Cruise Value Center agency went under...

[jlynnek]

It was posted on another CC thread (pulled because the agency was identified) and on a travel website, that a popular online discount agency went under. You can view the particulars here: http://www.thisworldtraveler.com.

[sail7seas]

Are they headquarterd in the FLL area?

[jlynnek]

Sail,

No the headquarters were in New Jersey. I have, or should say, had my booking for our next cruise through them. Who should I contact at HAL? My booking is still on the HAL website and final payment is not due until Jan., I think.

[DMorris]

Are they headquarterd in the FLL area?



In NJ I believe.

[cruisingagentone]

jlynnek Just give Holland a call to reservations and they will take care of it for you. You said the reservation is still there so the deposit was made. Like I said Holland will just take over the booking

[BalconyBumz]

Wow, that one was a popular one. Scary out there!

[jlynnek]

drbees,

I was very careful not to mention the name of the agency. The other CC thread was pulled because the OP gave the name of the agency. Now this one will probably be pulled too. :(

[sail7seas]

Jlynnek:

Thank you for sharing the info and I appreciate you made the effort to not name them. We were able to learn from your post.

I agree that anyone booked with them should be fine. Hopefully, you received copies of the HAL confirmation and not just a TA confirmation. That will give your HAL confirmation number and you will be taken care of by a rep in Seattle.

As long as your deposits were sent to HAL, there should be no problem.

Let us know when you contact them. I'll be interested to hear how smoothly they transition the booking for you.

[NetwrkEng]

HAL wants $50.00/pp to reissue the documents that are now in limbo or $25 to be "manifested" at the pier.

[sail7seas]

That's lousy. I would not pay the $50.

You really don't need them.

Do you have a written copy of your HAL confirmation? If so, you should have no difficulty registering on line and appearing at the dock to board.

[jlynnek]

I'm on hold with a HAL rep right now. She is looking into it.

[sail7seas]

You can get luggage tags from the stevedores when you arrive at the terminal.

[BalconyBumz]

HAL wants $50.00/pp to reissue the documents that are now in limbo or $25 to be "manifested" at the pier.

That is ridiculous! Constant nickel and diming any more! Oil is at $58 a barell and they have this stupid hoop thing to jump through. We shouldn't have the fuel charges and they should waive this charge, ridiculous.

[NetwrkEng]

Just got off the phone. New docs will "go out today". No fee. Thanks HAL.

[BalconyBumz]

Just got off the phone. New docs will "go out today". No fee. Thanks HAL.

Excellent! That's the way it should be. Thanks for the update.

[sail7seas]

That is ridiculous! Constant nickel and diming any more! Oil is at $58 a barell and they have this stupid hoop thing to jump through. We shouldn't have the fuel charges and they should waive this charge, ridiculous.


Like every other 'for profit' company, they are trying to stay in business.
I suspect their bookings might be down a 'wee bit'.

'Ya think they need to make a dollar everywhere they can?

It's the inconsistency that irritates me. Why did one rep tell one customer of the now out of business TA they had to pay for new docs but another rep told someone else they do not have to pay?

Everyone should be charged or no one should be charged. IMO

[gebo]

:eek: Holy Cow! I just got my tickets last week. I had made final payment and HAL wouldn't let me complete online check in, they said payment hadn't been received. Payment had cleared my credit card statement so I phoned the agency. I was reassurred and told that a lump payment would be made to HAL from the agency. I thought it was strange that they would hold my money. I was told that something new was going on. I really liked my agent and have used them for 7 or more cruises,never a problem. Wonder if they will re-group and re-open. Since I have tickets in hand, I'm OK...aren't I.

[sail7seas]

HAL wants $50.00/pp to reissue the documents that are now in limbo or $25 to be "manifested" at the pier.


If I were you, I'd be calling again and again until I got a rep who agreed to send the docs at no fee.

If you don't the answer you get from one, try another.
Obviously, NewMkt got a rep who is sending the docs for no fee.

Good luck and please let us know.

[jlynnek]

Just got off the phone with Angie at HAL. She contacted the TA's consolidator and gave them my name, booking number and phone number and they are supposed to call me. She also gave me the consolidator's phone number. I tried to contact them, but received a voice message that the receptionist was away from her desk or on another call. I really don't expect a call back. They must be swamped with calls.

Angie said the consolidator was very vague about the situation and did not provide details. I'll probably just transfer my booking to HAL who, I'm sure, will be in business for a while. :D

[DMorris]

Just got off the phone with Angie at HAL. She contacted the TA's consolidator and gave them my name, booking number and phone number and they are supposed to call me. She also gave me the consolidator's phone number. I tried to contact them, but received a voice message that the receptionist was away from her desk or on another call. I really don't expect a call back. They must be swamped with calls.

Angie said the consolidator was very vague about the situation and did not provide details. I'll probably just transfer my booking to HAL who, I'm sure, will be in business for a while. :D

To transfer your booking to HAL don't you need the original TA to fill our paperwork?

[Krazy Kruizers]

It is not surprising -- so much is happening the last couple of months.

I expect that more businesses will go out of business before too long.

[NetwrkEng]

To transfer your booking to HAL don't you need the original TA to fill our paperwork?

Hal told me to fax a note explaining the situation to the world cruise reservations center (206-281-0627) and HAL will move the booking.

I can do this, but can someone explain why I need to? I'm paid in full, have new docs on the way, and waiting on a guarantee to be assigned.

[navybankerteacher]

It is a bit risky to work through travel agents - they like to charge you as early as possible and pay the line as late as possible (naturally trying to maximize their use of your funds). If they go under before the line confirms receipt of payment, you can be at risk. While they might be able to find you somewhat better pricing, you can usually do as well yourself by calling around - following up, asking to speak to supervisor, etc. Particularly now, with many small businesses on the brink, it may be a good idea to eliminate as many middlemen as possible and deal direct with the provider (of whatever service) yourself.

[jcrandle]

:eek: Holy Cow! I just got my tickets last week. I had made final payment and HAL wouldn't let me complete online check in, they said payment hadn't been received. Payment had cleared my credit card statement so I phoned the agency. I was reassurred and told that a lump payment would be made to HAL from the agency. I thought it was strange that they would hold my money. I was told that something new was going on. I really liked my agent and have used them for 7 or more cruises,never a problem. Wonder if they will re-group and re-open. Since I have tickets in hand, I'm OK...aren't I.
I had a similar issue with a different TA (Florida based) that had me very uncomfortable for a time. First the TA double charged my deposit once to HAL and once to the agency. When I called they said I would be credited. After a week the credit hadn't shown up, I contested the charge with the card company. It took over two months for them to finally issue the credit. Then they charged the final payment to be paid to the agency, rather than HAL. When I called to question this, they said that since I was in a group booking they cut a single check to HAL for the group. Still on the HAL website, I was unable to print the signature boarding pass because the booking wasn't paid in full. I called the agency again, and was told that final payment had been made to HAL, but HAL had to distribute the payment to each reservation in the goup. It was a month after final payment that I finally was able to print the boarding pass, and I received my docs.

Needless to say, I was very nervous despite verbal and emailed assurances from the agency that all was normal. I'll be looking for a different agency for my next cruise. While it may be standard practice for some agencies to charge you, then pay HAL, in the past, I've always had the agency charge to the cruise line. :(

[Desdemona01]

" can do this, but can someone explain why I need to? I'm paid in full, have new docs on the way, and waiting on a guarantee to be assigned. "




I don't know why you'd need to, at this date. as long as HAL has your money and you have your docs, you should be fine.

A question for those who've used this agency--our dear friends have two upcoming cruises booked through them. She can't reach her husband right now and she's concerned about the insurance they purchased through the agency--they purchased it at time of deposit because of a pre-existing condition. I told her that any agency I've dealt with uses a third party insurance and the docs should have come separately--did any of you purchase your insurance through this agency, and do you know what company issued the policy?

Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks
Des

[Desdemona01]

It is a bit risky to work through travel agents - they like to charge you as early as possible and pay the line as late as possible (naturally trying to maximize their use of your funds). If they go under before the line confirms receipt of payment, you can be at risk. While they might be able to find you somewhat better pricing, you can usually do as well yourself by calling around - following up, asking to speak to supervisor, etc. Particularly now, with many small businesses on the brink, it may be a good idea to eliminate as many middlemen as possible and deal direct with the provider (of whatever service) yourself.

I've never used a T/A, online or B&M, who charged my card. Whatever service they are providing, the charge is always made by the cruise or tour company. I don't think I'd work with one who did it any other way.

btw, our friends say that their AmEx bill shows the transactions are with HAL, not this agency.

[Jade13]

I have a cruise booked through this TA and final payment was made last week, and directly to the travel company (not a HAL cruise), so I am OK.

I was suspicious after someone on this bb posted about this agency charging to themselves and then paying the cruise line. This happened to me on a HAL cruise this summer and I was told this was the way the group booking was handled (to get the group price). So, the next cruise was direct with HAL, but a deposit had already been made last year for a cruise next year. So, I had it in writing that they were only authorized to pay the travel company directly, which they did.

I did call the consortium, who didn't know about this (yet) and they took my number. The travel company handling my Antarctic cruise is taking over my booking and I will send them the confirmation information from the TA who is gone. They told me not to worry, they have my money.

[BalconyBumz]

It is a bit risky to work through travel agents - they like to charge you as early as possible and pay the line as late as possible (naturally trying to maximize their use of your funds). If they go under before the line confirms receipt of payment, you can be at risk. While they might be able to find you somewhat better pricing, you can usually do as well yourself by calling around - following up, asking to speak to supervisor, etc. Particularly now, with many small businesses on the brink, it may be a good idea to eliminate as many middlemen as possible and deal direct with the provider (of whatever service) yourself.

Yes, but anyone can go down, even the original provider. :eek:

[NetwrkEng]

" can do this, but can someone explain why I need to? I'm paid in full, have new docs on the way, and waiting on a guarantee to be assigned. "




I don't know why you'd need to, at this date. as long as HAL has your money and you have your docs, you should be fine.

A question for those who've used this agency--our dear friends have two upcoming cruises booked through them. She can't reach her husband right now and she's concerned about the insurance they purchased through the agency--they purchased it at time of deposit because of a pre-existing condition. I told her that any agency I've dealt with uses a third party insurance and the docs should have come separately--did any of you purchase your insurance through this agency, and do you know what company issued the policy?

Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks
Des

We purchased insurance through the agency with ITravelinsured (iTI) before we knew we could do better on our own. They sent us a separate document showing we are covered.

[Jade13]

" can do this, but can someone explain why I need to? I'm paid in full, have new docs on the way, and waiting on a guarantee to be assigned. "




I don't know why you'd need to, at this date. as long as HAL has your money and you have your docs, you should be fine.

A question for those who've used this agency--our dear friends have two upcoming cruises booked through them. She can't reach her husband right now and she's concerned about the insurance they purchased through the agency--they purchased it at time of deposit because of a pre-existing condition. I told her that any agency I've dealt with uses a third party insurance and the docs should have come separately--did any of you purchase your insurance through this agency, and do you know what company issued the policy?

Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks
Des

Des, your friend needs to check their credit card asap and see if thre charge was to the agency or to HAL or other cruiseline. They than need to call HAL and confirm they are paid.

I noticed they started advertising "Itravel" insurance on almost every cruise (instead of OBC). You need to call the insurance company to see if it has been paid.

If the trips are not paid in full yet, they can still purchase CSA Luxe or HTH at final and they cover pre-existing conditioms.

[leeanninfla]

It is a bit risky to work through travel agents - they like to charge you as early as possible and pay the line as late as possible (naturally trying to maximize their use of your funds). If they go under before the line confirms receipt of payment, you can be at risk. While they might be able to find you somewhat better pricing, you can usually do as well yourself by calling around - following up, asking to speak to supervisor, etc. Particularly now, with many small businesses on the brink, it may be a good idea to eliminate as many middlemen as possible and deal direct with the provider (of whatever service) yourself.


Unless of course you work with a reputable agency who doesn't charge your credit card themselves, they process it with the cruiseline directly.
Before becoming a TA, I would not book with a company if they were the ones charging my card. Too many chances of bad things happening.

[Desdemona01]

Des, your friend needs to check their credit card asap and see if thre charge was to the agency or to HAL or other cruiseline. They than need to call HAL and confirm they are paid.

I noticed they started advertising "Itravel" insurance on almost every cruise (instead of OBC). You need to call the insurance company to see if it has been paid.

If the trips are not paid in full yet, they can still purchase CSA Luxe or HTH at final and they cover pre-existing conditioms.

their cruise was charged directly by HAL. The insurance was purchased through this agency--I'll pass along the info for ITravel and tell her to dig around her files for the policy sent from the insurance company. Final payment was made two weeks ago so they really want to get the insurance situation straightened out.

thanks for everyone's responses

[newmexicoNita]

drbees,

I was very careful not to mention the name of the agency. The other CC thread was pulled because the OP gave the name of the agency. Now this one will probably be pulled too. :(

it is very important we don't mention names of agencies for any reason on these boards, we see threads pulled all the time for mentioning company names...

It is scary to think a company went under, but this isn't the case with most agencies. I think right now many are holding their own... I think the online, heavily discounted agencies might be cutting too much. You can only discount so much before you find yourself without enough revenue to keep going...

Nita

[Jade13]

It is interesting to note that this agency is no longer listed on Cruise Critic. I wonder if the moderators would tell us when it was pulled/they stopped paying the ad? That would have been a clue.

I also noticed that the FL agency (the one that ever had a phone number) is no longer listed either.

[sail7seas]

It is a bit risky to work through travel agents - they like to charge you as early as possible and pay the line as late as possible (naturally trying to maximize their use of your funds). If they go under before the line confirms receipt of payment, you can be at risk. While they might be able to find you somewhat better pricing, you can usually do as well yourself by calling around - following up, asking to speak to supervisor, etc. Particularly now, with many small businesses on the brink, it may be a good idea to eliminate as many middlemen as possible and deal direct with the provider (of whatever service) yourself.

Most of us know to never permit a TA to process the funds through their own business. We only authorize a charge made to our credit card directly by HAL only. I have always instructed every TA that if any charge should ever be put through by them, I will cancel it with the credit card company and threaten action..... they cannot charge your card without your authority.

If you pay in cash, good luck!

[sail7seas]

it is very important we don't mention names of agencies for any reason on these boards, we see threads pulled all the time for mentioning company names...

It is scary to think a company went under, but this isn't the case with most agencies. I think right now many are holding their own... I think the online, heavily discounted agencies might be cutting too much. You can only discount so much before you find yourself without enough revenue to keep going...

Nita


TA's are folding daily all over the country. Mine went down the tubes after over 30+ years in the business.c

I was very fortunate I sensed things were not good and I stopped making new bookings with them and only finished up cruises we had already booked. They folded about 9 months or so after we did our last business with them. I'm glad I trusted my instincts and pulled our business. (I'm sure they would have finished off honorably with us but who needed the aggravation?!!)

[cccole]

Hal told me to fax a note explaining the situation to the world cruise reservations center (206-281-0627) and HAL will move the booking.

I can do this, but can someone explain why I need to? I'm paid in full, have new docs on the way, and waiting on a guarantee to be assigned.

If it is easy to send the fax, I would move the booking to HAL for peace of mind. You may have other issues with your booking before your departure date and would know that you just have to make one call. In this case it is just a precaution I would take. Cherie

[newmexicoNita]

Most of us know to never permit a TA to process the funds through their own business. We only authorize a charge made to our credit card directly by HAL only. I have always instructed every TA that if any charge should ever be put through by them, I will cancel it with the credit card company and threaten action..... they cannot charge your card without your authority.

If you pay in cash, good luck!

good advise, good agencies prefer Credit Cards (it is easier) and they always apply payments to the vendor, not the agency direct....Credit cards protect the comsumer and make it easier for the travel companies.

Nita

[Jade13]

The only problem people will find is that this agency was under pricing HAL and I doubt HAL will just give the discounted prices. There will be more problems for those on Celebrity/RCCL since this cruise line does not allow discounting. I know of people who were promised rebate checks when they returned even though Celebrity does not allow discounting.

[sail7seas]

It is a bit risky to work through travel agents - they like to charge you as early as possible and pay the line as late as possible (naturally trying to maximize their use of your funds). If they go under before the line confirms receipt of payment, you can be at risk. While they might be able to find you somewhat better pricing, you can usually do as well yourself by calling around - following up, asking to speak to supervisor, etc. Particularly now, with many small businesses on the brink, it may be a good idea to eliminate as many middlemen as possible and deal direct with the provider (of whatever service) yourself.

Yes, but anyone can go down, even the original provider. :eek:


I'm sure many here remember when Rennaissance Cruise Line went under.

HAL /Carnival are as solid as solid can be! Mr. Arison will steer his ships through this storm and come out fine the other side. He isn't so massively successful because is not an able business person. He learned well at his father's knee....... talk about a brilliant businessman!! Who could have conceived what he did?? Carnival Corporation and all it has grown to.

[newmexicoNita]

It is a bit risky to work through travel agents - they like to charge you as early as possible and pay the line as late as possible (naturally trying to maximize their use of your funds). If they go under before the line confirms receipt of payment, you can be at risk. While they might be able to find you somewhat better pricing, you can usually do as well yourself by calling around - following up, asking to speak to supervisor, etc. Particularly now, with many small businesses on the brink, it may be a good idea to eliminate as many middlemen as possible and deal direct with the provider (of whatever service) yourself.
Where are you getting that idea. Travel agents only set final payment up a week or so sooner than the vendors to make sure everything is in and nothing goes wrong. They do not keep any money (or the better ones don't) payments go directly to the vendor, be it a cruise line or land vacation...You give the company permission to charge your credit card, the payment is never seen by the agency, it is either called in or entered in a system directly to the vendor and a conformation is generated at that very minute...

Choosing to do business directly with the vendor is fine and your choice, but not for the reason you just gave...

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

I had a similar issue with a different TA (Florida based) that had me very uncomfortable for a time. First the TA double charged my deposit once to HAL and once to the agency. When I called they said I would be credited. After a week the credit hadn't shown up, I contested the charge with the card company. It took over two months for them to finally issue the credit. Then they charged the final payment to be paid to the agency, rather than HAL. When I called to question this, they said that since I was in a group booking they cut a single check to HAL for the group. Still on the HAL website, I was unable to print the signature boarding pass because the booking wasn't paid in full. I called the agency again, and was told that final payment had been made to HAL, but HAL had to distribute the payment to each reservation in the goup. It was a month after final payment that I finally was able to print the boarding pass, and I received my docs.

Needless to say, I was very nervous despite verbal and emailed assurances from the agency that all was normal. I'll be looking for a different agency for my next cruise. While it may be standard practice for some agencies to charge you, then pay HAL, in the past, I've always had the agency charge to the cruise line. :( and they should charge the cruise line, if they are not, run, don't walk to another company.

[sail7seas]

There are very, very good in every line of work and there are very, very bad.

Good doctors, bad ones; good lawyers, bad ones; good TA's and some really bad ones.

[cccole]

The only problem people will find is that this agency was under pricing HAL and I doubt HAL will just give the discounted prices. There will be more problems for those on Celebrity/RCCL since this cruise line does not allow discounting. I know of people who were promised rebate checks when they returned even though Celebrity does not allow discounting.

I guess my lack of knowledge regarding moving a booking is evident. I did not know that if you move your booking to HAL they will adjust the price. I guess you could check the HAL website to see if their price is competitive or might have even gone down since you booked. Cherie

[lka1012]

Wow! that is who my cruise is booked through. At least I got my tickets Saturday. Do I need to call HAL and doublecheck.

[BalconyBumz]

[quote=BalconyBumz;16963850]


I'm sure many here remember when Rennaissance Cruise Line went under.

HAL /Carnival are as solid as solid can be! Mr. Arison will steer his ships through this storm and come out fine the other side. He isn't so massively successful because is not an able business person. He learned well at his father's knee....... talk about a brilliant businessman!! Who could have conceived what he did?? Carnival Corporation and all it has grown to.



I wasn't referring to a cruise line in particular, as the other poster had said a general statement to do things directly with ANYONE and cut out the middle man. I was just stating anyone could go out of business.

[Jade13]

Where are you getting that idea. Travel agents only set final payment up a week or so sooner than the vendors to make sure everything is in and nothing goes wrong. They do not keep any money (or the better ones don't) payments go directly to the vendor, be it a cruise line or land vacation...You give the company permission to charge your credit card, the payment is never seen by the agency, it is either called in or entered in a system directly to the vendor and a conformation is generated at that very minute...

Choosing to do business directly with the vendor is fine and your choice, but not for the reason you just gave...

Nita

Nita, the agency in question charged my credit card directly to them for final payment a couple cruises ago. I was NOT happy. The payments had always been directly to HAL. HAL confirmed that some group bookings are done this way. Plus, a year ago someone at HAL told me they were reputable and one of their biggest agents. By that point I had confirmed that HAL had gotten my money, so I went with it. Plus it was a large savings. The next cruise stayed with HAL. This last one was with another company, and I got it in writing that payment was to be made direct to the company. I was so uneasy that I called my credit card company twice two weekends ago to say payment can only go to company x and not TA y.

This was after a regular on this bb posted about this over the summer. I wish someone could find that older post. I think it was on this bb. The only other one may have been Ask a Cruise question.

[sail7seas]

[quote=sail7seas;16964287]

I wasn't referring to a cruise line in particular, as the other poster had said a general statement to do things directly with ANYONE and cut out the middle man. I was just stating anyone could go out of business.


Yes, that is understood.

I presented an example.

[BalconyBumz]

I always use online agencies and my charges are always made directly to the cruise line. I've never seen from any of them made to them.

[sail7seas]

Nita, the agency in question charged my credit card directly to them for final payment a couple cruises ago. I was NOT happy. The payments had always been directly to HAL. HAL confirmed that some group bookings are done this way. Plus, a year ago someone at HAL told me they were reputable and one of their biggest agents. By that point I had confirmed that HAL had gotten my money, so I went with it. Plus it was a large savings. The next cruise stayed with HAL. This last one was with another company. and I got it in writing that payment was to be made direct to the company. I was so uneasy that I called my credit card company twice two weekends ago tosay payment can only go to company x and not TA y.

This was after a regular on this bb posted about this over the summer. I wish someone could find that older post. I think it was on this bb. The only other one may have been Ask a Cruise question.


I remember that and also remember you were not happy about it. I totally agreed. I would not permit a TA to charge my trip in any fashion except directly to the provider.

Your Antartica trip seems an exception. You had little choice.

[newmexicoNita]

There are very, very good in every line of work and there are very, very bad.

Good doctors, bad ones; good lawyers, bad ones; good TA's and some really bad ones.

very true. As for TAs going under, you do bring up a point. The ones though that are having it the hardest are the mom and dad companies and the super discount online companies:: the trend that seems to be working the best is home based companies..

Eventually tech will take over, the personal touch will disappear and there won't be anymore travel agents. That isn't going to happen in the next couple of years, but I will admit, I wouldn't want to just be getting started in the business today and expect to make it my life's career.

Nita

[SAMMYR]

Thank all of you so far for the info. about this travel company. We and another couple are booked on the Eurodam for 1/3/09 thru this company. I found out there was a problem yesterday when I received a letter from the insurance that no payment was received and the policy has been canceled. I tried to get the agent but to no avail. I called HAL and also talked to Angie, she was very accommodating and contacted the consilidator who is to call me back.
I have already notified my credit card company about the situation. Two charges were made by the TA to themselves, I never realized the problem till today. I hope to book the balance directly thru HAL. I am confident that all will be worked out. First time for this type of problem after 25 cruises booked all thru TA's. My booking number is still good along with all the reservations and etc.

[BalconyBumz]

[quote=BalconyBumz;16964398]


Yes, that is understood.

I presented an example.

:) Thanks. Sometimes words get really messed up on these boards and people take things for different than one is trying to say.

[Jade13]

I remember that and also remember you were not happy about it. I totally agreed. I would not permit a TA to charge my trip in any fashion except directly to the provider.

Your Antartica trip seems an exception. You had little choice.

Sail, I know its confusing but the Antarctic trip WAS charged directly to Abercrombie & Kent (a travel company which the moderator did tell me months ago was OK to post since they were not the travel agent).

Its confusing but on this trip half the ship is reserved for Swan Hellenic passengers (mostly European) but US citizens have to book through A&K. They have half a charter. Swan also charters the ship to Regent on some expeditions (which it appears is ending). But the staff is the same.

I phoned A&K and they were wonderful. They have my booking, are notating the conversation and I will send them my paperwork from the TA electronically tomorrow. Further communications will be direct with them. They already notated that we will be using the hotel in BA a day early, the size parkas we want and other stuff.

[bean bag]

Eventually tech will take over, the personal touch will disappear and there won't be anymore travel agents. That isn't going to happen in the next couple of years, but I will admit, I wouldn't want to just be getting started in the business today and expect to make it my life's career.

This will not happen in the cruise industry. There are simply too many questions and situations with booking for the average person for "tech" to wipe it out.

[csingle]

I was in the same situation as GEBO. My cruise was paid in full for 7 weeks and I could not register online with HAL. I finally called Hal and explained my problem. They called the online booking agency and worked it out. Am I grateful to HAL and the timing of my cruise. Good luck to everyone who is in limbo right now. Not good!!

[Jade13]

very true. As for TAs going under, you do bring up a point. The ones though that are having it the hardest are the mom and dad companies and the super discount online companies:: the trend that seems to be working the best is home based companies..

Eventually tech will take over, the personal touch will disappear and there won't be anymore travel agents. That isn't going to happen in the next couple of years, but I will admit, I wouldn't want to just be getting started in the business today and expect to make it my life's career.

Nita

A point I want to make is that you can just not tell (well the change to charging to themselves was a clue they were having financial problems. I asked directly and they told me they were bought by another company this year - so that may have been their demise).

But, remember, they advertised on CC (I know perhaps anyone who pays can do that), but I still have an e-mail from HAL, over a year ago stating they were very reputable and one of their biggest agents. Even the one page up on their web shows them with Carnival executives! One customer service person I dealt with was extremely professional.

[sail7seas]

[B]I suspect, as far as booking cruises, in the near future, most of us will book directly on cruise line web sites and will never have a conversation with a person in regard to the vast majority of bookings. I think all cruise lines will ultimately set a fare for a certain cabin on a certain ship/itinerary and there will be no more of this discounting game. As soon as they think they can get enough bookings on their own without need for TA referrals and recommendations, I think they will happily take the booking electronically and direct cruise line to customer.

My projection includes 'in house reps', as well. I suspect there will be fewer and fewer of them selling. It will all be by cruise line web site.

[G'ma]

Just got off the phone with Carnival to make sure all is OK with my res. It is fine, but my brother - who booked later, still shows a balance due!!! We are sailing Dec. 14.

The agent I spoke with said they hadn't received any info on this agency closing the door. I read him the blog info. He said he would check up on it....he seemed very surprised as they are one of Carnival's largest booking agencies. Usually, they are notified when something like this happens and they prepare for large volume calls.....

Brother is on the phone with his CC company now.....

What a shame. I've booked 8 cruises with them over the past 3/4 years and have found them to be delightful to work with....

I'm currently on hold with the agency....the phone was electronically answered and I'm getting "ON HOLD" message and Muzak.....will update if/when I get anyone on the line.

[hammybee]

I was suspicious after someone on this bb posted about this agency charging to themselves and then paying the cruise line......

My eyebrows raised when I read this, too.

The only time I have experienced a TA holding funds, the TA went out of business, too. That particular agency was operating a pyramid scheme with a focus on Celebrity Cruise line and it eventually caught up to them. We were among the fortunate few who were able to cruise in our inside cabin because subsequent deposits made by other passengers in more costly acommodations were used, by the TA, to pay for it.

Some trip insurance covers the financial default of the travel supplier, airline, cruise line, hotel or tour operator, only if the supplier completely shuts down. I am not aware of any trip insurance that covers the default of a travel agency. ( This does not mean that there are no such policies- just that I have not found one).

Cruise line contracts make it clear that the travel agency is the passenger's agent, not that of the cruise line and they are not responsible for travel agent error/ommission or failure.

[NetwrkEng]

Just got off the phone with Carnival to make sure all is OK with my res. It is fine, but my brother - who booked later, still shows a balance due!!! We are sailing Dec. 14.

The agent I spoke with said they hadn't received any info on this agency closing the door. I read him the blog info. He said he would check up on it....he seemed very surprised as they are one of Carnival's largest booking agencies. Usually, they are notified when something like this happens and they prepare for large volume calls.....

Brother is on the phone with his CC company now.....

What a shame. I've booked 8 cruises with them over the past 3/4 years and have found them to be delightful to work with....

I'm currently on hold with the agency....the phone was electronically answered and I'm getting "ON HOLD" message and Muzak.....will update if/when I get anyone on the line.

I let it sit on the speaker phone for an HOUR. Nothing. There is no one home.

[biddy belle]

I let it sit on the speaker phone for an HOUR. Nothing. There is no one home.
Call the cruiseline direct asap! They know the situation, and are very helpful.

[thisworldtraveler]

For those people who used the TA in question and have some concerns at this point, I'm sorry to hear that.

I am the blogger who posted about the TA's demise. I'm not entirely sure about the status of bookings made through the company. I would most definitely advise anyone who has made final payment recently to check their credit card statements to see where the charge went. In many, if not most cases, those charges were made directly to the TA and not the travel provider. If this is the case, you may have some work ahead of you. If you haven't made final payment yet, expect to pay the full undiscounted fare if the booking is returned to the cruise line directly. The TA discounted from commission to get you the lower rate.

As a travel agent myself, I understand why some people are reticent to deal with anyone but a direct travel provider. Travel agents can be valuable sources of knowledge and can also be a source for some great pricing. But it pays to do research, it pays to ask questions, and it pays to understand the type of travel agent you are using. All travel agents are not created equal.

[jrncin]

I've been calling all day and no one ever answers. I know the music-on-hold by heart now. (I love the song "Besame Mucho" they play on there, though.)

I called HAL as well and asked about getting documents issued, since I never received mine. The agent took my phone number and said someone will call me back within one to two days. :( I did fax my info to the world cruise reservations center as NetwrkEng did.

Well, I can only wait to see what happens.




Originally Posted by NetwrkEng http://boards12.cruisecritic.com/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=16963656#post16963656)
Hal told me to fax a note explaining the situation to the world cruise reservations center (206-281-0627) and HAL will move the booking.



Just got off the phone with Carnival to make sure all is OK with my res. It is fine, but my brother - who booked later, still shows a balance due!!! We are sailing Dec. 14.

The agent I spoke with said they hadn't received any info on this agency closing the door. I read him the blog info. He said he would check up on it....he seemed very surprised as they are one of Carnival's largest booking agencies. Usually, they are notified when something like this happens and they prepare for large volume calls.....

Brother is on the phone with his CC company now.....

What a shame. I've booked 8 cruises with them over the past 3/4 years and have found them to be delightful to work with....

I'm currently on hold with the agency....the phone was electronically answered and I'm getting "ON HOLD" message and Muzak.....will update if/when I get anyone on the line.

[sail7seas]

Jade....... A & K is a highly reputable company. They run a good trip. Hope you have a great gtime.

[NetwrkEng]

Call the cruiseline direct asap! They know the situation, and are very helpful.

See post #14 in this thread. I'm all set. :)

[sail7seas]

Very glad to hear all is well for you, Netwrk Engr.

[Jade13]

Jade....... A & K is a highly reputable company. They run a good trip. Hope you have a great gtime.



I know. Have you used them? We placed a deposit in 2007 for 2009. I had been looking at the trip, the dates we wanted came out and suddenly A&K and this trip were mentioned on the Today show. I was concerned it would sell out and booked asap.

It's ironic that final payment was just last Monday. I was totally concerned months ago and adamant that this agency pay A&K directly to the point that I phoned my credit card company twice to tell them to whom this payment was authorized and to whom it was not.

[jlynnek]

If you haven't made final payment yet, expect to pay the full undiscounted fare if the booking is returned to the cruise line directly. The TA discounted from commission to get you the lower rate.

That is not what Angie from HAL told me. I asked if HAL would honor the fare I received from the TA and she said they would. :confused: Now I have something else to worry about.

[sail7seas]

Jade: We have not used A&K but several of our 'very particular' friends did and were well satisfied. They went on rather pricey trips and they said everything was as they expected it to be.

You should have a great time.

How many days is the trip?

[BalconyBumz]

I just spoke to the very large and popular online agency I use all the time and they told me specifically that they always charge directly to the cruise line not to them, which I knew was true. They have always been so good and helpful to me. They are in Florida, which is rumored to be another place where one is going down, and they assured me it wasn't them, but still, one has to be cautious.

[hammybee]

But, remember, they advertised on CC (I know perhaps anyone who pays can do that), but I still have an e-mail from HAL, over a year ago stating they were very reputable and one of their biggest agents. Even the one page up on their web shows them with Carnival executives! One customer service person I dealt with was extremely professional.

They were also on the CLIA Executive Board and now that web page seems to have been pulled.

CLIA insures the cruise line/tour operator against TA default for a maximum of $15K for a single TA office and $20K for a multi-office operation. That sum might cover a few suites.

A year ago, it might have been almost unimaginable that AIG, FNMA/FHLMC, Bear, Lehman, Merrill, Countrywide, heck even Iceland would be where they are today. These are extraordinary times.

[hammybee]

Jade....... A & K is a highly reputable company. They run a good trip. Hope you have a great gtime.



Oh my yes....One of the best of the best and all that.

[Desdemona01]

my friend discovered that her husband assumed the AmEx charge was for HAL--it actually was paid to "the agency". They also processed the charge almost three weeks before our agent did for the same cruise--sounds fishy.
They're working with AmEx right now to dispute the charges--they've also placed two calls to HAL's Seattle office to find out if payment was received but got the "we'll call you back in a day or two" answer....
Update: she just went online to their boarding pass--got the "cannot print until paid in full" message, so "the agency" clearly scammed them......final payment was due 10/31, "the agency" charged their card on 10/10

[kenish]

Sad news, my thanks to the OP especially for the link. I used that company last spring and they were professional and did exactly what they promised in a timely manner. The one time I contacted their customer service (fare reduction) they handled it well. It sounds like their integrity started to unravel as their ship started taking on water.

Their website is still up but the links and search feature are dead.

[hammybee]

But it pays to do research, it pays to ask questions, and it pays to understand the type of travel agent you are using. All travel agents are not created equal.

I appreciate this and agree with you. Most travel agents are not contra-party to the credit card transactions.

[lka1012]

I assume that if I have my docs in my hands, I do not have to worry. I am disappointed that this TA closed as I have had excellent service from them in the past. But I think in the future, I will book directly through HAL.

[thisworldtraveler]

That is not what Angie from HAL told me. I asked if HAL would honor the fare I received from the TA and she said they would. :confused: Now I have something else to worry about.

If the cruise line agreed to honor the fare, you should be fine. I don't know that all cruise lines will agree to do that however.

[herb]

We used the online agency specifically mentioned in the original post many times for booking cruises. They did a great job. So sad to hear that they went out of business.

What I still don't get is that cruise critic wouldn't allow the mention of the name of an agency that is going under. One would think that this type of information is EXTREMELY important for all who book cruises to know
I know cruise critic is in league with certain agencies for ad revenue, but once they go under I doubt ad revenue is really much of an issue!!

[BalconyBumz]

I assume that if I have my docs in my hands, I do not have to worry. I am disappointed that this TA closed as I have had excellent service from them in the past. But I think in the future, I will book directly through HAL.

But the problem is, you will pay so much more!

[jlynnek]

What I still don't get is that cruise critic wouldn't allow the mention of the name of an agency that is going under. One would think that this type of information is EXTREMELY important for all who book cruises to know
I know cruise critic is in league with certain agencies for ad revenue, but once they go under I doubt ad revenue is really much of an issue!!

I also used them for some of my "not so many" cruises and received not only great prices, but excellent customer service. I am sadden that ANY company goes out of business, and I'm sure that this may be only the beginning...

[BalconyBumz]

I also used them for some of my "not so many" cruises and received not only great prices, but excellent customer service. I am sadden that ANY company goes out of business, and I'm sure that this may be only the beginning...

It is and it's quite sad and scary. Circuit City just filed BR.

[sail7seas]

It's always sad to hear of any business closing........ all those lost jobs.
I hope they can relocate to other positions quickly. My heart aches for anyone losing their work.

[Oceanwench]

We also used this TA many times and things always went pretty smoothly.

Has anyone who has a cruise booked through this TA purchased insurance through this company?
DH handles the bookings, and he always buys the TA's insurance package ... which might mean we are out some $$$ now for a booking for fall 2009.
We checked with HAL and the deposit was received some time ago.
We checked our Am Ex and the charge was made to the TA, not the cruise line.

We buy our insurance at the time of booking because of the whole pre-existing condition issue ...
So would we be better off to call HAL and cancel our fall 2009 cruise and rebook it, buying insurance at the time of rebooking?

Btw, DH called HAL today and was told they are setting up a desk and staff to tackle this problem and will be calling us tomorrow.

[lizzielady]

but got very little service. For a while we continued to use them as the prices were significantly better than any other agency. However, the service was horrible. Wrong flight info and visa info for an Oceania Asian cruise. Because I lurk on this board I am so much more informed than most cruisers, I know so much more than the average cruiser.

All of our charges were booked on the credit card directly with the cruiseline. No complaints that there was a concern with the $$$$. But---we had entry visa problems, cabin selection problems, and air arrangement problems. Finally, as we started booking with the specialists in seattle, we got excellent service, we did not have to worry about the appropriate visas, international flights, etc. We do not get the lowests rates, however.

I truly hope there is no one that suffers from this financial failure.

[wrp96]

We used the online agency specifically mentioned in the original post many times for booking cruises. They did a great job. So sad to hear that they went out of business.

What I still don't get is that cruise critic wouldn't allow the mention of the name of an agency that is going under. One would think that this type of information is EXTREMELY important for all who book cruises to know
I know cruise critic is in league with certain agencies for ad revenue, but once they go under I doubt ad revenue is really much of an issue!!

I have seen several posts today about this agency - specifically mentioning the name - and they haven't been pulled yet so I have a feeling the mods realize the name needs to get out there.

[SAMMYR]

Thank all of you so far for the info. about this travel company. We and another couple are booked on the Eurodam for 1/3/09 thru this company. I found out there was a problem yesterday when I received a letter from the insurance that no payment was received and the policy has been canceled. I tried to get the agent but to no avail. I called HAL and also talked to Angie, she was very accommodating and contacted the consilidator who is to call me back.
I have already notified my credit card company about the situation. Two charges were made by the TA to themselves, I never realized the problem till today. I hope to book the balance directly thru HAL. I am confident that all will be worked out. First time for this type of problem after 25 cruises booked all thru TA's. My booking number is still good along with all the reservations and etc.

I was on with HAL a little while ago and they told me they are aware of the situation and to give them a couple of days to sort this out. All involved will get a phone call from HAL or another agency to continue a booking with them if final payments weren't made to them by the old travel company.

[G'ma]

I let it sit on the speaker phone for an HOUR. Nothing. There is no one home.

Yeah, so I found out after an hour or so myself.......

Be interesting tosee how this plays out.

[Route6A]

I have used this agency repeatedly due to the excellent prices. I recently cancelled a Eurodam cruise with them and was told that the deposit, which was over $2,000, would be refunded by Holland America directly. Today, I double checked with Holland America and, sure enough, they have refunded my deposit to my credit card. The Seattle customer service rep I spoke with was exceedingly helpful and gracious. After reading the posts here, I wanted to be sure that the information the online agency agent gave me about the refund was the case.

I am sad to see the agency fail as I enjoy doing my own travel research and booking online. The savings have been outstanding, too, especially on the Eurodam cruise I cancelled. The weakening economy will have a significant impact on the travel industry for quite a long time, I think.

[thisworldtraveler]

Yeah, so I found out after an hour or so myself.......

Be interesting tosee how this plays out.

The office was closed midday yesterday. There is nobody there.

[BalconyBumz]

It's always sad to hear of any business closing........ all those lost jobs.
I hope they can relocate to other positions quickly. My heart aches for anyone losing their work.



Yes, it's all filters down all over the place, and it really IS bad. I feel for all these people, including myself! This economy has effected me very badly also. No matter how bad you think you have it, someone always has it worse, so I just feel for everyone!

[G'ma]

The office was closed midday yesterday. There is nobody there.

I got a refund check from them last Thursday...deposited Friday. Will be interesting to see if it clears the bank.....

:confused:Holding my breath!!!!:confused:

[Jade13]

Jade: We have not used A&K but several of our 'very particular' friends did and were well satisfied. They went on rather pricey trips and they said everything was as they expected it to be.

You should have a great time.

How many days is the trip?



It's 12 nights with them all inclusive once we leave BA (two pre-cruise hotel nights and 10 night cruise) plus two overnight flights. We have two nights at Iguazu falls that we have booked on our own and was easy to do. So, 17 days total for us.

[BalconyBumz]

I got a refund check from them last Thursday...deposited Friday. Will be interesting to see if it clears the bank.....

:confused:Holding my breath!!!!:confused:

:eek::eek::eek:

[Two@Sea]

I just spoke to the very large and popular online agency I use all the time and they told me specifically that they always charge directly to the cruise line not to them, which I knew was true. They have always been so good and helpful to me. They are in Florida, which is rumored to be another place where one is going down, and they assured me it wasn't them, but still, one has to be cautious.

I was ready to pick up the phone today to book our cruise with a Florida agency, which also happens to be in our general area of the state. They seem to think they have the best price cruises. But then I read here that a large Florida agency was in trouble, and I began to worry. I did not make the call, or book my cruise. How on earth is one supposed to know whom to trust??? It is all very frustrating, and somewhat frightening. I feel so sorry for those caught in limbo with the agency that has closed.

[BalconyBumz]

I was ready to pick up the phone today to book our cruise with a Florida agency, which also happens to be in our general area of the state. They seem to think they have the best price cruises. But then I read here that a large Florida agency was in trouble, and I began to worry. I did not make the call, or book my cruise. How on earth is one supposed to know whom to trust??? It is all very frustrating, and somewhat frightening. I feel so sorry for those caught in limbo with the agency that has closed.

That is not the one going out of biz and they are just fine. (wink)

[biddy belle]

I have seen several posts today about this agency - specifically mentioning the name - and they haven't been pulled yet so I have a feeling the mods realize the name needs to get out there.
I tried, 3 times ,to post the phone number of their consolidator @9:30 this morning, having been warned by HAL and the consolidator of a serious problem. Each post was deleted in a matter of minutes! This is totally unacceptable behavior for a website that is supposedly dedicated to the interests and well-being of cruisers! I googled the situation in a matter of minutes. Why did it take the Cruise Critic Powers That Be 5 HOURS to do the same? Could it be that they were influenced by advertising revenue from the aforementioned site? 100's of customers have 1000's of dollars in limbo with this agency. I am totally perplexed that Laura, and Cruise Critic, did not address this problem in a prompt and forthright fashion, rather than leave the decision up to the moderators. Let's see if this post makes it past the censors!

[Two@Sea]

That is not the one going out of biz and they are just fine. (wink)

How very kind (and astute!) you are! Thank you for catching my drift, and easing my worried mind.

:rolleyes:

[BalconyBumz]

:eek:

[Jade13]

Note that Cruise Value Center also books under TRACY SCOTT CRUISES CORPORATION in case anyone is looking for information.

I have not found much yet.

[Jade13]

I tried, 3 times ,to post the phone number of their consolidator @9:30 this morning, having been warned by HAL and the consolidator of a serious problem. Each post was deleted in a matter of minutes! This is totally unacceptable behavior for a website that is supposedly dedicated to the interests and well-being of cruisers! I googled the situation in a matter of minutes. Why did it take the Cruise Critic Powers That Be 5 HOURS to do the same? Could it be that they were influenced by advertising revenue from the aforementioned site? 100's of customers have 1000's of dollars in limbo with this agency. I am totally perplexed that Laura, and Cruise Critic, did not address this problem in a prompt and forthright fashion, rather than leave the decision up to the moderators. Let's see if this post makes it past the censors!

This afternoon the consolidator, Ensemble in NYC, was not aware of a problem. Since they do not sell cruises leaving their name should not be a problem.

[biddy belle]

This afternoon the consolidator, Ensemble in NYC, was not aware of a problem. Since they do not sell cruises leaving their name should not be a problem.
I spoke to them at 10 this morning, and they were aware of an unidentified problem at that time, and promised to get back to me. Needless to say, they were MIA.

[localady]

HAL was amazing with me this afternoon. They allowed me to cancel my upcoming cruises which we booked with the "now gone" TA and I rebooked with one that I have faith will last.

The folks I feel the worst for are those who made their final payments for their upcoming cruises to that TA, who then may have folded without paying the cruiseline. This company was known to post the payments to themselves, hold the money for about a month, then pay the lines.... I am afraid there are folks who will be SOL....:o

I just feel fortunate that my payment was made to HAL and I have docs in hand for this weekend.

[sail7seas]

Whoa........ Sher, you did get lucky.

Happy to hear it.

You're going to have a wonderful time!!!



Jade...... Sounds like a 'once in a lifetime' trip you have planned. Hope it is even more than you hope for.

[brucory]

All bookers should ensure they authorise only HAL to make charges to their credit cards...

With the financial woes all over the place, it is most likely there will be many of these types of situations.

I feel sorry for the employees of theis company, someof who we had contact with, and they were very knowledgable and pleasant.

As consumers though, it is our responsibility to protect ourselves...

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[newmexicoNita]

Eventually tech will take over, the personal touch will disappear and there won't be anymore travel agents. That isn't going to happen in the next couple of years, but I will admit, I wouldn't want to just be getting started in the business today and expect to make it my life's career.

This will not happen in the cruise industry. There are simply too many questions and situations with booking for the average person for "tech" to wipe it out.I hope you are right, but I do see this coming. Again, I don't mean tomorrow, but eventually...I never thought I would see lots of changes we are all witnessing.

Nita

[sail7seas]

This will not happen in the cruise industry. There are simply too many questions and situations with booking for the average person for "tech" to wipe it out.



And that is what makes these Boards so valuable. More and more people will find their way here as there are fewer and fewer live voices with which they can speak when planning their cruises.

IMO....... ;)

[carlabob]

I found this article online that would indicate a slight bit of embezzlement on the part of one of the employees of the subject TA. She was convicted for $75,000, but the estimate is as high as $200,000 total. I don't know if this was a contributing cause of their demise, but it can't have helped. She was sentenced to 10 years in jail last month.

The article is here (unless removed by the censors..)

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/10/employee_gets_10_years_for_ste.html

[HeatherInFlorida]

This is just such a shame. I only just heard about this and I feel so badly for everyone involved at the agency and also anyone whose booking was affected at the time they went out.

When I book through an agent, I ask them to add into the the our agreement that the charge will be through the cruiseline and not the TA. Sometimes this is a problem with group cruises, but if you stipulate it must be a cruiseline charge, they will agree to it.

Any cruiseline, no matter how strong it may appear or how solvent, can go under. For that reason it's always good to insure your trip separately from both the TA and the cruiseline so you're covered in case of default by either.

They didn't think Lehman would go under either. In these times, there are no guarantees and we have to protect ourselves.

[Jade13]

Jade...... Sounds like a 'once in a lifetime' trip you have planned. Hope it is even more than you hope for.




Thanks Sail!

[Jade13]

I feel sorry for the employees of theis company, someof who we had contact with, and they were very knowledgable and pleasant.

As consumers though, it is our responsibility to protect ourselves...

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

I dealt with Sherrie and Maggie. Maggie was really professional and handled a final payment for me. When I contacted her two weeks ago I was looking to double check e-mail confirmation on how my credit card was being charged and she assured me it was being takn care of personally by her the following Monday.

I wonder if any of these employees knew the company was going to fold so quickly? Normally you would cut a 75 person staff down to a smaller number.

Up until this year they did charge directly to the cruise line. Suddenly that stopped and I was told they were bought by a larger travel agency. I wonder who that would be as this may not be the end of the problems.

[cruisecrasy]

Where are you getting that idea. Travel agents only set final payment up a week or so sooner than the vendors to make sure everything is in and nothing goes wrong. They do not keep any money (or the better ones don't) payments go directly to the vendor, be it a cruise line or land vacation...You give the company permission to charge your credit card, the payment is never seen by the agency, it is either called in or entered in a system directly to the vendor and a conformation is generated at that very minute...

Choosing to do business directly with the vendor is fine and your choice, but not for the reason you just gave...

Nita

My Canadian TA agency set the final payment on my May 27th cruise for Feb 3rd. This is 38days in advance of what their own US online requests u pay (Mar 13) & is 113 days in advance of the cruise. I know cruiselines usually request 75 days.
I suspect that HAL is not getting the $ immediately...
Since this agency has always wanted final payment 90 days in advance anyway I suspect 'cause it is because it is Canuck but why increase the time frame now - perhaps they are in trouble?

I don't know about u but this sure bothers m. Wld u be be suspicious? IMO it seems to be a very good reason to book directly with the vendor..!

[Jade13]

We also used this TA many times and things always went pretty smoothly.

Has anyone who has a cruise booked through this TA purchased insurance through this company?
DH handles the bookings, and he always buys the TA's insurance package ... which might mean we are out some $$$ now for a booking for fall 2009.
We checked with HAL and the deposit was received some time ago.
We checked our Am Ex and the charge was made to the TA, not the cruise line.

We buy our insurance at the time of booking because of the whole pre-existing condition issue ...
So would we be better off to call HAL and cancel our fall 2009 cruise and rebook it, buying insurance at the time of rebooking?

Btw, DH called HAL today and was told they are setting up a desk and staff to tackle this problem and will be calling us tomorrow.

If HAL received your money, you should dispute the ITravel insurance portion with your credit card company if the insurance is not in place.

HTH and CSA Luxe sell policies that cover pre-existing conditions and can be bought at final payment.

[Jade13]

Note that Cruise Value Center also books under TRACY SCOTT CRUISES CORPORATION in case anyone is looking for information.

I have not found much yet.

They are still listed under Ensemble Travel if you plug in their zip code for TA's in "your" area.

I did find the owners (Kivet) direct Email not that it will do any good.

jkivet (AT) cruisevalue (DOT) com

[fann1sh]

My Canadian TA agency set the final payment on my May 27th cruise for Feb 3rd. This is 38days in advance of what their own US online requests u pay (Mar 13) & is 113 days in advance of the cruise. I know cruiselines usually request 75 days.
I suspect that HAL is not getting the $ immediately...
Since this agency has always wanted final payment 90 days in advance anyway I suspect 'cause it is because it is Canuck but why increase the time frame now - perhaps they are in trouble?

I don't know about u but this sure bothers m. Wld u be be suspicious? IMO it seems to be a very good reason to book directly with the vendor..!

Was your trip booked in US$ or C$? Last year, my Canadian travel agency (affiliated with a U.S. credit card) used a U.S. affiliate as payee, *supposedly* to process the payment in U.S.$. It worked out fine, but I will never again use my credit card points to cruise for this reason.

I'd be concerned. Your options are to try to switch your booking to another agency or directly to HAL (which requires the original TA's consent - hard to get, and penalty fees may be involved)....or trying to get a commitment in writing when the payment will be made to HAL. I'd insist the payment be made at least 3 business days before HAL's due date, so you have time to follow up before your reservation would be canceled. Sadly, HAL won't talk to you directly while you have a TA.

[BalconyBumz]

I dealt with Sherrie and Maggie. Maggie was really professional and handled a final payment for me. When I contacted her two weeks ago I was looking to double check e-mail confirmation on how my credit card was being charged and she assured me it was being takn care of personally by her the following Monday.

I wonder if any of these employees knew the company was going to fold so quickly? Normally you would cut a 75 person staff down to a smaller number.

Up until this year they did charge directly to the cruise line. Suddenly that stopped and I was told they were bought by a larger travel agency. I wonder who that would be as this may not be the end of the problems.

You do know that one of the travel agents stole 75K from the company and was prosecuted don't you? That could have led to some of the problems financially.

[Randyk47]

I booked through this agency three times, the last being in 2007 after the agent stole the $75K in 2006. I'm actually sorry to see this agency go, their service for the cruises we booked through them was good and they were easy to deal with through emails or over the phone. I guess this is just a sign of the times and may be just the tip of the iceberg for many travel agencies closures. I know of at least two couples who have canceled cruises in the last few weeks because of the economy and the impact on their retirement funds. Could be a hard few years coming for cruises, resorts, etc., and therefore travel agencies as people tighten their belts.

[RedmondCruiser]

Wow --- thats a shocker. We just got off the Ryndam yesterday and had used CVC on that and about 15 prior cruises. This is very sad since they had very good prices and were well run, as far as I could see.

I would have suspected that they would be one of the last to fall and not the first. This economy is getting scary.

[biddy belle]

DH wants to know if TA's aren't required to be bonded? He assumes ASTA would insist upon it, and, if so, couldn't CVC be back up and running soon? We've used them 4 times in the past, with good results, and have a future cruise booking for 2010 with them. AND, as members of ASTA and BBB, their credentials were in order. There's not an online TA out there who hasn't had complaints against them, so is direct booking with the cruiselines the only alternative?

[Randyk47]

Bonding is one thing but if they've gone under because of lack of business then they're gone for good....assuming somebody doesn't buy the name or the company and bring it back to life. The bonding would only take care of present bookings as I understand it, not business failure in general.

[CroneWynd]

BalconyBumz...
Thanks for the reassurance on the TA with the best price... we are still cruisin' newbies, and it's scary to think that our two booked cruises(!!!) might also become screwed up! *gasp*

It's good to know what to watch for, that's for sure!

[pms4104]

I do not believe that ASTA membership dictates any amount of financial bonding. It is more an educational, lobbyist and support group.

This is different from the requirements of membership in tour operator groups, such as USTOA or NTA to which the like of Abercrombie and Kent might belong. The tour operator groups do require bonding for applicant operators to obtain membership.

[wrp96]

The bonding requirements vary from state to state depending on the licensing requirements for THAT state. Iowa for example only requires $10,000 in bond to operate as a travel agent (or at least that is what they used to require - haven't looked at it in a couple of years). Some states don't require TAs to be licensed at all so it's possible they wouldn't have to be bonded at all depending on where they are located.

[Paulchili]

That is not the one going out of biz and they are just fine. (wink)

Which is the Florida agency in trouble as I have a couple cruises booked with one in Fla.
If you know, you can e mail me at Paulpepperatcomcastdotnet
Thanks,
Paul

[J&KCruiser]

I always watch to be sure that the Cruise Line is the one charging my credit card. No sure that a TA should ever be allowed to take payment as themselves.

I work as a Financial Advisor and by rule I am never to take cash or have checks made out to me for Investments.

Bottom line Always have payments taken by cruise line. Cruise line can then pay the commission to the TA.

[navybankerteacher]

Aside from eliminating any chance of agent oul-up --often there is bad communication concerning accomodation choices, and almost always there is excessive delay in receiving the documents from an agent -- doing your own research and booking on your own direct with the cruise line is part of the anticipation/fun of going on a cruise.

[maryhou]

OMG that stinks.......

thank God we paid for our Christmas cruise in full since we were less than 60 days out. I have used them the last four years to book. I'm gla dI didn't book with them for spring break yet, I would have been ticked.

[Jade13]

HAL was amazing with me this afternoon. They allowed me to cancel my upcoming cruises which we booked with the "now gone" TA and I rebooked with one that I have faith will last.

The folks I feel the worst for are those who made their final payments for their upcoming cruises to that TA, who then may have folded without paying the cruiseline. This company was known to post the payments to themselves, hold the money for about a month, then pay the lines.... I am afraid there are folks who will be SOL....:o

I just feel fortunate that my payment was made to HAL and I have docs in hand for this weekend.

Is HAL honoring the pricing?

Does anyone know in this situation whether the cruise lines still have to pay out commission the agency? I am sure there will be creditor problems.

[localady]

No Jade, HAL refuses to honor Cruise Values' price. Can't really blame them. That is why I cancelled and rebooked.
I booked with a TA I have known to give great service and am going to be happy with the price she gets me. It may cost us a bit more, but I know all payments will go directly to the crusieline.

[Paulchili]

No Jade, HAL refuses to honor Cruise Values' price. Can't really blame them. That is why I cancelled and rebooked.
I booked with a TA I have known to give great service and am going to be happy with the price she gets me. It may cost us a bit more, but I know all payments will go directly to the crusieline.

Sher,
This surely cannot be for your 11/15 cruise - that one would have had to been paid for some time ago.
Is this for a future cruise?
Paul

[lizzielady]

My sister and I have booked 5 or 6 cruises with them. We always got the very best prices, but got absolutely NO service. We had to "hound" the rep, got inaccurate visa info for our Oceania Asia cruise, and fouled up "air" info. In EVERY case we "caught" and fixed the errors ourselves.

BTW, all of the charges were made directly with the cruiseline, not with the agency. The last cruise we took with them was a BtoB on the Prinsendam last year. There were no problems, but we had decided not to book any more cruises with them, even if we had to pay more. Now, we are so glad that we changed. Our most recent bookings are with the HAL related specialists in Seattle. We really love the service and hospitality.

[Sandytoes]

Is HAL honoring the pricing?

Does anyone know in this situation whether the cruise lines still have to pay out commission the agency? I am sure there will be creditor problems.
"The agent said it was not clear whether they would be paid commissions on sales they had already closed, or if the cruise lines were going to be paid for cruises clients had booked."

http://www.professionaltravelguide.com/Travel-News/index.aspx?id=TW182350

[localady]

Sher,
This surely cannot be for your 11/15 cruise - that one would have had to been paid for some time ago.
Is this for a future cruise?
Paul

Sure is Paul, we like to book out a bit so we can get the cabins we choose.;) This involves cruises to Alaska next summer and a Carribean the winter after.

Thankfully, our cruise this weekend was paid months ago, but I was alarmed that the money was going to the the failed agent rather than directly to HAL. (I posted a thread at that point about my trepidation.) I feel terrible for those folks that are in limbo, having paid the now defunct TA final payment, and never having that payment made to the cruiselines.:mad:

[maryhou]

We are cruising for Christmas and now that I read the articles from CC posted I decided to call Carnival. Thank god when I booked on November 4th it went straight to the cruiseline. Carnival did tell me they have been paid :D

If I have any issues they told me to call 1-800-344-0401 and these are the people that will be dealing with all CVC issues.

Good luck!

[Dave M]

Wow!

Please confirm my status for me.

I just stumbled onto this thread, never dreaming it would apply to me. My 1/19/09 Australia/New Zealand cruise on the Volendam was through this agency. Sure enough, when I went to HAL's online check-in section I was met with the dreaded "The Signature Boarding pass can only be printed when the booking is paid in full. Please review your booking or contact your travel professional." That's despite my printed "Booking is paid in full" statement from the agency. Sure enough, the 10/7/08 final payment shows on my CC as being charged by the agency, not by HAL.

I assume this means I should get on the phone with HAL when they open tomorrow and that I'll likely have to dispute the charge to my CC. In the meantime, I'll have to pay my final payment again, this time directly to HAL and likely for a higher amount.

Is that correct?

I also have a booking on the Rotterdam for next summer with this agency, so I’ll ask about that one, too.

[Jade13]

Wow!

Please confirm my status for me.

I just stumbled onto this thread, never dreaming it would apply to me. My 1/19/09 Australia/New Zealand cruise on the Volendam was through this agency. Sure enough, when I went to HAL's online check-in section I was met with the dreaded "The Signature Boarding pass can only be printed when the booking is paid in full. Please review your booking or contact your travel professional." That's despite my printed "Booking is paid in full" statement from the agency. Sure enough, the 10/7/08 final payment shows on my CC as being charged by the agency, not by HAL.

I assume this means I should get on the phone with HAL when they open tomorrow and that I'll likely have to dispute the charge to my CC. In the meantime, I'll have to pay my final payment again, this time directly to HAL and likely for a higher amount.

Is that correct?

I also have a booking on the Rotterdam for next summer with this agency, so I’ll ask about that one, too.

Yes.

[Jade13]

Also, If this company owes any passengers monies, how does one gets in line with their creditors? Remember, HAL allowed discounting. But other cruise lines did not so this Agency would agree to give a check back upon ones return on certain cruises or vacations. So, even if they paid the cruise line directly there is no way to get the money back (by disputing with a credit card company) but one should still file a complaint etc. Do you go through Ensemble the consortium that they belonged to?

If one is before final they can cancel. If the cruise line did not get paid but money charged to the agency they can dispute it with the credit card company. If one has paid in full and money has gone to the cruise line, the cruise is still goof, BUT CVC was suppose to give a refund check so where does one file (I understand this will probably never be seen).

Oh, and if before final, someone can still get the cruise line to transfer to another agent where there may be a savings. But those who are paid in full and expecting a rebate check (not done with HAL but Celebrity RCCL and others) need to know where to file a complaint?

[Desdemona01]

Wow!

Please confirm my status for me.

I just stumbled onto this thread, never dreaming it would apply to me. My 1/19/09 Australia/New Zealand cruise on the Volendam was through this agency. Sure enough, when I went to HAL's online check-in section I was met with the dreaded "The Signature Boarding pass can only be printed when the booking is paid in full. Please review your booking or contact your travel professional." That's despite my printed "Booking is paid in full" statement from the agency. Sure enough, the 10/7/08 final payment shows on my CC as being charged by the agency, not by HAL.

I assume this means I should get on the phone with HAL when they open tomorrow and that I'll likely have to dispute the charge to my CC. In the meantime, I'll have to pay my final payment again, this time directly to HAL and likely for a higher amount.

Is that correct?

I also have a booking on the Rotterdam for next summer with this agency, so I’ll ask about that one, too.

Dave,
Contact your credit card company ASAP and put a dispute on the charges. My friends are working with AmEx in this way. Then contact HAL. HAL will fax you a form to sign transferring your booking to them--they won't really discuss your booking unless you do this (they wouldn't even confirm if my friends' balance was paid in full--they found out later that final payment was never received by HAL). Even though the final payment date had come and gone, their cabin was still being held for them, so I think they'll be ok.

Good luck!
Des

[knighthawke]

Holy Cow! This agency is about 10 min from where I liveb and have used iot several times. In fact, I have a cruise next monday I booked with them!!! Luckily, I got my tickets in hand last week fully paid for *whew!* Dodged a bullet there!

[knighthawke]

Wow! that is who my cruise is booked through. At least I got my tickets Saturday. Do I need to call HAL and doublecheck.


I did...just in case. I did notice that, thopugh my initial payment on my CC statement says "Holland America", the final payment was made to "Cruise Value Center" which worried me. Luckily, that was back in Aug and everything is fine now.

[scottjeanne]

I am one of the ones that got caught out by the agency. I am going on the December 19 Australian cruise. I paid my final payment on 9/05 and it went to the agency. I have spokenwith HAL and they hav not canceled our booking. I am out the final $6800+, but I did register a dispute on our credit card. It is more than 60 days though, so I am hoping to get it back. Wish me luck.

[thisworldtraveler]

Each of the cruise lines are handling the situation differently, I've found out.

Holland America has not yet made any specific provisions for the closure and is still working to figure out a system to handle these affected reservations.

Other cruise lines are in the midst of assembling a special desk, others have decided to just work through their existing resolutions apparatus. Carnival as another poster said above has its own hotline.

If you have Prime Travel Insurance, you'll need to call another specific Travel Agency who will help you figure out if there are problems with your policy and if anything needs to be done to take care of that issue.

The specifics on the Prime Travel mess is on the same site as the original story about the CVC failure - http://www.thisworldtraveler.com . Since it is a specific TA, I don't want to violate the rules of the board to list it here.

[Desdemona01]

I am one of the ones that got caught out by the agency. I am going on the December 19 Australian cruise. I paid my final payment on 9/05 and it went to the agency. I have spokenwith HAL and they hav not canceled our booking. I am out the final $6800+, but I did register a dispute on our credit card. It is more than 60 days though, so I am hoping to get it back. Wish me luck.

oh, my--how heartbreaking! Good luck!

[Dave M]

Many thanks for your responses.

HAL couldn't have been nicer this morning. Final payment due date the January cruise was 10/21. No problem. HAL e-mailed me forms to transfer handling of my two bookings to them. I signed, scanned and sent them back. My fares for both cruises – as booked - were higher on HAL's system than I committed to with the agency, but would be lower with the new fares in the sale that ends today.

They tell me I'm stuck for the January cruise (I would lose my deposit if I canceled and rebooked.) Not a problem. It wasn't HAL's fault that this went awry.

I canceled and rebooked my summer Rotterdam cruise, getting today's sale fare, which was a bit lower than the already-low fare that the agency had committed to.

I lose the agency’s onboard goodies (credit, Pinnacle dinner and champagne), but I’m pleased to get this resolved. Obviously, I still get my shareholder credit on both cruises.

The agency had my money for over a month without remitting to HAL. A-A-A-R-R-G-G-H!

Yes, I'll call my credit card company and follow the correct procedure (http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre16.shtm) for protesting the final payment charge by the agency.

Thanks again. This board is great!

[Jade13]

I am one of the ones that got caught out by the agency. I am going on the December 19 Australian cruise. I paid my final payment on 9/05 and it went to the agency. I have spokenwith HAL and they hav not canceled our booking. I am out the final $6800+, but I did register a dispute on our credit card. It is more than 60 days though, so I am hoping to get it back. Wish me luck.

Some credit cards are longer. Bank of America has a 120 day dispute period.

Are you going to re-charge your credit card to HAL for the cruise? The biggest problem for those within final payment is that (per someone else who posted) you will now have to pay HAL's rack rate. For those outside final payment they still have the option to go direct with HAL or move the booking over to another agent who may offer a discount or OBC. In fact, one of the best benefits we had on our last cruise (since this agent was with the Consortium Ensemble) was a free First Class excursion in Ephesus, all day with lunch.

[Jade13]

Many thanks for your responses.

HAL couldn't have been nicer this morning. Final payment due date the January cruise was 10/21. No problem. HAL e-mailed me forms to transfer handling of my two bookings to them. I signed, scanned and sent them back. My fares for both cruises – as booked - were higher on HAL's system than I committed to with the agency, but would be lower with the new fares in the sale that ends today.

They tell me I'm stuck for the January cruise (I would lose my deposit if I canceled and rebooked.) Not a problem. It wasn't HAL's fault that this went awry.

I canceled and rebooked my summer Rotterdam cruise, getting today's sale fare, which was a bit lower than the already-low fare that the agency had committed to.

I lose the agency’s onboard goodies (credit, Pinnacle dinner and champagne), but I’m pleased to get this resolved. Obviously, I still get my shareholder credit on both cruises.

The agency had my money for over a month without remitting to HAL. A-A-A-R-R-G-G-H!

Yes, I'll call my credit card company and follow the correct procedure (http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre16.shtm) for protesting the final payment charge by the agency.

Thanks again. This board is great!


So, how much is your loss as far as new amount you need to charge to HAL for January? That is going to be the biggest issue that the cruise lines face with clients who want the price they were given and if not then want to charge back the credit card and cancel with the cruise line without penalty.

[wrp96]

Each of the cruise lines are handling the situation differently, I've found out.

Other cruise lines are in the midst of assembling a special desk, others have decided to just work through their existing resolutions apparatus. Carnival as another poster said above has its own hotline.


Carnival is telling people that booked through CVC that CVC is still in operations and they can't talk to them until CVC officially shuts down.

[bassett1]

It was posted on another CC thread (pulled because the agency was identified) and on a travel website, that a popular online discount agency went under. You can view the particulars here: http://www.thisworldtraveler.com.

thanks for the info but best price is not helping with insurance only with another booking, i spoke w them yesterday. they will call your cruise line for your but i unfortunately booked on princess and they are not offering any help. they are even going to take the 200 deposit they did receive for cancelling the cruise.

[kryos]

Carnival is telling people that booked through CVC that CVC is still in operations and they can't talk to them until CVC officially shuts down.Are they even actually shutting down? Is it possible another online agency might just absorb them and take over all of their bookings?

Blue skies ...

--rita

[Jade13]

Carnival is telling people that booked through CVC that CVC is still in operations and they can't talk to them until CVC officially shuts down.

Oh My, is this the official response that they are going to wait until Chapter 7 is filed? What do they consider Official?

[scottjeanne]

Thank you for the link to the fair credit billing. It says that I have 60 days from when I received the bill, not from when the charge was made. I am within the 60 day period when it is measured that way.

I am debating whterh I want to transfer the booking to anouther agency or to HAL directly. any thoughts?

[Randyk47]

I too would wonder what "officially shutdown" might mean. Right now their web page is dead. By that I mean the opening page comes up from my bookmarked favorites but that's it. Any attempt to go on from the first page fails and just brings you back around to the opening page. They may or may not be in negotiations with another company but it's not like a travel agency holds a lot of assets that have value. As a business it's pretty much a cash and carry operation and you'd assume they'd still be operating if they had cash on hand.

[luv2traveland]

After speaking to one Holland America agent who was not sure of the procedure (because they usually only deal with the travel agency) she tried to verify that CVS was defunct and what to do about it. She then transferred my call to the Accounting Department. The Accounting Dept. agent was very helpful and cancelled my booking without a problem. She required a confirming e-mail and assured me that there was no cancellation fee and she would credit my credit card. I had a deposit for a September 2009 cruise.

[cherylandtk]

i unfortunately booked on princess and they are not offering any help. they are even going to take the 200 deposit they did receive for cancelling the cruise.None of the cruiselines are allowing cancellations without penalty after final payment dates because of this situation. Before final payment, no problem.

Did you make final payment to the TA and the TA failed to send it on to Princess? Others in your situation are tranferring their bookings to another TA or Princess, making a second final payment and seeking chargeback of the first final payment from the credit card company...is that possible for you?

[hammybee]

I too would wonder what "officially shutdown" might mean. Right now their web page is dead. By that I mean the opening page comes up from my bookmarked favorites but that's it. Any attempt to go on from the first page fails and just brings you back around to the opening page. They may or may not be in negotiations with another company but it's not like a travel agency holds a lot of assets that have value. As a business it's pretty much a cash and carry operation and you'd assume they'd still be operating if they had cash on hand.

I tried to book a cruise just to see what might happen. Someone pulled the plug, before turning out the lights. Can you imagine if this site continued to book online cruises?

[hammybee]

I am one of the ones that got caught out by the agency. I am going on the December 19 Australian cruise. I paid my final payment on 9/05 and it went to the agency. I have spokenwith HAL and they hav not canceled our booking. I am out the final $6800+, but I did register a dispute on our credit card. It is more than 60 days though, so I am hoping to get it back. Wish me luck.

Oh my. Absolute best of luck to you.

[localady]

I have to applaud HAL for helping their customers rather than some of the other cruiselines who seem to be hiding behind terminology.

I called the day it was publicized and they immediately cancelled my cruises but also gave me the option to keep the booking with them (at a higher price.)

Thanks HAL for dealing with me in a timely and helpful manner!!!:D:D

My thoughts and prayers are with those of you that got stuck after final payment.:( I do hope you all can work it out with your credit card holders.

[sail7seas]

I feel awful for those who made final payment and it wasn't forwarded to the cruise lines. I so hope your credit card companies work with you. In this economic climate, M/C and Visa are experiencing high defaults and AmEx seems to have their share of money troubles. It's hard to say what they will do. May vary by bank??

Good luck.

[Darcy03231]

For those booked with Celebrity they have a special desk dealing with this. My final payment was charged to the agency on 10/7 and never paid to Celebrity. I had to pay Celebrity to keep my booking - and they kept it at the same amount I booked through the agent for. I contacted my CC company to dispute the 10/7 charge. Looks like the only thing I'll lose is the perks from the agency (free travel insurance and $30 OBC).

[vixigurl]

reservations outside of final payment dates can be transferred over to another online agency that do offer discounts to passengers - any reputable company will have the cruise line charge your card and not do it in-house. That way you can feel secure when you can check your statement and see Holland America on there. Also any TA worth their salt should have no problem providing you with a copy of the reservation confirmation from the cruise line.

Happy Sails

[Jade13]

reservations outside of final payment dates can be transferred over to another online agency that do offer discounts to passengers - any reputable company will have the cruise line charge your card and not do it in-house. That way you can feel secure when you can check your statement and see Holland America on there. Also any TA worth their salt should have no problem providing you with a copy of the reservation confirmation from the cruise line.

Happy Sails

People who paid by credit card and are outside final payment should be fine. It's those of us who are inside final that have the problem as the booking can not be transfered to get any discounted fare, OBC or other perks. The difference for some passengers can be thousands.

[vixigurl]

I understand that and it's horrible, I just wanted to offer up some possible solace to the others.

[Jade13]

I found this on the "Rip Off Report"
Report: Cruise Value Center

Category: Cruises (http://www.ripoffreport.com/searchresults.asp?q1=332)
Cruise Value Center feels entitled to make unauthorized debit transactions from your account East Brunswick New Jersey *EDitor's Suggestions on how to get your money back into your bank account!

http://www.ripoffreport.com/Common/Img/noteThankYou.jpg (http://www.ripoffreport.com/thankyou.asp)
Read how (http://www.ripoffreport.com/thankyou.asp) Ripoff Report saves consumers millions.

Rebuttal Box
Respond to this report!

Are you an owner, employee or ex-employee with either negative or positive information about the company or individual, or can you provide "insider information" on this company?

Victim of this person/company?

Are you also a victim of the same company or individual? Want Justice? File a Rip-off Report, help other consumers to be educated and don´t let them get away with it!

http://www.ripoffreport.com/common/img/buttonPrint.gif (javascript:window.print()) http://www.ripoffreport.com/common/img/buttonEmail.gif (http://www.ripoffreport.com/emailfriend.asp?id=294991)

Cruise Value Center

Phone: 732-257-4545
Fax (http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/294/RipOff0294991.htm#):

www.my****************
East Brunswick, New Jersey, 08816
U.S.A.


Submitted: 12/27/2007 6:50:53 PM

Modified: 12/27/2007 6:51:00 PM
Tustin, California




(http://www.ripoffrevenge.com/)
The company Cruise Value Center ('CVC') is a broker that sells reservations on cruise ships.

On 12-14-07, pursuant to their email stating contract terms, I purchased a cruise reservation over the phone (http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/294/RipOff0294991.htm#) with CVC for a total of $3,332.17. The deposit was $1050, which I paid by giving my ATM-VISA account number. The CVC employee, Frank Smith, verbally stated to me that the balance of $2,282 was due on 1-7-08. Prior to the transaction, Frank Smith had sent me an email with this same information (Initial deposit of $1050, and a balance of $2,282 with the due date of 1-7-08.) CVC did not send any email confirmation after the reservation was made.

On 12-18-07, without any notice to me, or authorization from me, CVC debited $2,282 from my ATM account (which is attached to my checking (http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/294/RipOff0294991.htm#) account). This was a problem because it unexpectedly wiped out my account balance in the week before Christmas, and besides, the other traveler on the reservation was going to pay the balance in early January.

When I called CVC to complain and request a reversal of the unauthorized transaction, I was 'hung up' on several times by the receptionist after she stated that CVC 'followed our policy' regarding payment. Finally, I spoke to the manager Roz Riley, who refused to acknowledge my complaint and 'hung up' on me. I then called the 'owner' Jeffrey Kivet, who was rude and 'hung up' on me without even listening to what the problem was.

On 12-20-07, after I complained to the cruise company Holland America Lines ('HAL') who called CVC on my behalf, CVC promised to refund the money.

On 12-22-07 I called CVC to follow up on obtaining the refund, and manager Roz Riley said HAL had the money and therefore HAL would be refunding the money.

On 12-26-07, when I contacted HAL, they confirmed that CVC never sent them the balance of $2,282. After that, CVC admitted they never sent the money to HAL, and promised a prompt refund of the unauthorized transaction.

It is now late on 12-27-07, and no refund has been received.

Problem: Cruise Value Center believes that they can unilaterally modify a contract by sending a confirmation with altered terms. Thus, they think they are entitled to access your account number given to pay the deposit and debit the remaining balance without notice to you. In my case, even the Confirmation was never sent.

Michael
Tustin, California
U.S.A.

[scottjeanne]

I just got my mail (from UP post office) and there was a letter from the defunct travel agency. I was excited thinking that they are notifying their clients and offereing restitution. NO! It was simply the 3rd notice I have received from them reminding me that I need a visa for Australia. Interestingly enough, it is dated 11/08, the Friday before they went belly up. Apparently they were still operating as usually as late as Friday. How odd.

[Randyk47]

Wow! I never had those kinds of problems with them but obviously the company went downhill somewhere along the line. Scary because you don't know who to trust. A week ago I'd not have hesitated to recommend them, shows how much I know. A real mix of emotions and thoughts as I'm amazed and disgusted at the company and sorry for my fellow CC'ers caught up in this mess.

[thisworldtraveler]

Hey again,

Just wanted to touch base with a couple things. A couple of the numbers listed in my list of cruise line contacts for people affected by CVC. This was a very large agency, and apparently the owners of the agency have yet to notify the cruise lines that they are no longer in operation is the impression that I am getting. This means that a lot of the people at the individual cruise lines are caught off guard by the mountain of concerned calls that they have been receiving over the last couple days. Some of the contact information they provided me was incorrect, and thanks to some information from the TA that is helping with insurance benefits, there are new numbers for Prime Insurance and Carnival on the list at this time. Again, the list that I have is posted attached to my original blog post detailing what happened this Monday.

This is a very fluid situation and these things may change again in the future. I will keep updating as I am made aware of other changes.

I can share a couple other things that I know about the closure as well. There was no indication until sometime this weekend that there were any imminent problems regarding the viability of the agency. Business ran as normal for most departments until literally the minute the agency was shut down, although it began to become apparent what was happening no sooner than a couple hours before shutdown for most employees.

[kryos]

Business ran as normal for most departments until literally the minute the agency was shut down, although it began to become apparent what was happening no sooner than a couple hours before shutdown for most employees.Ummmmm, was this an IRS closure? Sounds it. Tax problems?

Blue skies ...

--rita

[thisworldtraveler]

Ummmmm, was this an IRS closure? Sounds it. Tax problems?

Blue skies ...

--rita
No, apparently the owners chose not to inform anyone about the financial problems until literally a couple days before the doors were shut. And that was during a weekend.

[knighthawke]

Hmmm...I live 15-20 min from their office.....I should take a drive there and see if any notices are up or anything if I get the chance. But on Sat, I head down to Fl for my cruise. I can't believe how lucky i was. Had my cruise been a few weeks later...I'm sure I would have been screwed. My final payment was in Aug and it got to HAL no problem. I saw some people had Sept final payments which never made it. Scary.

[Jade13]

Hey again,

Just wanted to touch base with a couple things. A couple of the numbers listed in my list of cruise line contacts for people affected by CVC. This was a very large agency, and apparently the owners of the agency have yet to notify the cruise lines that they are no longer in operation is the impression that I am getting. This means that a lot of the people at the individual cruise lines are caught off guard by the mountain of concerned calls that they have been receiving over the last couple days. Some of the contact information they provided me was incorrect, and thanks to some information from the TA that is helping with insurance benefits, there are new numbers for Prime Insurance and Carnival on the list at this time. Again, the list that I have is posted attached to my original blog post detailing what happened this Monday.

This is a very fluid situation and these things may change again in the future. I will keep updating as I am made aware of other changes.

I can share a couple other things that I know about the closure as well. There was no indication until sometime this weekend that there were any imminent problems regarding the viability of the agency. Business ran as normal for most departments until literally the minute the agency was shut down, although it began to become apparent what was happening no sooner than a couple hours before shutdown for most employees.

Thank you for keeping us updated. I am out a lot of money I most likely will never get back. I also contacted someone by Email that is currently traveling in South America and had no idea there was a problem until they received my message.

There are so many people not on Cruise Critic that may just be finding out about this weeks from now, unless the cruise lines and travel suppliers make the contact first, which they may not due because of "Agency Contracts".

I predict these people will end up in jail.

[kryos]

No, apparently the owners chose not to inform anyone about the financial problems until literally a couple days before the doors were shut. And that was during a weekend.Oh, man ... that really sucks ... not just for the folks who had final payments in limbo, but also for Cruise Value Center's employees. Can you imagine leaving work on Friday, maybe being away for most of the weekend, and then showing up Monday morning to find out you no longer have a job? Just out of the blue?Terrible. :(

Blue skies ...

--rita

[abb4k]

For those who have final payments in limbo, you might want to contact your credit card company and dispute the charge. Credit card companies generally will go to bat for their clients, and do all the heavy lifting to rectify problems like these. For example, if an airline goes bankrupt and you've already paid for your ticket, the credit card company will refund your money to you (by withholding payment from the defunct airline).

[Jade13]

Hey again,

Just wanted to touch base with a couple things. A couple of the numbers listed in my list of cruise line contacts for people affected by CVC. This was a very large agency, and apparently the owners of the agency have yet to notify the cruise lines that they are no longer in operation is the impression that I am getting. This means that a lot of the people at the individual cruise lines are caught off guard by the mountain of concerned calls that they have been receiving over the last couple days. Some of the contact information they provided me was incorrect, and thanks to some information from the TA that is helping with insurance benefits, there are new numbers for Prime Insurance and Carnival on the list at this time. Again, the list that I have is posted attached to my original blog post detailing what happened this Monday.

This is a very fluid situation and these things may change again in the future. I will keep updating as I am made aware of other changes.

I can share a couple other things that I know about the closure as well. There was no indication until sometime this weekend that there were any imminent problems regarding the viability of the agency. Business ran as normal for most departments until literally the minute the agency was shut down, although it began to become apparent what was happening no sooner than a couple hours before shutdown for most employees.

Can you please let us know all the other names that CVC goes under?

Also, can you find out EXACTLY when this agency was sold last year? I wonder if anyone who booked originally with the old owners has any recourse against them?

[laurav]

It is a bit risky to work through travel agents - they like to charge you as early as possible and pay the line as late as possible (naturally trying to maximize their use of your funds). If they go under before the line confirms receipt of payment, you can be at risk. While they might be able to find you somewhat better pricing, you can usually do as well yourself by calling around - following up, asking to speak to supervisor, etc. Particularly now, with many small businesses on the brink, it may be a good idea to eliminate as many middlemen as possible and deal direct with the provider (of whatever service) yourself.

You comment is not correct if you have done your due diligence and found a good travel agent. To book with an agent solely based on the CHEAPEST PRICING ... OBC'S ... PERKS ... OR WHATEVER means you are looking at something that is too good to be true and we all know that if it sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be true. Think of all the stores in your area that GUARANTEED the cheapest pricing and would price match with a 10% discount ... they didn't/don't stay in business very long.

When you book through a travel agent you are truly doing yourself a favor because a good agent will provide you with the BEST LEGITIMATE pricing, personal service and good advice about the cruise that best suits your needs and pocket book ... IF YOU TAKE THE TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR AGENT BOOKS DIRECTLY WITH THE CRUISE LINE.

I am a certified travel agent specializing in cruises and if you make a cruise booking through me the money does NOT go in my checking account but DIRECTLY to the cruise line and I don't get anything until yuo have sailed and the cruise line pays me directly. When an agency deposits your money in THEIR checking account they may be in the financial prediciment of having to borrow from Peter to pay Paul and your booking may be the one they borrow from. The agency in question here had questionable business practices and problems for quite a while before they left travelers in a lurch with more than 1.5 MILLION DOLLARS in deposits and final payments that they did not follow through on.

Additionally, it is never a good idea to pay cash or check for a cruise or for any travel because you have no recourse if something like this happens.

If you have a deposit with HAL and you have paperwork to prove it, HAL should honor the booking. You reserve the right to ask that the agent of record be changed (you need to do this in writing and it can be faxed) and you can take it over yourself or you can reassign it to another travel agent but you cannot expect that the new agent can or will give you all the discounts and perks that the subject agency was promising ... and why do you think they promised those things???? They needed cash flow and they said or did anything to get that cash. As agents we all pay the same thing for the cruise and NOT ONE OF THE CRUISE LINES approve of discounting or rebating and in fact may discount your commission if you publicly try to do that kind of thing as it is a poor reflection on the industry as a whole when an agency discounts and rebates. You ALL talk with one another and you know how you feel when someone tells you that they paid much less and seemingly got much more for their money on the same cruise don't you? But, if HAL doesn't show your deposit or final payment you cannot expect them to honor something there is no proof of and hopefully you purchased travel protection insurance that covers the vendor closing their doors at the time you put your deposit down because then you have additional resources to help work out your financial issues.

Regarding $25 for Pier check-in ... That is NOT standard HAL or any other cruise line practice that I am aware of. As long as you have proper documentation and you KNOW your name is on the manifest you don't even have to have copies of your pre-cruise documentation (although, as an agent I recomment my clients take copies of all their paperwork). It is the same with the airlines. If you don't have copies of your tickets or E-Tickets you can go to the check in counter and they will find your reservation with your name and issue you documents and boarding passes.

When something like this happens not only are the travelers left holding the bag but all travel agents are effected as it is a bad reflection on the industry as a whole.

[Jade13]

You comment is not correct if you have done your due diligence and found a good travel agent. To book with an agent solely based on the CHEAPEST PRICING ... OBC'S ... PERKS ... OR WHATEVER means you are looking at something that is too good to be true and we all know that if it sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be true. Think of all the stores in your area that GUARANTEED the cheapest pricing and would price match with a 10% discount ... they didn't/don't stay in business very long.

When you book through a travel agent you are truly doing yourself a favor because a good agent will provide you with the BEST LEGITIMATE pricing, personal service and good advice about the cruise that best suits your needs and pocket book ... IF YOU TAKE THE TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR AGENT BOOKS DIRECTLY WITH THE CRUISE LINE.

I am a certified travel agent specializing in cruises and if you make a cruise booking through me the money does NOT go in my checking account but DIRECTLY to the cruise line and I don't get anything until yuo have sailed and the cruise line pays me directly. When an agency deposits your money in THEIR checking account they may be in the financial prediciment of having to borrow from Peter to pay Paul and your booking may be the one they borrow from. The agency in question here had questionable business practices and problems for quite a while before they left travelers in a lurch with more than 1.5 MILLION DOLLARS in deposits and final payments that they did not follow through on.

Additionally, it is never a good idea to pay cash or check for a cruise or for any travel because you have no recourse if something like this happens.

If you have a deposit with HAL and you have paperwork to prove it, HAL should honor the booking. You reserve the right to ask that the agent of record be changed (you need to do this in writing and it can be faxed) and you can take it over yourself or you can reassign it to another travel agent but you cannot expect that the new agent can or will give you all the discounts and perks that the subject agency was promising ... and why do you think they promised those things???? They needed cash flow and they said or did anything to get that cash. As agents we all pay the same thing for the cruise and NOT ONE OF THE CRUISE LINES approve of discounting or rebating and in fact may discount your commission if you publicly try to do that kind of thing as it is a poor reflection on the industry as a whole when an agency discounts and rebates. You ALL talk with one another and you know how you feel when someone tells you that they paid much less and seemingly got much more for their money on the same cruise don't you? But, if HAL doesn't show your deposit or final payment you cannot expect them to honor something there is no proof of and hopefully you purchased travel protection insurance that covers the vendor closing their doors at the time you put your deposit down because then you have additional resources to help work out your financial issues.

Regarding $25 for Pier check-in ... That is NOT standard HAL or any other cruise line practice that I am aware of. As long as you have proper documentation and you KNOW your name is on the manifest you don't even have to have copies of your pre-cruise documentation (although, as an agent I recomment my clients take copies of all their paperwork). It is the same with the airlines. If you don't have copies of your tickets or E-Tickets you can go to the check in counter and they will find your reservation with your name and issue you documents and boarding passes.

When something like this happens not only are the travelers left holding the bag but all travel agents are effected as it is a bad reflection on the industry as a whole.

You are missing a point here and it almost sounds like you are blaming the victims (even if that it not your intent). This agency used to be good, they advertised on Cruise Critic, they were one of the biggest sellers of Carnival cruises and even today their front page still had a photo with Carnival Executives. They did not use to charge payments to themselves. HAL endorsed them and I even have an Email (last year) from someone at HAL telling me they were legit and had always helped HAL out in hard times. Something happened this year, the company was sold and then they declined. In my case my booking was from over a year ago with the original owner.

Btw, as far as I know Carnival and HAL have always allowed discounting, including group rates. I know RCCL/Celebrity did not (but allowed lots of OBC). However it was done CVC DID in the past charge credit cards directly to HAL and at the rate that they gave me. I always received a pdf "Guest Copy" from HAL.

I don't think that is true that as an agent you all pay the same thing for the cruise. It has been widely reported that some large Agents do get special rates. I hope another TA will comment? There is no reason to blame the victims, many who assumed as in the past the cruise would be paid directly to the cruise line (Btw, mine was last week as I insisted on it, had it confirmed on Email with CVC). And by the way, I always received good customer service through CVC, who had an actual office and toll free number.

[knighthawke]

From www.national-anthems.net

November 12, 2008

The 14-year-old cruise retailer Cruise Value Center in East Brunswick, N.J.,
shut down abruptly, leaving cruise lines dealing directly with clients left
suddenly adrift. Royal Caribbean International had set up a special 800
number for customers to call. "We're going to have to handle those bookings
internally to make sure they get the vacations that they paid for," said
Vicki Freed, senior vice president-sales and trade support at Royal
Caribbean International. She said the cruise line has to determine if it has
received the payments and deposits Cruise Value's clients had made. Freed
said that Richard Smith, managing director of the agency, had called her to
notify her that the agency was closing. Marilyn Conroy, senior vice
president of sales and marketing for the Americas, Silversea Cruises, said
that Silversea did not have many bookings but was working with clients to
make sure all bookings had been fully paid. Like many in the others, she was
astonished that the business had shut down. "They were giants in the
industry," she said.

Jeff Kivet, Cruise Value's founder and former CEO, had sold it last fall to
Travel Holding Entity, which merged Cruise Value Center with Cruises of
Distinction. Kivet had been working for the company as a consultant, but did
not know what had happened.

"They shut the doors and the phones are not working," he said. "It was my
baby for many, many years. It ran right and now my employees are calling me
in tears." At the time of the sale, Cruise Value was generating between $60
million and $70 million in cruise bookings.


Sources:
* TravelPulse
- http://www.travelpulse.com/Resources/Editorial.aspx?n=48099

Contact info for "travel Holding Entity"

http://start.cortera.com/company/research/k2o9pvj2m/travel-holding-entity-llc/

Another stories about this

http://www.justpictureitnow.com/

http://www.travelpulse.com/Resources/Editorial.aspx?n=48099

[thisworldtraveler]

Can you please let us know all the other names that CVC goes under?

Also, can you find out EXACTLY when this agency was sold last year? I wonder if anyone who booked originally with the old owners has any recourse against them?

The takeover took place sometime in October of 2007. Cruise Value Center also did business under the name Tour Value Center. The operating company, Travel Holding Entity, also operated Cruises of Distinction. They were operated separately with separate staffs, but I believe they are also out of business, but I do not know for certain.

You may have used a number of different lead services to make a reservation with Cruise Value Center, but any confirmation you would have received would indicate that you made a reservation with Cruise Value Center.

[iancal]

Insolvency happens to many companies. On another note......I will not be purchasing any retail gift certificates or gift cards this holiday season. Many retailers will be hanging on by their fingernails until the holiday season is over. Inventory on Jan 31, then anything can happen!

[cruise freak]

You comment is not correct if you have done your due diligence and found a good travel agent. To book with an agent solely based on the CHEAPEST PRICING ... OBC'S ... PERKS ... OR WHATEVER means you are looking at something that is too good to be true and we all know that if it sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be true. Think of all the stores in your area that GUARANTEED the cheapest pricing and would price match with a 10% discount ... they didn't/don't stay in business very long.

When you book through a travel agent you are truly doing yourself a favor because a good agent will provide you with the BEST LEGITIMATE pricing, personal service and good advice about the cruise that best suits your needs and pocket book ... IF YOU TAKE THE TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR AGENT BOOKS DIRECTLY WITH THE CRUISE LINE.

I am a certified travel agent specializing in cruises and if you make a cruise booking through me the money does NOT go in my checking account but DIRECTLY to the cruise line and I don't get anything until yuo have sailed and the cruise line pays me directly. When an agency deposits your money in THEIR checking account they may be in the financial prediciment of having to borrow from Peter to pay Paul and your booking may be the one they borrow from. The agency in question here had questionable business practices and problems for quite a while before they left travelers in a lurch with more than 1.5 MILLION DOLLARS in deposits and final payments that they did not follow through on.

Additionally, it is never a good idea to pay cash or check for a cruise or for any travel because you have no recourse if something like this happens.

If you have a deposit with HAL and you have paperwork to prove it, HAL should honor the booking. You reserve the right to ask that the agent of record be changed (you need to do this in writing and it can be faxed) and you can take it over yourself or you can reassign it to another travel agent but you cannot expect that the new agent can or will give you all the discounts and perks that the subject agency was promising ... and why do you think they promised those things???? They needed cash flow and they said or did anything to get that cash. As agents we all pay the same thing for the cruise and NOT ONE OF THE CRUISE LINES approve of discounting or rebating and in fact may discount your commission if you publicly try to do that kind of thing as it is a poor reflection on the industry as a whole when an agency discounts and rebates. You ALL talk with one another and you know how you feel when someone tells you that they paid much less and seemingly got much more for their money on the same cruise don't you? But, if HAL doesn't show your deposit or final payment you cannot expect them to honor something there is no proof of and hopefully you purchased travel protection insurance that covers the vendor closing their doors at the time you put your deposit down because then you have additional resources to help work out your financial issues.

Regarding $25 for Pier check-in ... That is NOT standard HAL or any other cruise line practice that I am aware of. As long as you have proper documentation and you KNOW your name is on the manifest you don't even have to have copies of your pre-cruise documentation (although, as an agent I recomment my clients take copies of all their paperwork). It is the same with the airlines. If you don't have copies of your tickets or E-Tickets you can go to the check in counter and they will find your reservation with your name and issue you documents and boarding passes.

When something like this happens not only are the travelers left holding the bag but all travel agents are effected as it is a bad reflection on the industry as a whole.

I am an agent as well and feel very sorry for all of your people caught in this mess.

I wanted to say. It is very normal for HAL to charge $25.00 for pier pick up as they are one cruiseline who issues paper tickets and will only mail them direct to the agency for them to mail to guests. If you try and vary from that policy they charge $100.00 to mail to guest direct. They require tickets to check in. Everyone please make sure you have your tickets or you will have problems at the pier.

Good luck to all.

[Jade13]

These are the Terms and Conditions. I know it is different from the one received in 2007 upon deposit, but I have not had the chance to find the differences.

Terms and Conditions

Cruise Value Center is a brand name used by Travel Holding Entity LLC (T.H.E.) and/or one of T.H.E.’s affiliated companies. Customers of Cruise Value Center are advised to read fully all terms and conditions set forth below. These terms and conditions constitute a contract between Cruise Value Center and the passenger and/or purchaser, both on his/her behalf and on behalf of any other person or persons, including children, for whom the reservation is purchased (herein after referred to as the “Passenger(s)”). All parties acknowledge and agree to be bound thereby by accepting this contract.
Cruise Value Center works with several other travel organizations such as cruise lines, hotels, airlines, tour operator, etc. in arranging travel packages. Such organizations will be referred to as “Suppliers” elsewhere in these terms and conditions. Suppliers are considered any travel organization(s) which Cruise Value Center works with, purchases from, or otherwise deals with in the arrangement of travel packages.
Cruise Value Center requires payment(s) on the due date(s) indicated in any of it’s written statements and/or verbal notification given to the Passenger. Cruise Value Center reserves the right to consider non-payment or partial payments as a cancellation. The Passenger’s reservation is accepted when Cruise Value Center receives the correct deposit/initial payment and has sent an invoice confirming the price of travel arrangements to the Passenger. The specific terms of the reservation are subject to change by Cruise Value Center or the Supplier(s) until the correct final payment has been received. Further, Cruise Value Center reserves the right to correct an error in the brochure price, advertised price or invoice price until the Passenger’s account is paid in full. Every reservation is also subject to the conditions imposed by Suppliers of any other independent contractors who provide services for the travel package.
Occasionally factors outside the control of Cruise Value Center may force them to ask for additional surcharges. Cruise Value Center cannot guarantee prices because Suppliers reserve the right to impose surcharges or change their prices.
Cruise Value Center reserves the right to impose a fee, which will be due from the customer without condition, the amount of which will be up to the full purchase price of the vacation package (including airfare, cruise fare, hotel rates, pre and post cruise packages, shore excursions and other charges) as stated on this invoice or statement, less the amount already received from the customer, for changes to or cancellations of travel arrangements requested by the Passenger. These fees, if charged by Cruise Value Center, will be in addition to any penalties assessed by any other Supplier. Cruise Value Center reserves the right to impose fees for travel changes and or cancellations regardless of the date of the change/cancellation. Cruise line Suppliers generally require cancellation notification 60 to 120 days before the date of sailing to avoid penalties. Other Suppliers may also have cancellation penalty schedules. It is passenger’s responsibility to refer to the most current specific Supplier brochure for their cancellation policy.
Passenger(s) also agree that any insurance proceeds received, regardless of who paid for the insurance, as a result of a Supplier default or insolvency shall be first used to satisfy the referenced Cruise Value Center fee. Passenger(s) further agree to cooperate in achieving such insurance recoveries including allowing for Cruise Value Center or its successors, assigns, and/or secured debt holders to receive funds directly from the insurers and to remit any surplus fund to the Passenger(s) after deducting fees authorized by this Agreement.
Cruise Value Center does not own or operate any of the hotels, transportation companies, sightseeing attractions, cruise lines or other Suppliers who provide goods or services for the Passenger’s trip. Cruise Value Center is not responsible for the negligence or willful acts and/or omissions of these Suppliers, their employees, agents, servants, or representatives and Cruise Value Center is not liable to refund fully or partially for any unsatisfactory services from any Supplier. Cruise Value Center is not an agent of the Supplier nor the Passenger.
Without limitation, Cruise Value Center is not responsible for Supplier overbooking or conditions/accommodations. Cruise Value Center is not responsible for flight or other Supplier delays or cancellations, missed connections or any other condition beyond its control. In addition, Cruise Value Center is not responsible for any act or omission, whether willful or negligent, of any person not its direct employee. Nor is Cruise Value Center responsible for any act or omission of any third party, whether negligent, willful, criminal or otherwise. Without limitation, Cruise Value Center is not responsible for criminal activity, acts of God, the consequences of strikes, industrial disputes, union unrest, terrorist activity, food or water poisoning, illness, political upheaval, acts of government, war, civil unrest, riots, fire, lockouts, weather conditions, dangers incident to the sea, lost/damaged/delayed luggage, closure of airports/seaports/hotels/train stations, computer problems including but not limited to failure of services therein, or anything else beyond its control.
The fare includes only the items (as specified on the Cruise Value Center invoice/receipt) and may include some but not all food/refreshments. Spirits, wine, beer, sodas, mineral water and other food/drink items as defined by the Supplier may require additional payment. Prices may vary and Cruise Value Center does not guarantee the lowest price. The Supplier and Cruise Value Center reserve the right to increase fares without notice. In such an event, Cruise Value Center will notify the Passenger by sending a revised statement of the prices.
The issued tickets are valid only for the voyage/air transportation/shore excursion and for the person or persons named as Passenger(s) which are specified on the Cruise Value Center statement and cannot be transferred without the Supplier’s written consent. Cruise Value Center is not responsible for reimbursement or refund to Passenger, either fully or partially, for lost or stolen tickets/documents or for wholly/partially used tickets. Passenger waives the right to use any statute or other governmental regulation to the contrary. Supplier reserves the right to cancel any scheduled port of call, interim stop or itinerary location for any reason at its option at any time without previous notice to the Passenger and without liability to the Passenger for any loss, damage or delay whatsoever, and Cruise Value Center is not liable for these Supplier changes/cancellations. Cruise Value Center reserves the right to alter the itinerary from that printed in its materials and to substitute itineraries or accommodations as deemed necessary by Cruise Value Center. In such cases, the change will not result in eligibility for a refund.
Cruise Value Center has made no representation nor promise with respect to the arrangements described in brochures or advertisements except as expressly set forth in its literature or in a written agreement signed by an officer of Cruise Value Center. Cruise Value Center and/or supplier reserves the right to decline a Passenger for any lawful reason including disruptive behavior or inability to take the trip without undue restrictions. The only obligation of Cruise Value Center shall be to refund to any such Passenger that portion of his or her payment(s) allocable to unused services after any and all penalties issued by Cruise Value Center or the travel Supplier(s) have been paid. Refunds are otherwise not granted for unused services.

Cruise Value Center’s responsibility shall never exceed the usual amount of liability to which Cruise Value Center is obligated under applicable law. No undertaking, guarantee or warranty is given or shall be implied as to the fitness or condition of the Supplier’s accommodations or any food, drink, medicine, or provisions supplied. In no event shall Cruise Value Center be liable for any accident which occurs ashore, on board ship/in dock, on tenders, on shore excursions, in hotels, in resorts, on airplanes/in airports, on buses/in bus stations, on trains/in train stations, or during any mode of transportation encountered during the trip, resulting from equipment or any other cause. The Passenger admits a full understanding of the nature and character of the mode of transport and assumes all risks of travel, transportation and handling of passengers and baggage. The Passenger assumes the risk of, and agrees that Cruise Value Center is not liable for injury, or death to, or delay of the Passenger; loss or damage to, or delay of the Passenger’s baggage, personal effects, or property arising from, caused by, or in the judgement of the Supplier, rendered necessary or advisable by reason of any act of God or public enemies, arrest, restraints of any government or rulers of people, piracy, war, revolution, extortion, terrorist actions or threats, hijacking, bombing, threatened or actual rebellion, insurrection, civil strife, fire, explosion, collision, stranding, grounding, perils of the sea, rivers, canals, locks or other waters, perils of navigation of any kind, lack of water or passageway in canals, theft, accident to or from machinery, boilers, or latent defects even though existing at embarkation or commencement of the travel package, desertion or revolt of crew, seizure of ship by legal process, strike, lockout or labor disturbance.
Passenger is also bound by all Supplier defined rules and restrictions regarding baggage allotments and charges for additional baggage. Cruise Value Center is not liable for any excess baggage charges incurred by the Passenger. Passenger is responsible for all Supplier defined cancellation/interruption penalties. Cruise Value Center is not liable to the Passenger for the refund of any monies for Passenger cancellation or trip interruption. Cruise Value Center recommends Passenger purchases travel insurance to cover losses as defined by the travel insurance carrier. Passenger accepts all financial responsibilities for cancellation, interruption, medical attention needed during the trip, loss of baggage, missed travel connection(s) due to flight or other travel delay/cancellations from weather or mechanical difficulties as well as all other financial charges arising from events during the trip. Cruise Value Center is not liable for costs arising from personal injury or death of Passenger. Suppliers may or may not carry physicians, surgeons, barbers, hairdressers or any other individual providing personal services. Passenger is responsible for charges incurred by using these services, if available. Cruise Value Center is not liable for costs associated with Passenger’s use of medical or personal services which are not included by the Supplier as free services. Cruise Value Center is not liable for any loss due to Passenger’s gambling and is not responsible for any purchases made while on the trip including services or products purchased while on shore excursion, auxiliary trips, tours, etc.
Cruise Value Center recommends that all Passengers be in good physical and mental health and have medical approval to travel. Any physical disabilities should be reported at the time of reservation and Cruise Value Center will investigate amenities and/or special accommodations offered by Suppliers. Passenger is required to provide his or her own personal or individually prescribed devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, or similar devices. If more than minor assistance is required, the Passenger must be accompanied by a companion or helper who is capable of, and totally responsible for, providing such assistance. Cruise Value Center shall be held harmless for any claim relating thereto. Cruise Value Center and/or supplier reserves the right to reject any Passenger because of any mental or physical condition or disorder. Suppliers reserve the right to refuse or revoke passage to Passengers who, in their judgement, may be refused admission into a port or landing or into the country of destination. Cruise Value Center is not liable for any costs resulting from this action.
Suppliers reserve the right to change the departure date from the original scheduled or advertised date. The Supplier reserves the right to change the method of transportation from the method originally advertised, or to change the hotel/accommodations. The Supplier reserves the right to deviate from the direct, customary and/or scheduled route or itinerary for any reason, without limitation and without notice, in the interest of Passenger(s) and/or the vessel. Cruise Value Center is not liable to Passenger for full or partial refunds due to Supplier date, vessel, hotel and/or itinerary alterations.
In cases of quarantine, Passenger must bear all risks, losses and expenses caused thereby.
Suppliers reserve the right to change berths/cabins and or hotel rooms for any reason deemed necessary by the Supplier. Cruise Value Center is not liable for any refunds, full or partial, for these types of changes.
Passenger is responsible to have all passports, visas, travel and health documents required for: passage to ports of call, on board ship, or entering/exiting a country. Failure to have the proper documents may result in delay, refusal of passage, or fees to Passenger. Cruise Value Center is not liable for any charges associated with Passenger failure to procure and have on their person the proper travel documents. Cruise Value Center is not required to inform Passenger of the necessary documents. Cruise Value Center recommends the Passenger consult with the appropriate domestic and foreign governmental agencies for the current document requirements. The Passenger shall be liable to and shall reimburse Supplier for all damage to the vessel and/or hotel and/or other accommodations. Cruise Value Center is not liable for costs incurred by Passenger in these situations.
Passenger agrees that any and all disputes associated with the Passenger’s trip, either related to the airline/train/bus/car rental carrier, the cruise line carrier, or any other Supplier involved in his or her vacation, will be directed to the specific Supplier and not to Cruise Value Center. This includes requests for refunds, credits, etc. Passenger(s) must file all insurance claims with their insurance carrier. Cruise Value Center is not responsible for refunds, credits, insurance claims or any other financial resolution in response to passenger disputes.
This contract shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the state of Michigan and the laws of the United States of America. The Passenger/Purchaser and Cruise Value Center agree that each may bring claims against the other only in your or its individual capacity, and not as a plaintiff or class member. Copyright RTS 04/07/08

[Jade13]

double post

[Jade13]

These are the Terms and Conditions. I know it is different from the one received in 2007 upon deposit, but I have not had the chance to find the differences.

Terms and Conditions

Cruise Value Center is a brand name used by Travel Holding Entity LLC (T.H.E.) and/or one of T.H.E.’s affiliated companies. Customers of Cruise Value Center are advised to read fully all terms and conditions set forth below. These terms and conditions constitute a contract between Cruise Value Center and the passenger and/or purchaser, both on his/her behalf and on behalf of any other person or persons, including children, for whom the reservation is purchased (herein after referred to as the “Passenger(s)”). All parties acknowledge and agree to be bound thereby by accepting this contract.
Cruise Value Center works with several other travel organizations such as cruise lines, hotels, airlines, tour operator, etc. in arranging travel packages. Such organizations will be referred to as “Suppliers” elsewhere in these terms and conditions. Suppliers are considered any travel organization(s) which Cruise Value Center works with, purchases from, or otherwise deals with in the arrangement of travel packages.
Cruise Value Center requires payment(s) on the due date(s) indicated in any of it’s written statements and/or verbal notification given to the Passenger. Cruise Value Center reserves the right to consider non-payment or partial payments as a cancellation. The Passenger’s reservation is accepted when Cruise Value Center receives the correct deposit/initial payment and has sent an invoice confirming the price of travel arrangements to the Passenger. The specific terms of the reservation are subject to change by Cruise Value Center or the Supplier(s) until the correct final payment has been received. Further, Cruise Value Center reserves the right to correct an error in the brochure price, advertised price or invoice price until the Passenger’s account is paid in full. Every reservation is also subject to the conditions imposed by Suppliers of any other independent contractors who provide services for the travel package.
Occasionally factors outside the control of Cruise Value Center may force them to ask for additional surcharges. Cruise Value Center cannot guarantee prices because Suppliers reserve the right to impose surcharges or change their prices.
Cruise Value Center reserves the right to impose a fee, which will be due from the customer without condition, the amount of which will be up to the full purchase price of the vacation package (including airfare, cruise fare, hotel rates, pre and post cruise packages, shore excursions and other charges) as stated on this invoice or statement, less the amount already received from the customer, for changes to or cancellations of travel arrangements requested by the Passenger. These fees, if charged by Cruise Value Center, will be in addition to any penalties assessed by any other Supplier. Cruise Value Center reserves the right to impose fees for travel changes and or cancellations regardless of the date of the change/cancellation. Cruise line Suppliers generally require cancellation notification 60 to 120 days before the date of sailing to avoid penalties. Other Suppliers may also have cancellation penalty schedules. It is passenger’s responsibility to refer to the most current specific Supplier brochure for their cancellation policy.
Passenger(s) also agree that any insurance proceeds received, regardless of who paid for the insurance, as a result of a Supplier default or insolvency shall be first used to satisfy the referenced Cruise Value Center fee. Passenger(s) further agree to cooperate in achieving such insurance recoveries including allowing for Cruise Value Center or its successors, assigns, and/or secured debt holders to receive funds directly from the insurers and to remit any surplus fund to the Passenger(s) after deducting fees authorized by this Agreement.
Cruise Value Center does not own or operate any of the hotels, transportation companies, sightseeing attractions, cruise lines or other Suppliers who provide goods or services for the Passenger’s trip. Cruise Value Center is not responsible for the negligence or willful acts and/or omissions of these Suppliers, their employees, agents, servants, or representatives and Cruise Value Center is not liable to refund fully or partially for any unsatisfactory services from any Supplier. Cruise Value Center is not an agent of the Supplier nor the Passenger.
Without limitation, Cruise Value Center is not responsible for Supplier overbooking or conditions/accommodations. Cruise Value Center is not responsible for flight or other Supplier delays or cancellations, missed connections or any other condition beyond its control. In addition, Cruise Value Center is not responsible for any act or omission, whether willful or negligent, of any person not its direct employee. Nor is Cruise Value Center responsible for any act or omission of any third party, whether negligent, willful, criminal or otherwise. Without limitation, Cruise Value Center is not responsible for criminal activity, acts of God, the consequences of strikes, industrial disputes, union unrest, terrorist activity, food or water poisoning, illness, political upheaval, acts of government, war, civil unrest, riots, fire, lockouts, weather conditions, dangers incident to the sea, lost/damaged/delayed luggage, closure of airports/seaports/hotels/train stations, computer problems including but not limited to failure of services therein, or anything else beyond its control.
The fare includes only the items (as specified on the Cruise Value Center invoice/receipt) and may include some but not all food/refreshments. Spirits, wine, beer, sodas, mineral water and other food/drink items as defined by the Supplier may require additional payment. Prices may vary and Cruise Value Center does not guarantee the lowest price. The Supplier and Cruise Value Center reserve the right to increase fares without notice. In such an event, Cruise Value Center will notify the Passenger by sending a revised statement of the prices.
The issued tickets are valid only for the voyage/air transportation/shore excursion and for the person or persons named as Passenger(s) which are specified on the Cruise Value Center statement and cannot be transferred without the Supplier’s written consent. Cruise Value Center is not responsible for reimbursement or refund to Passenger, either fully or partially, for lost or stolen tickets/documents or for wholly/partially used tickets. Passenger waives the right to use any statute or other governmental regulation to the contrary. Supplier reserves the right to cancel any scheduled port of call, interim stop or itinerary location for any reason at its option at any time without previous notice to the Passenger and without liability to the Passenger for any loss, damage or delay whatsoever, and Cruise Value Center is not liable for these Supplier changes/cancellations. Cruise Value Center reserves the right to alter the itinerary from that printed in its materials and to substitute itineraries or accommodations as deemed necessary by Cruise Value Center. In such cases, the change will not result in eligibility for a refund.
Cruise Value Center has made no representation nor promise with respect to the arrangements described in brochures or advertisements except as expressly set forth in its literature or in a written agreement signed by an officer of Cruise Value Center. Cruise Value Center and/or supplier reserves the right to decline a Passenger for any lawful reason including disruptive behavior or inability to take the trip without undue restrictions. The only obligation of Cruise Value Center shall be to refund to any such Passenger that portion of his or her payment(s) allocable to unused services after any and all penalties issued by Cruise Value Center or the travel Supplier(s) have been paid. Refunds are otherwise not granted for unused services.

Cruise Value Center’s responsibility shall never exceed the usual amount of liability to which Cruise Value Center is obligated under applicable law. No undertaking, guarantee or warranty is given or shall be implied as to the fitness or condition of the Supplier’s accommodations or any food, drink, medicine, or provisions supplied. In no event shall Cruise Value Center be liable for any accident which occurs ashore, on board ship/in dock, on tenders, on shore excursions, in hotels, in resorts, on airplanes/in airports, on buses/in bus stations, on trains/in train stations, or during any mode of transportation encountered during the trip, resulting from equipment or any other cause. The Passenger admits a full understanding of the nature and character of the mode of transport and assumes all risks of travel, transportation and handling of passengers and baggage. The Passenger assumes the risk of, and agrees that Cruise Value Center is not liable for injury, or death to, or delay of the Passenger; loss or damage to, or delay of the Passenger’s baggage, personal effects, or property arising from, caused by, or in the judgement of the Supplier, rendered necessary or advisable by reason of any act of God or public enemies, arrest, restraints of any government or rulers of people, piracy, war, revolution, extortion, terrorist actions or threats, hijacking, bombing, threatened or actual rebellion, insurrection, civil strife, fire, explosion, collision, stranding, grounding, perils of the sea, rivers, canals, locks or other waters, perils of navigation of any kind, lack of water or passageway in canals, theft, accident to or from machinery, boilers, or latent defects even though existing at embarkation or commencement of the travel package, desertion or revolt of crew, seizure of ship by legal process, strike, lockout or labor disturbance.
Passenger is also bound by all Supplier defined rules and restrictions regarding baggage allotments and charges for additional baggage. Cruise Value Center is not liable for any excess baggage charges incurred by the Passenger. Passenger is responsible for all Supplier defined cancellation/interruption penalties. Cruise Value Center is not liable to the Passenger for the refund of any monies for Passenger cancellation or trip interruption. Cruise Value Center recommends Passenger purchases travel insurance to cover losses as defined by the travel insurance carrier. Passenger accepts all financial responsibilities for cancellation, interruption, medical attention needed during the trip, loss of baggage, missed travel connection(s) due to flight or other travel delay/cancellations from weather or mechanical difficulties as well as all other financial charges arising from events during the trip. Cruise Value Center is not liable for costs arising from personal injury or death of Passenger. Suppliers may or may not carry physicians, surgeons, barbers, hairdressers or any other individual providing personal services. Passenger is responsible for charges incurred by using these services, if available. Cruise Value Center is not liable for costs associated with Passenger’s use of medical or personal services which are not included by the Supplier as free services. Cruise Value Center is not liable for any loss due to Passenger’s gambling and is not responsible for any purchases made while on the trip including services or products purchased while on shore excursion, auxiliary trips, tours, etc.
Cruise Value Center recommends that all Passengers be in good physical and mental health and have medical approval to travel. Any physical disabilities should be reported at the time of reservation and Cruise Value Center will investigate amenities and/or special accommodations offered by Suppliers. Passenger is required to provide his or her own personal or individually prescribed devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, or similar devices. If more than minor assistance is required, the Passenger must be accompanied by a companion or helper who is capable of, and totally responsible for, providing such assistance. Cruise Value Center shall be held harmless for any claim relating thereto. Cruise Value Center and/or supplier reserves the right to reject any Passenger because of any mental or physical condition or disorder. Suppliers reserve the right to refuse or revoke passage to Passengers who, in their judgement, may be refused admission into a port or landing or into the country of destination. Cruise Value Center is not liable for any costs resulting from this action.
Suppliers reserve the right to change the departure date from the original scheduled or advertised date. The Supplier reserves the right to change the method of transportation from the method originally advertised, or to change the hotel/accommodations. The Supplier reserves the right to deviate from the direct, customary and/or scheduled route or itinerary for any reason, without limitation and without notice, in the interest of Passenger(s) and/or the vessel. Cruise Value Center is not liable to Passenger for full or partial refunds due to Supplier date, vessel, hotel and/or itinerary alterations.
In cases of quarantine, Passenger must bear all risks, losses and expenses caused thereby.
Suppliers reserve the right to change berths/cabins and or hotel rooms for any reason deemed necessary by the Supplier. Cruise Value Center is not liable for any refunds, full or partial, for these types of changes.
Passenger is responsible to have all passports, visas, travel and health documents required for: passage to ports of call, on board ship, or entering/exiting a country. Failure to have the proper documents may result in delay, refusal of passage, or fees to Passenger. Cruise Value Center is not liable for any charges associated with Passenger failure to procure and have on their person the proper travel documents. Cruise Value Center is not required to inform Passenger of the necessary documents. Cruise Value Center recommends the Passenger consult with the appropriate domestic and foreign governmental agencies for the current document requirements. The Passenger shall be liable to and shall reimburse Supplier for all damage to the vessel and/or hotel and/or other accommodations. Cruise Value Center is not liable for costs incurred by Passenger in these situations.
Passenger agrees that any and all disputes associated with the Passenger’s trip, either related to the airline/train/bus/car rental carrier, the cruise line carrier, or any other Supplier involved in his or her vacation, will be directed to the specific Supplier and not to Cruise Value Center. This includes requests for refunds, credits, etc. Passenger(s) must file all insurance claims with their insurance carrier. Cruise Value Center is not responsible for refunds, credits, insurance claims or any other financial resolution in response to passenger disputes.
This contract shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the state of Michigan and the laws of the United States of America. The Passenger/Purchaser and Cruise Value Center agree that each may bring claims against the other only in your or its individual capacity, and not as a plaintiff or class member. Copyright RTS 04/07/08

This was their past Terms and Conditions used in 2007, and earlier this year as well. Interestingly this older one looks stricter as it mentions specifics regarding cancellation fees.

Maybe a lawyer can comment, or anyone else who can find major differences as the changed language (on first post) was just made this fall when the company was about to go under.


IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please read all information listed below.
Read Invoice Thoroughly. Please review this invoice in its entirety. The Client will be the only recipient of invoices and is solely responsible to convey all information listed on invoices to all travel companions, multiple invoices will not be issued. Passenger names must match the identification used for travel, it is mandatory that all documentation reflect the complete legal names. Verify ticket/documents address as noted on the front of this confirmation. Notify your Cruise Specialist immediately if changes or corrections are needed. Please allow 3 business days for processing any changes i.e. insurance, cancellations, additions, etc. Processing reissued tickets will result in delays. Suppliers may charge a substantial fee plus applicable fare increases for changes made less than 90 days prior to sailing. CVC will not and cannot accept any coupons, vouchers, or certificates unless issued by Cruise Value Center (our wholesale rates do not allow for any further discounts or concessions from the cruise line or tour operator). Coupons are not applicable on certain dates and/or itineraries, or on specific wholesale rates. Cruise Value Center reserves the right at any time to deny any coupon including those issued by CVC. Coupons are not accepted on any internet bookings. Cruise Value Center does not guarantee price adjustments and reserves the right to review them on a case-by-case basis. Price adjustments are not available after final payment has been made.
Read Supplier’s Brochure Carefully. Supplier brochures contain important information concerning your vacation. Carefully review supplier’s policies concerning cancellation penalties. Cruise Value Center will impose a $75 p/p cancellation fee in addition to any supplier’s penalties. The client assumes full responsibility for completing and sending the cancellation request in writing and correct fee to Cruise Value Center. The client also acknowledges that Cruise Value Center reserves the right to process cancellation requests up to 3 business days after they have been received. If applicable, locate your cabin to verify its location and bedding options. Dining is only on a request basis, cannot be confirmed, and is at the cruise line’s discretion. Cruise Value Center will not be held liable for any dining changes for any reason. Verify that the ship, sail date, departure date (if different from sailing date) and itinerary on this invoice match the supplier’s current brochure for accuracy. Notify your Cruise Specialist if you do not have a current brochure and require one. Brochures will be sent only upon request and are based on availability. Cruise Value Center will not be held responsible if a brochure is unavailable, and is the client’s responsibility to secure a brochure from an alternative source.
Payments. Initial deposit is required at the time of booking. If the booking is made within 90 days of your vacation, full payment will be required. If the booking is made more than 90 days (date may differ for Holiday and special sailings) prior to your vacation it is your responsibility to contact Cruise Value Center at least 90 days prior to your travel date to finalize your vacation. Cruise Value Center accepts all major credit cards, as well as cash, checks (personal checks are only accepted 90 days or more prior to the travel date), certified checks, and money orders. Cruise Value Center assumes no responsibility in regard to any charges or payments that are declined due to insufficient funds, or for any reason, including but not limited to incorrect account numbers and/or credit limits. These declined payments could result in additional cancellation fees, penalties, lost bookings, and increased rates. Cruise Value Center will impose a $50 late fee if we do not receive your final payment by the due date indicated on this invoice.
Travel Insurance is Strongly Recommended. Travel insurance provides protection for the traveler in the event that the trip is cancelled due to certain circumstances (for specific inclusions/exclusions, please contact your Cruise Specialist for a detailed insurance brochure). Travel Insurance also protects in the event of most medical emergencies, and in some instances, pre-existing medical conditions. Some other benefits may include legal assistance, emergency medical evacuation, and travel document and ticket replacement assistance. Travel Insurance is NOT automatically included.
Proof of Citizenship/Travel Requirements. Passports may be required for all sailings. Please visit http://travel.state.gov for up to date information. Non U.S. citizens must contact their country's embassy or consulate concerning specific travel documentation requirements. It is your responsibility to make certain you have the correct identification needed for your particular vacation.
Air/Sea Transportation Restrictions. If you purchase air transportation directly from the cruise line, not from Cruise Value Center, and there are delays with your assigned air carrier, in most cases the air line will be able to make arrangements for you to reach the ship. Cruise Value Center assumes no responsibility for assigned air, flights, seating, schedule, or any issues involving air travel. The cruise line reserves the right to choose the air carrier, routing, flight times, and specific city airport for each gateway city. If you make other air transportation arrangements (i.e. through a third party other than the cruise line), THE CRUISE LINE OR AGENT ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY. Additionally, if you encounter delays and miss the ship, you assume all responsibility for, but not limited to, loss of time, money or property. INSURANCE IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Any special requests for a customized air schedule must be done at least 90 days prior to the departure date. This service is an air deviation; charges start at $100 per person plus any fare differential. Cruise Value Center will automatically assume air deviation is declined unless otherwise stated on the front of this invoice. CVC is not responsible for any flights assigned by the cruise line.
Review All Tickets and Documents. Documents will be received approximately 7-10 days prior to travel date. All documents with flights (paper tickets, not E-tickets) require signature delivery. Please contact the Document Department if you plan to leave earlier. Cruise Value Center will attempt to accommodate the client but reserves the right to deny any request. It is the sole responsibility of the client to review and verify all information printed on the supplier’s tickets, documents and/or accompanying literature. Thoroughly review the tickets in their entirety. Verify all passenger accommodations, ascertain that all names are correct and match the documentation that you will be using for identification. Many vendors require pre-registration forms completed online or via fax, these forms must be completed prior to the vacation – it is your responsibility to make certain this is has been done prior to your departure. Suppliers may charge a substantial fee plus applicable fare increases for changes made after the tickets and/or documents are issued. Cruise Value Center is not able to handle all special requests and/or certain personal service issues. Special needs and/or requirements require additional fees.
Cruise Value Center charges $50 per person/per booking adjustment for any changes. This fee will be in addition to the aforementioned Cruise Line charges. Notify your Cruise Specialist immediately if changes or corrections are required.
$50 Service charge per person for ALL CHANGES and/ or service work i.e. adding/removing air/name change, spelling corrections, etc.
$50 fee will be charged for ALL RETURNED CHECKS
$50 charge will be assessed for ALL LATE PAYMENTS
Cruise Value Center will impose a $75 per person fee for cancellation. All requests to cancel a reservation must be forwarded to Cruise Value Center in writing along with the cancellation fee payable by credit card, certified check or money order to Cruise Value Center. In addition, the supplier in accordance with their cancellation policies may charge additional fees. Client assumes full responsibility if additional cancellation fees are incurred during the processing period.
Cruise Value Center is acting as intermediary and agent for suppliers identified on the invoice in selling services, or in accepting reservations or bookings for services that are not directly supplied by this agency (such as air transportation, hotel accommodations, ground transportation, meals, tours, cruises, etc.). This agency therefore shall not be responsible for breach of contract or any intentional, unintentional or careless actions or omissions on the part of such suppliers which result in any loss, damage, delay or injury to you, your traveling companions or group members. Nor will Cruise Value Center assume responsibility for disputes between a client, credit card company, or Cruiseline in regards to pricing and/or payments.
Cruise Value Center shall not be responsible for any injuries, damages, or losses caused to any traveler. By embarking on his/her travel, the traveler voluntarily assumes all risks involved with such travel, whether expected or unexpected.
The customer by receipt of this invoice has been advised of Travel Insurance and has read all information included with this invoice. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

[Jade13]

The takeover took place sometime in October of 2007. Cruise Value Center also did business under the name Tour Value Center. The operating company, Travel Holding Entity, also operated Cruises of Distinction. They were operated separately with separate staffs, but I believe they are also out of business, but I do not know for certain.

You may have used a number of different lead services to make a reservation with Cruise Value Center, but any confirmation you would have received would indicate that you made a reservation with Cruise Value Center.

thisworldtraveler, my credit card was charged and my supplier was paid directly (but there is an issue on the negotiated rate), however, they have my travel agent listed as "TRACY SCOTT CRUISES CORPORATION".

This corporation is NOT mentioned on my contract, either the one for the deposit from 2007 and the final sent last week. The supplier wants documentation that TRACY SCOTT CRUISES CORPORATION has gone out of business in order to take over my booking. I have not been able to google them or find out further information.

If you find out anything please let me know?

[G'ma]

Carnival is telling people that booked through CVC that CVC is still in operations and they can't talk to them until CVC officially shuts down.

This isn't completely correct. My brother, his wife and I are cruising 12/14... He booked long after I did and made payment in July. Carnival shows my reservation paid and everything AOK..(made final payment on 9/15). Brother's reservation had only been deposited by CVC but no final payment.

He called Carnival, gave them his credit card for the balance..and filed a dispute with his credit card company for chargeback.

Carnival took his payment with no problem...with upgraded cabin in place and no additional charges.

[G'ma]

I just got my mail (from UP post office) and there was a letter from the defunct travel agency. I was excited thinking that they are notifying their clients and offereing restitution. NO! It was simply the 3rd notice I have received from them reminding me that I need a visa for Australia. Interestingly enough, it is dated 11/08, the Friday before they went belly up. Apparently they were still operating as usually as late as Friday. How odd.

Well, they were for sure on Thursday. I drove up there to pick up a check. They owed me a refund of over 500.00 and I was going up that direction anyway so stopped in to pick it up. I deposited it the same day.

Will be interesting to see if it clears the bank, won't it?

It's a shame. I've worked with them for several years and have booked 8 cruises with them and never had a problem. I feel for those who have lost their jobs and for others who may have lost money with them.

[scottjeanne]

An update: I have filled out a transfer of agent form with HAL and paid my final depsit a second time. ($7000.00!!!). HAL has been very accomodating. They will not honor the price that CVC was giving me, but the difference is under $500 so it is not that big of a deal. I will lose our Pinnacle grill reservation, the photo voucher and the bottle of champagne,but again it is no big deal.

Why did HAL keep my reservation when they did not recieve the final payment when it was due on September 5? This probably occured for many passengers on many different cruises all booked with CVC. Did HAL suspect a problem? Or is this standard operating procedure?

I have filed a claim with my credit card company. since the charge is more than 60 days old, but I was not billed more than 60 days ago, I am probably alright.

[thisworldtraveler]

thisworldtraveler, my credit card was charged and my supplier was paid directly (but there is an issue on the negotiated rate), however, they have my travel agent listed as "TRACY SCOTT CRUISES CORPORATION".

This corporation is NOT mentioned on my contract, either the one for the deposit from 2007 and the final sent last week. The supplier wants documentation that TRACY SCOTT CRUISES CORPORATION has gone out of business in order to take over my booking. I have not been able to google them or find out further information.

If you find out anything please let me know?

Jade,

Send me an email and I will see what I can do.

[Jade13]

Jade,


Send me an email and I will see what I can do.

I looked on your blog but do not see your Email address.

[Randyk47]

Look at his blog again. On the left hand side is a hot link labeled "Contact". That'll pop up an email box.

[Darcy03231]

Everyone who is disputing charges with their cc company should do so in writing (they won't necessarily tell you this on the phone). Also, make sure you stress that you did not authorize Cruise Value Center to make the charge to themselves. You authorized Cruise Calue Center to make the charge, on your behalf, directly to the cruise line. This could make a difference in successfully disputing the charge. Point out that the initial deposits were made directly to the cruise line, per your instructions (give date and transaction #'s if you have them).

I got a great person on the phone at my cc company who basically outlined to me what I had to say, in writing, to successfully dispute the charges.

[thisworldtraveler]

I looked on your blog but do not see your Email address.

Click on the Contact button on my website.

[scottjeanne]

I am now able to complete my online checkin with HAL. They have you read and check a box stating that you read their terms and conditions. This is one of the paragraphs. I obviously did not get the information until after the final payment!

Travel Agents: Any travel agent you use in connection with your Cruise, Cruisetour or HAL Land Trip acts solely for you and is deemed your agent. We are not responsible for the financial condition or integrity of any such travel agent. In the event that an agent fails to remit to us any monies paid by you to the agent, you remain liable for the fare due us, regardless of whether we demand payment before or after Initial Departure. Any refund made by us to an agent on your behalf is considered, for purposes of this contract, as being the same as payment to you whether or not the monies are delivered by the agent to you. Receipt of any documents or information by your travel agent, including but not limited to this contract, shall be deemed to constitute receipt by you.

It means any help HAL offers is out of the goodness of their heart, not out of a legal obligation to do so.

[BrianTom]

Travel Agents: Any travel agent you use in connection with your Cruise, Cruisetour or HAL Land Trip acts solely for you and is deemed your agent. We are not responsible for the financial condition or integrity of any such travel agent. In the event that an agent fails to remit to us any monies paid by you to the agent, you remain liable for the fare due us, regardless of whether we demand payment before or after Initial Departure. Any refund made by us to an agent on your behalf is considered, for purposes of this contract, as being the same as payment to you whether or not the monies are delivered by the agent to you. Receipt of any documents or information by your travel agent, including but not limited to this contract, shall be deemed to constitute receipt by you.

It means any help HAL offers is out of the goodness of their heart, not out of a legal obligation to do so.

It make you think about booking directly with the cruise lines in the future.

[Randyk47]

It certainly will make me more cautious but I'll probably still use my on-line agencies. I'm not ready to throw in the towel quite yet.

[helenp2]

The only problem people will find is that this agency was under pricing HAL and I doubt HAL will just give the discounted prices. There will be more problems for those on Celebrity/RCCL since this cruise line does not allow discounting. I know of people who were promised rebate checks when they returned even though Celebrity does not allow discounting.

CVC under priced HAL by a good deal of money. Last Feb. we were booked by them on the Noordam out of NYC 10 day cruise in a Cat. VD for $957 pp including all taxes and port charges. HAL wanted almost 47% more to book direct. I for one would prefer HAL to have a policy similar to Celebrity in their pricing.

[Randyk47]

If HAL goes to the same price fixing that Celebrity went to then we'll probably stop cruising. We already gave up Celebrity for that reason, too expensive.

[newmexicoNita]

CVC under priced HAL by a good deal of money. Last Feb. we were booked by them on the Noordam out of NYC 10 day cruise in a Cat. VD for $957 pp including all taxes and port charges. HAL wanted almost 47% more to book direct. I for one would prefer HAL to have a policy similar to Celebrity in their pricing.Helen, my feeling, what you just said about their pricing is one of the reasons they went under. I have this before. You can cut just so much before you have no revenue to stay in business..

Nita

[helenp2]

Helen, my feeling, what you just said about their pricing is one of the reasons they went under. I have this before. You can cut just so much before you have no revenue to stay in business..

Nita

Nita, I couldn't agree more. I could never quite figure out how they were able to discount cruises to the extent they did. Now we know the end result - out of business. Sometimes consumers need to take a step back and remind themselves "if it looks to goodto be true - it probably is".

[wrp96]

CVC under priced HAL by a good deal of money. Last Feb. we were booked by them on the Noordam out of NYC 10 day cruise in a Cat. VD for $957 pp including all taxes and port charges. HAL wanted almost 47% more to book direct. I for one would prefer HAL to have a policy similar to Celebrity in their pricing.

And that's one of the interesting (and sad) things about this case. Many of the people that booked their cruises through CVC are now finding they must pay MORE than they originally booked at because CVC had priced their fares so low. At least the people that booked RCCL or Celebrity cruises (which have the no discounting policy) aren't faced with an unexpected rate increase in addition to the uncertainty about final payments/deposits like some of the people booked on HAL, Princess, or Carnival.

[pooh12]

I worked for cruise value for many years the business closed on 11/10 we had nonotice that this was happening nobody told us a thing till that day the company was purchased last fall by rich and ron smith of cruises of distinction or travel holding entity the business was fine until they took over they started making the payments to pay pal we all disagreed with that they did not care they just seemed like they wanted money there was an employee who stole money but that was over 2 years ago and that had nothing to do with these problems that are occuring now nor is it the economy it was just terrible managmennt by the smith brothers. There were never problems in all the years i worked there when Jeff Kivet owned the company now I am jobless just like all of my fellow employees with no warning we were supposed to be paid today and we didn't receive our paychecks I feel terrible for the people who have lost money and are now having problems and it didn't have anything to do with discounting because if you check and see the company did that for years and was fine............

[richnorto]

I really feel bad for all the employees who got caught up in this!!! And to discover no paycheck as well...That's just wrong! It wouldn't surprise me to discover there will be some charges against the owners. It sounds like some very fishy bookkeeping and I hope someone is looking into this!

[scottjeanne]

Pooh, I am so sorry for you at this time. I am glad an employee is reading these threads and can give us the more accurate story than us just speculating. I hope you end up getting your final pay check at least.

As for paying alot more by booking directly with HAL, it only came to $176 more. CVC had some taxes and fees that HAL did not charge. HAL did charge more for the cruise itself though. It all came out in the wash, so to speak.

[Oceanwench]

A co-worker of mine got caught up in this mess.
She has a 10-day cruise booked with HAL for January. She has now switched her booking to HAL. Her final payment was almost $400 more than CVC would have charged. [Or did charge ... which is now under dispute with her credit card company!]

DH switched our booking to HAL for a fall 2009 cruise, 7-day, and the price differential was about $300. The representative said final payment was due in September.
Interestingly enough, I just looked at our CVC confirmation for that cruise, and it says final payment would be due JULY 2009!!!

Just makes me wonder ... :confused:

Not sure what we will do down the road as far as booking with online agencies. I know I plan to be more involved in the process, as this has been quite a learning experience!

Thanks to all who have posted information here. It has been helpful!

[Oceanwench]

You are missing a point here and it almost sounds like you are blaming the victims (even if that it not your intent). This agency used to be good, they advertised on Cruise Critic, they were one of the biggest sellers of Carnival cruises and even today their front page still had a photo with Carnival Executives. They did not use to charge payments to themselves. HAL endorsed them and I even have an Email (last year) from someone at HAL telling me they were legit and had always helped HAL out in hard times. Something happened this year, the company was sold and then they declined. In my case my booking was from over a year ago with the original owner.

There is no reason to blame the victims, many who assumed as in the past the cruise would be paid directly to the cruise line (Btw, mine was last week as I insisted on it, had it confirmed on Email with CVC). And by the way, I always received good customer service through CVC, who had an actual office and toll free number.

Thank you for stating this!
It does sound like the poster was blaming the victims.

It's not a case of "if it looks too good to be true, it is."
CVC's prices were not ridiculously low ... I found them maybe $25-50 per person cheaper, bottom line.
We used them many times and never had any problems. I recommended them to several of my co-workers and to my family.

[localady]

Sounds like something the Justice Dept. should look into.:mad:

I am sorry for all the employees out of work (and paychecks:() as well as all the cruisers who are left holding the bag.:o

[laurav]

You are missing a point here and it almost sounds like you are blaming the victims (even if that it not your intent). This agency used to be good, they advertised on Cruise Critic, they were one of the biggest sellers of Carnival cruises and even today their front page still had a photo with Carnival Executives. They did not use to charge payments to themselves. HAL endorsed them and I even have an Email (last year) from someone at HAL telling me they were legit and had always helped HAL out in hard times. Something happened this year, the company was sold and then they declined. In my case my booking was from over a year ago with the original owner.

Btw, as far as I know Carnival and HAL have always allowed discounting, including group rates. I know RCCL/Celebrity did not (but allowed lots of OBC). However it was done CVC DID in the past charge credit cards directly to HAL and at the rate that they gave me. I always received a pdf "Guest Copy" from HAL.

I don't think that is true that as an agent you all pay the same thing for the cruise. It has been widely reported that some large Agents do get special rates. I hope another TA will comment? There is no reason to blame the victims, many who assumed as in the past the cruise would be paid directly to the cruise line (Btw, mine was last week as I insisted on it, had it confirmed on Email with CVC). And by the way, I always received good customer service through CVC, who had an actual office and toll free number.

I most definitely am not blaming the passengers and my heart goes out to anyone that put good money down on something and then gets bitterly disappointed by way of not receiving what they pay for. I was stating that it is wrong to say that it is not a good idea to book through a travel agent. It is just extremely important to understand how that agent conducts their business and it is something that should be checked every time you make a booking. Just because something was done in the past doesn't mean it is still being practiced today and it only takes a moment to ask. It was standard policy in the past, before everyone started using credit cards, to give the money to the agent/agency and then the agency would forward to the vendor ... in today's world, that is no longer a necessary or truly viable practice and as legitimate agents we all have acces to the payments portion of their websites in order to directly pay monies due. It is a good practice to try and get the money in a day or two early, in the event that something may happen to keep the payment from being processed on time and correctly but there is always a few days leeway when making a final payment.

Additionally, I will add, that if anyone remembers Renissance Cruise Lines and how they went under within 72 hours of the attacks of 9/11 you realize that just because a cruise line has your money it doesn't guarantee anything ... Renissance tried to make a go of it without allowing for Travel Agents to make their bookings and receive fair commission for their work which left them strapped for cash because travel agents were not recommending their ships. Travel Agents are responsible for the bulk of bookings on cruise ships and the cruise lines truly understand that they need us to fill those cabins, they do not want to support the number of company employed reservation agents needed to fill over 17,000 itineraries world wide in the course of any given 12 month period. It would not be cost effective for them.

As for all agencies paying the same amount ... the BASE fare is the same for all agencies ... the commission structure may vary from one to another. As for discounting ... I attend webinars and face to face meetings with every cruise line we sell, which is every cruise line available and we are consistently told NOT TO PUBLICLY DISCOUNT by every single one of them. When a company such as CVC rebates and discounts they are undercutting their own bottom line. There is absolutely NOTHING WRONG with treating your client well, but any business that doesn't know what they need to clear per client to keep their doors open will always fail. If they are counting on using the TOUR CONDUCTOR CREDITS toward the rebates, etc., and they don't fill enough cabins to get the amount of the TC's then they are having to use their own money to toward those rebates and that is usually just the start of the problem.

RCCL, Celebrity, NCL and others that have good group policies have put a cap on the maximum OBC and gifts that are allowed per cabin via the use of the group amenity points assigned to a fulfilled group and sometimes you might be part of a group that you aren't even aware of when you sail on Princess and other lines and not even receive any amenities, depending on the agency you booked with and the contract they may have with them. And I must say that statments like "it has been widely reported" don't mean too much in this day of viral mis-information. I have been a travel agent for almost 30 years and have specialized in cruises for almost 7 and you would not believe some of the garbage I hear from people who say it is a fact because they read it on the internet ... just because someone says something does not make it valid. I am not trying to be a smart alek here, just trying to share some valuable information and trying to make sure that people understand the value of a good agent. My business has been built on repeats and referrals and many of the people that I deem my best clients are people that used to try to do it for themselves and got frustrated with never talking with the same person twice and hearing different answers to the same questions depending on who they are speaking with at the time.

As a lay person, it may seem like you should always find the cheapest, downest, dirtiest price but, again, as an agent, I will say that you need to know that you get what you pay for. The cruise lines reservationists cannot or will not always offer you the best rate unless you know what you are looking/asking for (good example, today I sold a cruise on NCL because the woman had called NCL direct and they didn't ask her age or where she lived and there was both a senior rate and a regional rate that saved her over $100 per cabin). Or may not always know the ships from experience or inspection or discussion and are only looking at the same layouts that you will find in their online brochure or physical brochure.

We, as travel agents, perform a valuable service and it doesn't cost you a penny more to go through a good agent.

[laurav]

I am an agent as well and feel very sorry for all of your people caught in this mess.

I wanted to say. It is very normal for HAL to charge $25.00 for pier pick up as they are one cruiseline who issues paper tickets and will only mail them direct to the agency for them to mail to guests. If you try and vary from that policy they charge $100.00 to mail to guest direct. They require tickets to check in. Everyone please make sure you have your tickets or you will have problems at the pier.

Good luck to all.


I guess that I am lucky in that I have NEVER had a client charged for this and in fact, we have held our National Conference onboard HAL and had pier pickup for all guests in our group of over 450 and none of us had to pay anything. So, this is truly news to me and something that I will definitely put in my "things to remember" file. Thank you for the input.

[laurav]

Thank you for stating this!
It does sound like the poster was blaming the victims.

It's not a case of "if it looks too good to be true, it is."
CVC's prices were not ridiculously low ... I found them maybe $25-50 per person cheaper, bottom line.
We used them many times and never had any problems. I recommended them to several of my co-workers and to my family.

HOWEVER ... CVC Did offer discounts that were not within the realm of true possiblity. When you see $25 - 50 pp lower, this is something that may be due to a special that a particular agency may have been authorized that another was not but when you see discounts that are hundreds and hundreds of dollars less than other agencies are offering you have to know that something is patently w-r-o-n-g. This has to apply to everything you purchase from a hamburger to a cruise to a TV to a car ... there is common sense that needs to be taken into consideration when doing anything ... hamburgers $1 each .... fresh made at Micky D's ... or hamburgers 10 cents each of dubious quality and manufacture ... you know in your hart that the $1 burger is the better deal and that you will end up with a gut ache at the very least from the 10 cent burger because we all know that no one can consistently offer a 10 cent burger made of good quality product. Or those $12 airline flights ... 2 seats on one plane a day and the taxes and fees end up making the price the same as if you just purchased a regular ticket.

There is absolutely nothing wrong in finding a good VALUE but VALUE means you receive the product that you wanted and everthing that that entails at a GOOD price. The cheapest price is not always the best VALUE.

CVC was and continues to be the thorn in the side of many legitimate agencies and as I stated in my first post, their demise has effected the travel industry as a whole.

[pooh12]

HOWEVER ... CVC Did offer discounts that were not within the realm of true possiblity. When you see $25 - 50 pp lower, this is something that may be due to a special that a particular agency may have been authorized that another was not but when you see discounts that are hundreds and hundreds of dollars less than other agencies are offering you have to know that something is patently w-r-o-n-g. This has to apply to everything you purchase from a hamburger to a cruise to a TV to a car ... there is common sense that needs to be taken into consideration when doing anything ... hamburgers $1 each .... fresh made at Micky D's ... or hamburgers 10 cents each of dubious quality and manufacture ... you know in your hart that the $1 burger is the better deal and that you will end up with a gut ache at the very least from the 10 cent burger because we all know that no one can consistently offer a 10 cent burger made of good quality product. Or those $12 airline flights ... 2 seats on one plane a day and the taxes and fees end up making the price the same as if you just purchased a regular ticket.

There is absolutely nothing wrong in finding a good VALUE but VALUE means you receive the product that you wanted and everthing that that entails at a GOOD price. The cheapest price is not always the best VALUE.

CVC was and continues to be the thorn in the side of many legitimate agencies and as I stated in my first post, their demise has effected the travel industry as a whole.


I just wanted to say again it was not the discounting that they closed it was because of bad management by the Smith brothers I was there I worked there for years and had a very stable job before they took over since we were a big agency they would receive special rates from the cruise lines so the discounting was possible it's just like the big stores you go in there prices are way cheaper then the smaller ones why because they sell more, not the problem the problems arose when the sale to them happened

[Aussie Gal]

Pooh12,

First of all my heart goes out to you and all the people who were employed at CVC. It must have been such a shock for you all.

Secondly, thank you for sharing with us the reasons for the demise of this firm. Greed does play a big part in business especially when a good firm is taken over by someone who thinks they will make a quick profit in a short time as they milk the business for all they can. I do feel for the original owner who has watched his baby disappear. It must be hard for him to know that so many people have lost their jobs and that the clients have lost their money.

Jennie.

[Jade13]

I have lost sleep over this. I am someone who has lost a significant amount of money I will never get back. While my upcoming cruise (non HAL) was paid to the supplier, this TA owed me money and it was not a small amount.

[oysterdam]

HOWEVER ... CVC Did offer discounts that were not within the realm of true possiblity. When you see $25 - 50 pp lower, this is something that may be due to a special that a particular agency may have been authorized that another was not but when you see discounts that are hundreds and hundreds of dollars less than other agencies are offering you have to know that something is patently w-r-o-n-g. This has to apply to everything you purchase from a hamburger to a cruise to a TV to a car ... there is common sense that needs to be taken into consideration when doing anything ... hamburgers $1 each .... fresh made at Micky D's ... or hamburgers 10 cents each of dubious quality and manufacture ... you know in your hart that the $1 burger is the better deal and that you will end up with a gut ache at the very least from the 10 cent burger because we all know that no one can consistently offer a 10 cent burger made of good quality product. Or those $12 airline flights ... 2 seats on one plane a day and the taxes and fees end up making the price the same as if you just purchased a regular ticket.

There is absolutely nothing wrong in finding a good VALUE but VALUE means you receive the product that you wanted and everthing that that entails at a GOOD price. The cheapest price is not always the best VALUE.

CVC was and continues to be the thorn in the side of many legitimate agencies and as I stated in my first post, their demise has effected the travel industry as a whole.

Cruise Value Center's business model was heavily dependent on volume to be profitable. They rebated a portion of the commission received from the cruise line to the consumer in the form of a discount on cruise lines that do not prohibit this or offered "free services" such as travel insurance or shore excursions on bookings with lines that have anti-rebating rules in effect.

The problem with this type of business model is that overhead costs for an online cruise travel agency are about the same for an agency that rebates versus one that does not rebate. However, the commission revenues that the rebating agency has to work with is nowhere near the same, and in many cases 25 - 50% of the possible commission that non-rebating agencies earn was being used to "discount" the cruise with a lower price or a "free" service.

In addition to upfront commission, cruise lines have a year end back end commission of 1 to 5% that agencies can earn if certain volume targets are met with the cruise line. Even in the best of years it was known in the industry that Cruise Value Center would barely make it through the year and only become profitable once the year end override checks arrived.

Cruise Value Center could not make it to the end of the year to get their back end commission to try to stay afloat.

The moral of the story is that while we cruisers all want to get a lower price than what the cruise line or a non commission rebating agency is offering, it usually comes at a cost to us. You pay less, you usually get less.

We shouldn't expect to get full service when we don't pay for full service. Instead, we're likely to get less or non existent customer service, uniformed travel agents, not getting what you thought you booked, and in the case of CVC, very questionable payment processing practices.

When the volume of cruise bookings slows down, or an increase in cancellations occur like has happened over the past 45 days, agencies that rely primarily on discounting to win business find the validity of their business models in question.

If you book through an agency that rebates commission, and you think they might be having financial problems, ask them to email, fax, or mail to you a copy of the cruise line confirmation. This will show if the agency actually forwarded your money to the cruise line for payment.

[MadManOfBethesda]

Sounds like something the Justice Dept. should look into.:mad:

I am sorry for all the employees out of work (and paychecks:() as well as all the cruisers who are left holding the bag.:o

My sympathies as well to all the former employees and customers of this agency. But I don't understand the comment from many posters here that DOJ should get involved or that the owners should go to jail. This situation is not unusual in the least. Insolvent busnesses abruptly close their doors without notice and then file for Chapter 7 liquidation all the time. It's just that most people are more familiar with Chapter 11 reorganization where the business attempts to continue operating while negotiating their debts with creditors under the supervision of the bankruptycy court. Chapter 7 bankruptcies are much more prevalent than chapter 11's.

[sail7seas]

Thank you for stating this!
It does sound like the poster was blaming the victims.

It's not a case of "if it looks too good to be true, it is."
CVC's prices were not ridiculously low ... I found them maybe $25-50 per person cheaper, bottom line.
We used them many times and never had any problems. I recommended them to several of my co-workers and to my family.


In this economy, there is no way for any of us to know a perfectly stable company. Someone doubted Lehman Brothers? AIG? Who expected Circuit City to file for Bankruptcy Protection. The list goes on.

People who booked with CVC had every reason to think they were dealing with a solid, honorable company. No one could have foreseen they would pull something like this.

[Jimjam]

I had a booked cruise on Princess for 2009.. Used my $200 future booking deposit which was with Princess..I contacted Princess about this situation and they agreed to accept my orginal reservation BUT AT A HIGHER PRICE than I had with CVC. I than contacted another very large national T/A who agreed to accept my booking at the discounted price from CVC. They arranged to transfer the booking from CVC to the new T/A with the same CVC price, stateroom #, early dinning, same booking # etc. etc. with Princess. However, Hal had sent a fuel surcharge of $110 from a previous Hal cruise directly to CVC for distribution. After several months without receiving the refund from CVC, I had them add it to my May 2009 cruise deposit. Final outcome : Will lose the $110 fuel surcharge refund which should have been refunded directly to me in the first place instead of CVC because I had paid it to Hal... I doubt very much that I will ever get this $110 from Hal but the situation could have been much worse.. Never make a deposit or final payment unless it goes directly to the cruise line and with a credit card only... Thjis is truly unfortunate especially for the employees and customers that may have lost deposit or final payment monies. You cannot be too careful in this day and age. I have been doing business with this T/A for 15 years and 21 cruises and never a problem until now.

[Randyk47]

We all, hopefully, do the best we can for our own situation and from our own experiences. I just think this whole situation is a reminder. There are going to be businesses, small and large, that go under especially with the economy the way it is. Virtually no business, be it your local car repair shop, or a fairly major on line TA who's going to put out a sign saying "We're in danger of going bankrupt but come on in and do business with us."

[Jade13]

In this economy, there is no way for any of us to know a perfectly stable company. Someone doubted Lehman Brothers? AIG? Who expected Circuit City to file for Bankruptcy Protection. The list goes on.

People who booked with CVC had every reason to think they were dealing with a solid, honorable company. No one could have foreseen they would pull something like this.

Thank you Sail. And like I mentioned earlier, I have an Email directly from HAL (2007) stating this company was legit and had helped HAL out in hard times. Additionally, there was a photo on CVC's home page with Carnival Executives. Some of us did do our Due Diligence in checking them out but once you have had a positive experience there was no reason to doubt that anything was wrong.

[Jade13]

I had a booked cruise on Princess for 2009.. Used my $200 future booking deposit which was with Princess..I contacted Princess about this situation and they agreed to accept my orginal reservation BUT AT A HIGHER PRICE than I had with CVC. I than contacted another very large national T/A who agreed to accept my booking at the discounted price from CVC. They arranged to transfer the booking from CVC to the new T/A with the same CVC price, stateroom #, early dinning, same booking # etc. etc. with Princess. However, Hal had sent a fuel surcharge of $110 from a previous Hal cruise directly to CVC for distribution. After several months without receiving the refund from CVC, I had them add it to my May 2009 cruise deposit. Final outcome : Will lose the $110 fuel surcharge refund which should have been refunded directly to me in the first place instead of CVC because I had paid it to Hal... I doubt very much that I will ever get this $110 from Hal but the situation could have been much worse.. Never make a deposit or final payment unless it goes directly to the cruise line and with a credit card only... Thjis is truly unfortunate especially for the employees and customers that may have lost deposit or final payment monies. You cannot be too careful in this day and age. I have been doing business with this T/A for 15 years and 21 cruises and never a problem until now.

JimJam, right, those outside final can fix this by transferring to a new TA who will accept the price. However, those of us after final payment date are SOL. I'm a week late and many dollars short.

Sorry about the $110.00. They wanted to add the fuel refund from one cruise to another and I had said no because I wanted to keep all of the issues separate.

[sail7seas]

Has it been confirmed they are in Bankruptcy? Have they actually filed yet?

[Nasmas]

I really hate this. We have used CVC time and time again. I would have used them again. I thought they were great. I never had any problems with them. Plus, which may be the problem, they were always cheaper than just about everyone else. I am really going to miss them.

[Jade13]

Was this Agency regulated by New Jersey or Michigan law?

Do complaints go to New Jersey or Michigan? I assume if you used a New Jersey office it would be NJ.

And yes, I know clients will see nothing but should still file a complaint with the appropriate AG office.

http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/ocp.htm (NJ Consumer Affairs)

http://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,1607,7-164-17337---,00.html (Michigan Consumer Protection)

[Jade13]

My sympathies as well to all the former employees and customers of this agency. But I don't understand the comment from many posters here that DOJ should get involved or that the owners should go to jail. This situation is not unusual in the least. Insolvent busnesses abruptly close their doors without notice and then file for Chapter 7 liquidation all the time. It's just that most people are more familiar with Chapter 11 reorganization where the business attempts to continue operating while negotiating their debts with creditors under the supervision of the bankruptycy court. Chapter 7 bankruptcies are much more prevalent than chapter 11's.

You don't understand why these people should not be prosecuted and in jail??? You are not following what was going on. They took peoples credit cards and instead of paying the cruise line (which should have been done THAT DAY), they paid the monies to themselves and never paid the suppliers or cruise lines. Even former employees have posted that they were instructed to take payments through Pay Pal. These people belong in jail.

[Oceanwench]

You don't understand why these people should not be prosecuted and in jail??? You are not following what was going on. They took peoples credit cards and instead of paying the cruise line (which should have been done THAT DAY), they paid the monies to themselves and never paid the suppliers or cruise lines. Even former employees have posted that they were instructed to take payments through Pay Pal. These people belong in jail.

Exactly!!!

They charged my friend's credit card for her cruise in early October, then never paid the cruise line. The deadline for final payment came and went, and they did not pay HAL. My friend only became aware of this when I told her, because I read on this board about CVC closing its doors. [I so appreciate the information I get here!]

So what was CVC doing with the money for a month???

I have a question: At what point would my friend have found out about her final payment not being received? She hadn't a clue! I have to think the cruise lines are going to be surprising some folks with some bad news ...

I feel awful because I had recommended CVC to her, based on my experiences.

[Oceanwench]

HOWEVER ... CVC Did offer discounts that were not within the realm of true possiblity. When you see $25 - 50 pp lower, this is something that may be due to a special that a particular agency may have been authorized that another was not but when you see discounts that are hundreds and hundreds of dollars less than other agencies are offering you have to know that something is patently w-r-o-n-g. This has to apply to everything you purchase from a hamburger to a cruise to a TV to a car ... there is common sense that needs to be taken into consideration when doing anything ... hamburgers $1 each .... fresh made at Micky D's ... or hamburgers 10 cents each of dubious quality and manufacture ... you know in your hart that the $1 burger is the better deal and that you will end up with a gut ache at the very least from the 10 cent burger because we all know that no one can consistently offer a 10 cent burger made of good quality product. Or those $12 airline flights ... 2 seats on one plane a day and the taxes and fees end up making the price the same as if you just purchased a regular ticket.

There is absolutely nothing wrong in finding a good VALUE but VALUE means you receive the product that you wanted and everthing that that entails at a GOOD price. The cheapest price is not always the best VALUE.

CVC was and continues to be the thorn in the side of many legitimate agencies and as I stated in my first post, their demise has effected the travel industry as a whole.

I have used CVC in the past on many cruises. So have family members and friends. I always had VALUE ... good service, the product I wanted, etc. etc.
Everything was always handled professionally by the TAs we used with CVC over the years. Everything has always gone smoothly.

As I said, I have only seen a very small discount offered by CVC over the prices I've researched online, and I have seen prices lower than CVC's on at least one site.

Your analogy to the hamburger doesn't really fly.

As others have stated before me, CVC has long been considered a reputable company,which even advertised on this Web site.
And many folks here, who are pretty savvy when it comes to booking cruises and getting the best bang for the buck, recommend a variety of online discounters. Look on the menu for this board ... one item is "deals." We're always getting told about cruise deals from a variety of sources.

In this economy, one just doesn't know what's going to happen ...

[Jade13]

Found this today


http://boards.cruisecritic.com/cid:image001.gif@01C94747.4D217C20 (http://www.philly.com/)
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/cid:image002.gif@01C94747.4D217C20 (http://www.philly.com/inquirer/)
Posted on Sat, Nov. 15, 2008 (http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/inq.business/business;%21category=business;pos=half;sz=234x60;o rd=111508022337?)http://boards.cruisecritic.com/cid:image003.gif@01C94747.4D217C20 (http://ad.doubleclick.net/click;h=v8/3779/0/0/%2a/p;44306;0-0;0;15951733;4-234/60;0/0/0;;%7Eaopt=2/1/564f/0;%7Esscs=%3f)http://boards.cruisecritic.com/cid:image003.gif@01C94747.4D217C20 (http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/inq.business/business;%21category=business;pos=half;sz=234x60;o rd=111508022337?)
(http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/inq.business/business;%21category=business;pos=half;sz=234x60;o rd=111508022337?)
Travel agency shuts down, putting trips in jeopardy (http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/inq.business/business;%21category=business;pos=half;sz=234x60;o rd=111508022337?)

By Diane Mastrull (http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/inq.business/business;%21category=business;pos=half;sz=234x60;o rd=111508022337?)
Inquirer Staff Writer (http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/inq.business/business;%21category=business;pos=half;sz=234x60;o rd=111508022337?)
Jay Himelstein's cruise isn't due to set sail until spring, but he's already feeling queasy. (http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/inq.business/business;%21category=business;pos=half;sz=234x60;o rd=111508022337?)
The Jackson, N.J., accountant is one of possibly thousands of people whose vacations are in jeopardy now that the travel agency they booked with has gone out of business. (http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/inq.business/business;%21category=business;pos=half;sz=234x60;o rd=111508022337?)
Cruise (http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/inq.business/business;%21category=business;pos=half;sz=234x60;o rd=111508022337?) Value Center, which operated from East Brunswick, N.J., but had a national sales presence via the Internet, shut down on Monday. (http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/inq.business/business;%21category=business;pos=half;sz=234x60;o rd=111508022337?)
One of its owners told a New Jersey Better Business Bureau official yesterday that the company's Web site - (http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/inq.business/business;%21category=business;pos=half;sz=234x60;o rd=111508022337?)www.my**************** (http://www.my****************/) - would be updated by Monday with instructions for those with trips booked with the company, which was a cruise and tour broker.
</span></p> Dan Crevina of the Better Business Bureau declined to reveal which principal of Cruise Value he spoke with - Richard Smith or his brother, Ronald. Crevina said he was told Cruise Value had closed "due to lack of funds."
Cruise Value was sold last year to Travel Holding Entity of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., which merged the business with its own Cruises of Distinction. No one answered the telephone at either place yesterday.
Himelstein heard from Carnival Cruise Lines on Thursday that Cruise Value was no longer in business and that $115 in payments he had made to the company toward his $570 trip to Key West and Cozumel never made it to Carnival.
His next call was to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, as others have done.
Despite the aggravation, Himelstein says he still has his reservation for the trip: "I've never been on a cruise."

[chwawa]

When I posted my thread a while back as I was upset about HAL not coming through with the agreed on service, I was "jumped on" by many on this board for having " too much time on my hands" for contacting the BBB, for filing a report on the internet, for looking up "ripoff.com" , for looking up articles on complaints with HAL..............all because I was upset over my treatment and lack of response from anybody at Guest Services. I was also told "anybody knows that you should use a TA"
Now I view this thread , and some of the very people who were chastising me, are certainly spending a lot of time doing the SAME thing.
As I said in that thread at the time ...........I was certainly hoping that you all would not experience anything bad in your bookings.
I sincerely do hope all of you get your problems resolved. I would not want you to endure the nastiness I experienced from many on this board. But those of you who did jump on me , now you know what it feels like. And I am sure you don't need anybody to say you are "going balistic" or that you are acting irrational, when all you are trying to do is express a misfortune.
I hope everybody learns from this thread.:(

[CowPrincess]

chwawa, there is a vast difference between your situation, and the situation many in this thread now find themselves in. I cannot honestly believe there is any correlation between the closing of this TA and your situation. The fact that you felt it necessary and/or advisable to participate in this thread indicates IMHO a lack of good judgment on your part. Again, IMHO only, your post seems to be seizing an opportuntiy to gloat.

Ah well, pretty sure MY post will go POOF

[MadManOfBethesda]

You don't understand why these people should not be prosecuted and in jail??? You are not following what was going on. They took peoples credit cards and instead of paying the cruise line (which should have been done THAT DAY), they paid the monies to themselves and never paid the suppliers or cruise lines. Even former employees have posted that they were instructed to take payments through Pay Pal. These people belong in jail.

I have been following what has been going on. I also tried to explain to you that this happens every day somewhere in the U.S.

This is no different than when a furniture store goes out of business and people who have paid a substantial deposit for furniture on order are out a significant amount of money.

This is no different than when a home builder goes out of business and the people who paid a sizable deposit on a house to be built or in the process of being built are out a significant amount of money.

This is no different than when a retail store goes out of business and people who have store credits or gift cards lose the amount of money on those cards.

Businesses abruptly close up shop owing numerous creditors substantial sums of money all of the time. That is not a crime.

Unless the owners of the travel agency took the money and converted it to their own use, there is no crime here. At least not from the facts that have been reported to this point in time.

I can understand the emotional response of "put the crooks in jail!" However, to do so, you must have all elements of a crime in place, including intent to commit a criminal act. So far, we do not have that.

[serendipity1499]

chwawa, there is a vast difference between your situation, and the situation many in this thread now find themselves in. I cannot honestly believe there is any correlation between the closing of this TA and your situation. The fact that you felt it necessary and/or advisable to participate in this thread indicates IMHO a lack of good judgment on your part. Again, IMHO only, your post seems to be seizing an opportuntiy to gloat. Ah well, pretty sure MY post will go POOF

Cowprincess we are in agreement!

Chwawa I can't believe that you would even think that your complaint about HAL not coming through with what one of their Agents may have omitted or misquoted on the phone is anything like this case where a Travel Agent actually stole Money from their clients & did not give their employees a final paycheck...

And I agree, that you are shamefully using the misfortune of those who lost their jobs & those who lost a great deal of money to gloat only because many on this board did not completely agree with you...I'm always amazed at this type of vindictiveness...:mad:

To those Agents who lost their Jobs & have not received their final paychecks & those passengers who lost so much $$$, I'm so sorry that you are going through this.. I hope that you will be able to recoup some of your loss & continue to enjoy your cruises...

Since we leave Friday for two weeks I'll wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving..

Betty

[fann1sh]

MadManofBethesda, while nothing we say on this board will make the slightest difference to whether there are prosecutions, I respectfully disagree on one issue.

When someone puts a deposit on furniture, it's the furniture retailer who's providing the goods. If they go broke before they supply the furniture, they've broken a contract.

However, when a travel agency accepts money, it's not for a service they themselves provide. These funds are supposed to go directly to the cruise line, just as soon as the money is paid.

In essence, these deposits/payments are trust funds. There's a duty to treat this money in a different way. Using sacrosanct trust money may be all the mens rea ("guilty mind") needed for this to constitute a crime, rather than a broken civil contract.

It would sure wind a lawyer in the pokey (says the ex-lawyer).

[Jade13]

I have been following what has been going on. I also tried to explain to you that this happens every day somewhere in the U.S.

This is no different than when a furniture store goes out of business and people who have paid a substantial deposit for furniture on order are out a significant amount of money.

This is no different than when a home builder goes out of business and the people who paid a sizable deposit on a house to be built or in the process of being built are out a significant amount of money.

This is no different than when a retail store goes out of business and people who have store credits or gift cards lose the amount of money on those cards.

Businesses abruptly close up shop owing numerous creditors substantial sums of money all of the time. That is not a crime.

Unless the owners of the travel agency took the money and converted it to their own use, there is no crime here. At least not from the facts that have been reported to this point in time.

I can understand the emotional response of "put the crooks in jail!" However, to do so, you must have all elements of a crime in place, including intent to commit a criminal act. So far, we do not have that.

This is a crime.

Now if you were referring to guests who will no longer get their perks such as a bottle of champagne or free Pinnacle dinner or even OBC because the TA went out of business than I do agree with you that it may have not been done on purpose. However, again in this case, in most instances the issue is a TA who took peoples credit cards and instead of charging payments to the cruise line charged the money to their own account and did not pay the cruise line. There wasn't any reason. If someone gives a credit card and authorizes payment they expect the TA to make that payment directly to the cruise line. Perhaps someone else can explain this better.

[Jade13]

When I posted my thread a while back as I was upset about HAL not coming through with the agreed on service, I was "jumped on" by many on this board for having " too much time on my hands" for contacting the BBB, for filing a report on the internet, for looking up "ripoff.com" , for looking up articles on complaints with HAL..............all because I was upset over my treatment and lack of response from anybody at Guest Services. I was also told "anybody knows that you should use a TA"
Now I view this thread , and some of the very people who were chastising me, are certainly spending a lot of time doing the SAME thing.
As I said in that thread at the time ...........I was certainly hoping that you all would not experience anything bad in your bookings.
I sincerely do hope all of you get your problems resolved. I would not want you to endure the nastiness I experienced from many on this board. But those of you who did jump on me , now you know what it feels like. And I am sure you don't need anybody to say you are "going balistic" or that you are acting irrational, when all you are trying to do is express a misfortune.
I hope everybody learns from this thread.:(

Chwawa, do you honestly think there is some relationship with your canceling a cruise because you would have to pay for a hotel in Venice upon finding out there wasn't a flight available to get you from Vancouver to Venice without an overnight has any relationship with a TA taking peoples credit cards and paying themselves???? (And I want to remind folks that HAL has given Chwawa her non-refundable insurance back in the form of over $600.00 for a future cruise which they are under no obligation to do.)

[serendipity1499]

Madmanof Bethesda...Re your post which stated..

Quote Unless the owners of the travel agency took the money and converted it to their own use, there is no crime here. At least not from the facts that have been reported to this point in time. Unquote

Doesn't it look like the owners did take the money & convert it to their own use?

Normally when you give a Travel Agent your Credit Card, a reputable Agent would have the Cruise Line put the charge through...Our Deposit & Final Payment was put through by HAL...

If this Agent declares Bankruptcy, & it goes into the court system a conservator will be appointed to handle the creditors.. In that case many people will only get pennies on the dollar..

I'm retired from an International Airline & have seen several unscrupulous Travel Agents..They are not required to be licensed in most states.. One who had a fantastic reputation with our company, threw lavish Holiday Party's & gave out expensive gifts to our staff & the staff at another Large Airline..He even gave DH & me a 3 day Honeymoon in Aruba as a wedding present..(With my boss's approval) Five years later he left his wife & took off with a new girlfriend to South America still owing lots of money to our Company & his clients..We never got any of that back & eventually he was caught & put in jail...But that happened years later..

Can you really blame those who have lost their jobs & others who have lost their hard earned $$$ for not wanting them put in jail..Yes it happens every day, but these crooks should be made to pay..

[MadManOfBethesda]

Madmanof Bethesda...Re your post which stated..

Quote Unless the owners of the travel agency took the money and converted it to their own use, there is no crime here. At least not from the facts that have been reported to this point in time. Unquote

Doesn't it look like the owners did take the money & convert it to their own use?

Normally when you give a Travel Agent your Credit Card, a reputable Agent would have the Cruise Line put the charge through...

That's not necessarily true. There is nothing inherently wrong with a travel agency processing the payment and then paying the travel provider the net amount, rather than having the original charge processed by the travel provider. It is a business decision how to handle the transaction (as long as the transaction isn't misrepresented to the customer). Contrary to the many misinformed posters here, there is nothing illegal with that at all. In fact, certain travel agencies do it all the time when they book packages. The customer pays the agency a set amount for the entire package, and the agency pays the hotel, the airline, and the car rental agency directly. The customer then receives a voucher to give to the hotel, for example.

To all those people who are claiming that a crime was committed: would you care to provide a cite to any state or federal statute that identifies a a law that was broken?

Being insolvent and owing money to creditors is not a crime.

Can you really blame those who have lost their jobs & others who have lost their hard earned $$$ for not wanting them put in jail..Yes it happens every day, but these crooks should be made to pay..

No, I absolutely understand that emotional response. However, that still doesn't change the basic fact that a crime hasn't been committed. (Again, from what we know at this point in time.)

[CowPrincess]

In my humble (Canadian) opinion, a crime HAS been committed. The travel agency was at the least "holding" funds on behalf of their clients to remit to cruiselines. I'd have thought they'd have been statutorily required to hold the money "in trust", as opposed to putting it into general revenues and covering their rent and payroll with it. If the money is alllll gone, the TA used the money for things other than the intended purpose and I think that is fraud (or conversion).

I believe if I took money from someone for the express purpose of buying a car for that person, then used the money for a new hairdo, my utilities, and a manicure, that person could have me charged with theft.

[richnorto]

After getting off subject, the funds should not have been in the same account as general finances and overhead! These monies are required to be in a separate account - at least in some states (probably all) and likely by IRS requirements.

[aussiedisneyfan]

In Australia (or at least all the agencies I have used) you always pay the agency directly and into their account and then they will pass it onto the cruiseline etc. My credit card payments have always shown on my statement as the t/a and not the cruiseline. Most of them also charge at least a 1% credit card surcharge fee as well.

[Jade13]

More Info:

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/391/RipOff0391568.htm


Report: Cruise Value Center, Cruises Of Distinction

Category: Travel Agencies (http://www.ripoffreport.com/searchresults.asp?q1=344)
Cruise Value Center, Cruises Of Distinction out of business with many cruises not paid in full E BrunswickE.Brunswick, NJ 08816E Brunswick New Jersey

Cruise Value Center, Cruises Of Distinction

Phone:
Fax (http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/391/RipOff0391568.htm):

6 Edgeboro Rd.
E Brunswick, New Jersey, 08816
U.S.A.
Submitted: 11/15/2008 11:18:15 AM

Modified: 11/15/2008 11:18:00 AM
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/cid:image001.gif@01C947C6.59CFB110
Cruise agent

Brooklyn, New York
(http://www.ripoffreport.com/ads/Cash4GoldPages.htm)
Ripoff Report Verified Safe (http://www.ripoffreport.com/verified.asp)
On Monday, Nov. 10th 2008 Cruise Value Center and Cruises of Distinction ceased operations. Closed their doors, sent their agents home, and left home based agents in the dark. Commissions and salaries owed will not be paid and those that should have been paid are not going to be paid in the future.

The concern is for those clients that have paid for their trips with checks and money orders made out to either of these company's. There is a good chance that this money was never sent in to the cruise lines. If you have received documents or paid by credit card there should be no concern. If you saw the cruise line name on your credit (http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/391/RipOff0391568.htm) card statements it means the money went to the cruise line. If your credit card statement says anything but the cruise line name, call the cruise line first and immediately after that your credit card company (http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/391/RipOff0391568.htm) and advise what happened and how to proceed. When you call the cruise line have your cruise line reservation number handy, or ship and sail date.

If Cruise Value Center gave you free insurance you might want to make sure that this insurance is intact. Any promise of onboard amenities for booking with them might not appear when you arrive onboard, whether you paid with cc or personal check. CVC would have had to make the payments to the cruise lines and these amenitie might not appear as promised, but if that is the biggest loss consider yourself lucky.

Travel insurance can be purchased on line at many different websites put the search word in 'travel insurance' and I am sure there will be many options there.

Many people have been affected by the selfishness of these 2 companies.

I do not know if the DA of the state of NJ can cease bank accounts (http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/391/RipOff0391568.htm) or assets, provided there are any, or prosecute for embezzlement. If anyone has a clue about this perhaps a class action suit could be filed.

For obvious reasons, I must remain anonymous, but if you start calling the cruise lines they will have protocol of how to proceed.

There are many agencies out there that value the business (http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/391/RipOff0391568.htm) of the public and their good reputations should not be sullied by the outrageous behavior of Cruise Value Center and Cruises of Distinction.

Anonymous
Brooklyn, New York
U.S.A.
=================
Cruises of Distinction

42557 Woodward Ave
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
2483322020

Detailed Cruises Of Distinction Inc Company Profile

This company profile is for the private company Cruises Of Distinction Inc, located in Bloomfield Hills, MI. Cruises Of Distinction Inc's line of business is direct marketer of leisure travel.
Company Profile: Cruises Of Distinction Inc

Year Started:1994
State of Incorporation:NJ
URL:N/A
Location Type:Single Location
Stock Symbol:N/A
Stock Exchange:N/A
Also Does Business As:N/A
NAICS:N/A
SIC #Code:4724
Est. Annual Sales:$29,000,000
Est. Employees:100
Est. Employees at Location:100
Contact Name:Richard Smith (http://www.manta.com/coms2/page_cse?cx=000513454314247386359%3Aarvxicegnim&cof=FORID%3A11&q=Richard%20Smith%20Cruises%20Of%20Distinction&sa=Search)
</span></p> Contact Title:N/A

[ricok987]

No, I absolutely understand that emotional response. However, that still doesn't change the basic fact that a crime hasn't been committed. (Again, from what we know at this point in time.) [/quote]
A crime was committed at least in 1 case. Two weeks ago (before CVC went belly up) they contacted my dad via email requesting permission to charge his final payment on his February Sailing-10 days early. He replied for them not to do it, and instead make the charge on the correct date. Then last Monday his longtime agent contact at CVC called him to inform him what was going on there-and told him to dispute the cc charge. He then found that his final charge was made, and the funds were diverted to a subsidiary company of CVC via paypal. He was never officially notified of the transaction, nor did he authorize it. The transaction was not ever performed by CVC. Amex is investigating and my dad got the impression the FBI was involved. At any rate, at this time you are correct that there have been no criminal charges filed on this, but that does not mean they will not be forthcomming.

[Jade13]

I just found the form to file a formal complaint to the AG Office in New Jersey. There is also an Email Address listed.

http://www.state.nj.us/lps/

http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/

http://www.nj.gov/oag/ca/complaint/ocp.pdf (New Jersey Office of the Attorney General - Complaint Form pdf for store or business.)

E-Mail: AskConsumerAffairs@lps.state.nj.us

[fann1sh]

That's not necessarily true. There is nothing inherently wrong with a travel agency processing the payment and then paying the travel provider the net amount, rather than having the original charge processed by the travel provider. It is a business decision how to handle the transaction (as long as the transaction isn't misrepresented to the customer). Contrary to the many misinformed posters here, there is nothing illegal with that at all. In fact, certain travel agencies do it all the time when they book packages. The customer pays the agency a set amount for the entire package, and the agency pays the hotel, the airline, and the car rental agency directly. The customer then receives a voucher to give to the hotel, for example.

To all those people who are claiming that a crime was committed: would you care to provide a cite to any state or federal statute that identifies a a law that was broken?

Being insolvent and owing money to creditors is not a crime.



No, I absolutely understand that emotional response. However, that still doesn't change the basic fact that a crime hasn't been committed. (Again, from what we know at this point in time.)


I find your own reaction more emotional than rational. Ignoring markers of fraud (rather than mere poor business dealings) is typical of people not trained in law. Sadly, in legal practice I encountered people who, to their cost, thought "creative bookkeeping" was a business matter, not a criminal matter. One wound up in jail, and there was nothing I could do to help.

Building a case will take months (fraud cases are always the most demanding) and will be done by people with more resources than we can dream of here. If no criminal charges are laid, I suspect that will have more to do with matters unrelated to whether a crime occurred. If they proceed, it will take weeks to decide exactly what charges to prefer (which is why I don't choose to try to research viable NJ options for your benefit). However, "fraud" will lie at the heart of the charges.

Can I say at this moment without a reasonable doubt fraud has occurred? No. Does it appear this was criminal fraud rather than poor business practice? Yes.

[Oceanwench]

I find your own reaction more emotional than rational. Ignoring markers of fraud (rather than mere poor business dealings) is typical of people not trained in law. Sadly, in legal practice I encountered people who, to their cost, thought "creative bookkeeping" was a business matter, not a criminal matter. One wound up in jail, and there was nothing I could do to help.

Building a case will take months (fraud cases are always the most demanding) and will be done by people with more resources than we can dream of here. If no criminal charges are laid, I suspect that will have more to do with matters unrelated to whether a crime occurred. If they proceed, it will take weeks to decide exactly what charges to prefer (which is why I don't choose to try to research viable NJ options for your benefit). However, "fraud" will lie at the heart of the charges.

Can I say at this moment without a reasonable doubt fraud has occurred? No. Does it appear this was criminal fraud rather than poor business practice? Yes.

Thank you for posting this.
Looks to me like they took the money and ran ...
They charged my friend's credit card Oct. 10 for the balance of her cruise. It went to CVC, not HAL. Her final payment was due Oct. 30, but HAL never got it. On Nov. 10, CVC shut its doors.
That's a lot more than "poor business practices."
CVC put her cruise in jeopardy by not paying HAL by the final payment deadline. More than a week past deadline, CVC had still not made the payment to HAL.

Jade13: thanks so much for the links.

[MadManOfBethesda]

I find your own reaction more emotional than rational. Ignoring markers of fraud (rather than mere poor business dealings) is typical of people not trained in law. Sadly, in legal practice I encountered people who, to their cost, thought "creative bookkeeping" was a business matter, not a criminal matter. One wound up in jail, and there was nothing I could do to help.

Building a case will take months (fraud cases are always the most demanding) and will be done by people with more resources than we can dream of here. If no criminal charges are laid, I suspect that will have more to do with matters unrelated to whether a crime occurred. If they proceed, it will take weeks to decide exactly what charges to prefer (which is why I don't choose to try to research viable NJ options for your benefit). However, "fraud" will lie at the heart of the charges.

Can I say at this moment without a reasonable doubt fraud has occurred? No. Does it appear this was criminal fraud rather than poor business practice? Yes.

Wow. FYI, I have been involved in investigating and prosecuting FWA cases for close to 20 years, but thanks for attempting to educate me on markers of fraud. As a matter of fact, there was a sentencing hearing in one of my cases just this past Friday in a U.S. District Court.

Actually, building a fraud case is really not that difficult. All one has to do is follow the money. Conspiracies are difficult. Collusion is difficult. Fraud? Not so much.

Now look, you may be absolutely right. This may turn out to be a criminal case. I believe that I even noted in my first post that if they were diverting funds for their own use, they most certainly could be prosecuted. My point all along was to note that the mere fact that the travel agency had credit card charges posted to their own account rather than directly to the cruise line was not in and of itself illegal. In fact, (as I've noted time and time again) it is a routine business practice by some firms. I've also pointed out that firms shut their doors abruptly and then subsequently file for Chapter 7 liquidation on a routine basis. The fact that they do so while owing creditors $1000s or even millions of dollars, does not make it a criminal act. I'm not going to address this again or respond further to this thread.

Oh, and BTW, the word you were looking for was proffer, not prefer; however your mistake, (to use your own phrase), "is typical of people not trained in law."

[BalconyBumz]

I worked for cruise value for many years the business closed on 11/10 we had nonotice that this was happening nobody told us a thing till that day the company was purchased last fall by rich and ron smith of cruises of distinction or travel holding entity the business was fine until they took over they started making the payments to pay pal we all disagreed with that they did not care they just seemed like they wanted money there was an employee who stole money but that was over 2 years ago and that had nothing to do with these problems that are occuring now nor is it the economy it was just terrible managmennt by the smith brothers. There were never problems in all the years i worked there when Jeff Kivet owned the company now I am jobless just like all of my fellow employees with no warning we were supposed to be paid today and we didn't receive our paychecks I feel terrible for the people who have lost money and are now having problems and it didn't have anything to do with discounting because if you check and see the company did that for years and was fine............

First of all I'm sorry this happened to you and to others involved innocently. I agree with you that it has nothing to do with the discounting that many of these TA's are crying on here about trying to defend their higher pricing and value add bonus it. There are many travel agents that post here on cruise critic and they hate the online agencies and will knock them any chance they get because they cannot match your prices. I refuse to use a regular travel agent because every time I compare prices with my online agencies, they can't touch it. They are very insecure about this and try and twist things any way they can. There is another agency out there just as large as yours in Florida and they are doing completely fine and have even better prices than you had. I agree it was your management crooks.

[Jade13]

First of all I'm sorry this happened to you and to others involved innocently. I agree with you that it has nothing to do with the discounting that many of these TA's are crying on here about trying to defend their higher pricing and value add bonus it. There are many travel agents that post here on cruise critic and they hate the online agencies and will knock them any chance they get because they cannot match your prices. I refuse to use a regular travel agent because every time I compare prices with my online agencies, they can't touch it. They are very insecure about this and try and twist things any way they can. There is another agency out there just as large as yours in Florida and they are doing completely fine and have even better prices than you had. I agree it was your management crooks.

Does the FL Agency charge payments directly to the cruise line OR to their own account and then pay the cruise line?

[BalconyBumz]

Does the FL Agency charge payments directly to the cruise line OR to their own account and then pay the cruise line?

Directly to the cruise line, of course! They have been outstanding.

[Jade13]

Directly to the cruise line, of course! They have been outstanding.

Do they start with a "B" in Port St. Lucie?

[BalconyBumz]

Yes. ;)

[sail7seas]

Do they start with a "B" in Port St. Lucie?


Are you still going on your trip, Jade?

[Jade13]

Are you still going on your trip, Jade?

Of course.