PLEASE HELP with Advice

[PICKLEBALL WIDOW]

Just be advised that Cruise Critic is NOT that forum--don't even hint about the name, or offer to give the information privately ;)

 

I know very well this is not the forum for naming names, which is why I didn't do it.

[okfarmerswife]

Although I've never used the internet to purchase a cruise, I always fully research the available prices then call the TA. She's totally in another state, and also has an internet site that sells cruises but she's also brick/mortar place of business. She has beat internet prices on both cruises I've booked with her and by quite a lot.

I have booked a lot of other travel services on 'net but have yet to really need customer service. What is it exactly that you're not happy with as far as customer service?

[PICKLEBALL WIDOW]

Although I've never used the internet to purchase a cruise, I always fully research the available prices then call the TA. She's totally in another state, and also has an internet site that sells cruises but she's also brick/mortar place of business. She has beat internet prices on both cruises I've booked with her and by quite a lot.

I have booked a lot of other travel services on 'net but have yet to really need customer service. What is it exactly that you're not happy with as far as customer service?

 

Because I was not happy with the customer service (or lack thereof) that I was getting, all I wanted to do was transfer the reservation from the huge cruise consolidator I was using directly to the cruise line. That's it. It's not gonna happen though, and I can get no help, so I'm stuck. Paying off the balance today and then I guess we'll be at their mercy.

[PICKLEBALL WIDOW]

Although I've never used the internet to purchase a cruise, I always fully research the available prices then call the TA. She's totally in another state, and also has an internet site that sells cruises but she's also brick/mortar place of business. She has beat internet prices on both cruises I've booked with her and by quite a lot.

I have booked a lot of other travel services on 'net but have yet to really need customer service. What is it exactly that you're not happy with as far as customer service?

 

All I wanted to do was transfer the reservation from the huge cruise consolidator I reserved it with. I was very unhappy with the customer service (or lack thereof) that I was receiving so I wanted the reservation transferred directly to the cruise line. I've been on over 30 cruises and though, just for giggles, I'd try using a TA. It was a big mistake for us. For some people it might work, but from now on I'll go directly to the cruise line. They charge the same anyway.

[blindrid]

My experience is that vacation planners are more expensive.

[happy cruzer]

Internet TAs typically do not return calls. You just have to talk to who is available when you call. The idea to call in one the new customer line is a good one. I think as long as someone answers the 800 number, the cruise lines are not going to get involved and let you transfer the reservation to them. Did you try letting who ever answered the phone have a shot at your question? I have found that they do cover for each other ok but not like you would expect from a "full service" travel agency. I use the big interntet companies to save big money. On the lines that don't discount like HAL and since I book inside cabins and the big companies are not interested in offering me perks, then I agree it is definitely best to book direct with the cruiseline.

[okfarmerswife]

As long as nothing is wrong with your reservation and you're happy with your price, then go and have a wonderful time! If you're uncomfortable for some reason using the discount sites for reservations (which it seems for some reason you are) then next time you can find a reliable TA or go through the cruiseline for reservations. I'm just thankful that there's not a problem with your booking or something major! I hope you enjoy your cruise!

[cruise_lover]

I've been using the same travel agency and travel agent for several years now and everyone has a cancellation fee after a certain date. Just consider the $150.00 a lesson learned, pay it and then transfer to the cruise line. It is a lot of money but if you think of it as $75,00 each that amounts to a few less shipboard photographs you might buy, a couple less drinks you might have purchased, and not eating in a specialty restaurant.

 

Your piece of mind is worth it. Cancel first and make sure they don't charge you more than $75.00 each and then send them a nice but firm E-Mail letting them know that the $150.00 is going to cost them more than that because you plan on putting the word out about their business practices. If necessary contact the BBB in your area and in theirs. You will be surprise how many people do use the Better Business Bureau. I am one of these people and actually made decisions on doing business with contractors, travel agents, etc because of an unsatisfactory report in the BBB's database.

[Podorama]

Hi there,

 

Help me understand. With 32 cruises under your belt, what “help” or service or request do you have of the online TA that you can not get?

 

With 32 cruises I can’t imagine what issues that might come up you have not seen before or already know how to deal with and take care of. What is it you expect to get from the Cruise line TA that the online TA is not able to offer?

 

Although I have nowhere near your 32 cruises, I have used online TA.s (the big ones) and have saved quite a lot of money in pricing,received good service and cabin credits the cruise line TA would not/could not offer. It is not clear to me what the issue are you are having with the online TA. Is it that there is a cancellation fee? Do you intend to cancel?

 

Other then that the online service you used has a cancellation fee, what is the issue? What is the problem that is occurring that is motivating you to switch to the cruise line on a reservation you have already booked? Again, is there some service or perk you feel the cruise line will / can offer the online TA can not?

 

I understand you want to again move the booking, but please be clear on WHY you wish to yet again move the booking. What service do you feel the Cruise line TA can offer that the Online TA cannot/does not offer? If it is returning calls, what is the topic or subject of the call you want returned in the first place? I find once I place a booking with a TA I don't really find a need to contact them again. I have enough cruises under my belt, and with the help of CC, I know how it all works and rarely need to call the TA again. Also, I tend to use E-mail for 95% of the time when I do need to contact a TA on a already placed booking. That way I have my question and their answer in writing.

 

 

Other then a "beware" of the big online TA's because they might not return calls or they have cancelation fees, I do not understand what you are driving at. I realize I am being repetitive in my questions but I am perplexed. Please help me understand so I (and other CC folks) do not make the same mistake.

 

Thank-you

[kidznp]

Podorama,

 

I agree with you. I have only ever taken 4 cruises and have booked one with a local TA, one through a large internet company, one through a credit card linked TA and one directly with the cruise line. I book wherever I can find the best price for the cruise I want. I have had no issues with any method--maybe I am just low maintenance.

 

Really, once you choose your cabin, dinner seating preference, if you want to purchase flights and/or transfers via the line then what other issues are there that must be resolved before sailing that require customer service?

 

That being said, I would never book a "guarantee cabin" because I want to know at the time what cabin I am getting and if I have to pay a bit more for that I do. I have booked shore excursions ahead of time and it does not matter if the reservation is with the line directly or through a 3rd party.

 

Like you, I am curious as to what specific "issues" are involved here but since the OP has been asked several times and not responded I assume she does not want to reveal the exact nature of her concerns. If it was a problem or issue that concerning to me, I would pay the $150 and move on.

[Mekamax]

Weeble - I more than understand. Unfortunately if others have not experienced any problems they will just not understand. Fortunately or unfortunately I have had problems and I didn't learn the first time but have had problems with two of the BIg ones. I started booking direct which does work but if a problem arrises I know I will be a very small fish with no pull so I have always been looking for a travel agent who not only knows cruises (which is hard to find as many have cruised a lot less than my 21 cruises and certainly a lot less than yours over 30!) and most haven't even cruised at all!!!! It is amazing even calling direct that I can get a different answer to the same question each time I call them - and they are with the cruise line??? Anyway I got lucky finally and have found a very nice agent who not only returns my calls when I am her customer but actually tried to help me (and did help me) before I was even a customer! I was booked with a consolidator like you. Suffice it to say that since she helped me on her own time and her own dime as she called long distance to my home just to tell me what was going on, when my consolidator sure wouldn't have done that, I booked my next cruise with her just to see - boy am I gun shy!! Well it worked out great and am now booked with her again. Hope it all works out well with you but please don't give up trying to find a good travel agent as she was able to help me in a way I wouldn't have been abe to find out on my own and as you must know after so many cruises - there are times when having a travel agent with a lot of pull (big agency that books a lot of cruises that the cruise lines don't want to offend) can sure come in handy!! :eek: Take care, Debbie

[Mekamax]

To those of you who have not ever had problems - they will come up if you cruise enough..... Some of my examples are my own only but there are so many that can come up that you don't think about until they do....

 

One - luckily I was a travel agent (7 years ago for a very short period of time) and was able to settle it on board for not only me but five others cabins which were totally ignored until I mentioned my agency which was huge and they looked it up and suddenly things changed... There was no air conditioning in the very back cabins we were in. Now can any of you understand that that could and might be a little uncomfortable? Well other cabins were offered only after 5 days as the ship was full and the entertainers were not leaving until then (Hawaii to Vancover 11 nights). So we finally got fans and then an onboard credit. They would not even brings fans until I gave the agency name. Luckily Hawaii was in the 80s so it wasn't as bad as if it was 100 degrees in the caribbean and I than I would have had to sleep on deck... By the time we could get other cabins there was no use as we were headed to Vancover and it was getting a little cooler. The sewer also backed up in the shower - fun - ooooo that smell.... haha :eek: But that was fixed while we were at dinner.

 

Now another time with a consolidator I simply wanted to move up in cabins - about 3 categories higher and willing to pay - cabins that were not offered outright but was able to find they were available for a price from the travel agent I am now using. I could not get the consolidator to call me back to move up in cabins (or to even tell me they were available which is why the TA I now use was so nice as to check for me) - now if any of you have really wanted to move up to a cabin you know will be so much better and are willing to pay for it and know it could be sold out from under you at any time you know that you want SOMEONE TO CALL YOU BACK!!!!

 

Another time a consolidator lost my certificates for over $200 off my cruise and would NOT call me back about it at all - said they didn't get them. I Fedexed them (as they had requested) and had the signature of who signed for them but even customer service at the consolidator said too bad - now are you telling me that you guys wouldn't want some answers and your $200 in certicates found?? Luckialy after many phone calls to the cruise line (after a lot more to the consolidator) the cruise line stepped in. I was very lucky as that is certainly not the norm...

 

OK - many more but maybe you guys can get an idea that things can go wrong and just not get any service (as in cabin upgrade)....

 

Hope this helps.. Debbie

[kidznp]

In the first example, I assume you did not find out about the lack of a/c in the cabin in advance. While this would be miserable, it would not be something any TA could help you with before the cruise since obviously the cruise line does not sell non a/c cabins in advance. I would be very upset with the situation as well but how I booked the cruise would not be relevant in this situation.

 

In the second example, I would totally agree that if there was a possibility I would want to change my cabin I would not use a large internet site. I always book the same type of cabin which is what I want--balcony, mid ship--and make sure am happy with the cabin selected before booking. I would never book a cabin I did not want with the hope that something better would open up.

 

I have sent documents to online agencies twice. Both times by USPS priority with delivery confirmation. I have kept copies of the coupon/documents for myself just in case it gets lost or misplaced. Fortunately, this has not happened. It could happen no matter where you sent it.

 

I think in this case the OP booked through an agency and has needs that she is unable to get them to meet. She feels the cruise line directly will be more able to meet her needs. The online agency expects to charge a fee if someone changes their mind (cancels) or wants the booking transferred since they expect to be compensated for what they do. The ones I have looked at tell you up front that they charge a fee for cancellations. Even the major internet travel sites (not just for cruises) do the same thing. Maintaining web sites and 800 numbers, processing credit card transactions and hiring reservation agents are not free. I think of booking through these sites as the same as purchasing non-refundable airline tickets. Not for everyone. Many people also complain about the "customer service" provided by the phone lines associated with the cruise lines themselves. Might be best for some to use a local TA and develop a relationship with them for the best customer service and attention to their needs.

[Mekamax]

kidznp - I think you are a dream traveler and that is a compliment. I do know that me myself I ask a lot of questions and do require a little more work than the normal traveler. I'm not a travel agent's dream at all. Oh well - it takes a bunch of different people to make a cruise ship float.. :) :)

 

In regard to the consolidator - I used one a couple of times with no problem but this last time I needed to cancel due to a large group - not to go into here - and although the consolidator person I talked to said he would not charge me a cancelation fee if I canceled - matter of fact he tried to push me into booking and by then saying "why not - it is so far out (the cruise) you have nothing to loose". Then when I wanted to cancel (10 months out) he would not return my calls and customer service had to charge me the fee. Well he did call me back - thought I was someone else and trapped himself - and did cancel it with no fee as he had said he would. He lied. So I learned a lesson. I haven't ever canceled any cruise I booked until this year - number 20 and 21 have been canceled and changed to a different cruise line and route. You just don't ever know when it could happen or why but there may just be a time when you change your mind.... :) My hubby might say it is a female thing BUT he has been in agreement with both cancelations. haha Debbie

[PICKLEBALL WIDOW]

Weeble - I more than understand. Unfortunately if others have not experienced any problems they will just not understand. Fortunately or unfortunately I have had problems and I didn't learn the first time but have had problems with two of the BIg ones. I started booking direct which does work but if a problem arrises I know I will be a very small fish with no pull so I have always been looking for a travel agent who not only knows cruises (which is hard to find as many have cruised a lot less than my 21 cruises and certainly a lot less than yours over 30!) and most haven't even cruised at all!!!! It is amazing even calling direct that I can get a different answer to the same question each time I call them - and they are with the cruise line??? Anyway I got lucky finally and have found a very nice agent who not only returns my calls when I am her customer but actually tried to help me (and did help me) before I was even a customer! I was booked with a consolidator like you. Suffice it to say that since she helped me on her own time and her own dime as she called long distance to my home just to tell me what was going on, when my consolidator sure wouldn't have done that, I booked my next cruise with her just to see - boy am I gun shy!! Well it worked out great and am now booked with her again. Hope it all works out well with you but please don't give up trying to find a good travel agent as she was able to help me in a way I wouldn't have been abe to find out on my own and as you must know after so many cruises - there are times when having a travel agent with a lot of pull (big agency that books a lot of cruises that the cruise lines don't want to offend) can sure come in handy!! :eek: Take care, Debbie

 

Thanks so much for your unbiased understanding Debbie. I never realized I would cause such a stir, but I guarantee you that 9/10's of the people replying are TA's themselves. I will book directly with the cruise lines from now on, partly because of some of the negative feedback I've received on this board. I learned the hard way, and that's ok.

 

For the rest of you who didn't read all of my initial posts and don't understand (what whatever reason), and especially to the TA's, I won't be checking this board anymore. I have paid my cruise off in full, will not use an agency again, and that's that.

 

Bon Voyage!!!

[happy cruzer]

Did I miss something? Wasn't the title of this thread _ PLEASE HELP with advice ?

oh well.....

[kidznp]

OP got advice and solved her problem. Unfortunately, it was not the advice she wanted in terms of being able to transfer her booking free of charge by the agency she chose to originally book it with.

[Podorama]

[COLOR=black][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkslategray]Well, I do not get it, and I am sure not a TA. I resent the suggestion that I am a TA and my answer was somehow motivated or colored by being such. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=black][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkslategray]I find that when the OP did not get the answer he/she wanted or someone dared to ask a few questions to get more understanding about the situation, the OP's response was to be dismissive and in the end, ungrateful and rude to the people who gave of their time to post a thoughtful reasonable response to the OP’s question. I think there was at lest one person that was less then forthright and it was not me, nor anyone that took the time to respond to the OP. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=black][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkslategray]I have stared a policy for myself that when I run into attitude of the ilk as the OP ended the thread with, from that point on, I ignore and will not respond to nor answer any question the OP may post on any other thread or board. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=black][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkslategray]There are to many people who appreciate and are glad people do take the time to answer their questions to put up with such attitude as the OP presented at the end of his/her thread. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=black][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkslategray]Best regards, [/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkslategray]Podorama[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[okfarmerswife]

I'm not a TA either. That was a big assumption made by the OP, IMO.

[Fredr]

Hello,

It might help if you ask to speak with or (e mail) a senior manager of the cruise line. And politely but firmly tell the persons who answer the phone and who are trying their best, that you must speak with a manager.

Executives of large, customer dependent organizations such as cruise lines, are paid well in part to deal and solve problems efficiently and expertly. Further, many managers have years of experience and really know their business and many enjoy helping their customers (not only because of business reasons but because they know it is the right thing to do).

It seems to me that too many people will talk with lower level staff and go no further, leaving the issues unresolved. Lower level staff, in many cases, do not have the flexibilty, experience , or the knowledge of how to resolve issues.

Hope that this helps.

Fred