Problems with Travel Agent

[chickenface]

Hi everyone...first time poster here, long time reader. I'm looking for the best course of action to take on a problem my father had with a <redacted> agent.

 

So basically, he booked EOS on March 16 out of Bayonne at a time the website said $979 per person.

 

For some unknown reason, he was charged 1186 a person through <redacted> totaling 7111 for our 6 person group in 3 inside cabins.

 

I haven't gotten Royal Caribbean to confirm it yet (they need a complaint letter about the travel agent before they disclose information, I guess) but I see no reason why they couldn't have gotten the same price as we could have booked through the website.

 

After they get the letter, they will investigate the pricing and let us know exactly what happened.

 

Right now, what should we be expecting? Is this type of thing normal? Is there any chance of <redacted> reimbursing the 1200 dollar loss my father took after being presented with proof of the pricing on that date? I don't expect Royal to reimburse us anything, they did nothing wrong and have been more than helpful on the phone.

 

What's the deal?

[Paulxyz2004]

Could it be taxes and fees that made the Price difference? Or in other words are you sure you compared total Price including taxes and fees with total Price?

[reallyitsmema]

You can't mention the travel agent by name so if you don't edit the post, this is going to be deleted. It is against board rules to mention travel agents. You can get advice without the name in the post though.

 

It sounds like the price you saw did not have taxes and port charges. I would take a close look at the paperwork if I were you.

[Clarea]

Try to get an itemized list of the charges from the travel agent. It could be something as simple as added insurance or prepaid gratuities. I would also ask for Royal's Guest Copy of your booking confirmation. That will give you another itemized list of all the charges.

[akcruz]

I would say it is either taxes and surcharges, or maybe pre-paid gratuities? Did you do My Time Dining?

[seadays4me]

I would bet that $979 price you saw online was without the port charges and taxes added in.

[chickenface]

The 7111, or 1186 per person, from travel agent was with taxes and fees.

 

On royal website it says 979 per person...or 819 cruise fare and 163.12 in fees actually equaling 982.12 per person. Total cruise just shy of 5900.

 

The price showed the same when the cruise was booked.

 

EDIT: Travel agent name in OP has been removed.

[Ocean Boy]

Did your father ask the TA to explain the difference? RCI's website does not include taxes and fees in the advertised price. They are added in when you do the booking.

[chickenface]

Did your father ask the TA to explain the difference? RCI's website does not include taxes and fees in the advertised price. They are added in when you do the booking.

 

So you're saying that there are additional fees not listed in the Royal Caribbean quote of 819 for cruise fare and 163 for fees/taxes per person?

 

If so that would explain this.

[EVALUATOR]

So you're saying that there are additional fees not listed in the Royal Caribbean quote of 819 for cruise fare and 163 for fees/taxes per person?

 

If so that would explain this.

 

Prepaid tips or insurance might have been added.

[chickenface]

No tips, no insurance. I am positive of that. I am looking at the bill from the agent now.

[leaveitallbehind]

I would agree with all of the above posts that the difference is the published pp rate prior to taxes and port charges. If you do a mock booking on the RCI web and look at the category rates you will see the intial stateroom pp rate. When you click "select" the port charges and taxes are added in. That is likely the two different prices your father is seeing. Do one yourself to check if the difference is approximately or proportionately the same.

 

If, however, the rate difference you indicate is based on the first rate inclusive of taxes and port charges, then the difference may be the result pre-paid gratuities added by the TA.

 

Either way I would check with the TA first for an explanation before concluding they are mistakenlhy increasing your rate and complaining to RCI. Just best to be sure first IMO.

[leaveitallbehind]

No tips, no insurance. I am positive of that. I am looking at the bill from the agent now.

 

Sorry - guess I was writing my post as you were updating yours. I would still call the TA and ask for a detailed explanation as their pp and taxes / port charge rates are the same as RCI's - then contact RCI if there is a conflict.

[Ocean Boy]

So you're saying that there are additional fees not listed in the Royal Caribbean quote of 819 for cruise fare and 163 for fees/taxes per person?

 

If so that would explain this.

 

You don't say how long the cruise was or where it was going but I just tried doing a dummy booking for a night cruise on Explorer to the Caribbean for April 18-27 and the taxes and fees come out at $147.98 pp. This can vary by date and ports of call but it does not seem too far off from what you are seeing as the difference between cruise fare and the price charged. I suspect this is where your difference is coming from.

[chickenface]

You don't say how long the cruise was or where it was going but I just tried doing a dummy booking for a night cruise on Explorer to the Caribbean for April 18-27 and the taxes and fees come out at $147.98 pp. This can vary by date and ports of call but it does not seem too far off from what you are seeing as the difference between cruise fare and the price charged. I suspect this is where your difference is coming from.

 

That's my fault. I had a typo and said March 16 instead of May 16. Out of Bayonne, 9 night eastern Caribbean.

 

He did call the TA 3 times earlier...each time no explanation was given for the price difference. Just that they don't offer lower teaser rates that you can find on some websites...yet we are talking about RCIs own website and it has been verified by them on the phone as well.

[reallyitsmema]

No tips, no insurance. I am positive of that. I am looking at the bill from the agent now.

How far into a booking were you when you saw the price $979? On the first screen for a cruise it will say "standard rates from" and show a price. Once you then click on a category, that price is not always available for the cabin occupancy you need. So, where was the $979? Maybe you weren't far enough into the booking process.

[chickenface]

How far into a booking were you when you saw the price $979? On the first screen for a cruise it will say "standard rates from" and show a price. Once you then click on a category, that price is not always available for the cabin occupancy you need. So, where was the $979? Maybe you weren't far enough into the booking process.

 

Did a complete mock booking. The price was indeed $979. And hell, if it wasn't RCI will let us know about it on the phone after they receive the complaint letter. But I am as close to 100% as possible that this was the price at the time, and has been for the better part of 2 months.

[Ocean Boy]

That's my fault. I had a typo and said March 16 instead of May 16. Out of Bayonne, 9 night eastern Caribbean.

 

He did call the TA 3 times earlier...each time no explanation was given for the price difference. Just that they don't offer lower teaser rates that you can find on some websites...yet we are talking about RCIs own website and it has been verified by them on the phone as well.

 

It comes to $163.12 in taxes and fees per person on top of the published cruise fare. And it could vary slightly from when the reservation was made. I have seen them increase or decrease a few dollars between when I have booked and actually sailed.

[chickenface]

It comes to $163.12 in taxes and fees per person. And it could vary slightly from when the reservation was made. I have seen them increase or decrease a few dollars between when I have booked and actually sailed.

 

Right and a cruise fare of 819 per person...equaling 982 like I said. Correct? Not 1186 that we were charged.

[cruisinfanatic]

The 7111, or 1186 per person, from travel agent was with taxes and fees.

 

On royal website it says 979 per person...or 819 cruise fare and 163.12 in fees actually equaling 982.12 per person. Total cruise just shy of 5900.

 

The price showed the same when the cruise was booked.

 

EDIT: Travel agent name in OP has been removed.

what date and cabin category?

[S.A.M.J.R.]

OP, for what it's worth,

 

I did a mock booking on Explorer of the Seas for May 2. It listed as '949pp'. Once I selected the cabin, the price total was $2244 for two people. That's $1122 each once taxes & fees are in.

 

So I question where the $979pp was listed.

 

ETA: I went back and did a mock booking for May 16. It listed the price as $1009pp. Once I selected the cabin (interior), the price total was $2384. $1192pp.

[reallyitsmema]

Did a complete mock booking. The price was indeed $979. And hell, if it wasn't RCI will let us know about it on the phone after they receive the complaint letter. But I am as close to 100% as possible that this was the price at the time, and has been for the better part of 2 months.

Not sure what else to suggest then.

 

I do hope you can get this worked out.

[chickenface]

what date and cabin category?

 

May 16...two K cabins and one L

[akcruz]

Did a complete mock booking. The price was indeed $979. And hell, if it wasn't RCI will let us know about it on the phone after they receive the complaint letter. But I am as close to 100% as possible that this was the price at the time, and has been for the better part of 2 months.

 

When you did the mock booking did you go all the way through to picking a cabin? If not, you may not have seen the final price with taxes and fees.

[chickenface]

Maybe this has something to do with being PA resident? I am not seeing those numbers.