Cruise agent did not ask my permission

[SteadyBetty]

someone needs a mojito! :d

 

lol!

Edited March 1, 2016 by SteadyBetty

[loxley]

Thank you for understanding my situation, unlike some that thought this was no big deal.

It is funny that you picked that particular post to thank.

 

Maybe you better get on the phone with the cruise line and get this straightened out.

 

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

[bigandlil]

As someone already asked, how did they get your name and Princess log on info if you did not give it to the online site?

 

I trust you never gave out an credit card info.

 

 

If you had waited a day to check your personalizer, this booking would have disappeared and you would have been none the wiser.............or at least that is what I understand.

[MCC retired]

OP , don't panic over this .

It is common practice for a good TA to place a hold to preserve a quote .

Too often a shopper or undecided client contacts the TA again only to find the

original quote/availability has changed.

No harm to client as it will expire on it's own .

[cruzsnooze]

I immediately tried to call Princess but could not get through after being put on hold for over half an hour. Getting more and more frustrated I looked further into my Princess planner and then I saw the name of the cruise agency, that I had checked prices earlier yesterday. . After getting off the phone with her, I called Princess and again after being on hold for quite some time I finally

NOW I WILL HAVE TO CALL PRINCESS, AND AGAIN BE PUT ON HOLD TO MAKE SURE THIS IS REMOVED!!! ALL BECAUSE OF AN CRUISE AGENT WHO DID NOT ASK MY PERMISSION TO DO THIS !!!!

 

What time would you waste? The booking goes away by itself

 

OP wasted a lot of time trying to reach Princess on a busy day when they were taking the $1 deposit cruises. The OP didn't know the hold would fall off in 24 hours. The OP only wanted to straighten out what they thought was a booking, cut them some slack.

[cruzsnooze]

OP , don't panic over this .

It is common practice for a good TA to place a hold to preserve a quote .

.

 

It's a very bad TA.

A good TA would say "I'm going to put a 24 hour hold on this for you to lock in the price and you're under no obligation. "

[chrysalis]

It's a very bad TA.

A good TA would say "I'm going to put a 24 hour hold on this for you to lock in the price and you're under no obligation. "

 

How could the TA say this when the OP claims that they never talked to the TA?

[whatcruiseisnext]

HAS THIS EVER HAPPENED TO YOU?????

Like many of you, I am always checking many Cruise Agencies for the best fare. Well, yesterday I checked my Princess site and it showed that I had a cruise booked, which was only 7 weeks away. I immediately tried to call Princess but could not get through after being put on hold for over half an hour. Getting more and more frustrated I looked further into my Princess planner and then I saw the name of the cruise agency, that I had checked prices earlier yesterday. By this time, I was really upset thinking that I had a cruise booked. So I called the agency and wanted to know why this cruise was showing up on my planner. She said she had put a 24-hour hold on it, and may I say without even asking me. After getting off the phone with her, I called Princess and again after being on hold for quite some time I finally was able to talk to an agent, who assured me that it was removed. Well, just checked my Princess account and it's still showing that this cruise is booked.

NOW I WILL HAVE TO CALL PRINCESS, AND AGAIN BE PUT ON HOLD TO MAKE SURE THIS IS REMOVED!!! ALL BECAUSE OF AN CRUISE AGENT WHO DID NOT ASK MY PERMISSION TO DO THIS !!!!

 

This is a very common practice with TA's. It is NOTHING you have to worry about. It drops off automatically. You are not obligated for anything...unless you inputed your credit card info in which case if you did input it online...YOU booked the cruise

 

 

Thank you for understanding my situation, unlike some that thought this was no big deal.

 

It isn't a big deal. It drops off automatically without you having to do anything....unless you put in your credit card info for a deposit. Then it would be something that you would have to resolve. If it is still showing on your personalizer and you are "freaked" out about it although there is no reason to be so.... Call the travel agent. Tell them you want it removed immediately and that you will wait on hold while they remove it. There are holds that can be for longer than 24 hours depending on what type of hold the travel agent used. You have no way of knowing for sure which they used. I have had TA's place holds on cruises that I was only checking on and some of them didn't drop off my personlizer until after 4 days or so. Still nothing to get worried about if there is no actual deposit on the cruise. Princess themselves will not remove the booking if made through a TA. You will need to either let it expire of have the TA remove it.

Edited March 1, 2016 by whatcruiseisnext

[looneyric]

Someone needs a mojito! :D

 

Quote of the day!!

[cruzsnooze]

How could the TA say this when the OP claims that they never talked to the TA?

 

They communicated with the OP to give them a quote on prices. That was the time to write "I'm going to put a 24 hour hold on this for you to lock in the price and you're under no obligation. "

Edited March 1, 2016 by cruzsnooze

[always_cruisin]

How did the TA get your info. You must have entered your Captain Circle number or name on their website while you were looking at prices. Yesterday was dollar deposit day and they were most likely trying to HELP you by locking in the dollar deposit. If you didn't enter any info on their site and they somehow knew who you were, I would be more concerned. The booking is automatically deleted from their inventory of sales after 24 hours if a deposit isn't paid. You have nothing to worry about unless you didn't tell them who you are (via captain circle number, name, phone number or some other means)..

[kayred]

Ridiculous! Where did you ever get that idea?

 

I have no doubt that phone agent stats are important. Just like most customer service jobs there are promos for the most reservations etc. If I wanted the reservation on hold then of course they should do it. but it should not be done without my knowledge. Why not tell the person you are doing it and give them the option. Almost all phone sales jobs have incentives for bookings and that is why to me this seems sketchy.

[Bemidji Ty]

I am reminded of the saying,

"When in danger, when in doubt,

Run in circles, SCREAM and SHOUT!"

[chrysalis]

They communicated with the OP to give them a quote on prices. That was the time to write "I'm going to put a 24 hour hold on this for you to lock in the price and you're under no obligation. "

 

Not according to the OP in post #23

[geoherb]

I had the same reaction as the OP when it first happened to me several years ago. I learned here on Cruise Critic that it wasn't anything to get worked up about. As a courtesy, the agent should have told the OP about the hold.

[DebJ14]

Calm down..... Again, they did this so they could honor the quote they gave you. It expires quickly. There are things in this world worth getting worked up about. This is not one of them.

 

I totally agree with this. Many times I have been bummed to find out later the same day that the category I priced sold out or prices went up. We want the TA to place a hold on it for us to guarantee us the best price. No harm, no foul if the deposit is not paid. Not something you should get your panties in a twist over.

[TracieABD]

As long as you don't give them a credit card number- or your FCC information, there is no harm- no foul.

 

They were holding the price you were quoted. If you do not pay the deposit, the booking just drops off.

 

Often when I am planning a cruise, I book several cruises so I can compare the final prices. I call these "dummy bookings". When I select the cruise I want, I pay the deposit-- then I let all the other cruises drop off. I don't have to do a thing. If I don't pay a deposit, they magically disappear from my personalizer.

 

This doesn't impact my cruise status, relationship with the company, my credit rating, my credit card. It is just a hold. Plain and simple.

 

No baby seals will be clubbed to death. Save your outrage for something really important- like human trafficking.

[kayred]

 

 

 

This doesn't impact my cruise status, relationship with the company, my credit rating, my credit card. It is just a hold. Plain and simple.

 

 

 

No baby seals will be clubbed to death. Save your outrage for something really important- like human trafficking.

 

 

wow, not sure what we talk about on theses boards that compare to human trafficking. Sorry if my comments effected you so strongly. I could understand the OP comment and just wanted to let them know I understood the frustration. I did not intend to upset so many. Maybe I Should be more trusting of strangers on the phone.

 

Thanks for setting my priorities straight. I am off to write my congress about my righteous anger over the illegal seal clubbing.

[pablo222]

TA locks in a price for 24 hrs and there is uproar. What time would you waste? The booking goes away by itself

 

The time posting about it on cruisecritic?

[Valiamo]

This thread reminds me of a cruiser at my SO’s old agency. Client wanted a particular port on a particular date (for a special anniversary trip) and also wanted the best suite on the ship. After spending many hours researching the port, ships in port, and those with grand/owners suites, the agent came up with the one ship that had Grand suites available, was in the right port on the right day and had their almost perfect itinerary. When the agent told the customer the details and the price, she was bluntly told that “I believe I can get a better deal elsewhere, I'll check around and might call you back”.

 

TIL: never try to outsmart a smart TA. Knowing the rarity of those suites, the agent put a booking hold on both suites as a pending group tour. Customer came back 2 days later crying that the suites she wanted were sold out, everywhere and they were so, so disappointed, her special day was ruined, they could not have the Grand Suite and were going to have to settle for a much smaller cabin. Magically the TA told the client that they had a line on the Grand suite, and sold it to the client at full retail price.

 

Alas the client really lost, as the agent DID NOT give the client the EXTRA OBC that she could have if they had booked with her in the first place ('tho she did give the customer a small OBC).

 

 

If you use a TA, be kind to them and book all your hotels, flights, tours and insurance through them, they will in turn make sure you are well taken care of. Most OBC from the cruise agent actually comes from the agent’s pocket, and they really make a pittance on any cruise booked, about $60 clear per $1,000 value. Most agents only get paid AFTER you sail and return home.

 

Find a good one, trust them and stick with them, as the better a customer you are the better deals they will find you, and there are lots of hidden deals out there. If you are loyal to them, they will be loyal to you.

[kayred]

This thread reminds me of a cruiser at my SO’s old agency. Client wanted a particular port on a particular date (for a special anniversary trip) and also wanted the best suite on the ship. After spending many hours researching the port, ships in port, and those with grand/owners suites, the agent came up with the one ship that had Grand suites available, was in the right port on the right day and had their almost perfect itinerary. When the agent told the customer the details and the price, she was bluntly told that “I believe I can get a better deal elsewhere, I'll check around and might call you back”.

 

 

 

TIL: never try to outsmart a smart TA. Knowing the rarity of those suites, the agent put a booking hold on both suites as a pending group tour. Customer came back 2 days later crying that the suites she wanted were sold out, everywhere and they were so, so disappointed, her special day was ruined, they could not have the Grand Suite and were going to have to settle for a much smaller cabin. Magically the TA told the client that they had a line on the Grand suite, and sold it to the client at full retail price.

 

 

 

Alas the client really lost, as the agent DID NOT give the client the EXTRA OBC that she could have if they had booked with her in the first place ('tho she did give the customer a small OBC).

 

 

 

 

 

If you use a TA, be kind to them and book all your hotels, flights, tours and insurance through them, they will in turn make sure you are well taken care of. Most OBC from the cruise agent actually comes from the agent’s pocket, and they really make a pittance on any cruise booked, about $60 clear per $1,000 value. Most agents only get paid AFTER you sail and return home.

 

 

 

Find a good one, trust them and stick with them, as the better a customer you are the better deals they will find you, and there are lots of hidden deals out there. If you are loyal to them, they will be loyal to you.

 

 

Does this really happen, can a TA keep you from booking a room with another TA?

[Coral]

Does this really happen, can a TA keep you from booking a room with another TA?

 

If there is only one Grand Suite on a ship (and they want a specific week), they can definitely hold it for a few days which would prevent other TAs from booking it.

Edited March 1, 2016 by Coral

[kayred]

If there is only one Grand Suite on a ship (and they want a specific week), they can definitely hold it for a few days which would prevent other TAs from booking it.

 

 

Thanks, I didn't know that could happen. Probably won't ever really effect me but I am glad to know it's possible and to be careful when getting prices. Thanks :)

[Colo Cruiser]

HAS THIS EVER HAPPENED TO YOU?????

Like many of you, I am always checking many Cruise Agencies for the best fare. Well, yesterday I checked my Princess site and it showed that I had a cruise booked, which was only 7 weeks away. I immediately tried to call Princess but could not get through after being put on hold for over half an hour. Getting more and more frustrated I looked further into my Princess planner and then I saw the name of the cruise agency, that I had checked prices earlier yesterday. By this time, I was really upset thinking that I had a cruise booked. So I called the agency and wanted to know why this cruise was showing up on my planner. She said she had put a 24-hour hold on it, and may I say without even asking me. After getting off the phone with her, I called Princess and again after being on hold for quite some time I finally was able to talk to an agent, who assured me that it was removed. Well, just checked my Princess account and it's still showing that this cruise is booked.

NOW I WILL HAVE TO CALL PRINCESS, AND AGAIN BE PUT ON HOLD TO MAKE SURE THIS IS REMOVED!!! ALL BECAUSE OF AN CRUISE AGENT WHO DID NOT ASK MY PERMISSION TO DO THIS !!!!

 

 

As stated it will go away on its own. Was it right? Probably not. Does it happen? Yes and its happened to me many many times. I have a TA now that I trust.

How did they get your information to create a booking in the first place?

[Colo Cruiser]

wow, not sure what we talk about on theses boards that compare to human trafficking. Sorry if my comments effected you so strongly. I could understand the OP comment and just wanted to let them know I understood the frustration. I did not intend to upset so many. Maybe I Should be more trusting of strangers on the phone.

 

Thanks for setting my priorities straight. I am off to write my congress about my righteous anger over the illegal seal clubbing.

 

 

Looks like you have been around here and on the internet long enough to know you will get comments, some you like and some you don't.

 

No need to be so dramatic.