Transfer a booking for dummies

[redrobin]

Just curious, I know you can transfer a booking from Celebrity to a TA. Can you likewise transfer a booking from a TA to Celebrity? What about from one TA to another? For instance, I read in another thread that when you book onboard you have 60 days to move a booking from Celebrity to a TA. In general, what are the rules? Thanks.

[cruiserchuck]

You can move a booking from a TA back to Celebrity, but the TA has to agree to do so.  As you indicated, you can transfer a booking from Celebrity to a TA within 60 days of making the booking.  I do not believe you can transfer a booking from one TA to a different one.

[Hlitner]

It is almost like apples and oranges.  Transferring a booking from a cruise line to a travel/cruise agent simply depends on the current policy of the cruise line.  Each cruise line has their own policy and these policies can (and do) change.  So if you are going to book directly with a cruise line (onboard or online) ask the cruise line about their current policy.

 

Transferring a booking from an agency back to the cruise line is an entirely different situation since the cruise line has a legal contractual obligation to the agency.  In a sense, the cruise/travel agency owns the booking (for which they get compensated by the cruise line).  As has been posted, the normal procedure is that your cruise/travel agency must agree (in writing) to release your booking to the cruise line.  Some agencies will be very cooperative and others will not (because they will lose money).  However, we are aware of some cases where cruise lines have taken bookings away from some agencies...but this only seems to happen when an agency has done something wrong or has gone out of business.

 

Hank

[gerelmx]

On my last cruise aboard the Silhouette, reservations on board could not be made for my control, they told me that it could not be done, the policy had changed. that the bookings had to go with the travel agent of the current cruise, that if I wanted to move it to my control or to another travel agent I had to fill a special form, etc. At first I wanted to have control but I agreed to leave them with my travel agent since I am happy with her.

Edited June 23, 2019 by gerelmx

[Cruise Raider]

You can transfer a booking made directly from a cruiseline to a travel agency, specified with a time frame in which to do so and dependent on the cruiseline.  Many have put policies in place that this transfer must be made within 30-60 days of the initial booking.  Note:  if you purchased a future cruise deposit, that initial booking date begins at the date you plunked your money down on the deposit.  

 

Now, it gets a little trickier if you want to transfer your reservation from a travel agency back to the cruiseline.  First, the travel agency must agree to it as they will lose money.  I did it once in the past and does take time and follow up but was successful in the end.  I don't plan on doing that again.  I will just be more informed about my booking from the start.  

 

Lastly, there is very little chance you will be able to transfer your booking from one agency to another.  Your best bet would be to purchase a refundable deposit (if allowed) and cancel with the first agency and then rebook with the new agency.  

 

Another note, bookings, once paid in full cannot be transferred, even if they are within the specified time period of the cruiselines transfer rules.  

 

 

[redrobin]

Thanks for the helpful replies, good information to know!

 

I'll be cruising next month and will likely put down a Future Cruise deposit and need to decide what to do. I'm using a Future Cruise deposit from last summer for my upcoming cruise. I was on a specialty cruise with a bigbox TA and, when asked, just automatically listed them on the Future Cruise form, without considering other options. 

 

I had a great time on the specialty cruise, which came with extra perks, and have had good customer service experiences with the big box TA. I got a nice deal for my upcoming cruise and also like receiving their cash card in the mail and 2% back. (An agent told me they don't get a commission and the cash card is a rebate to the customer for the $ from the cruise line? I didn't know that.)

 

However, the one negative I've discovered by reading the boards is that they do not participate in the MoveUp program. I confirmed that with Celebrity. While I book cabins I'd be comfortable in, I'd be open to bidding on upgrades for the right price. I'm familiar with a few online TA's, but haven't looked into any of them yet enough to be comfortable booking with them. 

Edited June 23, 2019 by redrobin

[ipeeinthepool]

51 minutes ago, redrobin said:

However, the one negative I've discovered by reading the boards is that they do not participate in the Move Up program. I confirmed that with Celebrity. While I book cabins I'd be comfortable in, I'd be open to bidding on upgrades for the right price. I'm familiar with a few online TA's, but haven't looked into any of them yet enough to be comfortable booking with them. 

 

I didn't know that the TA had to participate in the Move Up program. I guess that explains why I've never been offered that option.

[jelayne]

32 minutes ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I didn't know that the TA had to participate in the Move Up program. I guess that explains why I've never been offered that option.

 

The bigbox is the only large TA that I have heard of that doesn’t participate.  

We have received emails directly from X offering the Move Up opportunity and we have also bid by going to Move Up on the Celebrity website or the link on our reservation.

So far no involvement by our TA.

[ipeeinthepool]

25 minutes ago, jelayne said:

 

The bigbox is the only large TA that I have heard of that doesn’t participate.  

We have received emails directly from X offering the Move Up opportunity and we have also bid by going to Move Up on the Celebrity website or the link on our reservation.

So far no involvement by our TA.

 

I've tried going to the Celebrity website and trying without having any luck even though others on the roll call were getting offers.

[redrobin]

I can confirm, based on communicating with Celebrity, that for my upcoming cruise I am ineligible to 1) receive a MoveUp email and 2) use the MoveUp link on the Celebrity website because the big box TA does not participate in the program. 

 

I don't know enough about how the travel industry works to understand why they wouldn't participate, especially since it seems like bids can be made without directly involving the TA?