booking/invoice difficulties

[Travel2Learn]

I am booked on Voyager, March 20 for 3 weeks, and having difficulties with the booking. Previously confirmed excursions changed to waitlist several weeks later, a pre-paid visa package is no longer honored and other $ issues. I want to book additional RSSC cruises for the Mediterranean, middle east and South America but hesitate due to these complications. Are these standard operating procedures for RSSC? My TA and I would like to know before booking anything else with RSSC.

[Host Dan]

I am booked on Voyager, March 20 for 3 weeks, and having difficulties with the booking. Previously confirmed excursions changed to waitlist several weeks later, a pre-paid visa package is no longer honored and other $ issues. I want to book additional RSSC cruises for the Mediterranean, middle east and South America but hesitate due to these complications. Are these standard operating procedures for RSSC? My TA and I would like to know before booking anything else with RSSC.

A good TA should be able to handle all of these issues on your behalf. If your TA can't mediate, get another TA. Another very good reason to hire a TA that specializes in luxury travel and "knows" Regent.

 

Host Dan

[Wendy The Wanderer]

... My TA and I would like to know before booking anything else with RSSC.

 

I agree with Dan that your TA should already be on top of this and know what to do. If your TA would also "like to know", then I would suggest you need a new TA.

 

Or, you could phone Regent themselves and ask for an explanation. Perhaps specific excursions are no longer available for some reason, or the number of places has gone down for some reason. At the least they should (and will) reimburse you for what you've paid

[Bigdogwon]

It could be that Regent may be changing the cruise to different ports of call or ?. A good TA should call Regent for an explanation, or go to his or her DSM for answers.

[wripro]

Careful. There are some people on these boards who seem to object when someone recommends using a good TA. Have no earthly idea why it would bother them.

[Travel2Learn]

I was originally booked as a double with my boyfriend. He had to cancel due to his job, and RSSC canceled my shore excursions when they canceled his!

[Travel2Learn]

My TA is excellent, has worked diligently with RSSC, and is very frustrated with the responses she gets. So far, our phone calls and sending copies of documentation have been ignored. Now we are waiting for a rep to return from vacation. Maybe this person can get some results. Neither of us has run into so many problems with a booking before.

[cruzndiz]

I'm sure everything will work out for you...but to set your mind at ease somewhat, even if you are "waitlisted" for the excursions you have selected, historically it appears that the majority of waitlisted pax end up getting the excursion they requested. I hope you stick with Regent ~ it's a wonderful line!:)

[Travelcat2]

My TA is excellent, has worked diligently with RSSC, and is very frustrated with the responses she gets. So far, our phone calls and sending copies of documentation have been ignored. Now we are waiting for a rep to return from vacation. Maybe this person can get some results. Neither of us has run into so many problems with a booking before.

 

As Host Dan posted earlier, it is important that your TA have expertise in booking luxury cruising and has a relationship with Regent. (sorry Dan, kind of paraphrased your post). I don't think anyone is questioning whether or not your TA has been excellent in the past or that they have worked diligently with RSSC. Based on what you have posted, it sounds like they have not dealt with Regent in the past. IMO, this is the problem.

 

It is possible that luxury cruise lines can be a bit difficult to work with for TA's. If your TA is having difficulty with Regent, they shouldn't try Silversea as they won't even accept telephone calls from TA's . . . . everything has to be emailed or faxed.

 

It is a good idea for your TA to call on Monday (rather than you calling since they are getting the commission for doing the work). Also hope you are receiving a nice benefit from them.

 

Hope everything is resolved in the coming week and that you enjoy your Regent cruise. Happy New Year!

[cruiseluv]

Travel2learn,

 

Do you still appear as booked for this cruise? If I were you for my own peace of mind, I would go to "My account" in Regent, put in the booking number and see if I'm still booked. Regarding the canceled excursions, etc. for sure your TA should be the one involved getting that rectified.

[rallydave]

While a good TA should be working on this Regent issue, the necessity for a Luxury Cruise TA appears to be not necessary in this case. The issue is typical of Regent who can't seem to run reservations very well, be them bookings or excursions. In this case, any competent TA or customer should be able to contact the cruise line, might take several calls to the phone people who are mostly clueless to fix the issue.

 

From the description of the OP, it appears Regent cancelled all of the excursions for both parties when only one cancelled his cruise and then once the realized their error had the gall to not reintstate the previously reserved excursions which were now full but, put the poor OP on the wait list.

 

While a TA who knows who to talk to at Regent to fix this issue, not necessarily a "Luxury Cruise Specialist". Some of these so called Luxury Cruise Specialists are not very people friendly as they are in it for the large commissions and minimal customer support. Unfortunately I recently experienced just that, a TA who is being recommended, not by name, on this very thread who decided on the very day I copied her on a letter of dissatisfaction of Regent e-mailed me that she would no longer be my TA because I asked too many questions which took up too much of her staff's time?? Isn't that what her staff is there for?? She said it was un-discussable and that was that with a TA who many on this board seem to think can work miracles.

 

I'm a very self-reliant person who in the past made all my own contacts with the cruise line and never asked the TA but, after listening to many on here who kept saying the best thing to do was to work thru your TA, I did just that and what did I get but, fired by what many feel is the best Luxury TA. Well, I'll just go back to a TA who does their job and doesn't put her commission money first.

 

Beware of recommended Luxury TA's, you don't always need a specialist and more often than not, it is better to do the work yourself as you understand the issue and don't have to relay it thru a third party.

 

A TA who has cruised the line you are booking does help with cabin assignments and ship/cruise information but, most of the things a good TA does can be done by any competent TA.

[Travelcat2]

Rallydave: It sounds like you have had some poor experiences with both Regent and your TA recently. Hopefully, in 2011, your cruising life will be more positive.

 

Most people do receive excellent service from their TA's. From personal experience, I know that a TA who is not familiar with Regent can have a heck of a time getting information that is needed. Just do not want to give the OP the wrong impression of TA's who specialize in luxury cruising.

[bev'sid]

I agree with Rallydave, in that it does not have to be someone who does a lot of business with Regent. I can speak from experience for how helpful ALL of the staff can be when they can (can being the operative word).

 

In every service profession there can be some who "forget" that they are indeed in a service position & get a bit "uppitty" (for lack of a better word). Any good TA can easily get this handled without knowing people on a first name basis, or being well known by Regent because they are a big producer for them.

 

When a reservation is made for 2, there is always a lead name. When the lead name is canceled, the system will automatically cancel the entire reservation. It's not uncommon, but there is only so much that can be done. I'm sure Regent did all they could do, short of bumping another full-paid customer. Most likely, the money was automatically refunded to the same credit card used to make the reservation.

 

I wish the OP good luck with the wait-list and other glitches that happened as a result of canceling the lead guest. I agree that this should not turn you away from what is a wonderful line imho.

[rallydave]

Rallydave: It sounds like you have had some poor experiences with both Regent and your TA recently. Hopefully, in 2011, your cruising life will be more positive.

 

Most people do receive excellent service from their TA's. From personal experience, I know that a TA who is not familiar with Regent can have a heck of a time getting information that is needed. Just do not want to give the OP the wrong impression of TA's who specialize in luxury cruising.

 

Yes tc, cruising in 2010 was stressful from Regent Destinations issues as well as issues with a highly recommended TA who is more worried about her bottom line than supportiing customers who may be more knowledgeable than her and asking questions because of her staff members not being able to provide the correct response.

 

I'm not saying ALL luxury cruising TA's are to be avoided, just saying that you don't need to restrict your TA's to only luxury TA's. tc is implying that all luxury TA's are OK to deal with and I am saying that certainly isn't true when one of the most highly touted TA's on this board refuses to keep a client due to "too many questions" and concerns that the client is using too much of her staff's time thus impacting the bottom line. There are bad apples in all professions including luxury cruise TA's.

 

Find yourself a TA who can support you on any vacation you choose to take and stick with them. Help them do their job and don't rely on them for all contacts with the cruise line, and double check what they tell you.

 

If you are dealing with a cruise line such as Regent where the phone staff oftentimes doesn't have the correct answer or a particular department such as Destinations oftentimes messes up and causes you grief, by all means find a TA who is familiar with that particular cruise line as tc is correct in that knowing who to call is very important when necessary.

 

Not saying Regent is a bad cruise line, quite the contrary, other than the inept, incompetent Destinations people both on board Navigator and in Miami, the rest of our cruise was as close to perfect as one could expect.

 

Thanks tc for the kind words wishing us better cruising in 2011. Hopefully that will occur.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

 

When a reservation is made for 2, there is always a lead name. When the lead name is canceled, the system will automatically cancel the entire reservation.

 

Yes, and it's usually the man, in my experience who is the "lead" name. All of our documents come in my husband's name, cheques are addressed to him, etc. Even though I book and pay for the cruises. I've always thought that was terribly sexist, just by the way.

[bev'sid]

Yes, and it's usually the man, in my experience who is the "lead" name. All of our documents come in my husband's name, cheques are addressed to him, etc. Even though I book and pay for the cruises. I've always thought that was terribly sexist, just by the way.

 

LOL it definitely is!! I do all the booking & paying in my household too, but ALWAYS DH is the lead name...funny!

[qldtraveller]

Hi

We book direct with RSSC in Florida from Australia by e-mail as this is the only way to get an instant reservation and other requirements confirmed. we have done this previously and for a cruise in 2012. We do not use a TA or theRSSC distributor/wholesaler in Australia as it is to difficult to get things done and confirmed with them.

 

Agree with other people go to RSSC direct and you folks are even closer to them than we are.

 

Regards

[rallydave]

Hi

We book direct with RSSC in Florida from Australia by e-mail as this is the only way to get an instant reservation and other requirements confirmed. we have done this previously and for a cruise in 2012. We do not use a TA or theRSSC distributor/wholesaler in Australia as it is to difficult to get things done and confirmed with them.

 

Agree with other people go to RSSC direct and you folks are even closer to them than we are.

 

Regards

 

Think you are mis construing our comments. The difference in opinion is whether or not you need to use a Luxury Cruise TA vs. a Non Luxury Cruise TA. We are almost unanamous is using a TA vs. booking directly with Regent or any other cruise line.

 

Going to Regent direct is almost like shooting craps. Sometimes you will hit a 7 and get the correct answer from a Regent sales person but, more often you will get the wrtng answer or directed in the wrong direction. Then, if you have an issue with Regent or need to fix something that they did wrong, do you want the person fixing the issue work for Regent or for you.

 

A comparison here in the States is to never use the sellers agent when buying a house. Or, do you want the fox guarding the hen house??

 

In other words, DON'T BOOK WITH REGENT DIRECT. You may be OK once or twice but, eventualy you will most certainly lose if you do this.

[cruiseluv]

In addition, most TAs, Luxury specialists or otherwise, give perks and/or discounts you will not get if you book direct with Regent. I don't see ANY upside to booking direct with Regent.

[StrandVillas]

Our experience has been very different. We booked our first cruise on the Mariner with an exceptional TA, and it was a perfect trip. I tried to research a second cruise on line a year later, but the browser was problematic, and a Regent rep responded within minutes to my help request. He was wonderful, understood our issues, made some great suggestions and then when I was ready to commit, he made contact with our TA so she could manage the transaction. We are pleased with the financial arrangements and the dual services we now have to help us with questions and options. While I believe it is important to find the best possible price for any cruise, I have never felt that Regent was behaving like "a seller's agent" in any of our dealings.

[Travel2Learn]

I THOUGHT I was the lead OP. Since we have different last names, and I used my credit card, it seems odd b-friend would be the lead OP. After dealing with other luxury lines and other cruiselines personally and through a TA, I can only say Regent seems to be the most problematic. I hope the 3 weeks on board will be better run than what I've delt with so far.

[cruisealert]

Our experience has been very different. We booked our first cruise on the Mariner with an exceptional TA, and it was a perfect trip. I tried to research a second cruise on line a year later, but the browser was problematic, and a Regent rep responded within minutes to my help request. He was wonderful, understood our issues, made some great suggestions and then when I was ready to commit, he made contact with our TA so she could manage the transaction. We are pleased with the financial arrangements and the dual services we now have to help us with questions and options. While I believe it is important to find the best possible price for any cruise, I have never felt that Regent was behaving like "a seller's agent" in any of our dealings.

I had similar experience with Regent on our first cruise and then he turned everything over to my wonderful TA. On our next cruise, I worked everything out on board ship in September and then he turned it over to our TA. Maybe we were just lucky!!