A costly TA lesson re cancellations

[PinotBlanc]

from this time forward we'll reconsider playing telephone tag with a travel agent when Celebrity is easily booked online.

 

Penny

[Kellie Poodle]

For me, TA's not only better not cost me anything beyond what cruise lines do, but they also need to offer good perks before I even consider them.

 

I transferred two bookings (B2B) to a huge on-line operation. They offered me some exciting OBC and I bit.

 

The service was the poorest I've ever had and when I had to cancel the cruises due to a serious health issue, they were just plain awful.

 

Moral of the story: Don't fall for the big OBC when the service will not be satisfactory.

Edited December 7, 2013 by Kellie Poodle

[PinotBlanc]

on a positive note, Celebrity refunded all money for prebooked tours within 24 hours.

[travelberlin]

You're right....I figure the folks on the phone make maybe $12 an hour. Since my booking takes less than 10 minutes (I know exactly what I want including the cabin when I call), that works out to $2 of time. I could live with a $10 cancellation fee.....$100 is excessive gouging, in my view especially since none of the other online TA's charge a cancellation fee (AFAIK). As I suggested, they got me once for a change fee (yes, I knew their policies)....and they have lost at least three more cruises because of it. The same day I cancelled that cruise, I booked another with them (foolish me)...but since I had already moved the first cruise once, they charged me the cancellation fee. The only reason I booked the other trip was that they had a group fare I couldn't get elsewhere...it was my last booking with them.

 

Very well said.

[davekathy]

I would never use a TA that has any type of fees and doesn’t offer any incentives. However this is a good info thread for those that may not think to ask the TA they are planning on doing business with if they impose any fees for whatever.

[TeaBag]

That's the one. I've been very open with them about why I won't book with them or recommend them again unless it's a terrific, them only, offer.

We use these guys too and while we have never had to cancel a cruise, we have been bitten by the decrease in OBC when we applied for a price drop. Maybe we need to find a new Travel agent. We have been happy with them though.

[Full90]

I am amazed at the number of people who think TAs should work for nothing.

 

If you went to work and the boss sent you home after 2 hours would you expect not to get paid?

 

Do you pay the Real Estate agent if you don't sell your house? Do you pay the car salesman for his time? Do you pay the retail person who helps you for hours trying to find the right dress that you don't buy? TAs do not work for nothing, they get paid for selling. Those that charge a fee and take the same commission rake from the cruise company are just taking advantage IMO.

[Reader0108598]

We use these guys too and while we have never had to cancel a cruise, we have been bitten by the decrease in OBC when we applied for a price drop. Maybe we need to find a new Travel agent. We have been happy with them though.

 

Pulled my last booking from "the guys" had Princess take it back.

Lost some money but it was worth them not getting the commission.

I know what I want, do not need my hand held but would like to be treated like a valued customer, not an inconvience after they get my money :rolleyes:After being ignored by email for a price drop, I finaly got through to the TA who was obviously annoyed, she then placed me on hold and hung up on me....nope not happening!

 

Reader

Edited December 7, 2013 by Reader0108598

[YYC F/A]

We use these guys too and while we have never had to cancel a cruise, we have been bitten by the decrease in OBC when we applied for a price drop. Maybe we need to find a new Travel agent. We have been happy with them though.

 

The OBC is being funded by the agency's compensation / cruise commission in many/most cases. If your cruise fare drops, so does the agency commission, and thus so could/should your OBC. In some major price drop instances, your OBC would be most, if not all of the commission on the new booking if not adjusted.

 

I'm puzzled why that's such an alien concept, I'd hardly say it's being "bitten".

 

There are many different agency models out there. Some charge for cancellations, some don't but charge a small professional fee up front, some charge no fees at all but perhaps offer a more limited service model.

 

FWIW, I'd also not be surprised to see more of an "a la carte" approach to fees from the cruise lines in the future, not dissimilar to the airlines. Holland America already charges ($25pp IIRC) if you book direct with them and need assistance to complete your online check-in with a HAL reservation agent - whereas most TA's would do this for you gratis.

 

Just as the cruise line onboard revenue and additional a la carte items onboard continue to evolve, so too do I expect to see more of this in other aspects of the business too. But we digress :cool:

[Reader0108598]

Do you pay the Real Estate agent if you don't sell your house? Do you pay the car salesman for his time? Do you pay the retail person who helps you for hours trying to find the right dress that you don't buy? TAs do not work for nothing, they get paid for selling. Those that charge a fee and take the same commission rake from the cruise company are just taking advantage IMO.

 

 

Don't get me started on Real estate agents Just lost the first home I put an offer on= heartbroken!

 

Just kidding not her fault she found me the perfect home fell in love with it but a cash buyer beat me out.......guess what she did not charge me anything!!!!

 

Reader

[cruisecrazy82]

You're right....I figure the folks on the phone make maybe $12 an hour. Since my booking takes less than 10 minutes (I know exactly what I want including the cabin when I call), that works out to $2 of time. I could live with a $10 cancellation fee.....$100 is excessive gouging, in my view especially since none of the other online TA's charge a cancellation fee (AFAIK). As I suggested, they got me once for a change fee (yes, I knew their policies)....and they have lost at least three more cruises because of it. The same day I cancelled that cruise, I booked another with them (foolish me)...but since I had already moved the first cruise once, they charged me the cancellation fee. The only reason I booked the other trip was that they had a group fare I couldn't get elsewhere...it was my last booking with them.

 

If you are working with an actual agent (not just a customer care rep) even at one of these large companies, the majority of them do not get paid hourly, they work on commission. So if you book with them and then cancel they basically spent the time on your booking for nothing.

[Reader0108598]

The OBC is being funded by the agency's compensation / cruise commission in many/most cases. If your cruise fare drops, so does the agency commission, and thus so could/should your OBC. In some major price drop instances, your OBC would be most, if not all of the commission on the new booking if not adjusted.

 

I'm puzzled why that's such an alien concept, I'd hardly say it's being "bitten".

 

There are many different agency models out there. Some charge for cancellations, some don't but charge a small professional fee up front, some charge no fees at all but perhaps offer a more limited service model.

 

FWIW, I'd also not be surprised to see more of an "a la carte" approach to fees from the cruise lines in the future, not dissimilar to the airlines. Holland America already charges ($25pp IIRC) if you book direct with them and need assistance to complete your online check-in with a HAL reservation agent - whereas most TA's would do this for you gratis.

 

Just as the cruise line onboard revenue and additional a la carte items onboard continue to evolve, so too do I expect to see more of this in other aspects of the business too. But we digress :cool:

 

 

When the cruise line starts charging me to book direct ,I will stop cruising!

Just like I do not pay to eat in the specialty resturants as that is what the cruiselines are trying to push us to.

 

If we continue to pay extra for"good" food ,it will no longer be included in your cruise price. Anyone ever wonder why they can make a great steak in the specialty restaurant but not in the MDR on the same ship ????

 

Reader

[jagoffee]

We use these guys too and while we have never had to cancel a cruise, we have been bitten by the decrease in OBC when we applied for a price drop. Maybe we need to find a new Travel agent. We have been happy with them though.

 

As long as the total $ amount of the decreased in the OBC was roughly the same % as the price drop I would have no issue with a decrease. I would not consider it being bitten, but kissed.

 

P.S. I would never do business with a TA that charges a cancellation or change fee unless their was not any left.

Edited December 7, 2013 by jagoffee

[mafig]

[quote name='YYC F/A

 

Holland America already charges ($25pp IIRC) if you book direct with them and need assistance to complete your online check-in with a HAL reservation agent - whereas most TA's would do this for you gratis.

 

:cool:

 

 

:(Really? Since when? I've not cruise with HAL for several years' date=' but I stop by their forum quite often and don't recall reading anything like this.:confused:[/color']

[C Cruise Dude]

Just want to share a lesson learned today. We had to cancel an April to May Trans-Atlantic b2b with a Med cruise on Celebrity.

 

If we had booked directly with Celebrity we would get a full refund of deposits.

 

On the other hand, the Travel Agent charged $24.99 for each booking and $100 for each cruise. We lost $250 by booking early with a travel agent.

 

 

Penny

 

Penny, sorry for the $$ lesson but that is why I am hesitant to book with TA's. Make sure that you know of the extra charges if you cancel.

[Kellie Poodle]

I am usually happier booking my own and watching for price drops myself. I get some OBC by booking either while on a cruise or on a next cruise certificate. There is a nice incentive to book another cruise while on a cruise and I'm going to book Asia B2B for 2015 on my next cruise in February

 

I booked my next cruise with a TA as their price was $1,000 per person less than the cruise line's and less than any other prices I could find at any other on-line TA.

 

No OBC for that price, but gratuities and drinks are included in the amazingly low price I paid for a 14 day cruise, so I don't care.

[kevinyork]

The OBC is being funded by the agency's compensation / cruise commission in many/most cases. If your cruise fare drops, so does the agency commission, and thus so could/should your OBC. In some major price drop instances, your OBC would be most, if not all of the commission on the new booking if not adjusted.

 

I'm puzzled why that's such an alien concept, I'd hardly say it's being "bitten".

 

There are many different agency models out there. Some charge for cancellations, some don't but charge a small professional fee up front, some charge no fees at all but perhaps offer a more limited service model.

 

FWIW, I'd also not be surprised to see more of an "a la carte" approach to fees from the cruise lines in the future, not dissimilar to the airlines. Holland America already charges ($25pp IIRC) if you book direct with them and need assistance to complete your online check-in with a HAL reservation agent - whereas most TA's would do this for you gratis.

 

Just as the cruise line onboard revenue and additional a la carte items onboard continue to evolve, so too do I expect to see more of this in other aspects of the business too. But we digress :cool:

 

Well said.

[monicajay]

WE have worked with small business TAs for years.... years ago, airlines paid them a fee for booking air, today no more. Years ago they never charged a cancelation fee, today they do. The travel business is not an easy business to be in today.

 

So we usually book directly with the cruise line because we book 1.5 years in advance. This far out sometimes we change our mind. Then we don't pay any canceling fees. Before final payment we transfer our booking to our TA, then she get the benefit of the booking and we get a small obc as well. It is a win win that way.

 

Not anymore with RCL and Celebrity. You have only 60 day after booking to make the transfer. Plus, for those of us outside the US they will no longer let us transfer to a US travel agency. We could book with a US agency but can't transfer to one.

[Ceeborne]

Not anymore with RCL and Celebrity. You have only 60 day after booking to make the transfer. Plus, for those of us outside the US they will no longer let us transfer to a US travel agency. We could book with a US agency but can't transfer to one.

 

I always transfer my bookings to a US travel agent...Never had a problem.

[The_Big_M]

This is not a valid comparison. You simply can not compare a TA that does not charge for cancellations or changes to the scenario an individual who is paid by the hour not being paid for time at work. A better example would be a commissioned salesman who loses a commission if a sale is cancelled or returned and this happens all the time as it is just part of the job - just as cruise cancellations and changes are part of the business.

 

Another example is retail businesses which, in the vast majority of cases, give full refunds on merchandise returned. To turn your point around I could ask if you'd do your Holiday gift shopping at stores that do not give refunds, or give only partial ones? If not then I'd ask if you expect them to run their stores for nothing. The bottom line is that most retail/consumer businesses do not charge for sales that do not go through but instead rely on completed transactions to cover all of their profits and expenses.

 

There are many, if not the majority, of travel agencies in the USA who do not charge for changes or cancellations. At the same time it is the consumer's responsibility to understand terms before chosing to do business with a company. I'm sure there are many cruisers who are looking only for the biggest discount or OBC but never ask about fees that go the other way or about other service issues.

 

Well said.

[monicajay]

I always transfer my bookings to a US travel agent...Never had a problem.

 

Interesting. Maybe you can hint at which one. I was told by cruise line and agency that they can no longer do this because RCL and Celebrtiy do Canadian bookings in CAD currency. My agency was one that you just e-mailed your file and info to after booking - no phone calls allowed. They were 'quick' to get back to you and offered OBC / and or other perks.

 

Actually, going to make final payment next week and it works out well. The Canadian $ has dropped a lot since I booked but we are locked into the Canadian rate so I'm happy.

[SusieV]

Interesting. Maybe you can hint at which one. I was told by cruise line and agency that they can no longer do this because RCL and Celebrtiy do Canadian bookings in CAD currency. My agency was one that you just e-mailed your file and info to after booking - no phone calls allowed. They were 'quick' to get back to you and offered OBC / and or other perks.

 

Actually, going to make final payment next week and it works out well. The Canadian $ has dropped a lot since I booked but we are locked into the Canadian rate so I'm happy.

 

If you're Canadian, you can choose which currency to book in. We choose whatever is advantageous at the time. For the longest time it was USD but now we're happier booking in CDN.

[monicajay]

If you're Canadian, you can choose which currency to book in. We choose whatever is advantageous at the time. For the longest time it was USD but now we're happier booking in CDN.

 

Thanks, I didn't realize we had a choice.

[CoachT]

I am amazed at the number of people who think TAs should work for nothing.

 

If you went to work and the boss sent you home after 2 hours would you expect not to get paid?

Well said. Thankfully not all TAs have to take on clients that won't pay consultation or cancellation fees. There are far more people cruising than are on cruise critic.

 

Imagine doing customized work on a home and then deciding to make changes midstream or cancel the project all together. Some who don't know what they are talking about think it is JUST booking a cruise, but for the professionals it is far more than that!

[Lsimon]

Well said. Thankfully not all TAs have to take on clients that won't pay consultation or cancellation fees. There are far more people cruising than are on cruise critic.

 

Imagine doing customized work on a home and then deciding to make changes midstream or cancel the project all together. Some who don't know what they are talking about think it is JUST booking a cruise, but for the professionals it is far more than that!

 

Again, doing customized work on a home where materials are involved is a bad example. Just as bad as the example of an employee paid by the hour not being paid for time at work by his employer.

 

Travel Agencies are a commission business and a retail business. Commissioned sales people work on sales all the time putting in lots of time and effort and not every sale goes through to completion. And some that do are returned. Sales transactions that are never completed do not get commission. It is just the normal business practice of commissioned sales and part of one's job that final commissions are designed to compensate for.

Edited December 9, 2013 by Lsimon