No Price Drops Because TA is Closed and Celebrity Won't Deal w/ Us

[knittinggirl]

Once again we've been stonewalled by Celebrity because we have a TA in place. They advertised a promotion good only through this weekend, and our TA is closed. Are there any cruise lines that will work price changes with you if you've gone through a TA? If so, that would be a reason switch.

[Cruising89143]

I don't know of any cruise line that will work with you if you're using a TA. The TA owns the booking, not the cruise line. This is not a Celebrity only issue.

[Iamcruzin]

Can you book the cruise with Celebrity and cancel the one you booked with the TA when they open?

[WestLakeGirl]

Aren't these specials for new bookings only? Since you are already booked. You wouldn't qualify in any case, would you?

[EpcotBill]

If you're talking about the 4th of July CYBERSALE, that sale is for new bookings only. According to the fine print on their website anyway.

[cruisestitch]

Was it a price drop that would be available to anyone or, more likely a sale that is for new bookings only? If the latter, you probably wouldn't get in on it with or without a travel agency once you are already booked. You could possibly cancel your original booking and re book, but I'm guessing that you might be beyond final payment anyway. Which cruise are you interested in changing?

[Pilot70D]

We sympathize with you and have at times shared your frustration. Until recently we have always used a TA, in fact the same TA over an almost ten year period but then something happened that has caused us to rethink our usage of a TA.

 

Our TA is but one of many franchisees in a franchise network. Our TA simply vanished for over three weeks and for whatever reason had no one filling in. It was at this time that repeated phone calls went unanswered and email messages unanswered.

 

We wanted to book a TA cruise and have our TA handle the booking but we could not get a hold of the TA no matter how we tried. Then came the real shock. On our most recent cruise I had purchased two Passages certificates. I wanted to use one of those to book the TA. We couldn't get a response from our TA so I contacted Celebrity thinking I could use one of those certificates. Wrong. If one purchases a Passages certificate while on a cruise where a TA is responsible for the booking then the TA also owns those Passages certificates.

 

Now I was really mad. We couldn't get a hold of our TA and Celebrity was telling me that I didn't even have control of the Passages certificates I bought. They were down to the last cabin of its type that we wanted so something had to be done. I escalated the control of the Passages certificates up the Celebrity management chain and finally got the certificates transferred back to my control. I then booked the TA cruise with one of them but without the escalation this would not have happened.

 

OK, all of the foregoing happened via the Captain's Club. My suggestion is to contact them and see if they can help. Be polite but also be insistent and see if they can at least agree to let your TA process your transaction when the TA opens again on Monday.

 

Good luck.

:):)

[WestLakeGirl]

While Captains Club can help with a lot of things, this is a very different issue

[cle-guy]

As long as you aren't after final payments deadlines, you can transfer the reservation back from the TA to Celebrity if you want, you would lose any TA granted perks of course as you can't have your cake and eat it too as they say.

 

Celebrity has a form (I've done it before) they make you complete and sign so that have proof that it was the passenger who moved the reservation. You have to site a reason be that wanted to change agencies, not happy with agency etc.

 

Surprised this wasn't offered straight out to the passenger with the Passages certificates issue.

[knittinggirl]

We sympathize with you and have at times shared your frustration. Until recently we have always used a TA, in fact the same TA over an almost ten year period but then something happened that has caused us to rethink our usage of a TA.

 

Our TA is but one of many franchisees in a franchise network. Our TA simply vanished for over three weeks and for whatever reason had no one filling in. It was at this time that repeated phone calls went unanswered and email messages unanswered.

 

We wanted to book a TA cruise and have our TA handle the booking but we could not get a hold of the TA no matter how we tried. Then came the real shock. On our most recent cruise I had purchased two Passages certificates. I wanted to use one of those to book the TA. We couldn't get a response from our TA so I contacted Celebrity thinking I could use one of those certificates. Wrong. If one purchases a Passages certificate while on a cruise where a TA is responsible for the booking then the TA also owns those Passages certificates.

 

Now I was really mad. We couldn't get a hold of our TA and Celebrity was telling me that I didn't even have control of the Passages certificates I bought. They were down to the last cabin of its type that we wanted so something had to be done. I escalated the control of the Passages certificates up the Celebrity management chain and finally got the certificates transferred back to my control. I then booked the TA cruise with one of them but without the escalation this would not have happened.

 

OK, all of the foregoing happened via the Captain's Club. My suggestion is to contact them and see if they can help. Be polite but also be insistent and see if they can at least agree to let your TA process your transaction when the TA opens again on Monday.

 

Good luck.

:):)

We always make our open bookings w/o the TA, then transfer them to the TA later. We have transferred open bookings back to our control before. Took writing a letter w/ the booking numbers and why we wanted them transfered.

Edited July 5, 2014 by knittinggirl

[papaflamingo]

It is one problem of booking with a TA. I book with one, but she is not one of the "normal franchises." She works with a company that is independent, but still quite large. The reason I use a TA is that I am an airline employee and, therefore, eligible for "Interline" rates. But in order to get Interline, I must book through an "Interline" agent. My TA doesn't give perks. She does send me a nice bottle of wine for every cruise and a plate of strawberries. I use her because she is outstanding and we have a great relationship. She has helped me many times. There is no additional cost to me and no penalties for any change or cancellation (unlike some TA's). Among the many things she has done for me, one of the best was getting me an upgrade last year on Oasis from a JS to a CL-1 three weeks prior to my cruise for a total upgrade cost of $300! Now the reason that this was so superior is because the CL price was "new bookings only, no discounts apply." She "convinced" Royal Caribbean to not only give me the upgrade (I was already booked so I didn't qualify), but also my Diamond Plus discount of $250 off the cabin!!!!!

So, I use her. But, more to the point, she is always reachable by email. My Oasis upgrade was on Labor Day, so the offices were closed. But she was still reachable by email. I once got ahold of her at her grandson's graduation.

Anyway, my point is that if you are going to use a TA, find a really good one. Establish a relationship and keep in personal touch. Don't just go for the free OBC, or free dinner at a Specialty restaurant. A friend did that, and it cost him a free upgrade to a JS from a D-1 because the TA he used was not "interline." But also know the restrictions and just accept them. If you aren't qualified, then that's simply "just life."

[Orator]

Why would Celebrity pay a commission to a TA and then do the TA's work? It is your responsibility to select a TA who meets your needs. If it is important to you that they are open during the weekend, then select a TA who is open on the weekend.

I know at least one online TA who is closed during the weekend who would tell you to make a "dummy" booking and call them on Monday.

Edited July 5, 2014 by Orator

[CathyCruises]

I would put a '24 hour hold' on the cabin/rate I wanted on the X website. then I would both send an email now and call my TA first thing Monday morning and see if you can switch. It's worth a shot. I have had 24 hour hold last for 72 hours+, but keep an eye on it and if it expires, re-hold it right away to get to Monday morning.

[biker1972]

Also make note that some TA's have a cancellation fee in place even if you have not reached final payment date. Sometimes booking through a TA can be financially rewarding , but giving up control of the booking does put you at the mercy of a third person. A good TA is very valuable but a booking agent masquerading as a TA can be a real downer. In this age of the internet it is very hard to find a good TA because booking agents are like weeds: everywhere.

[iancal]

This is just one of the reasons why we switched from a bricks and mortar agency to an internet agency. Hours of operation.

 

We have twice had pricing opportunities that were time sensitive. Our on line TA agency took care of the opportunity immediately.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

If one purchases a Passages certificate while on a cruise where a TA is responsible for the booking then the TA also owns those Passages certificates.

 

For future reference, this is not true. You may specify at the time of purchase that the Passages Certificate will be in your name. If you say nothing, it will automatically go to your TA of record, but you can over ride this. I have done this. Ended up transferring the certs back to my TA, but I wanted to have flexibility.

 

Linda

[Theodorable]

The great thing about our online TA is not only the hours they are open, but the fact that you can call the general number and anyone can make a change for you. You don't have to deal with only one person. Great rates, great benefits.....I really like our TA.

[grandgeezer]

Once again we've been stonewalled by Celebrity because we have a TA in place. They advertised a promotion good only through this weekend, and our TA is closed. Are there any cruise lines that will work price changes with you if you've gone through a TA? If so, that would be a reason switch.

 

Same post, by the same person, on Royal Caribbean's site, complaing about not being able to get the price through them. Me thinks it's just someone trying to stir the pot.

[molly361]

Same post, by the same person, on Royal Caribbean's site, complaing about not being able to get the price through them. Me thinks it's just someone trying to stir the pot.

 

I was just going to post the same thing. Does the OP have a reservation on BOTH RCL and Celebrity that she is trying to upgrade??:rolleyes:

[Wine-O]

Can you book the cruise with Celebrity and cancel the one you booked with the TA when they open?

 

They're probably with a TA that charges for cancelling a booking. We don't use they anymore as their customer service sucks on weekends -- there is none. :rolleyes:

[Cruise Raider]

Yes, as others have mentioned, don't feel too bad as you couldn't take advantage of the Cyber Sale that is going on throughout this weekend. My Sept cruise is just past final payment date and when I called to upgrade or get a price drop, I was told I wouldn't be able to get the price drop using the Cyber Sale as it was for new bookings only and if I wanted to upgrade, it would be at the original price and not the lesser price as outlined with the Cyber Sale.

Although this is a travel agency that is not open on weekends, the agent that returned my call was quite friendly and told me that we might still see some price drops after the cyber sale and I should not hesitate to call for an upgrade in a few weeks if I noticed any desirable price reductions posted online. She also explained to me that once past final payment date, Celebrity would no longer provide any price drops, however, they would allow any upgrades to a higher stateroom category.

With all this said, I don't think I will book with an agency that is not open on weekends again. I have liked their customer service once I am able to get through to them, but since weekends are my only time to get this stuff done, it is rather frustrating that I am unable to reach them when I need to.

[awhcruiser]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2066415

[BBsails]

If you find a price drop and your TA is closed over the weekend, simply take a screen shot showing the price drop. Phone your TA on Monday and explain. The TA may or may not ask you to send the screen shot in an email as an attachment. I've done this several times and have always been able to get the price drop.

 

Betsy