TA offer OBC then says no

[Sea Belle]

We booked through a TA that we have used before.  During the booking process she said we would have an OBC of certain amount.  I called a few weeks later to verify the amount of OBC showing, what she had promised and our CCL stock amount.  Hmmmm....it seems the OBC from the agency will not be given because our booking price was too low.  On 2 occasions during the booking process I was told the OBC would be placed on our account by the agency.  We really are looking forward to our annual Dec. R & R cruise but have admit I can’t dismiss the cavalier attitude of the agent.  She says I am lucky to have the OBC from stock and the 4* benefits.  I tell her I paid for both of those and they have nothing to do with her offer.  Rant over 😡.....I won’t be using that agency or agent again.  Now, on to have another wonderful HAL cruise! 😎

[mommyz]

Ugh that is so frustrating.  Can you speak to a manager or the owner of the TA company?   If it's for this December than it's too late to cancel and re book?

I would let the TA know that you are upset and disappointed and will not ever use them again or refer them to anyone else.  

[ger_77]

I'd definitely be switching agencies.  Next time, be sure to get it in writing . . .

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

[Krazy Kruizers]

That is disappointing.

 

Talk to a manager.  Did you get anything in writing?

[DaveOKC]

WOW!  What does it have to do with the booking that you have stock OBC and 4 Star perks - Nothing!  I would have gone ballastic over the phone to be sure!

[canadianbear]

That’s not any way to treat a returning client after saying you’d get OBC.  Definitely time to find another TA.

[*Miss G*]

Wow.  Sorry to hear of your experience.  Sounds similar to the last experience I had with a TA. Have an awesome time on your cruise!  I’d give up OBC for that.  😊

[Sea Belle]

Well, it seems I’m not alone in thinking this was being treated badly.  The funny thing is the OBC was very small, but to me it is the principle of the thing.    I’m normally a very calm person who doesn’t want anything but to be treated fairly.  I told her how upset I am and that’s when she came back with how lucky I am to be a 4* and have stock.  I can’t let it go, but can’t cancel the trip either.  Be assured that I will follow through though.  How nice to have a group of folks to share the good and bad with!  😁

[canadianbear]

6 minutes ago, Sea Belle said:

Well, it seems I’m not alone in thinking this was being treated badly.  The funny thing is the OBC was very small, but to me it is the principle of the thing.    I’m normally a very calm person who doesn’t want anything but to be treated fairly.  I told her how upset I am and that’s when she came back with how lucky I am to be a 4* and have stock.  I can’t let it go, but can’t cancel the trip either.  Be assured that I will follow through though.  How nice to have a group of folks to share the good and bad with!  😁

It’s almost like a bait & switch.  Promised something then not provided it-very poor decision on their part as now they’ve lost a client.    And to say you’re lucky you are 4* and stock OBC-that should have nothing to do with it.  To be told your booking price was too low-well, she knew the price when you booked so that doesn’t seem like a reasonable explanation at all.  I’d be upset too.   

 

 

[mcrcruiser]

13 minutes ago, canadianbear said:

It’s almost like a bait & switch.  Promised something then not provided it-very poor decision on their part as now they’ve lost a client.    And to say you’re lucky you are 4* and stock OBC-that should have nothing to do with it.  To be told your booking price was too low-well, she knew the price when you booked so that doesn’t seem like a reasonable explanation at all.  I’d be upset too.   

 

 

yes it us unfortunate that from time to time we run into people who have their own agenda to do harm to others  .

[NordicPrince]

Once we get good service from a TA we try to use the same booking person over and over so we establish a good customer-client relationship. The booking person also drops us an email when she sees something good we may be interested in. The boss keeps track of her production so it's a win-win.

BTW it is the money we don't pay principle.

[ontheweb]

48 minutes ago, Sea Belle said:

Well, it seems I’m not alone in thinking this was being treated badly.  The funny thing is the OBC was very small, but to me it is the principle of the thing.    I’m normally a very calm person who doesn’t want anything but to be treated fairly.  I told her how upset I am and that’s when she came back with how lucky I am to be a 4* and have stock.  I can’t let it go, but can’t cancel the trip either.  Be assured that I will follow through though.  How nice to have a group of folks to share the good and bad with!  😁

I would agree that it is the principle rather than a few dollars. It is too bad that you cannot by cruisecritic rules name the agency so others could avoid them. There must be other places where you could out them by name.

 

It really seems so counterproductive for a business to lose a loyal customer over a few dollars.

[RuthC]

Does your state Attorney General office have a Consumer Affairs division? If so, I would file a complaint against the TA. They knew the price they were quoting when they offered the OBC, so taking it off the booking later, and saying it's because the price was low, is exactly a 'bait & switch' move. 
Having the Attorney General office contact them will likely make an impression that you alone can't make. 

[ChinaShrek]

I would contact HAL and have the cruise transferred back to them. That might teach the TA a lesson!

[sandyss]

We have also changed TAs due to a similar occurrence.  When our original cruise had Cuba deleted from the itinerary,  we decided to switch to a different Caribbean cruise.  HAL had offered us $50 cruise credit per person due to the change.  Our TA applied the $50 per person credit and then reduced her discount from $75 per person to $12 per person - a net loss for us. She refused to adjust the discount, so I just booked our next 2 cruises with a different TA.  She lost a long-time customer.

[doublebzz]

11 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

I would contact HAL and have the cruise transferred back to them. That might teach the TA a lesson!

I didn't know you could do this?

[ChinaShrek]

20 minutes ago, doublebzz said:

I didn't know you could do this?

It doesn't happen often but I have read some posts where people have problems with their TA and they have to get the cruise line involved. It probably will not be easy but I think it is worth the effort in this case.

[doublebzz]

I would follow Ruth C's advice and contact the Consumer Services Agency and copy HAL on all correspondence.  We will not make final payment to a TA until we see all cruise credits and/or other offerings on the invoice.

[3rdGenCunarder]

13 hours ago, ontheweb said:

I would agree that it is the principle rather than a few dollars. It is too bad that you cannot by cruisecritic rules name the agency so others could avoid them. There must be other places where you could out them by name.

 

It really seems so counterproductive for a business to lose a loyal customer over a few dollars.

 

I agree it's the principle. And the agent made it worse with the comment about how Sea Belle should feel lucky that she is a 4* Mariner. Completely unprofessional. That agent should feel lucky she has a job if that's how she takes care of her clients!

 

I don't think it would be right to name the agency online somewhere. But I think it would be reasonable to complain to the agency's owner about this agent. 

[Sea Belle]

As a follow up:  I gave a considerable amount of thought to my next move, taking into consideration all of your comments.  Here goes:

 

I continue to be bothered by the incidence of ***** via you reneging on our OBC for the upcoming trip.  I have sought opinions within my various HAL cruise groups and all concur.  It is not the money but the principle involved.  Some rather drastic actions have been suggested, but I prefer to handle the situation in my own manner.

 

In looking back at my notes taken at the time of you quote I see the price included the $** OBC from *****. I also have noted that after you researched the cost of a gift bottle of wine you found it to be too expensive and suggested I could use my $** credit to purchase one.

 

My loyalty perks from HAL and my stock OBC have nothing to do with this booking or any other.  I earned and paid for those.  I was promises something with this particular transaction that was not provided. The price of the cruise was established when I booked and the OBC was included at that time by you.  To be told after the fact that the price was too low to qualify is unacceptable. It is a poor business decision by ***** and consequently reflects on you as their representative.  The understanding between client and company should never look like “bait and switch” but, unfortunately, that is how this appears.  It could adversely affect a person’s entire cruise if the amount involved was a large one.

 

My mistake was being too trusting of what I assumed was a reputable and well known travel agency.  A lesson learned the hard way is often in the form of a negative action.  My experiences as a retired business woman should have made me more cautious, however, in the 20+ years we have been cruising all of my dealings have been without incident.  Needless to say, I won’t be placing a deposit on any cruises without all promises put in writing at the time of Origination.

 

We continue to look forward to our upcoming cruise on the Veendam.

 

Ann King

 

The result:  An apology for how this was handled and a personal $*** amount purchased on her personal credit card applied as a gift when we board.  Also enclosed is a detailed copy of the purchase from HAL.

 

Thanks to all of you for your comments.  All of this just proves that when “the principal of the thing” is involved one should never let it go.

 

FYI:  The agent is an Independent Affiliate of  ***** Travel as well as other travel groups. She alone could resolve this dilemma when ***** would not.  I respect her decision although it was a pressured one.

 

Happy Sailing to All!

Edited November 13, 2019 by Sea Belle
Punctuation

[bennybear]

Glad the TA stepped up and made you whole.  It still should not have happened,   As your HAL loyalty and stock ownership have nothing to do with it.    

[ontheweb]

I once had a TA offer to send me a (small ) check after the cruise. We then had 2 price reductions (+a cabin upgrade). Before the TA could say anything, I contacted him and said I realize he is now making next to nothing on this cruise and I no longer expected that check.

[Nymich]

Glad to see you fought the good fight and that justice prevailed!

[npcl]

On 11/11/2019 at 3:27 PM, Sea Belle said:

Well, it seems I’m not alone in thinking this was being treated badly.  The funny thing is the OBC was very small, but to me it is the principle of the thing.    I’m normally a very calm person who doesn’t want anything but to be treated fairly.  I told her how upset I am and that’s when she came back with how lucky I am to be a 4* and have stock.  I can’t let it go, but can’t cancel the trip either.  Be assured that I will follow through though.  How nice to have a group of folks to share the good and bad with!  😁

When I have booked through a TA they have always sent be a written confirmation of all benefits including TA OBC.  I would never work with a TA that did not send one at time of booking.