Should I be upset at our TA?

[halos]

I dont know of any TA or PVP who sends out a payment reminder.

 

Mine always have

:confused:

Even when I book on line, they need permission to charge my card before final payment, so I get notified in order to OK the charge.

 

I'm not sure how that applies to OPs situation. He didn't forget to make final payment. The TA left the office early and wasn't available to take his final payment. If he forgot to make it he wouldn't have known she wasn't in.

 

exactly.

[Nunu]

It's a non issue and that's all I'm going to say about this. /

[Traveler353]

OP: Personal responsability.

When booking directly thru a Carnival PVP they now have a program where they will set up an automatic charge to your card when the final payment is due. Prior to this my PVP used to always call to remind me that my payment was due.

[Kurbanfan]

It's a non issue and that's all I'm going to say about this. /

 

I agree:D

[Nunu]

I agree:D

 

/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[halos]

This absolutely isn't a big deal, but the Op wants to know if she should find a new TA.

I would.

 

For us, our TA handled this same situation in a manner I would expect from a Travel Agent. Upon booking, she wrote up my confirmation, with the final payment date stated on it. She realized that she was on vacation that week. She told me she would call CCL to extend the date. I told her not to worry, I didn't mind paying early.

The point is, she was doing her job, taking care of me.

I don't need to be reminded of a final payment EVER...but I usually book far in advance and a call from the TA or an email from an on line TA askign me if it's OK to charge my same credit card is a good thing.....usually I do use the same card I made a deposit with, but what if I didn't want to? Checkign is always good.

 

Neither the OP or I need a babysitter, but if I am booking through a TA (and I rarely do. I usually just book lon line myself) I do expect her to work FOR me. This particular one was awesome...right before final payment was due, I got a letter in the mail letting me know the price had dropped and we had $240 less to pay at final payment. :)

 

THIS is what I expect from a TA.

 

There are zillions of them out there. Why should the OP stick with one that was like, "woops! I didn't even realize it was final payment time!"

[Kurbanfan]

/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[highbridge5]

I'm not sure you should be mad at your TA. You just learned something new about yourself that you might not have known before. When you deal with a travel agent, you prefer one that helps you remember the important dates related to your booking.

 

You expected a reminder and did not get one - this should tell you that you need to find a TA that meets your expectations. This is a good starting place for questions for asking before you start working with

your next TA.

 

I got lucky. I called a 1-800 number and got whatever agent answered the phone. Turns out I got a good one.

[halos]

I'm not sure you should be mad at your TA. You just learned something new about yourself that you might not have known before. When you deal with a travel agent, you prefer one that helps you remember the important dates related to your booking.

 

You expected a reminder and did not get one - this should tell you that you need to find a TA that meets your expectations. This is a good starting place for questions for asking before you start working with

your next TA.

 

I got lucky. I called a 1-800 number and got whatever agent answered the phone. Turns out I got a good one.

She didn't need a reminder. She needed the TA to be there to take her final payment. (actually, her brother's final payemnt. The OP had already made hers)

The TA was the one not aware that it was time for final payment, not the OP.

[ktkep26]

I agree the TA should have notified you that she would be out of the office and arranged to have someone else in her office to take the payment. I know that this is something that goes on in my DM's travel office all the time; if someone is out arrangements are made for that person's clients to be taken care of by the others. Personally I would find another TA.

[happy cruzer]

Well... how much does a TA make on each booking??? How much are they getting paid to do reminders, etc. Either you are paying for that service, which alot of people don't want to do. Or they are doing it for free for some reason..... I don't like either option so avoid relying on TAs to serve me.

[Kurbanfan]

Well... how much does a TA make on each booking??? How much are they getting paid to do reminders, etc. Either you are paying for that service, which alot of people don't want to do. Or they are doing it for free for some reason..... I don't like either option so avoid relying on TAs to serve me.

 

Clients don't pay for TA's the cruiselines do.....

[wendymac]

If the TA can't keep you from worrying about things get rid of them.

 

I agree! That is the whole point of using a TA they are supposed to take care of everything for you, why bother, if they aren't going to do anything more than what you can get yourself by booking online. Personally I have found a lot of TA's take wayyy too long to get back to me, I want everything done as soon as possible, so I book things myself, that way I know it gets done.

[donaldsc]

I would have a serious problem that she forgot that it final payment time.

 

DON

[ManyMore]

I generally have to pay all up front anyway because I usually book close to cruise time but I would never have thought that the TA would remind me of my payment dates.

[halos]

I generally have to pay all up front anyway because I usually book close to cruise time but I would never have thought that the TA would remind me of my payment dates.

 

If you used a TA, would you feel good about her/him if you had to specifically ask them if they were going to be there to take final payment, or specifically remind them to have someone available to take your payment...and would you feel good if you had to remind THEM when your final payment was due?...in other words..if you had to babysit the TA.

This is what the OP feels like she is doing.

 

I don't know how many people actually need a reminder (even though this is NOT what this thread is about) but people who book far in advance (with a credit card) do need to be asked if they want the same card used for final payment...especially when it is a cruise booked well in advance.

(Cards can expire, get cancelled...etc)

So, in essence the TA is reminding you when they call you or email you to check and see if you would like final pymnt to be made with the same credit card. When you book closer to your sail date, they usualy ask permission upon booking, to use the same card for final pymnt. If you agree to it, then no reminder is given. No matter when they take the booking, permission should be given by you at some point for that last payment.

[wentworth]

Even though we are on auto-pay, my PVP both calls and sends an email with a reminder, even though technically she doesn't need to. This is why she is my PVP and will be until she leaves Carnival (which I hope is never).

 

 

Our PVP also calls us about a week before final payment.

[wentworth]

Wow nobody reminds me when all my other bills are due......responsibility comes to mind;)

 

 

 

I don't Need a reminder either. However, my PVP which we've had

for our last 3 cruises does contact us before final payment. I just

think it's a nice gesture on her part and I appreciate it.:)

[Kurbanfan]

No matter when they take the booking, permission should be given by you at some point for that last payment.

 

My TA is given permission when I book......as some others mentioned.......

[blindrid]

First TA I have used and I just don't know if this is a big deal or not. It does bother me a bit but enough to not use her again?

 

So, Yesterday was final payment day. I paid on Monday but my brother waited until yesterday to find out that our TA left from work early because they we slow that day.

 

Well for some reason I expected her to call him or write an email saying she will not be in for him to make final payment on his final payment day. So he did miss paying it yesterday but was told it will not be a big deal.

 

But it just kinda bothers me a bit. Should she not keep track of these things?

 

When I called on Monday to make final payment she was surprised it was final payment time! Does she not have a calendar to reminder her of the clients that have not paid and have to pay?

 

That would not bother me enogh to even think about it.

[halos]

My TA is given permission when I book......as some others mentioned.......

 

 

Yeah, I believe it was me that mentioned that, in the very sentence before the one you quoted as a matter of fact. As I stated, in that case, no reminder is given. You're reminder that payment was due, is the charge to your card :)

[cruisemagnet]

I normally don't bother to respond to these message boards, but this one hit too close to home. For many years I used a travel agent at a very large and well known agency, and received pretty good service. About 3 years ago the service deteriorated severely. She would just take the deposits and never bothered to due any follow-up service such as final payment reminder, post-cruise "welcome home" call or letter, thank you letter, etc. I finally decided that this was not good customer service. As such, I became a travel agent, and I am also a part-time realtor. I am very customer service oriented. If you want to an individual to give you their business, then you have to act like you want it and not just assume that they will keep coming back to you regardless of the type of service you provide. As far as my travel business is concerned, once a client gives me their business they receive a "thank you" letter (either e-mailed or hard copy). I also send notification 30 days Prior To final payment to remind them that final payment will be due in another 30 days. All of this information is kept on my electronic calendar. I also send them a Bon Voyage gift, and when they return home a "Welcome Home" letter is sent . It is the responsibility of the travel agent to make sure that their clients do not miss payment deadlines. When you provide excellent service, you get repeat business as well as new business. There is nothing more powerful than word of mouth. It can make or break your business.

 

Happy cruising to all !

[Vianky]

Wow nobody reminds me when all my other bills are due......responsibility comes to mind;)

 

No one forgot. We he tried to pay she was gone early for the day...Im pretty good myself with my bills but thats not your problem is it. ;)

[Vianky]

My TA does call and also sends emails to remind me of different things I need to know or remember. She also checks the price of my cruises every morning to see if there has been a drop in price or anything else that I can take advantage of. She had handled our yearly group cruises for years and last year when she received poor service from one of the PVP's, she became an agent herself. So now she handles our group and our individual cruises. She even sends me information about each port and her recommendations and who to book with, etc.

 

I really like the personal service she provides because I have enough to juggle in my "other life" (as in the non-vacation life). Just like my bills, I have them set up with my bank to be paid automatically so I don't have to fret about forgetting that too. If something or someone is out there to help me make my life easier and less stressful, I'm taking advantage of it! :D

 

 

See that sounds like a really good TA. Im not picky. I just want someone to take care of the small things. not to much to ask. First time I have used a TA. Maybe I will just keep doing everything myself

[jimbo5544]

See that sounds like a really good TA. Im not picky. I just want someone to take care of the small things. not to much to ask. First time I have used a TA. Maybe I will just keep doing everything myself

....or find a good TA;)