Carnival scummed my TA

[gospelle]

I have a nice arrangement with my Travel Agent. I book the cruises online and transfer to her at the last possible moment (or close to it).

 

The reason is because I'm constantly changing my mind, cancelling, rebooking, getting all the price reductions and often thinking there's a price reduction only to find out I was looking at the wrong thing, etc... and if she had to do all that she'd go crazy (she'd do it, but I like her so I don't want her to go crazy).

 

Anyway, when I booked my Carnival Sunshine cruise I asked when I should transfer. She called Carnival and asked, they told her anytime before final payment would be fine. So that's what I did. Final payment is the end of April and I just told her I'd like to transfer to her so I could make the final payment now.

 

She called me back to say the Carnival rep told her no, it had to have been transferred within 30 days of booking and wouldn't transfer it.

 

This sucks. We only waited this long because Carnival told us we could take up to final payment date to transfer.

 

Which Carnival rep was correct? The first one or the second one, that is, what is the actual policy?

[rickechambers1@aol.com]

Why would you transfer it anyway? If you are as high maintenance as you make yourself sound and create a huge workload, the person doing your bidding is the person deserving the commission of the booking. If this is the only reason you transfer your booking, Carnival isn't the one doing the scamming. ....er...scumming as you say.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I have a nice arrangement with my Travel Agent. I book the cruises online and transfer to her at the last possible moment (or close to it).

 

The reason is because I'm constantly changing my mind, cancelling, rebooking, getting all the price reductions and often thinking there's a price reduction only to find out I was looking at the wrong thing, etc... and if she had to do all that she'd go crazy (she'd do it, but I like her so I don't want her to go crazy).

 

Anyway, when I booked my Carnival Sunshine cruise I asked when I should transfer. She called Carnival and asked, they told her anytime before final payment would be fine. So that's what I did. Final payment is the end of April and I just told her I'd like to transfer to her so I could make the final payment now.

 

She called me back to say the Carnival rep told her no, it had to have been transferred within 30 days of booking and wouldn't transfer it.

 

This sucks. We only waited this long because Carnival told us we could take up to final payment date to transfer.

 

Which Carnival rep was correct? The first one or the second one, that is, what is the actual policy?

 

The second answer of 30 days from the time you book is correct.

 

Bill

[cjknox]

Yep 30 Days is correct.

 

A word of advice; choose through whom you want to book (cruise line, TA, etc.) and stick with them through the entire payment and booking process it'll make things less complicated and avoidable issues like this won't arise.

[rickechambers1@aol.com]

Cjknox that photo is fantastic!

[golfadj]

30 days from booking is correct.

[kingoftheicedragons]

Definitely the 30 days.

[ready2cruzagain]

I have transferred from Carnival to a TA several times and it has been the rule that you only have 30 days to transfer from Carnival to a TA for at least a couple of years now.

 

Your TA should have known this.

[tree.critter]

As soon as I learned the ship and cruise date of an industry group cruise I booked online so that I could choose my own room, I got burned on last industry cruise with a room I hated on the Freedom. I immediately contacted the TA handling group cruise and she put me off on handling my requests on how to transfer my booking to the group until it was much too late. She's been a Cruise TA for over 20 years and booked my very first cruise in '92 so should have known!

 

When I contacted Carnival they told me of the 30 day rule, TA was not happy and the TA was convinced that she could pull some strings to get me added so asked for booking number. I didn't want to be THAT customer asking for special favors so chose to keep my booking as it was and went on my own and have vowed to never use this TA again.

 

Your TA should have known, lesson learned for next time.

[thatsonofa]

The TA is working for you, so it is there job to take care of those things as part of earning their income. Some complain about it, but just like in any industry the people the go the extra mile for their customers are the ones that thrive even when business is down.

 

Do you itemize your taxes and send the paperwork to your CPA at the last minute so they can submit it for you? Do you iron your clothes before taking them to the dry cleaner so all they have to do is put it on a hanger?

 

You shouldn't feel bad about letting the TA do they job they are being paid to do.

[terryinal]

I have a nice arrangement with my Travel Agent. I book the cruises online and transfer to her at the last possible moment (or close to it).

 

The reason is because I'm constantly changing my mind, cancelling, rebooking, getting all the price reductions and often thinking there's a price reduction only to find out I was looking at the wrong thing, etc... and if she had to do all that she'd go crazy (she'd do it, but I like her so I don't want her to go crazy).

 

Anyway, when I booked my Carnival Sunshine cruise I asked when I should transfer. She called Carnival and asked, they told her anytime before final payment would be fine. So that's what I did. Final payment is the end of April and I just told her I'd like to transfer to her so I could make the final payment now.

 

She called me back to say the Carnival rep told her no, it had to have been transferred within 30 days of booking and wouldn't transfer it.

 

This sucks. We only waited this long because Carnival told us we could take up to final payment date to transfer.

 

Which Carnival rep was correct? The first one or the second one, that is, what is the actual policy?

 

If you do this all the time I would think you would know the rules. I think that has always been the rule

[Tralynn]

Yep, it's been 30 days. Doesn't sound like your TA is very informed. Not CCL's fault for this issue.

[gusandgidgetsmom]

I agree with you totally.

Why would you transfer it anyway? If you are as high maintenance as you make yourself sound and create a huge workload, the person doing your bidding is the person deserving the commission of the booking. If this is the only reason you transfer your booking, Carnival isn't the one doing the scamming. ....er...scumming as you say.

[zqvol]

I have a nice arrangement with my Travel Agent. I book the cruises online and transfer to her at the last possible moment (or close to it).

 

The reason is because I'm constantly changing my mind, cancelling, rebooking, getting all the price reductions and often thinking there's a price reduction only to find out I was looking at the wrong thing, etc... and if she had to do all that she'd go crazy (she'd do it, but I like her so I don't want her to go crazy).

 

Anyway, when I booked my Carnival Sunshine cruise I asked when I should transfer. She called Carnival and asked, they told her anytime before final payment would be fine. So that's what I did. Final payment is the end of April and I just told her I'd like to transfer to her so I could make the final payment now.

 

She called me back to say the Carnival rep told her no, it had to have been transferred within 30 days of booking and wouldn't transfer it.

 

This sucks. We only waited this long because Carnival told us we could take up to final payment date to transfer.

 

Which Carnival rep was correct? The first one or the second one, that is, what is the actual policy?

 

If you are transferring to a TA, CCL requires it to be done within 30 days fo booking. This has been mentioned multiple times on the boards over a period of years.

[chasinraynbowz]

If you do this all the time I would think you would know the rules. I think that has always been the rule

 

 

I agree with this. If you have done it before, why don't you know the rules

 

AND

 

why do it anyway? What special perks do you get by transferring your booking to a TA?

[douglinc@msn.com]

Probably a lot like calling the IRS, if you talk to 15 different agents, you get 15 different answers. And if the information they give you is wrong, it's your fault for not knowing better..........

 

Doug

[ThisFemmeKat]

The 30 days is correct.

not sure why you would transfer your bookings to someone else when you clearly did all the work yourself.. ???

kinda like cleaning your house and paying a housekeeper anyway..

[HogueyBear]

If you have done this transfer thing before, why weren't you aware of 30 days? I choose to use a TA so they can do all the worrying and changing for me, to make life easier for me to travel....that's why they get the commission.

[lady_cruiser]

gospelle you just got nine answers that said "30 days" so I think after the second or third answer of 30 days I hope you got the picture :p.

[gospelle]

ok. thank you. to answer the question some have raised,.. why don't i know the rules if I do this all the time?

 

answer, look at my signature. I do not just cruise 1 cruise line, nor to I cruise every week. I average 1 or 2 a year and sail 4 different cruise lines. I don't know how good all your memories are, but I sure as hell can't remember each line's policy, nor do I assume they are the same year after year.

 

Why do you folks like to pounce on people on this forum? It's a question. does that really deserve ridicule?

[gospelle]

I agree with this. If you have done it before, why don't you know the rules

 

AND

 

why do it anyway? What special perks do you get by transferring your booking to a TA?

 

My travel agent is my friend. it doesn't cost me anything, she makes some money. that's my perk.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

ok. thank you. to answer the question some have raised,.. why don't i know the rules if I do this all the time?

 

answer, look at my signature. I do not just cruise 1 cruise line, nor to I cruise every week. I average 1 or 2 a year and sail 4 different cruise lines. I don't know how good all your memories are, but I sure as hell can't remember each line's policy, nor do I assume they are the same year after year.

 

Why do you folks like to pounce on people on this forum? It's a question. does that really deserve ridicule?

 

Come on now. You lumped us all in with you folks. We didn't all pounce.

 

Bill

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gospelle]

Why would you transfer it anyway? If you are as high maintenance as you make yourself sound and create a huge workload, the person doing your bidding is the person deserving the commission of the booking. If this is the only reason you transfer your booking, Carnival isn't the one doing the scamming. ....er...scumming as you say.

 

you totally misread my OP. read it again. "I" am the one doing the workload. I'm transferring from "ME"!

[gospelle]

The second answer of 30 days from the time you book is correct.

 

Bill

 

I simple answer. THANK YOU! I wish this was how this board worked. Someone asks a question, someone answers it. instead one person answers it and 6 tell you how stupid you are for asking.

 

Thank you Bill.

[gospelle]

Yep 30 Days is correct.

 

A word of advice; choose through whom you want to book (cruise line, TA, etc.) and stick with them through the entire payment and booking process it'll make things less complicated and avoidable issues like this won't arise.

 

no. the only issue that arose is my friend (and TA) didn't get her usual cut. we'll make sure next time. We prefer this method. it works for me, it works for her.