Do I have to go through my TA?

[jerick]

I think prices have gone down on a cruise I have booked and asked my TA to check it out. I haven’t heard back for over a day. Should I call RCI directly, or do I have to work with the TA?

[firefly333]

If you booked thru a TA he owns the booking. Any price changes have to go thru him. 

 

Cant call direct, they wouldnt talk to you. 

[MGoodyear]

17 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

If you booked thru a TA he owns the booking. Any price changes have to go thru him. 

 

Cant call direct, they wouldnt talk to you. 

And that is the truth!

[jerick]

Am I expecting too much of my TA, to check it out within a day or so?

[taglovestocruise]

1 minute ago, jerick said:

Am I expecting too much of my TA, to check it out within a day or so?

We have used a big box TA for many years, TA gets the new price while we are on the phone.  Your TA is showing to be a total fail.. + hope your TA is a least giving you a few hundred in perks. 

[Jimbo]

36 minutes ago, jerick said:

I think prices have gone down on a cruise I have booked and asked my TA to check it out. I haven’t heard back for over a day. Should I call RCI directly, or do I have to work with the TA?

Just call  Royal directly and put the same category cabin on hold that you have now. Then hopefully your TA will call you and then all you have to do is give them the booking reservation number you have on hold and get your price changed to the discounted lower price.

[Another_Critic]

11 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Just call  Royal directly and put the same category cabin on hold that you have now. Then hopefully your TA will call you and then all you have to do is give them the booking reservation number you have on hold and get your price changed to the discounted lower price.

I don't think the TA can change the price of an existing reservation based on a hold reservation.  If the price goes up before the TA responds, I think the only option would be to move the existing deposit to the held reservation and pay a $100pp change fee.

[Jimbo]

4 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

I don't think the TA can change the price of an existing reservation based on a hold reservation.  If the price goes up before the TA responds, I think the only option would be to move the existing deposit to the held reservation and pay a $100pp change fee.

Outside of final payment my TA has used my hold to get me the lower price and keeping my original booking #. with no change fee.

Edited June 28, 2023 by Jimbo

[OCSC Mike]

30 minutes ago, jerick said:

Am I expecting too much of my TA, to check it out within a day or so?

 

No. I’m still figuring out when my TA sleeps b/c he responds to e-mails so quickly at all hours.

 

This is exceptional, of course, but I would expect same day or at least next morning if you e-mailed at night from any good TA.

[Tree_skier]

38 minutes ago, jerick said:

Am I expecting too much of my TA, to check it out within a day or so?

No my TA would have gotten back to me within the hour.  You need a new TA.

[Ashland]

This is one of the reasons to book directly and own your booking...JMHO.

[Another_Critic]

1 minute ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

No. I’m still figuring out when my TA sleeps b/c he responds to e-mails so quickly at all hours.

 

 

He's pretty slow mid-afternoon.  It took him 15 minutes to read my email, put 3 cruises on hold, and respond back to me with invoices.  😄

 

 

[Merion_Mom]

3 hours ago, Ashland said:

This is one of the reasons to book directly and own your booking...JMHO.

 

I thought and acted like that for decades.

 

Then I discovered group pricing.  I can't come anywhere near my TA's prices on my own.  And he responds to my emails almost before I send them.  😄 😄 😄 😄 

[Ashland]

50 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

I thought and acted like that for decades.

 

Then I discovered group pricing.  I can't come anywhere near my TA's prices on my own.  And he responds to my emails almost before I send them.  😄 😄 😄 😄 

Too bad there's no way to share this.

[OCSC Mike]

8 hours ago, Ashland said:

This is one of the reasons to book directly and own your booking...JMHO.

 

Or to get a good TA with group rates & perks on top of great service.

 

Price drops would be low on my priority  list given current pricing trends.

Edited June 28, 2023 by OCSC Mike

[Reina del Mar]

I book with a travel agent. However if I have a problem I need to have sorted and the TA takes too long (in my opinion) to fix it, I ring the cruise line. More often than not they will speak to you and sort your concern.

 

I have read that folks have told them they can’t get hold of the TA to allow them to look into booking but I have never needed to say that.

[lovesthebeach2]

5 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

I thought and acted like that for decades.

 

Then I discovered group pricing.  I can't come anywhere near my TA's prices on my own.  And he responds to my emails almost before I send them.  😄 😄 😄 😄 

Same with my TA 😉

[loman]

I had a TA that would totally ignore my calls . Lost many dollars on price drops on a particular cruise.

After that i booked direct with RC , as they were responsive with price drop requests.

 

Having said that , i will contact a TA with my next cruise , and inquire about group rates ,  response times , royal up , and what ever else i can think of.

[allie3490]

I never book a cruise without a TA. Royal can never come close to the group rates I get. And OBC is a nice touch too. I've saved $$$. Not to mention if I need to make any changes, the TA will sit on hold instead of me. Win win

[Ashland]

7 hours ago, Reina del Mar said:

I book with a travel agent. However if I have a problem I need to have sorted and the TA takes too long (in my opinion) to fix it, I ring the cruise line. More often than not they will speak to you and sort your concern.

 

I have read that folks have told them they can’t get hold of the TA to allow them to look into booking but I have never needed to say that.

Here in the US RCI will not discuss your booking if you are using a TA. Perhaps it's different for you in GB.

[Merion_Mom]

1 hour ago, Ashland said:

Here in the US RCI will not discuss your booking if you are using a TA. Perhaps it's different for you in GB.

 

Do you have signatures turned on?  Did you ever notice that an email link is in my signature?  😉 

[Ashland]

41 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

Do you have signatures turned on?  Did you ever notice that an email link is in my signature?  😉 

No I didn't. Just turned them on but not sure where to look...help !!

 

Maybe I just did ???

Edited June 28, 2023 by Ashland

[silentbob007]

I once called to book airport transfers and couldn’t even get those for myself. 

[Reina del Mar]

15 hours ago, Ashland said:

Here in the US RCI will not discuss your booking if you are using a TA. Perhaps it's different for you in GB.

I have heard of people in UK being unable to speak to cruiselines, if they have booked with a TA, so it is not different..but I tend to insist and then they will speak to me..maybe I have been lucky..I haven’t needed to speak to them often but when I have it’s been fine. (Princess and Royal Caribbean) 

[zoepipes]

If you've booked with a TA and received OBC or other perks, you may lose the perks if you rebook at the lower fare. Need to weigh that into consideration.

 

Edited June 29, 2023 by zoepipes