Will Never Book Thru an online TA again

[Sue909]

From now on I will only go to the actual cruise ship site to book. I have had such a bad experience with an online booking site. A well known one at that. I am so uneasy with all of their BAD information that I am afraid that nothing they've told me is true when I board the ship.

I put a down-payment down at first thru Carnival....should have just left it at that. I saw on here that another site was giving on-board credit. So, I called them got information and a name and ext to call back to book it with them. I called her 3 different days and left a message so she would get credit when I booked thru her. Nothing. So, I call and speak to anyone who answers (gave her my booking) and transferred my reservation and down-payment. Was told that I had to call back in 4 days to pay my full balance and I could decide then to add trip insurance. So I called back in 3 days to make sure I had that 4th day to decide on the insurance. It was a busy time then and I hadn't put thought into it or talked with my DH. Was told I had till something like middle of next day (different time zone) to call and give authorization for full payment and to decide on purchasing trip insurance. I woke up the next morning ready to call and purchase the insurance and make final payment. I got on my e-mail and saw final payment was automatically applied. So I called right away to add trip insurance. Was told I couldn't because final payment was already applied a few hours before. Bad information there. I asked then that if the price of the cruise goes down before we sail, could I call and get the difference in onboard credit? I was told yes by two people, until 2 days before sailing. So, I called last Wednesday and she took all my information and how much the cruise difference was in both cabins, etc. Said she was submit my paperwork to Canival and I would get notified within 48 hours whether they approved it or not. So, I call today to let them know I didn't get any confirmation on the on board credit. She tells me that Carnival won't do anything because I didn't book early saver. Not one agent let me know about it...not the booking agent, nor the person I spoke to on Wednesday.

Nothing they can do. She said I got bad information, there is a whole lot of new agents and there is only one notation in my file. Was on the phone with this agent for over an hour between holding and talking. UGH. What a waste of many phone calls for nothing.

Sue

[golfadj]

Depending upon whom you speak to at Carnival you can also get bad info.

 

We have used the same pvp at carnival for a few years now and he is good but has no authority and sometimes takes forever to get anything accomplished.

 

Between being a stockholder and sending in the FCC we cruise for less money than ever before but sometimes takes forever for stuff to be posted.

[TEXASMUNK]

The key word here is "discount"

 

The minute someone offers someone something for less, the expectation should be that you will get less....

Less information

Less assistance

Less service

Less knowledge

Remember, the OBC comes out of their gross profit, so they have a goal of not spending time on the phone, or the internet with you...They have one focus, the next booking.

Sorry for the problems, but if you are going to use a TA, find a knowledgable one that works in a bricks and morter travel agency...One you can look in the eye!

[lady_cruiser]

If I read your post right you booked through an agency "here", meaning Cruise Critic. Right? If that is correct you need to let the editor here at Cruise Critic know what you went through. While they might not be able to do anything for you they can look into your concerns and let this agency know what happened to you. Cruise Critic prouds itself the service they give and they need to know about this. Here is the E-Mail address for Carolyn Spencer Brown -Editor in Chief editor@cruisecritic.com

 

And, if you truly feel like you did not receive what was advertise I would also Cc: Sharon Fisher, Advertising Manger - sharon@cruisecritic.com

[Shelli]

In case you're wondering, the title is Latin for "buyer beware." It holds true for everything, but there's so many tales on this and other message boards of being disappointed in agencies that I think it holds *especially* true for booking cruises. The only sure way to prevent disappointment in others is to do it all yourself-- and the only sure way to do it right is to research, research, research!

 

Read everything you can find about the cruise line and the ship and the itinerary that you've picked. Always find out the cancellation policies of the line and the agency, if you go through one. And whenever you get an answer to a question from a TA or a cruise line itself, double check it! Chances are that it'll be an incorrect answer.

[Sue909]

Unfortunately, I've gotten sometimes two wrong answers and then called back and found out that was wrong. The other bad part is that only one person made a notation in my online file so there is nothing to back up my story.

Sad part is that when I was speaking to this last lady, (for over an hour because she put me on hold to see if the Supervisor could do anything and he couldn't), before I hung up, I said to her that I'm sure whatever she told me was probably wrong too. LOL I won't ever book with them again or even deal with them.

[Vanessa L]

I feel your pain, OP. A couple of years ago I broke with my tradition of booking exclusively with my PVP and used the TA that appears to be used for all the group bookings for this page. What a nightmare it was!!!! I learned my lesson with that fiasco of a trip and will never, ever walk away from my PVP again, I don't care what kind of "perks" are being offered. Not worth it at any cost, IMHO.

[mohavemommy]

I booked through an online TA once... was promised an OBC in writing and it never appeared on my onboard account. After filing a compaint I received a check for the OBC amount from them in the mail a couple months after we sailed. I won't be using them again.

[dreamlooker]

From now on I will only go to the actual cruise ship site to book. I have had such a bad experience with an online booking site. A well known one at that. I am so uneasy with all of their BAD information that I am afraid that nothing they've told me is true when I board the ship.

I put a down-payment down at first thru Carnival....should have just left it at that. I saw on here that another site was giving on-board credit. So, I called them got information and a name and ext to call back to book it with them. I called her 3 different days and left a message so she would get credit when I booked thru her. Nothing. So, I call and speak to anyone who answers (gave her my booking) and transferred my reservation and down-payment. Was told that I had to call back in 4 days to pay my full balance and I could decide then to add trip insurance. So I called back in 3 days to make sure I had that 4th day to decide on the insurance. It was a busy time then and I hadn't put thought into it or talked with my DH. Was told I had till something like middle of next day (different time zone) to call and give authorization for full payment and to decide on purchasing trip insurance. I woke up the next morning ready to call and purchase the insurance and make final payment. I got on my e-mail and saw final payment was automatically applied. So I called right away to add trip insurance. Was told I couldn't because final payment was already applied a few hours before. Bad information there. I asked then that if the price of the cruise goes down before we sail, could I call and get the difference in onboard credit? I was told yes by two people, until 2 days before sailing. So, I called last Wednesday and she took all my information and how much the cruise difference was in both cabins, etc. Said she was submit my paperwork to Canival and I would get notified within 48 hours whether they approved it or not. So, I call today to let them know I didn't get any confirmation on the on board credit. She tells me that Carnival won't do anything because I didn't book early saver. Not one agent let me know about it...not the booking agent, nor the person I spoke to on Wednesday.

Nothing they can do. She said I got bad information, there is a whole lot of new agents and there is only one notation in my file. Was on the phone with this agent for over an hour between holding and talking. UGH. What a waste of many phone calls for nothing.

Sue

all i can say is sorry to u i have been cocntacted by a carnival vacation planner he has been great his name is tate if he is busy on the phone i always get a call back from him within 15 min i have changed my cabin three times added people and everything he has been great his advice to me was to add the travil insurance then if i didn't want it take it off .. again i'm sorry u had a bad exsperance did u have a good cruise

[Cruzman]

Unfortunately, I've gotten sometimes two wrong answers and then called back and found out that was wrong. The other bad part is that only one person made a notation in my online file so there is nothing to back up my story.

Sad part is that when I was speaking to this last lady, (for over an hour because she put me on hold to see if the Supervisor could do anything and he couldn't), before I hung up, I said to her that I'm sure whatever she told me was probably wrong too. LOL I won't ever book with them again or even deal with them.

 

Sue, based on your # of posts, you must be fairly new to this forum. CC has been around for about 15 years, and by researching this board you would have been deluged with accurate information from veteran cruisers. There are good reputable TA's out there, but board rules prevent a discussion of specific agencies. On the other hand, you could have easily learned all the details about travel insurance, different types of cruise discounts that are available, the different rules relative to the type of booking such as early saver, etc. I hope that in the future you will use this board to get good information rather than depend on so called TA's or PVP's who in many cases have never set foot on a cruise ship. We are all here to help! By the way, after 39 cruises, I continue to learn new things by frequenting this board.

[DFritz]

I agree with CRUZMan

[golfadj]

The key word here is "discount"

 

The minute someone offers someone something for less, the expectation should be that you will get less....

Less information

Less assistance

Less service

Less knowledge

Remember, the OBC comes out of their gross profit, so they have a goal of not spending time on the phone, or the internet with you...They have one focus, the next booking.

Sorry for the problems, but if you are going to use a TA, find a knowledgable one that works in a bricks and morter travel agency...One you can look in the eye!

 

Have to disagree with you. You can save money and get good service.

 

However you have to know who you are dealing with, as sometimes you save money and you are sorry you ever dealt with that vendor.

 

We all save money on tours by doing it privately. Research is the key.

[dan40]

50 cruises, NEVER with a cruiseline. Started with brick & mortar TA's and now online TA's. Never a problem. But I make sure I KNOW what I'm going to buy before I buy it.Carnival's LEGION of bad PVP's is just as bad as the many bad TA's. But Carnival's best PVP's are not as good as the best TA's. A really good PVP moves on to better things. PVP's are not very high up in the corporate hierarchy.

The consumer's first line of defense MUST be themselves!

[Sue909]

Hey Cruzman....

 

Yes, I don't post often (# of posts) but have been here since March reading everything and anything about cruises. This online agency is well known so I figured I would give it a try.....plus, when they tell you something, and say they will file paperwork, makes it seem like they know what they are talking about.

 

Sue

[Traveler353]

My one previous experience using a TA was a joke, screwed up every way it could be. Swore that I would never use one again. Times change: currently booked for the upcoming official CC group cruise on the Magic. Too early to tell if all will go well. But I am already having problems with getting a specific cabin assigned.

[firefly333]

My one previous experience using a TA was a joke, screwed up every way it could be. Swore that I would never use one again. Times change: currently booked for the upcoming official CC group cruise on the Magic. Too early to tell if all will go well. But I am already having problems with getting a specific cabin assigned.

 

Is the TA standing by the misquoted rate?? I think several of us would take the rate, but not the problems that now she cant assign you a cabin. Lots of people at Carnival looked at it and havent a clue why you cant pick a cabin.

 

She has been know to make a few mistakes ... a small price to pay for the excellent CC company :D

[Traveler353]

Is the TA standing by the misquoted rate?? I think several of us would take the rate, but not the problems that now she cant assign you a cabin. Lots of people at Carnival looked at it and havent a clue why you cant pick a cabin.

 

She has been know to make a few mistakes ... a small price to pay for the excellent CC company :D

 

So far the rate is still good. It would be very hard for her to try to charge me more when I have a contract with a confirmed booking number at that price and deposit has been made and charged. I actually found the same rate on another site (my credit card companies) for a Guarantee inside. Still no action from Carnival on fixing the problem on their site or allowing TA's see actual 1A cabins and booking them. I talked to my PVP a few minutes ago and he said that he can see them but still could not book specific 1A cabins on any of the Galveston Magic cruises. He is also still showing all 1A cabins as available on our cruise. To me it looks like a case of the right not knowing what the left hand is doing at Carnival.

[CrusinCyndi]

I agree with Dan.....I have used brick and mortar and then online ta's for the last 15 cruises I have taken and never had a problem. Price is lower and service better I felt. I used a PVP with Carnival 2nd cruise and she was useless. I learned more on my own. No matter what, you need to do your homework.

[Boozebabe]

Just buy insurance on your own thru an on-line company. You dont want one affiliated with the TA or cruise line.

[spacewoman]

I'm sorry you've been through this hassle and I'm glad you posted about it. Sometimes on this board others are quick to flame you for being angry about something that didn't "go your way" as they would say. You were told one thing and then something different when you called back. Not being able to deal with one person and one person only exacerbated an already frustrating concern. We went through a circumstance of having paid for a cabin for friends and three weeks out she couldn't go. We tried to put my niece and her husband in the cabin and got yes, then no, then yes, then no, then I don't know, then my TA had to be involved and she was told no, then yes, then no, then I don't know up the chain of command at Carnival. I made the mistake of posting after having been on the phone for 3 hours and I was VERY ticked off. I still have the scars from the flaming:D I got mad at my TA saying you've never had this happen before in the 30 years you've been a TA? My frustration was probably made worse by the fact we were trying to get this friend on board and knew she was starting to deal with more and more health issues. In the end, Carnival did us a favor as we would have spent the money on our niece and would not have been able to pay for our friends again last year. She was able to go in September and she died of a bone infection in February. So it was the saying of "everything happens for a reason"

 

I'm sorry you were so misinformed, but my TA told me the cruise lines are getting harder and harder to work with and they are giving less and less in the way of commissions. To me that's going to mean that your TA has to typically have no more than 2 conversations with you to make any money as they now have to hustle to earn their income. It's just a thought as to why you may have encountered what you did. It's all going to take away from the personal touch and customer concern. I see it every day in my little mom and pop business. My vendors long ago forgot what the words "customer service" means. Looks as though that has spread to so many other industries as well.

 

Might you be able to get your travel insurance from something like insuremytrip.com or somewhere else. Maybe explaining the situation would help?

 

What also gets me is that they charged your credit/debit card for final WITHOUT your authorization. What is going on there!!!!!!! They should have been calling you to get verbal OK on this.

[chasinraynbowz]

Even though I have only cruised 5 times, 4 times I booked with my PVP and once I booked with a TA. When I could start answering my own questions better than the TA could, I knew to go back to my PVP.

 

I prefer my PVP. Others prefer a TA, whether they are a brick and mortar or online. Its all personal choice.

[GlendaleCruiser]

I've used an online TA for years and she is very responsive. Travels to Europe and the Caribbean so knows what she is talking about. Last year she went to Rome a few weeks before we did and checked out the hotels firsthand while she was there. When I have a question she answers back within 24 hours and explains all my options and possibilities. She never charges my card without my verbal approval.

[grandmato4]

You do realize that you wouldn't have gotten any price drops after final payment if you'd kept your booking with Carnival ? You originally booked inside 90 days of your cruise so Early Saver wouldn't have been available for your 5 night cruise. Early saver is the only rate that does allow price drops after final payment.

 

So sorry someone at the TA's didnt look at your actual booking before giving you the bad information about getting price drops and worse yet hadn't bothered to call you themselves to tell you that you weren't elligible for any price drops when it was realized. No excuse for poor customer service but certainly good reason for you to not use this TA again. But as others have said, poor customer service can happen booking directly with the cruiseline too. We've had decent experience booking directly but still knew more than the PVP;)

 

If it had been me and I had left phone messages three consecutive days about wanting to book and got no return calls I certainly wouldn't have been giving my booking to that TA in the first place.

 

You can still purchase insurance and because you have options from many different companies you will likely find your insurance less expensive than having purchased it through the TA. The exception to this is if you did wish to have pre-exisitng conditions covered or if you wanted cancel for any reason as for those two, at this point, I think you are out of luck.

 

Enjoy your cruise!:)

[Grumpy100]

We have used private t/a in the past and never got any perks. Years ago we got a bottle of wine or champagne on the first night but those perks have disappeared since the internet.

Just booked the British Isles cruise with a large on-line travel agency and got over $1000 discount.

I did alot of research myself so knew exactly what the prices were, schedules, on board credit, etc. Already called twice and got a call back within 15 minutes. Changed the entire cruise to the one right before the first one we booked and no problems. They will automatically charge our card at the 75 day time which I know and check frequently.

Have all e-mails printed and saved so know exact prices, etc. Will let you know if we have any problems. Happy sailing.:):)

[Quigley10]

Hey Cruzman....

 

Yes, I don't post often (# of posts) but have been here since March reading everything and anything about cruises. This online agency is well known so I figured I would give it a try.....plus, when they tell you something, and say they will file paperwork, makes it seem like they know what they are talking about.

 

Sue

 

Sue,

 

Your experience stinks-I'm sorry! We can empathize...we recently used an online (very well-known) TA for domestic airfare. After final payment, the airline cancelled our original flight, and the TA told us that we would have to pay the new direct fare (+$300/person) to fly our original date, or we could fly later in the week...DURING a holiday period. They were useless.

 

We cancelled with the TA and rebooked directly with the airline. The only saving grace was that the TA did refund our money. Not to hijack the thread, but we very much understand getting screwed by an online TA. :(