Gift from TA

[elmorejj]

I have just returned from picking up some documents for a trip to Mexico next month and my TA surprised me with a gift that HAL had sent to their agency. It was a lovely chrome and glass French cafe-presse, a pound of Italian coffee and a 12oz latte cup with HALs insignia on it. The TA said because I give her a lot of HAL business, she thought I should have it. Anyone elses TA get one of these that you know of?..............jean :cool:

[ekerr19]

Wow, how lovely! That was very nice of your TA... maybe I should give mine a call, lol!

[Krazy Kruizers]

WOW - how thoughtful of your TA to give you a gift that he/she got from HAL.

We give out TA lots of business but would have no idea if she ever got anything from HAL and we can't just out and ask her if she got a gift from HAL.

[doone]

WOW, how nice was that. I have never gotten a gift, but glad to know someone did. Enjoy it.

[sail7seas]

Wow....

 

I just copied your message and it is being e-mailed to my TA in the next 5 mintues.

A little appreciation from HAL might be appropriate.

[Druke I]

I prefer the floral arrangment that our TA sends for every trip - and my wife loves it when I order one for her also.

[kryos]

I prefer the floral arrangment that our TA sends for every trip - and my wife loves it when I order one for her also.

On my last HAL cruise, my TA sent a little gift to my cabin for each half of the b2b ... a HAL coffee mug filled with pillow chocolates one week, and a $20 casino credit for the second week.

 

I can't wait to see what I get for the 30-day Hawaii/South Pacific in January ... though I've already been told to expect some little goodies. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[gizmo]

Jean,

 

That was very nice of your TA to give you the gift. She must think a lot of you. :)

[bepsf]

Wow....

 

 

I just copied your message and it is being e-mailed to my TA in the next 5 mintues.

 

A little appreciation from HAL might be appropriate.

 

Yes, S7S--

You deserve quite a bit of appreciation from HAL and your TA!!!

If HAL were run like the old French Line, you'd be on their perma-upgrade list...

[travelingman]

I hate to be the one to be a party pooper - but - -

my TA has always been willing to match the lowest fare I can find whether it is an internet fare or otherwise.

Because she has given me such a low fare I would be surprised if she presented me with a gift on the cruise or otherwise.

 

It seems in this instance the TA passed along a gift she had received to a respected customer of hers/his.

 

In the case of those who have received shipboard gifts from their TAs I would wonder if maybe you did not "overpay" for the cruise and the TA had plenty left over from the commission to pass along a rebate in the form of a gift.

 

Understand - I am not trying to put anyone down or saying that the TAs have not appreciated the business.

But I am saying that if a TA gives you the rock bottom price can they afford to be making gifts to their client?

 

Just a thought.

Happy cruising!

[sail7seas]

Thanks for your nice comments, Brian.

 

I'll let you know my TA's response.

(If I want a coffee pot, I'll go buy a coffee pot. That, of course, is not the point. The point is a mutuality (is that a word? :) ) of loyalty.

Our TA always sends us wine and I appreciate that. I just thought she might like to see the OP's post.

[ekerr19]

My TA always matches the low, "cut -rate" internet fares too - as long as they are legitimate. She also sends us a little "bon Voyage" gift on every cruise - we also receive a small amount of shipboard credit from the travel agency.

 

I don't think what you pay for a cruise is the basis for whether or not you receive a gift. Our TA books a ton of HAL cruises, as a result they get good pricing and have enough repeat volume from customers to pass along small gifts and shipboard credit.

[ekerr19]

Our TA always sends us wine and I appreciate that. I just thought she might like to see the OP's post.

 

Nothing else? We always get about $100 shipboard credit and some wine and/or flowers...

[SDHALFAN]

My Travel Agency (USAA) does a whole lot of business with HAL so very often when I call to see if I'm eligible for a promo it turns out that my fare is already below the promo fare and I'd end up paying quite a bit more money if I went with the promo.

 

I also always get a bottle of wine and at least $100.00 in cabin credits. However, my TA did present me with two of those navy blue/beige waterproof tote bags with the HAL logo on them (you know the kind they give you when you are invited to tour a ship). I always pack one to take on the cruise since they are far more sturdy than the ones you find in your cabin and it never fails to elicit at least one question as to where they can bought. I just smile and say "you have to sweet-talk your TA.":)

[Italian Nancy]

We have never had a gift from our TA either, but this thread reminds me of my parents.. They usually sell and buy their house every 2-3 yrs, and their real estate agent gives them gifts each time.. no wonder, at the average rate in Ontario Canada of 6% of the sale price, he can certainly afford to give them gifts.. I to would wonder what price you are paying for your cruise.

[elmorejj]

FYI, I do not pay over the top for any of my cruises. My TA also sends Bon Voyage gifts that come out of her own pocket as AAA quit sending gifts a while ago. On our BtoBs over Xmas she sent a beautiful Holiday flower arrangement, a blue satin box embroidered with a Menorah and filled with chocolate "Gelt" and 2 bottles of wine. This gift was sent to the agency and they decided to give it to me..............jean :cool:

[SeaCruiser_1]

Let's see.. my bricks and mortar travel agent will always try to match any lower fare I happen to locate prior to my cruise. She always sends a bottle of wine for formal night. Since we have often organized groups through her office there are goodies that the group rep sends for us. Over the years there have been fuzzy HAL ship slippers, Tshirts, I have a cute little note clip that sits on a box with fluid with my own private HAL ship floating inside. I have luggage tags and mugs. Most recently I received a lovely HAL logo carry on luggage piece (really nice)

 

I couldn't possibly book a different cruise line I wouldn't match!

 

For the record I usually book bargain outside cabins..

[AmyinVail]

Someone on this board gave me the name of a TA (brick and mortar) that I not only booked my HAL cruise, but an upcoming NCL Hawaii cruise, too. I am not expecting a gift, but will be anxious to see if she sends anything. I am a real estate broker, too and I would hope that your brokers all send you a gift at closing.....a few thousand dollar cruise is nothing compared to a few hundred thousand dollar home sale. Just my thoughts!

[ekerr19]

We have never had a gift from our TA either, but this thread reminds me of my parents.. They usually sell and buy their house every 2-3 yrs, and their real estate agent gives them gifts each time.. no wonder, at the average rate in Ontario Canada of 6% of the sale price, he can certainly afford to give them gifts.. I to would wonder what price you are paying for your cruise.

 

Just so you know - I pay QUITE a lot less than HAL's published internet prices... we have used the same TA for years - and they take care of every single detail for us - which can't be beat - we also receive onboard credit of at least $100 per cruise, sometimes more... and I always monitor internet fares - our TA has yet to be beat. :)

 

Maybe it's different in Canada.

[ekerr19]

Someone on this board gave me the name of a TA (brick and mortar) that I not only booked my HAL cruise, but an upcoming NCL Hawaii cruise, too. I am not expecting a gift, but will be anxious to see if she sends anything. I am a real estate broker, too and I would hope that your brokers all send you a gift at closing.....a few thousand dollar cruise is nothing compared to a few hundred thousand dollar home sale. Just my thoughts!

 

Oh Amy - I wish I'd have known you were looking for a TA - I could have hooked you up with ours....

[ekerr19]

FYI, I do not pay over the top for any of my cruises. My TA also sends Bon Voyage gifts that come out of her own pocket as AAA quit sending gifts a while ago. On our BtoBs over Xmas she sent a beautiful Holiday flower arrangement, a blue satin box embroidered with a Menorah and filled with chocolate "Gelt" and 2 bottles of wine. This gift was sent to the agency and they decided to give it to me..............jean :cool:

 

jean - We also get some of the same shipboard gifts - on Holiday sailings we've even gotten Christmas trees! No need to justify :) ... Some these guys are obviously using the wrong TA's, LOL! Our TA also has pricing that can't be beat - we love them and will never change.

[AmyinVail]

Did you give me the name? Someone by the name of Maria gave me the name of the TA I'm using.....so far she's been incredible. FUnny, all these years I thought I was getting the best deal by using an online agency...and someone from this board gave me a name and she has beat every "best" price I've come across. Now, a week from Saturday, if there is a gift from her, too? I'll be loyal forever. email me your TA, though, we vacation quite a bit and I'll always look for the best deal: vangoey@vail.net

 

Getting out the luggage tomorrow..

 

Amy

[ekerr19]

Amy - I just emailed you at the above email address - let me know if you don't receive it... :)

[AmyinVail]

Noth'in yet - did you do .net? vangoey@vail.net

 

Looking forward to hearing what you have to say!!!

[AmyinVail]

Okay...got it. I'll respond via email! Thanks!!!