Got a TA mess on my hands

[leela14]

So my coworker gave me a referral to his TA as he has booked 3 cruises with her. I did have a ton of questions - some that she answered and most that you guys answered. Actually I had to fill her in on a lot of info you guys offered up. So we did put a deposit down with her - final payment due later this month.

 

OK now come the flights - they are costing the same as the cruise and we actually considered cancelling before final payment because the airfare is so incredibly high.

 

On a hunch I called the corporate TA for work (who also does leisure travel for employees) and she got us good flights that the first TA didn't offer - and there are no ticketing fees with my corporate agent - a $120 savings which is a big deal for us.

 

So do I book the flights with my corporate agent and the cruise with my other agent? I guess that's the only option. My gut feeling is that I should have gone with our corporate agent from the beginning but I guess there isn't anything I can do about that now.

 

The original agent said there is no way to waive the $120 ticketing fees - and I'm not even sure she can get the same flights anyway.

[Freebythesea]

So my coworker gave me a referral to his TA as he has booked 3 cruises with her. I did have a ton of questions - some that she answered and most that you guys answered. Actually I had to fill her in on a lot of info you guys offered up. So we did put a deposit down with her - final payment due later this month.

 

OK now come the flights - they are costing the same as the cruise and we actually considered cancelling before final payment because the airfare is so incredibly high.

 

On a hunch I called the corporate TA for work (who also does leisure travel for employees) and she got us good flights that the first TA didn't offer - and there are no ticketing fees with my corporate agent - a $120 savings which is a big deal for us.

 

So do I book the flights with my corporate agent and the cruise with my other agent? I guess that's the only option. My gut feeling is that I should have gone with our corporate agent from the beginning but I guess there isn't anything I can do about that now.

 

The original agent said there is no way to waive the $120 ticketing fees - and I'm not even sure she can get the same flights anyway.

 

You could contact you currant TA and let them know what the corporate TA has offered and then give them a chance to either match or do one better ;). If they can't (and if you are under no contractual obligation) then go with the corperate. Your commitment shoud be with your best interest as should you TA.

[Twickenham]

I see no reason why you wouldn't book your tickets with your corporate agent. What is your hesitation?

[janetz]

Do not mention the air. If the TA mentions it tell them you found a better deal on elsewhere. :) You really dont need to explain your decisions at all.

[leela14]

I see no reason why you wouldn't book your tickets with your corporate agent. What is your hesitation?

 

I was afraid Agent # 1 may be offended that we didn't book the airfare with her. However I just contacted her and she said she is 100% fine with us booking the airfares with my corporate agent so we will just do that.

 

it would have been nice to have had it all booked with one TA but oh well.

[MCC retired]

TA's are not crazy about losing a airfare booking .

Airlines pay no commission.

Your TA is pleased .

[Kamloops50]

In future ask if your corporate TA can book the cruise as well. Many corporate TA's work regular offices as well.

[Shorex]

I was afraid Agent # 1 may be offended that we didn't book the airfare with her. However I just contacted her and she said she is 100% fine with us booking the airfares with my corporate agent so we will just do that.

 

it would have been nice to have had it all booked with one TA but oh well.

 

Please. You should have an arms length business relationship with a TA. Her actual response was professional. Had it been pouty you should never do business again with such a person, nor refer anyone to them.

[leela14]

In future ask if your corporate TA can book the cruise as well. Many corporate TA's work regular offices as well.

 

That is kind of what I wanted to do but my coworker really wanted me to go through his agent. I will go with my gut next time.

[Starry Eyes]

You could ask the corporate agent to price the cruise for you. As you are more comfortable with the corporate one, if he comes up with the same or better price, you could consider canceling your current cruise reservation and rebooking with the other agent. before you do that, check whether there will be any TA cancellation fees (somewhat common) and whether there will be cruise line cancellation fees (rather uncommon in US before final payment, but certainly on Carnival's cheapest rates, perhaps others too).

[Krazy Kruizers]

Glad you got it all worked out.

I prefer to book our cruises through a TA we have used for years and years.

I book all our hotels and air flights on the internet firectly the air lines and hotels.

[Waihekean]

To be honest I can not see that your TA has created "a mess". You just have to shop around for flights, not one agency will have the exact same price then another, not even the major large sites.

Plus depends when you book as well. For example flights on a Tuesday or booked on a Tuesday can be cheaper.

 

Suspects that your corporate TA can get a better deal because would have more volume of flight bookings then it sounds like the smaller capacity TA. He/she would probably still give a good personal service otherwise TA would not have come recommended.

 

My impression is that most of us book our cruise seperately from the flights. Just write it off as learning something new and will know better for next time:):)

[leela14]

I didn't mean to imply my TA created a mess - I meant that I did by involving 2 of them - I didn't realize most people booked separately for air and cruise.

 

My coworker who suggested her has A LOT more disposable income than we do so he books suites and doesn't really concern himself with airfare prices - sadly I don't have that luxury and need to shop around for the best prices.

 

I'm almost scared to ask my corporate TA about the cruise price in case she comes in cheaper - I'd feel awful cancelling with the first one. I know my TA just got the same price listed on the Celebrity site - but they have a 123Go program on right now and she said she couldn't do any better.

 

 

To be honest I can not see that your TA has created "a mess". You just have to shop around for flights, not one agency will have the exact same price then another, not even the major large sites.

Plus depends when you book as well. For example flights on a Tuesday or booked on a Tuesday can be cheaper.

 

Suspects that your corporate TA can get a better deal because would have more volume of flight bookings then it sounds like the smaller capacity TA. He/she would probably still give a good personal service otherwise TA would not have come recommended.

 

My impression is that most of us book our cruise seperately from the flights. Just write it off as learning something new and will know better for next time:):)

[toberman]

My personal feeling is... Don't ever feel obliged to go to any specific TA. I worked with one local TA for years, who 'seemed' to be giving me the "best possible price". Yeah, for him !!

I found out that checking around on-line, I could get much better pricing, and credits. So I started going 'elsewhere'. His response... "Good for You, Bad for Me". IOW's .. he didn't really care for me as a customer, just income - and he totally understood there were better deals out there than he could offer. We're still friends (maybe)!! :confused:

[wactedout]

I reaearch prices for the cruise air, hotels, and if necessary car rentals. Then I go see my TA. I know the prices and what he should charge me for the cruise and so on.

 

I know that there are on line websites for all of this.But if something happens such as the ship being delayed returning to port, causing big problems with your air arrangements then what? Are you going to call your family to help you, from a foreign country? This is the real value of having a TA,,,having someone in your corner to help you if need arises.

[SMerritt]

We have a very detail-oriented TA for booking cruises, and as above posted, is there before, during, and after our cruise. Great perks and a gift from her in our suite also! :D

 

All ground & air transportation and hotels I book myself, takes time but we save a bundle and get the exact flights we need

[leela14]

So, I had my corporate TA check into the cruise and she can't do any better than my original TA. She is bookikng the airfare and the pre-cruise hotel for us, and said she would love to have the cruise booking as well - but I explained to her BEFORE I had her look for pricing that if everything came back the same I would stick with the original TA since she did do some work on it for me - took the deposit, called Celebrity with my questions, helped me with cabin pricing and location, etc.

 

I feel that at this point to hand that booking off to my corporate agent wouldn't be fair - she'd be getting the commission have done none of the work - would you agree?

 

Just to reiterate: I did tell the corporate agent before she looked that I wasn't going to switch if there was no price difference, and I told her that I understood if she didn't want to look into it.

 

But I still feel bad. I know there isn't any commission paid by booking flights and hotels - but we do use them for our corporate travel so they do get that business from us.

[Beachdude]

We have a really extensive corporate TA group and I wouldn't book a cruise or most any vacation through them. They deal mostly in our business side of things and don' t have experience on the leasure side. I think you did OK using the two TA's for their specific areas of expertise.

 

Burt

[njmomof2]

So, I had my corporate TA check into the cruise and she can't do any better than my original TA. She is bookikng the airfare and the pre-cruise hotel for us, and said she would love to have the cruise booking as well - but I explained to her BEFORE I had her look for pricing that if everything came back the same I would stick with the original TA since she did do some work on it for me - took the deposit, called Celebrity with my questions, helped me with cabin pricing and location, etc.

 

I feel that at this point to hand that booking off to my corporate agent wouldn't be fair - she'd be getting the commission have done none of the work - would you agree?

 

Just to reiterate: I did tell the corporate agent before she looked that I wasn't going to switch if there was no price difference, and I told her that I understood if she didn't want to look into it.

 

But I still feel bad. I know there isn't any commission paid by booking flights and hotels - but we do use them for our corporate travel so they do get that business from us.

 

I would not be so sure there is no commission on the hotel or air. If she is using certain providers, she will build commission into the air and a lot of hotels pay off commission as well.

 

If you have the cruise booked with someone and now you know the price is the same, leave it. I book components separately as well and there is no issue with it.

[leela14]

Thanks all - I feel better now. :p

 

Looking forward to having this all booked so I can concentrate on what not to pack LOL. And EXCURSIONS of course!!

[varoo]

Even if the travel agents cannot get you a lower price than you would get by booking the cruise yourself, compare the perks that they are offering.

 

A travel agent should at least be giving you some nice onboard credit or prepaid gratuities in addition to whatever onboard credit or other perks you would get anyway from the cruise line.

Some travel agents give much better perks than others.

 

Often we have received offers from travel agents advertising onboard credit or drink packages or other perks that were actually coming from the cruise line and that everyone gets anyway, whether or not they book with the travel agent.

 

As for helping you out if something goes wrong, while some travel agents may be helpful in such situations, others can be more hindrance than help.

The reality is that some travel agents are better than others.

 

There have been many instances reported of people being unable to reach their travel agents when they needed them, or the travel agent being of no help at all.

 

Once you give your booking to a travel agent, the cruise line will no longer deal with you directly so you need to go through the travel agent for everything. In some cases that can be a benefit, while in others it can be a real pain.

[Waihekean]

Hi Leela,

 

Glad it all worked out for you. Just think that you gave two people some work instead of one.;)

 

Now the main things to organise are in place, go and enjoy all the fun planning. Hope that you will have a wonderful cruise. No to worry; by cruise number three then you can start sharing some of your "inside knowledge".:D

[Travelnerd44]

So my coworker gave me a referral to his TA as he has booked 3 cruises with her. I did have a ton of questions - some that she answered and most that you guys answered. Actually I had to fill her in on a lot of info you guys offered up. So we did put a deposit down with her - final payment due later this month.

 

OK now come the flights - they are costing the same as the cruise and we actually considered cancelling before final payment because the airfare is so incredibly high.

 

On a hunch I called the corporate TA for work (who also does leisure travel for employees) and she got us good flights that the first TA didn't offer - and there are no ticketing fees with my corporate agent - a $120 savings which is a big deal for us.

 

So do I book the flights with my corporate agent and the cruise with my other agent? I guess that's the only option. My gut feeling is that I should have gone with our corporate agent from the beginning but I guess there isn't anything I can do about that now.

 

The original agent said there is no way to waive the $120 ticketing fees - and I'm not even sure she can get the same flights anyway.

 

I havent read all your responses yet so i hope my comment makes sense. Anyway we booked our own flights but are heading across the border as they are way cheaper in the US than in Canada, and we booked the cruise through a travel agent. It worked great for us...my real travel agent had no problem keeping a record of my flight ininerary in my file regardless of the fact she didnt book it...but i think that may depend on the agent... because last year with someone else she didnt want any info regarding stuff she didnt book...that was fine too.

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