Parting from travel agent

[atb]

I have several cruises booked.  But feel the need to part ways with current travel agent.  Probably will not use travel agent going forward.  What is the process to remove travel agent from booked cruises?  Thanks

[renza]

Keep a travel company. I used to use on that gave free gratuities and cheaper cabin prices because they book you as a group price. 
I had to start booking through Royal because my son works for royal and we get family rate or free stand bye 

[molly361]

19 minutes ago, atb said:

I have several cruises booked.  But feel the need to part ways with current travel agent.  Probably will not use travel agent going forward.  What is the process to remove travel agent from booked cruises?  Thanks

The travel agent has to agree to give up your bookings unless they did something really wrong and then you could try to plead your case with Royal  Just stop using them in the future

Edited November 18, 2023 by molly361

[firefly333]

18 minutes ago, atb said:

I have several cruises booked.  But feel the need to part ways with current travel agent.  Probably will not use travel agent going forward.  What is the process to remove travel agent from booked cruises?  Thanks

They booked you and earned a commission. They would have to agree to release the booking for you to take it away from them. Just dont use them going forward.

[Fouremco]

It's very unlikely that the TA, having done all of the work to book those cruises, will be willing to release the booking and lose the commission for each one. Unless there's been gross negligence on the part of the TA that you can prove to RCI, you are probably going to have to continue dealing with the TA until you have finished with the bookings. Of course, you could always cancel all of them and either book directly with RCI or a different TA. 

 

What has happened that has caused you to drop the current TA and to try and take control of the bookings? There may be other, less drastic, solutions.

[ssb]

32 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

It's very unlikely that the TA, having done all of the work to book those cruises, will be willing to release the booking and lose the commission for each one. Unless there's been gross negligence on the part of the TA that you can prove to RCI, you are probably going to have to continue dealing with the TA until you have finished with the bookings. Of course, you could always cancel all of them and either book directly with RCI or a different TA. 

 

What has happened that has caused you to drop the current TA and to try and take control of the bookings? There may be other, less drastic, solutions.

Better deals  always with travel agency’s . If money is no object book with RCL . 

[Fouremco]

14 minutes ago, ssb said:

Better deals  always with travel agency’s . If money is no object book with RCL . 

As the OP states "Probably will not use travel agent going forward", I don't think that money is the issue.

[ssb]

Just now, Fouremco said:

As the OP states "Probably will not use travel agent going forward", I don't think that money is the issue.

And that is his choice . 

[Krazyfuntimes]

Sorry to hear this. The booking agent would have to release back to RC. They don't get paid commission until you return from travel, so as of now they haven't been paid for any services they rendered.  If you decide not to use a TA know that we can get great group rates, price protection and some offer extra on board credit and other support.

 

In the future, just be sure to interview your prospective TA. Ask them all the hard questions. Working with a TA should feel like you are having a friend book for you. Best of luck and happy cruising!

[crazyank]

13 hours ago, atb said:

I have several cruises booked.  But feel the need to part ways with current travel agent.  Probably will not use travel agent going forward.  What is the process to remove travel agent from booked cruises?  Thanks

Contact RCL,  tell them why you want to remove your bookings from the TA,  for things like not communicating i.e. not answering emails, not answering the phone,  RCL will take the booking away from the TA.  We've done this twice with TAs who didn't communicate.

[toxicfairy]

SSB that isn't true at all. I've used a travel agent once . It was a large company and yhe only thing I got from them was a headache and a run around. Have gotten better rates just keeping watch myself.

Before and after that I've always booked on my own. 

Edited November 19, 2023 by toxicfairy

[cruiseguy1016]

1 hour ago, toxicfairy said:

SSB that isn't true at all. I've used a travel agent once . It was a large company and yhe only thing I got from them was a headache and a run around. Have gotten better rates just keeping watch myself.

Before and after that I've always booked on my own. 

 

 A large company does not necessarily mean all of it's employees are good. You had a bad agent within the company. There ARE good agents out there. Some are independent, some work for large companies.

[2wheelin]

22 hours ago, ssb said:

Better deals  always with travel agency’s . If money is no object book with RCL . 

Not true. A very large number of them give only grief.

13 hours ago, Krazyfuntimes said:

In the future, just be sure to interview your prospective TA. Ask them all the hard questions. Working with a TA should feel like you are having a friend book for you. Best of luck and happy cruising!

Good advice but it can be extremely time consuming and you still need to get that in writing. I have had them promise gifts and credits which never showed up. And you definitely need to research what is your best price from the cruise line first. Their group rate is not always flexible to changes.

A good TA is probably as important as a good friend. 

[Krazyfuntimes]

4 minutes ago, 2wheelin said:

Not true. A very large number of them give only grief.

Good advice but it can be extremely time consuming and you still need to get that in writing. I have had them promise gifts and credits which never showed up. And you definitely need to research what is your best price from the cruise line first. Their group rate is not always flexible to changes.

A good TA is probably as important as a good friend. 

All is true. I am fortunate that I do it cause I love to help people (retired nurse). I feel bad when others are lied too, looks bad on all of us. 

[ssb]

24 minutes ago, Krazyfuntimes said:

All is true. I am fortunate that I do it cause I love to help people (retired nurse). I feel bad when others are lied too, looks bad on all of us. 

We have used five travel agents . All have given better deals than Royal . All our problems have been with Royal . Communication and documentation is always important even in everyday life . 

Edited November 19, 2023 by ssb

[loman]

I book direct with RC and never have any problems . 

I think its because i know what i want and then dont make any changes.

Only thing i call in for is price drops and that was always handled well.

 

I used a TA the first couple of cruises and would never get a response from

emails or voice mails i left. 

They cost me a lot regarding price drops.

 

I will check out a particular TA the next cruise though. He seems like he would do a good job 

by the responses he gives on various questions.

[Ourusualbeach]

1 hour ago, 2wheelin said:

Their group rate is not always flexible to changes.

It is actually more flexible as they are fully refundable.

[molly361]

21 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

It is actually more flexible as they are fully refundable.

I would NEVER part with my TA😇

[OCSC Mike]

12 minutes ago, molly361 said:

I would NEVER part with my TA😇

 

Suck up. He's OK I guess. 😁

Edited November 19, 2023 by OCSC Mike

[brillohead]

12 hours ago, loman said:

I will check out a particular TA the next cruise though. He seems like he would do a good job 

by the responses he gives on various questions.

 

I can vouch for him... always available via email, even at weird hours!  And often replies within 5-10 minutes!
 

[cruiseguy1016]

4 hours ago, brillohead said:

 

I can vouch for him... always available via email, even at weird hours!  And often replies within 5-10 minutes!
 

 

Not just emails, phone calls too. I've often asked myself, "does this guy ever sleep?"  

[Toddcan]

I've booked only 3 of my cruises through a TA, and found they offered reduced rates. My problem is that I check my cruise pricing way too often, and I will call to get a price reduction of even $25.  I would feel I am bothering my TA with these requests, which is why I book the majority of my cruises over the phone with Royal directly.  

 

Now, Ken brings up a great point - all group rates are refundable - I did not know this. I'll have to consider this in the future

 

Serious question - I know we cannot message people here at CC - so if we like the style of a CC contributor here who we know is a TA - how would be reach out to them without breaking CC rules?  

[atb]

thanks for all the good info.  As to what the TA has done - the short answer is not much.  I book my cruises at the Next Cruise while on a cruise.  And it's transferred to the TA.  When I have questions or need assistance, not too responsive to emails, or phone calls.  

I think, in future, I will make sure Next Cruise does not transfer to the TA.

[Choozin Croozin]

On 11/19/2023 at 2:38 PM, molly361 said:

I would NEVER part with my TA😇

How might I find out who that is? Curious minds would like to know.

[brillohead]

On 11/20/2023 at 8:25 AM, Toddcan said:

Serious question - I know we cannot message people here at CC - so if we like the style of a CC contributor here who we know is a TA - how would be reach out to them without breaking CC rules?  

 

If you google his user name and the word travel, it should take you to his website with his contact info.

 

 

27 minutes ago, Choozin Croozin said:

How might I find out who that is? Curious minds would like to know.

 

It's someone who regularly posts here with helpful information about when deposits are fully refundable, etc.