Would you put up with a TA that is..

[rogerdm]

My TA has been unavailable for one to two weeks at a time. Is this common?? I would appreciate your input.

[isujim]

I have used the same t/a for 5 years and she is great...........she does take vacation herself.........usually about 1 week at a time twice a year.......this doesn't bother me.........she tells me when she will be gone and there is someone else I can contact if I have to........usually I can wait until she gets back............I have always felt she is entiteled to her time off as well.......but she covers her basis.

[hdawson]

Roger. TAs are people too. They have families and the do ship inspections and cruises, PTA, etc. Any TA I've delt with has someone to handle business while they are gone. One I know that has even had another agency handle things that come up. She even answers emails from her cruises. Keep in mind, if the agency is in Florida, many homes and businesses are still without power and phone. A broker friend got power and phone back on Tue in his office.

[rogerdm]

This TA is not in Florida. This TA is on his/her own with no help.

[Lotsacruising]

I am a TA in Florida and as a benefit from being in the business, I take a lot of cruise vacations. However, I always have another agent in the office covering for me ( I cover for her). My files are always very organized so they are easy to find if a problem arises.

Janet :)

[29Waves]

Every time I am out of my office, I have full coverage from another TA. I would never leave any of my clients hanging without someone to contact while I was away.....this is not the way to do business :eek:

D~

[rogerdm]

I have a sailing that is this November. I also have family that has their own reservations (paid in full as do I) for this November. My family needs more info. as to air deviation, class, etc. No answer so far to emails. (hopefully soon)

 

I have also a reservation in which I have paid a substantial amount as a deposit for a sailing in November 2005. I have had no discounts from my TA. This is Hawaii, Nov. 20, 2005, 14 day RT in a Royal Suite.

 

Please help me with this.

[CelebrityMan]

Hi,

 

It sounds like the OP is having some of the similar problems we're experiencing. My partner & I are booked with an agent that doesn't seem to care and is mostly unresponsive.

 

Our current booking is with a major agency with whom we've dealt exclusively for the past 5 years, and in that time always with the same agent. Unbeknownst to us, and before she had contacted us, she left the agency. When we called to book our next cruise, discovered to our surprise she wasn't available, we booked with whomever the operator connected us to. In doing so we assumed we'd get the same high-level of professional service we'd always had from this mega-agency.

 

Never assume. The agent is unresponsive, both to phone messages and to e-mails, though slightly more attuned to the latter. He seems not to be concerned about the questions we have. It just appears his attitude is that we don't matter. I not only consider it rude, I deem it extremely unprofessional. We are THIS close to pulling the booking and going with the previous agent who now has her own business.

 

So, as I say, maybe it's just a matter of attitude. Blessings to all you TAs that DO treat your customers with the same courtesy and respect you'd like to treated!!! If our present one had, we'd be booking with him for the next few years, too.

 

I hope you get your problems resolved, Rogerdm! We'll get our disappointment solved by never booking with this agency again.

 

 

CM

[isujim]

rogerdm:

 

If you are really unhappy you probably need to switch t/a's...........an agency that has multiple agents that can help you no matter who is out of town. Now, having said that, you may need a release from your current t/a to do thatand some t/'s charge a cancellation fee if you cancel or move your booking.....if she is not returning e-mails......you may have a problem........I am not real sure how this works.........

 

I'm sure there are some t/a's or former t/a's on this board that can provide you some answers.........

[cruisinjudy]

We had the same problem. First TA with the company was great, until she left with no notice and no one took up those bookings, so emails went unanswered and calls just said to send email. Then the new agent also left, and we had the same treatment, no answers. The cruise we leave on next week is the last one we had booked with this agency. No more.

[CelebrityMan]

Hi Jim & Judy,

 

Hope your upcoming cruise is grand!! Have a great time. Our group on the Canal sailing is growing. We'll miss ya!!

 

 

 

CM

[Hilary]

Frankly, I'd see if there are other Royal Suites available for the Hawaii sailing next year, cancel your current booking with this unresponsive TA and either rebook directly with Celebrity, or another TA you know of. If you don't know another TA yet, you can book directly with Celebrity now and transfer the booking later if you want.

 

Not sure there's much you can do about your November trip this year since it's so close, and fortunately you have time before you have to know about the air deviations, etc. Hopefully you'll get everything you need from this TA soon and can make this your last booking with them (if you want).

[sedfar]

I am not sure I would have the courage to pull out of a November cruise. I would imagine it would disappoint your family. I had a travel agent just like yours, the way I handled her was to leave one last message, saying I was tired of leaving messages for her that she was not responding to. I asked, very nicely, but firmly, that she call me as soon as she got this message. She did call me back, no one wants to lose business. I explained I was uncomfortable with her lack of response to my needs. She apologized. I explained that if she blew me off again, I would leave her and go elsewhere. She did. And I did.

 

It was a little miserable trying to find out the info I needed on my own, rather than go through her. But I recall even calling the cruise line cause I didnt have my documents yet! It all worked out for me in the end, went on the cruise, had a good time, really needed the vacation planning for my vacation. And now I use someone who meets my needs. Live and learn! Good luck to you, I know how frustrating this can be.

[cruisinjudy]

Hi Celebrity Man,

We will get around to that Panama Canal Cruise one of these days!

[CaptData]

For the one this Nov contact the CL and ask them your questions BUT explain that you can not get a hold of your agent (if air booked through cruise line). You need info now so you can make descion.

 

I would find another agent for the later one as soon as possible. Has your final payments been made??? Check your personalizer for your cruise and see. Your info should be there.

[Host Walt]

I am not sure I would have the courage to pull out of a November cruise. I would imagine it would disappoint your family. I had a travel agent just like yours, the way I handled her was to leave one last message, saying I was tired of leaving messages for her that she was not responding to. I asked, very nicely, but firmly, that she call me as soon as she got this message. She did call me back, no one wants to lose business. I explained I was uncomfortable with her lack of response to my needs. She apologized. I explained that if she blew me off again, I would leave her and go elsewhere. She did. And I did.

 

It was a little miserable trying to find out the info I needed on my own, rather than go through her. But I recall even calling the cruise line cause I didnt have my documents yet! It all worked out for me in the end, went on the cruise, had a good time, really needed the vacation planning for my vacation. And now I use someone who meets my needs. Live and learn! Good luck to you, I know how frustrating this can be.

This is the right way to handle it. You have an obligation to do what you can to get your TA to be responsive, as sedfar did and you should leave a clear message that one more strike and she's history, as sedfar did.

 

The sequence starts with the original TA's non responses. Find another TA that you are comfortable with and tell him/her the full story; that you have a booking, that you are unhappy with your current TA, and that, if your current TA blows you off once more you want to move the booking to him/her.

 

That way when you're ready to move on you know who you will go with and can make it happen quickly and efficiently.

 

The new TA will understand if the old one does come through and you complete the deal with her...and will be counting on your future business.

 

In any case, "once burned, twice shy" applies. If your TA finally comes through, plan on making this your last booking with her and move on to your new TA in any case.