Drop the TA

[weechloe]

My agent has just given RCCL permission for me to make changes to my booking. This was suggested by Crown and Anchor today. Then if my agent is not in her office when a room comes available that I want, I can also make the change but she is there when I need her. The agent has to call Royal Carribean and put this on your booking.:)

[Firefighterhoop]

Ask the TA to have the documents mailed directly to you. If you do that, don't blame the TA if there are mistakes in the docs though.

 

 

 

Scott, I still want to know what hidden fees you believe a TA starts adding in.

 

#1 Most of the time a TA wouldn't catch any mistakes in the documents, because they should have given the same information they have to a cruise line, so unless they mess up the information - there should be no mistake.

 

#2 Hidden fees - this is easy. Some Travel agents (Please note that I am not saying, implying, or accusing you of this) - when they advertise a price, forget too add about 250.00 per person (average) in fees in there when advertising, I can't name the big two out of the Minneapolis area, but they will advertise a rate of 599 per person, then there is a fees, taxes, and other charges of 250 per person and all of a sudden you are at the same price that RCC is offering - you can just advertise in the paper a little bit more.

How can all these fees and charges come from a travel agent, when they don't apply to the cruise line itself.. easily - RCCL uses PRICE FIXING - The TA's can't even get a lower rate unless they reserve a huge group of rooms per sailing.

Fee number two = the change fee. Most TA's (Again not being you personally) Have implemented a 50 to 100 dollar change fee for people to change ships/dates, or to cancel their cruise (Even though with the cruise line it is well away from the due date). So if there is any possibility that you may have to change dates and cancel, you will be out a hundred or so bucks per person!

 

So now tell me what 2 benifits are of using a travel agent, that I just can't do myself. How does using a TA speed the process up?

 

Just my experience,

Scott

[jcanino]

#1 Most of the time a TA wouldn't catch any mistakes in the documents, because they should have given the same information they have to a cruise line, so unless they mess up the information - there should be no mistake.

 

Well Scott, you are wrong there. I have found names misspelled on documents even though every document in my file has the correct name including the ones from the cruise line or tour operator. I have found wrong departure cities. I have found wrong dates on documents. I have found that components of trips have been left out.

 

#2 Hidden fees - this is easy. Some Travel agents (Please note that I am not saying, implying, or accusing you of this) - when they advertise a price, forget too add about 250.00 per person (average) in fees in there when advertising, I can't name the big two out of the Minneapolis area, but they will advertise a rate of 599 per person, then there is a fees, taxes, and other charges of 250 per person and all of a sudden you are at the same price that RCC is offering - you can just advertise in the paper a little bit more.

How can all these fees and charges come from a travel agent, when they don't apply to the cruise line itself.. easily - RCCL uses PRICE FIXING - The TA's can't even get a lower rate unless they reserve a huge group of rooms per sailing.

Fee number two = the change fee. Most TA's (Again not being you personally) Have implemented a 50 to 100 dollar change fee for people to change ships/dates, or to cancel their cruise (Even though with the cruise line it is well away from the due date). So if there is any possibility that you may have to change dates and cancel, you will be out a hundred or so bucks per person!

 

Your first example is not a hidden fee. It is false advertising and it is definately wrong. Before you actually booked that cruise or trip, they would have disclosed the full price with ALL fees included. I would bet that if you look at the small, tiny print at the bottom of their ads, it says something to the effect that prices shown do not include port charges, taxes, air, transfers and anything else they can think of.

 

Your second example is something that people should be asking a travel agent up front if they have never dealt with them. I agree that if you don't know about it, it can be considered hidden but it is not a fee that is assessed to everyone.

 

So now tell me what 2 benifits are of using a travel agent, that I just can't do myself. How does using a TA speed the process up?

 

Well let's see. If something does go wrong with your cruise before you travel, I have access to people much higher up than an entry level reservation agent. If that res agent does nothing for me, then I call my District Sales Manager and work my way up. A good travel agent will have a good working relationship with supervisors and managers. For example, I have the name and direct dial number of an air/sea supervisor who went out of her way to help me about three or four years ago. I made it apoint to not only send her a thank you card, but also a dozen roses. Every time I am in the city where their office is, I stop in and see her. I also have the direct number a a few cruise line presidents and have had lunch or drinks with them and their senior staff. Who do you think they are more likely to help, me or you? Good Travel Agents are experts in understanding and deciphering the intricacies of the system and knowing how to work them.

 

I don't know your travel preferences and have no idea if you are married to a particular cruise line. Let's say that you call Carnival looking for a cruise on July 1. Do you believe that they are going to look out for you? To them you are a number. To me you are a name. Do you think Carnival will tell you that a cruise on Royal Caribbean that week will save you $1000.00? Travel Agents work for you, not the cruise line.

 

If you are looking to book a hotel for a pre or post cruise package, you are certainly free to use a service that lets you name a price and pay for an undisclosed hotel. You can also take advantage of our knowledge and network to find out whether or not a particular hotel is for you. Many of us belong to consortiums that have preferred rates on hotels and cruises alike.

[Firefighterhoop]

Is the air sea supervisor's Initial's KB? (The head of the department), I also have contacted her about air issues, and she was able to get me 250.00per person on board credit because RCCL made a little oops, and I called them out on it, she was also nice enough to give me her and her assistan't supervisor's direct line incase another problem arises. It's easy to work your way up in companies to management if you have the gift of Gab and also verbal judo, and of course persistance!

 

As far as saving money goes, of course RCCL isn't going to tell me that Carnival Can save me 1000.00 and Carnival isn't going to tell me RCCL can save me 1000.00, thats why I look at the cruises I'm interested in and pick the cheapest one. The whole process takes about 5 minutes each (totaling about 15 minutes) - which is less then the time it takes a lot of TA's (Again, not you speciffically or even included) to return a call if they have to compare. The internet sites at RCCL, Carnival, and Princess have made it so easy to price and book cruises now, you don't even have to call them.

 

And again many internet sites let you compare hotels/cruises/airfare now for exact mapping locations, resort locations and what they have there, iteneraries, and prices without any committment to buy, then you can check the company and buy it there because it is usually the same price. kinda makes travel agents, well, outdated...Being able to compare cruises, hotels and airfare at the same time, you can easily plan and book a trip in about 30 minutes booking just through the straight compainies, and NO TA's

[jcanino]

and NO TA's

 

You know Scott, you will never understand the true value of a good TA until you use one, but honestly, I don't see that happening. For your sake, I hope that you don't get in a bind where a professional would have been able to help you.

[Firefighterhoop]

I don't think there really is a situation, again, anyone can find the information they need on line or in a book. You can also call the cruise line yourself.

 

I used four travel agents from four different companies when I booked my first four cruises, and NONE of them did anything for me I couldn't do myself, except create more stress having to wait to have my questions answered when my TA called the cruise line, and then called me back, etc etc, etc.

 

I still have yet to see how using a TA vs. Booking Directly would have helped, and you say I won't see how using a TA is invaluable until I am in a situation where I need one - Again, there is no situation with the age of the internet upon us, it is much easier and quicker to do it yourself and research yourself!

[cruisinfanatic]

I don't think there really is a situation, again, anyone can find the information they need on line or in a book. You can also call the cruise line yourself.

 

I used four travel agents from four different companies when I booked my first four cruises, and NONE of them did anything for me I couldn't do myself, except create more stress having to wait to have my questions answered when my TA called the cruise line, and then called me back, etc etc, etc.

 

I still have yet to see how using a TA vs. Booking Directly would have helped, and you say I won't see how using a TA is invaluable until I am in a situation where I need one - Again, there is no situation with the age of the internet upon us, it is much easier and quicker to do it yourself and research yourself!

You have to lighten up a little. No one said you couldn't do all you mentioned. With Royal Caribbean you can easilly book your cruise yourself without using a TA. A good TA will watch your booking evey day for price drops or upgrades and pass them along. If you have time to do that too, good for you. Most people don't.

[Firefighterhoop]

You have to lighten up a little. No one said you couldn't do all you mentioned. With Royal Caribbean you can easilly book your cruise yourself without using a TA. A good TA will watch your booking evey day for price drops or upgrades and pass them along. If you have time to do that too, good for you. Most people don't.

 

I am going to be 100% honest with you. I am on here at least twice a day for a few hours, depending on my work schedule...I just happen to have today off, and the weather, well cold and freezing drizzle, so not much else to do. I have NEVER, as in NEVER as in zero percent of the time read about someone being Contacted by their travel agent out of the blue saying the price of their cruise has went down. Usually it has worked the other way (Example, I see the price decrease, I call my travel agent, they call the cruise line, the reduced rate applies)

 

Again, I find it hard to believe, with the hundreds of clients a TA has, that they watch each booking unless a client calls with what I said above, or a piece of documentation shows up that has to be proofread and mailed. The only time that I can see that happening is if I would be only one of a few clients that that person has, otherwise it wouldn't be practical to do that.

[cruisinfanatic]

I am going to be 100% honest with you. I am on here at least twice a day for a few hours, depending on my work schedule...I just happen to have today off, and the weather, well cold and freezing drizzle, so not much else to do. I have NEVER, as in NEVER as in zero percent of the time read about someone being Contacted by their travel agent out of the blue saying the price of their cruise has went down. Usually it has worked the other way (Example, I see the price decrease, I call my travel agent, they call the cruise line, the reduced rate applies)

 

Again, I find it hard to believe, with the hundreds of clients a TA has, that they watch each booking unless a client calls with what I said above, or a piece of documentation shows up that has to be proofread and mailed. The only time that I can see that happening is if I would be only one of a few clients that that person has, otherwise it wouldn't be practical to do that.

I do only have a few clients. I make enough to go on a couple cruises a yr and thats all I do it for. I have a 40 hr a week job aside from my TA work. My clients return to me because they know what I've done for them in the past. There are TA's that do watch their client's bookingsas I do. How would you know. You don't use one.

[DonnaK]

Gee, I kind of like having the TA to use as a go-between, one who makes all the phone calls, and resolves all the issues, on my behalf. I do the online research at home, just to made educated decisions, but I don't have the gift of gab and don't like spending time on the phone resolving problems when someone else can do it for me at no additional cost. I dont have the time and energy, and really feel put out doing it all on my own.

 

Let me tell you a long-winded story that taught me the value of a good TA. Last year, we took a week-long land vacation at a popular All-Inclusive. It was a mediocre trip with a lot of unacceptable issues. Some of the problems could be resolved on the spot, and others we just had to tolerate. When I filled out the resort's comment card, I wrote a constructive letter of complaint and mailed it to headquarters. The company wrote me a personal letter of apology and gave me some coupons towards a future trip. I also went to my TA to inform her what the situation at this particular resort was, and recommend that she doesn't send any clients there until it resolves. She told me that the day we returned, another couple called her from the resort regarding many of the same issues and she transferred them to a better place where they were treated like royalty, and had we called she could have done the same for us. (Don't know why it didn't occur to me to do that.) Then she took a copy of the same letter I wrote (and presumably a statement from the other couple) and worked her way up the chain of command and got each of us a FULL REFUND from the resort. I didn't ask her to do this, I was willing to just let it go and move on, but she fought for me anyway, and that's why I'll take a travel agent working on my behalf any time.

 

Also, I got upgraded on my AOS cruise from a D1 to a GS . Since a high percentage of this agency's clients got upgraded that year, I wonder if working through them helped the upgrade to happen???

 

You are right about one thing though - I've always "caught" the price reductions and had her get the adjustment for me, rather then her finding it first and calling me about it. But that's ok - I still didn't have to do the negotiating, just the info gathering.

[pepperfeet]

I will NEVER use a TA Again - for reasons mentioned. It just adds a middle man you have to go through, and if that middle man is not around, or is busy, you won't get your deal.

 

Your documents arrive slower, because your TA has to go through them at Their pace, and then re-mail them to you, and because RCCL uses price fixing, the prices are the same from RCCL and your TA. PLUS, if they are advertising a cheaper rate, just wait for the Hidden fees to start adding in.

 

It is much easier to book your cruise yourself with RCCL on the phone or Website. You can handle anything yourself, make changes right away instead of playing phone tag, and you know that it is done.

 

Scott

Your right. We just booked last month for AOS for march 12. Just watched RC web site to see which ships the price was going to drop. We have done this the last three years.

This cruise total price with airefare is about $500 cheaper than 4 years ago.

[jcanino]

I have NEVER, as in NEVER as in zero percent of the time read about someone being Contacted by their travel agent out of the blue saying the price of their cruise has went down.

 

Would you like me to send you an email every time I do that. :)

 

I have a client that I called and told her tht I could get her a 5 category upgrade AND a reduction in price. She turned it down because I couldn't get her another cabin right by an elevator.

 

It is all a matter of using the service of a professional versus using an order taker.

[Firefighterhoop]

THe guest vacation specialists seem to know everything they need to about their ships. I have never had a question unanswered when I hung up the phone.

 

I would call them professionals at what they do.

[jcanino]

THe guest vacation specialists seem to know everything they need to about their ships. I have never had a question unanswered when I hung up the phone.

 

I would call them professionals at what they do.

 

They do a very good job at reading scripts on their computer, but are hardly travel professionals.

[rjg41]

First, to the OP. I watch these things pretty closely and was curious what over the weekend sale you are talking about? RC/X's "sales" are usually through their "Happy Hour" process which is Tuesdays only. Further, those sales are usually for new bookings only.

 

Now to Firefighterhoop who thinks booking directly with RC/X is the best and TA's offer no advantage. We went through this on another thread and he didn't respond to the following FACTS:

 

1) RC/X agents can ONLY offer you the full retail price in affect when you call them.

 

2) If there are perks offered by RC/X, you get the same perks when you book with a TA. (Book on board for the ship board credit and you can transfer to a TA and keep the credit.)

 

3) Despite the "no discounts" policy of RC/X, TA's have access to lower fares from RC/X, on some cruises, that they can offer to clients that the RC/X agents DO NOT have access to.

 

4) Since TA's cannot offer discounts on regular fares, good TA's can and will offer other perks. RC/X agents CANNOT do the same.

 

5) TA's get 5-6 day advance notice of "Happy Hour" specials to alert clients. RC agents don't know what's coming.

 

6) "Happy Hour" starts at 9AM on Tuesdays for direct bookings. TA's usually have an earlier access to book "Happy Hour" specials.

 

7) There are no "hidden costs". Some agencies charge fees so if you don't like the fees, pick another agency. Many do not have fees or they are so nominal that the perks you get far exceed the fees.

 

8) In case there is a problem with the cruise line, remember, RC/X agents work for the cruise line, TA's work for YOU. TA's know who to call. When you consider that an agency might book $5-10 million/year or more with a cruise line they have leverage.

 

9) "Delay in documents" is because a good agency has a QC person who checks over the documents for errors and gets them corrected before you get them. What's the problem with a few days? Like it makes a differance to anything if you get they 18 days before you leave vs 21 days?

 

Those are the facts but.......believe what you want.

[OceanCruise]

I think TAs are good for people who may be new to cruising but I now prefer to do everthing on my own. In the past I would do all the research and my TA would basically make the reservation and send a bottle of wine. (I knew more than her about cruises) She never got me better prices. I even went to a cruise only agency and they could not do better on prices either. It is easier for me now to just do it all on my own without the middleman and playing phone tag. I moniter the prices and easily make any changes. BTW, the few times we have had issues on cruises or land based vacations, I was able to get them resolved. It just means speaking to the proper person in charge and always having the correct documentation. If you are on cruise critic you probably don't need a TA.

[rjg41]

What ever works for you but I have been on CC for 5 years, do much of the research myself BUT still would not consider anything but booking with my GOOD agent. We have had two major problems with cruise lines and she fixed them both. No way the cruise lines would have fixed these problems without her agency's leverage.

[Nitra]

Im like cruisefanatic, I stay with booking a few cruises a year so I can cruise. I have a full time job as a corporate TA right now, but at one time did book leisure and sat in an office all day. I gave my clients great service, including letting them know if I saw a drop or possible upgrade they could take advantage of. I got one couple upgraded from the lowest inside to a JS at no additional cost to them, I worked with one cruiseline that did not allow babies on board to get them to allow a client to bring her baby and nanny on board and since he was the youngest passenger sailing into the millineum with them they made a huge fuss, including giving him a silver engraved plate, and I could give you a hundred more of those stories. Some TA's do go over and above for their clients. I never had alot of clients but the few I did have booked with me so much I was top selling agent in my office in CA and since they followed me when I moved to TX I made it here too.

 

I read a lot of stories on here and know some bad agents too, and even some that just do their job. Being a TA is not an easy job but I when someone asked me what I did, I used to say, I make dreams come true. Now being a corporate agent, I still put that extra work into my job and get lots of recognition and awards. Just yesterday I had a director of a company ask for a business class fare, after booking his preferred flights and hanging up, I found he could fly first class for 1000 less than business, called him back and he was thrilled. I have gotten people into hotels that are claiming they were sold out, I have fixed so many issues for people that booked their own travel and messed it up royally. When I went corp. I had my leisure clients ask me how they could become corp clients because they did not want a new agent.

 

I know it takes time to find a good agent, and some folks can book on their own and do fine, but I believed in making it work free for my clients. They did not have to research and check prices, that was my job. I had never been to Europe but could talk to you like I had been there 100's of times, before I cruised the first time, I could do the same with cruises. I took classes on qualifying a client, I took classes on cruises, I read everything I could get my hands on. Im sure there are a lot of agents here that do the same. Just because I never owned a widget does not mean I cant learn everything there is about them and sell you one that will serve you needs.

 

Dont judge all TA's by the few out there that are just getting a paycheck, some agents do it because they love what they do, because there is nothing better than seeing the excitement of someone you booked on the perfect trip, handing them their docs and having them come see you when they get back and show you the photos of what a great time they had... you know you really did make a dream come true.

[Firefighterhoop]

Subject change - hey Nitra it looks like we are on the same cruise! (5/7 Rhapsody)

[Firefighterhoop]

First, to the OP. I watch these things pretty closely and was curious what over the weekend sale you are talking about? RC/X's "sales" are usually through their "Happy Hour" process which is Tuesdays only. Further, those sales are usually for new bookings only.

 

Now to Firefighterhoop who thinks booking directly with RC/X is the best and TA's offer no advantage. We went through this on another thread and he didn't respond to the following FACTS:

 

 

Those are the facts but.......believe what you want.

 

First of all, I apologize for not responding on another thread, I didn't see your reply, probabally because I forgot I responded to it, therefore not responding, or got busy with work or something and the thread got burried.. Anyway if you want a reply, ok.

 

1) RC/X agents can ONLY offer you the full retail price in affect when you call them.

 

Ok - I am assuming that a Travel agent can only do the same thing. People on cruise critic, as well as TA's on here have made that statement. I.E. Pricefixin'

 

2)c2) If there are perks offered by RC/X, you get the same perks when you book with a TA. (Book on board for the ship board credit and you can transfer to a TA and keep the credit.)

 

Okay, so still missing the advantage of booking with a TA? Same perks, just cutting out the middle man... And Since you brought it up, what IS the point of transfering your booking to a TA if you book it on board?? Not like you are getting any more perks, just adding a middle man!

 

3) Despite the "no discounts" policy of RC/X, TA's have access to lower fares from RC/X, on some cruises, that they can offer to clients that the RC/X agents DO NOT have access to..

 

I have yet to be quoted a lower fare on RCCL, so I can only comment on my personal experiance - You are right, I can NOT say that a TA Can NEVER give a lower rate (I am assuming they can for group bookings where a certain agency has a block of rooms available), what I can say is that MOST of the time, The bottom line is the bottom line.

 

4) Since TA's cannot offer discounts on regular fares, good TA's can and will offer other perks. RC/X agents CANNOT do the same. Here is your time to shine to everyone...

 

WHAT PERKS? Again, I have used a TA for four of my bookings (My first four cruises/ four different agents), and never got a perk on RCCL other than the onboard credit for booking on board.

 

5) TA's get 5-6 day advance notice of "Happy Hour" specials to alert clients. RC agents don't know what's coming.

 

We have been getting them on Mondays on line so we can see what's coming.

 

6) "Happy Hour" starts at 9AM on Tuesdays for direct bookings. TA's usually have an earlier access to book "Happy Hour" specials.

 

Ok, you may get a hour or so head start, you got me on this one. Handy for people on the east coast, but for those on the west coast, where the Special starts at 6am their time, they would be in the office before that??

 

7) There are no "hidden costs". Some agencies charge fees so if you don't like the fees, pick another agency. Many do not have fees or they are so nominal that the perks you get far exceed the fees.

 

This has already been brought up, Jon and I both came to a middle ground on this, some offer low fares, but in tiny tiny size .1font, says fees, taxes, charges, that add up quickly. What Perks? Still waiting for that one?

 

8) In case there is a problem with the cruise line, remember, RC/X agents work for the cruise line, TA's work for YOU. TA's know who to call. When you consider that an agency might book $5-10 million/year or more with a cruise line they have leverage.

 

I have had problems with RCCL before on a couple occasions (one time they didn't book air for everyone, one time it was 4 days before the cruise and I had no docs, and a couple of other small problems), and I was able to work my way around the chain of command in RCCL, and ended up talking to the Head of the Air Sea department, and the Head of Documentation, and ended up getting 7 document books for 3 people. You just have to know how to talk the talk.

I will agree with you that you know off the bat who to call, and it took me a couple of phone calls, but I still ended up getting in contact with them in the end, and probabally in a shorter time that I call the TA's VoiceMail, leave the message, they get back to me for the whole story, they call RCCL, They get back to me.

 

9) "Delay in documents" is because a good agency has a QC person who checks over the documents for errors and gets them corrected before you get them. What's the problem with a few days? Like it makes a differance to anything if you get they 18 days before you leave vs 21 days?

 

If it were only 3 days, I wouldn't have had an issue. 2 of the four times I used a TA, they had the documents for 2 weeks (One for 14 days, and one for 16 days). Both times I was getting concerned because we were T minus 10 days, I called RCCL, and they said they couldn't tell me anything, well - I am a rather convincing person, and well eventually they told me the tracking number. At that point, I called the shipper, and got the date and the name of who and when it was signed for. At that point I called the TA Back and said, they indeed had them, and they still denied it until I gave them the date and name of the person who signed for them several days prior, and then all of a sudden they appeared 2 days later at my door, FROM THE TA:mad: . The other time, that TA said that the docs were misplaced for a few days.

 

RJG - some of what you said is fact and some opinion and speculation. I understand that you are a TA, and therefore trying to stand up for it, and I think we are both right in our opinions, and facts we are producing.

 

Again I have used 4 ta's in the past. Maybe I picked four bad apples from a tree of many...

 

So I would like a TA HONESTLY to answer 2 questions for me, please,

1) What is the point of transfering a booking you make on board to a TA? Do you still get the perks, what perks do most TA's offer - again, I have never got any perks on RCCL.

 

2) Now on the other lines that Don't use price Fixing (Ie Carnival, Princess, NCL, etc etc), It still seems that they are the same price as on line, so It is almost like they are using price fixing now too, is that correct or do you have play with their prices?

 

Now when discussing perks - not sure if it violates policy, because it boarders on advertisment - if you want, email me on hoopster3145@yahoo.com