What is it with "Guaranty"?

[Isidoro]

We are 2 couples of friends 9 days away from our flight to Venice and still don't know which cabin (stateroom) numbers will be allocated to us.

 

We purchased the cruises through a major Travel Agency, who -I assume- have undertaken to Oceania to sell a specific number of cabins. We saved a few hundred dollars per person in the process, although that was not our primary reason for booking with the Agency, but rather the reputation of service quality of the Agency itself.

 

We were also promised we will know where/which our cabins will be at least one month before departure. We weren't happy with this, and expressed it, but in the end, we waited.

 

When the "month before departure" came and went without new information, we showed quite a bit of anxiety over not having specific cabins yet. We received repeatedly assurances from the Agency that we are guaranteed to have staterooms at least at the level (B2) we purchased or better and this was also repeated in an exchange of emails with Oceania a few days ago.

 

Still, we're ready to think about packing, and have no idea yet whether we will even get the answer before departure. We're also very worried that this will be dragged on day-to-day and we will end up arriving at the ship and still have no idea what the accommodations will be. Worse, for want of choices, we may be forced by the ship to accept something that otherwise we would have considered unacceptable, say Deck 4.

 

So, long story, and the question is whether anybody had similar experiences, what was the end result, and advise and suggestions.

 

Thank you!

 

(P.S.: This post also explains why a few days ago I have opened a topic on staterooms nos. 4002 and 4004...)

[lovecruisingtoo]

Worse, for want of choices, we may be forced by the ship to accept something that otherwise we would have considered unacceptable, say Deck 4.

 

If Deck 4 is unacceptable, you should not have booked a "guarantee" cabin. I suspect that O is trying to get someone to give up their reservation in order to supply you with a cabin.

[Paulchili]

Categor B2 is on deck 6, not 4. I don't see how you could get those cabins with a B2 or better guarantee.

Once we booked an A1 and on arrival we were given a PH - quite a surprise.

It will work out fine.

Please let us know the eventual outcome.

[Isidoro]

If Deck 4 is unacceptable, you should not have booked a "guarantee" cabin.

I agree, but we booked in May and we were not told the whole story. We are quite, I may say we are very experienced independent travellers, but this is the first major cruise for us and semantically "guarantee" means "it's sure, have no worry". So Deck 4 came up only last Friday, and was not initiated by us but by the Travel Agent. We refused. We specifically said from the very beginning that for our first such experience we want a stateroom with veranda and we were advised of availability only in B2, which seemed reasonable to us at the time (in May! I just checked my papers again.).

 

Of course, IF we will book any more such cruises in the future we will deal directly with the cruise company, or with a Travel Agent who can tell us right away where we will stay.

 

Unfortunately, we did not have enough experience and believed the Agent.

 

This is the reason I am looking now here for input about similar expreriences, or advise from the more knowledgeable members.

[StanandJim]

Isidoro

 

Honestly, you're worried about nothing. If you booked a B2 Guarantee, you will GET A B2 Cabin or better. What this means to you:

 

A) There is no chance that you will get a cabin without a Verandah (as all the B2's and better have Verandahs)

 

B) There is no chance that you will be on Deck 4 (the cabins on deck 4 are "C" cabins, and are therefore considered BELOW B2's)

 

C) Your Travel Agent does not know what he or she is doing. What I am telling you should be something that your TA explained to you before you booked the guarantee (it is unprofessional and immoral to allow a client to purchase things that they don't understand, that is how the mortgage brokers got in trouble in the United States).

 

As you say that you are using a rather large agency, I suspect that your particular agent is trying to learn the business as they work. This is unacceptable. Complain to the management of that Agency, chances are you'll get something nice for your trouble.

 

**Note** When we book a guarantee, we prefer to hear our cabin assignments as late as possible.......there is always the chance of a last minute cancellation in a splendid cabin.

 

Our favorite example of this: Right after 9/11, we booked a VERY inexpensive guarantee on Holland America's Volendam, hoping that the slow down in travel would benefit us.......It sure Did. We were upgraded.......are you sitting down?........SIXTEEN Categories!! -Of course, we did not get the cabin assignment until we arrived at the dock, sometimes the gamble pays off.

[pondnana]

We booked a 32 day cruise with a PH1 guarantee. However our TA said she would keep our file close and call Oceania on a regular basis to find out if we had been assigned a cabin. Within 10 days she called me to say that not only did we have a stateroom number but also an upgrade. Was this because we have cruised 6 times with Oceania or because she bothered them until they gave us the answer. Who knows!!!

[Isidoro]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply and to boost our confidence in the system.

 

I sincerely hope this first major cruise experience will encourage us to take others. In any case, we will never use that Travel Agency again and either book directly with the cruise line, hopefully Oceania again, or through a travel agent who can provide services professionally. One must learn from any such experience. We will.

 

By the way, Oceania was professional and correct in our recent exchange of emails, together with assurances by email as to "equivalent or higher" and in separate email correspondence on a dietary requirement for my wife (lactose intolerance). Oceania also directed us to the specific folder on their website where their "Guarantee" policy is explained. "Our" travel agent could have saved us some anxiety by pointing to this URL:

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/T_MainContentPage.aspx?PageUID=057f1db6-2af9-43ee-880d-06ac5af60233&Secure=True

then click on "Guarantee Reservations".

 

I will report on developments.

[StanandJim]

we will never use that Travel Agency again and either book directly with the cruise line

 

Isidoro-

 

We feel your frustration! Trust us, it is even worse when YOU wind up knowing more about your travel arrangements than the Travel Agent does.

 

At one time, being a Travel Agent was a profession. Since the dawn of the internet, however, a new and better informed consumer has begun making their own travel plans. This, and Airline deregulation, took a lot of the profit out of being a TA.

 

When those profit margins went down, a lot of the more competant agents got out of the TA field because they could not support themselves, much less support a family (think about it.....when was the last time that you heard of a married man who was a full time travel agent?).

 

Unfortunately, the travel business (outside of the airlines) has been slow to adapt to the times. They continue to offer perqs and discounts strictly through Travel Agencys.

 

Those of us who have educated ourselves about Cruises, hate this old fashioned procedure, because we are then forced to use the services.....such as they are.....of Travel Agencys in order to get those discounts.

 

**Note** Renaissance Cruises (forerunner of Oceania) tried to bypass Travel Agents and the agents fought back viciously......so perhaps Oceania is smart to play the TA game for a while longer

[dino2067]

Isidoro-

 

We feel your frustration! Trust us, it is even worse when YOU wind up knowing more about your travel arrangements than the Travel Agent does.

 

At one time, being a Travel Agent was a profession. Since the dawn of the internet, however, a new and better informed consumer has begun making their own travel plans. This, and Airline deregulation, took a lot of the profit out of being a TA.

 

When those profit margins went down, a lot of the more competant agents got out of the TA field because they could not support themselves, much less support a family (think about it.....when was the last time that you heard of a married man who was a full time travel agent?).

 

Unfortunately, the travel business (outside of the airlines) has been slow to adapt to the times. They continue to offer perqs and discounts strictly through Travel Agencys.

 

Those of us who have educated ourselves about Cruises, hate this old fashioned procedure, because we are then forced to use the services.....such as they are.....of Travel Agencys in order to get those discounts.

 

**Note** Renaissance Cruises (forerunner of Oceania) tried to bypass Travel Agents and the agents fought back viciously......so perhaps Oceania is smart to play the TA game for a while longer

 

 

Well said…thank you for posting this. Similar to Isidoro, my husband and I are experienced independent travelers but fairly new to cruising and having to deal with TA’s to access perks not otherwise offered publicly by the cruise lines…and yes, at some level feeling forced to do so and resenting same.

 

Finding a TA is, in my estimation, akin to relocating to a new city and having to locate a doctor, dentist, hair stylist, etc….it is an individual decision based upon many uniquely personal factors.

 

As an example, earlier this year I was doing internet research on an O transatlantic sailing in ’09. Based on many personal factors I decided that a PH level stateroom was what I and my husband would be comfortable with on this type of cruise and cruise line. Of course, the TA’s I contacted that specialize in the O product informed me that there were none available on that particular cruise date and I would have to book into something below PH (something I was NOT willing to settle for) and “waitlist” for a PH with of course, no guarantee on pricing, etc., etc.

 

While I understand that from previous past practices mentioned about procuring a stateroom on O, the “this is how it is done, accept it” mentality left me a bit put off by not one, but by several seemingly reputable TA’s. I tenaciously continued my internet search and low and behold I indeed, located the elusive PH (with generous perks no less!) for the particular sailing I am now happily booked on. I actually had one of those TA’s challenge me on their follow-up phone call when I politely mentioned thanks but no thanks that I had already made my reservation for a PH. These folks had the audacity to actually call and VERIFY with O that what I was saying about my reservation was indeed correct!!...hard to believe, but true.

 

It takes a good deal of time to build any kind of personal relationship (TA's included) which does not always lend itself easily or blend well with the ease and convenience of the internet.

 

Kathleen

[meow!]

As far as we know, there can be three categories of travel agents:

 

1. For those who are not experienced and need someone to hold their hands and lead them through, or those who are busy and don't mind paying the full commission and have someone else figure out what to do

 

2. For those who are experienced, and do all the "leg work" by themselves, and by final payment time, turn the file over to the agent willing to give them the most rebate out of their commission just to save money

 

3. From time to time, only some agencies offer some special deals not available to the general public. For example, one agency sold us the 12 day British Isles on board the Celebrity Century, "sky suite", round trip business class on United Airline from San Francisco to Amsterdam for 2x$4000 including all taxes, fees and surcharges, plus $200 shipboard credit. You have to be attentive and flexible to get those deals.

 

Remember that for a given voyage, once you give an agent your file, you are "done". The more you do on your own, the more you learn and the more control you have on your trip. On the other hand, for those without the experience, or the time or patience to "do it yourself", finding a good agent is paramount!

[dino2067]

Remember that for a given voyage, once you give an agent your file, you are "done". The more you do on your own, the more you learn and the more control you have on your trip. On the other hand, for those without the experience, or the time or patience to "do it yourself", finding a good agent is paramount!

 

Both are good points to keep in mind...I much prefer to have the control (as much as feasibly possible) over our trips.

 

3. From time to time, only some agencies offer some special deals not available to the general public. For example, one agency sold us the 12 day British Isles on board the Celebrity Century, "sky suite", round trip business class on United Airline from San Francisco to Amsterdam for 2x$4000 including all taxes, fees and surcharges, plus $200 shipboard credit. You have to be attentive and flexible to get those deals.

 

The attentive I have...the flexibilty of time right now to take advantage of these types of deals, I don't. Something to strive for though...:)

 

Kathleen

[Ron n Jon]

"I'll place the booking as a guarantee as we understand there is a very good chance of several upgrade positions"

 

"They offered Cabin No. XXXX which I have rejected as I have a notation that there has been problems with this location on this ship"

 

"We came across a great sailing offer with Acme Lines that we think you should be made aware of. They are offering...."

 

"Should you wish to book both parties under your superior sailing status the rates for both parties will be at the reduced rate for both"

 

THESE ARE THE TYPE OF STATEMENTS MADE BY A GOOD TRAVEL AGENT!

[StanandJim]

While I understand that from previous past practices mentioned about procuring a stateroom on O, the “this is how it is done, accept it” mentality left me a bit put off by not one, but by several seemingly reputable TA’s. I tenaciously continued my internet search and low and behold I indeed, located the elusive PH (with generous perks no less!) for the particular sailing I am now happily booked on. I actually had one of those TA’s challenge me on their follow-up phone call when I politely mentioned thanks but no thanks that I had already made my reservation for a PH. These folks had the audacity to actually call and VERIFY with O that what I was saying about my reservation was indeed correct!!...hard to believe, but true.

 

Dino2067,

 

Also very well said!

One of the oddest (or, should we say saddest?) things about the dumbing down of ALL the service industries in the United States is the arrogance that you will find among the new recruits.

There is nothing wrong with not knowing something, we all have to learn at some point in our lives. What we hate is being blocked by a clerk, who has no other stake in our vacation, except answering the next available line........