Cruise Document Question-Please Help ASAP

[flyingdoxie]

Hello All!

I just got my RCI cruise docs. We booked through a travel agent. The price printed in the documents has been crossed out (more like scribbled out) by the travel agent. From what I can make out, the price in the documents is $440 LESS then what we paid? Is this a common practice? Does this mean that the price dropped and the agent is not passing that on to us as promised? Or is the difference his commission? How should I address this?

 

Thank you for your suggestions!!!

[kitty9]

First of all, you need to call RCCI yourself and find out what the exact price of your cruise is. Then, if RCCI charged you less than you paid, you need to get over to your TA asap, and dispute this with her. I've NEVER heard of this happening and something doesn't sound right. Good Luck. I hope things work out for you.

[bububr]

Is getting a self made commission .

 

Dave:eek:

[isujim]

Certainly not a common practice........if that is what it is........but I can't imagine what the heck it might be..........

[jazzlvr57]

Is this a specialty group you are traveling with? If so, there could be an extra charge for any special programming that has been arranged by the TA or group. If not, it does sound like the TA may have added on for extra commission. I would call her first and ask for an explanation - if it's not satisfactory, then call the cruise line.

[flyingdoxie]

Thank you so much for your suggestions. I have a call out to the TA. I just call RCCI and they won't disclose the price of the cruise because it was booked through a TA. I explained my issue and they advised me to check the current price for my reservation on line. Did that and found that if I book same category cabins now, I would pay $682 MORE then I did. But, I made these reservations back in November. Hmmm. I will definitely try to get some answers from the TA. I don't want to be rude to the TA, but we don't get to do afford kind of vacations very often.

 

I truelly appreciate your input since I only used a TA once before.

[cruisintwinsmom]

Who charged your credit card---RCI or the travel agent? If the charge was to the travel agent, I might think the travel agent made an extra commission. If RCI charged your card, then I'm not sure what to think, because if the price dropped, it seems that RCI would have credited your card; at least that is what has happened when the price of my cruise dropped on Celebrity.

 

BTW, what price does the confirmation you received from the cruiseline state (the one the cruiseline gives after you made your reservations)?

[flyingdoxie]

RCI charged the credit card. The amount they charged matches the invoice my TA gave me. But the travel docs are $440 LESS then what was charged. I called RCI for an explanation and they would not give me any info since it was booked through a TA. I finally talked with my TA and he really couldn't give me a clear answer as to the difference. I called the reginal office to see who I could speak with about the way the TA is handling my reservation. They claimed that it was probably a "mis-print" by RCI. So, since I agreed on the price TA originally quoted me and it's paid in full, it looks like I don't have much recourse and the $440 is just extra commision for the TA.

 

In the mean time I also found out from RCI that the residency discount code applied to one of the cabins in my reservation (we have 2 cabins) is incorrect & there is a $220 price difference. The TA assures me that the reservation codes "are fine" and that we won't be charged anything at the pier (as stated in the warnings in the doc. booklet). I really don't like to have uncertainties like this but the TA assures me in writing he would cover the difference if there was a problem at check-in. It really doesn't sit well with me. But, the reginal office person doesn't see an issue with it. So, here we are....hopefully we won't have any problems getting ont he ship. :confused:

[Cruising89143]

RCI charged the credit card. The amount they charged matches the invoice my TA gave me. But the travel docs are $440 LESS then what was charged. I called RCI for an explanation and they would not give me any info since it was booked through a TA. I finally talked with my TA and he really couldn't give me a clear answer as to the difference. I called the reginal office to see who I could speak with about the way the TA is handling my reservation. They claimed that it was probably a "mis-print" by RCI. So, since I agreed on the price TA originally quoted me and it's paid in full, it looks like I don't have much recourse and the $440 is just extra commision for the TA.

 

In the mean time I also found out from RCI that the residency discount code applied to one of the cabins in my reservation (we have 2 cabins) is incorrect & there is a $220 price difference. The TA assures me that the reservation codes "are fine" and that we won't be charged anything at the pier (as stated in the warnings in the doc. booklet). I really don't like to have uncertainties like this but the TA assures me in writing he would cover the difference if there was a problem at check-in. It really doesn't sit well with me. But, the reginal office person doesn't see an issue with it. So, here we are....hopefully we won't have any problems getting ont he ship. :confused:

 

I suggested this on the RCI board too. I would call my TA and demand that he place you on a three way conference call with RCI to make sure that you are satisfied with the price that you paid and also check on the reservation code you are concerned with. I have read on this board folks who have had to pay more money prior to boarding due to a TA giving them discounts that they were not authorized to give such as resident or senior discounts. If he won't comply then go higher until you get some satisfaction. Good luck.

[blindrid]

I may be speaking a little out of turn but don't you have to show a DL to get resident discounts? I can see that deal heading south pretty quick. I'm also assuming that the $440 isn't taxes and port fees???? I don't recall ever looking at my docs that close in the past. I think the current price of the cruise does not influence your concerns one way or another so don't let the TA use this as a hook.

[cruiseco]

If you paid by credit card and the fare was charged by RCI then if there was a subsequent price drop the difference would only be credited back on your card -- there's no way for your TA to snag that $40 savings for his/herself. The TA can't say to RCI "go ahead and reduce the fare but please send me a check for the difference, not the client."

 

But what can happen is perhaps the agency had group space on that sailing. You call them up and the going rate at that point through the individual res system is $799. You book the cabin at that rate (the same rate as you'd get directly from RCI or from any other agency).

 

The agent checks the group space list and notices they have held space on that sailing at $759. So, instead of booking you through the individual res system you get booked into the group. The agent makes the regular commission on the $749 plus all of the $40 extra.

 

Because of the way group accounting works, it's possible for a credit card charge to be applied to a group that doesn't exactly match the quoted group fare for any one group member -- could be more, could be less. All that matters is that the total of the group payments add up to at least the net fare due and does not exceed the gross fare due. That leaves a lot of room for this kind of thing.

 

By contrast, with an individual reservation, since rebating isn't allowed with RCI, if the amount charged on the client's card doesn't exactly match the total fare due someone's going to get in trouble -- they won't let you charge an amount greater than the correct fare and charging an amount less that the correct fare is as good as waving a red flag and yelling "Hey, I'm rebating!" If you're going to get caught violating the no rebating rules you can be sure that it will be for more than $40.

 

This group thing happens all the time except that smart agents will request that the docs be sent without the pricing information so it doesn't blow up in their face.

[flyingdoxie]

I may be speaking a little out of turn but don't you have to show a DL to get resident discounts? I can see that deal heading south pretty quick. I'm also assuming that the $440 isn't taxes and port fees???? I don't recall ever looking at my docs that close in the past. I think the current price of the cruise does not influence your concerns one way or another so don't let the TA use this as a hook.

The need to show DL at check-in is exactly my concern. The $440 price difference already after taxes & fees are accounted for. It seems to me that the TA doesn't want to change the booking residency info so that they don't loose some of the extra commission they are getting. I just don't want to be the one stuck on the pier. I certainly don't want to be accused of trying to get away with a residency discount. But, if a booking mistake was made, I should not be charged for it. It should be paid for by the TA agency. But what recourse will I have at time of check in?

[cruiseco]

Oops, I read that as a $40 difference, not a $440 difference. But the point remains the same -- the only way I can think of where the amount charged to the client's credit card by RCI does not exactly match the quoted amount on the docs is if the booking went through the group department with its more flexible accounting methods.

[flyingdoxie]

Oops, I read that as a $40 difference, not a $440 difference. But the point remains the same -- the only way I can think of where the amount charged to the client's credit card by RCI does not exactly match the quoted amount on the docs is if the booking went through the group department with its more flexible accounting methods.

Thank you for the explanation, I thought that might be a possibility. At this point, I don't really want to haggle over that price with the TA if an adjustment is not possible. As I mention above, I'm more concerned with the residency discount issue causing major problems at check-in. But, since I have an e-mail from the TA stating that any resulting charges from the reservation is booked is their responsibility, should I be as worried? Am I over reacting?

[cruisintwinsmom]

Thank you for the explanation, I thought that might be a possibility. At this point, I don't really want to haggle over that price with the TA if an adjustment is not possible. As I mention above, I'm more concerned with the residency discount issue causing major problems at check-in. But, since I have an e-mail from the TA stating that any resulting charges from the reservation is booked is their responsibility, should I be as worried? Am I over reacting?

 

 

The residency discount appears to be the amount of the difference ($220 x 2 cabins). So is the amount that RCI has in the book originally the price of the cabin after the res. discount? If that is the case, and you have paid RCI the full amount, how can you be in trouble? Maybe who ever entered your info into the computer to generate the docs, entered in wrong information. Maybe you can take your recipt (copy of your credit card receipt) showing that you "paid in full". I have never been in your situation with a discount stated in your doc, so can't say if you need to worry or not, but other people have posted similiar complaints in the pasts. It is too bad you can't say who you TA is so people can compare notes as to if they company has used the ploy before (on the other hand it would not be good for the company if you have misunderstood the billing and are mistakingly giving them a bad name). I like to have all my ducks in a row also, so to speak.

 

I see where the regional company is saying that you agreed to the fare and paid it, but no one likes to feel that they are ripped off. Too bad they can't make the situation clearer for your understanding so they have a happy customer.

 

The use of a TA is always helpful to me, but it is fustrating not to be able to talk to the cruiseline for clarification, rather than having to go through the TA. But I guess that is what the cruiseline is paying them for.

 

Please report back when you return from your cruise to let us know if you had problems at the pier or not.

 

Happy Sailing.

[flyingdoxie]

The residency discount appears to be the amount of the difference ($220 x 2 cabins). So is the amount that RCI has in the book originally the price of the cabin after the res. discount? If that is the case, and you have paid RCI the full amount, how can you be in trouble? Maybe who ever entered your info into the computer to generate the docs, entered in wrong information. Maybe you can take your recipt (copy of your credit card receipt) showing that you "paid in full". I have never been in your situation with a discount stated in your doc, so can't say if you need to worry or not, but other people have posted similiar complaints in the pasts. It is too bad you can't say who you TA is so people can compare notes as to if they company has used the ploy before (on the other hand it would not be good for the company if you have misunderstood the billing and are mistakingly giving them a bad name). I like to have all my ducks in a row also, so to speak.

 

I see where the regional company is saying that you agreed to the fare and paid it, but no one likes to feel that they are ripped off. Too bad they can't make the situation clearer for your understanding so they have a happy customer.

 

The use of a TA is always helpful to me, but it is fustrating not to be able to talk to the cruiseline for clarification, rather than having to go through the TA. But I guess that is what the cruiseline is paying them for.

 

Please report back when you return from your cruise to let us know if you had problems at the pier or not.

 

Happy Sailing.

You make a good point about the residency discount being equal to the price difference btw the doc & charged amount. I didn't notice that. I'll bring all my receipts with me incase there are problems. I can live with the price difference as long as I don't have problems at the pier. And I guess, if worse comes to worse, we pay what we need to get on the ship and fight with the TA over the refund later.

 

I really appreciate everyone's input since I'm new to cruising. Thanks again!

(P.S. feel free to make any other suggestions).