Dumping a Travel Agent

[greenbrier]

We booked our cruise through our travel agent, and we chose the Early Saver rate. We've checked the prices through this link (http://www.carnival.com/BookingEngine/FareViewer) and they have gone down. We emailed our TA, but it has been three weeks since we originally told him about the lower fare, and we have not gotten any response from him. Is there anyway we can bypass him and manage the cruise ourselves, therefore able to submit the Early Saver form ourselves?

 

And if we can't, what would we have to do to manage it ourselves?

 

Thanks!

[mcwebber]

We booked our cruise through our travel agent- we picked specific rooms that we want and we had the Early Saver rate. We've checked the prices through this link http://www.carnival.com/BookingEngine/FareViewer and they have gone down $60. We emailed our TA, but it has been three weeks since we originally told him about the lower fare, and we have not gotten any response from him. Is there anyway we can bypass him and manage the cruise ourselves, therefore able to submit the Early Saver form ourselves?

 

And if we can't, what would we have to do to manage it ourselves?

 

Thanks!

 

If you have your booking number and PIN why not? You can always try. I'm sure if you call and tell the agent you want to book an excursion or buy travel insurance he/she will get right back to you.

[golfadj]

I believe once you have booked using a TA you are stuck with them for the booking and Carnival will not talk to you.

 

Some TA's are not very good about handling ES credits as there is no money in it for them.

[*Mach*]

We booked our cruise through our travel agent, and we chose the Early Saver rate. We've checked the prices through this link (http://www.carnival.com/BookingEngine/FareViewer) and they have gone down. We emailed our TA, but it has been three weeks since we originally told him about the lower fare, and we have not gotten any response from him. Is there anyway we can bypass him and manage the cruise ourselves, therefore able to submit the Early Saver form ourselves?

 

And if we can't, what would we have to do to manage it ourselves?

 

Thanks!

 

 

You can always threaten to pull your booking and transfer it to a PVP at Carnival. Your TA has no real motivation to submit the form (other than providing good customer service...) as the price reduction will effect his/her commission.

You can't do much right now. Since you have a TA Carnival won't talk to you about your booking.

:)

[greenbrier]

You can always threaten to pull your booking and transfer it to a PVP at Carnival. Your TA has no real motivation to submit the form (other than providing good customer service...) as the price reduction will effect his/her commission.

 

You can't do much right now. Since you have a TA Carnival won't talk to you about your booking.

 

 

:)

 

So it seems to me like we have no power here- we're relying on the TA to get us our OBC. Is that right?

[firefly333]

You can call carnival and say your TA is not responding and you want it transferred back to carnival for poor service.

 

They will then attempt to call your TA for you a couple of times before they will actually pull it.

[firefly333]

So it seems to me like we have no power here- we're relying on the TA to get us our OBC. Is that right?

 

You should always always discuss with a TA before using them how they handle price drops, do they have fees, those questions. Some people get a free perk and grab a TA or think Carnival doesnt have the same prices and jump on a TA. Did you do your homework before using this TA?? How did they respond to the questions?

 

Iv had a couple of bad TAs myself... you can contact Carnival and request that it be changed back to Carnival if you feel the TA is not providing the service.

[MissDiva1]

Why did you let this go on for 3 weeks:confused:

[snomangraphics@gmail.com]

Why anyone would use a TA is beyond me. With the Internet now you can get the best deals booking yourself. TA's are ancient no need for them anymore.

[Ken076]

You probably have a lengthy battle getting Carnival to take back the booking - the TA generally has to really "misbehave" for Carnival to do this - but no harm in pursuing that path.

 

If you have all the TA's contact info and such, you could try submitting the TA version of the ES price-adjustment form filling-in all the TA info -- some have claimed that this has worked. Could be worth a shot.

 

In the meantime, maybe a letter to the Corporate Office, or the nOwner indicating your displeasure and suggesting that future bookings there aren't likely if this is their mode of operation.

 

ken

[mcwebber]

Why anyone would use a TA is beyond me. With the Internet now you can get the best deals booking yourself. TA's are ancient no need for them anymore.

 

That's not true. CCL still pays commissions and some TA's use part of their commission to give customers an OBC. So it's a discount you can't get from CCL directly.

[allblueskys]

This is one of the reasons I dont like to use a Travel Agent.

 

I had the same experience with my best friends mom and I feel bad not using someone I grew up with but I need to be in total control of my vacation or any big purchase for that matter.

 

I think now with computers people are less dependent on travel agents and its probably difficult for the TA to slack off because people can just go online and see whats going on with their cruise.

[*Mach*]

So it seems to me like we have no power here- we're relying on the TA to get us our OBC. Is that right?

 

 

Pretty much... Your only real recourse is to pull the booking from the TA and move it to a PVP. Carnival has a policy of not dealing with the guest when a cruise is booked with a TA, after all, communication with the cruise line is what your TA gets paid for.

:)

[firefly333]

You probably have a lengthy battle getting Carnival to take back the booking - the TA generally has to really "misbehave" for Carnival to do this - but no harm in pursuing that path.

 

If you have all the TA's contact info and such, you could try submitting the TA version of the ES price-adjustment form filling-in all the TA info -- some have claimed that this has worked. Could be worth a shot.

 

In the meantime, maybe a letter to the Corporate Office, or the nOwner indicating your displeasure and suggesting that future bookings there aren't likely if this is their mode of operation.

 

ken

 

Thats why I suggested to start it ... at least Carnival will call the TA and do a 3 way if the TA answers. Unfortunately my TA never answered the phone so Carnival could only leave messages. ..but a phone call from Carnival might get the lead out if they answer.

[MissDiva1]

Why anyone would use a TA is beyond me. With the Internet now you can get the best deals booking yourself. TA's are ancient no need for them anymore.

 

We use ours because it is our way of helping our community in this awful economy.

[greenbrier]

This may be a little late, but is there anyway you can look online to see what OBC from any cruise fare reductions you have? Maybe he got us the OBC and just did not let us know about it.

[Crusing Nut]

Ironically, I was on the phone with our TA today. I had asked him to give me a price on a certain cruise next year. He is well aware of our preferences and has always done a suburb job for his clients. When he called me back he informed me that the past guest rate was available but only on obstructed views staterooms. We have always taken a balcony stateroom. The early saver rate for an 8A stateroom was 1476.pp-non refundable rate OR 1506. deposit fully refundable up until final payment. The final option allows one to cancel the cruise and rebook without being penalized the 50pp charge. Meanwhile he also watches prices to drop, if they go down, the amount of our final payment goes down. If the price further reduces after final payment, then an OBC is issued on top of what he issues to us.

 

I'll stay with our TA.

[firefly333]

This may be a little late, but is there anyway you can look online to see what OBC from any cruise fare reductions you have? Maybe he got us the OBC and just did not let us know about it.

 

As far as I know it will only show in edocs, which you need to have made final payment to see.

 

Thats another thing you choose to give up unfortunately. If you had booked direct, you can see your payment details, but those dont come up when you book with a TA except on edocs.

[firefly333]

Ironically, I was on the phone with our TA today. I had asked him to give me a price on a certain cruise next year. He is well aware of our preferences and has always done a suburb job for his clients. When he called me back he informed me that the past guest rate was available but only on obstructed views staterooms. We have always taken a balcony stateroom. The early saver rate for an 8A stateroom was 1476.pp-non refundable rate OR 1506. deposit fully refundable up until final payment. The final option allows one to cancel the cruise and rebook without being penalized the 50pp charge. Meanwhile he also watches prices to drop, if they go down, the amount of our final payment goes down. If the price further reduces after final payment, then an OBC is issued on top of what he issues to us.

 

I'll stay with our TA.

 

Once you have been on CC a while, you will find YOU can do this much better than any one TA. A TA has many clients, and no way he can do as much looking at other prices, all rates, all times of the day as I can do for myself.

 

I can understand your loyalty though, as I wouldnt take a booking from a TA who has done a good job for me either... but I dont need the service, unless there is a problem and several problems have come up that if I had not booked direct, probably would not have been resolved in my favor. Its always a gamble, as no one can predict problems.

[MissDiva1]

As far as I know it will only show in edocs, which you need to have made final payment to see.

 

Thats another thing you choose to give up unfortunately. If you had booked direct, you can see your payment details, but those dont come up when you book with a TA except on edocs.

 

Actually the TA does have access to this. But you are right it does not show up on line. My TA always sends me a print out of all my obc before final payment.

Maybe some TA's don't want to hassle that extra step.

[jimbo5544]

Why anyone would use a TA is beyond me. With the Internet now you can get the best deals booking yourself. TA's are ancient no need for them anymore.

As is the logic for statements like this, TA's value is much more than you can get on a search engine.

[D-Roc]

I am having a similar issue with my TA. She came recommended from a good friend who used her for his first cruise.

 

We have had many emails back and forth and each one confuses me even more. At first she says the base rate for my wife and I is 585.00 (there is three of us). In a later email she says "Your first & second guest base fare was 744, your daughter was 489 and tax was 79.74". On the confirmation email that is what shows so I do not know what she is talking about saying my base fare was 585.00

 

But I have seen an inside base fare that states "starting at 629" on Carnival's web site. Now I know that may not be for my inside stateroom category which is 4H - 1032. I checked once and I could have sworn for our floor, category it was lower and sent her screen shot. She says I got the best ES rate there ever would be. I even saw the OV showing at 739.00 and she still said I got the best rate and if I wanted the OV I would need to pay 240.00 more. She said for the OV I saw showing on Carnival's website (I still have the screen shot) it went like this and I quote;

 

Guests 1 & 2 - $849 (but the website showed 739 - this is where I am confused)

Guest 3 - $519.74

Taxes per person - $79.74

 

When you add 849 + 849 +519.74 you get $2217.74.

 

Divide that evenly between the three of you and it equals $739.24 each (which is what shows on the website, but she said the website is the base rate for guests 1 and 2 so why would she give me a calculation of 849?). This gives you a total of $2456.22 for the oceanview. You paid $2216.22 for the interior, a difference of $240.

 

 

 

Do you think I should inquiry with Carnival and ask if the rate for my category has ever shown lower than 744.00?

[elcuchio24]

Do yourself a favor--don't book thru TA's again. Any perks they give you are minor. If you have even basic understanding of the internet just book everything yourself and save yourself a ton of headaches. I fail to see the value of TA's when it comes to cruising, or in general for travel.

[botbienvn]

That's not true. CCL still pays commissions and some TA's use part of their commission to give customers an OBC. So it's a discount you can't get from CCL directly.

 

This is true in our case, although it's a cash back bonus and not OBC.

 

Pre-reservation, I called Carnival PVP and a handful of TA's, they pretty much provided me the same quotes, some were even higher than others. However, one TA offerred a cash back bonus at the end of the cruise, which will be credited directly to our credit card within 4 - 6 weeks of the cruise end date. So, I went with this TA.

 

We booked at the Resident Rate. I have been checking the Fare Viewer and the price keeps going up and up, and at this point, no more Resident Rate available for my itinerary. I think I got a good deal for my family first cruise!

[Disneycruisers]

Do yourself a favor--don't book thru TA's again. Any perks they give you are minor. If you have even basic understanding of the internet just book everything yourself and save yourself a ton of headaches. I fail to see the value of TA's when it comes to cruising, or in general for travel.

 

I so much agree.