Has Your Travel Agent Ignored your E-mails

[mcrcruiser]

We have booked numerous cruises through a particular TA  . Princess has a free upgrade sale ,so I sent the TA a e-mail about getting a better price ,so far no response  & it is a week from when we sent the e-mail . I am now thinking perhaps it is time to change TAs 

 

.Have you had a similar experience ?

Edited December 22, 2021 by mcrcruiser

[Live4cruises]

Yes, exactly the same thing a few years ago.  We stopped using a TA all together.  I now go directly to the cruise line to book.  We don’t use a PCC, and the cruise line’s 800 number has worked well for help on demand.  We use cruise air some, and sometimes book directly with the airline.  

I know that by not using a TA, we may miss out on some OBC or other perks, but those aren’t enough to offset the convenience of managing our own bookings at our own convenience.

[puppycanducruise]

No, our TA responds to our e-mails fairly quickly.

She was busy last week cancelling lots stuff because of the "no travel" advisory from the government, but she still managed to e-mail me back and then get through to HAL to answer my question.

[mcrcruiser]

imo the TAs need people just to handle cancellations with the cruise line ,like operational people & not the ones who are booking cruises ,otherwise it is counter productive  

[ontheweb]

No, my TA does NOT ignore my e-mails. And if I call and get a message he is on another line, he always calls me back.

[iancal]

Until our last cruise we had a fabulous on line TA.  She retired. Extremely responsive.  

 

We would send her an email for a balcony cabin on a specific cruise.   She would either send us a quote and ask us to call with our cc details.

 

OR...she would ask us to call because there was some advice for us.  Usually it was wait for a few days to book (inside the final payment window) or some negative feedback on the ship that she had recently rec'd from clients, or details of a better offer on another ship or cruise line that we were not aware of.

 

Never waited more than a few hours for a response.  If we called and she was away, another agent would do the work.  Once, to our surprise, it was the agency  VP.  I believe this is a benefit of a larger agency.  TA's cover for each other, have access to each other's files, AND work the longer hours and holidays that many smaller agencies do not.

 

If you are not happy with your TA, your cruise line, or any business simply vote with your wallet and your feet.

Edited December 22, 2021 by iancal

[mcrcruiser]

3 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

No, my TA does NOT ignore my e-mails. And if I call and get a message he is on another line, he always calls me back.

You have a very good  TA .  There is no doubt we will change TAs on our next booking 

[mcrcruiser]

We already have a new TA in mind

[irishjim]

52 minutes ago, Live4cruises said:

Yes, exactly the same thing a few years ago.  We stopped using a TA all together.  I now go directly to the cruise line to book.  We don’t use a PCC, and the cruise line’s 800 number has worked well for help on demand.  We use cruise air some, and sometimes book directly with the airline.  

I know that by not using a TA, we may miss out on some OBC or other perks, but those aren’t enough to offset the convenience of managing our own bookings at our own convenience.

I cant get HAL to have my pcc contact me because the  keep  telling

me  my  phone number is  invalid its the same number  I  have used 

with  HAL  FOR 35 YEARS  I WAS  TOLD TO  EMAIL the mariner

 soity, does anyone   know  where to find the EMAIL

[SilvertoGold]

Pre-Covid - took a couple of days for her to get back to me, but then she would have all info ready to go. 

 

Now, TA's website boasts that they get back to customers fast, always, even when they don't get paid (for general questions).

 

I have learned to have patience and not think I can get a cruise booked in a day :) 

[trixiee]

30 minutes ago, irishjim said:

I cant get HAL to have my pcc contact me because the  keep  telling

me  my  phone number is  invalid its the same number  I  have used 

with  HAL  FOR 35 YEARS  I WAS  TOLD TO  EMAIL the mariner

 soity, does anyone   know  where to find the EMAIL

mariner_society@hollandamerica.com

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

You have a very good  TA .  There is no doubt we will change TAs on our next booking 

He is actually the President of his agency (which I of course cannot name).

[DaveOKC]

I use a HAL PCC and we do ALOT by email.  So much quicker and easier for both of us.  Great response times.

 

[Cruising-along]

We stopped using TAs awhile back, too many problems.  Our PCC always responds within minutes unless he's out of the office, in which case we get an automated reply.  When he's on vacation there is always someone else who handles things for him. 

[TwinMommyByGrace]

My TA is awesome and worth his weight in gold, especially during all the cancellations/rebooking of the last almost two years! I never had to spend one minute on the phone with HAL, he took care of everything, everytime.He is also very good at pushing back when HAL tries to say no regarding something we should be entitled to. I can't even imagine the stress, headaches and hours upon hours on hold waiting to get everything changed for my cruises if I had to do it myself. He always returns my calls or emails very promptly, even when I say no hurry. I definitely wouldn't change my for the world!

[zgscl]

Methinks it is time for a new TA. My TA is very responsive and that is the primary reason that I continue to use her. An unresponsive TA is completely useless to me. When my current TA retires I will most likely switch to direct unless I find someone else who is fantastic. 

[rkacruiser]

18 hours ago, zgscl said:

When my current TA retires I will most likely switch to direct unless I find someone else who is fantastic. 

 

That's what I have had to do several times.   TA #1 was great for a newbie cruiser.  He obtained for my traveling companion and me perks that I didn't think were possible for new cruisers.  TA #2 did an equally great job until she retired.  My Account was transferred to TA #3 who did an OK job, but not great; she left the agency.  TA #4 in that agency was OK as well, but, I didn't care for her.  Time for a change of agencies, I decided.  For TA #5, I had learned enough in speaking with other cruisers, I contacted her and have been very pleased with her service.  She left, along with several other experienced agents, to help establish a new agency and the excellent, friendly service has continued.

[iancal]

One of the main reasons that we do not want our TA to be our new ‘best friend’ is because we prefer a business relationship.    
 

We want to feel free to complain, if appropriate, without feeling that we are hurting someone’s feelings
 

  Or feel free, without personal regret, to change TA’s if the service is no longer good or the financials of the deal are not competitive with other offers.

[zgscl]

5 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

That's what I have had to do several times.   TA #1 was great for a newbie cruiser.  He obtained for my traveling companion and me perks that I didn't think were possible for new cruisers.  TA #2 did an equally great job until she retired.  My Account was transferred to TA #3 who did an OK job, but not great; she left the agency.  TA #4 in that agency was OK as well, but, I didn't care for her.  Time for a change of agencies, I decided.  For TA #5, I had learned enough in speaking with other cruisers, I contacted her and have been very pleased with her service.  She left, along with several other experienced agents, to help establish a new agency and the excellent, friendly service has continued.

Our first TA was great but we got transferred to another one in the office. We booked a trip with some friends and the new TA stole their bank information and started paying off her mortgage and her son's medical bills with it. That was a huge mess. After that we had one that was OK - she did exactly what you asked but added no value or knowledge to the experience. We now have a great one who I will stick with as long as possible (and she is not allowed to retire, I forbid it!). 

 

 

[zgscl]

30 minutes ago, iancal said:

One of the main reasons that we do not want our TA to be our new ‘best friend’ is because we prefer a business relationship.    
 

We want to feel free to complain, if appropriate, without feeling that we are hurting someone’s feelings
 

  Or feel free, without personal regret, to change TA’s if the service is no longer good or the financials of the deal are not competitive with other offers.

We are very friendly with our TA and share trip pictures and will often bring back a souvineer, but it is definitely a professional relationship and we would have no problem switching or complaining if it was warranted, though thankfully it never has been. A good TA is worth their weight in gold, and a bad-OK one is not worth much at all. 

[Boatdrill]

On 12/22/2021 at 8:46 AM, mcrcruiser said:

We have booked numerous cruises through a particular TA  . Princess has a free upgrade sale ,so I sent the TA a e-mail about getting a better price ,so far no response  & it is a week from when we sent the e-mail . I am now thinking perhaps it is time to change TAs 

 

.Have you had a similar experience ?

Since you've booked numerous cruises with a particular travel agent (meaning the agent has served you well) why wouldn't call your travel agent and ask if he/she received your email ?  

[iancal]

48 minutes ago, zgscl said:

We are very friendly with our TA and share trip pictures and will often bring back a souvineer, but it is definitely a professional relationship and we would have no problem switching or complaining if it was warranted, though thankfully it never has been. A good TA is worth their weight in gold, and a bad-OK one is not worth much at all. 

We travel a fair amount.  We do our own research and make our own arrangements.

 

About the only time we use a TA is to book a cruise.  Based on price and on independence from the cruise line.  We have been fortunate to have had  an excellent TA.

[Boatdrill]

On 12/22/2021 at 9:50 AM, mcrcruiser said:

We already have a new TA in mind

Now I understand your true intent. No wonder you're looking for an excuse to fire your agent; you have someone waiting in the wings.

[rkacruiser]

17 hours ago, zgscl said:

A good TA is worth their weight in gold

 

I share your opinion.  They have the ability to access travel information and assistance of which I am totally ignorant.  

[iancal]

We never met our TA.  Our cruise TA lived several thousand miles away.   Two others we have used lived on the other side of the world.  
 

Always  excellent, responsive service.  Just as though they worked down the street.  In both instances, better than the ones down the street.

 

 

Edited December 25, 2021 by iancal