Withheld info by travel agent

[MMFM3]

The same thing just happened to us on our cruise. I tried complaining to everyone and then some and nothing. I was actually a little disappointed that RCCL wouldn't even go to bat for me since we were still booking just on a different date.

 

I would love to know the agency. They were rude and treated us like idiots. :mad:

[EbayCruiser]

Recently I have been having second thoughts about my long time TA and was thinking of trying someone else. A friend told me that her TA (an internet base TA) was great and gave her tons of onboard credits and perks. So I contacted this TA by email to transfer my booking to her. She insisted that she could would only tell me on the phone what her prices, perks and conditions were, and she wouldn't put anything in writing until AFTER I transferred the booking to her?!?!? I asked her why and she said it was because she didn't want me to take that information and go shopping with it. Whatever!!

 

My old TA always gives me her prices and perks before I book and has never charged me for changes or cancellations....so I figured I would stick with what I know even if she has communication problems at times.

 

I think you and the OP had the same TA. I used this TA once for my Oasis cruise and everything went okay but I didn't have any changes and went on the cruise with good perks.

 

I called them for my upcoming cruise on the Allure about transferring to them and they would not give me anything in writing about he perks, do I did not do the transfer. They also charge a $100 cancellation fee - I don't like that!!

[crusinthrough]

I had a similar experience with an online TA that I will never use again because of the extra fees. There is a booking fee and a $100 cancellation fee. In addition, the OBC was a earn back credit that took six weeks to receive post cruise.

 

I had two cruises booked with the company and went on one. The 2nd I wanted to change the date and ship before final payment. I was told there would be a $100 cancellation fee. I asked if it could be waived because I was still booking a cruise. I was told no but I could get a $100 discount on the next cruise just not the one I was about to book. Honestly I did not want a credit just a waiver on the cancellation fee since it is internal not from the cruise line. I decided to use another TA to book the cruise. The company loss x amount of dollars on a cruise to save $100.

 

A different time I called another TA and asked for a rate on an oceanview balcony on the Allure and was quoted the price for a specific category. I knew there was a guarantee rate available at a lower rate but the TA never offered it until I asked. I assume because it would be less commission. This made me a little skeptical of the company.

Edited August 31, 2014 by crusinthrough

[Oppalopa]

I agree.

[squadron]

Some TA's don't say up front that there is a cancellation fee. They will make the booking and take the deposit. Then they give you or email a form for your signature disclosing the cancellation and other fees. Then if cancel they collect the cancellation fee.

 

I deal with travel agency linked to travel points card of a major Canadian bank - no booking or cancellation fees and I get great service. No extra perks(wine etc) other than triple points.

[grab007]

A TA is just like any other service provider. There are good ones and bad ones. The good ones are open, honest and upfront with ALL of the information you need. Having said that, if someone offers you a "deal" that sounds too good to be true - it probably is. We're grownups folks.

 

We love our TA. We've used her for over ten years now. She's with a VERY well known agency that is acutely aware of maintaining their reputation. We get some perks - not WOW necessarily - but perks nonetheless. She eliminates the hassles of dealing with RCI directly (or the website) and provides a personalized service that we really appreciate.

 

Finding that TA takes time, patience and a bit of knowledge and forethought on our part. Be a smart consumer when shopping for any service provider - your due-diligence will be rewarded.

[nomie]

Yes the perks are great but not worth the hassle if changes are to be made. I used to use that TA but ran into problems and aggrarvation I did not need so now I have a great TA without all the cancel fee's.

[Hoopster95]

Help me out or explain better to me if I have this wrong...

 

When a person books flights on-line or otherwise, it clearly states whether the price is non-refundable, or if you pay more you can make changes, or if it's even more money it's business class. Hotel bookings are the same... the cheapest being non-refundable rates, then AA/Military, etc etc. It's obvious if you book the cheapest non-refundable rate and then you wish to change, you're not going to get your money back or you will pay a fee for the change. All Airline and hotel sites have this policy clearly stated in their terms and conditions.

 

Real Estate... you have a deposit in place so you can'y back out of a purchase, most car dealerships when ordering new from the factory, when you retain a lawyer there's a retainer you pay up front so that after the lawyer works for 10 hours billed to you you can't walk away having payed nothing.

 

I just feel that this world has become "I wan't something for free" with no obligation or commitment. This can't happen in business.

 

So if you wish the security of being to change and do what you want at anytime before final payment, it's been discussed many times on CC you should be booking directly with RCL with no free dinners, no extra OBC, no spa treatment, no group rate. If you want to get all these perks for free, that non-RCL TA will need a commitment from you else you will pay. Simple as that I think.

[Artemis]

OP, so sorry this happened to you, but this thread certainly serves the "buyer beware" purpose you intended. Hearing other posters chime in with added scoop about how these reduced deposit incentives with no refund/rollover to future cruise work, I'm really kinda shocked this practice is sanctioned by consumer protection law, CLIA and cruise lines. In the traditional TA-travel supplier model, the TA is just your middleman when it comes to money changing hands--you actually pay the cruise line, and the cruise line refunds you. In this new model, you give the TA what was supposed to be your cruise deposit to use as their own corporate revenue and then rely on them to timely make deposit, cancel and otherwise manage and account for your money. There are just too many ways that arrangement could go south!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

[whitshel]

I almost used the same on-line t/a as you. They always have the firecracker sales, labor day sales and lots of perks, I was just about to transfer my booking to them and just before I did, I asked if there were any cancellation fees thinking there maybe a $25 per reservation, I had 2 rooms booked, they told me there was a $100 per person cancellation fee!! I was like heck no!! Thats freak n crazy since thats all I paid Rccl for my Deposit. (onboard booking)

 

I do use a website now that you put in your sale date and ship and many offers come back to you from different agencies with all the perks they will give you, and now the 1st question I ask is what is YOUR cancellation policy. But the perks are great and you get to see who really offers the best perks :D

[dorisis]

I know we are not allowed to mention TA's but in situations like this it would be nice to be able to keep an eye out...but without knowing who we are talking about....it makes no sense.

 

I believe this media is here to help us out....and without knowing who the scammers are does not help at all.

 

Just my 2 cents!

 

I sort of agree but what would stop POSTER FROM BADMOUTHING AN AGENCY THEY DIDN'T LIKE?

[Guest maddycat]

I had a similar experience with an on-line travel agent. I had booked a cruise about a year in advance when they had a $0 deposit promotion going on. After a few months realized it wasn't going to work out so I called to cancel, well before cancellation period and was told they charge $100 cancellation fee--this was in addition to the $25 booking fee. So they told me I'd have to pay the $25 booking fee plus the $100 cancellation fee to cancel a cruise that I had not put any money on.

 

I ended up getting out of it though in a round-about way. I decided not to cancel, figuring things might change and our plans might eventually work out, and wasn't really out anything since I had paid no deposit. But, in the meantime I had lost my credit card, so I called my card company and got a new one. Realized not too long afterwards that the old credit card number that the TA had was no longer valid, and by the time final payment was due it definitely would not work. When it came time for final payment for the cruise, I just ignored their messages asking for a new credit card number. They said if I didn't provide a new number, my booking would be cancelled. Viola! They had to cancel it and had no credit card number to charge the $100 fee to, so it all worked out.

 

That's great. They got just what they deserved.........$0.

[sandancer]

Well, this thread has been an eye opener. One of the main complaints from us UK cruisers is that we lose the deposit if we cancel. That applies even if you cancel the day after booking. So, lots of people are now looking to book with a US TA thinking that changing or cancelling a cruise is easy, no penalties, now this appears to not be so. Fortunately on checking I find the TA I have used in the US does NOT charge a cancellation fee, talk about buyer beware.

[Paulette3028]

Well, this thread has been an eye opener. One of the main complaints from us UK cruisers is that we lose the deposit if we cancel. That applies even if you cancel the day after booking. So, lots of people are now looking to book with a US TA thinking that changing or cancelling a cruise is easy, no penalties, now this appears to not be so. Fortunately on checking I find the TA I have used in the US does NOT charge a cancellation fee, talk about buyer beware.

 

I thought that there were difficulties using TAs that are based in the US by travelers living outside of the US.

 

In this entire discussion, the simple reality is --- ask, ask, ask, and keep asking questions about everything that could happen and be a well educated consumer.

 

Being a well educated consumer, crosses all industries no matter what product or service the consumer is purchasing. Everyone has had a bad sales experience, and everyone I am sure, has had a wonderful one....that is reality.