Reservation Question... I need help!

[Ocean Boy]

I am looking at booking a cruise that is already past final payment. For the first time I started talking to a travel agent. Since talking to her today and checking RCI's website tonight there has been a price drop. I did not finalize the booking today when talking to her. I just tried calling her and, of course, they are closed for the evening. This is exactly the type of reason why I have never used an agent. My question is if I book on RCI's website tonight to lock in the price would I then be able to transfer the booking to the agent to get the offered perks or can a transfer not be done after the final payment date has passed?

 

Thanks for any help.

[lovelife]

You cannot transfer a reservation to a TA once you have made final payment.  If you reserve tonight, final payment is due now.

Edited December 12, 2019 by lovelife
Addition

[Ocean Boy]

Thanks for the reply. Talk about timing... So I went ahead and made the reservation on RCI's site. Then I was playing around pricing more cruises and the one I just booked jumped $300.00 between when I booked it and went back and priced it a second time. I think this will really make me gun shy about considering using an agent in the future. Too much can happen when they are not available.

[Snit13]

46 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Thanks for the reply. Talk about timing... So I went ahead and made the reservation on RCI's site. Then I was playing around pricing more cruises and the one I just booked jumped $300.00 between when I booked it and went back and priced it a second time. I think this will really make me gun shy about considering using an agent in the future. Too much can happen when theyare not available.

That is a major reason why I book directly with cruise line.  Once I saw a price drop and called travel agent and she was on vacation in Europe.  Had 2 negative experiences with travel agents so to me their perks are not worth the stress of them not being available when I need them.  I do not book on line but call and book with a cruise line agent.

[twangster]

I have an understanding with my TA that when she isn't available I'm prone to booking cruises without her.  She understands.  

 

[PhoenixCruiser]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

I think this will really make me gun shy about considering using an agent in the future. Too much can happen when they are not available.

 

This is our hesitation as well.

[matj2000]

If your TA is a company instead of a person you don't have any of those issues..

 

Another rookie move...

Edited December 13, 2019 by matj2000

[taglovestocruise]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

Thanks for the reply. Talk about timing... So I went ahead and made the reservation on RCI's site. Then I was playing around pricing more cruises and the one I just booked jumped $300.00 between when I booked it and went back and priced it a second time. I think this will really make me gun shy about considering using an agent in the future. Too much can happen when they are not available.

The $300 is about the same amount as the perks offered through our online TA.  In the long run you just throw away cash by not accessing the perks of a good TA. 

[Ocean Boy]

6 minutes ago, matj2000 said:

If your TA is a company instead of a person you don't have any of those issues..

It is a company. The agent I talked to left for the day and the office (company) was getting ready to close for the day. The person I did talk to, after several transfers, said to go ahead and book it and call my agent in the morning. Not a good experience.

[Ocean Boy]

4 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

The $300 is about the same amount as the perks offered through our online TA.  In the long run you just throw away cash by not accessing the perks of a good TA. 

So in your example I would have broke even. I should give up control of a booking to break even? And I would not be getting $300 worth of perks.

[matj2000]

1 minute ago, Ocean Boy said:

So in your example I would have broke even. I should give up control of a booking to break even? And I would not be getting $300 worth of perks.

 

What control do you give up?

 

[Ocean Boy]

1 minute ago, matj2000 said:

 

What control do you give up?

 

Seriously? Changes to the reservation. You know exactly what I'm talking about.

[matj2000]

11 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Seriously? Changes to the reservation. You know exactly what I'm talking about.

 

The few changes I have ever made, I just call the TAgency (which is open late)and have them deal with it.     I am not going to sit on the phone with the RC call center and waste my time...

[Ocean Boy]

7 minutes ago, matj2000 said:

 

The few changes I have ever made, I just call the TAgency (which is open late)and have them deal with it.     I am not going to sit on the phone with the RC call center and waste my time...

Well Mat, apparently not every company is open late. I won't make the same mistake twice. But thanks for the help.

[grandgeezer]

 

Seriously? Changes to the reservation. You know exactly what I'm talking about.

We’ve done 46 cruises (494 days at sea), and every single one of them has been booked through an online travel agency. I’ve made every change I wanted to just by shooting them an e-mail. Probably the last half dozen cruises we’ve taken were paid with the $12,000 to $15,000 we’ve saved by using the online travel agency versus booking directly through the cruise line.

[matj2000]

2 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Well Mat, apparently not every company is open late. I won't make the same mistake twice. But thanks for the help.

 

I mainly use the TA because of the free gratuities and a buffer between me & the cruise line.  

[cruisinfanatic]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

Seriously? Changes to the reservation. You know exactly what I'm talking about.

What do you think you can't do through a TA that you can do by booking direct?

[Clarea]

11 minutes ago, cruisinfanatic said:

What do you think you can't do through a TA that you can do by booking direct?

 

Call RC 24/7 for a price drop.

[Ocean Boy]

6 hours ago, cruisinfanatic said:

What do you think you can't do through a TA that you can do by booking direct?

Can't do anything through a closed TA. Did you even read my second post to this thread?

[Ocean Boy]

10 minutes ago, cruisinfanatic said:

Not that it never happens, but price drops at night usually extend longer

It didn't last night which right now is the only night that I am concerned with.

[SRF]

The problem is not using a TA, the problem is the TA you picked.

 

Mine answers email even when she is on vacation.  And late at night.

 

But so what, if I want to book a last minute cruise, and she is not available, then I would just book it.  The TA does NOT own me.

[taglovestocruise]

16 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

So in your example I would have broke even. I should give up control of a booking to break even? And I would not be getting $300 worth of perks.

You broke even on this one and lost out on the last twenty.  But to each their own, glad you feel in control with a $12 a hour cubicle dweller working for the cruise line as opposed to a multi million dollar agency working for you. happy cruising 

[Ocean Boy]

28 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

You broke even on this one and lost out on the last twenty.  But to each their own, glad you feel in control with a $12 a hour cubicle dweller working for the cruise line as opposed to a multi million dollar agency working for you. happy cruising 

Like the one that couldn't take care of my issue at 5 in the evening? But thanks for the happy cruising wishes.

[bananawindnj]

28 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

You broke even on this one and lost out on the last twenty.  But to each their own, glad you feel in control with a $12 a hour cubicle dweller working for the cruise line as opposed to a multi million dollar agency working for you. happy cruising 

Great comment. I kind of look at it the same way.

[Ocean Boy]

6 hours ago, SRF said:

The problem is not using a TA, the problem is the TA you picked.

 

Mine answers email even when she is on vacation.  And late at night.

 

But so what, if I want to book a last minute cruise, and she is not available, then I would just book it.  The TA does NOT own me.

Yes, it was really helpful when we could talk about TAs here on CC and learn from each other's experiences with various companies. Anyway, I am happy with the outcome. For a total of $58 more I ended up with a balcony instead of an inside that I was originally quoted. But it would not have happened if I was not looking out for myself.