Advise!! got my docs, but now they say I owe $500!!

[seagoer55]

Have you done any of the research that was suggested such as getting your credit report, to try & track down what credit card was used for your depsosit??? For $500 I would not be so quick to just give up...

[just4kixx]

Something makes my antenae wriggle when you said that you got special rate for a Tuesday special . .. Those tuesday specials are only for new bookdings . ... . .

 

Is it possible that your TA did a new booking for you in order to get that special rate for your mom, but it might have changed the rest of your ressie. .. ..

 

Either way, your TA has some explaining to do . .. .

 

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

Paula

 

See, that's what I thought too! and I mentioned it on a thread earlier this week, and no one backed up my post, so I figured I must be wrong~

 

A~

[twoatsea]

It's somewhat confusing to me, but maybe I've followed it correctly. If so, you are not out $500 if you are willing to spend the time required.

 

You either already have or can get your TA to get the proof from RCCL of the credit to your CC, with the CC# RCCL applied the credit to.

 

Get your credit report to match the above CC # to a CC company.

 

Contact the CC company & get the CC statements, or just ask them over the phone is there a $500 credit during that time period. If a credit - you owed the $500, you didn't lose it. If no credit - get the statements. Also, ask the CC company - what if a company says they gave me a credit & it is not there, what proof do I need from them to give to you (the CC comp) so you can verify that it was never received by your company? Otherwise, RCCL may just say that your CC company must have misapplied the credit.

 

Your TA then needs to contact RCCL & provide the CC statements where the credit supposedly was applied, but wasn't, & copies of your CC statements with all of your payments totaling the full payment.

 

I don't see how that would not solve the situation one way or the other. Granted it will take some time, but to me, $500 is worth the hassle.

 

If it turns out that RCCL is incorrect & you did not get your $500 credit, they need to return the $450 to the TA & the TA needs to pay you $500!

 

If I did all of the above & proved I did not get the credit & therefore did not owe $500, and RCCL would not refund the money, or did so & the TA would not pay it to me, I'd be calling the State Attorney General & filing a case. I'm not a lawyer, but I'm assuming to do business in each state, the TA & RCCL have to follow state law & respond to the state in legal matters. I know once when I had a problem company & I mentioned that my only recourse was to contact the state attorney general, the company magically solved the problem overnite via FedEx!

 

Anyway, good luck & I hope you have the best cruise ever.

[sheilb4]

I did check the "new booking" angle, because that did make sense, but as my discount was actually a rate reduction they honored it as OBC on a present booking.. Credit report done, but still unable to figure out as last 4 digits per RCCL for $500 they are now saying they refunded (per my TA), is different to the cc that my TA gave me as the card used for this...

very confusing, but ultimately I have lost out on $450 OBC that was promised by TA and the only reason I transferred the booking to her.

Looks like I am "sc***ed"

At least I do still have some OBC to use.....and will be going on my cruise...but....I am still trying to figure out what else I can do....just wish I was able to discuss all this with RCCL, but no-one will talk to me.

[sheilb4]

Thank you. I will continue to delve into this, but at least I am able to go on this cruise..I was told by my TA that they would cancel by 5p tomorrow if the $500 wasn't paid..! I lost the $450 OBC, but then I never really had it anyway I guess....?

I can't even get the full cc # from RCCL, I asked my TA to get it but am told they only have the last 4 digits...no bank info etc...hmmmmm.

Anyway, for now I shall try not to stress and wait to enjoy a great cruise, AND always book directly thru RCCL in future as I did with my next 2 cruises! No more transferring of bookings for me! :eek:

[jmf123]

I'm with seagoer55 and wouldn't give up...and this situation would "make me go more than hmmmmmm", OP.

 

Another angle on this..... just had an email from TA....seems that RCCL are stating that the $500 deposit was refunded when I transferred over to TA....back in November 08...

TA says that she just took over their invoice with payments and worked from that...no mention of any refund etc at that time...(until yesterday)

The invoice from RCCL stated the deposits were all paid....and what the remaining balance was, which was paid in full 6 weeks ago...

So now what????

 

So from what you stated, the $500 that was supposedly refunded to you back in November 2008 (when you transferred your booking to the agent) was never noticed by her. The cruiseline's Passenger Confirmation she receive from RCI would have reflected the credit on your account. I can't imagine that $500 on a booking would just disappear into thin air, or off the page! You said "The invoice from RCCL stated the deposits were all paid...and what the remaining balance was, which was paid in full 6 weeks ago". Did you ever see these 'invoices' and are they really Passenger Confirmations from RCI?

 

What I don't understand is this- when final payment was due, I would think that the TA would have confirmed the amount due with Royal Caribbean. As a former TA I did this on every booking, prior to providing the client's cc #. I would think that the discrepancy of $500 should have been evident at that point. And if it happened after your rate reduction, there should be a reason that perhaps the cruiseline can explain.

 

If I were you, I would pursue this with RCI, letting them know there is a discrepancy that involves your TA that you haven't been able to resolve. It's one thing if you were credited the $500 in November and that is the reason for all of this, but very wrong for you to be asked to make an additional (huge or not) payment that you don't understand. Given everything, it's still a mystery to me.

 

And in addressing the TA taking the promised $450 OBC away from you, was that told to you when the rate reduction was made? Why would the entire OBC be taken from you, for a rate reduction...she didn't lose all of the commission on your booking. This whole situation doesn't seem right.

[sheilb4]

What I don't understand is this- when final payment was due, I would think that the TA would have confirmed the amount due with Royal Caribbean. Exactly!!!As a former TA I did this on every booking, prior to providing the client's cc #. I would think that the discrepancy of $500 should have been evident at that point.

I agree!

And if it happened after your rate reduction, there should be a reason that perhaps the cruiseline can explain.

Apparently noone at RCCL can explain per my TA..

If I were you, I would pursue this with RCI, letting them know there is a discrepancy that involves your TA that you haven't been able to resolve.

I have tried several times incl calls to the resolutions dept and C&A..they will NOT discuss anything with me, this is what is so upsetting..

It's one thing if you were credited the $500 in November and that is the reason for all of this, but very wrong for you to be asked to make an additional (huge or not) payment that you don't understand. Given everything, it's still a mystery to me.

 

And in addressing the TA taking the promised $450 OBC away from you, was that told to you when the rate reduction was made? Why would the entire OBC be taken from you, for a rate reduction...she didn't lose all of the commission on your booking. This whole situation doesn't seem right.

The OBC ($450) she was giving me was taken away to pay for the balance "due"...otherwise I would have to have used one of my credit cards to pay.

I think my TA did well, esp, since I had also booked a GS!

__________________

[Desert Cruizers]

Sheil once I was paying off last Cruise, thought i still owed for 1/2 of fuel charge, turns out they recinded the whole thing so I owed $75 less. My TA called me to let me know that balance was only so much. Example owed= 1000 + 75 for fuel charge. so i only owed the $1000 or whatever the final figure was at the time I called my TA to pay off.

[Look2Sea]

Maybe I am not correctly following but seems to me that IMHO

 

• RCCL is now saying that the $500 credit card deposit never posted.
  
• But RCCL invoices mistakenly showed $500 payment even though it did not post.
  
• Seems that RCCL just recently discovered their accounting error, and thus asking for $500 balance due.
  
• Since you did not want to use credit card to pay $500, TA offered to use $450 onboard credit, and RCCL forgave the remaining $50
  

If your credit card was not actually charged $500, I don't see how you are losing anything, but instead actually gaining $50.

 

If your credit card was charged, and there was no subsequent $500 credit to credit card, then it is a problem either with RCCL or with the credit card company. I don't think it is the TA's fault.

 

I think it is worth investigating whether you actually paid the $500, and if you did pay the $500, then to find out what happened to it.

[SRQfireman]

O.K....I just read this whole thing, and here's my take......

Re: Tuesday's Sales Event....Like others have said.....that is for new bookings only.....no if's/and's/but's ! they are strict on that........#2...if they did honor a price drop, RCCL does not give OBC in lieu of giving money back.....if you got a "legal" price drop at any time including after final payment, they'd refund the money to your card.....if you were talking about NCL...then I'd a said that was correct. (Carnival use to do that also--->issue OBC instead of money back)......so that doesn't add up either......so you owed $500 (supposedly) but you said your TA paid it with your $450 credit.....you didn't mention about the other $50 owed...that had to been the $50 that RCCL gave her as "bonus money" for her troubles.....

Like others said...you need to figure out that 1st $500 as to where it went.....the credit card people still have it ???? where did it go?

and 1 other thing that was mentioned I want to mention as well......RCCL will not let agents under pay a booking....it would have showed back at final payment it was $500 short and would have asked for that money right then......agents have to pay the FULL AMOUNT

I'm sure you'll let us know how this progresses.....something doesn't add up

[SRQfireman]

O.K....I got thinking about this some more.....if they got a Sr discount, that is not the "Tuesday's Sales Event"......that is the weekly "Promowave" that comes out with multiple types of discounts that you cashed in on.....those are *not* strictly for new bookings only....but I still stick by my #2 above.....I have not seen RCCL issue OBC instead of giving people money back if they qualified for a price drop.......that part still has me shaking my head.

[aprilfool]

OBC is now given for price drops after final payment.If not all used on cruise then put back on cc.

[Mrsg324]

I always use 1 credit card for the full amount on my cruises from down payment to final payment. This way if there is ever a discrepancy I have the info with one card.

I also check my card to see if payments post within days from my agent making the payments.

I would have noticed a 500 credit back to my card & questioned it at that time.

[Desert Cruizers]

Angela like you, one Credit Card is used for all Cruise Transactions. I can check online to verify the Cruise lines received their $$ and in all cases, it will read, payment was made by the Cruise lines and not via my TA. My TA merely calls the Cruise lines and authorizes them to charge my CC for a payment in the amount I specify.

[Mrsg324]

My cruise payments have all said either RCI or Carnival. However, my insurance shows the travel agency but I've always received my policy via email showing the payment.

[PrincesScuba]

O.K....I got thinking about this some more.....if they got a Sr discount, that is not the "Tuesday's Sales Event"......that is the weekly "Promowave" that comes out with multiple types of discounts that you cashed in on.....those are *not* strictly for new bookings only....but I still stick by my #2 above.....I have not seen RCCL issue OBC instead of giving people money back if they qualified for a price drop.......that part still has me shaking my head.

SQR, this is the new price drop policy that just went into effect.

 

If there is a price drop BEFORE the final payment, it is given as a reduction in what you owe.

 

If there is a price drop AFTER final payment, it is given as OBC on that cruise.

[patseacruiser]

Here's my one problem with this. The $500 was credited back supposedly to a card the OP does not recognize. They only credit back to the cards that actually made the deposit and if the TA goes into cruising power the last 4 digits for every payment shows yet they credited to an account not listed there? I'm confused by that. I think the onus is on RCL to prove they credited to the right account.

[SRQfireman]

Ah-Ha ...thanks for the reminder.....I now remember reading about that recently......I was just trying to figure out if that had something to do with the OP's issue (about price drops and money back...etc) I think that OBC thing literally went into effect like within the last couple of days.

[monicajay]

I think the OP needs to figure out what CC her deposit was made on (and then she can trace whether it was credited back). I can't imagine spending $500.00 on a card, paying the bill and then not having any record or recollection of which card it was. :rolleyes:

 

The TA must have a record somewhere in her files even if it is her hand written notes of when she took the card number from the client by phone. I worked as a TA for 10 years and something doesn't make sense in this whole story.

[vtoria98]

Sounds to me like the OP needs to get on the phone with her TA and get a 3 way call going with RC. This whole things sounds fishy that RC cant tell the whole CC # is bogus.

 

Sounds like your TA messed up and is playing CYA by blaming RC.

[cookmg40]

Here's my one problem with this. The $500 was credited back supposedly to a card the OP does not recognize. They only credit back to the cards that actually made the deposit and if the TA goes into cruising power the last 4 digits for every payment shows yet they credited to an account not listed there? I'm confused by that. I think the onus is on RCL to prove they credited to the right account.

 

I agree. As it now seems the problem is in the refund that RCCL processed, you must get on the phone with both TA and RCCL at the same time! RCCL should be able to give the TA the full credit card number that was used for the refund, even if they won't give it to you. Since you now have your credit report, you can confirm if the card was yours or not. You also need to ask RCCL why they would not refund the original card used for payment and why you were never informed a refund was being processed.

If the TA won't agree to a three-way call, then something is wrong. It sounds like she promised something she could not deliver and found a way to get out of it.

[amybeth4]

All of this can be solved in the future if you'd all get the BofA RCI credit card and only use that one for cruise purchases! :)

 

Anyway, I've been following this since day one (and was the one who suggested getting the credit report to see which card was used and then call that bank). Sheil, I'm glad to see you're still in a good mood about this and you'll be able to cruise and won't let it affect your trip. If this can't be settled before you leave, I REALLY hope it works out after. Losing your $450 credit would REALLY stink. It may be money that you technically didn't have in the first place, but you certainly counted on it when you transferred your booking!

 

:) Good luck.

[Spudhunter]

Is it possible that the original TA paid the deposit via an agency credit card? In that case, if a $500 credit was indeed issued, it would have been issued back to the original booking agency credit card, thus the unrecognizable credit card number.

[crusinmama06]

Is it possible that the original TA paid the deposit via an agency credit card? In that case, if a $500 credit was indeed issued, it would have been issued back to the original booking agency credit card, thus the unrecognizable credit card number.

 

Yes, this is exactly what I was thinking. But they are suppose to credit it to the original credit card that made the deposit.

 

So, Sheilb - did you book direct with RCCL when you first made the booking or did you transfer it from one TA to another?

 

I am hoping they didn't credit it back to the AGENCY's credit card. Then she would be making money on top of more money. :eek:

 

And don't let this discourage you, not all TAs are as inept as that one. ;)

[FigmentsKiss]

I have been following this from the beginning, and glad that as far a RCCL is concerned all is well and you are going on your cruise, but still think something sounds off.

 

I made a change to my 11/1 reservation on Wednesday, did an upgrade, and was paid in full when I got off the phone. On Friday I received a call that I owed $90(same day that this all started with you). I was told that my credit card had been credited in error, but they needed the credit card number to recharge it. Huh? Well, when I did the upgrade somehow all my specialty restaurant dining got cancelled and they took that money and applied it to my room. Then, revenue, seeing the cancelled dining- credited me the $90. So, I ended up oweing $90- and had no dining. I ended up on the phone with resolution forever (really, it did feel that way) trying to sort it out (especially since I was dining with another couple that I had paid for and reserved). Finally, they found my missing $90 in dining money from the other couple- it was in limbo. Then I had $180 in credit on my charge card for my cancelled dining and still owed $90 for the money misapplied. It finally got sorted out, but while resolution was dealing with it, there was a lot of phantom money going around... Just seems odd that they "credited" me $90, that they actually didn't and it was really just in limbo money that if I didn't make them look for they would have never found.

I know you said C&A would not talk to you, but see if the resolution dept will. This is a lot of money that may or may not have gotten credited to a credit card you may not have even ever owned.