Transfering a reservation to TA

[DGNY]

I've booked directly with RCI with final payment about 2 months away. Am considering transfering the reservation to a TA for some OBC. Would like to know if there are any standard questions people ask TAs before doing this? For instance...."Any fees changed for getting price drops"?

 

Would like to be totally prepared as I'm sure there are many things I'm not thinking about that I should ask.

[steponboard]

Ask about all their fees for anything. Get in writing what they giving you. Check with the better business bureau if they are in good standing. They won't tell you if they are about to file bankruptcy so that's where the gamble comes in.

[tgjr]

This is very interesting - just got offers from a travelagent free graditues for 4 pax and USD 300 OBC. this was on a 10 nighter. It is equal to 650 USD approx.

[travelntreats]

Any fee's charged for "any changes" to your booking would be a question I would be asking, i.e. rate drops, name changes, cancellation fee's, etc.... I also would check to make sure that when they make the final payment that the c.card payment is provided to the cruiseline and not the agency.

[travelntreats]

BBB is not always a good indicator of their business practices as you have to pay for membership to be a part of the BBB and many agencies do not enroll with that organization. At minimum, be certain they are a CLIA agency and/or associated with other travel consortiums.

[elleluv]

Do they charge any fees? Booking fees, fees for changing cabins, cancellation fees... any other type of service fees....

Do they honor price drops? Would there be any fees if they do and would they reduce the amount of the OBC if there was a reduction in price?



Do the credit card payments go to them, or do they go directly to the cruise line? I wouldn't recommend anyone ever consider working through an agency that takes payments directly... there have been too many of them that have collected payments and then never paid the cruise line.



Make sure to get it all in writing... I've seen a lot of reports lately from people who get verbal information from some of these online agencies and then they aren't honored later.

[DGNY]

Any fee's charged for "any changes" to your booking would be a question I would be asking, i.e. rate drops, name changes, cancellation fee's, etc.... I also would check to make sure that when they make the final payment that the c.card payment is provided to the cruiseline and not the agency.

 

I'm guessing I could make payment directly to RCI before final due date and before I make the transfer and thus make this issue moot....right?

[travelntreats]

NO.... the TA must have the booking before final payment is made. Cannot transfer AFTER final payment has been made.

 

Just ask the TA you are considering the questions we have all suggested... if you get the answers you are seeking and they will confirm them in writing, you should have no worries.

[DGNY]

NO.... the TA must have the booking before final payment is made. Cannot transfer AFTER final payment has been made.

 

Just ask the TA you are considering the questions we have all suggested... if you get the answers you are seeking and they will confirm them in writing, you should have no worries.

 

This is good to know. I was guessing that a transfer could be made as long as it was before the final payment due date....even if payment was in full before that date.

[Down South Cruiser]

Here is a link to the form you will need to make the transfer. I have done this a few times in the past to get those extra benefits. Talk to your agent first & when all your questions are answered, fill out the form & fax it in. Make sure you get the agency's official phone #, not just the toll free one.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/pdf/TA_TransferForm.pdf