Bye bye ta...hello princess direct

[wizard-of-roz]

We've been using the same "online" TA for the past several years and things were going pretty well. We booked anywhere from 2 to 4 cruises per year.

Suddenly, when I email or call him; he's "very busy!" or "call you tomorrow!" or "can't get to it right now!"

When I asked if he could take my final payment for our April cruise this past Monday (a week or so earlier than the final payment date).....he said, "I'm so busy, I'll try and get to it!" So, I emailed him on Wednesday and asked if it had been done....again, "sorry, I haven't gotten to it yet!" He said, "I'm waiting for the paperwork from Princess!" I called him and said that my DH really wanted it to be charged on Monday, please do it ASAP!

By the end of the day, Wednesday, he finally did it. Boy! That was a struggle.

I don't want to struggle when it comes to paying for my cruise. I'd like service.....Am I wrong?

Well, I was so "turned-off" by his complacency and we've been wanting to book our September, Alaska cruise so I called Princess; got a lovely gal named Lea, who was very helpful and wanted to take my money with grace and service.

It's a weird world we're living in today. Companies should be grateful and more than helpful with customers, afterall, we do have choices.

Is there a TA rule about paying before the final date? Does it make more work for them?

We've ALWAYS had a very good relationship and I've recommended his agency and him to a lot of my friends and family.

[Pam in CA]

Is there a TA rule about paying before the final date? Does it make more work for them?

It's a shame you've had this experience with a TA you've used for a number of years and had no previous problems. Most TAs have a final payment date of a couple of days to a week before Princess' final payment date. This allows them to make sure their clients' credit cards have gone through or any glitches taken care of. The final payment for my April cruise is coming up this week but my TA emailed me with a reminder last week. I was still on a cruise but was able to tell her to go ahead and make final payment so it's all done. Another time while on a cruise with my sister and BIL and final payment was due on another cruise, my TA contacted me since she wasn't able to get hold of my BIL to make sure she had the right CC # for them. (My BIL doesn't use the computer on the ship at all, ever.) I was able to check with BIL and give the TA the last 4 digits and expiration date for their payment, and it was all taken care of.

 

A good TA can make a HUGE difference and one who goes beyond the norm is worth their weight in gold.

[wizard-of-roz]

Pam, you are so right. Actually, we had a great relationship....he really had very little to do for me since I did most of the checking into the right cabin, deck, dates, tours, etc. myself.

I'm probably a TA's dream....

Thanks for the insight.

[cruzzers]

Wizard of Roz....We have had just about an identical problem with our TA. We have used him and made several referrals to him and now he is ignoring us. We have contacted him 3 times in reference to our Alaska cruise and his response has been that he would look into it and get back with us the next day....nothing so we booked direct with Princess and got some incredible rates. We normally get better rates with him but not sure we want to go through the waiting process of when he gets the time. Too bad...

[can786]

Does this TA work for an agency or is he the owner of the agency. If he is not the owner then I would say that a call to his supervisor/owner would be in order.

[Keats]

I tried a number of online and local TA's for my upcoming trip in April. I also checked the Princess web site directly. They had an offer for Captain's Circle members that was very good. I booked it directly thru them.

 

I used an out of state TA for my last cruise on Princess in Nov 08 and it was a real waste of time. They claimed to have the wrong e.mail address for me, even though I had just sent them a note and all they had to do was hit reply. Duh!! The costs were no better than if I had done them my self. No follow up to see if I had my documents or if everything was all right before the trip.

 

On board, there was no usual Bon Voyage" goodie from the TA. Hmmm. Maybe a bottle of wine on formal night? Think again.. Nothing at all. I've never had that happen before. Not a big deal, but it's the little things that keep you coming back. Well not this time.

 

A local TA was too busy to take my call last Friday. I finally got a call back on Monday late afternoon. I told her what I was looking for and she said she'd get back to me. Two days later I called again. She was too busy to take my call again and I left a voice message. 2 hours later she called me. (I think she was checking on my cruise requests during those 2 hours. ) and gave me very general information and nothing specific like I had asked for.

Her prices were higher than her web site postings and I told her I could do much better by simply booking directly with Princess. Then she wanted to "Re Check" for me. I told her not to bother.

 

I booked the cabin- which was not the one I really wanted because it was taken during the 2 days waiting for her call- and we're on our way.

 

I agree that in today's economy, businnesses should go out of their way to earn your business. Especially in the discretionary vacation spending area.

 

Enjoy your trip.

Keats :)

Sunny Arizona

[partybarbie]

On one of my bookings, I thought the service from my local TA was a little off. It turns out he has stage 4 cancer and he was in the hospital for surgery. His assistant was trying to run the business on her own. She finally broke down and told me (as a 25+ year client) that she was trying to keep the business from going under.

 

Anyway, point is, maybe your TA is going through a bad time right now and just isn't sharing that information with you.

 

Suddenly having my dining changed from "fixed" to "anytime" wasn't a big deal. I think of him almost every day and hope that he makes it.

[nbsjcruiser]

So sorry to hear your problem. It seems to be getting harder to get the help you deserve. Last year we had the same thing happen to us. We had booked five cruises through our TA and them all of a sudden she had no time for us. Every time I would call her she was on another line and said she would call right back ( she never did). I was so upset that I called her head office and had the cruise transferred to another agent. I now do all my own reservations. When she found out that I transferred the cruise she then called and my son told her that I was another call and would call her right back ( yeah right).

[Pam in CA]

On one of my bookings, I thought the service from my local TA was a little off. It turns out he has stage 4 cancer and he was in the hospital for surgery. His assistant was trying to run the business on her own. She finally broke down and told me (as a 25+ year client) that she was trying to keep the business from going under.

This same scenario happened a couple of years ago with a major Princess TA who was a one-woman business. She had a cancer relapse and her sister was trying to pick up the pieces and help out but was struggling. The TA did pass away and the sister took over the business and yes, continued making mistakes as she learned the business so a lot of people left in frustration. I for one am glad I didn't.

[newmexicoNita]

We've been using the same "online" TA for the past several years and things were going pretty well. We booked anywhere from 2 to 4 cruises per year.

Suddenly, when I email or call him; he's "very busy!" or "call you tomorrow!" or "can't get to it right now!"

When I asked if he could take my final payment for our April cruise this past Monday (a week or so earlier than the final payment date).....he said, "I'm so busy, I'll try and get to it!" So, I emailed him on Wednesday and asked if it had been done....again, "sorry, I haven't gotten to it yet!" He said, "I'm waiting for the paperwork from Princess!" I called him and said that my DH really wanted it to be charged on Monday, please do it ASAP!

By the end of the day, Wednesday, he finally did it. Boy! That was a struggle.

I don't want to struggle when it comes to paying for my cruise. I'd like service.....Am I wrong?

Well, I was so "turned-off" by his complacency and we've been wanting to book our September, Alaska cruise so I called Princess; got a lovely gal named Lea, who was very helpful and wanted to take my money with grace and service.

It's a weird world we're living in today. Companies should be grateful and more than helpful with customers, afterall, we do have choices.

Is there a TA rule about paying before the final date? Does it make more work for them?

We've ALWAYS had a very good relationship and I've recommended his agency and him to a lot of my friends and family.

Well as an agent, I have mixed feelings; not to be able to take a final payment and call it in or apply via the net seems a bit unusual. If he is that busy I know a lot of agencies that would love to have him working for them. That being said, you might be jumping the gun a bit..with the sales that are going on maybe he is really busy..Anyway, glad you found someone at Princess that could help you. I do tjiink you may have jumped a little too fast.

Nita

[dutchess43]

I also have learned the hard way I now have cut out all of the aggravation & book directly.

[jhannah]

Roz, I hear ya'. The same thing happened to me a few years ago with my long-time TA at a major national auto club. Her nail in the coffin was not responding for more than a week on a request for a quote. (Didn't respond at all.) I got one elsewhere and have booked multiple times with him since.

[BoPippy]

I always e-mail my travel agent and she usually replies in a couple of hours or if it is something urgent,i drive 2 miles and directly talk to her.Only one time she seemed to be very slow and putting me off,only to later find out there was a death in her family.This time of year,they are super busy and can be a little slower.There r only so many hours in the day and cutbacks are everywhere today and as a result customer service suffers somewhat.

I know before i retired(thankGod) i was doing the work of 5 full-time employees and this is the way things sometimes go today and none of us like it.The good old days are fading....:)

[nho9504]

I got my out of town TA by referral here. I dont need much of her services other than checking prices for cruises I already reserched on and am ready to book. In an ordinary situation, she usually just makes the reservation once I call her what I want and agree on her quote. However, when something happens and I need her urgent help, that is when she will shine.

 

A year ago we were booked on Star Princess Antacrtica cruise sailing in January. I was too complacent in booking our air to Bueones Aires, thinking I would either get award seats or get tickets since we had $3,000 credit with AA from previous cancelled tickets, because when I checked in Sept there were plenty of seats available. Well, I did not keep track of such and did not know AA reduced the 2 daily flights to only 1. As a result, when I looked at it in November, not only there was no award seat, the coach seat was going at $1500 per person, versus only $700 just a bit over a month ago when I first looked into it. Because now all coach seats were priced at FULLY REFUNDABLE Y fare. OK, I could pay for it using the AA credit, right? No. AA said because the credit was from Non-refundable tickets, it cannot be used to buy Refundable tickets....

 

Long story short, 3 days before final payment, we decided to switch the South America cruise to Transatlantic cruise. We were going on a RCCL cruise on Saturday. My TA was flying to FL to board her Caribbean Princess cruise. I emailed her several times, left her voice mails. She called me when she settled in her hotel room, right in our town, on the night before we left for our RCCL cruise. She said not to worry, she would take care of everything when she got on Caribbean Princess and then emailed me. She did it, transferred our Star Princess booking to Emerald Princess, and everything was back in order.

 

I routinely pay our cruises in many different payments and credit cards, so I can meet the spending requirements on my cards to trigger sizable Airline bonus miles. She did not have a problem to take 4 different credit card numbers at a time and split the payments 4 ways. :)

 

It is not easy to find a good TA, but once you have had good working relationship with your TA, there are may be some reasons behind his recent slacking that is not because he now neglects you.

[Lynda90]

This same scenario happened a couple of years ago with a major Princess TA who was a one-woman business. She had a cancer relapse and her sister was trying to pick up the pieces and help out but was struggling. The TA did pass away and the sister took over the business and yes, continued making mistakes as she learned the business so a lot of people left in frustration. I for one am glad I didn't.

My next two cruises are booked with her and no other TA came close to her prices as I do shop around. She has really learned a lot since she first took over the business. She was even able to give an additional discount on the 2 for 1 Alaska sale.

[wizard-of-roz]

I know that he was displaced during the hurricanes a few months ago....and, well maybe I did "jump the gun" a bit. But, we like certain cabins and I don't like to take the chance on waiting too long and not getting what we like.

I am sensitive to someone being "busy", I, too, work a full-time job in a highly "costumer-related" type business. I don't work on commission but if I did I'd be jumping all over my phone calls and emails. And, if someone calls me and makes a request, I NEVER tell them, "I'm busy!" NEVER!

I'm not saying I won't give him another chance, in the future. He did lose my Alaska cruise....there's lots more cruising in 2010 and on.

Can he check with Princess to see if I'm booked on any other cruises? And, if he can...I hope he makes a phone call so that we can talk about it.

[readytogo2]

This is the 2nd time I booked directly with Princess, they had better prices than any TA I spoke to...I'm talking over $200 difference. So.. I'd rather have that than a cheap bottle of wine:rolleyes:

[kooljamming]

My next two cruises are booked with her and no other TA came close to her prices as I do shop around. She has really learned a lot since she first took over the business. She was even able to give an additional discount on the 2 for 1 Alaska sale.

 

Time to give my TA a call. I have had a love/hate relationship with my TA for 15 years. I would like him to be available 24/7, if and when I have a question or concern, such as the online agents. However he has gotten me a free cruise when I had to cancel, but the cruise line happened to overbook that sailing. He has discounted most online deals and steered me in the right direction for other vacations. Now I am going to see what he can do for my Alaska cruise. Sometimes he is not available and waiting can be frustrating. He recommended Princess over NCL because he knew I was into dressing up:D

 

Yep a good TA, beautician, baby sitter or substitute teacher is heard to find but worth their weight in gold.

[can786]

This same scenario happened a couple of years ago with a major Princess TA who was a one-woman business. She had a cancer relapse and her sister was trying to pick up the pieces and help out but was struggling. The TA did pass away and the sister took over the business and yes, continued making mistakes as she learned the business so a lot of people left in frustration. I for one am glad I didn't.

 

Pam, I also stuck with her and am glad I did. Princess told my brother he didn't qualify for the 2 for 1 pricing for our Alaskan cruise so I told him to call her. He has not sailed Princess before but is a past Carnival passenger. She did some checking and got him the reduced pricing, saving him a bundle.

[can786]

My next two cruises are booked with her and no other TA came close to her prices as I do shop around. She has really learned a lot since she first took over the business. She was even able to give an additional discount on the 2 for 1 Alaska sale.

 

Same with me. Got better than the 2 for 1 pricing on my Alaskan cruisetour. We were originally booked in a full suite but when they announced the 2 for 1 there was such a huge difference in price for the minisuite we downgraded. Even though it means less money for her, all she could say to me was that for that kind of savings she would do it too.

[audaciousred]

As an agent, I'd have to say that you don't need to stick with that guy. I hold other agents to the high standards I have for myself. Even though my travel work is a side job, I still take the time to answer questions for my clients within 2 hours. And you ALWAYS get a thank you goodie from me! Any agent who doesn't keep on the prices until the day you sail, even after you've booked isn't top notch. It doesn't matter to me how much I lose in commission, I want my clients to save money like I do when I'm traveling and I want them to come back to me for their next trip!!

 

So, I feel bad for the guy, but what did he expect??

[wizard-of-roz]

As an agent, I'd have to say that you don't need to stick with that guy. I hold other agents to the high standards I have for myself. Even though my travel work is a side job, I still take the time to answer questions for my clients within 2 hours. And you ALWAYS get a thank you goodie from me! Any agent who doesn't keep on the prices until the day you sail, even after you've booked isn't top notch. It doesn't matter to me how much I lose in commission, I want my clients to save money like I do when I'm traveling and I want them to come back to me for their next trip!!

 

So, I feel bad for the guy, but what did he expect??

 

YOU, and YOUR attitude is exactly what will keep you in business....and, exactly what each of us, who travel as much as I do, coming back to you for all our travel needs.

Keep up the good work!

[kooljamming]

My TA just offered me an OBC for my Alaska 2 for 1 cruise. It's a small saving but a dollar is a dollar. I guess I will be transferring the booking:D The relationship continues.

[travelbug2225]

How many time you can transfer your agent after you booked your cruise? Can you transfer you booking from one TA to another TA if you not happy with the service you currently get?

[cruisecrasy]

It's a shame you've had this experience with a TA you've used for a number of years and had no previous problems. Most TAs have a final payment date of a couple of days to a week before Princess' final payment date. This allows them to make sure their clients' credit cards have gone through or any glitches taken care of. The final payment for my April cruise is coming up this week but my TA emailed me with a reminder last week. I was still on a cruise but was able to tell her to go ahead and make final payment so it's all done. Another time while on a cruise with my sister and BIL and final payment was due on another cruise, my TA contacted me since she wasn't able to get hold of my BIL to make sure she had the right CC # for them. (My BIL doesn't use the computer on the ship at all, ever.) I was able to check with BIL and give the TA the last 4 digits and expiration date for their payment, and it was all taken care of.

 

A good TA can make a HUGE difference and one who goes beyond the norm is worth their weight in gold.

 

that only wants final payment a few days or a week in advance of the cruiselines due date!!

 

Mine is a Canadian branch of a large US TA & they require 90 days in advance of the cruiselines final due date...UGH..!

 

Have been told by them that credit card payments go directly to the cruiseline so all I can guess is the wires here in Canada are frozen solid or smaller than in the US and info only travels like a 'snail'. :)