Changing TA

[lyntony]

I want to change my TA for a cruise I booked on the ship last year which will take place in February, 2011.

 

(I also used this TA for our up-coming cruise in October, 2010, but I will leave that as it is).

 

I wonder what is involved in changing your TA. Has anyone done it? We live in Canada, if that matters.

[Luckyroot]

Although I don't live in Canada, I did just recently change TA's.

 

We simply gave our booking ID to the new TA, and he took care of it. New TA will contact Princess, who will send notice to old TA that you're transferring the booking and request a release of the booking, then new TA rebooks and gives you a new booking ID.

 

It's all pretty simple, the TA does all the work.

[kath00]

Except I think the old TA has to release the ressie. If they are not cooperative, it could be a fight. At least that's what my friend told me when she tried to change at one point a couple of years ago.

 

Now I just do all my own research and make reservations in my own name directly with Princess. Then about a month before final payment is due, I transfer it to the TA I like. She doesn't have to do anything for me. It gives me complete control over my reservation until the very end, which I like. Then I can get an OBC from the TA before sailing. It works great every time.

 

Katherine

[Happy ks]

I tried to do this a couple of years ago. The TA wouldn't release the reservation without a penalty fee of $75 per person, $150 total. Since it was a short cruise and I would have paid more for it even with the OBC the different TA was offering, I just let the reservation stay and never used them again.

 

So...make sure you can do this without penalty before you make the change!

 

We didn't even know we'd booked with the TA that held our reservation, we booked the cruise while onboard and it reverted to the TA we used for that cruise we were on. The whole time I thought we had made the reservation through RCI. Live and learn.

[cactusrose]

Check the fine print on your invoice with the existing TA. That should tell you if they will charge a penalty. You can transfer the existing booking without changing booking numbers or cabins. I've done this a couple of times. I simply faxed a letter to Princess giving them our booking number, the ship and embarkation date, the name and phone number or the old TA and the new TA. Then request that they transfer the booking to the new TA without changing the cabin (if that's what you want). Let the new TA know to expect the transfer.

 

Be prepared to get an inquiry from your existing TA as to why you are transferring. If it's due to price difference you might want to check with them first to see if they will match or at least come close to the new price.

 

Fax number 1-661-284-4745

[Toto2Kansas]

We didn't even know we'd booked with the TA that held our reservation, we booked the cruise while onboard and it reverted to the TA we used for that cruise we were on. The whole time I thought we had made the reservation through RCI. Live and learn.

 

With Princess, if you fill out the FCC form, it asks if you want to keep the booking with Princess or give it to your travel agent. Also, if you actually book the future cruise onboard, the future cruise consultant is supposed to ask you that question also, which they usually do.

You have the choice to either have the cruise booked direct or through the TA you booked your present sailing on. ;)

[Buddy604]

Your old agent has to agree to the transfer too. That may not be a problem, but if they're unfriendly or legitimately feel that you've used a lot of their time and resources researching, booking and modifying your trip, they may refuse to allow the transfer and only permit you to cancel it, to rebook with another agent.

 

Sad to say bu there are travelers out there that take up 5 or 6 hours of an agent's time through the life of the booking and then try to move it days before final payment so they can save $75.

[luvs2travl]

I have changed TA's and it is not a big deal IF your current TA agrees to release the booking.

 

We had to fax a letter to the cruiseline verifying that we were indeed requesting a change of travel agencies. We had to include the name of the old TA, his agency, our booking number and the name of the new TA and the agency.

 

Then our old TA had to fax a letter to the cruise line stating that they were releasing the booking at our request to agency "ABC" or what ever the name is, and the letter had to be signed by the owner or manager of the agency, NOT just the travel agent.

 

Once the cruise line received both of the above faxes, they contacted the new TA/agency that the booking was released to them, and then the new TA had to fax a letter saying that they were accepting the booking.

 

Our former TA did not charge us a fee, as we have used him for 20+ years and this was a one-time transfer for us. Our friend had a TA that had a group booking on one of our upcoming cruises with an $800 price difference in our cabin plus some great on-board perks. Our regular TA could not match the price & said he would do the same thing if were us, so he had no problem with transferring the booking. We requested the transfer 7 months before final payment was due, so it didn't cause any last minute "rush-rush" for anyone.

 

Some other TA's may not be so cooperative and may charge a hefty fee to transfer bookings. This was our experience only, so we cannot comment on what other agencies do. The cruise line just wants to make sure everything is open & above board with the transfer. There are a lot of unscrupulous TA's out there so we didn't mind jumping through a few hoops at all. Good for them for verifying so thoroughly! :)

[lyntony]

Guess we'll stay for now and then transfer for our cruises after Feb 2011. They have done absolutely nothing for any of our cruises, although we have not asked for anything because we just book on the ship and it is transferred to them and then we get the paper work from the TA.

 

We are not satisfied with the information we are getting from them, and we don't like the way they treat us when we do ask a simple question.

 

 

 

Thanks for your replies. I really appreciate it.

[luvs2travl]

Guess we'll stay for now and then transfer for our cruises after Feb 2011. They have done absolutely nothing for any of our cruises, although we have not asked for anything because we just book on the ship and it is transferred to them and then we get the paper work from the TA.

 

We are not satisfied with the information we are getting from them, and we don't like the way they treat us when we do ask a simple question.

 

 

 

Thanks for your replies. I really appreciate it.

 

If you book on board in the future and don't want to use the same TA you've been using, simply ask the FCC NOT to transfer the booking to your TA-of-record. If you have found a new one by then, give the FCC his/her name & the name of the agency. If you haven't, tell them you want the booking to stay with the cruise line. You can transfer it later---or not---as you choose.

 

No need to give this agent any more bookings if you are dissatisfied with the service you are receiving.

[Happy ks]

With Princess, if you fill out the FCC form, it asks if you want to keep the booking with Princess or give it to your travel agent. Also, if you actually book the future cruise onboard, the future cruise consultant is supposed to ask you that question also, which they usually do.

You have the choice to either have the cruise booked direct or through the TA you booked your present sailing on. ;)

 

Now I know this information, but had to learn it the hard way. When I booked the cruise there was no mention regarding TA's at all.

 

No worries for us now, though, we've successfully changed TA's and are quite happy, will never return to the TA who wanted to charge us a cancel fee.

[firefly333]

I tried to do this a couple of years ago. The TA wouldn't release the reservation without a penalty fee of $75 per person, $150 total. Since it was a short cruise and I would have paid more for it even with the OBC the different TA was offering, I just let the reservation stay and never used them again..

 

Why would a TA agree to release a booking, and lose the commission?

 

To the poster who said its very simple ...only if the old TA doesnt care if they lose the commission.

[luvs2travl]

Why would a TA agree to release a booking, and lose the commission?

 

To the poster who said its very simple ...only if the old TA doesnt care if they lose the commission.

 

 

Which is exactly what I said: It is simple IF your old TA doesn't mind releasing the booking (read: lose his commission) for that cruise. Ours did not because we have used him for over 20+ years, brought him a great deal of new business, and he knew this was a one-time thing for us.

 

BTW - the new TA we used for that particular cruise sent a customer his way in reciprocation. Some travel agents are very courteous and kind, as were the two involved in our situation. I certainly cannot nor would not presume to speak for anyone else's experience.

[ugen512]

Why would a TA agree to release a booking, and lose the commission?

 

To the poster who said its very simple ...only if the old TA doesnt care if they lose the commission.

 

 

If the passenger is a constant complainer, demands upgrades/discounts, makes false accusations, just a PIA...it's usually not worth the commision. Of course the biggest complainers are the under $1000 cruise!! As a rule, t/a won't just agree to release the booking but some bookings are not worth it, beyond the commision.