Questionable TA

[hbrote]

I just wanted to ask your opinion on some strange dealing with a TA.

I have just paid my last payment to the TA and our documents came available at the CCL web site. I was very disappointed that the price I paid for the cruise did not appear in the documents. Instead it states

"As Agreed" in the receipt.

 

I have paid approximately $137 per person over the Carnival Advertised price. The CCL price also stated up to $100 per person OBC in the price that was online. So this would total $237 per person above the stated CCL fair. :mad: May I also add the TA used my charge card for each payment. The first three went directly to CCL and the last went to the TA's agency.

 

Would you say this is normal procedure for a TA?

[JRock59]

Call CCL and make sure your final payment has been made

 

Watch your c/c statement make sure nothing "extra" is there

 

Consider finding a new agent or book direct with CCL

 

That's just MHO on it:)

[douglinc@msn.com]

I would get a new TA.

 

Doug

[denisey]

I just wanted to ask your opinion on some strange dealing with a TA.

I have just paid my last payment to the TA and our documents came available at the CCL web site. I was very disappointed that the price I paid for the cruise did not appear in the documents. Instead it states

"As Agreed" in the receipt.

 

I have paid approximately $137 per person over the Carnival Advertised price. The CCL price also stated up to $100 per person OBC in the price that was online. So this would total $237 per person above the stated CCL fair. :mad: May I also add the TA used my charge card for each payment. The first three went directly to CCL and the last went to the TA's agency.

 

Would you say this is normal procedure for a TA?

 

I've been on 14 cruises, all booked with a TA. The Carnival docs have always said "as agreed." So that part sounds normal.

[judyzoo]

It's possible that the Carnival price you're seeing doesn't include all taxes, fees, etc.

[mikedw]

Did she book you into a group? I use to be an agent and I know with all of the group space we had on Carnival, the documents always said that.

[MrsLeo]

I would never, never, never do business with a TA that does not have the cruise line process each credit card transaction. I want to commend you for being vigilant and being aware of how your money is being handled. Also I am very glad that you paid by credit card.

 

I would point blank call up the TA and ask why you are paying more than what you would had you booked with Carnival directly and then ask here why the payment was not processed directly through Carnival, I would then have her conference call Carnival and verify that final payment was made.

 

My TA often charges me less than Carnival, but I can honestly say I have never paid more. I wonder if this is allowed under the TA's contract with Carnival.

[CruiseSpecialist03]

It says "As agreed" cause the TA commission is deducted from the total amount you have paid. Instead of Carnival paying out of pocket they give it to the TA from your total cruise payment. So, instead of it looking like you got charged less than what the rate was, it shows as agreed per your conversation when booked.

 

That is my opinion.

[hbrote]

It's possible that the Carnival price you're seeing doesn't include all taxes, fees, etc.

 

The price is right off the CCL web, this includes tax's etc. (except a possible fuel sur charge.)

[mom2tcdx2]

I am not understanding a few things and perhaps a bit more detail on the OP's part would be helpful. Why under any circumstance would you have booked a cruise with a TA knowing their price was higher? If you now mean the Carnival price is lower than when you booked that is entirely different. If you booked ES you could get the price drop, if you didn't you are now out of luck. Sounds to me you mean the price is lower now than when you originally booked and sorry but that does happen.

 

Also make sure you are comparing exactly the same category for instance 4B to 4B, 8C to 8C etc. You couldn't for instance have booked a 4E and then compare it to a 4A price.

 

Lastly the only cruise I booked with a TA showed on my booking documents with Carnival the exact amount that I paid with all payments being done directly by Carnival.

[hbrote]

I am not understanding a few things and perhaps a bit more detail on the OP's part would be helpful. Why under any circumstance would you have booked a cruise with a TA knowing their price was higher? If you now mean the Carnival price is lower than when you booked that is entirely different. If you booked ES you could get the price drop, if you didn't you are now out of luck. Sounds to me you mean the price is lower now than when you originally booked and sorry but that does happen.

 

Also make sure you are comparing exactly the same category for instance 4B to 4B, 8C to 8C etc. You couldn't for instance have booked a 4E and then compare it to a 4A price.

 

Lastly the only cruise I booked with a TA showed on my booking documents with Carnival the exact amount that I paid with all payments being done directly by Carnival.

 

Why would I do that ??? The price that was in place at the time of my first payment was the amount that the TA is charging now. No ES fare, it wasn't a option when I booked and a Cat. 11 is still a Cat. 11.

 

Yes the price dropped over the last year and a half and that is what I am questioning. I printed out the price, from the CCL web site, at the time the final charges hit my Credit Card.

 

I just figure that the amount of the up charge would pay tips and a few DOD's.

 

Thanks all for your input, it is appreciated.

[DEL67]

When comparing prices are talking about the price you paid vs. on the Carnival website when you booked the cruise? If so I would be upset. However if you are talking about what you paid vs. what is on the Carnival website now, then it is due to a price fluctuation which is not your TA's fault.

 

Prices often go up and down, especially as it gets closer to sailing if the ship is not full. Generally Carnival will not refund the difference after final payment unless you booked under Early Booking promotion.

[Ms. Fun Bunch]

Why would I do that ??? The price that was in place at the time of my first payment was the amount that the TA is charging now. No ES fare, it wasn't a option when I booked and a Cat. 11 is still a Cat. 11.

 

Yes the price dropped over the last year and a half and that is what I am questioning. I printed out the price, from the CCL web site, at the time the final charges hit my Credit Card.

 

I just figure that the amount of the up charge would pay tips and a few DOD's.

 

Thanks all for your input, it is appreciated.

 

 

I deal with a TA for my group and our tickets always states "As agreed'" but I also check the price of the cruise every few months to see if it has lowered and if it does my TA always lowers our group fare.

[sa7776]

Individual bookings show price, group bookings say "as agreed"

 

Your TA may have booked you into a promotional group. That is, the TA booked a block of rooms at group rate and then sold the rooms individually. Did they promise you added goodies like OBC? That is usually a good indication that you are in a group since Carnival offers incentives like that on group bookings. Group prices are not always the lowest available prices. Since Carnival started the early saver program those prices are usually the lowest. Group rates will not go down if the price of the cruise goes down UNLESS the TA renegotiates the rate.

 

Not real sure about the payment to the agency unless for some reason the agency had gone ahead and paid Carnival so they made the last payment to themselves.

 

Regardless, I would ask the travel agent for an explanation if you are concerned.

[jetskier]

The payment to the agency could be for travel insurance that is not provided through Carnival.

Dave

[Bluewake]

Speaking as someone who was victimized by Cruise Value Center last year, I would immediately contact the cruiseline to make sure the TA paid the cruiseline for the final payment. CVC used my card to pay themselves for the final payment, never passed it on to the cruiseline and went out of business a few days later. It was a deliberate theft, in my opinion. Of course, I'm not saying your agent is doing anything crooked like that but it sure brings up a red flag for me. At the time that CVC did this to a whole bunch of us, there were a lot of agents who posted on Cruise Critic that it was highly inappropriate for an agent not to directly pay the cruise line. As for the fact that the cruise can now be purchased for a lower cost than what you paid, I always thought that the customer had to contact the agent whenever you see the price has dropped and ask them to contact the cruiseline and get the lower rate. At least, that was my experience. Good luck!

[katiel53]

Speaking as someone who was victimized by Cruise Value Center last year, I would immediately contact the cruiseline to make sure the TA paid the cruiseline for the final payment. CVC used my card to pay themselves for the final payment, never passed it on to the cruiseline and went out of business a few days later. It was a deliberate theft, in my opinion. Of course, I'm not saying your agent is doing anything crooked like that but it sure brings up a red flag for me. At the time that CVC did this to a whole bunch of us, there were a lot of agents who posted on Cruise Critic that it was highly inappropriate for an agent not to directly pay the cruise line. As for the fact that the cruise can now be purchased for a lower cost than what you paid, I always thought that the customer had to contact the agent whenever you see the price has dropped and ask them to contact the cruiseline and get the lower rate. At least, that was my experience. Good luck!

 

The OP said that it was paid and she is able to access her docs. You CAN'T access your docs if final payment isn't made.

 

I agree that it is up to the customer to notify the agency if a lower price is found. Most agencies don't look automatically as it reduces their commissions.

 

OP,

The easiest way to get your info is to call the TA and ask why your charges were made out to the agency and why the extra charges. We can guess a million reasons, but only the agency can tell you. Good luck.

[hawaiikat]

If the total charges that are on his charge card equal to the amount he was originally quoted then the TA did nothing legally wrong.

 

BUT, if the price dropped before final payment was due, and the TA contacted Carnival and got the reduced price for the cabin, but is still charging the OP the original price...then its fraud.

 

So the question is: Did the price drop before final payment was due? And if so, did the TA know about it? Hmmm.......

 

Either way I would get a new TA...either not dilligent in checking prices for their customers or a fraud!

[sea_u_onboard]

If you booked a rate other than ES then you can only get price adjustments until final payment. Once final payment is made you CAN get an upgrade if you find a cabin that costs close to what you paid. Not all agents at Carnival will do this so it may be difficult getting an outside TA to even agree to call.

[salty dingo]

The payment direct to the TA is a puzzle. The cruise line pays the TA a commission, and the cruise line usually charges the credit card.

 

Call Carnival and explain you are verifying you TA (so they will not just tell you to talk to your TA) and find out if you are paid in full, and the total amount you have paid.

 

Then, call the TA and ask why the charge was made to them rahter than Carnival. With all that information you can piece together what happened.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

If the total charges that are on his charge card equal to the amount he was originally quoted then the TA did nothing legally wrong.

 

BUT, if the price dropped before final payment was due, and the TA contacted Carnival and got the reduced price for the cabin, but is still charging the OP the original price...then its fraud.

 

So the question is: Did the price drop before final payment was due? And if so, did the TA know about it? Hmmm.......

 

Either way I would get a new TA...either not dilligent in checking prices for their customers or a fraud!

 

I use a TA all the time and I don't expect her to monitor my price. I think that's bit much much to expect with all the bookings a TA has.

 

I'm sure there are some TA's out there that do that but it can't be many.

 

I check myself and if the price goes down I let her know and she adjust it.

 

Maybe I'm too easy.

 

Bill

[ehfl]

Why are you using a TA? You can book directly with Carnival with no hassles....and if something goes wrong, there is no middleman that will start pointing fingers.