Booking Hell!!!!! Has This Happened To You???

[Jade13]

I've been told most (if not all) of the FCC's pay is commission based.

 

So, that could mean they lose the commission when/if your cruise gets transfered, but no reason to give you bad service while on-board. Perhaps they still have an incentive to get you to book onboard, even if they see you use another TA etc.

[sail7seas]

The FAX routine you outline is pretty standard fare. I once wanted to switch from one TA to another a number of years ago and had to do the FAX business. Once they received the faxes, everything was fine and my cruise was handled the way I wanted.

 

You are seeing light at the end of the tunnel. :)

 

 

 

[sail7seas]

So, that could mean they lose the commission when/if your cruise gets transfered, but no reason to give you bad service while on-board. Perhaps they still have an incentive to get you to book onboard, even if they see you use another TA etc.

 

 

No.....they would not lose the commission. Doesn't matter which TA handles the cruise. If the cruise remains booked (and it will), they get their commission. Don't overthink this Jade. It isn't that complicated. It has already been confirmed by several in this thread that a new confirmation (booking) number is not required. Booking number stays the same, booking remains 'alive', and FCC gets his/her commission. It isn't any more complicated than that.

[Jade13]

Not that I want to beat this horse to death.......But, I can't believe what is happening now.......:(

 

When I called my TA and asked if he got my future cruise in his office? He said he called HAL and they asked that I call them direct. I called HAL; they stated that I need to send a FAX, with my signature (releasing the booking to the (new) TA and the (new) TA needs to fax them as well (accepting the booking) and the (old) TA needs to FAX them informing them that they relinquished the booking.

 

Do you believe the hoops and whistles I'm being put through for the FCC's and my mistake and mostly my not double checking what she had written????????

 

Good grief.....I suggested to HAL that this booking would be simpler if I just cancelled and went with "Princess!" She didn't laugh but merely stated that Princess would require exactly the same thing.

 

The paper I signed with the FCC (initially), releasing the cruise to my TA was not sent to HAL!

 

And, therein lies the rub!!!!!!!!!

 

I want this booking.....I want this cabin.....and, most of all I want this cruise......

 

I will do as I'm asked and NEVER AGAIN, will this happen to me!!!!

 

 

Thanks for all your good input!:)

 

I can't believe it. They should throw in a bottle of champagne for the aggravation. Well, let us know when this is resolved.

[sail7seas]

Why throw in a bottle of champagne?

 

How about suggesting more training for FCC's?

 

How about re-thinking about having the formerly used TA as 'default' TA unless guest happens to think to mention they want to use someone different.......or FCC happens to ask guest's choice of TA.

 

That is far more relevant and appropriate to me than 'a gimme'.

 

JMHO......

 

[jhannah]

Training the FCCs would be infinitely more appropriate than a gimmie, IMO as well. If it would prevent this stuff happening to some other passenger it would be a priceless investment on HAL's part.

[Jade13]

Why throw in a bottle of champagne?

 

How about suggesting more training for FCC's?

 

How about re-thinking about having the formerly used TA as 'default' TA unless guest happens to think to mention they want to use someone different.......or FCC happens to ask guest's choice of TA.

 

That is far more relevant and appropriate to me than 'a gimme'.

 

JMHO......

 

 

I was trying to be funny. You know, someone may need a drink by the time this gets resolved. But Roz really does have to jump through hoops to get her booking moved. I thought HAL needs to apologize to some pax. Look what has happened to Rev Neal, again.

[Jade13]

No.....they would not lose the commission. Doesn't matter which TA handles the cruise. If the cruise remains booked (and it will), they get their commission. Don't overthink this Jade. It isn't that complicated. It has already been confirmed by several in this thread that a new confirmation (booking) number is not required. Booking number stays the same, booking remains 'alive', and FCC gets his/her commission. It isn't any more complicated than that.

 

Well, I thought maybe the onboard CC ("TA") who books you onboard may lose the commission if it gets transfered to another TA, so maybe they were booking pax and not making anything and that is why were not doing a good job. I was also saying if that was the case, it was no excuse for bad service.

[sail7seas]

That is where you are getting hung up.

 

The FCC on the ships is not a TA for the guest. (S)he is selling cruises for HAL to the guest.

 

Guest then chooses whether to leave the booking with HAL or select a TA.

 

Either way, FCC gets the same commission for selling the cruise. He/She really doesn't care in the least what you do after you give the deposit.

 

Their job is finished and they are done with you.

 

[Bingo]

HAL should be ashamed of this situation. To put customers through this type of ordeal is crazy and just plain bad business from a customer service & image perspective. And to think they are doing this to their BEST (repeat) customers!

 

So far, over 1200 people have read this thread. That is hundreds of people that are going to take a serious look at whether they will book a cruise onboard. How many people are going to recommend to others that they book a cruise while on board? Word of mouth can be the best or worst thing for a business.

 

HAL should make it so this situation does not happen again and to take care of anyone currently involved in "jumping through hoops".

 

Dan

[sail7seas]

I think it has been a thread from which we all learned to pay attention to what we are doing when 'doing business'. We may be on vacation but we have made a choice to spend a substantial sum for a future cruise. Put the vacation cap on the table and turn on your brain.

 

Pay attention to the business at hand and see to it that things are done the way you want.

 

Anyone reading this thread has learned the proper questions to ask and has learned to verify FCC knows and indicates in writing precisely what the guest wants and is buying.

 

GREAT thread..... IMO

 

I am VERY sorry Roz had been through such aggravation in order to provide us with a good lesson.

 

Roz......if we sail with you, drink on me!!! ;)

 

[Jade13]

That is where you are getting hung up.

 

The FCC on the ships is not a TA for the guest. (S)he is selling cruises for HAL to the guest.

 

Guest then chooses whether to leave the booking with HAL or select a TA.

 

Either way, FCC gets the same commission for selling the cruise. He/She really doesn't care in the least what you do after you give the deposit.

 

Their job is finished and they are done with you.

 

 

Well, that is good to know. So, there is no excuse for bad service.

I wonder if it works the same for the HAL PCC (Personal Cruise consultants), if they still get some sort of commission if they sell a cruise that gets transfered.

[Odd Ball]

This is exactly what happened to me ... right down to the $50 figure that they wanted to charge me to release the booking to HAL so that I could transfer it to the agent of my choice. I eventually had to do pretty much what you did ... though, in my case, I had to threaten to cancel the booking altogether. After several e-mails and much arguing with them, they finally agreed to release my booking for no charge and that was that.

 

Unfortunately, I'm back stuck in the EXACT same quandary again regarding the Eurodam's Inaugural cruise. I finalized the booking for that cruise while I was aboard Ryndam ... but, for some reason, they assigned it to that SAME TA that gave me the trouble before. I don't understand why, because the Ryndam cruise was booked with my normal TA. I also booked the Volendam cruise on the Ryndam, and THAT one was properly assigned to my normal TA. I have a letter from the FCC aboard the Ryndam indicating that my TA was the one who would be assigned for the Eurodam Inaugural, but somehow that got screwed up and it the Eurodam Inaugural got assigned to this horrible TA.

 

Now that horrible TA wants me to call so we can "talk" about my Euordam Inaugural booking. I've exchanged 9 (that's "nine") emails with this TA, DEMANDING that they release my booking back to HAL, and all they say is that I need to call and talk to them ... they want to explain to me why I should stay with their group booking aboard the Eurodam Inaugural. I don't WANT to stay with their group booking ... I never booked it with them in the first place, it was HAL that erroneously assigned me to them even though I have a letter from the FCC aboard the Ryndam that states, clearly, that the Eurodam booking was to be assigned to my normal TA.

 

At any rate ... I'm going to have to call this TA person again and we're going to have to go around, again, on this.

 

I'm sorry, HAL, but this is TWICE you've screwed up assigning my onboard bookings to the wrong TA ... therefore, I will have to think TWICE about booking aboard ship again. The OBC and the convenience of only having to fork over $100 per person for the bookings is just not enough of an incentive given the run-around that these TAs are causing me.

 

I think the lesson learned is Hal can screw it up no matter what you do. :mad:

The Rev Neal did pay attention.

He has a letter from the FCC on board stating that it should go to his normal TA. It did not.

[wizard-of-roz]

Sail: NOTHING will stop us from doing what we love the best and that's sailing........So, you're definitely ON for that relaxing; "on a vacation" foo-foo drink! :D

[bepsf]

Booked another cruise, while on board. The booking agent, was (it seemed) very stressed because, as she put it...."Everyone waits until the last day to book future cruises, and I feel so hurried!"

 

My problem? I don't think so.....however, my DH and I felt the "rush act" but we didn't want to lose the cabin we wanted so we booked with her.

 

I told her that I wanted to transfer this booking with my personal TA (when we got home) and would that be difficult to do? She reassured me it would not!

 

Well, she assumed the TA would be the one we had booked the present cruise with and it's not. We've selected someone else......I didn't notice what she had written down on the paper (it was the present TA) and now that I'm trying to move it to my current TA.....don't ask!!!!!

 

HAL refuses to move it until I have it released from the TA she wrote down! I called the TA (that is written down and they wanted to charge me a cancellation fee of $50 pp!) Now, you know why I want to move...

 

Roz -

This is exactly what Rev Greg and I went through a few months ago - He ended up having to cancel, and it took me a few go-arounds and several phone calls to get my reservation re-assigned.

I truly hope you get it worked out to your satisfaction.

[wizard-of-roz]

Brian: My TA is working on it as we speak.....And, still does not have the clearance from HAL because the "old" TA has not FAX'D his release to HAL, as of this moment!

We're all in the "FAX TO HAL" mode, right now.....Thank goodness this particular cruise is not until April, 2008.

We should be done by then!!!!!:eek: :mad:

[sail7seas]

I feel so bad this is still not worked out, Roz.

 

You name the bar; you name the drink........it's definitely ON ME!!! :)

 

[peaches from georgia]

It's ludicrous that HAL's customer (you!) can't select her own TA w/out any hassle at all. You are at the mercy of someone you have fired and I'm sure she could care less if she is inconveniencing you. As long as they know you are who you say you are (could always send into HAL a notarized form) that should be the end of it. :(

[wizard-of-roz]

Interestingly enough.....they will accept a fax'd signature...They state that when you use a TA and their name is placed on a booking......it's a contractural agreement and they have been sued, in the past, for breaking these "contracts!"

Sail: We'll drink and laugh and laugh some more!!!!!!! As they say, "This should be the worst thing that happens in my life!" Until we meet, I'm off to buy my own drink!!!!!:p

 

Have a wonderful l-o-n-g weekend, everyone!!!!!

[Bingo]

Brian: My TA is working on it as we speak.....And, still does not have the clearance from HAL because the "old" TA has not FAX'D his release to HAL, as of this moment!

We're all in the "FAX TO HAL" mode, right now.....Thank goodness this particular cruise is not until April, 2008.

We should be done by then!!!!!:eek: :mad:

 

 

I would be on the phone with the old travel agent 8 times a day until they took care of it. Make them WANT to take care of it. Speak with a manager who will probably be less busy then an actual agent.

[wizard-of-roz]

Bingo: In answer to your, "speak to the manager" comment....I'll do one better; the person who booked this cruise and who is not moving very quickly in transferring it to another TA is the "owner" of the company!

It's an on-line cruise company and don't get me wrong.....I loved the ship and the cruise but he dropped the ball in so many different ways.......I decided to go with another TA who has been very solicitous to my business!

Hopefully, this will be behind me, as I enjoy each succeeding cruise, with the TA of my choice!!!!!!

[Bingo]

I hear ya! The travel agent we used for the cruise we will be on next week, has done the same. Dropped the ball at least 5 times since we booked 4 months ago. Forgot to add the air on, forgot the transfers and messed them up when they did add them on. He did not return emails or phone calls unless pressed by me speaking with others in his office. He is with a major on-line agent and had a 99% positive out of 1000+ ratings on the "compete" website for cruises. I gave him a great rating right after I booked. I should have waited to rate him after the cruise.

 

Boy this felt good getting off my chest.

 

I know it will work out for you but it is frustrating for you and the others that are in this situation.

[Jade13]

Roz -

 

This is exactly what Rev Greg and I went through a few months ago - He ended up having to cancel, and it took me a few go-arounds and several phone calls to get my reservation re-assigned.

 

I truly hope you get it worked out to your satisfaction.

 

Grrrr, Try to cancel and rebook if you have travel insurance through HAL and they will tell you you can't use the insurance if you "rebook" the same cruise.....only if you rebook a different cruise...