Am I being petty?

[LMaxwell]

Why do you think you are entitled to a gift from your TA? Because you gave the TA your business? You give a doctor, a resturant, a gas station your business, should they give you a gift too? And what percentage do you think a Travel Agents commission is?

 

 

Entitled. Such a strange choice of words. Entitled. Hmm.

 

No, I don't feel entitled to a gift.

 

Travel Agent A advertises no perks or bonuses

Travel Agent B advertises $50 OBC

Travel Agent C advertises $75 OBC, free specialty dinner

 

Guess which one I am choosing? I do not call TA's and haggle with them. They email ME what they are offering. Like I said, they can have some of something (the commissionable part of the fare split between them and perks for me) OR they can have 100% of nothing. I do most of the research and work on my bookings and then "hand it to them".

 

And yes, if I do have questions or issues afterwards I expect full service from that TA. Afterall they are earning the amount of money THEY decided they were happy with.

 

Entitled, such a strange choice of word to select...

[Reader0108598]

Entitled. Such a strange choice of words. Entitled. Hmm.

 

No, I don't feel entitled to a gift.

 

Travel Agent A advertises no perks or bonuses

Travel Agent B advertises $50 OBC

Travel Agent C advertises $75 OBC, free specialty dinner

 

Guess which one I am choosing? I do not call TA's and haggle with them. They email ME what they are offering. Like I said, they can have some of something (the commissionable part of the fare split between them and perks for me) OR they can have 100% of nothing. I do most of the research and work on my bookings and then "hand it to them".

 

And yes, if I do have questions or issues afterwards I expect full service from that TA. Afterall they are earning the amount of money THEY decided they were happy with.

 

Entitled, such a strange choice of word to select...

 

 

 

LMaxwell I am shocked!

 

How is Travel agent A expected to survive :confused:

Don't you know it is your responsibility to support these people at your own financial expense?

 

Sorry could not resist!

I'll behave now:D

 

Reader

Edited June 2, 2014 by Reader0108598

[panthers_4890]

Entitled. Such a strange choice of words. Entitled. Hmm.

 

No, I don't feel entitled to a gift.

 

Travel Agent A advertises no perks or bonuses

Travel Agent B advertises $50 OBC

Travel Agent C advertises $75 OBC, free specialty dinner

 

Guess which one I am choosing? I do not call TA's and haggle with them. They email ME what they are offering. Like I said, they can have some of something (the commissionable part of the fare split between them and perks for me) OR they can have 100% of nothing. I do most of the research and work on my bookings and then "hand it to them".

 

And yes, if I do have questions or issues afterwards I expect full service from that TA. Afterall they are earning the amount of money THEY decided they were happy with.

 

Entitled, such a strange choice of word to select...

 

This is a different situation than what was presented. The OP said that the TA "usually" sends these things. I am led to believe that in no way, shape or form was that an expectation. And if that is reason enough to leave that TA, then so be it. But it seems like strawberries and wine is splitting hairs for the actual service offered (which, by the way, is probably pretty good seeing as the OP stuck with this TA for so long).

[LMaxwell]

I will assume that all of you, who expect a gift or something from your TA in return for all the money you have paid them for their hard work and MANY hours, are bringing them a very nice gift when you return home from your trip

 

5 minute phone call "send me the transfer form" followed maybe by an email at a later point in time "get this price drop" or "id like to pay upgrade to cabin xyz". It all happens rather fast. If any if that takes them hours their employer probably should fire them. I don't generally give gifts to companies I do business with. They want and prefer my money.

 

 

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk

[jamessemaj]

This thread really took off. Did you get a great price from the TA, better than going direct to the cruise line? Why do you use the TA? I have booked both with TAs and the cruise line, and when I booked with TAs they did express some appreciation in a gift of some kind. That's for an inside. For a suite, I don't think you are off base expecting something. As others have said, maybe there was a breakdown along the line. Ask the TA directly and decide what to do in the future based on their response.

[jamessemaj]

Why do you think you are entitled to a gift from your TA? Because you gave the TA your business? You give a doctor, a resturant, a gas station your business, should they give you a gift too? And what percentage do you think a Travel Agents commission is?

 

Unless a TA offers something there is no point in dealing with them. Discounted fare, etc. As for convenience and their work, it is just as convenient to me to deal directly with the cruise line all things being equal.

[kruzerci]

Unless a TA offers something there is no point in dealing with them. Discounted fare, etc. As for convenience and their work, it is just as convenient to me to deal directly with the cruise line all things being equal.

 

 

Exactly. It's actually generally easier to deal with the cruise line. Their business hours are almost always longer than the TA and the few times I have needed my TA to make a change to my reservation, I waited on hold while they called the cruise line.

 

Entitled. Such a strange choice of words. Entitled. Hmm.

 

No, I don't feel entitled to a gift.

 

Travel Agent A advertises no perks or bonuses

Travel Agent B advertises $50 OBC

Travel Agent C advertises $75 OBC, free specialty dinner

 

Guess which one I am choosing? I do not call TA's and haggle with them. They email ME what they are offering. Like I said, they can have some of something (the commissionable part of the fare split between them and perks for me) OR they can have 100% of nothing. I do most of the research and work on my bookings and then "hand it to them".

 

And yes, if I do have questions or issues afterwards I expect full service from that TA. Afterall they are earning the amount of money THEY decided they were happy with.

 

Entitled, such a strange choice of word to select...

 

 

Once again, I totally agree with you.

[xpcdoojk]

My TA always gives me a better price than I have ever been able to book on my own. So, I guess they provide a significant value to me.

 

Not to mention someone, other than me, to yell at when things go to poop, which hasn't happened since I used my niece in law to book a car for me in Miami 18+ years ago.

 

jc

[FTLcruisers]

Sometimes the gifts 'get lost'.

 

Last time my TA said 'enjoy the bottle of wine' but I didn't get one.

I emailed her from the ship, she followed up & they had misplaced the order.

 

So it's good to ask 'I'm missing the bottle of wine you usually give me'.

 

I was thinking the same thing - the gift might have been ordered but lost someplace.

[YubaSutter]

I have been using the same travel agent for years each year I have been booking a junior suite. Each year they usually send us a bottle of wine and strawberries. This year nada and I'm a bit upset, am I being Petty? Thinking of changing Travel Agents in the future am I overreacting?

 

Yes and yes.

[Jackytar]

When I use a travel agent, one of the things I am paying for is their subject matter expertise in arranging the best deal for fares, for knowing what kind of extras a line offers, arranging the best air connections at the lowest cost to me, etc., etc., I am not hiring them for any gifts or other incentives they may offer.

 

Regarding the OP, I find it interesting that the subtext of the post automatically assumes the TA is somehow at fault. As others have suggested, perhaps the line messed up? Likewise, how is a customer entitled to receive a gift from a business? Now, if the OP was paying something extra for the wine and strawberries and they failed to materialize, I'd understand their being perturbed. But a gift, by definition, is something extra, over and above, and not something one has a right to receive.

[donaldsc]

Ignoring the lack of the goodies, do you get good service from this TA. Do they give you good advice on cruise selections and options once you select a cruise.

 

I would deem this more important than a bottle of wine and some strawberries.

 

Not knowing the full details of this thread as I do not plan to plow through 6 pages of posts, I would say that you may be being petty.

 

DON

[Lilyrosemum]

If I were to read between the lines, perhaps the OP is wondering if her long time TA appreciates her business. I'm sure there's more to it than a bottle of wine. We had a long time TA who stopped sending bottles of wine years ago. The more experienced we became, we realized we weren't getting much help, as we did all the legwork. We now switched to a "big box" TA, where we get the same minimal service and a different person each time we call, but get lots more OBC. Lots!!

 

I get you. People like us do all the leg work then transfer the booking to a TA. I, like you, get considerable monetary value in return. Those that keep booking with TA's at retail, well they must be happy to do so. I on the other hand have received thousands and thousands of dollars in rebates. To each their own.

Edited June 2, 2014 by Lilyrosemum

[Royalty X]

OMG. Sorry but there is nothing wrong with shopping for a better deal. It called competition. And what you call "free stuff", I think of the package of things that I get from my TA. More "free stuff" = overall lower price/better deal. It seems that you don't believe in competition and TA's should just be entitled to keep their customers' business even if they can't keep up with what the competition is doing.

So "shopping for a better deal" in your mind involves asking what free stuff you'll receive? If a TA gives you great service and a good price, you'd still go elsewhere just for free stuff? Do you honestly realise how you sound!?

[grand isle joe]

.......it's crappy wine I the first place......:eek:

[Karysa]

There could be many reasons.

Perhaps they forgot.

You already purchased the UBP.

Maybe you never thanked them for it and they didn't think it was a big deal to you and decided not to continue with it.

Did you tell them the last time "Thanks for the wine but it's not necessary."

 

Just send them a link to this thread and you will then get your answer.

[LMaxwell]

But it seems like strawberries and wine is splitting hairs for the actual service offered (which, by the way, is probably pretty good seeing as the OP stuck with this TA for so long).

 

Sticking with someone for a service due to familiarization does not necessarily mean they are "pretty good". We've opened OP's eyes at least that for the money they are spending they are leaving hundreds of dollars of OBC/perks on the table.

 

This entire post has been fascinating and has really highlighted who the lurking travel agents on the forum are.

[Reader0108598]

Sticking with someone for a service due to familiarization does not necessarily mean they are "pretty good". We've opened OP's eyes at least that for the money they are spending they are leaving hundreds of dollars of OBC/perks on the table.

 

This entire post has been fascinating and has really highlighted who the lurking travel agents on the forum are.

 

Yes it has:)

[Beachdude]

This is an interesting discussion, there are and have been literally 100’s of discussions of the cruise lines making cuts with many many responses of “suck it up, times are changing”. But when we don’t get a freebie bottle of cheap wine from a TA, well that ruins the whole cruise.

 

Burt

[floridafish]

Yes, you're being petty. At least you are if you've been happy with the service and pricing the TA has provided.

 

I understand it's nice to receive a gift but hey...it's just a bottle of wine.

[LMaxwell]

I am amazed by the responses. I really am.

 

On this website you have people ask/share/brag about how to save money when:

 

Booking a hotel

Booking airfare

Booking a cruise

How to get OBC

How to get discounts on

 

• Excursions
  
• Dining packages
  
• Drink packages
  
• Onboard Gifts
  
• Casino match play
  
• Jewelery
  
• Liquor
  
• Shopping
  
• Tipping
  
• Art work
  
• Cigarettes
  
• Cigars
  
• Logo Gear (when to shop onboard for "sales")
  
• Sundry other items that people do not want to pay taxes on
  

How to watch for price drops

How to be refunded money if not happy

How to utilize trip insurance for remuneration if they are not happy

How to sneak water, soda, alcohol on board ships; to save money

How or who to speak to combine sales

Stockholder, Military, Fire/Police, 55+, Residency discounts

Meet ups to share discounts on bikes, mopeds, cabs, busses, and limos

 

 

Suddenly someone says "My TA does LESS than they ever did before. I don't feel my business is appreciated." (more or less that's really what was said) and all the travel agents that look to mine CC for business come out of the woodwork and crucify the person for wanting what was customarily given in the past. Is a bottle of wine in and of itself a bit petty of a gift? Yes. They deserve something much more substantial than that.

 

These travel agents are not interested in providing good service to their clients, they only want MORE commission.

 

 

It just goes to show that the TA's that hide in plain sight on here are just scummy salespeople. No different than a used car salesman or the gone with history TV salesman. Eventually the internet will replace the travel agent completely and you will be reduced to irrelevancy. The generation that grew up with the greatest number of technological advances will die off sooner or later. Children raising during the rise of the internet are coming into prime $$$ earning years, and THEIR kids are raised in a world where they can not even recognize a Disk Icon, a Rotary Phone, or fathom not being able to record live TV. To them a cell phone always has been and will always be a phone, camera, game station, computer. These people will never walk into a brick and mortar travel agent because all of the information is readily available and the competition is fierce.

 

 

Travel agents, do not blame the customer for the discounts and gifts you offer. Blame the first travel agent who did this to gain market share. It's called a race to the bottom, or a race to zero. Someone is always willing to price lower. Most TA's provide the same level of service (minimal). Very few are excellent. Please don't kid yourself and pretend you are excellent. Many of you do nothing more than book the date and ship someone requests. You're over the phone order takers.

 

 

A GOOD agent would evaluate how to offer their customers great service and perks. It's called hustle. Salesmen of the world are owed nothing for sitting back and expecting customers to just return to them for minimal servicing. If you can't hustle I hope you can do any number of other administrative or hands on tasks, because sooner or later you'll flat starve.

[dwjoe]

OP, I've read cases of pre-purchased amenities like wine and strawberries fail to make it to the cabin for some reason. I'd bring it to the TA's attention, it would be a shame to get mad at them without knowing what happened.

 

If your TA does a lot of work to earn your business, a good TA can be worth it; but be aware that there are online TAs that will give you OBC and other freebies beyond just wine and strawberries. However you should be prepared to do more research on your own.

 

If you're interested in considering online TAs, you can start with Cruise Critic's advertisers listed here:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/shipshop/

[deedeetoo]

So "shopping for a better deal" in your mind involves asking what free stuff you'll receive? If a TA gives you great service and a good price, you'd still go elsewhere just for free stuff? Do you honestly realise how you sound!?

 

How do I sound? Like someone who's shops for a good deal I hope. I have no loyalty to any TA. Why should I? The good price is part of the deal. If price plus "free stuff" is lower from a new travel agent, then I will go there. Service doesn't enter into the equation for me. I really just use them to make the booking. If they screw that part up, then I care, but I don't need anything else.

[floridafish]

How do I sound? Like someone who's shops for a good deal I hope. I have no loyalty to any TA. Why should I? The good price is part of the deal. If price plus "free stuff" is lower from a new travel agent, then I will go there. Service doesn't enter into the equation for me. I really just use them to make the booking. If they screw that part up, then I care, but I don't need anything else.

 

So in the grand scheme of things you will dump a reliable TA over a bottle of wine:rolleyes:

[LMaxwell]

So in the grand scheme of things you will dump a reliable TA over a bottle of wine:rolleyes:

 

That's not quite what that person said. That's what you chose to take from it.