Disappointment in Celebrity passing on information

[yorky]

49 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

I truly believe that there will be a minimum (but high) standard that all cruise lines will need to put in place prior to their first sailings once operations are allowed.  No need to debate what CCL or RCCL or NCL and all of their subsidiary cruise lines will do.  It will be made very clear to everybody what these standards will be.   Now there might be some variations and enhancements across lines and ships.  That will give everybody here a lot to post about.  But we will all learn the new rules and then can choose whether cruising is still a good value to us for a nice vacation.  Perhaps for some of us not right away.  Others will want to go immediately.  I am very much in the wait and see category.  My next cruise is scheduled for Aug 2021 so I have plenty of time to see what is happening by actual reports from the more courageous (than me) initial passengers.

I’m hoping we see a few cruises from Autumn onwards which will give us an idea of the product on offer before we make a decision on next February’s cruise.

[Fouremco]

3 hours ago, bouhunter said:

Actually the "major problem" is that all cruise lines have shut down, they're sending all their crews home, and they won't sail anywhere for quite some time.

BC became the major problem for Alaskan cruises on March 13 when the GOC closed its ports to cruise ships. Access to BC's ports remains an ongoing problem and will do so through September. The cruise lines can get their crews back and recommence sailing, but there still would be no Alaskan cruise using BC ports.

[ipeeinthepool]

On 5/23/2020 at 9:50 PM, MamaFej said:

Amen! My TA can't give me the enormous amounts of OBC that the big boxes do, but he does give me enormous amounts of personalized service. He takes care of the problems that arise, so I don't have to. He knows tips and tricks that would never occur to me. He makes sure I want to return to him again and again. And I do!

 

Can you give us a couple of examples of tips or tricks you have learned?

[MamaFej]

8 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

Can you give us a couple of examples of tips or tricks you have learned?

It has mostly been site-specific things like "follow the Purple Line" to get to the shuttle bus our first time in Heathrow, and which port cities on our first European cruise were best for on our own exploration and which were better for HOHOs. etc., but he also introduced us to Seat Guru and a few other helpful websites. As we have become more experienced international travelers, we've learned things on our own as well, and have been able to recommend tour guides, BnB's, and more to him: information which he then share with other clients. In 2014, for our first cruise in 23 years, I hadn't even thought about how to get to the airport once we disembarked, but he had it covered for our group of nine.

 

My TA is a close, personal friend of over 30 years. I feel very comfortable calling or texting when I have a question or an issue. We've traveled together a few times, and he often steps away to take care of clients. I've seen him go way above and beyond  the Call of Duty for new clients and those with whom he has long-established relationships. The efforts he undertook to repatriate a 16 year-old New Zealander from where his bike group was in Spain last month were extraordinary! The kid was not even his client, just a friend of one. 

[ipeeinthepool]

2 hours ago, MamaFej said:

It has mostly been site-specific things like "follow the Purple Line" to get to the shuttle bus our first time in Heathrow, and which port cities on our first European cruise were best for on our own exploration and which were better for HOHOs. etc., but he also introduced us to Seat Guru and a few other helpful websites. As we have become more experienced international travelers, we've learned things on our own as well, and have been able to recommend tour guides, BnB's, and more to him: information which he then share with other clients. In 2014, for our first cruise in 23 years, I hadn't even thought about how to get to the airport once we disembarked, but he had it covered for our group of nine.

 

My TA is a close, personal friend of over 30 years. I feel very comfortable calling or texting when I have a question or an issue. We've traveled together a few times, and he often steps away to take care of clients. I've seen him go way above and beyond  the Call of Duty for new clients and those with whom he has long-established relationships. The efforts he undertook to repatriate a 16 year-old New Zealander from where his bike group was in Spain last month were extraordinary! The kid was not even his client, just a friend of one. 

 

I'm glad that you like your travel agent, but those sort of tips are readily available with a little research and that research is part of the enjoyment of the trip.  Unless your TA is getting you fantastic group rates that aren't available through most TA's , it seems like you are giving your TA several hundred dollars on each cruise.  I'm sure I would like you if you sent me at least 7% of the purchase price for each of your cruises.  I would send you a card on your birthday and every holiday.  As long as I enjoy planning my own trips and I'll depend on GeoBlue and other travel insurance to help out if I really have a problem and I'll take the rebate.

 

Enjoy your trips.

 

P.

[Bo1953]

1 hour ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I'm glad that you like your travel agent, but those sort of tips are readily available with a little research and that research is part of the enjoyment of the trip.  Unless your TA is getting you fantastic group rates that aren't available through most TA's , it seems like you are giving your TA several hundred dollars on each cruise.  I'm sure I would like you if you sent me at least 7% of the purchase price for each of your cruises.  I would send you a card on your birthday and every holiday.  As long as I enjoy planning my own trips and I'll depend on GeoBlue and other travel insurance to help out if I really have a problem and I'll take the rebate.

 

Enjoy your trips.

 

P.

p - As for myself, I really like my TA who provides not lots of OBC, but valuable insight on ports/countries where we will sail.

 

Even as part of a group, we do our research into the itinerary, but find that our TA provides great suggestions or some improvements to our plans and it is worth it, for us.

 

I count my rebate in a wonderful travel experience and if something goes awry, I know who I can count on to help, if necessary.

 

I cannot but help thinking about the nightmare some passengers had in Chile recently when the sailing was abruptly ended and the complaints that X would not help them... because they did not make any reservations through X etc...

 

Rare situation, and I prefer to keep it that way, too... yet a great TA who is available to assist vis-a-vis email or phone call or even upon hearing what was going on and being pro-active is worth their weight in platinum, to me.

 

bon voyage

Edited May 26, 2020 by Bo1953

[ipeeinthepool]

43 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

p - As for myself, I really like my TA who provides not lots of OBC, but valuable insight on ports/countries where we will sail.

 

Even as part of a group, we do our research into the itinerary, but find that our TA provides great suggestions or some improvements to our plans and it is worth it, for us.

 

I count my rebate in a wonderful travel experience and if something goes awry, I know who I can count on to help, if necessary.

 

I cannot but help thinking about the nightmare some passengers had in Chile recently when the sailing was abruptly ended and the complaints that X would not help them... because they did not make any reservations through X etc...

 

Rare situation, and I prefer to keep it that way, too... yet a great TA who is available to assist vis-a-vis email or phone call or even upon hearing what was going on and being pro-active is worth their weight in platinum, to me.

 

bon voyage

 

As long as it is worth it to you, that's all that counts.  For me it seems expensive.  As long as I have my phone, charge card and a passport, I think I can solve most issues.

 

Enjoy your cruises

[yorky]

5 hours ago, MamaFej said:

It has mostly been site-specific things like "follow the Purple Line" to get to the shuttle bus our first time in Heathrow, and which port cities on our first European cruise were best for on our own exploration and which were better for HOHOs. etc., but he also introduced us to Seat Guru and a few other helpful websites. As we have become more experienced international travelers, we've learned things on our own as well, and have been able to recommend tour guides, BnB's, and more to him: information which he then share with other clients. In 2014, for our first cruise in 23 years, I hadn't even thought about how to get to the airport once we disembarked, but he had it covered for our group of nine.

 

My TA is a close, personal friend of over 30 years. I feel very comfortable calling or texting when I have a question or an issue. We've traveled together a few times, and he often steps away to take care of clients. I've seen him go way above and beyond  the Call of Duty for new clients and those with whom he has long-established relationships. The efforts he undertook to repatriate a 16 year-old New Zealander from where his bike group was in Spain last month were extraordinary! The kid was not even his client, just a friend of one. 

Have to say that’s a valuable TA in my book.

[MamaFej]

2 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I'm glad that you like your travel agent, but those sort of tips are readily available with a little research and that research is part of the enjoyment of the trip.  Unless your TA is getting you fantastic group rates that aren't available through most TA's , it seems like you are giving your TA several hundred dollars on each cruise.  I'm sure I would like you if you sent me at least 7% of the purchase price for each of your cruises.  I would send you a card on your birthday and every holiday.  As long as I enjoy planning my own trips and I'll depend on GeoBlue and other travel insurance to help out if I really have a problem and I'll take the rebate.

 

Enjoy your trips.

 

P.

I gave an extremely abbreviated version of just a few of the amazing things he has done for me. Your inability to recognize the value that other people get from service providers does not negate that value. Different strokes for different folks.

 

I have a great time  researching for my trips. I book most things on my own. Getting better rates on hotels (often) and international flights (nearly always) than I can get on my own (I always check) is of great value to me. When it was doubtful that my oldest could join us on one trip, my TA was able to put a hold on his ticket from Montana to Paris for three months. The price soared during that period of time.We were very grateful to have had the much lower price locked in. I appreciate being able to get refundable hotel rooms for lower than non-refundable rates by using my TA's booking group. Having my TA go to bat for me when the cruise lines screw up or have tens of thousands of refunds/FCCs to process like now, is also very valuable to me. The group rates J has gotten me on cruises have been fantastic. I prefer to pay less up front than to have loads of OBC. YMMV

 

By the way, it's okay to have a differing opinion on the internet and not be jerky about it. I've seen you do it before, so I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and guess you're having a rough day. It happens to the best of us. 

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

46 minutes ago, ipeeinthepool said:

For me it seems expensive.

 

You do realize that most travel agents do not charge for their services?

[ipeeinthepool]

9 minutes ago, MamaFej said:

I gave an extremely abbreviated version of just a few of the amazing things he has done for me. Your inability to recognize the value that other people get from service providers does not negate that value. Different strokes for different folks.

 

I have a great time  researching for my trips. I book most things on my own. Getting better rates on hotels (often) and international flights (nearly always) than I can get on my own (I always check) is of great value to me. When it was doubtful that my oldest could join us on one trip, my TA was able to put a hold on his ticket from Montana to Paris for three months. The price soared during that period of time.We were very grateful to have had the much lower price locked in. I appreciate being able to get refundable hotel rooms for lower than non-refundable rates by using my TA's booking group. Having my TA go to bat for me when the cruise lines screw up or have tens of thousands of refunds/FCCs to process like now, is also very valuable to me. The group rates J has gotten me on cruises have been fantastic. I prefer to pay less up front than to have loads of OBC. YMMV

 

By the way, it's okay to have a differing opinion on the internet and not be jerky about it. I've seen you do it before, so I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and guess you're having a rough day. It happens to the best of us. 

 

I'm not going to start a back and forth, but I'm not having a bad day and there certainly wasn't anything "jerky" in my response. I agree we can have differences of opinion.  From my perspective, I think you may be a little sensitive because someone is suggesting that you may not be getting a good deal from your TA.  My opinion is that you are paying a lot for things that are a marginal benefit to me.  It's great if they benefit you and you find it a fair value.  Just not for me and many other people.  I think I'm able to handle all of things you mention  without paying an additional 7%.

 

Enjoy your cruises.

 

 

[ipeeinthepool]

2 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

 

You do realize that most travel agents do not charge for their services?

 

I guess it depends on how you view additional OBC or gift cards at the end of the cruise.  If I get an additional 7% back in some form of payment, then I view that as cheaper.  7% is a rough estimate, some are a little higher and some are a little lower.  An additional 7% is expensive to me.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

2 minutes ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I guess it depends on how you view additional OBC or gift cards at the end of the cruise.  If I get an additional 7% back in some form of payment, then I view that as cheaper.  7% is a rough estimate, some are a little higher and some are a little lower.  An additional 7% is expensive to me.

 

I guess it's all in what you value. I value relationships over money. But then again, I'm not in suites and such, so it wouldn't be that much for me if I was in it for that.

 

To each their own.

[Denny01]

3 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I'm glad that you like your travel agent, but those sort of tips are readily available with a little research and that research is part of the enjoyment of the trip.  Unless your TA is getting you fantastic group rates that aren't available through most TA's , it seems like you are giving your TA several hundred dollars on each cruise.  I'm sure I would like you if you sent me at least 7% of the purchase price for each of your cruises.  I would send you a card on your birthday and every holiday.  As long as I enjoy planning my own trips and I'll depend on GeoBlue and other travel insurance to help out if I really have a problem and I'll take the rebate.

 

Enjoy your trips.

 

P.

Please let us know what TA costs you money. The price I’d pay directly to a Cruise Line or through some website is the same cost I’ve paid to my TA in Every Case, so no idea what you are referring to. 

 

And I’ll give you an example of what a Professional TA provides that you can’t get via your internet searches or some insurance company which only ‘assists‘ After The Fact: When flying back from Dublin into JFK after a week+ on our own and a tour set up by our TA, there was a major snowstorm. Our TA saw it coming; our flights (my wife and I were on one set of reservations and the other 10+ travelers with us who had just done the tour were on another) were cancelled. She got us on one of the last flights out of JFK that closed up prior to us landing so we’d not got it. She set up the other 10 who were originally on a later flight that was cancelled and nothing else available, on a flight out of Newark and a bus over to the airport. They got out also, and none of that would have happened without her actions while we were flying into JFK. 

 

So go ahead and keep looking on the Internet or calling some insurance company - that solves all problems. 

 

Den

[bEwAbG]

53 minutes ago, ipeeinthepool said:

I'm not going to start a back and forth, but I'm not having a bad day and there certainly wasn't anything "jerky" in my response. I agree we can have differences of opinion.  From my perspective, I think you may be a little sensitive because someone is suggesting that you may not be getting a good deal from your TA.  My opinion is that you are paying a lot for things that are a marginal benefit to me.  It's great if they benefit you and you find it a fair value.  Just not for me and many other people.  I think I'm able to handle all of things you mention  without paying an additional 7%.

 

Enjoy your cruises.

 

I read your response as "jerky," too.  I cannot see how anyone wouldn't, whether you meant it that way or not. 

 

Beyond that, I think we are all curious to know where you got this idea that people who use TAs are paying more for their trip?  I've done it both ways, and I always price it both ways, and the cost is the same cost either way.  I sometimes even find better room selection with the TA because they have access to inventory that the cruise line may not have on sale via their website.

[ipeeinthepool]

I mystified that people don't understand that getting additional OBC or gift cards doesn't make your cruise cheaper.  Let me give you an example.  Let's say a cruise cost $1000 and you have $70 of refundable OBC.  The cost for my cruise $1000 -$70 = $930 The cost for someone without any refundable OBC is $1000.  My cruise is $70 cheaper and your cruise has the TA being $70 richer.  My cruise was cheaper.

[Bo1953]

2 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I guess it depends on how you view additional OBC or gift cards at the end of the cruise.  If I get an additional 7% back in some form of payment, then I view that as cheaper.  7% is a rough estimate, some are a little higher and some are a little lower.  An additional 7% is expensive to me.

I never provided a 'value' in my response as you have here, I must say that our cruise fares are generally between 5% and 10% less than what X shows and for an example, recently we received a $1,500 fare reduction and cabin change from a standard IV to Aqua on The Edge, all courtesy of an astute agent who is authorized to make such changes and let me know afterwards as they are aware of our groups preferences in advance.

 

Not having to really monitor 'cruise' sites daily for something better is always worth it to me... in the long run.

 

Can someone get something cheaper than I have in the past and going forward??? Of course, yet the time I would need to spend trying to get that 'better' deal when I have other things that I want to do is a far better deal for me even if I pay 7% more considering the upfront deal to begin with...

 

I do understand and accept that there a quite a few of us who want to keep control of the reservation or only looking for the cheapest fare at any cost on their sailing or etc... and that is fine and great. I have no qualms about it at all... Yet getting a great deal upfront negates the 7%, generally.

 

Once aboard, we never have had to discuss who paid what for the sailing, it is a given that each passenger paid what we felt was fair and reasonable, otherwise we would cancel well before the 90 day final pay date.

 

I understand your preferences, yet they do not translate well for those of us who prefer to use a TA. I view a good TA as an insurance policy which I hope to not have to call in the chips on, yet if I have to they are there at the ready to assist. In any respect, that is worth 7% more to us, as you cite.

 

bon voyage

Edited May 26, 2020 by Bo1953

[Bo1953]

54 minutes ago, ipeeinthepool said:

I mystified that people don't understand that getting additional OBC or gift cards doesn't make your cruise cheaper.  Let me give you an example.  Let's say a cruise cost $1000 and you have $70 of refundable OBC.  The cost for my cruise $1000 -$70 = $930 The cost for someone without any refundable OBC is $1000.  My cruise is $70 cheaper and your cruise has the TA being $70 richer.  My cruise was cheaper.

i - sometimes 'cheaper' really does not translate into value, regardless.

 

Most passengers have some sort of OBC, rather it is refundable or not or so I believe.

 

bon voayge

[ipeeinthepool]

15 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

I never provided a 'value' in my response as you have here, I must say that our cruise fares are generally between 5% and 10% less than what X shows and for an example, recently we received a $1,500 fare reduction and cabin change from a standard IV to Aqua on The Edge, all courtesy of an astute agent who is authorized to make such changes and let me know afterwards as they are aware of our groups preferences in advance.

 

Not having to really monitor 'cruise' sites daily for something better is always worth it to me... in the long run.

 

Can someone get something cheaper than I have in the past and going forward??? Of course, yet the time I would need to spend trying to get that 'better' deal when I have other things that I want to do is a far better deal for me even if I pay 7% more considering the upfront deal to begin with...

 

I do understand and accept that there a quite a few of us who want to keep control of the reservation or only looking for the cheapest fare at any cost on their sailing or etc... and that is fine and great. I have no qualms about it at all... Yet getting a great deal upfront negates the 7%, generally.

 

Once aboard, we never have had to discuss who paid what for the sailing, it is a given that each passenger paid what we felt was fair and reasonable, otherwise we would cancel well before the 90 day final pay date.

 

I understand your preferences, yet they do not translate well for those of us who prefer to use a TA. I view a good TA as an insurance policy which I hope to not have to call in the chips on, yet if I have to they are there at the ready to assist. In any respect, that is worth 7% more to us, as you cite.

 

bon voyage

 

I have used a TA consistently for the last several years.  You shouldn't consider the 7% to be part of any group rate offered by the TA, the 7% is on top of the group rate.  All TA's can provide the additional OBC it's not just the large TA's.   I am also aware of several small TA's that provide all of the services that you describe and provide additional refundable OBC.   I think you can do better than using a TA that doesn't provide competitive OBC.

 

But the bottom line is, if you are comfortable that's all that matters.

 

Enjoy your cruises

[ipeeinthepool]

20 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

Most passengers have some sort of OBC, rather it is refundable or not or so I believe.

 

 

 

The question isn't do all passengers have OBC but does the TA provide additional OBC as an incentive to book with them.

[Fouremco]

@ipeeinthepool, FWIW, I understood what you said from the outset, including what you meant by "cheaper", and I'm sure most readers did. 

[ipeeinthepool]

21 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

@ipeeinthepool, FWIW, I understood what you said from the outset, including what you meant by "cheaper", and I'm sure most readers did. 

 

Thanks, I thought I was going crazy.😌

[TeeRick]

There are two travel camps here.  The TA People and the Do-It-Yourself People.  No right or wrong. Some do both depending on the situation.   Everybody has their own idea of what is valuable to them in their personal situation.  For example, for auto and home insurance, do you use a local agent or do everything online?  Do you take care of your own retirement and finances online or do you have a financial advisor? For me I enjoy the research and personal planning of travel so I do not use a TA.  But I do have a local insurance agent. And a financial advisor.  This all works for me personally.  That"s all that is important.  I don't really care what anybody else might feel about it.

[Denny01]

As to the ‘I got mine\ cheaper’, yeah, there’s always someone who says they paid less......and of course we all know no one would lie. And personally, that’s why I don’t share what I paid or post what I paid or got as OBC and so on. 

 

If you are on a cruise and go around asking or posting here or on a roll call, there will always be someone who beat you, and if that’s bothers you that someone got a ‘better deal’, then I suggest you don’t ask or share. 

 

And of course, everyone who says they paid less is Always telling the truth. By the way, I just got reservations on the Apex in an Iconic Suite for $500 each for a 10 day cruise.....yeaaaah, that’s right!!

 

Den

Edited May 27, 2020 by Denny01

[Bo1953]

28 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

As to the ‘I got mine\ cheaper’, yeah, there’s always someone who says they paid less......and of course we all know no one would lie. And personally, that’s why I don’t share what I paid or post what I paid or got as OBC and so on. 

 

If you are on a cruise and go around asking or posting here or on a roll call, there will always be someone who beat you, and if that’s bothers you that someone got a ‘better deal’, then I suggest you don’t ask or share. 

 

And of course, everyone who says they paid less is Always telling the truth. By the way, I just got reservations on the Apex in an Iconic Suite for $500 each for a 10 day cruise.....yeaaaah, that’s right!!

 

Den

LOL, you do mean $500 pp/pd, right????

 

With such great savings, I can supply us with all the scotch and bourbon (Top Shelf that is) we desire!

 

Can I book with you?

 

bon voyage

Edited May 27, 2020 by Bo1953