2006 Circle of The Sun World Cruise

[baybeachgirl]

If anyone has done a world cruise or is booked for this one...please give me information concerning immunizations. I have checked the CDC web site but would very much appreciate information you may have, from personal experience. Thanking you in advance for your input!

[Ides of March]

We are booked on this cruise and just received the third installment of our shots and boosters. Apparently you MUST be vaccinated for yellow fever or they won't let you on the boat as countries after the fever zone require proof that all passengers were immune. you get a yellow card as proof.

 

We went to a doc who has a travel medicine clinic and he figured out what we needed. Hep A and B, tetanus, Yellow fever, pills for malaria, are the ones that come to mind but trust a doc not me on the subject.

 

IOM

[baybeachgirl]

Ides of March,

Thanks so much for your response...I was definitely feeling over whelmed after visiting the CDC web site! We now have an appontment with "Passport Health", here in Va. Beach and will be getting all the immunizations beginning in a few days. I had no idea there was a source like this....thanks again for responding. Looking forward to this wonderful adventure. But when one is (barely) over seventy, a little fearful as well, but don't mention that to my former Marine husband.

Thanks again!

[Grumpy1]

That sounds like the lineup of shots we got before the 2005 World Tour. We went to a travel medicine doc in Naples, FL. He looked at the itenerary and put the countries in a computer program. It printed out the required immunization information along with health information and cautions for each of the countries.

[baybeachgirl]

We just received visa papers from our TA...apparently we need to send our passports and immunization documentation to obtain visa for India and Brazil...even if we do not plan to leave the ship. The letter he enclosed (TA) from Holland America was three months old...we are running out of time. Any information you can impart will be greatly appreciated. At this point, I am about ready to risk the penalty and stay home.

[Ziggy7]

ooops wrong thread sorry!

[PRINSENDAM]

We just received visa papers from our TA...apparently we need to send our passports and immunization documentation to obtain visa for India and Brazil...even if we do not plan to leave the ship. The letter he enclosed (TA) from Holland America was three months old...we are running out of time. Any information you can impart will be greatly appreciated. At this point, I am about ready to risk the penalty and stay home.

 

 

 

DON'T CANCEL!!!! :eek:

 

 

Give your TA a dressing down for not getting the information to you in gooood time. For anyone booooooked on a long voyage like this it is unforgiveable and completely unprofessional. :mad:

 

 

As far as India and Brazil are concerned, you may not be planning to go ashore but you will still require the visa unfortunately. If you don't have it you will be in violation of their rules... and HAL may refuse boarding if you do not have the correct visas etc at the start of the cruise. They ahve to protext themselves. If they bring the ship into port without everyone having the correct documents then they will be the ones in trouble... as well as you!:(

 

Get onto your agent and your Visa service as quickly as possible. You still have a month to sort it out. Make sure everything is priority.

 

Hope it works out.

 

Stephen

[baybeachgirl]

This cruise is not going to happen for us. We just found out this morning that TA pocketed most of our cruise payments...I am feeling so stupid. Despite having over 130 Mariner days on HAl, and thinking we "knew it all" we didn't!! Apparently TA withheld HAL documentation that was vital to our boarding the ship, to buy time for his scam. Then cancelled the cruise this past Monday morning using the excuse that we did not have enough time to get our immunizations and visa. Also said HAL had promised full refund. Yes, that did not seem right to me, but we still gave him the benefit of the doubt. This morning I called HAL and the truth came out . TA met with my husband at noon today and admitted he kept nearly $29.000. Tomorow we meet with authorities to press charges for theft, while TA is meeting with his attorney to file bankrupcy. I doubt we will ever recover any of the money we put into this once in a life time cruise, or the wonderful experience of this adventure. But please, be careful when you book... the TA you get may turn out to be your worse enemy.

Thanks for your input and have a fabulous adventure...wish we could be there with you!

[baybeachgirl]

Met with detective and this scum bag TA will be served next week...unfortunatly there is a back log of criminal cases in our area and it can't happen any faster. At this point TA does not know we have pressed charges, so hope he doesn't leave town. Have also retained an attorney as advised by the detective. Mean while HAL has been of absolutely no help. I called them three times last thursday (Special Accounts Dept) and finally got them to admit we are in the 100% penalty phase, despite our not knowing until last Mionday that the cruise was not paid in full. After telling me we are out the first payment of $21,000, he had the nerve to say "Have a nice day!" before hanging up on me. TA pocketed the second and final payments, so with the insurance we bought in July, we are out 54,000. Hope this never happens to any of you all!! It is gut wrenching!

[Grumpy1]

This is absolutely terrible. To be so close to your once in a lifetime cruise and see it pulled out from under you is really heartbreaking.

 

You mentioned that you had purchased insurance. Is there any possibility that it will reimburse anything or was that also purchased through the same TA?

 

Please let us know how this all turns out. I don't know what else to say except that I feel really bad that this has happened to you.

[kryos]

Thanks for your input and have a fabulous adventure...wish we could be there with you!

Don't give up hope quite yet!

 

Is your TA part of a larger "consortium?" In other words, do they make their bookings through a host agency? If so, the host agency probably has a bond on them which means that bond company will have to reimburse you for the money the agent made off with, and then they will be the ones standing in line for reimbursement with the TA's other bankruptcy creditors.

 

Most independent TA's book through a host agency, especially if they are not large enough to qualify for the various certifications that let them make commissions on sales from the various vendors they use. Other independent agents are not really independent at all in that they are franchisees of larger companies.

 

Have your attorney check this out. Your TA might actually be bonded through a larger travel group, and if that's the case, while you may have to wait a while to get your money back, you WlLL get it back and maybe can still make your trip. Visas and Immunizations can be handled on an expedited basis ... especially in situations like this.

 

Good luck and I am so sorry this happened to you. Hopefully the State's Attorney General will throw the book at this unscrupulous agent.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

Met with detective and this scum bag TA will be served next week...unfortunatly there is a back log of criminal cases in our area and it can't happen any faster. At this point TA does not know we have pressed charges, so hope he doesn't leave town.

It's a shame, but it is because of people like this ... the relatively few unscrupulous operators ... that all TA's get a bad name. I know that we had a scandal just like this here in Philly a year or so ago ... a small-time agent who booked a large church group on a Disney cruise and then pocketed all of the deposits ... and today a lot of folks are very, very hesitant to book trips with anyone other than a large nationally-recognized travel group. It really hurts the smaller operator who is very honest in her business dealings.

 

The thing that I look for when I deal with a travel agent is that my payments go directly through the cruise line. The TA I use for my HAL bookings never runs a credit card charge through the agency, rather it comes through HAL's corporate office. This relieves the agent of paying the credit card fees, and eases the client's mind in knowing that their payment went directly to the provider of the travel services.

 

Again, I am really sorry this happened to you. Hopefully, your attorney will uncover a source of reimbursement that can make you whole for this loss.

 

As for HAL not being understanding ... I am surprised about that only because I would think it would be in HAL's best interests to see operators such as this put out of business right quick. They all providers of travel services a bad name.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[blackbird71]

baybeachgirl I am sorry to hear your TA ripped you off. If that happened to me, the TA's Will had better be up todate.

 

But a FYI for others reading this thread. The ONLY shot that is a problem is the Yellow Fever shot. I was in downtown Monroe La(northeast La) when I was getting ready for my Amazon cruise. I needed a Yellow Fever shot for my Brazilian visa. But YF shots have to be given at a CDC certified YF site. In the case of Monroe La there was only one place in town, the public health dept. The CDC site as a listing for them. In my case, my TA was in Miami and I had to find a site on my own.

 

Question Grumpy...

 

I understand Hep A shots, but Hep B is blood related. Did anybody give you a good reason for getting Hep B shots.... Blackbird hates shots :p and while they suggested Hep A for the Amazon, Blackbird does not eat or drink ashore on cruises, not that Blackbird is worried about Hep A but he does not want on a limited time cruise to be spending a lot time in or near a bathroom :eek:

[Grumpy1]

Question Grumpy...

 

I understand Hep A shots, but Hep B is blood related. Did anybody give you a good reason for getting Hep B shots.... Blackbird hates shots :p and while they suggested Hep A for the Amazon, Blackbird does not eat or drink ashore on cruises, not that Blackbird is worried about Hep A but he does not want on a limited time cruise to be spending a lot time in or near a bathroom :eek:

 

Looklng at my yellow card, i see that we did not get Hep B shots. We were on a tight time table... actually had to go back after the cruise to get the second HEP A shot... but I recall some mention of the HEP B. I don't remember why we didn't get it, though. If I can find the computer printout that the travel med clinic used to determine which shots were needed, it might refresh my foggy brain cells.

[baybeachgirl]

Thank you all so very much for kind words, encouragement and helpful input!! It seems only you folks who love cruising and have so much experience can really understand how this would make one feel.

We purchased our own travel insurance through CSA Travel and it obviously does not cover theft...I've talked with CSA agent and he's never had a case like this, so is not too optimistic about recovery. However, this is one more thing for the attorney to sort out.

At this point we have accepted the fact, we will not be boarding for this wonderful trip. Unless we personally throw another $28,000 at HAL to make it happen...there is no way this TA is going to come up with the cash!

My problem with HAL is this, why were we not advised these payments had not been made. We paid all three installments well ahead of each deadline. Even after speaking with HAL three times this past Thursday, all the information they would give me, and reluctantly, was that only the first payment had been made. They repeatedly stressed that all information between TA and HAL is confidential and as we chose our TA, it was basically our problem.

I am hopeful we will recover some of this, but I think it's going to take considerable time. We will be held hostage by this criminal, while we pay attorney fees, take time to go to court, etc. I can only hope we can put him out of business soon and make his life miserable as well!!

Thank you again, will post anything we learn in the future.

[kryos]

We purchased our own travel insurance through CSA Travel and it obviously does not cover theft...I've talked with CSA agent and he's never had a case like this, so is not too optimistic about recovery. However, this is one more thing for the attorney to sort out.

Yeah, that's understandable. Your travel insurance insures you ... not the agent. I too doubt it would cover fraud.

 

Just make sure your attorney checks out this agent's possible affiliations with a host agency or a large franchiser. There is a very good chance he could be insured for "errors & omissions" through them and that is what will pay your claim. These large host agencies don't want the legal troubles that would result if one of their affiliated agents either screws up or takes off with clients' money, so often they require any agent affiliating with them to take out this type of an insurance policy ... offered through the host agency.

 

Like I said before, all may not be lost.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[blackbird71]

Have your attorney check STATE law. I posted this over on the usenet in rec.travel.cruises and this is one answer from a freq. poster and TA

 

Hi Everyone,

 

We California agents pay in to a restitution fund. If an agent in

California steals a client's $, the fund reimburses the client.

 

Best regards,

Ray

LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL

800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905

http://www.lighthousetravel.com

 

 

Added note: If it was me and there was any chance you could go, I would go to an Yellow Fever giver and get yours, it is only $60 as I remember. I also would get IMHO an HEP A shot. With the YF shot you can get a Brazilian Visa almost overnight from a couple agencies. Will cost a little but......

[RuthC]

Dee, I don't know how this got by me the first time---I'm so sorry to read of the unscrupulous deed done to you. The disappointment must be terrific.

My best to you in sorting all this out. And I do hope the TA gets what's coming.

[baybeachgirl]

Thanks, Blackbird,

Getting visas and immunizatioon would still be "doable"...it's coming up with another $28,000 for HAL in the next few weeks that isn't attainable for us at this point.

[blackbird71]

what state do you live in... I was hoping with the baybeachgirl it was California. ;)

[baybeachgirl]

Thank all of you again for any and all information you impart. I will print this out to give to attorney to factor in. You all have given me resources I was not aware of .....I cannot thank you enough for your input!

Ruth, Thanks so much for your reply. We had quite a ride on the Baltic Cruise, beginning with the NYC blackout. We were so looking forward to three times the fun, just once again.

No one seems to put in all in perspective better than you folks who love to cruise, as we do...it.s not just about the money.

[blackbird71]

this was posted last night by another TA in NM.

 

Some states have "seller of travel" registration that frequently

requires posting of a bond. I don't remember which states do,

although I know CA does because our agency has a CA Seller of Travel

ID. Even though the agency is physically located in NM, some agents

are in CA and others do business with Californians. Same with

Washington and other states.

--

dillon

[kryos]

this was posted last night by another TA in NM.

 

Some states have "seller of travel" registration that frequently

requires posting of a bond. I don't remember which states do,

although I know CA does because our agency has a CA Seller of Travel

ID. Even though the agency is physically located in NM, some agents

are in CA and others do business with Californians. Same with

Washington and other states.

--

dillon

That's exactly why host agencies (larger agencies that for a fee allow independent operators to book travel through them) usually require the independent TA to pay for E&O insurance through them as well. This way, no matter what state the independent agent is from, the large host agency will be in compliance with Seller of Travel laws of that state by providing a sufficient bond on the agent.

 

Now, if the agent is truly an independent (doubtful since unless that agent is really writing a lot of business, enough to qualify for a CLIA or ITAN card) she will have a hard time getting commissions from many of the vendors she does business with), then it is possible she has no bond posted and her customers would be SOL if she made off with their deposits. I think the real purpose of the insurance, however, is not so much for fraud (thankfully, that is relatively rare in the travel agent community), but rather to cover customers if the agent were to go out of business, leaving lots of debters who froze the bankrupt TA's assets. In that case, people with deposits on account with the TA would have to wait literally forever to get their money back, and often would have to settle for pennies on the dollar. That sucks and it's why many states enacted Sellers of Travel laws.

 

It is because of the possibility of any TA going bankrupt that I always prefer to deal with TA's who call credit card payments directly in to the vendors' offices. In my case, all payments were charged on my AmEx by HAL ... not the TA. This way, if the TA folds up between initial deposit and final payment time, I'm out nothing. Of course, if HAL folds, that's another story ... but I figure the odds are much more likely for a TA's office to fold up than a large cruise line.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[blackbird71]

 

It is because of the possibility of any TA going bankrupt that I always prefer to deal with TA's who call credit card payments directly in to the vendors' offices. In my case, all payments were charged on my AmEx by HAL ... not the TA. This way, if the TA folds up between initial deposit and final payment time, I'm out nothing. Of course, if HAL folds, that's another story ... but I figure the odds are much more likely for a TA's office to fold up than a large cruise line.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

But some of us do not do Credit Cards... I always pay by check or bank check. A little risk, yes, but unless I win the Lotto and do a World Cruise, in which case I will hand deliver the check to the cruise line :D

[kryos]

But some of us do not do Credit Cards... I always pay by check or bank check. A little risk, yes, but unless I win the Lotto and do a World Cruise, in which case I will hand deliver the check to the cruise line :D

Then my check would be made payable to the cruise line ... not to the TA. A reputable TA should have no trouble with that. She gets her commissions from the cruise line anyway ... not from you.

 

I would reconsider the check thing ... especially if the cruise was a long one (and thus extra expensive). I always prefer using a credit card just in case there is a mix-up and the cruise line tries to say they never got my deposit. At least I can then dispute the charge through my credit card company and have some recourse if it's a case of "no service rendered."

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita