A Travel Agency Question Please (I don't name names!)

[CTOM]

The issue: We called our TA 3 days in a row, left a voicemail each time, saying "We are ready to book our cruise and have everything picked out. Please call us back." He only called back once, early morning when were asleep. We called back twice since.

 

My main question...is this common? Am I asking too much for a callback within an hour? The agency is a large national one.

 

Background...After several years of booking our own travel, last year we used an agency for the first time. We replied to one of their email solicitations and received a few extra bonuses. While we were debating things at the beginning, the agent himself was really helpful and very fast to reply.

All that changed once we booked and made the down payment. The phone replies came days apart, if at all, and the email replies were short and didn't answer the specifics of what we were asking. A huge, noticeable difference.

 

Are we reading too much into their lack of responses? In your experiences, are agents so busy and on the phone so non-stop that they can't call back within an hour or two...or is waiting several days the norm?

 

And has anyone ever gone with the same agency, just a different agent? We seriously want to call the agency and start from scratch with whatever random agent picks up the phone. I know we have the right to do so, but is that unethical?? Will Agent #1 find out in their system and wonder why?

 

thanks!

[Hlitner]

It can be a complicated answer. But even if you are dealing with a larger agency, the fact that you are working with a specific agent (who may work in the office or outside at his/her home) means you are at the mercy of that agent's working hours. Suppose he/she is away on a cruise? So what to do?

 

If its a large agency, simply telephone the agency, ask for customer service, and explain your situation. Decent agencies will immediately help you and may have somebody else handle the initial booking until your own agent returns. Otherwise we would be looking for a new agency. In fact, we recently had a similar problem where we noticed a price drop in a booked cruise and our own agent was on vacation. The agencies Customer Service desk called the cruise line and quickly got our fare changed to the new lower rate. When our agent returned from vacation she sent me an e-mail with a written confirmation of the changes.

 

Hank

[CTOM]

Thank you, Hank. I was going to give him the benefit of the doubt, and we certainly considered that maybe he is on vacation or something, but...his voicemail changes daily, so I know he is working!!

[teknoge3k]

Can you just drop the TA and transfer your booking back to the cruise line directly since you're not getting any perks from it?

 

I honestly don't know, I avoid TAs.

[LHT28]

My TA answers within 30 mins usually

I would get a different TA

[MCC retired]

Not common at all.

That TA does not value your business.

So many better TA’s out there hungry for you booking.

Do ask friends, neighbors , family , co workers who cruise “often” for a recommendation of the Cruise Specialist that they are happy with .

 

 

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[CTOM]

Thanks, everyone. Yeah, I want to stick with the agency because of the perks and bonus miles, etc. But time to try another agent.

[Toofarfromthesea]

Thank you, Hank. I was going to give him the benefit of the doubt, and we certainly considered that maybe he is on vacation or something, but...his voicemail changes daily, so I know he is working!!

 

You haven't booked yet so, IMO, you owe him no loyalty or obligation. I understand the idea of giving the benefit of the doubt as I am doing just that with an agent I used who is (hopefully temporarily) incommunicado due to a medical issue. And the fact that the booking is far enough in the future that the situation will be resolved long before it starts to matter. But in your case it doesn't sound like you were all that happy with his post-booking service. Were it me, that would influence me to not give the benefit of the doubt.

 

So my advice would be to book elsewhere - either within that agency, with an unrelated TA, or directly with the cruise line.

[MicCanberra]

The issue: We called our TA 3 days in a row, left a voicemail each time, saying "We are ready to book our cruise and have everything picked out. Please call us back." He only called back once, early morning when were asleep. We called back twice since.

 

My main question...is this common? Am I asking too much for a callback within an hour? The agency is a large national one.

 

Background...After several years of booking our own travel, last year we used an agency for the first time. We replied to one of their email solicitations and received a few extra bonuses. While we were debating things at the beginning, the agent himself was really helpful and very fast to reply.

All that changed once we booked and made the down payment. The phone replies came days apart, if at all, and the email replies were short and didn't answer the specifics of what we were asking. A huge, noticeable difference.

 

Are we reading too much into their lack of responses? In your experiences, are agents so busy and on the phone so non-stop that they can't call back within an hour or two...or is waiting several days the norm?

 

And has anyone ever gone with the same agency, just a different agent? We seriously want to call the agency and start from scratch with whatever random agent picks up the phone. I know we have the right to do so, but is that unethical?? Will Agent #1 find out in their system and wonder why?

 

thanks!

I would get another TA or even a Online agency where phone calls are not even required, all by e-mail.

[Krazy Kruizers]

When we first started to travel (not cruising) we had problems finding a good TA. This was before computers.

Then we lucked out. Our present TA we have had for 26+ years. She always calls us back as soon as possible -- sometimes within minutes -- sometimes in an hour if she has a meeting.

[snyniew]

I used a TA for my first ever cruise. She was horrible other than recommending the line I went on. After months of her not responding or me always having to do things myself I talked to someone else in the agency and they took over handling my booking. After that I started doing my own bookings until last year when a friend told me to use their TA from a big cruise booking site to get additional perks. My new TA has been great. Usually calls back within an hour or so. Goes out of her way to make sure I'm getting the best deal even with the perks she will offer changing the standard prepaid gratuities to OBC for me since I was going solo it got me more. Calls to remind me the final payment coming up and keeps up on my reservation and calls if she sees a change to verify I made it or if she needs to change it back. Wish I had found her from the start.

 

I'd say call and speak to a supervisor and let them know your frustrations. They should put you with one of their other TA's in the company that usually has very good reviews since you've already had issues.

[tillyboy]

You haven't booked yet so, IMO, you owe him no loyalty or obligation. I understand the idea of giving the benefit of the doubt as I am doing just that with an agent I used who is (hopefully temporarily) incommunicado due to a medical issue. And the fact that the booking is far enough in the future that the situation will be resolved long before it starts to matter. But in your case it doesn't sound like you were all that happy with his post-booking service. Were it me, that would influence me to not give the benefit of the doubt.

 

So my advice would be to book elsewhere - either within that agency, with an unrelated TA, or directly with the cruise line.

 

I have never dealt directly with a cruise line, our TA recently retired. Is it a good idea to book directly with the line? Are the perks better? Thank you for any advice you can offer.:):)

[Bevv]

I have never dealt directly with a cruise line, our TA recently retired. Is it a good idea to book directly with the line? Are the perks better? Thank you for any advice you can offer.:):)

 

You the same cruise line offered deals whether you go to the line or to a TA. Some times the TA will offer more to get the business.

[tillyboy]

Thanks so much. At this point, I guess I'll do more research. It was nice having a TA do all the work!:(

[myfuzzy]

I used a TA at first because it was the "thing" to do. They were supposed to work for you and get you the best value and prices. UNTIL..I called one and told her what I wanted and at what price. She told me in no uncertain terms that there was NO way I was going to get it. I took a screen shot and sent it to her and to never tell someone that they can't "get" what they wanted. The second one, I used for a couple of years. Until the calls and emails weren't returned at all or not in a timely manner. I lost out on a couple of price reductions because I couldn't get a hold of them. The final straw was when I emailed with no response, I again emailed with a strong message about me being a good customer and would appreciate attention on my account of which I was paying them to do. I received an email "thread" back with the original agent telling another agent to "take care" of me because I was harassing her. I immediately called the president of the agency, forwarded the conversation emails to him and told him he could take his business and .......sail on. The third large online agency, I didn't care for the charges..24.99 booking fee, $100 cancellation fee, that's in addition to any cruise line penalties. Forget that...AND besides if you book through a TA and have a simple question, you can't even call the cruise line and ask, you have to go through the TA, which could take a few days for an answer. The additional OBC or wine or dinner didn't give me the piece of mind that I could just do the work myself, call the cruise line, book and handle my booking from there. So now I just call the cruise line, when I see a favorable offer and watch the booking myself.

[Toofarfromthesea]

I have never dealt directly with a cruise line, our TA recently retired. Is it a good idea to book directly with the line? Are the perks better? Thank you for any advice you can offer.:):)

 

Nothing wrong with using a TA,and you can often get a better overall deal. I look at what the cruise line's deal is and see if I can find a TA who can beat it. I am not 'loyal' to any cruise line nor any TA. I'm low maintenance and do my own research, so I look to a TA for a better deal.

[Hlitner]

You the same cruise line offered deals whether you go to the line or to a TA. Some times the TA will offer more to get the business.

 

Not sometimes, but all the time if you shop around and use the best Cruise Agencies. One should be able to save 7-10% on every booking (when compared to the best deal directly from the cruise line) when factoring in the cruise price plus amenities such as On Board Credits. On our longer cruises we will usually get on board credits in excess of $1000 from the cruise agencies.

 

Hank

[dh1drill]

I use a small agency with only three people working there one of them specialize in cruises it's perfect never a problem and if there is i have their number they say call anytime try getting a hold of a internet agent anytime if your in a bind that's why i us local agent i have a face to go with their name.

[tillyboy]

Thanks again for all the great advice. If I book through a TA and get a booking number, am I free to go on the cruise line web site and choose excursions? Or does that also need to be handled by the agency? You guys are terrific with such good info!

[Hlitner]

I use a small agency with only three people working there one of them specialize in cruises it's perfect never a problem and if there is i have their number they say call anytime try getting a hold of a internet agent anytime if your in a bind that's why i us local agent i have a face to go with their name.

 

Ahhh, but there can be a big problem with such a small agency. Unless they are part of a large consortium they will not be able to come close to matching the overall offers of the large high volume cruise agencies. And we are talking real money. For example, while on our last HAL cruise we did a future booking because of a special promotion offered onboard. Once home we e-mailed two of our favorite cruise agencies and ask what they would "give us" if we transferred the booking to their agency. The winning agency offered $1050 in On Board Credits. This was over and above the promotional OBC we had received from HAL. The other agency only offered $900 :). Most small agencies might offer a bottle of wine or perhaps $100.

 

Hank

[LHT28]

Basically just shop around to get the deal that suits your needs

 

 

Some big online agencies will give you the perks but not the service

 

Just saying

[ontheweb]

Thanks again for all the great advice. If I book through a TA and get a booking number, am I free to go on the cruise line web site and choose excursions? Or does that also need to be handled by the agency? You guys are terrific with such good info!

 

Yes, you can book excursions either through the website or calling the cruise line directly. This is not one of things that has to be handled through your TA if you book using a TA.

[Hollyli1202]

I have a question - What happens if your TA doesn't reply to you after emailing and calling for nearly 3 weeks? The VM is full and you're outside your 60 days of transferring the reservation to a new TA?

[MCC retired]

Basically just shop around to get the deal that suits your needs

 

 

Some big online agencies will give you the perks but not the service

 

Just saying

 

 

 

Many big online agencies use home based Cruise Specialist TA’s that are extremely experienced , CLIA trained , and have hours beyond the 9-5 Mon-Fri .

They service your booking as comm. is split .

I was one for 17 years [emoji106]

Always interview a TA before you book . Make sure that you are not communicating with just an order taker ? [emoji848]

 

 

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[Hlitner]

Many big online agencies use home based Cruise Specialist TA’s that are extremely experienced , CLIA trained , and have hours beyond the 9-5 Mon-Fri .

They service your booking as comm. is split .

I was one for 17 years [emoji106]

Always interview a TA before you book . Make sure that you are not communicating with just an order taker ? [emoji848]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Or course there are those of us who may not even talk to a an "order taker" or agent. We book a majority of our cruises online with our favored large cruise agencies. One of our favorite agencies actually offers better deals to those who do not need to use an agent since it saves the agency time and money. We think the cruise industry is heading to a booking model similar to what we have with many airlines where just about everything is an online transaction. It makes sense to charge more money to customers that demand to speak to agents.

 

Hank