Travel Agent Nightmare!!!

[gquest]

My travel agent is driving me crazy and I don't know what to do. Here is the run down: I booked my cruise back in August or September using cruise compete. After, I filled out the forms authorizing payment of deposit I registed my booking number on Carnival's website. A couple weeks later my cruise was canceled due to Carnival not receiving the deposit for the cruise. I emailed my agent like crazy and about a week or so later she took care of it and blamed the whole thing on Carnival. My cruise departs on March 6, 2005 (Carnival Valor) and I have still have not made final payment and I have been trying to do so since Dec 28th, the due date, however it has been almost impossible to reach my travel agent. I finally received a call from her on on January 4, 2005 and she told me she would send an authoriztion form, but I have heard nothing back from since that conversation. I have emailed her and called her multiple times concerning final payment. I even called Carnival and they told me that it was imperative that I get in touch with her, or my cruise would be canceled. What should I do? I was paying $747 per person for an OV 6A gty but rates have gone up sine then. Do I have any restitution in this matter? She is a member of CLIA can I call them? Please help, I don't Know what to do.

[palmtre2]

Wow - I would be freakin!! Won't Carnival take the final payment??? Is this a one person agency???? I wish I could be of some help but the only thing I can think of is to transfer booking to someone else and pay thru them. Perhaps you have a local travel agency who can help you - take all of your paper work to them with the payment and see if they can help you.

[TXRoo]

Call and speak to her manager. If he/she cannot help, then ask to change the booking to directly through Carnival and ask Carnival if you can make final payment. Tell them you want it done by today and if they don't you shall call the local BBB and CLIA and inform them.

[madelinerose]

As I replied on the other thread: escalate!!!

[MyImagination]

As palmtre2 mentioned, this sounds like a one person agency. They are quite prevelant with cruise compete low bids. At this point you really need to get in contact with her, since it doesnt sound like there is a manager or supervisor to soeak with.

To transfer a booking to carnival the OP would need the agents permission. The amount of final payment would also change since the price was undoubtly very low since the agent rebated her commission.

 

I hope it works out for you. The lowest price isnt always the best way to go.

 

Keep us updated.

 

This is from the Carnival Ticket Contract

 

Any travel agent or sales agent utilized by the Guest in connection with this contract is solely the agent of the Guest and not Carnival. Carnival is not responsible for the financial condition or integrity of any travel agent utilized by Guest. In the event that an agent shall fail to remit to Carnival any monies paid to the agent by Guest, Guest shall be and remain liable for the fare due to Carnival, regardless of whether liability is asserted before or after embarkation. Issuance and validity of ticket contract is conditional upon final payment being received by Carnival prior to sailing. Any refund made by Carnival to an agent on behalf of Guest shall be deemed payment to Guest, regardless whether the monies are delivered by the agent to Guest. Receipt of this ticket contract, any other documentation or notification pertaining to the cruise by Guest’s travel agent shall constitute receipt by Guest.

[jujub]

I wasn't familiar with that site, but just went to it and called the 800 number - a live agent picked up so they are answering the phones there. Don't ask for your agent. Immediately demand to be connected to a supervisor and get them to get Carnival on the phone while you listen. It is good that they are a member of CLIA, which you could certainly contact, but give them the opportunity now to take care of it. Something is fishy, but I wouldn't continue to wait for your current agent to get back to you or you'll be out of luck :confused:

[Zeta3]

Wow this definitely sounds like an independent agent not providing proper service. Many of the independent agents on cruise compete are under larger umbrella agencies that you may be able to escalate to. I may be able to help you find some information on who to escalate to as I also do business via cruise compete. Shoot me an email at jreed1920@gmail.com and I will help with what I can.

[cruiseco]

It is good that they are a member of CLIA, which you could certainly contact:

 

People often think that CLIA is some sort of organization of travel agents complete with a "code of ethics" or some power to enforce the organization's rules.

 

CLIA has no established code of ethics, they have no enforcement power, they do not take or keep track of complaints against individual members, and will do nothing for you. The only way to get kicked out of CLIA is if the check for your annual dues bounces.

[hlsess]

Which agency did you book with?

[gquest]

Thank you all so much for all the advice. Yes, this is a one women operation. I called Carnival directly and they told me they would take final payment, however, like you guys said it was about $100 pp more because the agent was backing it out of her commission. Carnival told me my cruise would be canceled on Jan 21, 2005. I told them that I would wait unit the 21st to make payment directly (with Carnival) and in the mean time I had Carnival call the agent and leave a few messages. Finally, my agent called me and apologized for the delay. She told me she had been at the doctors (for 3 weeks?). I told her that my cruise was going to be canceled and she told me she made payment on Monday, which I seriously doubt she did. She said she would confirm after she got back from the doctors office. I called Carnival back and told them what she said; they informed me that they could no longer provide or confirm any information about payment and insisted that I have a conference with them and my agent to resolve the whole thing. Carnival told me to call the Better Business Bureau if these charades continued. I will keep you guys up dated.

[wantacruise]

I had a similar situation (kind of) with my first cruise. The local travel agent I used sent in our deposit but then disappeared off the face of the earth!!! She moved to another town and gave me a forwarding phone number but, after weeks of trying to get in touch I got very nervous. I tried information, the town's Chamber of Commerce, new business information, etc. I called RCI directly after much frustration and found out that other people who had booked through her were having trouble too. One couple traveling with us had sent in a partial payment but, it never made it to RCI--only thier deposit. Also, according to RCI, several people were out their entire final payment. I right then asked to transfer my booking to RCI and they obliged. I dealt directly with them for everything else. My next cruise I booked directly with Carnival and still am leary of online agencies. I have found a wonderful one, however, who has an office in a neighboring town--I use them now since I can actually drive there and see someone face to face--they are not just a one person operation. I would suggest you ask Carnival if you can transfer the booking without the TA's consent since you cannot get in touch with her. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!

[gquest]

Which agency did you book with?

 

As soon as all this is taken care of I will tell you guys the name of the agency.

[karenh1127]

I booked directly thru Carnival for the cruise and the excursions. I am just too leary of doing it any other way. It might cost more but I have that peace of mind. I hope you get to sail after all you went through!

[gquest]

Fwwww, that was close. I called my TA a few more times and she said she took care of it and then I checked my credit card statement and the charge has gone through. Just to make sure I called Carnival and they told me everything was A OK. I have a one more question. As I said earlier, the final payment that Carnival said I owed differed significantly from the final payment stipulated in my contract ($966 vs. $1239). Carnival told me the reason for this was because the TA was backing out some of her commission. Doesn't that seem like a significant amount of commission to back out (28% diff)? What is the avg commission that TA's normally charge? When I went to the book modify page it reflected Carnival's final payment. Thanks again for all your help.

[Guest Time2gocruzn]

Carnival told me the reason for this was because the TA was backing out some of her commission. Doesn't that seem like a significant amount of commission to back out (28% diff)? What is the avg commission that TA's normally charge?

 

I am not sure what the average comission is. That does seem like a big difference tho. Maybe the reason she was blowing you off is because she screwed up and quoted you the wrong price and later realized she would be making nothing off you. Maybe she was hoping you would go elsewhere? I dunno...but I would see if you could have your booking transfered to Carnival ASAP! What if there is last minute trouble and she pulls this crap with you again?! I would report her lack of service to Cruise Compete. I don't think they would continue to send business to agents that they get complaints about.

[cruiseco]

As I said earlier, the final payment that Carnival said I owed differed significantly from the final payment stipulated in my contract ($966 vs. $1239). Carnival told me the reason for this was because the TA was backing out some of her commission. Doesn't that seem like a significant amount of commission to back out (28% diff)? What is the avg commission that TA's normally charge? When I went to the book modify page it reflected Carnival's final payment. Thanks again for all your help.

 

The numbers aren't adding up. In your first post you said the per person rate quoted by the TA was $747.

 

$747 X 2 = $1494

Assuming a $500 initial deposit the balance due would be $994, not $966.

 

Even so, let's look at Carnival's figures. Assuming that $500 deposit and a balance due of $1239 the actual contracted fare would be about $1739.

 

Figure about a total of $500 of that $1739 falls into the category of "non-commissionable" leaving a rounded off approximation of $1240 that is commissionable. Carnival maxes out commissions at about 18% so that would be a maximum of $223 that could be deducted from the actual fare as a rebate to you. That comes close to the $245 difference between the $994 and the $1239. But the TA would still be in the hole on the booking by a few dollars. And if we use the $966 instead of the $994 it's even a bigger loser.

 

But let's get real here. A one-person agency making 18%? Not remotely likely. Probably 15% at the most (15% is easy to hit with Carnival, from there on you need big numbers of bookings). So the picture is even worse.

 

Many one-person agencies affiliate themselves with huge agencies that do make 17 - 18% but they have to do some sort of commission split for the privelege.

 

If the numbers are as stated, I'm inclined to think that the previous poster is correct. This booking was screwed up from the get-go -- probably a mis-quote.

 

Hey, we've all done it. I can remember one quote I made where I transposed some numbers and even after subtracting out all of our commission we were in the hole another fifty bucks. You cover the fifty, cuss yourself for being so stupid, and move on. But you NEVER let the client go through this.

[gquest]

Thanks for all the insight everyone, it is much appreciated. And yes, you are right CruiseCo it should have been $994, from what was stipulated in the terms of the contract. I just check my credit card statement and I was charged $995 instead of the $994 - no big deal considering all I've been through. CruiseCo, When you said, "And if we use the $966 instead of the $994 it's even a bigger loser," would it be the exact opposite of that? If she charged me $966, as opposed to to $994 she would be making $2 extra dollars.

[Zeta3]

I agree with cruisco and the previous poster that thsi was a botched initial quote. Cruise compete also collects commission on the booking so that would have been a serious loss aat those prices.

[gquest]

Cruise compete also collects commission on the booking so that would have been a serious loss aat those prices.

 

 

I would be willing to bet that a good deal of the agents on cruise compete do not inform cruise compete when they sign a contract with a client, whose relationship originated at cruise compete. As for myslef, my quote request expired after a couple weeks and I was never asked to fill out any documents that would inform cruise compete of any contract being signed.

[gquest]

Cruise compete also collects commission on the booking so that would have been a serious loss at those prices.

 

 

I would be willing to bet that a good deal of the agents on cruise compete do not inform cruise compete when they sign a contract with a client, whose relationship originated at cruise compete. As for myslef, my quote request expired after a couple weeks and I was never asked to fill out any documents that would inform cruise compete of any contract being signed.

[MyImagination]

So is everything full speed ahead??

[gquest]

So is everything full speed ahead??

 

Everything is A Ok. Thanks again:)

[MyImagination]

Everything is A Ok. Thanks again:)

 

Wonderful! Have a great cruise