I sure stepped in it this time!

[localady]

DH and I were thrilled to have booked our cruise for Mexico with a new agency offering competitive prices and SBC for our November cruise. That thrill started to fade when the agency took our our credit card payment 2+ weeks before they were suppose to. I then realized upon looking at the Visa statement that the payment was made to the agency, NOT HAL but I let it slide.

Well that thrill turned to shock when I spoke to HAL today who reported that although my payment was due Sept. 1st, no payment had been made as of yet. HAL said to call the agency and tell them to Fed Ex the payment as there are only 2 days left until HAL cancels. (There is a 10 day "Grace Period".)

I call the agency and they tell me that they have a special arrangement with HAL and that the check for my cruise won't go out till late next week. :eek: I tell them HAL says I have 2 days or they cancel. I asked her how she can assure me HAL won't cancel, she said I'd have to take it on faith. :mad:

Well folks I am stuck between a rock and a hard place as I can't just pay HAL directly. If I could, I would and then take it up with the credit card company.

I pray this will all work out, and no doubt it will, but the stress this has caused in not knowing if our cruise will be cancelled while the cruise broker has been holding our money since August is insane.

I hope my experience will help others not fall into the same trap. Beware, not all cruise agencies are the same. Next time I will ask my TA if payments are made to HAL directly and, if not, will book with another agency.

P. S. The HAL rep was so helpful but their hands are tied.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Oh Sher -- I am so sorry to read this.

I truely hope you can get everything worked out in the next day or so.

I hope you never work with this agency again .

Best to go back to whom-ever you have worked with in the past.

Please keep us updated on what is happening.

Prayers for you -- hope all works out.

Yonnie

[sail7seas]

:eek: Oh Sher...... I'm so sorry this stress is occuring. I wish I had a helpful suggestion but don't know what you can do except pester them to bits until they get that payment to HAL made.

 

FINGERS CROSSED for you that it all works out quickly.

 

[hammybee]

Oh Sher....what a bummer.

 

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

[localady]

Thanks Yonnie :cool:

I have 2 other HAL cruises booked with this agency and will be transferring them to another agency or HAL as soon as this mess is worked out.

I know eventually we will get the money back, but we really just want to have HAL get paid and take the darned cruise....

[peaches from georgia]

Was your deposit also paid to the agency or was the charge recorded on your statement as being made directly to HAL?

 

If the agency goes out of business in the meantime you have no cruise, the agency declares bankruptcy and you'll never get your money back because there will be nothing there to collect. You probably will be fine, but this has happened in the past.

[cp556]

This IS a bummer, Sher. Looks like your agency doesn't remit credit card payments to HAL, but instead deposits them in their own bank account and writes HAL a check. This can be a red flag, esp if it's a new agency.

 

You're an experienced cruiser. Call the head of that agency and insist that they Fed Ex the money to HAL ... that at this point their saying "trust us" doesn't hold water.

 

And please keep us posted. I'm so sorry you're having to go through this.

[localady]

Thanks S7S and HB!

I really post this to ensure that this doesn't happen to someone else. :o

It maybe that a price or SBC is attractive but be sure you who will be paid, the agency or the cruiseline. If the answer is the agency, RUN, DO NOT WALK, the other way, or this could happen to you too.......:eek:

[billroddy]

Most states have an agency that can deal with problems such as yours.

Here are the California laws, if this is not your state search your state's laws on travel agents or travel agencies.

Bill

 

http://ag.ca.gov/travel/

[localady]

Was your deposit also paid to the agency or was the charge recorded on your statement as being made directly to HAL?

 

If the agency goes out of business in the meantime you have no cruise, the agency declares bankruptcy and you'll never get your money back because there will be nothing there to collect. You probably will be fine, but this has happened in the past.

 

The deposit was made with HAL onboard, which is why I had no idea that the payment wasn't being made to HAL until I saw the credit card statement.

[localady]

Most states have an agency that can deal with problems such as yours.

Here are the Californai laws, if this is not your state search your state's laws on travel agents or travel agencies.

Bill

 

http://ag.ca.gov/travel/

 

 

Bill- I am in California, but the travel agency is in New Jersey or Michigan. I do plan to file a report with the BBB if this isn't rectified.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks Yonnie :cool:

 

I have 2 other HAL cruises booked with this agency and will be transferring them to another agency or HAL as soon as this mess is worked out.

 

I know eventually we will get the money back, but we really just want to have HAL get paid and take the darned cruise....

 

I'll be praying for you!!

[KAKcruiser]

This is one of the disadvantages of not being able to name travel agencies on this board. It would be good to warn people about this agency but you can't.

[mamaofami]

Sher, I'm so sorry to read that this is happening to you. Filing a report is very well intentioned, but it isn't going to get you on the cruise. Do you know a lawyer who could call and tell them to get that payment made ASAP? If not, I would do as suggested and insist on speaking to the head of the agency. By taking your money and depositing it to their own account, they are making interest on your money while you lose your cruise. SOmetimes what we think is a bargin really isn't.

[DesertDogs]

This is one of the disadvantages of not being able to name travel agencies on this board. It would be good to warn people about this agency but you can't.

 

I was thinking the same thing!

[Cruising-along]

I'm so sorry this happened to you! Yes, file with BBB at the very least if it isn't straightened out to your satisfaction.

 

I think it was kind of you to warn the rest of us. It reinforces my fear of dealing with an unknown agency, I'll continue to book with our PCC unless I get a glowing recommendation.

 

I pray it all works out for you.

[sail7seas]

 

I have 2 other HAL cruises booked with this agency and will be transferring them to another agency or HAL as soon as this mess is worked out.

 

I know eventually we will get the money back, but we really just want to have HAL get paid and take the darned cruise....

 

Unfortunately, Sher...... it may be possible that you will have to get their permission in order to take the future bookings away from them and transfer them elsewhere. Could be a struggle getting them to permit the transfer away from them.

[kakalina]

Sher, so sorry to hear about this problem. The others have all made good suggestions, I just want to extend my sympathy.

[Jade13]

DH and I were thrilled to have booked our cruise for Mexico with a new agency offering competitive prices and SBC for our November cruise. That thrill started to fade when the agency took our our credit card payment 2+ weeks before they were suppose to. I then realized upon looking at the Visa statement that the payment was made to the agency, NOT HAL but I let it slide.

 

Well that thrill turned to shock when I spoke to HAL today who reported that although my payment was due Sept. 1st, no payment had been made as of yet. HAL said to call the agency and tell them to Fed Ex the payment as there are only 2 days left until HAL cancels. (There is a 10 day "Grace Period".)

 

I call the agency and they tell me that they have a special arrangement with HAL and that the check for my cruise won't go out till late next week. :eek: I tell them HAL says I have 2 days or they cancel. I asked her how she can assure me HAL won't cancel, she said I'd have to take it on faith. :mad:

 

Well folks I am stuck between a rock and a hard place as I can't just pay HAL directly. If I could, I would and then take it up with the credit card company.

 

I pray this will all work out, and no doubt it will, but the stress this has caused in not knowing if our cruise will be cancelled while the cruise broker has been holding our money since August is insane.

 

I hope my experience will help others not fall into the same trap. Beware, not all cruise agencies are the same. Next time I will ask my TA if payments are made to HAL directly and, if not, will book with another agency.

 

P. S. The HAL rep was so helpful but their hands are tied.

 

I think I know which agency (they advertise on CC) and if so, you are OK. I have used them sometimes, not all and was not thrilled with the cruise this year when I found out they were bought by a larger agency and money would get charged to them and not directly to HAL (deposit was made onboard directly to HAL a year earlier). If I hadn't used them before I would have been worried. They do have an arrangement with HAL where their date is different than what is listed because I called them as I was concerned HAL did not have my money in what was I though a final payment due date.

 

I had checked up on them over a year earlier and HAL said one of their biggest TA's and OK.

 

Get the agency to e-mail you (something in writing) confirming their due date. They now send all money for their clients in together.

 

They are in NJ, legit and I have it in writing from a HAL PCC. this year I have booked two cabins with them and 2 cabins directly through the cruiseline.

[lvtotrvl1]

I'm sorry to hear your dilemma....there might be one bright spot for you. If an agency has group space on a cruise, the payment can be paid at a later date....you might ask this TA if it is group space...then double check with HAL. I would definatly call a supervisor at HAL and have your record noted....if your deposit was paid on board, you might also call your cc company to stop the final payment and pay HAL directly. I have been an agent for over 13 years and have never charged a clients payment to the company that it is booked through (agency)..it is always sent directly to the cruiseline. A supervisor will be able to help you....you can even fax a copy of your cc statement showing the payment to the agency.

 

Good Luck and keep us informed..

[localady]

I believe this agency does have group space. They say they are sending the payment on 9/15/08 and assure me that the cruise won't be cancelled.

Even if this works out, I won't use this agency again because:

1. they put me into this pickle and borrowed my money for a month; and

2. it caused me unnecessary stress (which is an issue with my heart condition) With a teen in the house I have enough stress thank you, he is learning to drive...:eek: :rolleyes:

[localady]

Jade13-

Thanks for the heads up, and yes you hit the nail on the head I do believe.

I know they are very large, so I guess I should relax:o , but they might have told us not to worry about our final payment due date. It's not like they haven't had my money since early August! :rolleyes:

[sueclark]

Unfortunately, Sher...... it may be possible that you will have to get their permission in order to take the future bookings away from them and transfer them elsewhere. Could be a struggle getting them to permit the transfer away from them.

 

Actually, Sail7 and Sher, the client always has the right to fire their travel agency. It will take a letter to the cruiseline requesting that the booking be returned to your control or to a new agency with a complete discription of why you are 'firing' the agency. Cruiselines are quite firm about needing real reasons for the bookings to be removed from an agency, but it can be done. It also leaves a black mark on the agency/agent from whom you have taken them.

 

There are two things that you should always do: the first as you have all been talking about - the charges should go through the cruiseline and not the agency account and second you should always ask for and get an actual copy of the cruiseline confirmation for your booking.

[codyody]

Thank you for the warning; this has never occured to me. I did not even think to check whether my $$ went to the agency or HAL. I rushed over to my AMEX account and, hooray, it went directly to HAL. I will definitely know to check next time.

[peaches from georgia]

The deposit was made with HAL onboard, which is why I had no idea that the payment wasn't being made to HAL until I saw the credit card statement.

Got it. I'm sure it will be fine, but a problem like this is the last thing you need before a cruise. It's a shame there are so many bad travel agencies out there that you have to worry about all of them, even the legitimate ones like I'm sure this one is. Good luck.