipboard credits on every cruise I've booked thru her.

Now - go talk w/that TA of yours. You can always cancel and rebook with another agency or Carnival PVP, y'know. Good luck.:)

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For the inexperienced cruiser, a PVP is probably the way to go. After doing plenty of online price checking.

 

For an experienced traveller, a GOOD TA is best EVERY time. The problem is finding that good, professional TA. Since we can't make recommendations here, I don't know how you find the TA for you. Trial & Error?

 

Cotton,et al If a PVP quotes $1000 pp and a TA quotes $950 for the same thing. The PVP cannot underquote the TA without lowering the TA's net price. Which means the TA could then underquote the PVP. Carnival cannot give away commission but a TA can. If CCL were to quote prices below the TA's commish., they wouldn't have any TA's booking with them.

 

But finding a pro TA that operates on short commish. is tough to do.

 

The really experienced traveller, able to do all their own research, and knowing exacty what and when they want. And not needing their hand held, can use online discounters. But that's probably not the way to go for newbies.

Dan

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I have to differ with you Dan40... I consider myself a pretty experienced cruiser - and I PREFER the PVP (for reasons previously stated)... additionally saying that a GOOD TA is the best EVERY time is, though often true, not a given... and "best" in what ways? (money is NOT everything - I will pay more for confidence and piece of mind... much the same way the I will pay more for a PARTICULAR cabin, rather than a guarantee)

 

I enjoy taking part in my own booking... when I have to FAX my proof of Carnival stock ownership, or proof (ID) for the military discount I FAX it directly to Carnival... and it is typically processed within 2-3 days. I do not have to ASSUME that a TA has taken care of it... of course you did say a GOOD TA.

 

..but to each his own, that is why both will continue to exist - both can service and please different folks in different ways.

 

Tom

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