HELP!! Anyone used a PCC?

[Luckyroot]

The PCC will match and beat any price that a TA can get you. I have confirmed this on all 5 of our cruises with NCL. In 4/5 of the cruises a local TA had the advertised prices about 15% lower than what we booked with NCL. We emailed our PCC and she not only dropped our booking, but in almost every case gave us a couple of category upgrade and an OBC.

 

How does one go about this? Do you require something in writing to confirm the lower pricing?

[Eurotrav]

I've already booked with NCL for a cruise next June. Can I get a PCC or do you have to wait until after your first cruise with them? Any suggestions on taking advantage of price drops, upgrades, etc.? Any advice is appreciated.

[cruising Baje]

I am currently booked in a suite with a TA at a very popular on-line agency and they have never offered a price lower than NCL. In fact I watch NCL's page for drops in prices and then call my TA who puts me on hold while he talks with NCL. He simply confirms the cabin price showing on NCL. In my case there has never been a difference between the price offered by NCL and the TA.

Thanks for any hints on getting a better price through a TA.

 

I have heard this several times, but I have yet to find a TA who can beat the price I found through NCL. I contacted several big on-line TA's and also one that has TA's competing for your business. I told them what cruises I was looking at and that I wanted pricing on a catagory BA Balcony. They all came back telling me that they could beat the price NCL was offering, but they were offering me a BE catagory balcony. So they were quoting me a price for the bottom catagory balcony and still was coming in at the price above the price NCL quoted me for a top of the Catagory balcony. Maybe a TA can save you a couple hundred dollars on a suite but when it comes to the regular cabins I don't think they are that interested in trying beat or match NCL's pricing.

[PangeanSir]

I know there are good TA's out there and if you've found one - great. Unfortunately, the one we used a few years back was prone to errors. We had to check everything carefully and it finally came to the point where we would research everything ourselves down to the flight time and number and then just use the TA as a booking agent.

 

I just prefer having more control over my vacation and prefer dealing directly with my PCC. We usually book a year+ in advance for a major cruise and I've haven't found much, if anything, in the way of savings between a TA and NCL direct. I've also got my PCC well trained she will often catch price reductions that I miss. Without prompting there will suddenly be a new Reservation Confirmation in my inbox showing a revised lower fare. My PCC has also been very helpful in making creative use of the Future Cruise Credits (back dating and refunding, etc.). And then there is of course the theories relating to the appearance of the upsell fairy.

 

P.

[*Wink*]

I've already booked with NCL for a cruise next June. Can I get a PCC or do you have to wait until after your first cruise with them? Any suggestions on taking advantage of price drops, upgrades, etc.? Any advice is appreciated.

All you need to do is call NCL and tell them your situation. They will be happy to assign you a PCC if you already aren't (which I think you would be. Someone's name has to be on your reservation I would think.)

 

Regardless.. just give them a call and go from there. :)

[travelntreats]

Boy you are misinformed.

 

The PCC will match and beat any price that a TA can get you. I have confirmed this on all 5 of our cruises with NCL. In 4/5 of the cruises a local TA had the advertised prices about 15% lower than what we booked with NCL. We emailed our PCC and she not only dropped our booking, but in almost every case gave us a couple of category upgrade and an OBC.

 

Say what you want about the PCCs, but in today's wired age, the TA is no longer needed in my court.

What an incorrect statement....:eek: TA's often rebate some of their commission to LOWER the cruise fare BELOW what booking direct with NCL or a PCC. A PCC CANNOT DO THIS therefore your statement is NOT CORRECT ! :rolleyes:

[snorklinbarb]

I can't from experience agree with freestylecruizer either. Though I like dealing with NCL and do have a PCC, we have "compared notes" a couple of times where she emphatically stated she could not match the fare quotes I had gotten elsewhere. And she understands that in some cases the price difference is significant enough that I would want to book the lower price with a TA. Sometimes the PCC has been able to be competitive (not always a "match" but close enough) and has gotten the business.

 

Like time2cruise1, I also like to be in control of the booking. This last Jade cruise was booked through a very competent TA recommended by CC friends. However, must admit there were a few times that I would have liked to have called NCL directly but couldn't. Also I tried to use some B of A upgrade certs. and the TA initially checked but the particular categories were not available.

 

About a month before sailing I noticed cabins available in the various categories and decided to contact the TA once again about it. Bingo. Sent in the coupons and got the upgrade from NCL. Must admit though, I was hesitant to "bother" the TA again (when I had already been told no). Had I booked directly with NCL I wouldn't have hesitated to just pick up the phone and check anytime.

 

As for price reductions, whether using NCL or a TA, I've been the one who's found the decreases, never the other way.

 

Another CC friend recently recommended an online TA with slightly more attractive prices than NCL for a cruise we are considering. However, as for price reductions, the first one is processed "free" but there is a charge after that. On our Jade cruise we had a couple of price drops so had it been booked through that other TA, we would have had a charge other than the first one.

 

Several yrs ago I booked the Jewel and paid a deposit. A few weeks later I had to cancel as my father was not able to go. $75 pp cancellation fee. The latest TA I used charges $25 pp (and some of them will waive it if you book something else). NCL does not charge for a cancellation (except for the highest suites).

 

So in my experience, some TA's do have deals that NCL cannot match, but that there are some "hidden" charges that could be costly. Careful to weigh the advantages/disadvantages.

 

Also it seems people come on here all the time to complain that "NCL wouldn't talk to me" about this or that if they've booked through a TA. You can't have it both ways. Once you use the TA everything has to go through him/her other than very simple things like ordering a shorex.

[auducky2]

We love our PCC. We use him for everything. One time we found a great price somewhere else and he went to see what he could do. Since he couldn't come close, he told us to book it through the other service. Other than that, we always use him. He gets back to us promptly and always tries to find the cheapest way for us to cruise. He's great!

[Eurotrav]

Thanks, Wink. I'll give it a try!

[Cubechick]

I can't from experience agree with freestylecruizer either. Though I like dealing with NCL and do have a PCC' date=' we have "compared notes" a couple of times where she emphatically stated she could not match the fare quotes I had gotten elsewhere. And she understands that in some cases the price difference is significant enough that I would want to book the lower price with a TA. Sometimes the PCC has been able to be competitive (not always a "match" but close enough) and has gotten the business.

 

[/quote']

 

That has been my experience as well. At one point I was told that they couldn't match prices. Then last year I was able to get some really good deals with my PCC. This year not so much. In fact my most recent booking I did through an online agency because I could save over $300.

 

Granted I went this route because the cruise was already w/in final payment and it's unlikely that I'd need the services of the TA. (Although I did call with a question and was thrilled at how responsive they were!)

[*Wink*]

Would you all please stop posting that your PCC doesn't match a TA's price.. It's causing me to stay misinformed.

 

Thank you. ;)

[Cubechick]

Would you all please stop posting that your PCC doesn't match a TA's price.. It's causing me to stay misinformed.

 

Thank you. ;)

 

My bad. :o

:D:D

[Prnsessmoi]

Can someone please define PCC for me? :o

 

Thanks!

[*Wink*]

Can someone please define PCC for me? :o

 

Thanks!

Personal Cruise Consultant. That's what NCL calls their sales people.

 

Don't feel bad if you don't know all the acronyms.. You will soon enough, and always feel free to ask.