Travelagency and HAL doesnt pay my Deposit back

[cp556]

Hi Svenja--

It may take several weeks before you receive an answer from Holland America Line.

But do not forget about it ... if you do not have a reply in a few weeks, I would send a brief letter along with a copy of your May letter, asking for a reply.

Keep us posted, and we're keeping our fingers crossed for you....

[newmexicoNita]

those of you who are wondering about a deposit versus a full payment: I am a TA and have never heard of a hold just 3 weeks prior to sailing. I too would like an explanation. I also don't think I would blame HAL, of course HAL would show up as the receiver of the deposit or payment, but the TA did the processing. Again, if you don't have an email or fax from HAL and the TA I am afraid you are out of luck. Somewhere the puzzle isn't fitting together too well. NMNita

[Moeve]

NMNita I personaly think the TA was taking this lady for a fast one and is blaming it on the less than perfect english - what bothers me most is that I unfortunately think they are going to get away with it... since our CC friend can only really do one of 2 things

1) forget the money

2) hire an expensive foreign attorney and perhaps loose even more money...

 

Not good prospects I am afraid.

[Svenja66]

I think the TA was not fair. At first it may was not right to want a deposit and second they cancelled to late the reservation.

I also have an e-mail from the TA where they tell me, that I will get the full Deposit back when I cancel the reservation during the 48 hours.

 

But after all it - is HAL which are not given the Deposit back after visa card (and the TA) was contacting them.

 

Svenja

[newmexicoNita]

I would also notify Cruise Compete about this travel agency and also, you have the ability to give a review of the travel agency you used through Cruise Compete. I would give the agency a terrible review so other's won't fall in to the same situation that you unfortunately have.

not to change the subject, but I just noticed your sign on name: LADodger99, we used to be just plain Dodger99. Interesting, Yes, we are Dodger fans; die hard. We were married the year they moved to LA; I was the only girl in elementary school (40s) that knew anything about baseball and was a Dodger fan then. Of course they were in Brooklyn and we lived in LA>

 

NMNita

[Cricket63]

I think the TA was not fair. At first it may was not right to want a deposit and second they cancelled to late the reservation.

I also have an e-mail from the TA where they tell me, that I will get the full Deposit back when I cancel the reservation during the 48 hours.

 

But after all it - is HAL which are not given the Deposit back after visa card (and the TA) was contacting them.

 

Svenja

The TA should have known there is NO refund that close to sailing!!! Keep that copy of her e-mail, and forward a copy of it to her boss!! Did you cancel within the 48 hours she stated you could and receive a full refund?

[WillieF]

I realize that agency names may not be posted on this board - in this instance that rule should be waived. Said agency, if proven guilty, should be emphatically discredited.

 

Anyone else agree?

 

[TenerifeSharon]

I think the TA was not fair. At first it may was not right to want a deposit and second they cancelled to late the reservation.

I also have an e-mail from the TA where they tell me, that I will get the full Deposit back when I cancel the reservation during the 48 hours.

 

But after all it - is HAL which are not given the Deposit back after visa card (and the TA) was contacting them.

 

Svenja

Svenja66,

Although I have lived in Germany for 30 years, I am originally from New York. If I can help you by contacting HAL for you, or if you would like me to translate a german letter to HAL into english for you, just let me know. I would be glad to help. We live in Bielefeld. Du kannst mich unter hugosharon at aol dot com erreichen. We also use an agent in the U.S. to book our cruises (or I book them directly with the cruise line and transfer them to her later) and we have never had any problem. And you are definitely right -- it is much cheaper booking cruises in the U.S.

Maybe you should also send a copy of your letter to *****. They are not an agency, but they do control any agents who list with them. Someone on another website - Flyertalk - had a problem with one of the responding agents at *****, and the president of ***** contacted the traveller and was able to assist him in finding a solution.

I wish you much luck - viel Glück!

[AnDeNo.UK]

DH and myself have a similar problem. We booked a Caribbean cruise through RCI in the UK, for April '08, because of problems with flight times, to get from NYC to Miami, for a T/A home, we had to cancel. Guess what, we lost our deposit of £200 (approx $380). If we had transferred the deposit to another RCI cruise, we still had to pay an administration fee of £20 pp. Am I angry with RCI, you bet I am. The whole scenario has left a very bitter taste in my mouth, it wouldn't happen to you guys in the US.

[Svenja66]

Hello Sharon, thank you very much for your freindly words. I am still waiting on the answer of the letter which I have send to HAL.

I think this is one of the last things I can do.

If I need a translation I will contact you. Thank you very much.

 

I dont now how long I have to wait for the answer or if it is better to send a fax with the letter again. To make sure they received the letter which I have send by postmail.

 

What do you thing?

 

Svenja

[mufasa126]

I know that here in the US if the company charging your credit card does not have either your signature or the CID number on the back of your credit card it is not a valid charge and can be disputed. I do not know if this rule applies in Germany, but you might want to look into it. :)

[TenerifeSharon]

Hello Sharon, thank you very much for your freindly words. I am still waiting on the answer of the letter which I have send to HAL.

I think this is one of the last things I can do.

If I need a translation I will contact you. Thank you very much.

 

I dont now how long I have to wait for the answer or if it is better to send a fax with the letter again. To make sure they received the letter which I have send by postmail.

 

What do you thing?

 

Svenja

Hi Svenja,

Did you include your eMail address in your letter to HAL? You may wait quite a long time to get a reply via "snail" mail ("Schneckenpost" - regular post is very slow). I would fax your letter to them again. It may go to a different department and you may - or may not - get a quicker reply.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything will work out for you.

 

P.S. I do think that mufasa126 has made a good suggestion. Contact your credit card company and see what they can do for you. You probably have 30 days after the statement date to dispute any charges.

[cruisecruisecruise1234567]

How much was the deposit??

 

What if the deposit was actually the cost of the cruise? The TA would have made it look like it was paid in full.

[Svenja66]

:( I am very sad

Hello, I got the answer of the letter which I have send to HAl.

 

I am very sad about it. I realy cant belive.

 

 

Heres the letter:

 

Thank you for the letter to Mr. Stein Kruse regarding your cancelled Holland America Line reservations. Mr. Kruse has reviewed your letter in detail and has asked me to respond on his behalf. We were very sorry to learn of any miscommunications you encountered with your travel agent and the handling of your bookings.

 

Because our company receives requests such as yours every day, we have outlined our cancellation policies in our literature for the information and benefit of guests and their travel agents. Regardless of the unforeseen obstacles that many potential guests suddenly encounter, these policies remain. The only considerations that may be made are for those specific cancellations whereby a serious Holland America Line error has occurred. Otherwise, it is our position that penalty brackets and deadlines are followed to conclusion without exception. While we are not in a position to intervene, we hope that you may find resolution either with your travel agent directly, or management within the agency.

 

Your feedback has been included in our reports to appropriate members of senior management who also review the service that various travel agencies provide our mutual clients. Beyond our sincere apologies, we thank you again for taking the time to contact us.

 

Very truly yours,

[cruiseco]

:( I am very sad

Hello, I got the answer of the letter which I have send to HAl.

 

I am very sad about it. I realy cant belive.

 

 

Heres the letter:

 

The only considerations that may be made are for those specific cancellations whereby a serious Holland America Line error has occurred. Otherwise, it is our position that penalty brackets and deadlines are followed to conclusion without exception. While we are not in a position to intervene, we hope that you may find resolution either with your travel agent directly, or management within the agency.[/size][/font]

 

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Very truly yours,

 

This was kind of expected. There is no cruise line, maybe no company anywhere, that sticks to the exact letter of their policies like HAL does.

 

But if you read between the lines I think you'll see that despite not being able to do anything for you in dealing with the travel agency, they are pretty much pointing the finger at the agency as the source of the screw-up. Doesn't do you much good but they're kind of agreeing -- without actualy sayinf so -- that this probably wasn't your fault and that the agency is responsible.

[cp556]

I think, Svenja, that if I were in your shoes I would find out who the president/owner is of the travel agency, and send them a personal letter briefly outlining all the details.

From what I can read, the agency offered you something they could not honor, and now you're out $1700.

I would persist ...

[Moeve]

I agree it would make me angry too if it had happened to me but our CC friend has had to learn the hard way that booking cruises in the US (because it maybe cheaper there) DOES have its pitfalls and once outside her legal reach she has a problem and absolutely NO WAY of getting her money back without expensive legal help.

 

Svenja I do feel sorry for you but you have been taken for a fast one (Über den Tisch gezogen) probably because your english was not good enough to perfectly understand the TA or the other way around. Is it fair - no of course not but that is the reason why you are able to book HAL here in Germany. Was it more expensive - yes probably BUT you would not have had this mess which has now become really expensive and you are NOT even going on vacation.

 

Valuble lesson learned I hope.......

[Svenja66]

I tryed to put her e-mail here, which I got before the Deposit ( I cleared all names to get no trubble.) I dont know if it works or if it is to smal.

 

My english is bad, but it says definatly, that I will get my Deposit back when I dont find flights within 48 hours.

[Svenja66]

I tried it again. I have to split the email of the TA. I dont know another way to print it here

[Svenja66]

2 part of the e mail . Hope you can read it. This was the mail which I have send her before! I gave here my visa card Nr. or the Deposit.

[Svenja66]

What I dont understand is why HAL is not interesting on helping me? They know that im alone have no chance to get my money back from the TA when I contact them. The letter was cold and not typical for the USA.

I have been to the USA many times. And the first thing I have learned there was that all companies are very very interessted to get their customers satisfacted. It might be not the fault of HAL, but at least they have my money. And the TA sells their produkt. So if I were HAl I wouldnt like a TA who works in this way with my produkt and make the custmer angry.

If I had problems during my vacations in the USA there was allways someone helping me - like supervisors. Because of my good experiances it was one reason to book the cruise in the USA.

 

We all want that people from the world coming together closer. But if something happens like this I feel like its going in the other direktion.

 

Sorry, I am so sad. I try to go on the computer every night when my children are in bed. I spend so many times here to find out, how I can get my mony back.

I thank all the people here who helped me.

Thanks Svenja

[yosh12]

The emails say it all. You were WAITLISTED for a cabin. When you are waitlisted, you have a certain amount of time to either accept or decline if you want it. I do this with Princess all the time.

 

Was this cruise not available to pay in full when you intially called. You said it was a last minute booking, so the cabin type you wanted must not have any availability. That's what I clearly get from your TA email anyway. He/she was not being dishonest at all. You had 48hrs IF a cabin became available (to which you even said "I hope a cabin becomes available"), and one did. So within 48hrs you had to pay in full. Which you did. You then canceled after the fact, thus incurring penalties (I didn't see the email attached that you sent them within 48hrs asking to just forget the whole thing). I'd think if you had that, there would be no question.

 

But overall, it's pretty straighforward to me now. No fraud or lies on the part of the TA at all.

[yosh12]

I realize that agency names may not be posted on this board - in this instance that rule should be waived. Said agency, if proven guilty, should be emphatically discredited.

 

Anyone else agree?

 

 

 

Good thing this rule is NOT in place since everyone's blasted an agency that turns out did nothing wrong.

 

Now...if there's an email requesting a cancellation within the 48 hours, that's another story.

[cruisecruisecruise1234567]

What I dont understand is why HAL is not interesting on helping me? They know that im alone have no chance to get my money back from the TA when I contact them. The letter was cold and not typical for the USA.

I have been to the USA many times. And the first thing I have learned there was that all companies are very very interessted to get their customers satisfacted. It might be not the fault of HAL, but at least they have my money. And the TA sells their produkt. So if I were HAl I wouldnt like a TA who works in this way with my produkt and make the custmer angry.

If I had problems during my vacations in the USA there was allways someone helping me - like supervisors. Because of my good experiances it was one reason to book the cruise in the USA.

 

We all want that people from the world coming together closer. But if something happens like this I feel like its going in the other direktion.

 

Sorry, I am so sad. I try to go on the computer every night when my children are in bed. I spend so many times here to find out, how I can get my mony back.

I thank all the people here who helped me.

Thanks Svenja

 

After seeing the emails...you goofed. When you are short notice and waitlisted you have very little time.You bought a cruise and paid in full.

You stated you wanted the balcony or outside price,and you gave the card info and even stated you hope one opens up tomorrow,which it apparently did.

[Moeve]

Yes but apaerntly the lady sent the TA a mail the next day saying she could not get flights to fit the cruise.

 

It is her english that got this whole mess up and running - the CC member wanted a 24 hr. hold (which is free) to check if she could get flights. At the same time the way I see it the TA took advantage of her lousy english and instead of offering the hold she wanted they waitlisted her......