PLEASE HELP with Advice

[PICKLEBALL WIDOW]

I need help! I recently booked a cruise with a consolidator which ended up being a big mistake. Their customer service is non-existent and I want to have the Cruise Line themselves take over the reservation. I contacted the consolidator and now they tell me that if I do that, I will be subject to $150 cancellation fee. I'm not cancelling...just transferring. I feel that because I am receiving no help at all from the company I booked with that it is MY reservation and that I should be able to simply have it transferred with no penalty. Does anyone know who I can write to or blogs to look for help? My final payment is due next week and I can't afford to lose $150. 32 cruises, I TRIED a TA and never will again.

[PICKLEBALL WIDOW]

I know I have to be careful how I word this, so here goes. A few months ago I made a reservation for DH and I to go on a cruise with a major line. Unfortunately I booked it through one of the leading cruise brokers (don't they all claim to be?) I have found out the hard way that their customer service is non-existent and now that they have my reservation they are not helpful, won't return calls, etc. etc. etc. I called them to get the reservation TRANSFERRED (not cancelled) to the cruise line and they said I would have to pay $75 per reservation to transfer it! I have spoken to numerous people at the cruise line and the broker about this before, but today was the straw that broke the camel's back. I was assured by the cruiseline that if the broker refused to release the reservation they would help me. Not so. Now they're hemming and hawing and saying, "Gee. I didn't know they did that." (charging $75 per reservation.) Am I out of luck? Can anyone suggest where I might go for help? :(

[lvtotrvl1]

When you received your confirmation, it should have been noted that there was a 75.00 cancellation fee. If it did not, then you should ask to speak to a superviosr. Most confirmations have all the cxl fees noted. The cruiseline will not get involved.

[Agr8RN]

Sounds like you got yourself in a bit of a pickle...

What kind of customer service are they not giving you? You said you tried using a TA, but never again; I honestly wouldn't consider a cruise consolidator as using a travel agent. Travel agents give you personalized service because they work for you, and collect a commission from the cruiselines; Cruise consolidators however, give you the most highly discounted price and generally have discounted their commission, so really their is no room for customer service. It's just the way it is. Savvy cruisers should use the internet to get the best price from whomever they can, but if you are a newbie you should consider using a reputable travel agent.

 

Take a look at the cruise consolidator's policy about cancellations; unfortunately you can't just transfer your reservation to the cruiseline. You can transfer a cruiseline reservation to a TA, but not the otherway around.

 

I'm not sure what type of service you need, or what questions you have, but try calling again and see if you can't find someone who can help you.

I don't know what your questions are, but you might be asking for too much? I'm not sure really. If you want them to add transfers to your booking and they can't help, that's a problem; if you want them to plan your excursions or answer all your questions about a port of call, then that is just asking too much of an internet giant.

The smaller agencies or a local agent would help you with that, but not the big guys.

 

if you are truly having a problem you feel is the agency being incompetent, you can always call the cruiseline's customer relations dept and speak with them...

 

If you are dead set about transferring the booking, you will probably have to chalk up the loss :mad:

 

Good luck.

[cherylandtk]

Your only hope is that they did not properly notify you of the agency cancellation fee--but if you booked this online, and you checked a little box that acknowledges their policies (without reading it) then you are stuck with the fee. Sorry....sometimes it pays to read the fine print.

 

Your choice is probably pay the $75 and chalk it up to lesson learned or stay with your current booking and start recording all your contact with the agency. If you write, keep a copy. If you call, get a notebook, write down day and time and who you spoke to and what you asked for. Follow up as needed until you get your requests taken care of.

[PICKLEBALL WIDOW]

I've been on 32 cruises and have never had anything like this happen before, probably because I've been booking with the cruise line directly. It's amazing how helpful the consolidator was when I was making the reservation, so helpful. (COMMISSION$$$$$$) Now that they have most of my money they won't even return my calls. Please understand that when I contacted the cruiseline about this a few days ago, they assured me they would help me. Now THEY'RE reniging too.

 

All I want to do is have the cruise broker transfer my reservation to the cruise line directly. On the confirmation there is a section that says that if I CANCEL there's a $75 per person charge, but it doesn't say I can't transfer the reservation.

[PICKLEBALL WIDOW]

That's the kicker..."CANCELLATON FEE". I'm not Cancelling...I just want to get the reservation to the Cruise Line so they'll take care of me. Can I mention the name of the broker? Probably not. I've certainly learned the hard way. They won't return my call and positively don't care.

[sail7seas]

That's the kicker..."CANCELLATON FEE". I'm not Cancelling...I just want to get the reservation to the Cruise Line so they'll take care of me. Can I mention the name of the broker? Probably not. I've certainly learned the hard way. They won't return my call and positively don't care.

 

 

As far as the Agency is concerned, it is a cancellation. When you transfer a booking away from them, they lose the commission. Therefore, in their eyes, you have cancelled. It's all about the commission.

 

I agree with the poster who said that if your paperwork includes notice there would be a cancellation fee of $75 pp, then you probably are best off learning from the experience, paying it and transferring your booking directly to the cruise line.

 

Good luck.

[sail7seas]

What is it you want/need the Agency to do for you that you cannot get accomplished? Is it something we can help you with? Something we can guide you through without their assistance?

 

[cruiseco]

 

I agree with the poster who said that if your paperwork includes notice there would be a cancellation fee of $75 pp, then you probably are best off learning from the experience, paying it and transferring your booking directly to the cruise line.

 

Good luck.

 

Some can even be sneakier than that. The cancel fee may not in fact be spelled out on the confirmation. But in order to use the site you need to "register" (get a user name, etc) and to do so you need to read a few pages of fine print and acknowledge that you accept the terms including the $75 fee.

 

Then when they send you the booking confirmation there will be something vague about the booking being subject to all of the terms of the user agreement that, even if it was read, is no lonoger remembered.

 

So the fact that the fee may not be on the confirmation doesn't really mean that you haven't technically agreed to it. A lawyer could probably get past that but at what cost?

 

I agree, post here the questions or issues you need addressed, see if you can get the answers needed to get this cruise taken care of without transferring the booking and be better prepared for the next time.

[cp556]

Sail7Seas is absolutely right ... the agency is considering it a cancellation because THEY would be losing the booking.

I also would be interested in knowing why you'd like to transfer the booking ... is it pricing?

[cruisintwinsmom]

If the price of your cruise has gone down and you transfer it to the cruiseline, then maybe you would make up the cost of the "cancellation fee"?

[PICKLEBALL WIDOW]

Sail7Seas is absolutely right ... the agency is considering it a cancellation because THEY would be losing the booking.

I also would be interested in knowing why you'd like to transfer the booking ... is it pricing?

 

It's really funny, when I booked through the cruise consolidator, the agent I spoke to was wonderful. Friendly, knowledgeable, encouraging, etc. Once they had my reservation, when I call them (I have two different direct extensions to ask for), I leave a message and they don't call back. Would YOU put up with this for over a week? The pricing has nothing to do with it. Also entangled in all this is the fact that BOTH the cruise line AND TA said I could get it transferred if I wanted to. I will NEVER use a TA again because this is what happens.

[kelleya]

Weeble - I'm sorry you've had so much trouble with your existing TA, however...don't hold it against all TA's! There are many, many, TA's out there that do not charge a fee for "cancelling" or "transferring" your reservation. I transferred one a few years ago and had no problems, no fees. I certainly understand your frustration and I would probably be inclined to move my booking as well if in your shoes. If you don't really "want" to move your booking why not do as sail7seas suggested and see if we can't help you here?

[janetz]

It's really funny, when I booked through the cruise consolidator, the agent I spoke to was wonderful. Friendly, knowledgeable, encouraging, etc. Once they had my reservation, when I call them (I have two different direct extensions to ask for), I leave a message and they don't call back. Would YOU put up with this for over a week? The pricing has nothing to do with it. Also entangled in all this is the fact that BOTH the cruise line AND TA said I could get it transferred if I wanted to. I will NEVER use a TA again because this is what happens.

 

 

Yeah, if you have a crappy TA. :cool:

[PICKLEBALL WIDOW]

What is it you want/need the Agency to do for you that you cannot get accomplished? Is it something we can help you with? Something we can guide you through without their assistance?

 

 

I'm so mad at myself I could spit! This will be my 33rd cruise and I'd heard good things about SOME ta's so I thought I'd give it a try. Well, I was wrong. After a few weeks of dealing with the TA and not having questions answered, not having my calls returned, etc., I contacted HAL to see if they would take the reservation back. (No. I didn't get the name of the person I spoke to at HAL.) She said that they do it all the time, that all I needed to do was contact the TA and request that they release the reservation to HAL. She said if I ran into a problem they would see if they could intercede. When the TA would not release my booking I called HAL again and was told that they probably couldn't do anything, but they'd call me back in a few days. That was last Friday. I'm very disappointed that I haven't at least gotten a "sorry, but...." call from HAL. First time with a TA and first cruise with HAL. Not very happy about either. I'll get over it.

[eh2zed]

Next time you likely will go back to booking direct. You might also try a TA in a full service bricks and mortar agency as opposed to an internet TA.

[PICKLEBALL WIDOW]

I'm taking most people's advice and staying with this crappy TA (it's a big one), with one exception. I have opened a complaint with their Better Business Bureau because of the wording of the contract and their horrible attitude.

 

PLUS I've learned the hard way never to trust a TA. Their prices are always the same unless they throw in something like a whoopdeedoo bottle of champagne of inroom credit. Booking directly through the ship has always worked out well and I don't know why I decided to try something different this time. Their price was exactly the same, and once the TA got her commission, no one cared. (I know..."boo-hoo."

 

Ya live and ya learn.

[PICKLEBALL WIDOW]

I just realized that I came down really hard on TA's during this whole mess. PLEASE understand that this is my very first experience using a TA so maybe I didn't know what to expect. A little service maybe? Anyway, I'm sure there are many TA's that truly care about their customers, maybe the smaller ones? In any case I'm sorry if I offended anyone.

[ljtinney]

I just realized that I came down really hard on TA's during this whole mess. PLEASE understand that this is my very first experience using a TA so maybe I didn't know what to expect. A little service maybe? Anyway, I'm sure there are many TA's that truly care about their customers, maybe the smaller ones? In any case I'm sorry if I offended anyone.

 

I have been helping someone for just over a week now who has been in the same position as you, so I certainly understand what you have been saying. There most definately are alot of us TA's who provide the service that every client deserves and sometimes more. It's very unfortunate that you have had to go through this.

[Mekamax]

The best way I have found to talk to a concolidator that is not returning my calls is to call the direct number for new bookings - they always answer that number!!

 

Unfortunately I have had trouble with them before - two of the main ones. Booking direct is good but sometimes it is nice when the cruiseline isn't helpful to you to have an agent call them - it is nice to have the support of a good travel agent. Finding a good agent is hard but when you find one you will see it can be very helpful and take a lot of stress off of you. There is a horror story on the NCL board of a lady booked direct with her edocs in hand that they did not have in the system when she got to the port. She had to fight all cruise to get everything straight and her onboard credit where if she had an agent she could have had the agent step in and help.

 

Hope it all turns out well - unless it is costing you to keep the reservation with the consolidator (other than stress) you may want to keep it and go on your cruise and just don't ever use them again. Debbie

[PICKLEBALL WIDOW]

The best way I have found to talk to a concolidator that is not returning my calls is to call the direct number for new bookings - they always answer that number!!

 

Unfortunately I have had trouble with them before - two of the main ones. Booking direct is good but sometimes it is nice when the cruiseline isn't helpful to you to have an agent call them - it is nice to have the support of a good travel agent. Finding a good agent is hard but when you find one you will see it can be very helpful and take a lot of stress off of you. There is a horror story on the NCL board of a lady booked direct with her edocs in hand that they did not have in the system when she got to the port. She had to fight all cruise to get everything straight and her onboard credit where if she had an agent she could have had the agent step in and help.

 

That's exactly what I'm going to do. I wish, however, there was an open forum somewhere so I could warn others to avoid this consolidator. They're a very big company, doing lots of business, and don't know diddly about customer service. My biggest fear now (because I've been "marked" by the TA) is that they'll get the BBB complaint and cancel my reservation. They can't do that, can they?

[cherylandtk]

I wish, however, there was an open forum somewhere so I could warn others to avoid this consolidator. They're a very big company, doing lots of business, and don't know diddly about customer service.

Just be advised that Cruise Critic is NOT that forum--don't even hint about the name, or offer to give the information privately ;)

 

My biggest fear now (because I've been "marked" by the TA) is that they'll get the BBB complaint and cancel my reservation. They can't do that, can they?

You are probably pretty safe on that one. It would not only be unethical, you now have proof that it would be retaliation if anything happens after the date of the complaint. They are going to have to be able to prove, in writing, that you asked for the cancellation. If you DO decide to cancel or change anything later, be prepared to fax written authorization with a signature to them. They could decide to turn the booking back over to the cruiseline, but this is unlikely as they would lose the commission. They could not, in that case, charge you for the change, either. They cannot outright cancel it.

[blindrid]

I'm taking most people's advice and staying with this crappy TA (it's a big one), with one exception. I have opened a complaint with their Better Business Bureau because of the wording of the contract and their horrible attitude.

 

PLUS I've learned the hard way never to trust a TA. Their prices are always the same unless they throw in something like a whoopdeedoo bottle of champagne of inroom credit. Booking directly through the ship has always worked out well and I don't know why I decided to try something different this time. Their price was exactly the same, and once the TA got her commission, no one cared. (I know..."boo-hoo."

 

Ya live and ya learn.

 

First of all, I've had great luck with online TA's.

 

Secondly, The BBB is a membership driven organization and filing a complaint with them is really worthless unless they are a member.

 

I used a vacation planner on time and the price I paid was substantially more going direct. I'm not sure how much service one needs if they are an experienced cruiser so I agree with a pp that you may be a high maintenance customer. If you are, that still doesn't get the TA off of the hook in my mind but it doesn't help.

 

Obviously, to each their own and good luck with your cruise.

[Amy from Delaware]

My biggest fear now (because I've been "marked" by the TA) is that they'll get the BBB complaint and cancel my reservation. They can't do that, can they?

 

If they do, send them a bill for $150 "Cancellation Fee" :p