reservation cancelled due to TA mistake

[LCGirl]

I am booked on a celebrity ship and booked online on their site. Paid in full as it is close to sail date. Then I changed to my time dining. I just got an email saying if my reservation isn't paid in full by today they will cancel my trip . Lucky I checked my email today as I don't check everyday. I called them to ask what the $276 was that I owed as I am paid in full. Well that was the fee for the my time dining. I thought that goes on your onboard account. I can't believe that they would cancel my reservation. I would have gotten to the port and had no cruise to go on and would have been very sad!This is very poor business practice . They should at least call you so these mistakes don't happen. Right now I have a migraine!!!I have 130 days at sea with rccl and after this trip will have 26 with X . Buyer beware. you need to be on top of things all the time

[megr1125]

I am booked on a celebrity ship and booked online on their site. Paid in full as it is close to sail date. Then I changed to my time dining. I just got an email saying if my reservation isn't paid in full by today they will cancel my trip . Lucky I checked my email today as I don't check everyday. I called them to ask what the $276 was that I owed as I am paid in full. Well that was the fee for the my time dining. I thought that goes on your onboard account. I can't believe that they would cancel my reservation. I would have gotten to the port and had no cruise to go on and would have been very sad!This is very poor business practice . They should at least call you so these mistakes don't happen. Right now I have a migraine!!!I have 130 days at sea with rccl and after this trip will have 26 with X . Buyer beware. you need to be on top of things all the time

 

when you book MTD or Celebrity Select, you must pay your tips up front, as part of the rest of the cruise fare....

[LCGirl]

I didn't know that. I went in the my cruises and switched to my time dining and thought it goes on the onboard account. My cruise would have been canceled If I hadnt gone online today. How about a phone call before they go a head and cancel your reservation.

[cruisinfanatic]

So true!

 

Mom....Instead of hand wringing, I think it's time to stop being "nice" to the TA, accepting what he/she is telling you, and telling the TA what exactly you want. If the TA can not accomodate, then it's time to gather all of your information and get the RCCL and the TA's company on the phone (as someone else suggested) and tell both what you want.

 

Be specific....be firm in what you want! Is a different cruise a possibility? Monetary compensation? And, since your son is going into the military, you won't be seeing him for awhile. That makes the TA's screw up hurtful to you and your family by not adhering to the plan you hired them to execute with the cruise. That means small claims court, as I'd pull that out as part of the conversation.

How about letting the TA try and resolve the problem before getting nasty. You don't always get resolution when you are rude to begin with.

Small claims court? LOL

[teajak]

I didn't know that. I went in the my cruises and switched to my time dining and thought it goes on the onboard account. My cruise would have been canceled If I hadnt gone online today. How about a phone call before they go a head and cancel your reservation.

It is very clear on the RCI web site that MTD must pay tips in advance.

[CoachT]

So many changes in what has been posted. Methinks this was a thread started merely to paint all TAs in a bad light!

[honeybee85]

Honestly, she comes here for advice & help, and all some of you can do is expend effort to poke holes in her story! :(

 

Some folks around here refuse to accept that travel agents are not perfect. Instead, they will assume the guest must have made a mistake. The fact remains the OP hired an agent and relied on that agent's information. That means the agent is in error and needs to remedy this situation.

 

For those saying Resolutions should find a way to make it cost less - that means it will cost Royal. Why should Royal pay for the agent's mistake?

 

I am booked on a celebrity ship and booked online on their site. Paid in full as it is close to sail date. Then I changed to my time dining. I just got an email saying if my reservation isn't paid in full by today they will cancel my trip . Lucky I checked my email today as I don't check everyday. I called them to ask what the $276 was that I owed as I am paid in full. Well that was the fee for the my time dining. I thought that goes on your onboard account. I can't believe that they would cancel my reservation. I would have gotten to the port and had no cruise to go on and would have been very sad!This is very poor business practice . They should at least call you so these mistakes don't happen. Right now I have a migraine!!!I have 130 days at sea with rccl and after this trip will have 26 with X . Buyer beware. you need to be on top of things all the time

 

Buyer beware? You added something to your cruise which left you with a balance due. As a courtesy they contacted you prior to cancelling due to having a balance due. They have never added the prepaid grats (it isn't a fee) for MyTime dining to your onboard account when you select it before hand.

 

I am not sure why you can't believe they would cancel your cruise? If you owed money and it wasn't paid...that is what happens.

 

I didn't know that. I went in the my cruises and switched to my time dining and thought it goes on the onboard account. My cruise would have been canceled If I hadnt gone online today. How about a phone call before they go a head and cancel your reservation.

 

They contacted you via email. Please believe having been a travel agent people always think they are easier to contact than they really are. I will spend days calling a person and leaving messages with no contact back only to email them and get an immediate response (especially from those that say they don't check it every day).

[LCGirl]

Didn't know I had the balance due or I certainly would have paid it. Do you think I would want my trip canceled? On princess the my time dining was added to onboard account. I assumed prepaid was on the account instead of putting the tipping in the envelopes they usually give you.What is the difference if I board the ship , go to the maitre d and say I want to switch to my time dining. That would not be paid before sailing.

will not choose the my time again.

When I chose that option it should have said pay $276 now if you want the option and asked for my credit card # and I would have given it . They have my # as I already checked in online.

[honeybee85]

Didn't know I had the balance due or I certainly would have paid it. Do you think I would want my trip canceled? On princess the my time dining was added to onboard account. I assumed prepaid was on the account instead of putting the tipping in the envelopes they usually give you.What is the difference if I board the ship , go to the maitre d and say I want to switch to my time dining. That would not be paid before sailing.

will not choose the my time again.

When I chose that option it should have said pay $276 now if you want the option and asked for my credit card # and I would have given it . They have my # as I already checked in online.

 

Wow. You have no sense of personal responsibility. When you check in online - you give them the last four digits. How do you expect them to charge your credit card with only those numbers? Beyond that, it is their policy to only charge with your explicit permission.

 

You mention Princess but you are not sailing on Princess. Did you bother to ask? No. You assumed and that assumption nearly cost you your cruise. Next time, ask - don't assume.

[cruisinfanatic]

Didn't know I had the balance due or I certainly would have paid it. Do you think I would want my trip canceled? On princess the my time dining was added to onboard account. I assumed prepaid was on the account instead of putting the tipping in the envelopes they usually give you.What is the difference if I board the ship , go to the maitre d and say I want to switch to my time dining. That would not be paid before sailing.

will not choose the my time again.

When I chose that option it should have said pay $276 now if you want the option and asked for my credit card # and I would have given it . They have my # as I already checked in online.

did you get a statement?

I guarantee that it had a balance on it when you changed to MYD

[Happy ks]

How about letting the TA try and resolve the problem before getting nasty. You don't always get resolution when you are rude to begin with.

Small claims court? LOL

 

This is what I was thinking. I'm sure the TA feels bad and is probably doing everything they can to rectify the solution. Why do people feel like they have to get tough to get results? Think about it, would you rather help a person being nice to you, or one yelling at you???

 

Why not make them want to help you and feel good while doing just that?

[cruisefrost]

Have not used a TA in years. Most of the timeTA give no better prices the the cruise line site.Had problems almost like yours The TA had our payment but forgot to send it to RCL. Years ago a TA booked us at a smoking table NON SMOKERS do not like sitting at a smoking table. DA! After countless other errors I handle all our bookings on line. Get great service from RCL and have made many changes to our reservation with never a problem

[Morecruisesplz]

Have not used a TA in years. Most of the timeTA give no better prices the the cruise line site.Had problems almost like yours The TA had our payment but forgot to send it to RCL. Years ago a TA booked us at a smoking table NON SMOKERS do not like sitting at a smoking table. DA! After countless other errors I handle all our bookings on line. Get great service from RCL and have made many changes to our reservation with never a problem

 

I love how people pick a bad TA and then paint them all with such a broad brush.

• Was this TA approved by Royal and on their listing of experienced and trained TA's?
  
• How many years ago could this have been that they allowed smoking at the table?
  
• No better prices? Does $400 OBC on an Alaska cruise not interest you? Does $100 OBC on a Caribbean cruise not interest you?
  
• Is your time of no value? (yes, TA's do all the work for you)
  
• The TA's on Royal's list all have special reps they deal with who can get things done that the customer service person you deal with you can not.
  

Even the OP's TA (if the mistake turns out to really have been their fault) might yet make this all turn out just fine for this person. Give them a chance and don't beat up on TA's even if one did make a mistake back when smoking was still allowed in the MDR.

(disclaimer: No, I'm not a TA. None of my relatives or friends are either. But I've cruised a lot more since I started letting TA's find me bargains and give me money to spend on my cruises that would come out of my pocket otherwise. TA's also can have lower prices if they have group space held on a cruise you want to book.)

[LCGirl]

I booked online. On Celebrity. Paid in full. Went into my celebrity changed from 8:30 to my time. Didn't know that they take your money for my time before you cruise. Didn't know that I wasn't paid in full. Will not book online again . Will call a representative next time so this mistake doesn't happen again. But they have my money for the cruise and were going to cancel for a dining preference. You have got to be kidding me. They have my credit card full # as I booked with them. When I went in and changed to my time there should be a statement saying call the company and give them more money before you cruise so you don't get your reservation canceled and lose your trip!My time was terrible anyway as you get all different waitstaff and they have their tip already and know they don't have to work for the tip.Just thought it might be a more convenient option. Didn't think I would get a bashing for alerting others so this doesn't happen to them . That is why I said buyer beware. Honey bee you don't have to be so nasty.

[LCGirl]

My statement said 0 balance

[cruisinfanatic]

My statement said 0 balance

Just saying if you got a printed statement after you made the change it sure wasn't $0

[wvufan]

I will let you all know what my TA gets when he talks with RC. And I agree HONEYBEE no one should be switched out of their rooms to accomodate us. I think the cruise line keeps a few rooms in their back picket for situations like this.

(quote is from OP).

My original suggestion (asking the TA to try to upgrade the people in your original cabins) might be a great thing for those affected.

 

We often wonder how the upgrade fairy works, and I am sure this is a common explanation. We were once upgraded to help out a foreigner who did not speak English be next to a countryman. The upgrade was from an inside to a very nice oceanview. I still think this would be the best solution to the dilemma. It might even be done with the approval of the affected parties. (my only concern would be if they booked adjacent cabins for one group, and that could be determined before any switch).

 

Regardless, the cabins are simply a small part of the trip-it is really all about sharing time with family and you will have plenty of opportunity to do that.

 

Happy Sails to You

 

OOOEEE :D:D Bob and Phyl

[atb]

We have been on cruises where we were next door - and cruises where we were not. Both cruises ended up well for all concerned. We had favorite spots on the ship where we would meet during the day.

And, looking back; I would say we met up more often when we were meeting up else where - than when we were meeting up in our cabin area.

As to TAs. We all make mistakes, and it sounds like OP TA is trying to fix this.

Good traveling to OP and family - and Happy Christmas to them. :D

[SRQfireman]

You say that you always cruise before Christmas so I don't understand how this mistake could slip by you. Final payment is NEVER only 30 days before sailing and as a previous cruiser you should have realized that final payment would be not be in November. I am surprised that the TA would allow the reservation to cancel without contacting you. How did you become aware that the reservation had cancelled?

 

I was going to say the same thing, but I see you beat me to it. If you have cruised previously, especially more than once before, you should have an idea that cruises are paid for long before 30 days....that should have tipped you off(and it's not like it's 35-40 instead of 30....it's 75 days) And also as mentioned, it's in your "file" at RCCL's website. Your booking will reflect your final payment date......well.....hopefully this will work out for you. I would not settle for cabins on different decks unless that's the only thing left, and others indicated there's outsides and balconies left they can pay the difference for.

Good luck

[Desert Cruizers]

I have used our TA for all our cruises and she or her staff, have done a wonderful job in handling our cruises and sending the statements out showing all charges, & payments. While one can experience a bad situation using a TA or company, I doesn't reflect back on all of them. Our TA even emails me cruises they are handling. Her office is local.

I hope everything works out for you and your able to enjoy your cruise.

[UNV-IT!!!]

This is exactly why I don't use Ta's. To avoided this kind of garbage. I've booked everyone of my cruises and guess what. Never had an issue. When your not relying on someone else you pay more attention.

[cruisefrost]

Thats the truth. As to my time being more valueable. I spend less time booking my own cruise than I ever did with a TA. Try waiting at their office to see one or on hold on the phone for a question. Not to mention, making a change to our cruise and waiting all day to hear back from a TA and find out they did not call the line but will try again tomorrow. Yes the smoking issue was a few years back. Never use a TA again. Glad other people has had good luck with TA's. Been nothing but problems on my end and I used several TA's before started to book on my own. Not all cruises have better deals with TA's so I guess its what your looking for. I find it interesting that most of time (and I said most) that the deals the online sites and TA's say they are getting for you are the very same price the cruise line has on their site.

[CoachT]

The best thing about being a TA is being able to not take on every customer who comes our way. Love getting to pick and choose who we do business with.

[Morecruisesplz]

I find it interesting that most of time (and I said most) that the deals the online sites and TA's say they are getting for you are the very same price the cruise line has on their site.

 

never mind

[cheeringmom99]

I did get an email from the TA and he was able to book rooms for us. we just don't know where we they will be yet. Right now I am just thankful he found us rooms on the same ship. : ). I was able to secure the rooms in full so we are good to go.

 

Thank you all for the advice. Mistakes happen and we move on. I will probably use a TA next time we cruise but I have learned a lot from this thread and this site to be more on top of things. I am not an organized or detail oriented person (why I had a TA ) but I've learned that when you have a good amount of money involved and a special event planned to stay on top of things!

 

Thanks again