Rip Off TA

[AFT_LOVER]

After emails to CC members from this TA, a friend of mine calls me that we can cruise Hawaii from Mexico for $699 and it is a balcony on Spirit. So I tell my husband, he laughed that it is Carnival and past problems from a fire to the balcony we bought turned into an inside.

 

So I call this agency and the guy tells me that I can get the balcony for $699 + $75 tax. But no air since it is a 4/12 cruise for 12 nights. So he tells me to get air & call him back to book the cruise since I would not get my money back if I bought the cruise. So I book Delta to San Diego where Carnival takes you for free to the ship. Then Honolulu back home. I call the TA back & now the balcony is obstructed view only with the lifeboat hung on our balcony. Then he calls me back to tell me that maybe one will open if a person cancels tonite. I told him NO THANK YOU.

 

One less TA to purchase from and they advertise here.

 

As I told him I thought it was too good to be true & luckily the air is on hold, to be cancelled.

[lizardhowson]

After emails to CC members from this TA, a friend of mine calls me that we can cruise Hawaii from Mexico for $699 and it is a balcony on Spirit. So I tell my husband, he laughed that it is Carnival and past problems from a fire to the balcony we bought turned into an inside.

 

So I call this agency and the guy tells me that I can get the balcony for $699 + $75 tax. But no air since it is a 4/12 cruise for 12 nights. So he tells me to get air & call him back to book the cruise since I would not get my money back if I bought the cruise. So I book Delta to San Diego where Carnival takes you for free to the ship. Then Honolulu back home. I call the TA back & now the balcony is obstructed view only with the lifeboat hung on our balcony. Then he calls me back to tell me that maybe one will open if a person cancels tonite. I told him NO THANK YOU.

 

One less TA to purchase from and they advertise here.

 

As I told him I thought it was too good to be true & luckily the air is on hold, to be cancelled.

 

Don't ya just love people in the sales industry ? :eek:

[cmiller229]

:confused:So which TA is this?

[KULPN]

After emails to CC members from this TA, a friend of mine calls me that we can cruise Hawaii from Mexico for $699 and it is a balcony on Spirit. So I tell my husband, he laughed that it is Carnival and past problems from a fire to the balcony we bought turned into an inside.

 

So I call this agency and the guy tells me that I can get the balcony for $699 + $75 tax. But no air since it is a 4/12 cruise for 12 nights. So he tells me to get air & call him back to book the cruise since I would not get my money back if I bought the cruise. So I book Delta to San Diego where Carnival takes you for free to the ship. Then Honolulu back home. I call the TA back & now the balcony is obstructed view only with the lifeboat hung on our balcony. Then he calls me back to tell me that maybe one will open if a person cancels tonite. I told him NO THANK YOU.

 

One less TA to purchase from and they advertise here.

 

As I told him I thought it was too good to be true & luckily the air is on hold, to be cancelled.

caveat emptor

[shipty2]

Was the original balcony sold in the interim? Or was that the one he was trying to sell you?

[ellenmb]

I don't know ....$64 / night for a 12 night cruise...is this not a good deal even for an obstructed?

[bthorn1108]

IMHO, that price for a cat. 7A balcony is still a steal. I have been in a 7A balcony on the Legend (sister ship) and it was not really obstructed. If you were sitting down, the life boat obstructed the plexi-glass, but you could see fine if standing, and it's still a balcony with fresh air.

[woodey]

my DB booked thiis cruise last year and is paying $1400 and change booked through military rate.....the $699 price is a solid bargin if i had the time off from work i would do it in a second......

[lizardhowson]

I don't know ....$64 / night for a 12 night cruise...is this not a good deal even for an obstructed?

 

It sounds like a repositioning cruise.

 

Airfare very steep as it's basicly 2 one way flights.

 

Plus, sounds like the OP expected a traditional balcony room.

 

I know I would NEVER book an obstructed view, but that's just me.

 

To me that equates to a window in a hotel room that looks out on the side of the brick wall of the building next door. Pointless for the window to have even been placed there.

[TheVegasMan]

Not very nice of the TA to try the bait and switch. But they were offering a better deal than what's available from Carnival. Carnival is charging $799 plus taxes for an inside cabin.

[pixiedustdawn]

Who is this TA that is sending emails to CC'ers?

 

Is this allowed??

[bakechef]

It sounds like a repositioning cruise.

 

Airfare very steep as it's basicly 2 one way flights.

 

Plus, sounds like the OP expected a traditional balcony room.

 

I know I would NEVER book an obstructed view, but that's just me.

 

To me that equates to a window in a hotel room that looks out on the side of the brick wall of the building next door. Pointless for the window to have even been placed there.

 

Most of the obstructed balconies on this class of ship are not very obstructed at all, I had one, and had a great clear view straight out. The lifeboat obstructed the view down and through the plexiglass. I saved a considerable amount booking this cabin, and for me it was well worth it.

 

As long as you don't book one of the forward cabins behind the first 3 lifeboats, the obstruction is minimal.

[angelsbaby1]

I don't know ....$64 / night for a 12 night cruise...is this not a good deal even for an obstructed?

 

I think it's a good deal if you can stand an obstructed view. I could not, :eek: I like the full effect of the balcony. But we really wanted to say hi to our former sailing buddies. Enjoy your upcoming cruise. We'll be sailing again at the end of May.

Angel & AnitaMarie

[jahck]

After emails to CC members from this TA, a friend of mine calls me that we can cruise Hawaii from Mexico for $699 and it is a balcony on Spirit. So I tell my husband, he laughed that it is Carnival and past problems from a fire to the balcony we bought turned into an inside.

 

So I call this agency and the guy tells me that I can get the balcony for $699 + $75 tax. But no air since it is a 4/12 cruise for 12 nights. So he tells me to get air & call him back to book the cruise since I would not get my money back if I bought the cruise. So I book Delta to San Diego where Carnival takes you for free to the ship. Then Honolulu back home. I call the TA back & now the balcony is obstructed view only with the lifeboat hung on our balcony. Then he calls me back to tell me that maybe one will open if a person cancels tonite. I told him NO THANK YOU.

 

One less TA to purchase from and they advertise here.

 

As I told him I thought it was too good to be true & luckily the air is on hold, to be cancelled.

 

 

you are seriously complaining about this? I am on the same cruise and paid twice as much for what at the time was an ocean view. the penalty of booking early...anyhow, and obstructed balcony is still a balcony, i dont really see this issue here. Be grateful you didnt book this a year out.

[BrendaB1]

Who is this TA that is sending emails to CC'ers?

 

Is this allowed??

 

Against the rules to mention TA names. Guess everybody will have to decide for themselves. :)

[ellenmb]

I think it's a good deal if you can stand an obstructed view. I could not, :eek: I like the full effect of the balcony. But we really wanted to say hi to our former sailing buddies. Enjoy your upcoming cruise. We'll be sailing again at the end of May.

 

Angel & AnitaMarie

 

I just booked a 4 day for about $71/day in an oceanview and I am thrilled:)

 

Hi there you two!!!!! We are sailing in May on the Miracle!!! And another short one in Sept....Are you going to be good or cause trouble on the aft by laughing and having too much fun again?? Thanks for saying hi!! (sry for interruption OP)

[S.S.Oceanlover]

After emails to CC members from this TA, a friend of mine calls me that we can cruise Hawaii from Mexico for $699 and it is a balcony on Spirit. So I tell my husband, he laughed that it is Carnival and past problems from a fire to the balcony we bought turned into an inside.

 

So I call this agency and the guy tells me that I can get the balcony for $699 + $75 tax. But no air since it is a 4/12 cruise for 12 nights. So he tells me to get air & call him back to book the cruise since I would not get my money back if I bought the cruise. So I book Delta to San Diego where Carnival takes you for free to the ship. Then Honolulu back home. I call the TA back & now the balcony is obstructed view only with the lifeboat hung on our balcony. Then he calls me back to tell me that maybe one will open if a person cancels tonite. I told him NO THANK YOU.

 

One less TA to purchase from and they advertise here.

 

As I told him I thought it was too good to be true & luckily the air is on hold, to be cancelled.

 

Quite frankly I'm surprised you even considered Carnival, since you have bad mouthed them terribly over the years.

 

Bill

[jessemon]

After emails to CC members from this TA, a friend of mine calls me that we can cruise Hawaii from Mexico for $699 and it is a balcony on Spirit. So I tell my husband, he laughed that it is Carnival and past problems from a fire to the balcony we bought turned into an inside.

 

So I call this agency and the guy tells me that I can get the balcony for $699 + $75 tax. But no air since it is a 4/12 cruise for 12 nights. So he tells me to get air & call him back to book the cruise since I would not get my money back if I bought the cruise. So I book Delta to San Diego where Carnival takes you for free to the ship. Then Honolulu back home. I call the TA back & now the balcony is obstructed view only with the lifeboat hung on our balcony. Then he calls me back to tell me that maybe one will open if a person cancels tonite. I told him NO THANK YOU.

 

One less TA to purchase from and they advertise here.

 

As I told him I thought it was too good to be true & luckily the air is on hold, to be cancelled.

Your problem is with a travel agency not Carnival....Go vent at them. If you think the agency that you were trying to book through that is advertised here is baiting and switching you contact Laura S at her CC e-mail address here .........Let her now what happened......

By the way....Don't you regularly post on the NCL boards ??????

[AFT_LOVER]

and you cannot trust Delta to fly you as they have done to thousands of folks who booked with Skymiles.

 

The large ad with all their sale prices, which is old "ation" ships. Go 2002 or newer and the prices are high. So we go repositioning, many do not sell. We got aft balcony for $600 for 14 nts cruise 2 years ago on another cruiseline. Always a bargain for a long sea day filled cruise to relax & enjoy the seas. But air will get you. But this Spirit cruise was BAL at $699 with no obstructed view stated when you checked it. To be told to get our air first then callback and then learn it is obstructed view. Way too high for that. Many folks are like us waiting for retirement checks to start.

 

It sounds like a repositionin cruise.

 

Airfare very steep as it's basicly 2 one way flights.

 

Plus, sounds like the OP expected a traditional balcony room.

 

I know I would NEVER book an obstructed view, but that's just me.

 

To me that equates to a window in a hotel room that looks out on the side of the brick wall of the building next door. Pointless for the window to have even been placed there.

[rzdj96]

IMHO, that price for a cat. 7A balcony is still a steal. I have been in a 7A balcony on the Legend (sister ship) and it was not really obstructed. If you were sitting down, the life boat obstructed the plexi-glass, but you could see fine if standing, and it's still a balcony with fresh air.

 

Bev; I agree with you. Then again the airfare could be a bit overwhelming that one needs to consider when evaluating it's true value. I don't believe it was a bait & switch, I believe it was just an inexperienced T/A that saw something, didn't research it and ran with it. IMHO too!;) Rob

[figs]

I thought it sounded like the OP was offered a balcony, was told to go book air first, since the cruise is non-refundable at this point, and by the time s/he got back, that room was gone, and all that was left was a 7A. I don't at all understand the "fire turned our balcony into an inside" part.

 

The post wasn't really clear. But I read it as the TA wisely telling her to book air before cruise, since cruise wasn't refundable. By the time she booked air, it was too late to get the better class of balcony, they'd all been sold. What am I missing?

[travelntreats]

Bev; I agree with you. Then again the airfare could be a bit overwhelming that one needs to consider when evaluating it's true value. I don't believe it was a bait & switch, I believe it was just an inexperienced T/A that saw something, didn't research it and ran with it. IMHO too!;) Rob

The TA gave them a balcony rate.... did they ever tell the OP it was an obstructed view when the OP first spoke with them ? It could have been an obsructed view to begin with, but it was a BALCONY stateroom !

[manmtnmike]

I thought it sounded like the OP was offered a balcony, was told to go book air first, since the cruise is non-refundable at this point, and by the time s/he got back, that room was gone, and all that was left was a 7A. I don't at all understand the "fire turned our balcony into an inside" part.

 

The post wasn't really clear. But I read it as the TA wisely telling her to book air before cruise, since cruise wasn't refundable. By the time she booked air, it was too late to get the better class of balcony, they'd all been sold. What am I missing?

 

That's what it sounds like to me..., you run the risk of your desired cat selling out.

[MrPete]

After emails to CC members from this TA, a friend of mine calls me that we can cruise Hawaii from Mexico for $699 and it is a balcony on Spirit. So I tell my husband, he laughed that it is Carnival and past problems from a fire to the balcony we bought turned into an inside.

 

So I call this agency and the guy tells me that I can get the balcony for $699 + $75 tax. But no air since it is a 4/12 cruise for 12 nights. So he tells me to get air & call him back to book the cruise since I would not get my money back if I bought the cruise. So I book Delta to San Diego where Carnival takes you for free to the ship. Then Honolulu back home. I call the TA back & now the balcony is obstructed view only with the lifeboat hung on our balcony. Then he calls me back to tell me that maybe one will open if a person cancels tonite. I told him NO THANK YOU.

 

One less TA to purchase from and they advertise here.

 

As I told him I thought it was too good to be true & luckily the air is on hold, to be cancelled.

 

Your loss.

 

We did all our homework, arranged our air, and had one of the best cruises ever. Can't wait to do it again. Loved the days at sea, and the overview we got of each island stop.

 

Keep laughing.

[MrPete]

Who is this TA that is sending emails to CC'ers?

 

Is this allowed??

 

Yeah? How are those email addresses revealed?