Funny Math Do other TA's do this?

[Tazzycat]

My TA is doing something strange, and I want to ask if you all have the same experience.

 

Let's say that the cruise line charged $800 for the cabin and $100 for the taxes and fees. That's a total $900, right?

 

So to get OBC, I transferred the booking to a TA, who told me that the price was really $940.00 and she would not respond to my inquiries about the price difference.

 

So then 2 days later, the cruiseline dropped the price by $130, so now the total should be 900-130= $770

 

So the cruiseline says that the cabin is $670, and the taxes and fees never changes.

 

Here's the funny math: the TA says that the cabin is $470 and the taxes and fees are $300, which still totals the same, but it's just like telling me that my cabin costs $1 and the taxes/fees are $769.

 

Anyone else's TA doing this funny math?

[kitty9]

Is your TA doing this to you? If so, you need a sit down with her and have her call the cruise line, on speakerphone, and talk about this. I think you'll find that port taxes won't change and that she's doing something not right.

[Jade13]

My TA is doing something strange, and I want to ask if you all have the same experience.

 

Let's say that the cruise line charged $800 for the cabin and $100 for the taxes and fees. That's a total $900, right?

 

So to get OBC, I transferred the booking to a TA, who told me that the price was really $940.00 and she would not respond to my inquiries about the price difference.

 

So then 2 days later, the cruiseline dropped the price by $130, so now the total should be 900-130= $770

 

So the cruiseline says that the cabin is $670, and the taxes and fees never changes.

 

Here's the funny math: the TA says that the cabin is $470 and the taxes and fees are $300, which still totals the same, but it's just like telling me that my cabin costs $1 and the taxes/fees are $769.

 

Anyone else's TA doing this funny math?

 

How much OBC are you getting? Is it $200.00? Perhaps that has something to do with the "fees" since they come out of her commission.

[rman738]

When in doubt, book directly with the cruise line. Most will then let you transfer the booking to a TA without any price change.

[lvtotrvl1]

TA's breakdown include the port charges, govt taxes and fees ..they are broken down different from the cruiseline...As long as the final price is the same, there isn't a problem...the 40.00 may be a service fee....what cruise is it and it will be easy to check...

[Guest nhrich]

It sounds like your TA is including non-commissionable fares (some call them port charges) with the taxes, and not with the cruise fare. As the prior poster said, the $40 sounds like a service charge.

 

If she won't respond to your e-mails to explain the difference, pick up the phone and call her.

[Tazzycat]

I bought the cruise from the cruiseline, cabin at $819 per person, and $104.03pp taxes/fees. Total was $923.03 pp or $1846.06. The cruiseline gave $100 OBC automatically.

 

Because the TA could give me $200 OBC, I transeferred it to her, then she sent me an email (after the transfer) with the price for the cabin as $620

and the taxes and fees were $323.03, for a total of $943.03pp.

 

I wrote two emails to her asking about that $40 difference, and she didn't answer me directly...instead she called me to tell me of a price drop for the cabin down to $490, which, with her inflated taxes and fees, totals to $813.03 and also stops the extra $100 OBC she was giving me, but is no longer valid.

 

 

 

So I have a call into her office, (I still want to know what that $40 was all about) but the total still is correct, no matter how she decides to add the numbers up.

 

I just wondered if this funny math was a common trick or what. I thought that taxes and fees included the port charges, but maybe that number is part of the cabin fee...

 

Why can't we all just be clear?

[CC Help Michell]

Your TA "would not respond to inquiries" about the price difference? And your question is whether this is "funny math?"

 

I would say this is a TA who didn't deserve your business in the first place. If a TA doesn't have time to answer your questions, it's time to find another TA. Why did you move your booking to this person in the first place?

[RSGS315]

The cruise lines quote travel agents the rate as follows:

$820.00 cruise fare for 2

$438.00 non commissionable cruise fare for 2

$159.82 taxes & fees for 2

Total for 2 $1417.82.

The only item that is commissionable is the cruise fare of $820.00. Commission can be anywhere from 10 to 16%, depending on the volume the agency books on this particular cruise line.

Do the math and you can see why the agent can no longer give you an additional ship board credit.

The cruise lines will quote an individual $1258.00 for 2 plus $159.82 taxes and fees, as cruise lines have to quote passengers the rate including the port charges plus the taxes & fees.

[katbat2]

Tazzycat, we must have the same TA, mine has that funny math too! I too tried to email and finally called 3 times to other agents before I got a email response. Bottom line price was still several $100's cheaper than Princess website. Don't know if I will ever use an online TA again. Have always booked directly through cruiseline, but thought hey great get $100 OBC and $200 pp cheaper for a balcony. We are doing a TA in April, guess will see how the check in process goes. As long as I'm on the ship sailing, all will be great :)

[sultan_sfo]

Our TAs (one brick&mortar and the other on-line) also do funny math. It is very hard to reconcile the cruise line listed fares with the TAs! But heck -- it is the total $$ that counts!