Moving a booking to a TA

I recently booked a Panama Canal cruise on the Coral. This will be my 18th cruise overall, but the first on Princess. In the past I have booked cruises on the cruise company website or by calling them directly. I recently discovered a big box warehouse I shop at also sells travel. The cruise price is the same but it comes with OBC in addition to what Princess provides in its current promotion. I can move my booking from Princess to the big box store, but will lose some of the control over my booking. Has anyone done this and can you gave me the positives and negatives. Also, if you can point me to other threads on this topic it might be helpful. I didn't have much success using the search option.

Thanks

Roy

I recently booked a Panama Canal cruise on the Coral. This will be my 18th cruise overall, but the first on Princess. In the past I have booked cruises on the cruise company website or by calling them directly. I recently discovered a big box warehouse I shop at also sells travel. The cruise price is the same but it comes with OBC in addition to what Princess provides in its current promotion. I can move my booking from Princess to the big box store, but will lose some of the control over my booking. Has anyone done this and can you gave me the positives and negatives. Also, if you can point me to other threads on this topic it might be helpful. I didn't have much success using the search option.

 

Thanks

Roy

What do you mean "lose control over my booking"? Anything you wanted to do, can still be done, you'll just have to call a TA. If you're using the TA I think you're using, you'll be getting about 8% OBC. What is so important to cause you to give up 8%?

Some will say that you may be reducing your chances of an upsell/upgrade. But, you've already pocketed 8%. The chances are, you won't be offered an upgrade/upsell even if you've booked directly with the cruise line. Why would you want to give up a certain 8% on the chance you might be offered an upgrade/upsell that is attractive to you? Not all will be.

Transferring the booking is very easy. I would call the TA first and tell them your plans and see if they have any advice. Then call the cruise line.

Thanks for your insight. Losing control only meant having to go through a third party to make changes.

Thanks for your insight. Losing control only meant having to go through a third party to make changes.

Is that worth giving up 8% OBC?

I do it all the time...I would for sure transfer it especially for the OBC!

Thanks for your insight. Losing control only meant having to go through a third party to make changes.

Having booked far more then 100 cruises we find "going through a decent cruise agent" gives us a lot more "control" then trying to deal with a cruise line. The agencies we use do not put us on hold, get quick answers, and many times we simply fire off an e-mail (no wasted time on the phone) and get very fast results. Oh, and the benefit is that we routinely save at least 7-10% on every booking (when including perks such as OBCs) and sometimes save thousands of dollars on our longer cruises.

Hank

Roy,

Do it all the time. If you want control transfer a couple of weeks before final payment is due. The TA you are talking about base their OBC on the amount you paid for cruise. To transfer I've always had to send a fax with pertinent information about the booking to Princess with information as to who I want booking transferred to. Normally transferred within 24 hrs.

Sue

In July booked the Crown 28 day South Pacific. (one week to wait!!). Yes, the TA gave us 8% OBC, for an $8,500 cruise, you do the math. (And FWIW, the year before (2015) we booked same cruise with AAA and for OBC got a bottle of wine.) So booked last week in July and 2nd week in August the prices went down $300 per pax. I called Princess and they said if I had booked with them (no TA), they possibly, maybe, might give me the new price. But of course I now must go thru my TA. TA tried and no deals. But I'm happy with our cabin and OBC (which if I may brag with TA OBC, Military, and FCD is $1,200).

I might also relate that I had investigated making the reservation with Princess and transferring booking to TA. The best answer was ok, but, do it before any money changes hands. Otherwise gets messy.

Tom

ps - we got 8% and TA got 7%.

AND -it is not too late to book voyage 3647 Crown!!! Today 8 days out there are balcony cabins available on A, B, C decks forward. And what is the price you ask - don't know because after PC has your money they show NO more deals TO YOU.

Checked a (non-specified) big box retailer and my next cruise doesn't even show up in their system. It's for October 2017. Oddly enough our March 2018 cruise shows up just fine. Used the online chat feature and the rep had no clue why it wasn't showing.

Today I made a booking by calling Princess and the agent asked me upfront if I intended on transferring the reservation to a travel agent. I almost felt guilty because I do intend to transfer it to a Big box travel agent. I didn't want to lie so I told her that I probably would.

I asked why she was asking and she said it affects the way they enter it in their system. Does anyone know why it's coded in their system differently?

Today I made a booking by calling Princess and the agent asked me upfront if I intended on transferring the reservation to a travel agent. I almost felt guilty because I do intend to transfer it to a Big box travel agent. I didn't want to lie so I told her that I probably would.

 

I asked why she was asking and she said it affects the way they enter it in their system. Does anyone know why it's coded in their system differently?

It makes no difference to them at all. Contact your proposed TA and they will tell you what to do. Essentially all you need to do to transfer it to a TA is this:

1. Fax a signed letter to PCL requesting that the booking be transferred to the TA. The letter should be faxed to 1-661-291-8680. Include all pertinant booking info as well as the relevant info for the TA

2. If you don't want to (or can't) fax then simply send an email to PCL. Send the email to revenuesupportdepartment@princesscruises.com with the subject Attention Reservations Help. The email must include the following information:

Booking Number

Agency Name (the new TA)

Agency Phone Number

It really is that simple. Been there, done that. I did it with email.

It makes no difference to them at all. Contact your proposed TA and they will tell you what to do. Essentially all you need to do to transfer it to a TA is this:

 

1. Fax a signed letter to PCL requesting that the booking be transferred to the TA. The letter should be faxed to 1-661-291-8680. Include all pertinant booking info as well as the relevant info for the TA

 

 

2. If you don't want to (or can't) fax then simply send an email to PCL. Send the email to revenuesupportdepartment@princesscruises.com with the subject Attention Reservations Help. The email must include the following information:

Booking Number

Agency Name (the new TA)

Agency Phone Number

 

 

It really is that simple. Been there, done that. I did it with email.

Thank you very much Thrak!

D'Oh! I posted info regarding moving a booking from one TA to another. My bad. Normally when I book directly and then move it to a TA I just call my TA and he takes care of it.

Since you were asking about a "big box" move the advice I gave you is almost certainly what they will tell you if you inquire. They are a bit "different". They offered me a lot of OBC but I stuck with my normal TA who gave me a large discount on the price of the cruise instead.

Enjoy your cruise and don't worry about "ruffling the feathers" of Princess. They really don't care one way or the other. The only thing they really care about with a TA is that they want all details to go through the TA and won't talk with you about many things if you call.

Today I made a booking by calling Princess and the agent asked me upfront if I intended on transferring the reservation to a travel agent. I almost felt guilty because I do intend to transfer it to a Big box travel agent. I didn't want to lie so I told her that I probably would.

 

I asked why she was asking and she said it affects the way they enter it in their system. Does anyone know why it's coded in their system differently?

I also book to day. I book through Princess, being my TA is on a plane going to Alaska.

The lady at Princess ask me if I was going to transfer to a TA. I told her yes. She said who, I told her. Then she said is it the same agent that you are using for your Jan cruise. I told here "yes" She said that she will put my TA info on the booking because better to do it now than next week. The Princess Rep, put her down as the agent for me. When I got the conformation E-mail from Princess my TA was on it too.

I am very happy. I all ways want to use my TA.

Another question about moving a reservation to a TA. After it is moved, can I still get on the Cruise Personalizer on the Princess site or does everything have to go through TA?

Another question about moving a reservation to a TA. After it is moved, can I still get on the Cruise Personalizer on the Princess site or does everything have to go through TA?

Everything on the personalizer will still work normally except for payment info. Nothing to do with payment will show up once you move the booking to a TA.

D'Oh! I posted info regarding moving a booking from one TA to another. My bad. Normally when I book directly and then move it to a TA I just call my TA and he takes care of it.

 

Since you were asking about a "big box" move the advice I gave you is almost certainly what they will tell you if you inquire. They are a bit "different". They offered me a lot of OBC but I stuck with my normal TA who gave me a large discount on the price of the cruise instead.

 

Enjoy your cruise and don't worry about "ruffling the feathers" of Princess. They really don't care one way or the other. The only thing they really care about with a TA is that they want all details to go through the TA and won't talk with you about many things if you call.

No worries...LOL... about the instructions. Your reply does make me feel a lot better about not worrying about ruffling feathers.

I also book to day. I book through Princess, being my TA is on a plane going to Alaska.

The lady at Princess ask me if I was going to transfer to a TA. I told her yes. She said who, I told her. Then she said is it the same agent that you are using for your Jan cruise. I told here "yes" She said that she will put my TA info on the booking because better to do it now than next week. The Princess Rep, put her down as the agent for me. When I got the conformation E-mail from Princess my TA was on it too.

I am very happy. I all ways want to use my TA.

Thanks for your comments! This might be why they ask...they can just add your TA on the booking from the start.

Everything on the personalizer will still work normally except for payment info. Nothing to do with payment will show up once you move the booking to a TA.

Thanks, Thrak

Thanks for your comments! This might be why they ask...they can just add your TA on the booking from the start.

Today I looked at my booking. They had the name of my TA travel agency there BUT had Maria (me) listed as the agent. I call Princess and they told me my agent would have to change that. She Princess) to know what she was doing. But she screwed up some what.

Today I looked at my booking. They had the name of my TA travel agency there BUT had Maria (me) listed as the agent. I call Princess and they told me my agent would have to change that. She Princess) to know what she was doing. But she screwed up some what.

I GOT IT FIXED!!! I called Princess again and talked to a man who said he would fix it and he did. He was so nice. So now it has my TA's name on it . Before it had the name of her agency with my name. Now the booking has her agency and name.

I GOT IT FIXED!!! I called Princess again and talked to a man who said he would fix it and he did. He was so nice. So now it has my TA's name on it . Before it had the name of her agency with my name. Now the booking has her agency and name.

They always screw up the name of my TA on the Princess site. They leave off the last two letters of his name. I don't get it...

They always screw up the name of my TA on the Princess site. They leave off the last two letters of his name. I don't get it...

I just did not like having my name listed as the TA. It took two phone calls to change it. The first Princess rep said that she could not do it , even after talking to some one else. The second Princess rep. said no problem, and change it. I guess it is who you talk to and their level of skills.

Essentially all you need to do to transfer it to a TA is this:

 

1. Fax a signed letter to PCL requesting that the booking be transferred to the TA. The letter should be faxed to 1-661-291-8680. Include all pertinant booking info as well as the relevant info for the TA

 

 

2. If you don't want to (or can't) fax then simply send an email to PCL. Send the email to revenuesupportdepartment@princesscruises.com with the subject Attention Reservations Help. The email must include the following information:

Booking Number

Agency Name (the new TA)

Agency Phone Number

 

 

It really is that simple. Been there, done that. I did it with email.

I finally did it today...transferred to big box TA. And your instructions were right on. They told me to do exactly what you said. I went the email route.

TA said to give it 2-3 business days and then call them back and they will then merge the booking into their system.

What's odd is that the fare for one of the cruises was $50 per person more through the TA but TA said the fare I received from Princess will transfer over so I don't have to pay the increased fare. Will be getting OBC from the TA.