My TA quit - What can I do?

[CroneWynd]

We booked this cruise as a guar stateroom, with every intention that, as it got closer, our TA would keep us updated on any upsell offers, upgrade opportunities, etc. (this is what we did on our last cruise, on a different line, using this same TA).

 

I've kept up with looking at Princess's website, watching availability and fares, and I've kept emailing him with info. He's kept telling me that he's on it, even once saying that he thought that we'd been moved to a better location, yadda yadda yadda.

 

Today, I get an email that says he's going out of business, thanks, I'll still be there for you, but I'm working 12-16 hours per day at my new job...

 

So, actually, there is NO WAY this "TA" can even be checking with the cruise line for upsells!

 

Twelve days until the cruise - what can I do? Seriously, I'm not comfy with just blindly grabbing another TA (the local one here doesn't deal with Princess much), and if I call Princess, they won't even talk to me about it, since I "have a TA", right?

 

If you have any ideas or recommendations as to how I should proceed, or if I should just resign myself to the (still unassigned interior stateroom) GUAR I have, "live and learn", you will find me at gmail.

 

Thanks.

Cronewynd

[firefly333]

If you are going in 12 days, have you gotten your gty assignment yet??

 

Just go .... its not like much usually happens in the last 12 days. enjoy your cruise. You knew it was possible by booking with a TA. Some have gone belly up and taken clients money with them.... you got lucky.

[Dayenu]

If this was at TA who worked in a company - ask who took over his cases. If this was his/her personal business, call the cruise company and ask what you can do. So they won't cut you off, start with "my TA is out of business, can you help?"

[Toto2Kansas]

Princess doesn't offer upsells, so you are OK on that point with your TA not contacting you. And honestly, there isn't much your TA could do at this point, with booking a guarantee, you get whatever they assign you and you don't have much of a say in the matter on Princess. If a higher category drops in price, it is usually in the form of a flash promotion and you would not be offered that fare if you are already booked even if you wanted to upgrade, as they usually are for new bookings only.

So, all will work out in the end. I hope you are assigned a good location, but I would not be looking for a huge complimentary upgrade on this one (as that is how Princess handles guarantees and upgrades, they are complimentary and there is no way for your TA to get you anything better than you would have been assigned in the first place). ;) Enjoy your cruise.

[toberman]

If this was at TA who worked in a company - ask who took over his cases. If this was his/her personal business, call the cruise company and ask what you can do. So they won't cut you off, start with "my TA is out of business, can you help?"

 

That's what I'd do. The OP said his/her TA was going out of business, implying the company. Hopefully payment was made to Princess and not the TA. That's what I would want to confirm with Princess. And how could the TA think the room had been "moved to a better location" IF it has not been assigned yet? Personally, I wouldn't take his word on anything right now.

[paul929207]

If the TA works for an agency, I would call the manager and ask what can be done.

[cb at sea]

As long as you have confirmation that the cruise is paid for, stop checking, start packing and go! Have fun!

[CroneWynd]

TA was a one-man show...

 

I did not know that Princess doesn't do upsells. Thank you. He should have told us that!

(our last cruise, we had a fabulous upsell offer... we told him that we were interested in the same deal this time)

 

Yes, the payment went straight through to Princess - we have a confirmed booking - just no stateroom assigned yet.

 

Thanks. I do feel better now :)

[toberman]

Yes, the payment went straight through to Princess - we have a confirmed booking - just no stateroom assigned yet.

 

 

Then you're good to go !! Enjoy. :D

[MCC retired]

Most TA's will turn over their clients and active bookings to another TA , when they leave the business (for any reason) .

I did just that .

Find out who it will be.

TA's will eagerly accept the business . Active client lists are worth $$$$.

[CroneWynd]

Thanks, all.

 

MCC, our TA claims to be able to manage any existing bookings - in other words, he hasn't turned it over to anyone.

 

He did a good job last time for us, really. Just has been mostly absent this time, and now will no longer be in the biz. I've got a couple of local leads on TAs, but I guess I don't need a different one for this cruise.

[sail7seas]

You booked a guarantee and know that is the minimum cabin you will be in. So, no problem. You will get at least what you bought so you should be fine. Seeing your TA is out of business, the chances are he wasn't very busy. Had he had lots of travel work to do, he'd still be working at that.

 

Relax. It isn't like he didn't make the final payments like we've heard others have done.

Have a great cruise.

 

[wg6530]

so glad to hear the payment went directly to Princess. Just keep watching the website for your room assignment. have a great cruise.

[Dietemann]

Just be sure to fill out all the information in the Cruise Personalizer if you have not already done so, including the credit card information, to speed up the boarding process. You will be able to input the information until 5 days before you cruise. You can then print out your boarding pass and luggage tags. In case your cabin is not assigned until you check in, the porters should have a list of all assigned cabins. You might also ask any Princess specific questions on the Princess board.