why won't NCL talk to you if you booked thru a TA

[flattop223]

Booked my cruise through a TA, the travel agent told us that all our cabins were together.

 

We got the confirmations and the 3 ocean view cabins are 1 at either end of the ship and one in the middle all on the same deck. I don't call that together or as the TA said "right next to each other"

 

Called NCL and all they will say is "oh, you booked with a travel agent, you have to call them for any changes"

 

for things like the Shipboard Credit we were promised I know I would have to go thru the Travel Agent but for room change within the same catagory?

[mikedw]

Technically the TA owns the reservation so if you need anything done, it has to go through the TA to the cruiseline.

[SeaShark]

Booked my cruise through a TA, the travel agent told us that all our cabins were together.

 

We got the confirmations and the 3 ocean view cabins are 1 at either end of the ship and one in the middle all on the same deck. I don't call that together or as the TA said "right next to each other"

 

Called NCL and all they will say is "oh, you booked with a travel agent, you have to call them for any changes"

 

for things like the Shipboard Credit we were promised I know I would have to go thru the Travel Agent but for room change within the same catagory?

 

Sorry...but that is the way it has to work. The travel agent is basically buying the cruise from NCL and reselling it to you. It would be improper for NCL to speak directly to you. You are the customer of the travel agent.

 

Besides...the travel agent is making money on each vacation client they service...it would not be fair for NCL (or any other provider) to do the work and then for the travel agent to reap the financial reward.

 

All things considered...would it be the end of the world if your cabins were a little spread out? It will give everyone an excuse to get up and walk around the ship...:eek: The more important thing is that everyone has a cabin...and everyone has a fun time.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[KevinsCruising]

Travel agents sometimes get bad raps but they actually do a lot of work for you. They review all your documents, make sure everything is going the way it should, if there is any problem you can call them and they can work the phone from their end. Plus if you have a good travel agent, sometimes you will find a nice bon voyage gift in your cabin when you are sailing..... it is much more personel :D

[uneamie]

Sorry...but that is the way it has to work. The travel agent is basically buying the cruise from NCL and reselling it to you. It would be improper for NCL to speak directly to you. You are the customer of the travel agent.

 

Besides...the travel agent is making money on each vacation client they service...it would not be fair for NCL (or any other provider) to do the work and then for the travel agent to reap the financial reward.

 

All things considered...would it be the end of the world if your cabins were a little spread out? It will give everyone an excuse to get up and walk around the ship...:eek: The more important thing is that everyone has a cabin...and everyone has a fun time.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

In all fairness to the OP....perhaps they have reasons for wanting the cabins together ( kids, elderly parents etc.)....that said, we had 4 cabins of family all next to each other on purpose because we wanted to open up the dividers on the balcony and be able to have a huge balcony that we all could be free to use and enjoy going from cabin to cabin. We loved it.

 

So in light of that...if the poster wants cabins all together then I suggest they cancel their booking and rebook it with NCL.....that TA does not deserve the sale since they did not do as the customer requested. I don't think people should have to "settle" for anything less then what they requested....unless it is no problem to them.

[smeyer418]

Booked my cruise through a TA, the travel agent told us that all our cabins were together.

 

We got the confirmations and the 3 ocean view cabins are 1 at either end of the ship and one in the middle all on the same deck. I don't call that together or as the TA said "right next to each other"

 

Called NCL and all they will say is "oh, you booked with a travel agent, you have to call them for any changes"

 

for things like the Shipboard Credit we were promised I know I would have to go thru the Travel Agent but for room change within the same catagory?

 

 

I agree with what others said above but the other reason is the cruise line is paying for the TA and wants the TA to do the work and not the call center personnel.

 

But I also agree that if the TA hasn't performed you need a new TA....

[CC Help Michell]

In all fairness to the OP....perhaps they have reasons for wanting the cabins together ( kids, elderly parents etc.)....that said, we had 4 cabins of family all next to each other on purpose because we wanted to open up the dividers on the balcony and be able to have a huge balcony that we all could be free to use and enjoy going from cabin to cabin. We loved it.

 

So in light of that...if the poster wants cabins all together then I suggest they cancel their booking and rebook it with NCL.....that TA does not deserve the sale since they did not do as the customer requested. I don't think people should have to "settle" for anything less then what they requested....unless it is no problem to them.

 

Well, there's caveat number two -- make sure there is no cancellation fee with the TA used in this case. Three cabins with a $25 - 50+ cancellation fee amounts to a hefty chunk of change. :(

 

Call the TA and ask what's going on with the reservation and why it wasn't booked the way you requested.

 

PS Caveat number one is that if you book through a TA no cruiseline (not just NCL) will speak to you about it -- you go through your agent.

[garycarla]

TA might get mad if NCL messes with reservation, and possibly the passenger then blames the TA.

 

It belongs to the TA. Plain and simple.

[johnql]

To the OP: in addition to what others have already stated, keep in mind that this policy is not unique to NCL - ALL cruise lines have the same policy of not dealing with you once you're booked through a TA.

[terrymtex01]

The easiest way to think of it is that the TA actually owns the reservation, not you. It would be the same (as far as NCL is concerned) if I called the electric company to discuss my next door neighbors electric service. My neighbor owns their account, not me. Same thing with the reservation. The reservation maybe for you, but it is owned by the TA completely.

[collegecruiser346]

Like others have said, the TA owns the reservation. Not the cruise line. The passenger is enlisting the service of a TA, who purchases your cruise from the cruise line. Once payment has been made, the TA owns it and the cruise line has no control over the reservation, and they really are not even supposed to provide any information to you, except for a confirmation that you are indeed booked on that ship on that date. The same goes for booking a flight or a hotel through a travel agent. The hotel or the airline doesn't own the booking, the TA does.

[uneamie]

Why do people keep telling this poster the "same" information....I think they only need to know "one time" that that TA owns their reservation.....why do people feel the need to keep repeating it??? ugh!

[travelntreats]

Why do people keep telling this poster the "same" information....I think they only need to know "one time" that that TA owns their reservation.....why do people feel the need to keep repeating it??? ugh!

I guess for the same reason that YOU just repeated what they have too ! Guilty as found :eek:

[LJH1]

In all fairness to the OP....perhaps they have reasons for wanting the cabins together ( kids, elderly parents etc.)....that said, we had 4 cabins of family all next to each other on purpose because we wanted to open up the dividers on the balcony and be able to have a huge balcony that we all could be free to use and enjoy going from cabin to cabin. We loved it.

 

So in light of that...if the poster wants cabins all together then I suggest they cancel their booking and rebook it with NCL.....that TA does not deserve the sale since they did not do as the customer requested. I don't think people should have to "settle" for anything less then what they requested....unless it is no problem to them.

 

Or so it's easier to pass the smuggled booze.

[Beachbum1944]

I would think that if the TA messed up the reservation, then there shouldn't be a cancellation fee. Cancell and see if NCL can do better, or another TA.

[Browezilla]

Travel agents sometimes get bad raps but they actually do a lot of work for you. They review all your documents, make sure everything is going the way it should, if there is any problem you can call them and they can work the phone from their end....

This cracked me up. With over 20+ cruises, I've never had a TA that worked hard for me. Any mistakes, I had to find them. Prices reductions, I found them and called in for them. Most docs are now eDocs. So, other than taking my reservation, I haven't seen a lot of service...sort of like an airline reservation....and I'm fine with that.

[deepnite10]

To the OP: in addition to what others have already stated, keep in mind that this policy is not unique to NCL - ALL cruise lines have the same policy of not dealing with you once you're booked through a TA.

 

yup..i would nt want NCL to get a bad rap on this..

 

anyway..we ve sailed with our children and they ve had seperate cabins with their GF s and BF s..and they don t want to be anywhere near us..:mad:

[fridaythe13th]

Why do people keep telling this poster the "same" information....I think they only need to know "one time" that that TA owns their reservation.....why do people feel the need to keep repeating it??? ugh!

 

Too funny, after reading the post above yours I thought the exact same thing!

 

I have tried a few TAs and have never been happy with their service (or lack of). Only one said I would get an OBC and I didn't even end up with that! I now book direct and I'm certainly not giving up much, if anything. I am in control and I can call and talk about my reservation directly without waiting to reach my TA or have them return my call. :D

[flattop223]

I'm curious why you went with an online TA and not directly through NCL. I checked who you used (cannot say -- you can't mention TA's name / website on CC) and the price is the same as NCL (at least for my cruise).

 

Are you getting a lower price, OBC, perks??? If not, wouldn't it be better to go directly with NCL?

 

The price for 3 of our 4 cabins was $20 less if that had been it would have booked direct... but there was also OBC that for the 4 rooms of $650. As I mentioned I called NCL before booking to see if they could do similar the answer was no, they could not even match the cabin rate.

[1greencar]

The price for 3 of our 4 cabins was $20 less if that had been it would have booked direct... but there was also OBC that for the 4 rooms of $650. As I mentioned I called NCL before booking to see if they could do similar the answer was no, they could not even match the cabin rate.

I don't get the problem. So why not just call the TA and ask her to get it corrected if it is something she promised you?

(unless of course you booked Guarantee status)??

[flattop223]

I don't get the problem. So why not just call the TA and ask her to get it corrected if it is something she promised you?

(unless of course you booked Guarantee status)??

 

I am calling TA about the mess up on the OBC only got $225 for the 4 cabins instead of the $650

 

I did make an attempt to call the TA and was forwarded from the specific TA to customer service and they said that if I any changes like that I should call NCL direct... that was before I found out about the OBC being wrong which I found out on that call to NCL, so it was a good call anyway

[uneamie]

Or so it's easier to pass the smuggled booze.

 

Exactly! :D

[ubdkjrb]

It really is an interesting thought. Here I am spending thousands of dollars to take my precious family on a special vacation and I don't even own the reservation!!!

 

That's why I always book direct. Yes, I'm a control freak. But if something goes wrong, I only have myself to blame.

 

Peter

[2inTul]

I am calling TA about the mess up on the OBC only got $225 for the 4 cabins instead of the $650

 

I did make an attempt to call the TA and was forwarded from the specific TA to customer service and they said that if I any changes like that I should call NCL direct... that was before I found out about the OBC being wrong which I found out on that call to NCL, so it was a good call anyway

 

They told you to call NCL direct? It sounds like they don't know what they are doing. No wonder your reservation is messed up! :eek:

 

I think I would be finding a new TA. And fast!

[nycruiser80]

This cracked me up. With over 20+ cruises, I've never had a TA that worked hard for me. Any mistakes, I had to find them. Prices reductions, I found them and called in for them. Most docs are now eDocs. So, other than taking my reservation, I haven't seen a lot of service...sort of like an airline reservation....and I'm fine with that.

 

 

Believe it or not there are really good TAs out there. When I was one for 10 years I did the very best I could do for my clients and that ment to be on call 24/7!! I also have TA friends that do the same. But as with ANY field there are good and bad...and unfortunetly the OP has a bad travel agent.

 

I'm a teacher now and there is good in bad in that field too! Which is why I am not a fan of tenure...but thats a seperate story.

 

But one thing I learned from working in different fields is that many jobs look deceptively easy from the outside. People will say....how hard is it to book travel?..........and all travel agents do is go on free trips.....I wish it was like that...the truth is you are handling as many as 10-15 to possibly 20 trips in a week and dealing with clients which is not easy. Even teachers.... some people think most of us are always off and work short days which is far from the truth I spend my summers and days off working another job! I have come to learn teaching is very difficult and challenging though very rewarding

 

In any case I am 98% sure the travel agent screwed something up BUT I will say dealing having dealt all of the lovely travel companies...like cruise lines and airlines it is possible the cruise line messed things up and now it looks like the TA did bad. I once had a cruise line cancel a booking I had for a client after final payment was received on time. There excuse was that it was a computer glitch....some glitch! Imagine if I went back to the client and said the cruise line canceled your booking because of a computer glitch. What would you think the client would be thinking.....they would feel I made the mistake. In any case I ended up getting them a junior suite instead of the oceanview room they had and they never knew what happened and just thought they got an upgrade. Who knows....but most likelt the TA messed up.