I have changed TA's and my Oceania agent needs manager approval to redirect the file?

[Pirouette]

Long story short- I booked directly with Oceania last weekend to take advantage of the lower deposit, which I have paid. I referred my booking to a local TA, which Oceania said I could do-no questions asked. I referred the booking to the TA on Monday.

 

Today I decided today to change agents-mine informed me that he would be on a leave of absence for a year. He told me this two days ago, after I had instructed Oceania to deal with him. I was not happy staying with that office and the TA had not really taken any steps on the file, other than to try to sell me separate airline tickets and one call to Oceania about the free air offer.

 

I told the TA that I would take over the file myself. Some friends suggested another local TA who works exclusively on cruises. I called my original reservation agent at Oceania and explained the situation-that I had planned to conclude the booking myself, but now I would like to change my TA to someone who deals with cruises. I gave her full particulars of the new TA both over the telephone and by e-mail. I later received a message that my original Oceania agent had to forward this request to her manager and that I would have an answer tomorrow. What???? I thought it was my booking and any TA is my choice. The final payment is not due for another couple of weeks. What gives???

[sitraveler]

I do not know why you would question this.

 

If I made a contract with 2 others, I would not be surprised that all would have to agree to the change. It would also discourage TA's from stealing from other TA's. In long distance telephone service it was called churning.

[LHT28]

You gave the booking over to TA #1 so they have to sign off on the booking sending it back to Oceania

You have to wait until that is done before sending it over to TA #2

You are taking their commission from TA#1 so they have to agree to give control back to you (Oceania) in writing

 

 

You cannot just swap TA's willy nilly:rolleyes:

[Jancruz]

I suggest just have your 2nd choice take care of it with Oceania..or if they cant, look for a third

Jancruz1

[Pirouette]

The swap is not "willy nilly". I did all the work by doing the research and making the booking. TA #1 played no part. Oceania has no relationship with either agent as their contract is with me. I do not understand the need for agent # 1 to sign off. Again, the choice should be mine. The option is to cancel the booking entirely and to re-book -with TA #2 on either Oceania or another cruise line.

[pacheco18]

I suggest just have your 2nd choice take care of it with Oceania..or if they cant, look for a third

Jancruz1

 

So right. Once you have hired a TA, let them do the work and earn the commission. You should not be making any calls to O at this point.

[Mary Ellen]

Oceania has no relationship with either agent as their contract is with me.

Once you decide upon a TA, Oceania (or any other cruise line) has has a "relationship" with them. More or less, you gave the contract to them. It doesn't matter how much the TA has done for you - or not.

[GJH123]

When we were in the process of booking our next cruise on board Marina, I specifically asked that a new agent be listed as the agent of record. I was informed that because the agent was part of large network that it couldn't be done at that time and that I would need to call and change the agent once I returned home. I felt that it showed Oceania's loyalty to its agents over its paying customers and was frankly not happy with having to jump through the procedural hoops.

[capecodder2]

I think O is trying to keep everyone happy and follow the rules - they may never have to deal with you again, paying customer or not, but they probably will have to deal with that TA again. If you think this through as a business person in a retail market, you might see it differently. Once you transfer your cruise to a TA, it is not just yours. You are making a mess and treating everyone else very harshly because they are not jumping to your command. Take a deep breath, back off and let them all do their work.

[LHT28]

I did all the work by doing the research and making the booking. TA #1 played no part. Oceania has no relationship with either agent as their contract is with me.

Did you transfer the booking to TA #1?

If so the contract IS with them & the cruise line

 

It is like that with all cruise lines that I am aware of ..

[GJH123]

Capecodder:

You miss my point. We were in the process of booking the cruise on board Marina. No TA was involved. I requested that the Oceania representative list a new agent on an upcoming cruise. I was not requesting a change on a previously booked cruise.

I was requesting the change because of very poor service from the previous TA--OBC not credited, lack of communication and initiative, insurance issues, etc. Why would I reward this agent with a NEW booking? I was trying to avoid, not making, a mess.

[YoHoHo]

I agree; it seems to me there must be a contractual relationship - they are an agent not just an uncontracted facilitator. You do have a contract with O through their agent. And O has a obligation to the agent as well. They are legally entitled to commissions that the cruise line must pay to that agent (and the agency they work for takes a cut.) Thinking a little further the contract may be between the cruise line and the agency not between the cuise line and the agent; the agency and the agent in turn have a contract. I don't really know. If that is true it could explain why GJH123 was not able to change agents through O but had to get the agency to change agents.

 

I called O once about a booking and one of the questions involved money. O's rep answered my cruise and cruise line related questions but all money questions had to go through the agent.

[YoHoHo]

Capecodder:

You miss my point. We were in the process of booking the cruise on board Marina. No TA was involved. I requested that the Oceania representative list a new agent on an upcoming cruise. I was not requesting a change on a previously booked cruise.

I was requesting the change because of very poor service from the previous TA--OBC not credited, lack of communication and initiative, insurance issues, etc. Why would I reward this agent with a NEW booking? I was trying to avoid, not making, a mess.

Sorry, after posting I now see your new post with the clarification. I missed that it was a new booking as well. Interesting they could only book it through your 'agent of record'. I did not realize there is such a relationship automatically formed by simply making your previous booking. I guess that means I have one too!

 

I have always made my booking through the same agent. When on board I have requested they credit one of the upcoming bookings with the onboard booking credit so not quite the same as your situation.

 

For our next booking I am considering changing agents (we'll see what comes out of some recent correspondence) but again I would be making the booking through a new agent directly rather than booking through O and requesting they assign it to a new agent. So get to the same result just a different way of getting there.

[capecodder2]

Whenever I have made a booking on board (and I have done it many times), I have always been asked if I want to use my TA of record. That is the time to say yes or no, or I will decide later.

[Pirouette]

Some interesting perspectives here. When in doubt-look to the contract-which I have done. The contract explicitly sets out that it is between me and Oceania. It further specifies that any travel agent is acting as MY agent.

 

For clarity, when asking a TA to take care of a booking already made by the client, that does not operate as an assignment of the booking-it is still the client's. A TA is precisely that-an agent acting for the client on the client's instructions. I have revoked TA#1's authority to act on my behalf and authorized another TA to do so. It seems pretty straightforward to me....

 

There may well be a separate agreement between Oceania and travel agents. I am not a party to that agreement and it is not part of my contract with Oceania. I could just cancel the whole thing and re-book with agent #2-but that would be making a mess of things!

[GJH123]

Capecodder:

I only wish that we had been afforded this opportunity. We were denied this "privilege" because of our former agent's association with Oceania's "Travel Agency of the Year" according to the representative on board.

[LHT28]

Some interesting perspectives here. When in doubt-look to the contract-which I have done. The contract explicitly sets out that it is between me and Oceania. It further specifies that any travel agent is acting as MY agent.

I could just cancel the whole thing and re-book with agent #2-but that would be making a mess of things!

 

I think you have answered your own questions

 

When you booked with Oceania direct it was between you & Oceania once you turned the booking over to a TA the contract is now between you & your TA & your TA & Oceania

 

Maybe some of the lawyers here can explain it better;)

[ORV]

I could just cancel the whole thing and re-book with agent #2-but that would be making a mess of things!

 

And it's not already?

[Pirouette]

I just received word from Oceania that the transfer is in the works, with their apologies for the run around and delay. I'm impressed!

 

By the way, the correct legal analysis is as set out in my earlier post.

 

Now I can relax and let TA#2 take over!

[aZ4me]

I just received word from Oceania that the transfer is in the works, with their apologies for the run around and delay. I'm impressed!

 

By the way, the correct legal analysis is as set out in my earlier post.

 

Now I can relax and let TA#2 take over!

 

I booked our second O cruise while on our first O cruise last April--they automatically booked it under my original TA's name. When I got home, I found out that my TA was on "extended personal leave", so I asked for my account to be transferred to a TA who I had heard about from a fellow passenger I had befriended on the first cruise.

 

O had to receive a letter from the first agent's company releasing my booking, even though that first agent's company had no part in my making the reservation on board. Once O received the release letter, the second TA was able to take over all details of the upcoming cruise.

 

Maybe cruise companies do this (deal through TA's) to ensure that no reservations/bookings are changed simply because someone stated they were Mr. / Mrs. So and So....thus changing bookings without the real passenger's knowledge of the changes.

 

I don't know, but I didn't mind O's desire to work with/through a TA--especially since the TA gave me a great discount on top of O's on-board booking discount.

 

What I learned from the experience: Deal with a quality TA who keeps you informed, who is easy to get in touch with, and who specializes in cruises.

 

Good luck--glad O has responded positively...and ENJOY your cruise!

[capecodder2]

I am so glad everything worked out well. Sometimes things take a bit more time than we would like. Wisdom learned the hard way in my more mature years. Happy Cruisin'

[LHT28]

I am surprised they were working Good Friday ...but glad you are all sorted

[Benita]

I am surprised they were working Good Friday ...but glad you are all sorted

 

It is not a federal holiday. Mail was delivered, but the stock market was closed. I had to work, too.

[LHT28]

It is not a federal holiday. Mail was delivered, but the stock market was closed. I had to work, too.

 

AHHH here in Canada well in Ontario it is a Holiday (no mail)