Letter to Goldstein about RCCL refusing to discuss TA bookings

[seavoyager6]

Amazing

 

RCL screws a passenger out of benefits they negotiated with a travel agency. (Why? Because big TAs have power in the market and these benefits are more than made up for by added bookings)

 

Passenger posts letter to RCL asking for access to confirm benefits with RCL pre cruise so that their screwing of pax could be resolved pre cruise.

 

Other posters confirm they were screwed by RCL too.

 

In rush the usual RCL pom pom wavers blaming the OP, blaming the TA,. blaming anything and everything but SAINTED RCL...

 

Funny...I've looked at CC boards about dozens of cruise lines, issues with TAs and this problem only seems to be a problem.with ONE....EXCESS OF THE SEAS

[Starry Eyes]

Amazing

 

RCL screws a passenger out of benefits they negotiated with a travel agency.

 

.....

 

Funny...I've looked at CC boards about dozens of cruise lines, issues with TAs and this problem only seems to be a problem.with ONE....EXCESS OF THE SEAS

 

Two points:

1. Posters here (including you and I) do not know who screwed up the amenity booking. Maybe the TA messed up. Maybe the cruise line messed up. Maybe (though I think less likely) the TA amenity was changed by TA (for example if cruiser notes a big price drop or sale, the TA amenities might change when cruiser takes those new terms). You just want to assign blame to the cruise line; I say we do not know know who is to blame.

 

2. This same thing did happen to me on another line (NCL). that time and a few others, I learned the disadvantage of having a travel agent as middle man, so now I am more likely to book direct. As that was my take-away lesson, I did not write letter to CEO or post to CC.

Edited February 12, 2015 by Starry Eyes

[Cuizer2]

Hate to be blunt but the letter was a waste of time. NO cruise line is going to cross the LEGAL line between agent and guest. In fact, NO travel vendor will. Its illegal and unethical.

 

It may be unethical, but it is not illegal. If you really believe that it is illegal, then please cite the statute that is being violated.

[mollyeilis]

It would be truly lovely if Royal's site could link up with TA info, so that we could see specific info on Royal. I can go to my "TA"'s website and see the info, but it would be terrific to see that info on Royal as well.

 

I can't even imagine why anyone would argue that that wouldn't be lovely.

 

You can say that you don't think it will happen, but to not *want* it to happen just seems nonsensical to me.

[grand isle joe]

I was "promised" a bunch of stuff on a cruise by a RCL regional rep. and I got "nuttin'"......good luck and remember talk is cheap......

[Big_G]

Two points:

 

You're better than me. Some comments aren't worth a response. :confused:

[grand isle joe]

You're better than me. Some comments aren't worth a response. :confused:

 

There aren't too many on this board "better" than you Big G.......Hope you are surviving the big snow and heading south for another cruise.....we here are at least use to the snow and in the end it brings us income from all those skiers........

[Starry Eyes]

You're better than me. Some comments aren't worth a response. :confused:

Gosh, thanks for posting that; I needed a chuckle.

It would be truly lovely if Royal's site could link up with TA info, so that we could see specific info on Royal. I can go to my "TA"'s website and see the info, but it would be terrific to see that info on Royal as well.

 

I can't even imagine why anyone would argue that that wouldn't be lovely.

 

You can say that you don't think it will happen, but to not *want* it to happen just seems nonsensical to me.

 

I agree, as a guest I'd like to be able to see such amenities on Royal's website, though I doubt it will happen. TA's might not uniformly want it to happen. One TA may want to gift (such as a bottle of wine) as a surprise; that agent would not want the surprised spoiled. another agency may wait and add all their amenity entries as at the last minute (so they do not have to change or re-enter them if guests upgrade or change promotions, etc); that agency would not want all the "where's my amenity" phone calls from clients. secondly, IT seems to already have more on their plate then they can manage.

[Ocean Boy]

Gosh, thanks for posting that; I needed a chuckle.

 

 

I agree, as a guest I'd like to be able to see such amenities on Royal's website, though I doubt it will happen. TA's might not uniformly want it to happen. One TA may want to gift (such as a bottle of wine) as a surprise; that agent would not want the surprised spoiled. another agency may wait and add all their amenity entries as at the last minute (so they do not have to change or re-enter them if guests upgrade or change promotions, etc); that agency would not want all the "where's my amenity" phone calls from clients. secondly, IT seems to already have more on their plate then they can manage.

 

And when the "surprise" bottle of wine never shows up the client won't know the difference and that means the TA will most likely never know either.

[Big_G]

There aren't too many on this board "better" than you Big G.......Hope you are surviving the big snow and heading south for another cruise.....we here are at least use to the snow and in the end it brings us income from all those skiers........

 

 

I'm in dry dock Joe. Got two more grand kids coming and I can't get grandma out of the state until they arrive safely. Problem is one comes in April and the other in June. The trouble down here is we're running out of places to put the snow. Happy sailing.

 

 

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[awhcruiser]

What is your source of information?

Hate to be blunt but the letter was a waste of time. NO cruise line is going to cross the LEGAL line between agent and guest. In fact, NO travel vendor will. Its illegal and unethical.

[Ocean Boy]

I'm in dry dock Joe. Got two more grand kids coming and I can't get grandma out of the state until they arrive safely. Problem is one comes in April and the other in June. The trouble down here is we're running out of places to put the snow. Happy sailing.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Yeah, I'm not really sure what to do with Saturday night's delivery.:rolleyes:

[susancruzs]

I've been using the same TA for years, and don't have a problem not being able to see the reservation. I can view it at the TAs site and sailing single the cruise line price is never better than my agent.

 

I understand the ins and outs, as I did outside sales in travel before the internet age. I have a long B2B cruise booked with RCI, there have been price reductions and did not have to ask my TA had it handled for me.

[Cuizer2]

Yeah, I'm not really sure what to do with Saturday night's delivery.:rolleyes:

 

Make an igloo and then put the snow inside of it.

[bouhunter]

Make an igloo and then put the snow inside of it.

 

????? Wow what a great and inciteful comment................:rolleyes: Or shouldl I say pathetic... But yeah, a point on an igloo makes so much sense................. go for it......

Edited February 13, 2015 by bouhunter

[Big_G]

Yeah, I'm not really sure what to do with Saturday night's delivery.:rolleyes:

 

 

At least your counting down the days. ;)

 

 

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[S.A.M.J.R.]

I am just wondering out loud. What if the TA does not send the funds for the OBC, the Specialty Dining, or Wine? They do deal with thousands of passengers and the cruise line millions of passengers each year. If the funds do not arrive when you have boarded, why would the Cruise line be obligated to give them to you? Just asking. It could just be a clerical mistake on the TA..

It could be on the TA or on the cruise line. That's the OP's point. If the cruise line (it's really not specific to Royal) posted the benefits online, a cruiser would know ahead of time and could get things corrected. Presumably the cruiser would call the TA and say "I don't the OBC I should be getting". The TA knows either: 1) they haven't submitted the proper paperwork/money to the cruiseline or 2) they have and the TA needs to call to find out why it's not posted.

[Cuizer2]

????? Wow what a great and inciteful comment................:rolleyes: Or shouldl I say pathetic... But yeah, a point on an igloo makes so much sense................. go for it......

 

I'm glad you found it useful. :)

 

[e11wa]

Very similar to airfares books with TA's. most airlines wont talk to you further than yes sir, we see you have a reservation.

 

This is because until you take the first leg of the journey, your booking is owned by the TA..

 

(at least, in australia, thats how it works..)

[lewinr]

with practically every airline you can see your class, fare basis (although not the exact fare), fare rules, seat and special meals online before you fly, even though you reserved through a TA.

[Ocean Boy]

Very similar to airfares books with TA's. most airlines wont talk to you further than yes sir, we see you have a reservation.

 

This is because until you take the first leg of the journey, your booking is owned by the TA..

 

(at least, in australia, thats how it works..)

 

Funny how a reservation that is bougth with MY money belongs to the TA.:rolleyes:

[nimbex1970]

I disagree, the basis for the policy is that TA's earn commission for the bookings that they make and Royal doesn't want their in house team to be working on issues that the TA should be taking care of because it was the TA that 'promised' the said OBC, complimentary specialty restaurant or some other perk -- NOT Royal.

 

In today's world it would be easy to have the complete reservation available for viewing by the cruiser, and it can be stipulated that NO changes can be made to the booking UNLESS through the TA and any discrepancies need to be handled through the TA......but I can assure you that WON'T stop people from calling Royal's reservation agents, feeling their situation is different.

 

So the policy is what it is.....get a different TA, who delivers what they say they will give you. Don't be taken in by them again.

 

It isn't the policy's fault -- it is the TA's fault. Put the blame where it should be.

 

BINGO, enough said, you don't want the feedback to tell you, that this is how it works... so I won't say what I was obviously going to say. So I'm saying it, talk to the TA, its not royals issue here.

[nimbex1970]

Funny how a reservation that is bougth with MY money belongs to the TA.:rolleyes:

 

yes, and yes, or choose to book with RCL, it's a gamble these days. You choose to gamble... there are odds with the results. I'm not slamming you or others who transfer bookings and come up short, it is how it works. I book with both, have been screwed each side of west with both. I play the odds. When one is shorted with a TA, its beyond difficult to be made whole after the fact. When I choose RCL to book, its clear cut, so buyer beware.

[Cuizer2]

Funny how a reservation that is bougth with MY money belongs to the TA.:rolleyes:

 

Do you pay cash for your house or car? If not, check the title, you don't full own it. Yes, you get to use it (and you get to go on a cruise) but you are not the only one with interest in the reservation.

 

Your travel agent is like an insurance agent ...

 

An agent is one who acts for, or in the place of, another, by authority from him; one entrusted with the business of another.

 

You have given your travel agent permission to act on your behalf. Since the cruise line has no contact with you, it will deal only with the agent, as the agent is the one that actually booked the cruise for you.

 

People keep saying that they don't like loosing control over their booking. Fine, don't use an agent. However, the agent works on your behalf, not the cruise line's behalf. I call my agent and ask for something and later that day it is taken care of for me. I don't have to deal with the cruise line. I don't have to take time out of my day. The travel agent does all of this for me, just like an insurance agent does. If you don't like an insurance agent handling your insurance needs on your behalf, then buy your insurance online.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

BINGO, enough said, you don't want the feedback to tell you, that this is how it works... so I won't say what I was obviously going to say. So I'm saying it, talk to the TA, its not royals issue here.

You don't KNOW that. And the "issue" isn't really what the OP is complaining about.

 

If I sign up with a TA who offers OBC...

 

Currently

I don't know until I'm on the ship, have accessed my room at least, and may have to wait a day to see if the OBC shows up. Assuming it doesn't, we're now at sea, who am I going to contact? RCI. Granted they may say "we have no record of it", which means I need to wait until we get home (or call from a foreign country) to argue about it with my TA.

 

OPs Proposal

A week (or a month or 6 months or a year) before sailing, I can look online and either see the OBC or not. If not, I can contact the TA and get things cleared up.

 

If I pay for a drink package or an excursion before the cruise, I can see it online, I don't have to wait to get on the ship to find out if it's there or not. That's a good thing.

 

Now, whether I trust RCI's wonderful IT department to pull this off is a different story.