Bumped from Cunard Cruise

[exlondoner]

16 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

 

 

It would also be very hard to put this right as I believe the cabin is gone already and I doubt the agent has the pull with Cunard to get the OP moved to the top of the waitlist. It will just be a refund plus FCC which can only be used with them. Not full refund plus cash compensation? Which would be the better outcome?

 

 

Actually it does seem mainly to be being put right. 

[*Miss G*]

6 hours ago, Nm hehappysailing said:

Thank you -  can you please tell me where you you can see those availabilities ?

 

I am so sorry, and I wish I could, but it is against the terms and conditions of Cruise Critic to name travel agents or agencies.  My best advice would be to ask the question onboard while you are chatting with other passengers.  It is an online TA site that I use for a quick glance of what’s available.  I have purchased from them a few times, over the years, but moved to booking only with the cruise lines after the new agent we were working with messed up and then lied about it.  It was the best move I have ever made.

 

I am super happy that your TA has done the minimal that they should do and got you onboard!  Don’t let them rest until they have finished the job you paid them to do.

[GeorgianGal100]

7 hours ago, Nm hehappysailing said:

Good news - (I’m waiting for it writing ) TA rang me this morning .  She   as another member on here suggested doing, looked at the different legs of the 28 day cruise and is able to book me different cabins . I’ll have to switch a couple of times , but we’ll at least be on it !  Balcony, as paid for the first two and on the waiting list for balcony for the remaining - but we’re going Yay! So just waiting on written confirmation

 

Thank you everyone for your support , empathy and advice 😊

 

Could you hear the collective sigh of relief from the cruise critic folk?  I am thrilled that you now know you're on the cruise and I hope you are able to get at the very least what you originally booked.  I'll raise a glass to you and your travels this evening and you should do the same, you deserve it, cheers!

[Winifred 22]

So pleased for you. Looking forward to hearing what the final outcome is in terms of the cabin  they get for you and any compensation they offer which should be generous considering how they have messed up and caused you and your friends unnecessary anguish.

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, ace2542 said:

And upon what criteria would you choose?

There isn't an agency in any country that doesn't have poor customer reviews and will not have been involved in this kind of situation or similar situations.

 

Wrong.

Our agent is superb and has glowing reviews. He was involved  helping non clients [at the time] with issues other agencies had been making a meal and a half out of during all the Covid issues.

And there is also probably not an agent who then hits the customer over the head with the "terms and conditions" when something goes wrong.

 

Wrong again.

You haven't met our agent. He, like many others will be totally up to the mark with  anything involving his clients' bookings and the cruise lines involved

 

It would also be very hard to put this right as I believe the cabin is gone already and I doubt the agent has the pull with Cunard to get the OP moved to the top of the waitlist. It will just be a refund plus FCC which can only be used with them. Not full refund plus cash compensation? Which would be the better outcome?

 

Sounds as if 'things' might be getting better. Now the o/p has to make sure she gets decent compensation too.

 

 

Don't make assumptions that all agents are the same. They're not. There are excellent agents out there

Edited August 5 by Victoria2

[Victoria2]

2 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

 

 

29 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

I am so sorry, and I wish I could, but it is against the terms and conditions of Cruise Critic to name travel agents or agencies.  My best advice would be to ask the question onboard while you are chatting with other passengers.  It is an online TA site that I use for a quick glance of what’s available.  I have purchased from them a few times, over the years, but moved to booking only with the cruise lines after the new agent we were working with messed up and then lied about it.  It was the best move I have ever made.

 

I am super happy that your TA has done the minimal that they should do and got you onboard!  Don’t let them rest until they have finished the job you paid them to do.

Word of mouth is the best form and knowing the history of anyone referring their agent.

 

Everyone whom I have referred, is delighted with my referral.

Edited August 5 by Victoria2
clumsy copying

[ace2542]

8 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Don't make assumptions that all agents are the same. They're not. There are excellent agents out there

I am not I am saying no one is perfect. I bet your guy has complaints. I have gone back to an agent for the third time first time was great second time customer service was poor when wanting to add nights to a booking yet have gone back to them a third time purely on price for my upcoming trip next november.

Edited August 5 by ace2542

[exlondoner]

Just now, Victoria2 said:

 

Word of mouth is the best form and knowing the history of anyone referring their agent.

 

Everyone whom I have referred, is delighted with my referral.

I think it is an inevitable part of being human that mistakes, one hopes very rarely, get made. The best people will be the ones who accept the blame, then work really hard and effectively to rectify things, preferably without even having to alarm the client by informing them until it is sorted, and then finally give generous compensation. I would be less than impressed by someone who told me they were ‘reaching out to Cunard’.

[Victoria2]

3 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

I am not I am saying no one is perfect. I bet your guy has complaints. I have gone back to an agent for the third time first time was great second time customer service was poor when wanting to add nights to a booking yet have gone back to them a third time purely on price for my upcoming trip next november.

I'll bet he doesn't.

[Victoria2]

4 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

I am not I am saying no one is perfect. I bet your guy has complaints. I have gone back to an agent for the third time first time was great second time customer service was poor when wanting to add nights to a booking yet have gone back to them a third time purely on price for my upcoming trip next november.

Again, don't make assumptions.

[majortom10]

4 hours ago, Poole Boy said:

However in the UK you would have protection if you paid any portion of the cruise price with a credit card you can make a section 75 claim for the whole cost ( up to £30K), you also have ATOL protection if the cruise is part of a package

Whether you paid any part of cruise price or not with credit card if your TA is ABTA bonded then your money is safe. That is why I would never use a TA that is not ABTA bonded. .

[ace2542]

Just now, Victoria2 said:

I'll bet he doesn't.

Is his a self employed person working for a himself or a employee of a larger organisation. I think you can answer that  question on here without violating terms and conditions. None of the larger organisations are without complaints.

[*Miss G*]

Another avenue to explore, once you are onboard (and if you still don’t have a cabin for the last leg) is to start with the purser’s office and let them know of your situation. There has been a number of medical evacuations, lately, so it is an opportunity to obtain an empty cabin which may otherwise go unused. 

[Victoria2]

Just now, ace2542 said:

Is his a self employed person working for a himself or a employee of a larger organisation. I think you can answer that  question on here without violating terms and conditions. None of the larger organisations are without complaints.

Every single person I have referred him to, is delighted.

There will be other agents out there, just as good and when you find that agent, stick like glue to him/her. They will not let you down.

[stan01]

8 hours ago, Nm hehappysailing said:

Good news - (I’m waiting for it writing ) TA rang me this morning .  She   as another member on here suggested doing, looked at the different legs of the 28 day cruise and is able to book me different cabins . I’ll have to switch a couple of times , but we’ll at least be on it !  Balcony, as paid for the first two and on the waiting list for balcony for the remaining - but we’re going Yay! So just waiting on written confirmation

 

Thank you everyone for your support , empathy and advice 😊

 

 

Glad you are confirmed on board, but they have done the the bare minimum. You are owed a partial refund if you don't get the balconies.  Did the travel agency ask Cunard to prioritize your upgrade back to the balcony you've already paid for?  

 

Changing cabins is an inconvenience.  We did it in July 2024.  You have to pack your suitcases each time, be out of your room at 8:00 AM.  You will have to go to the Pursers desk to get the new key each morning.  You are definitely owed some compensation for that.  Especially since this appears to be the travel agency's fault.

 

[ovccruiser]

1 hour ago, stan01 said:

 

Changing cabins is an inconvenience.  We did it in July 2024.  You have to pack your suitcases each time, be out of your room at 8:00 AM.  You will have to go to the Pursers desk to get the new key each morning.  You are definitely owed some compensation for that.  Especially since this appears to be the travel agency's fault.

 

We had to change cabins on a cruise a few years ago and only had to pack our "smalls" underwear, socks etc. the hanging items in the wardrobe was transferred to the cabin on the hangers, certainly worth a check when you get on board.

[Cruisin'allovertheworld]

1 hour ago, Victoria2 said:

Every single person I have referred him to, is delighted...

No. They've told you they're delighted.

I have personally found that any agent I've ever used or consulted with who had 1/2 a brain became a corporate travel consultant.

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, Cruisin'allovertheworld said:

No. They've told you they're delighted.
 

Do I follow this? You are saying a series of persons whom you have never met have all lied to V2. Why would they do that? Or I’ve probably misunderstood.

[stan01]

7 minutes ago, ovccruiser said:

We had to change cabins on a cruise a few years ago and only had to pack our "smalls" underwear, socks etc. the hanging items in the wardrobe was transferred to the cabin on the hangers, certainly worth a check when you get on board.

 

We were in Queens Grill in 2024 moving from a Q5 to a Q4.  We did check.  The butler told us to pack everything, including formal wear.  We escalated to the head of housekeeping and they sent us a one page formal letter telling us to pack everything.  We asked for a hanging trolley which they also did not provide.  My guess is if you just leave the items hanging they will move them because they have no other choice, but if you ask for permission, you'll be told to pack everything.  This is likely dependent on the people so could vary depending on what they want to do.

[Victoria2]

11 minutes ago, Cruisin'allovertheworld said:

No. They've told you they're delighted.

I have personally found that any agent I've ever used or consulted with who had 1/2 a brain became a corporate travel consultant.

Wow

 

So you too know all the folk I've referred to our agent.

 

Isn't it a small world! 😄

 

Then you'll know they really are delighted with their new agent.

 

[S1971]

I certainly wouldn't say hand on heart that my go to TA is perfect as there have been some issues in the past, no one is perfect, however the important thing is when things don't go to plan they get sorted with minimum stress to me.

 

I wouldn't be as bold to say that he doesn't get complaints as this is not something I'd be entitled to know.

[3rdGenCunarder]

9 hours ago, Nm hehappysailing said:

Thank you -  can you please tell me where you you can see those availabilities ?

 

First, let me say I am so happy that you've got your trip back, even if it is in pieces. And with luck things may open up a bit and you won't have to change for every segment.

 

As for checking availability, we can't talk about online travel agencies, but you might poke around the internet and find one that shows availability.

 

The other way, which I am allowed to tell you, is to do what we call dummy bookings on the Cunard site. Don't sign in for your booking, just do a search for Mediterranean cruises in September and October. You can even narrow it to Queen Victoria, Then you will see the various segments and combinations. Take a look at each one to see what cabin grades have availability. this close to sailing, you probably can't get to the "choose your cabin" step and see specific cabins. It will just offer a guarantee. (There's also a filter that lets you see which cruises are sold out. They won't come up in the original search) 

 

Meanwhile, I hope your TA will continue to check availability to see if you will clear the waitlist to move to a balcony for the last two segments. And that TA had better be VERY generous with OBC!!!!

 

 

[Victoria2]

41 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Do I follow this? You are saying a series of persons whom you have never met have all lied to V2. Why would they do that? Or I’ve probably misunderstood.

Those who are lucky enough to have found a superb agent can sit back and smile whilst also feeling a little sorry for those who aren't so lucky with theirs.

[exlondoner]

Just now, Victoria2 said:

Those who are lucky enough to have found a superb agent can sit back and smile whilst also feeling a little sorry for those who aren't so lucky with theirs.

But I do wonder what someone’s state of mind must be to assume a series of persons unknown are liars, without, as far as I can see, any evidence.

[david63]

The simple answer about TAs (as with all other professions) is that they are all good - until they are not.