Major On Line Travel Agency

[mcrcruiser]

 We had booked our Nov 3 .2020  Hawaii 18 night cruise aboard Koningsdam  with a major ,well known  cruise travel agent ,who does extensive advertising  . We have until the end of June to cancel this cruise   .We are both  in our 80s with underlying medical conditions  & therefore in the highest risk levels .We recently had to cancel 2 Princess cruises with $1158  in cancellation fees from Princess ;but ,now they will credit us those fees in a FCC  ;which we will gladly use once this threat is gone .

 

 We have asked this agency to waive their $100 cancellation fee if we need to cancel  & I sent them the recent Orlando Ashford's letter  ;which is very fair  to their customers , to show compassion during these uncertain times   .Prior to this last e-mail they were insisting to still charge the $ 100 travel agency cancellation fee  .I know that Holland would credit us in full & I told this agency that our doctor will write a letter if needed . 

 

 What are your thoughts  on this topic ?  

 

 

 

 

[RocketMan275]

15 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

 We had booked our Nov 3 .2020  Hawaii 18 night cruise aboard Koningsdam  with a major ,well known  cruise travel agent ,who does extensive advertising  . We have until the end of June to cancel this cruise   .We are both  in our 80s with underlying medical conditions  & therefore in the highest risk levels .We recently had to cancel 2 Princess cruises with $1158  in cancellation fees from Princess ;but ,now they will credit us those fees in a FCC  ;which we will gladly use once this threat is gone .

 

 We have asked this agency to waive their $100 cancellation fee if we need to cancel  & I sent them the recent Orlando Ashford's letter  ;which is very fair  to their customers , to show compassion during these uncertain times   .Prior to this last e-mail they were insisting to still charge the $ 100 travel agency cancellation fee  .I know that Holland would credit us in full & I told this agency that our doctor will write a letter if needed . 

 

 What are your thoughts  on this topic ?  

Never book with TA who charge any fees that are not charged by the cruise line.

[canadianbear]

Is it a cancellation fee or was it $100 non refundable deposit?

[mcrcruiser]

6 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Never book with TA who charge any fees that are not charged by the cruise line.

 We agree but ,it was not  readily visible . They continue  to  send their cruise sale e-mails . I looked & there is no visible that they have a cancellation fee .Perhaps reporting them  to  the cruise industry  , the BBB &  putting their name all over social media might get them to change their policy 

[mcrcruiser]

1 minute ago, canadianbear said:

Is it a cancellation fee or was it $100 non refundable deposit?

Cancellation fee . Besides Orlando 's letter will give a FCC   Thus ,non refundable deposits are eligible  for the FCC 

[RocketMan275]

2 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

 We agree but ,it was not  readily visible . They continue  to  send their cruise sale e-mails . I looked & there is no visible that they have a cancellation fee .Perhaps reporting them  to  the cruise industry  , the BBB &  putting their name all over social media might get them to change their policy 

Always ask about fees before booking.  

 

Edited March 9, 2020 by RocketMan275

[RocketMan275]

3 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

 We agree but ,it was not  readily visible . They continue  to  send their cruise sale e-mails . I looked & there is no visible that they have a cancellation fee .Perhaps reporting them  to  the cruise industry  , the BBB &  putting their name all over social media might get them to change their policy 

I doubt that will help.  

You really need to find a better TA.

Most of the advice on using a TA includes asking about fees and avoiding any TA that charges those.

 

[deliver42]

Unfortunately, most of the on line agencies, and the airline agencies are part of an umbrella agency, and they all charge the $100.00 fee. I learned this a couple of years ago as it happened to me.

[canadianbear]

16 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

Cancellation fee . Besides Orlando 's letter will give a FCC   Thus ,non refundable deposits are eligible  for the FCC 

Oh.  Thanks for your clarification.   If you’ve used them before can you plead and say I’ll use you again if you are fair?  
 

Like others, we usually use a TA with no fee or a PCC.

 

Good luck. 

[iancal]

I would be so happy that we were able to cancel with no significant financial penalties that I would not care about the $100.  Put it down to experience and do not deal with the agency again.

 

Really, why sweat the small stuff?..

[Mary229]

Don’t use that agency.   The fee is their compensation for work done and work has been done.  

[*Miss G*]

Good luck with your efforts.  I hope you are successful.  Having said that I have to agree with iancal and Mary229.

[bennybear]

Or can you transfer it back to HAL?  Just a thought, don’t know if that would still trigger the fee? 

[kristapb]

I don't know if it is the same one I usually use, but with them,  I have found if I book a new similar cruise with them they usually waive the cancellation penalty on the cancelled one.

[Tricia724]

We recently had to cancel a cruise because of illness with this agency and paid the $100 cancel fee. I knew about this fee going in. I also knew that they offered me a cruise rate which was over $200 better than any other that I could find at the time of booking. So I took the chance....and lost. Maybe the fee is reimbursable under my insurance plan and maybe it's not. We'll find out. If it isn't....so be it. We've also lost other money on this trip, but health concerns come first.

 

I also prefer to book with agencies that have no fees, and if all things are equal, I will. Otherwise I look for the lowest evaluated fare. It's a calculated risk, but at our ages, there are lots of risks.

[ozzie0075]

These are common with big box TA. Some even charge fees to process price adjustments.  Always ask about any fees. 

[Tampa Girl]

20 hours ago, deliver42 said:

Unfortunately, most of the on line agencies, and the airline agencies are part of an umbrella agency, and they all charge the $100.00 fee. I learned this a couple of years ago as it happened to me.

Not so.  We have always booked with online agencies and have never been charged a cancellation fee.

 

OP:  I think that the State Department has issued a traveler's warning, which at least some travelinsurance companies will honor, thus refunding any fees.  Bring this up to your TA to see if it encourages them to refund the fee.