Trouble with Travel Agent - won't take my call!

[gaechann]

Hi there

 

I booked 2 cabins for a March cruise on Rhapsody using my Future Cruise Certificate through RCI before transferring it to a Travel Agent.

 

Just ONE WEEK after I transferred the booking the other party told me that a family wedding made it necessary for them to cancel their booking. As I was going along just really to show them the ropes, I also decide to cancel that particular booking and transfer to another, hopefully retaining the benefits of the FCC - $200 on-board credit and $100 per person deposit.

 

I've tried calling my Travel Agent - he's never available. I tried calling Crown & Anchor but they wouldn't talk to me because I transferred my booking to the TA.

 

I've had to resort to emailing the Travel Agent with our new booking details and asking him to contact RCI to ensure that we retain the FCC benefits and also reminded him of my balcony discount. I stated in my email that I would be calling him later that day to discuss my booking further.

 

I did try calling later but once again he was not available to take my call. He did reply to my email though stating that as there was lots of extra work for him to do on my behalf, there would be a charge of $55 to do it.

 

I replied that I guess that's OK but I thought as a Travel Agent that would be part of their service and that all their costs would be compensated via commission from RCI.

 

His reply was scathing! I've got the wrong Travel Agent and I STILL don't know whether or not I'll be able to retain my FCC benefits. An email to the Crown & Anchor person told me "to contact my Travel Agent". ARGHHH!

 

What to do? Have any others had bad service from a Travel Agent?

 

Gae

[Aus Traveller]

Change to another travel agent. :)

[rkmw]

i agree its time to change TA's but be careful they might charge you a cancellation fee

[gaechann]

i agree its time to change TA's but be careful they might charge you a cancellation fee

 

Yes, I'm sure they will if I change!

[gaechann]

Change to another travel agent. :)

 

Yes, this is what I really want to do but..... have you had any experience doing this?

 

I'm sure that they'll charge me a fee and make it very difficult to transfer my booking.

 

I'd really like to hear from anyone who has experienced transferring their booking from one travel agent to another.

[rkmw]

Yes, this is what I really want to do but..... have you had any experience doing this?

 

I'm sure that they'll charge me a fee and make it very difficult to transfer my booking.

 

I'd really like to hear from anyone who has experienced transferring their booking from one travel agent to another.

 

if you cant get anywhere with this TA you might have to cancel out and rebook with someone else

 

we had booked this cruise a couple of years ago and princess dropped their price by quite a lot so i asked the TA for a price drop and they refused, lucky i had booked using a FCC so i could cancel out and rebook with princess, the TA would not release the FCC until princess stepped in and told the TA to give the FCC back.....so your TA could make it diffuclt for you unless you can cancel out with no penalty

[gaechann]

if you cant get anywhere with this TA you might have to cancel out and rebook with someone else

 

we had booked this cruise a couple of years ago and princess dropped their price by quite a lot so i asked the TA for a price drop and they refused, lucky i had booked using a FCC so i could cancel out and rebook with princess, the TA would not release the FCC until princess stepped in and told the TA to give the FCC back.....so your TA could make it diffuclt for you unless you can cancel out with no penalty

 

Exactly what I'm concerned about but with NO-ONE talking to me, I have no way of knowing at this stage.

 

Perhaps I'll just have to contact a few different TA's and see if anyone is prepared to take over the booking, keeping the FCC benefits in place.

 

Anyone else have any suggestions please?

[The_Big_M]

Why choose that agent and not keep it with RCL?

[gaechann]

Why choose that agent and not keep it with RCL?

 

I'm now asking myself the same question.

 

I decided to use a TA was for 2 reasons:

1) It's SO HARD to get through to RCI on the phone

2) They're only open during the week and it's usually on the weekend when I have time to look at websites to choose my next cruise.

 

Hasn't worked out for me at all!

[Sutho]

I avoid travel agents for cruises at all costs. I have had similar bad experiences with incompetent agents taking on too big a work load and things go wrong. Imagine paying for a cruise and the agent not passing on all the immigration documents and tickets not being issued within four weeks of sailing.

 

The best way is to book direct. If you are having trouble contacting the cruise line directly just enter the wrong person to talk to and avoid the queue and they will transfer you to the first available operator when they realise you rang the wrong department. That is what I always do and it beats waiting.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

I avoid travel agents for cruises at all costs. I have had similar bad experiences with incompetent agents taking on too big a work load and things go wrong. Imagine paying for a cruise and the agent not passing on all the immigration documents and tickets not being issued within four weeks of sailing.

 

The best way is to book direct. If you are having trouble contacting the cruise line directly just enter the wrong person to talk to and avoid the queue and they will transfer you to the first available operator when they realise you rang the wrong department. That is what I always do and it beats waiting.

 

I would not agree with that. It can happen anywhere.

The worst muck up we ever had was when we booked direct with the cruise line and they stuffed up big.... that was with P&O UK , and all handled through the AU office.

 

[Melkaracam]

Sorry for all your dramas. Gave up on travel agents years ago. Book everything via the Internet myself. No more dramas from slack agents.

 

Hope you get it sorted soon!:confused:

[lizzy77]

Yes..... Give up on those travel agents. I will bet that you know much more about cruising now than most of them ever will. AND what you don't know.... You can ask here:)

Personally I book with a couple of fantastic US TA's who give me exceptional service and price drops and OBC and no cancellation penalties :)Yes I know the $ is going down but it will have to drop below .90 for me to get too worried as the prices and conditions are worth it for us.

I used a Princess Future Cruise credit, cancelled it and I was told that I could use it for 2 bookings then it cancels out.

Good luck and pity we can't name and shame these agents:mad:

[timtam2]

You will have to cancel and rebook. It is near impossible to transfer a booking from one TA to another.the TA owns the booking, not you and they are unlikely to give up commission to another agent.

I would never book a cruise though a TA even if there is OBC etc. I like to be in full control of my bookings

[chester32]

Yes, this is what I really want to do but..... have you had any experience doing this?

 

I'm sure that they'll charge me a fee and make it very difficult to transfer my booking.

 

I'd really like to hear from anyone who has experienced transferring their booking from one travel agent to another.

We had a booking with RCI which was done on board our last cruise with on board credit and reduced deposit. Then when we got back I transferred to a T/A for the same reason that it is so hard to get in touch with RCI when I am at work on weekdays so everything was transferred to the T/A with the same deal. I then had problems with the T/A which I wont bother with the details and ending up changing to another T/A and the deal was cancelled no on board credit and full deposit but no fees so I did lose out on the credit but I am glad it worked out this way in a way because the new T/A is fantastic so if I was you just bite the bullet and change

[gaechann]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

 

I think before I do anything I'll ask to speak to the Manager and see if I can somehow resolve the problem I'm having with their company.

 

Probably should have done that many weeks ago.

 

Just been a bit busy lately - selling my motorhome and buying another vehicle so not too much spare time to think about this booking until yesterday.

 

Gae

[The_Big_M]

Yes, I think that sounds like the best option.

 

What's done is done, but I think you'll be having more difficulty if you try to transfer to another, plus likely lose some benefits.

[goose30]

"I replied that I guess that's OK but I thought as a Travel Agent that would be part of their service and that all their costs would be compensated via commission from RCI."

 

You are cancelling the booking so why in the world would you think there would be any commission from RCI?

[Aus Traveller]

I think before I do anything I'll ask to speak to the Manager and see if I can somehow resolve the problem I'm having with their company.

 

Probably should have done that many weeks ago.

 

Gae

That would be a good course of action. We booked a cruise while on board a ship and switched it to an agent we had only used once before. We didn't need much from them, but the service was very poor. They were getting good commissions because it was a combination of cruises totalling 74 days. After many errors (including continually insisting on payment one year ahead of the payment date) I asked to speak to the Manager. I politely outlined the difficulties and referred her to relevant emails where we had difficulties, and also where I had been trying (and keeping on trying) to get a quote on an additional cruise. She took over our file and managed it OK until we had an issue on a matter she should have been able to help us with while we were away. I emailed her a couple of times and couldn't get any help.

[avalon007]

I agree your travel agent should be polite regardless, but to give you some insight:

 

I was a travel agent some years back & even then the commission on most sales was pitiful, 10% was about the max with many being 3-5%.

 

You travel agent is basically doing the job twice & will not get compensated from the cruise company as they will only get the commission on the cruise you actually take, plus now your friends have cancelled & it's only you going they will get less commission for more work.

 

You may have said you would call at a set time in your email, but that doesn't mean the agent didn't already have appointments arranged at that time with other clients, you need to arrange a set appointment if you want to ensure they will be available.

 

Quite often a T/A can spend hours of work compiling quotes for people who ask several T/A's for quotes & go with the cheapest. You don't get any commission on wasted time.

 

Plus many T/A's have to achieve sales goals each week/month etc, so you may see why extra work for a reduced or no reward, can at times make them a bit grumpy.

 

It's a hard job with a lot of pressure at times. Glad I'm no longer in that industry.

[cassamanda]

Gae, just on the question of being able to transfer your RCCL FCC to another cruise and retain all benefits - the answer is yes. I have done that a few times, the last time only last week, provided you keep the same cabin grade or better.

Hugh

[gaechann]

"I replied that I guess that's OK but I thought as a Travel Agent that would be part of their service and that all their costs would be compensated via commission from RCI."

 

You are cancelling the booking so why in the world would you think there would be any commission from RCI?

 

Actually I'm transferring my booking to an earlier date. Not cancelling altogether.

[gaechann]

Gae, just on the question of being able to transfer your RCCL FCC to another cruise and retain all benefits - the answer is yes. I have done that a few times, the last time only last week, provided you keep the same cabin grade or better.

Hugh

 

Good to know! I'm trying to upgrade from an Oceanview booked in March to a Junior Suite in February on the same ship. Just can't understand why it's such a BIG DEAL for the Travel Agent to do this!

[gaechann]

I agree your travel agent should be polite regardless, but to give you some insight:

 

I was a travel agent some years back & even then the commission on most sales was pitiful, 10% was about the max with many being 3-5%.

 

You travel agent is basically doing the job twice & will not get compensated from the cruise company as they will only get the commission on the cruise you actually take, plus now your friends have cancelled & it's only you going they will get less commission for more work. Actually as I'm now wanting to book a Junior Suite rather than 2 Oceanviews it's costing about the same.

 

You may have said you would call at a set time in your email, but that doesn't mean the agent didn't already have appointments arranged at that time with other clients, you need to arrange a set appointment if you want to ensure they will be available. I understand that but each time I call I'm given the same message: "He's busy at the moment but will call you back" which never happens.

 

Quite often a T/A can spend hours of work compiling quotes for people who ask several T/A's for quotes & go with the cheapest. You don't get any commission on wasted time. Yes, same with all sales people I guess - eg. real estate agents, car sales people.

 

Plus many T/A's have to achieve sales goals each week/month etc, so you may see why extra work for a reduced or no reward, can at times make them a bit grumpy. I used to work for a major bank so know all about sales goals :(

 

It's a hard job with a lot of pressure at times. Glad I'm no longer in that industry. Yep, as I was more than glad to take a redundancy from the bank. Not an easy job these days! [/quote]

 

Thanks for your insight!

[avalon007]

I agree your travel agent should be polite regardless, but to give you some insight:

 

I was a travel agent some years back & even then the commission on most sales was pitiful, 10% was about the max with many being 3-5%.

 

You travel agent is basically doing the job twice & will not get compensated from the cruise company as they will only get the commission on the cruise you actually take, plus now your friends have cancelled & it's only you going they will get less commission for more work. Actually as I'm now wanting to book a Junior Suite rather than 2 Oceanviews it's costing about the same.

 

You may have said you would call at a set time in your email, but that doesn't mean the agent didn't already have appointments arranged at that time with other clients, you need to arrange a set appointment if you want to ensure they will be available. I understand that but each time I call I'm given the same message: "He's busy at the moment but will call you back" which never happens.

 

Quite often a T/A can spend hours of work compiling quotes for people who ask several T/A's for quotes & go with the cheapest. You don't get any commission on wasted time. Yes, same with all sales people I guess - eg. real estate agents, car sales people.

 

Plus many T/A's have to achieve sales goals each week/month etc, so you may see why extra work for a reduced or no reward, can at times make them a bit grumpy. I used to work for a major bank so know all about sales goals :(

 

It's a hard job with a lot of pressure at times. Glad I'm no longer in that industry. Yep, as I was more than glad to take a redundancy from the bank. Not an easy job these days! [/quote]

 

Thanks for your insight!

 

Glad you have some insight into the T/A's perspective.

 

I agree they should return calls. Customer service is everything nowadays.

 

I used to work for the CBA for 14 years & then Avco for another 3 & they do have sales goals, but nothing compared to the T/A's from my experience. The bank work doesn't require the same amount of research etc that goes into quoting for a holiday.

 

Plus some of the cruise lines base the commission level on how many cabins in total you sell a year, not on the dollar value of the cabins sold.

 

So your dropping 2 cabins for a junior suite may not actually be valued the same from the travel agents perspective.

 

But at the end of the day, you have to do what is right for you & your travel agent should understand that from your perspective.:)

 

I run my own business & I know that regardless of how you feel you should keep a good relationship with your clients, because next year they may well come back & spend a lot more with you, or refer a friend that could lead to ongoing work. But I am my own boss so have nobody to answer to regards sales targets - the way I like it!:D