How Long Do We Have to Transfer a Cruise to a TA?

[knittinggirl]

I booked a cruise w/ HAL.com. What's the deadline to transfer it to a TA?

 

Anything else I should know about transferring a cruise to a TA?

[Lizzie68]

I booked a cruise w/ HAL.com. What's the deadline to transfer it to a TA?

 

Anything else I should know about transferring a cruise to a TA?

 

 

You must do it before final payment date. Your TA's name, company name and telephone number is usually all that is required for you to give HAL. I forget the number you call at HAL - listen on the main number for the the options, but someone here is sure to know and will post.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I would do the transfer at least a week or two before final payment is due.

That way you have given the agents time to get the paper work done.

[shrimp56]

When I book onboard my TA is already listed on the confirmation I receive before I disembark. I get the booking onboard OBC, plus whatever else my TA can wangle for me.

[Dietemann]

You must do it before final payment date. Your TA's name, company name and telephone number is usually all that is required for you to give HAL. I forget the number you call at HAL - listen on the main number for the the options, but someone here is sure to know and will post.

 

 

I just did this on Friday, they must have had phone problems because I waited 2x for 10 minutes before someone answered. Was always very quick before. You'll need your booking #, name of agency and agent and their regular phone number, not 800.

 

World Cruise Reservation phone is 1-800-522-3399, Option 4 to transfer to agent.

[bnickle]

I hope this doesn't seem as ignorant a question as I actually think it is, but what is the advantage of transferring a booked appointment to a TA? Really not being snarky; I just want to know.

[alwaysfrantic]

I hope this doesn't seem as ignorant a question as I actually think it is, but what is the advantage of transferring a booked appointment to a TA? Really not being snarky; I just want to know.

 

I did it for the shipboard credit (refundable to my card if I don't spend it all) I have about $900 from an agency. Other people have different reasons, I'm sure. But for me it is definitely always the $

[RocketMan275]

I hope this doesn't seem as ignorant a question as I actually think it is, but what is the advantage of transferring a booked appointment to a TA? Really not being snarky; I just want to know.

 

 

My agent gives me a 10% discount once I transfer the cruise to her.

[dee2673]

I do it for the additional onboard credit I get from the TA. Between the TA and HAL, I have 1535.00 OBC for my next cruise!!

 

 

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[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Up to final payment.

[agracia1]

Sorry for asking..I know we are not supposed to give names here but how or where does one start when looking for agency? ..So far everyplace I looked was more than HAL and the one time we used 1 wasn't the best experience ...Maybe I'll have better luck for next year's cruise

 

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[RocketMan275]

Sorry for asking..I know we are not supposed to give names here but how or where does one start when looking for agency? ..So far everyplace I looked was more than HAL and the one time we used 1 wasn't the best experience ...Maybe I'll have better luck for next year's cruise

 

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You can use google to get a list of travel agents and then call them until you find one who will give you what you want.

 

You should also check the organizations you have affiliations with. Do you have auto insurance? Some companies offer travel services. Some credit card companies offer some good deals. Do you belong to a big box discount store? Probably the best place to find a good agent is on your next cruise. Ask your fellow cruisers.

 

The cruise lines prohibit advertisement of discounts so internet searches are rather useless except to generate a list of possible candidates. You'll find a lot of TA advertise huge savings but usually those savings are against the brochure or rack rate and no one pays that.

[agracia1]

You can use google to get a list of travel agents and then call them until you find one who will give you what you want.

 

You should also check the organizations you have affiliations with. Do you have auto insurance? Some companies offer travel services. Some credit card companies offer some good deals. Do you belong to a big box discount store? Probably the best place to find a good agent is on your next cruise. Ask your fellow cruisers.

 

The cruise lines prohibit advertisement of discounts so internet searches are rather useless except to generate a list of possible candidates. You'll find a lot of TA advertise huge savings but usually those savings are against the brochure or rack rate and no one pays that.

Thank you

 

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[serendipity1499]

I hope this doesn't seem as ignorant a question as I actually think it is, but what is the advantage of transferring a booked appointment to a TA? Really not being snarky; I just want to know.

 

We always get 10% to 12% off the fare by giving it to our Travel Agent plus OBC..The longer the cruise the greater the savings..

 

Although several Cruise Lines prohibit it, there is no law which states it’s illegal for TravelAgents to undercut some Cruise Lines fares...

 

We've been on more than 20 cruises & prior to our 2006 cruise always booked with either theCruise line Directly or a Group Wholesaler which had a land tour..

For instance, In 2005 we booked an outside “F” cabin (mid-ship) on Dolphin Deck onHAL’s 25 day Amazon Cruise for April 2006 directly with HAL..

Thanks to Randy & Heather on this board, four months after booking,I checked a couple of on-line Travel Agents who advertise on Cruise Critic.. Discovered one who could give us $1078 (8.9%) off the HAL farewith a better “E” cabin (mid-ship) on Main Deck. With this Agent had to book by Internet only as the Agent could not be contacted by phone, which I normally like to do..

When I spoke to a HAL Supervisor, he informed me that they could not compete with the fares of their high producing Agents..On his suggestion, we then Faxed HAL& had them release the booking to the on line TA..We then received the cheaper fare & better cabin..

I'm retired from an International Airline & was chagrined to learn that I had been a complete dummy.. Should have realized that we always did the same thing in the Airline Industry..

 

In Nov. 2006 we booked a last minute 14 day on the Ryndam with the same Agent & their fare again was 9.9% less than HAL’s fare.. This time he put us into his group allotment & in addition gave us the Pinnacle Grill ($30 per person extra) plus wine & 2 massages..

 

On our Oceania 26 day Cruise to the Amazon in Nov. 2007, we received a better rate with another Agent than Oceania could give us.. This Agent gave us an additional $150 OBC & a wine package..

We now book our Cruises with an on-line Agent, who we canalso talk to by phone.. On one 28 day cruise a couple of years ago our Agent gave us a bottle of wine, dinner in the Pinnacle plus $150 OBC in addition to a much less expensive fare.. On a 14 day cruise in 2015 we saved close to 13% over the HAL fare..

As suggested by others on this thread, you have to talk or e-mail a couple of Agents & see what their bottom line fare is.. Be sure they quote the total fare which includes, taxes, port charges & fuel surcharges.. Find out what extra’s such as OBC’s, spa, wine, etc they will offer.. Also be sure to read their Cancellation& Change policy very carefully.. Check fares on some of the Cruise Lines which permit discounting by Agents on published fares.. Other cruise lines which don’t permit Agents to discount may permit them to offer you OBC’s,wine, spa packages etc..Sorry can't give you the names of our Agents, but many do advertise on Cruise Critic..:cool:

 

 

 

Edited February 26, 2017 by serendipity1499

[bnickle]

:) I really appreciate all the replies and info! Still have a window of time to work with before our final payment so I'll look into it! Thanks a lot. :)