Switch Reservation to Broker?

[cruisertime]

Hi Everyone,

 

Need your opinion. We have a cruise booked on the Glory for Thanksgiving week. We booked through a Carnival PVP, who is very nice. I received an E mail from a cruise broker recently that has lower pricing. I talked to our PVP, she could not match any pricing and she said we could transfer the reservation, then everything would need to go through the broker. She said Carnival will probably have a past guest promo, but couldn't guarantee anything.

 

We are talking about 400.00 difference across 6 people. Does anyone have any experience in doing this?

 

Thanks

[mr. cruiser]

First thing I would do is check out the company to see if they're legit, then make sure you are comparing apples to apples as some companys don't include taxes and fees in their quotes. If all is well then go for it as your PVP doesn't lose the credit for the cruise.

[griswalds]

We booked directly on a cruise ship with the cruise line. We later moved the reservation to an internet agency and there were no problems. As mentioned make sure the broker is well established and be sure of their cancellation policy as well as any change requests.

 

Changing TA's can be much more challenging.

 

Good luck

 

Griswalds

[Pegs222]

First thing I would do is check out the company to see if they're legit, then make sure you are comparing apples to apples as some companys don't include taxes and fees in their quotes. If all is well then go for it as your PVP doesn't lose the credit for the cruise.

 

 

Actually the PVP has already gotten credit and would not loose it if the OP went with the other company.

 

I do agree with you that the OP should check out this company. Sometimes what looks good is not.

[EarthGirl517]

First thing I would do is check out the company to see if they're legit, then make sure you are comparing apples to apples as some companys don't include taxes and fees in their quotes. If all is well then go for it as your PVP doesn't lose the credit for the cruise.

 

Actually the PVP has already gotten credit and would not loose it if the OP went with the other company.

 

I do agree with you that the OP should check out this company. Sometimes what looks good is not.

 

 

I think that's what Mr. Cruiser said.

[Pegs222]

I think that's what Mr. Cruiser said.

 

Thanks, I honestly must be blind or maybe it is just selective reading

[mr. cruiser]

Actually the PVP has already gotten credit and would not loose it if the OP went with the other company.

All is well. I think the op got the idea

[cruisertime]

Update!

 

Thanks for the input. I contacted the broker, and it seems that the pricing is not what it seemed. He quoted much higher pricing, and when I mentioned the pricing I received in the E mail, he told me those were "group rates".

[Cruz4us]

Update!

 

Thanks for the input. I contacted the broker, and it seems that the pricing is not what it seemed. He quoted much higher pricing, and when I mentioned the pricing I received in the E mail, he told me those were "group rates".

 

I've got a better price quote through an online agency plus a 2 cat upgrade we called my TA and she called her ppl at Carnival and got us upgraded and the price dropped between 2 cabins that was a savings of about $600:D She could have got us an 8C for an 8A price but since we didn't want below the Lido deck we opted to do the 8B aft cabins:) She didn't want to loose the buisness if we didn't get that savings.

[PA Dutchman]

Thats the sucker price. We looked at some cruises that had really good prices, but till we were done we had a better price from CCL. We always price a 8A or a 9A. One time it was a obstructed view price, another time no taxes and fees added. So make sure its apple to apple with your end price.

[Cruz4us]

Thats the sucker price. We looked at some cruises that had really good prices, but till we were done we had a better price from CCL. We always price a 8A or a 9A. One time it was a obstructed view price, another time no taxes and fees added. So make sure its apple to apple with your end price.

 

Sucker price or not my TA in Carlisle matched it and upgraded us just like the broker was going to do. Hello there neighbor we are from Carlisle Pa. I would much rather work face to face than to have just a voice over the phone.

[RjayB]

Similar experience: Had a 8A guarantee, and TA said they could beat the price by $100pp. Turns out that was for a 7A obstructed view, not a regular 8A.

 

I know there are TA's out there that can beat Carnival's rates, but I haven't found one yet.