Help!! Booked through bad travel agency

[michelle49]

I've had nothing but bad service at the travel agency I booked this trip through. there's probably nothing I can do now but they charged me $300 more than if I had booked the trip directly through NCL. I called them and asked them to check on a credit - but they claim they called and NCL said it was an internet special. Well - it isn't. It's been the price they have quoted since Day One.

 

I'll never book through a TA again. I've gone on other places on the internet and could have even gotten the trip $400 cheaper. $300 - $400 is alot of money for us.

 

Anyhow, they never returned any of my calls. Never did anything I asked (which was only a quote and asked them to drop insurance) and never reminded my final payment was due. It will be intesting to see if they call me when the tickets come in.

 

What is supposed to be the perk of going throug ha TA?????

[critterchick]

A GOOD TA would have gotten you the lower price, returned your phone calls, run interference with the cruise line on any problems or issues you and gotten you your tickets promptly. Maybe even would have thrown in a bottle of wine or other gift as a thank you for using them. You TA sounds perfectly horrid, and it's no wonder you don't like the idea of using one again, but there are some very good TAs out there who will save you money over what the cruiseline will charge. Sorry you got burned.

[duckman715]

You do not say when your cruise departs, but if you are still outside the penalty phase you can cancel & rebook directly. I have only gone through the cruise line once. All other times I have used a TA due to the significant savings I have found there. With an investment of this size it pays to spend the time shopping around.

[breenw]

As a former TA Manager, I can give you a couple of suggestions: You didn't say whether this was a brick and mortar TA or an online agency. So..... I would fax the agency you booked through and tell them you are extremely unhappy with their service. List your reasons you stated. Then, in the fax, tell them you want to let the cruise line "take over" the booking. They may try to tell you they can't do that, but you have that right to make that request. Tell them you want them to verify back to you in writing by e-mail, mail, or fax that they have received your request. Then call the cruise line and let them know that you made the request. They may ask for proof that you did this, but they will then be able to work with you directly. At that point, you can tell them that you notice the price difference and the agency is unwilling to cooperate in giving you a cheaper price. The agency may try to give you a hard time because they want the commission for themselves. But, they need to give you proper service in order to earn that commission.

[breenw]

Oops...another thought. If you feel that the agency is going to try to refuse your request, I would call the cruise line, and while you have the cruise agent on the telephone, do a 3-way call if you have that capability, and add the TA into the call. If you make the request during that phone call to the TA and they refuse, the cruise line will hear their response. They will be able to take over the booking regardless of whether the TA wants them to or not. They can't refuse your request.

[K&RCurt]

I'll never book through a TA again. I've gone on other places on the internet and could have even gotten the trip $400 cheaper. $300 - $400 is alot of money for us.

 

 

I wouldn't write off ALL TAs because you encountered one bad example. A good TA will invariably get you a better price that the cruise line, or at least some additional percs. In addition, they will be able to help you with any special requests, assist with flights, hotels etc, all at better rates than you'll get from a cruise line.

 

Hang in there and try another TA. Ask you friends and neighbors for reccomendations.

 

Good luck and I hope you have a great cruise.

[Happy ks]

The only time we've had a bad TA was once when we ended up in the office of the owner of the agency! Fortunately, one of her agents was listening in (probably normal for that office) and corrected her error before it was too late. Of course, we knew she was in error too, we would have stopped her ourselves before she completed the booking.

 

I now use online agents and have had great luck with them. I love the hunt for price, but before I book online, I call the agent to get a better cabin location. It seems as though the online sites sell from the elevators out.

[lvtotrvl1]

I would print the prices of the cruises you found for 400 less...wow! That is alot of money! Fax them to the agent along with your request to change your booking to the cruiseline. I am sorry you have had this problem...please don't hold it against all travel agents. With the cruiselines new pricing rules, you usually will not find that much of a difference in price. Your agency may be adding to their commissions. Would love to hear if this is a brick and mortar agency (if so, I agree with the previous poster that you should send a letter to the manager or owner) or if it is an online or home based? Something definately sounds "rotten in denmark".

 

Good Luck!

[michelle49]

Thanks for all the advice. This is our first cruise and I know we're going to have alot of fun. this TA is a local business in our town. I drove there and like I said - it's been miserable every since. I even documented all the times they ignored me and spoke to the manager. Never got an apology. Can I still rebook through NCL and keep my room? I've already paid the last payment and our trip is to Bermuda on the Majesty on June 11th? Do you think I'm safe to do this or should I just eat the $300 this time???

Thanks again everyone.

[lvtotrvl1]

Since you made you FP it may be too late. However, I would at least call NCL and try to talk to a supervisor. They may be able to take over the booking ( unlikely, since commission may have been paid already), or they may be able to honor the price. Hope you can get some help....but, in the end, you will have a great cruise!!!

[direfun2000]

Thanks for all the advice. This is our first cruise and I know we're going to have alot of fun. this TA is a local business in our town. I drove there and like I said - it's been miserable every since. I even documented all the times they ignored me and spoke to the manager. Never got an apology. Can I still rebook through NCL and keep my room? I've already paid the last payment and our trip is to Bermuda on the Majesty on June 11th? Do you think I'm safe to do this or should I just eat the $300 this time???

Thanks again everyone.

 

At the very least, I would report the douches to the Better Business Bureau.

[ebrener]

Since you made you FP it may be too late. However, I would at least call NCL and try to talk to a supervisor. They may be able to take over the booking ( unlikely, since commission may have been paid already), or they may be able to honor the price. Hope you can get some help....but, in the end, you will have a great cruise!!!

 

They should still be able to do it, even if they have paid them commission already. They can recall it, the same way they do with a last minute cancelation...

 

Regards,

 

Enrique

ebrener57@bellsouth.net

[captNcrunch]

Thanks for all the advice. This is our first cruise and I know we're going to have alot of fun. this TA is a local business in our town./quote]

 

Don't give up on TA's, We did the same thing when we moved from TX to MA 6 years ago. We had a Cruise Only TA in TX that was fantastic. WHen we moved to MA we settled in a small town and I thought I would support the local business. It was a mistake and we paid the price in several ways. I decided to drive the 40 miles to a Cruise Only TA and we found a fantastic agency who we have used for the last 5 years, never have to go to the office we can do it all by phone because they know exactly what are likes and dislikes are and they always get the best price. Don't give up the ship and have a great cruise, free-style is wonderful, and you will love Bermuda :D

[breenw]

FYI - commissions are never paid in advance of a trip - only after. If this is a brick and mortar agency, I would get in my car, drive over to the agency, make the agent call the cruise line with you sitting there, and then I would tell the agent to tell the cruise line that they are taking over the booking right then and there. You are paying them for a service and you are not receiving that service. They do not deserve any commission from the cruise line if they are not giving you proper representation.

 

You will not lose your cabin if you turn over the booking to the cruise line.

[clerky96]

Michelle, I feel your pain. Your experience sounds exactly like mine, except we booked with an online TA. When I would call the TA he would not return my calls until I would leave frustrated messages on the machine. Every single time that I spoke to him (except the first time when I booked), he was rude and obnoxious to me. I checked into changing TA's but my original information from them said that I would forfeit 10% of the cost of the total cruise to the TA. So, I stayed where I was. Also, they kept their commission from my initial down payment. My cruise is now paid for (I also was not notified about the final payment being due), and I sent an email telling the TA exactly what I thought of the service. At this point, now I am worried that he can do something that will screw up my cruise. I considered calling the cruiseline and asking for them to be taken off of my account, and all travel documents be sent to me. But don't know if they could even do that. Good luck and have a great cruise. Our cruse is June 10th, the day before yours.

Donna

[lvtotrvl1]

Cruise commissions are paid after final payment has been made by the majority of cruiselines. Not after travel.

[michelle49]

Hi Donna, Wow... he sounds as bad as mine. It really stinks to get such bad service on what should be an exciting and happy time.

 

It must be even more scary when it's someone out there in cyberspace. At least my TA has a business in town and I know who they are......... I'll probably have to eat the $300 to $400 this time because it's so close to my trip. I pray you get your tickets and don't have anymore problems. This is our first cruise but we're determined to not let this get us down. Have fun.

[michelle49]

After reading what the Breens said - I think I will drive over and see if I can do anything. I was going to "eat it" but it's worth a drive.

[clerky96]

I think as long as they don't screw me up with RCL, I am okay even if I don't get my final documents. According to what I have read on this website, as long as I have my set sail pass and all my identification papers with me at the dock, I don't really need the RCL booklet. Hope everyone is right, because at this stage of the game I doubt that I will receive my final documents.:mad:

Donna

[Tahitian Princess]

Any suggestions on how to handle this situation? Our online travel agent isn't returning our emails or phone calls for the last week and half. Our final payment is due very soon, we want to get this taken care of so we're not down to the wire and lose our cruise. I'm now finding out, this travel agent hasn't returned a few other customers messages.

 

My question is, do I call my cruiseline, another travel agent, or wait to hear from my agent another few days? I've dealt with this TA before and never had a problem.

 

Thank you for listening and perhaps any suggestions!

[seadancer]

Hi Tahtimama

 

I would transfer the booking to the cruise line and explain to them the no communication problem from the online ta.

 

Good Luck

Jeff

[breenw]

Tahitimama201: Another travel agency cannot help you if they did not make the booking,. You'll need to contact the agency you booked through. Even though it is very frustrating for clients, those rules are there to protect everyone. If a travel agency books a cruise for you and another travel agency was allowed to take over the booking without the original TA's permission, it would be a free-for-all out there! But, if you have a legitimate reason to want to switch, you need to pursue that. It may sound silly, but there are people out there who have booked through a TA and then call and want to switch because "my neighbor's sister is a TA and I thought I would switch my reservation to her to help her out". That is NOT a reason to switch.

 

There are good and bad parts to using a brick and mortar agency and an online agency. Many of the online agencies are great, but there are those who are not necessarily customer friendly. But, it is my opinion that if you use an online agency, you should be a very proficient cruiser who knows exactly what you want when you book and not make alot of changes are have alot of questions. Many online booking sites will pretty much state that you should use their services only if you know exactly what you want. They aren't set up to provide alot of one-on-one service to the clients - they are just a booking vessel. On the other hand, if you find a reputable TA which is brick and mortar, you have a "live person" you can go to to help you, answer any questions you have, etc. When I was running my agency, with first time cruisers or groups, I used to meet with my clients once their documents came in to walk them through everything. I would answer all their questions, made sure they knew what to do with their documents, and give them pointers and tips on what to expect when they got on board the ship. I found that this helped alleviate any anxiety or questions my clients had, but I also received satisfaction if feeling that their trip would be more enjoyable because they had a little knowledge prior to their trip. Unfortunately, you won't get this from the online agencies.

 

It is our nature to want to get the best price for our cruises, but when you are looking at a few dollars separating your cruise quotes, you need to look at your comfort level in booking your cruise through an online agency vs. booking with someone who will be helpful when you have questions.

 

I always find it appalling when I read about fellow cruisers having trouble getting support from a brick and mortar TA. It makes a bad name for all of us, but be assured, those bad seeds out there are an exception to the norm. I'm just sorry you got caught up with a bad agent!

 

P.S. To the fellow poster above who said commissions are paid after final payment - our agency always received our commissions after the sailing date.

 

Marsha

[lvtotrvl1]

Hi Marsha.

 

I agree totally with your posting above! It's a shame some TA's can make a bad name for alot! We have always rec'd comm after final payment...as a matter of fact I just rec'd two that do not travel until June. Maybe different agencies have different agreements? I do not get paid until after travel for Land packages though....

[jcanino]

P.S. To the fellow poster above who said commissions are paid after final payment - our agency always received our commissions after the sailing date.

 

Myabe your agency owner tells you that they get paid after sailing but all cruise lines pay their commission within two weeks of final payment.

[Bonnie J.]

We have found that your local travel agency can not match the price of a cruise agency or on-line cruise company or often the ship itself. I'm not allowed to give you any TA's but check on-ine companies and if you call them, you'll get a person to answer questions, etc.