Lesson Learned

[Cajun Sailor]

Def don't want to offend any TA's out there but I'm totally frustrated with mine right now. Have booked with this particular agency for other vacations and thought why not for a cruise ( umm wrong). Haven't cruised since 07 and first time on Carnival. Since booking in Feb, I have called my TA several times regarding price drops and I get the usual response, " that doesn't apply to you". When I question why, she tells me she doesn't know. ( hmm, shouldn't she know)? Finally for the 123 summer sail, I called her again and before I could finish she was like yeah you saved $50. Don't get me wrong I was happy but I was also thinking were you going to let me know or why now can I get this savings but not any other ones. Now there is the Upgrade to a Summer and now she is telling me I'm in penalty phase ( never heard of that) and when I ask her how can that be, once again she doesn't know. Now she won't return my calls. Does this sound typical with a TA? Never will go through a TA again for a cruise!!

[hftmrock]

at best the TA is a pretty rude TA.

 

at worse, the TA is costing you money. if you are paid in full already then you usually dont get price reductions (unless you booked with early saver)

 

otherwise you are not in any penalty phase and the TA might be trying to keep from making the price reductions for you. It might eat into their commission

[PhoenixDawgCruising]

I got screwed by a TA in 2003 and have not used one since. I like having a booking that I have direct access to 24/7, not being at the mercy of a TA who might be on vacation, playing golf, or on a cruise themselves.:eek:

 

I have found that TAs can't really do all that much for you. The fares are the same, all they do is offer a free bottle of booze or paid gratuties or something so small that it is not worth the hassle, at least not to me.

 

You know what they say, if you want somethng done right, do it yourself!:D

Edited May 12, 2014 by PhoenixDawgCruising

[Cajun Sailor]

Not paid up in full until June 6. Def feel like she doesn't want to cut into her commission. Have left her two messages and if I don't hear from her by the end of the day, calling her supervisor in the morning. Guess I'm at her mercy!! Like I said, lesson learned.

[hftmrock]

I have heard people call carnival and tell them that the TA is not doing what they need and they take it away from the TA.

 

You might want to try that if the supervisor doesn't give you satisfaction

 

if the final payment is not due until June 6th, there is no penalty phase. I dont know what sale in which you originally booked so I dont know if you are entitled to some of the discounts but there is no penalty phase until final payment that I know of

[Cajun Sailor]

Thanks for the advice. Def will try that if I don't get anywhere with her supervisor. I really think I'm just annoying her cause I won't back down!! Really disappointed in her service!!

[Cruise-Crazy]

Transfer it over to another agency or CCL PVP

[LVDFW]

Yeah my TA last year encouraged me to do the Texas resident fare vs Early saver. (Texas was about $50 cheaper at the time)

 

Triumph happened, prices plummeted so no price match for me. However due to the price drop, I was able to get a suite for ~$100 more total.

[loxley]

Yeah my TA last year encouraged me to do the Texas resident fare vs Early saver. (Texas was about $50 cheaper at the time)

 

Triumph happened, prices plummeted so no price match for me. However due to the price drop, I was able to get a suite for ~$100 more total.

 

If this ever comes up again, you do the early saver rate, then match to the resident rate.

[Taters]

I had to take a booking away from a TA once due to not ever being able to get a call returned. As I recall, they sent me a form, I filled out in 5 minutes, scanned it back to them and it was over. I will not use a TA again.

Edited May 12, 2014 by Taters

[LVDFW]

I know that now, but since the cruise was our honeymoon, spending $100 more was a nice "Upgrade" to the suite. If it happens again I'll take my $800 OBC.

 

 

Speaking of OBC it's use it or lose it correct? Can you use it in the casino then cash out the remaining balance?

[Cajun Sailor]

We'll.. It is the end of the work day for us here in LA and my TA never returned my call so I really think that I'm just going to call Carnival and try to book with them. All I paid to the TA was my $200 deposit. Does anyone know if I can just transfer that over?

[turning40withMickey]

Post back and let us know!

 

My TA is always "unavailable" too, I call and email him with each price drop I find (SEVEN so far). He does submit them, but he has stopped taking my calls.:p As long as he keeps submitting them, I guess I can stick it out, but I will most likely book directly in the future. I did get OBC from the TA originally, but that is probably gone since the price has dropped so much. I will definitely book early saver, though! 27 days out and the price dropped another 80 today. over 1000 in drops, all after final payment so the OBC is like a refund to me. And we will cash out in the casino any money not spent. :)

Edited May 12, 2014 by turning40withMickey

[lady_cruiser]

Call the cruise line and find out how to fire your travel agent. But make sure you aren't charged a hefty fee from your travel agent for leaving her. She just might decide to make you pay for all or part of the commission she'll lose when you leave her.

 

I had the same problem with a travel agent in Laf., after doing business with him for years. I finally smarten up and started booking my own cruises. In fact in the last month my sister and I were able to take advantage of three price drops on our upcoming August cruise.

[Cajun Sailor]

Call the cruise line and find out how to fire your travel agent. But make sure you aren't charged a hefty fee from your travel agent for leaving her. She just might decide to make you pay for all or part of the commission she'll lose when you leave her.

 

I had the same problem with a travel agent in Laf., after doing business with him for years. I finally smarten up and started booking my own cruises. In fact in the last month my sister and I were able to take advantage of three price drops on our upcoming August cruise.

 

I called Carnival this evening and they told me that I would have to request a letter from my travel agent saying I want to terminate service with her. Going to try to call her AGAIN in the am. Maybe she will wake up on the right side of the bed and do her job!!

[Cruisin' Lisa]

cajon

If you are not in final payment yet, I think that means you can cancel your cruise without penalty and get your deposit back. So....perhaps you can cancel, get your deposit back and then book again on your own. . .and then you dont have to wait for any letter from your TA to let you transfer your booking.

[JediSkipdogg]

I was screwed by a TA once and never again. I was looking at a cruise once and the TAs assistant put a hold for me on the cruise till I could confirm I wanted it (something like a 24 hour hold if I remember.) Well, I was waiting for a special to go into effect and that's why I didn't book it yet. I decided I wanted and she booked it for me the following day and guaranteed I would get the OBC from the special through the cruise line and her OBC she was offering. So in total $100 I would be getting. For a solo on an inside room, that's a nice amount.

 

I get my stateroom bill the final day of the cruise, no OBC. Went to the front desk of the ship before checking out and they wouldn't even talk to me. They said my TA had to talk to them. Called my TA while I was still in port standing next to the ship and she said she'd look into it. After numerous emails, it was because her TA put a hold on my room outside of the special that it disqualified me from getting the OBC. I fought with the TA and finally just gave up as she said all she could do is refund me the money personally and eat it herself and lose money on my booking. Since the TA was a co-workers mom, I didn't push that envelope but I never used her again.

 

I just don't get the fad with TAs in the Internet age. Just seems like too much of a pain if you have problems.

[kirnerxubixu]

The fares are the same, all they do is offer a free bottle of booze or paid gratuties or something so small that it is not worth the hassle

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Def don't want to offend any TA's out there but I'm totally frustrated with mine right now. Have booked with this particular agency for other vacations and thought why not for a cruise ( umm wrong). Haven't cruised since 07 and first time on Carnival. Since booking in Feb, I have called my TA several times regarding price drops and I get the usual response, " that doesn't apply to you". When I question why, she tells me she doesn't know. ( hmm, shouldn't she know)? Finally for the 123 summer sail, I called her again and before I could finish she was like yeah you saved $50. Don't get me wrong I was happy but I was also thinking were you going to let me know or why now can I get this savings but not any other ones. Now there is the Upgrade to a Summer and now she is telling me I'm in penalty phase ( never heard of that) and when I ask her how can that be, once again she doesn't know. Now she won't return my calls. Does this sound typical with a TA? Never will go through a TA again for a cruise!!

 

How much can you save if you were to book today compared to what you originally paid?

 

If it's more then the cancellation fee your TA is charging i would outright cancel the cruise and rebook directly with the cruise line.

 

I don't know if you are booked early saver though. If you are Carnival will hit you with $50pp cancellation fee on top of what the travel agent charges.

 

If you are booked early saver you are entitled to all the price drops you qualify for.

 

if the travel agent is uncooperative call Carnival and see if they will intervene.

 

good Luck

 

Bill

[Lerin]

We never use TAs anymore for anything. Total waste of time and money.

Rather than eliminating the middle man, they create one.

Much easier to just do it on your own.

[Cajun Sailor]

Wow!! Did I mention before that I will never make the mistake of going through a TA again. Called Carnival this morning to see what I had to do to terminate my TA, we'll it isn't as easy as it seems at least not for my booking. Funny thing is that my TA called me immediately after I hung up with Carnival and received the price drop!! She is totally unprofessional and if I could cancel my booking with her and not loose my rooms, I would do it in a heart beat. That being said I'm not going to let her ruin my cruise with my family. So not worth it. I'm done with looking for price drops and I'm going to just look froward to my wonderful vacation!!

[Boozebabe]

Not paid up in full until June 6. Def feel like she doesn't want to cut into her commission. Have left her two messages and if I don't hear from her by the end of the day, calling her supervisor in the morning. Guess I'm at her mercy!! Like I said, lesson learned.

 

Did you use a local TA? Someone in your neighborhood or local area? If so, don't bother calling. Get in your car and go in person. You'll get much better results. I have used TA's in the past but never one who is an "online" agent. I want to see a warm body in front of me.

[cruisinfanatic]

Wow!! Did I mention before that I will never make the mistake of going through a TA again. Called Carnival this morning to see what I had to do to terminate my TA, we'll it isn't as easy as it seems at least not for my booking. Funny thing is that my TA called me immediately after I hung up with Carnival and received the price drop!! She is totally unprofessional and if I could cancel my booking with her and not loose my rooms, I would do it in a heart beat. That being said I'm not going to let her ruin my cruise with my family. So not worth it. I'm done with looking for price drops and I'm going to just look froward to my wonderful vacation!!

don't know why you don't just cancel and rebook. You won't lose deposit. Cabins could probably rebook

[Cajun Sailor]

don't know why you don't just cancel and rebook. You won't lose deposit. Cabins could probably rebook

 

The guy from carnival told me that if I would cancel my booking with the TA then i would lose my booking and not guaranteed rooms close together. They said because I have a minor child (16) the rooms have to be within a 3 door distance. I told him he would be with my 21 yr old daughter and they said they consider an adult at 25 (Something else my TA didn't tell me). Just don't want to chance anything messing up my cruise. I just learned a valuable lesson and won't be making that mistake again!!

[cruisinfanatic]

The guy from carnival told me that if I would cancel my booking with the TA then i would lose my booking and not guaranteed rooms close together. They said because I have a minor child (16) the rooms have to be within a 3 door distance. I told him he would be with my 21 yr old daughter and they said they consider an adult at 25 (Something else my TA didn't tell me). Just don't want to chance anything messing up my cruise. I just learned a valuable lesson and won't be making that mistake again!!

Did you check what's available now if you were not able to get your cabins back?