TA charges to make price adjustment

[Ocean Boy]

I'm sure they charge a cancellation fee also.

 

Yup, one more thing for novices to know enough to ask about before they book.

[ubdkjrb]

I understand what you are saying. I think the reason that airlines get away with what they do is because they know that they have us on the hook. We all have the option of going on vacation or not. But the airlines know that for many of us, if we want to get to the destination of our vacations or business meetings, we have no choice but to use their services. So they tend to have a "take it or leave it attitude." Sure, on the plane they always thank you for choosing them and say that they know we have choices. Unfortunately, the choice is usually just the airline name. The fees and amenities are not much different from airline to airline.... and they know it.

 

With so many booking options available for travel I would think TAs would not be so cavalier about their fees for changes. We do have choices in TAs. And the cruise experience will be pretty much the same no matter which TA you buy the cruise from. I know that for some customers TAs have to put in a lot of time and effort and earn their money. But for many of us we call and tell them exactly what we want. The entire process takes about 10 minutes of their time. We tend to be the same group that could easily book directly with a cruiseline. And we are the group that I think the TAs would most want to hold on to and not annoy with their "fees". But we all learn as we go along. And I think the customer that gets "surprised" with one of these fees that they were too naive to enquire about will most likely not end up being a repeat customer. That is not a good business model... in my mind anyway.

 

You make excellent points. I would add that I believe we are in a transition period from ten or fifteen years ago where you had no choice but to go to a TA to book a cruise (or air or hotel) to ten or fifteen years from now where technology will allow sper easy interactive online booking for even the rookies and TA's will no longer be used for basic travel of any kind. Service was a way for TA's to distinguish themselves in the past. Great service meant gauranteed repeat business. Today, in this transition, people are generally interested in the bottom line pricing and service is not rewarded. Thus the nickel and diming charges. The newest phase in this transition are the "travel consultants" who charge you for everything including the upfront "planning interviews".

 

Just my opinion.

 

Peter

[bplazo]

I would not of even bothered a ta for just $6.00 a person.

[swifty]

Thank you all for your replies. But let me say that I'd ask for the adjustment if it were only

1 cent. Not only is it the principle of the thing, but it is also their job. This is an agency that I have used many times over the years and up until this point have not had any trouble with. And, oh yes, there is a $50 per person cancellation fee.

[Clarea]

Thank you all for your replies. But let me say that I'd ask for the adjustment if it were only

1 cent. Not only is it the principle of the thing, but it is also their job. This is an agency that I have used many times over the years and up until this point have not had any trouble with. And, oh yes, there is a $50 per person cancellation fee.

Sounds like it's time to find a new agency.

[L.W.]

In my opinion ....This is just another reason to book directly with RCI and skip the middle man!

I would cancel the booking ...and rebook directly with RCI...chances are if you watch the cruise price frequently there will be a few price drops before April!

[RLM77]

We use a TA that charges change and cancellation fees. They even charge a $29 booking fee. Am I crazy? No -- at least I don't think so. There is one agency that has prices for cruises with CCL's stable of cruise lines that are significantly lower than anyone else we've found. And I've looked at a lot of web sites. So we're willing to risk paying the fees to get the better price. If the cruise fare goes down $200 pp I will "only" save $370 instead of $400 due to the change fee, but that's still not bad.

 

When we book with RCI or Celebrity, though, I use a full service agent or book direct. TA's are generally not allowed to discount fares on these lines and offered OBC's are generally close to the same if you ask. Plus, I won't pay those change fees if the fare does drop.

 

My preference is certainly to work with a TA that doesn't charge additional fees. But sometimes the prices from at least one extra-charge agent are just too good to pass up.

 

Rich

[SEASONEDCRUZER]

You make excellent points. I would add that I believe we are in a transition period from ten or fifteen years ago where you had no choice but to go to a TA to book a cruise (or air or hotel) to ten or fifteen years from now where technology will allow sper easy interactive online booking for even the rookies and TA's will no longer be used for basic travel of any kind. Service was a way for TA's to distinguish themselves in the past. Great service meant gauranteed repeat business. Today, in this transition, people are generally interested in the bottom line pricing and service is not rewarded. Thus the nickel and diming charges. The newest phase in this transition are the "travel consultants" who charge you for everything including the upfront "planning interviews".

 

Just my opinion.

 

Peter

 

Actually, bookings made through travel agencies have gone up in the past several years as more and more people either become disatisfied with the service (or lack thereof) they receive from the big online sites or they are looking to book a complicated itinerary with many modes of transportation and various hotels through many different countries. In the past airlines used to pay agents, they don't anymore and so booking fees were implemented and everytime there is a price drop on a cruise the commission gets recalled, yet the work still must be done to affect the change, so the fee to change the booking was instituted.

 

The bottom line is that the agent should inform you of booking fees and cancellation fees up front-no question!

 

Many people are not comfortable booking over the internet or do not have the knowledge to book their vacation themselves and they WANT to use an agency! There have been two stories lately in the news where someone booked a ticket to what they thought was Sydney Australia only to wind up in Sydney Nova Scotia CANADA-Big OOPS as they are very far apart!!!! :o Don't think for a moment that the airline would see any humour in this and let you fly to Australia instead! :rolleyes:

[amybeth4]

I understand what you are saying. I think the reason that airlines get away with what they do is because they know that they have us on the hook. We all have the option of going on vacation or not. But the airlines know that for many of us, if we want to get to the destination of our vacations or business meetings, we have no choice but to use their services. So they tend to have a "take it or leave it attitude." Sure, on the plane they always thank you for choosing them and say that they know we have choices. Unfortunately, the choice is usually just the airline name. The fees and amenities are not much different from airline to airline.... and they know it.

 

With so many booking options available for travel I would think TAs would not be so cavalier about their fees for changes. We do have choices in TAs. And the cruise experience will be pretty much the same no matter which TA you buy the cruise from. I know that for some customers TAs have to put in a lot of time and effort and earn their money. But for many of us we call and tell them exactly what we want. The entire process takes about 10 minutes of their time. We tend to be the same group that could easily book directly with a cruiseline. And we are the group that I think the TAs would most want to hold on to and not annoy with their "fees". But we all learn as we go along. And I think the customer that gets "surprised" with one of these fees that they were too naive to enquire about will most likely not end up being a repeat customer. That is not a good business model... in my mind anyway.

 

I completely agree! :)

[amybeth4]

I agree with L. W. I would probably cancel as well. Since you're so far out from your cruise, your price will PROBABLY drop by at least the same $50 that the TA will charge per person to cancel.

 

I got the cheapest interior cabin on the Liberty (Cat N) for the 11/1 sailing and have already gotten $57 in price drops (per person). And remember that's for steerage so the cabin already started out really cheap and that was from late Aug until the beginning of Oct. So we're talking two minor drops (that already equal more than your TA's fees) in about six weeks.