Tazzycat Posted January 21, 2009 #1 Share Posted January 21, 2009 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty9 Posted January 21, 2009 #2 Share Posted January 21, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jade13 Posted January 21, 2009 #3 Share Posted January 21, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rman738 Posted January 21, 2009 #4 Share Posted January 21, 2009 When in doubt, book directly with the cruise line. Most will then let you transfer the booking to a TA without any price change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvtotrvl1 Posted January 21, 2009 #5 Share Posted January 21, 2009 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... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nhrich Posted January 21, 2009 #6 Share Posted January 21, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tazzycat Posted January 22, 2009 Author #7 Share Posted January 22, 2009 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Rare CC Help Michell Posted January 22, 2009 Administrators #8 Share Posted January 22, 2009 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSGS315 Posted January 22, 2009 #9 Share Posted January 22, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katbat2 Posted January 23, 2009 #10 Share Posted January 23, 2009 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 :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sultan_sfo Posted January 23, 2009 #11 Share Posted January 23, 2009 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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