Transfer to TA?

How long do you have to transfer your booking to a TA after booking directly with Celebrity? I know there is a time limit but can't remember how long.

60 days

Thank you for the quick reply.

And just to qualify for any newbies...

You can only tranfer Bookings that are made BEFORE Final Payment is due. So if you book something last minute with Celebrity... It stays with Celebrity.

Cheers!

Yes, I got in trouble with a last minute booking because I put it on hold with Celebrity because the large on-line TA I use wasn't open and there were only 2 rooms left. It took quite a bit to get it transferred to the TA but they were able to work it out eventually. But I would never try it again.

When you put something on hold it's considered a booking since it gets a booking number.

The currency of the booking must also remain the same. So booked in CAD$ I would need to find an agency that does CAD$. The one I used to use doesn't so I have kept my own bookings.

I booked a cruise last week while on a cruise. Because I wanted to take advantage of a Future Cruise Certificate, they told me on-board that I had to contact Celebrity directly to apply the cert. No problem. So I decided not to transfer the cruise to a TA until I had sorted that bit out.

Now I'm wondering why I should transfer it at all. I got a good price, free drinks package, substantial on-board credit from Celebrity. I have no problems dealing directly with Celebrity (always did deal with them before booking several cruises through a large online cruise specialist).

So I'm interested in any reasons why I should now transfer it?

Agree it states 60 days but I just transferred one after 90 days as I forgot to send form and there was no problem. So if you are past time it may be worth a shot.

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So I'm interested in any reasons why I should now transfer it?

Outside of having an agent act on your behalf, you can also take advantages of any on board credit or other benefits (free specialty dinner, gratuities etc) that your TA might offer.

Outside of having an agent act on your behalf, you can also take advantages of any on board credit or other benefits (free specialty dinner, gratuities etc) that your TA might offer.

Exactly. We've booked on board and have gotten a great deal and have always transferred to a TA to get extra on board credit. In one scenario our TA was able to upgrade us from balcony to concierge and lower our price by 25% all while increasing our on board credit and keeping our drink package because her company had a handful of promotional rooms they bought from Celebrity.

We always book through on of the big online cruise dealers but we have a specific agent at the company we've come to trust and refer to all of our friends and it has made all of our travel planning smooth and easy and no dealing with the crazy celebrity website! :eek:

Yes, I got in trouble with a last minute booking because I put it on hold with Celebrity because the large on-line TA I use wasn't open and there were only 2 rooms left. It took quite a bit to get it transferred to the TA but they were able to work it out eventually. But I would never try it again.

Good morning:

I may be showing my naivety but why would one transfer from X to an online TA? I can understand transferring to a real, live person you know for service but to another online TA for no service.

Just a FYI, I'm a bit biased toward some of the PCC's with some of the cruise lines over online TA's but that is another subject.

How long do you have to transfer your booking to a TA after booking directly with Celebrity? I know there is a time limit but can't remember how long.

60 days

I take it that a lot of these answers refer to a reservation being made ONBOARD (while cruising).

Does the same apply to a booking that is made over the phone with Celebrity? We have a deposit down with Celebrity for a cruise in February, so no final payment. However, the booking was made last January when we got the Winter doldrums. :D Well past 60 days. Can we transfer our reservation to a TA? Cancelling and rebooking would be out of the question because the rates are now sky high.

Why move to a TA from direct X booking?

Because in addition to all perks and specials X gave you, your TA may provide further perks such as even more OBC, paid out of their sales commission.

So it's like "double dipping".

Some like keeping it with X as they can deal with changes directly, but the X website is so unreliable, I find it often frustrating, so it's far simpler just to email my TA and tell her what I need done - linking dinner reservations, MDR table mates and preferences, tell her what excursions I want booked, upgrading beverage packages etc. and let her deal with the frustration, and also have reliable proof all is in order, versus the X website that often loses details like perks and such, even though they are still on the actual reservation.

Here's a link to the form to send to X if one wants to transfer:

http://www.celebritycruises.com/media/en_US/pdf/faq/2010_CelebrityBookingTransferForm.pdf

I found this quick recap on the terms and rules related to transfers, I think most has already discussed up thread, but it's concise:

Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Azamara

• You may transfer your cruise booking to up until 60 days from creation as long as your request is made outside of Final Payment period and the booking has not been paid in full.
  
• If a booking has a ChoiceAir ticket or if the transfer request involves a change in currency we cannot accommodate a transfer.
  
• In order to Transfer your booking from Celebrity, Royal Caribbean or Azamara, you have to complete the simple Travel Agent Transfer Form and fax it to the cruise line. The Fax number is on the form.
  

I take it that a lot of these answers refer to a reservation being made ONBOARD (while cruising).

Does the same apply to a booking that is made over the phone with Celebrity? We have a deposit down with Celebrity for a cruise in February, so no final payment. However, the booking was made last January when we got the Winter doldrums. :D Well past 60 days. Can we transfer our reservation to a TA? Cancelling and rebooking would be out of the question because the rates are now sky high.

I say give it a try, can't hurt. Simple form to fill out and fax/email/US mail is all. Worst case scenario, 2 minutes of your time wasted, and they say no.

Best case, additional perks you may not have realized you could get.

I send in a request for my Shareholder OBC for every reservation I make, even If I know the reservation doesn't qualify. Sometimes they grant it anyway. So same could happen with transfers too.

Thanks for posting the terms, Curt. It does clearly state that any form of booking is subject to the 60 day rule. No big deal. Just wondering if it could be done if I were to find a TA with incentives. ;)

Good morning:

I may be showing my naivety but why would one transfer from X to an online TA? I can understand transferring to a real, live person you know for service but to another online TA for no service.

 

Just a FYI, I'm a bit biased toward some of the PCC's with some of the cruise lines over online TA's but that is another subject.

What's a PCC? :confused:

I believe that means Personal Cruise Consultants. :)

I believe that means Personal Cruise Consultants. :)

Whew! Been watching too much 35 56 :D

Haha :D;)

We booked a future cruise on board. I forgot to complete the transfer form until 70 days past booking. Our transfer to our TA was denied and we lost out on an extra $500 OBC. Celebrity did not notify me of this. I called the Captains Club and was told I missed the 60 day deadline.

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Haha :D;)

I'm impressed. Most won't get it. :p

I did in fact pass high school chemistry, though I spent my entire life in the arts. :D

Good morning:

I may be showing my naivety but why would one transfer from X to an online TA? I can understand transferring to a real, live person you know for service but to another online TA for no service.

The reason to transfer to online travel agencies is that they typically offer much better perks than we can get from a local TA.

Since they give the cruise lines more business. they receive bigger commissions, so they have more wiggle room to offer better perks to their customers.

Additionally, some will offer a better price by putting you into a "group" even if you don't know a single other person in the group.

My personal preference is to use a company where there is always someone available to pick up the phone and help you, so I don't need to wait until one particular person becomes available.

For a routine matter like a price drop or a cabin change that any competent agent can handle, I really like dealing with a company where a live person will pick up the phone and process the transaction so that it is completed with the one phone call and is a done deal by the time I hang up.

I dislike companies that automatically transfer me to voice mail so I need to leave a message and then wait until "my" agent gets around to calling me back.

But each situation is different, and different TAs are better for different cruises.

For the low-priced last minute closeout special, sometimes the TAs are unable to offer any really meaningful perks, so in those cases it is not worth bothering with any TA at all and we just keep the booking with the cruise line.

I've just had a really difficult time transferring my booking for October 2015 to my regular travel agent. I made the booking 5 days ago direct with Celebrity as I was unable to place the cabin on a courtesy hold on the website at the time. Yesterday I contacted my usual agent and we agreed terms to transfer the booking. Today the agent contacted Celebrity and was told that they could not take on the booking as it must be transferred within 48 hours.

I made a call to Celebrity (UK) and was told the same. I asked where it was written that I only had 48 hours and this is what she quoted from the FAQ on the website:

"If you have made a booking directly with one of our personal cruise specialists you may transfer your reservation within 48 hours of paying the deposit, any booking paid in full cannot be transferred. Please read the Terms and Conditions on this form before completing Travel Agent Transfer Form PDF and send it back to us by one of the options outlined on the form."

I said I was unfortunately unaware of this stipulation and always used the same travel agent and had transferred bookings in the past. After more discussion I managed to secure a transfer, but it was hard work.:)

Possibly this is another instance where the T&C are different between countries, but it is a huge difference 60 days - 48 hours. I will remember this in future. So if you are booking in UK be quick deciding if you want to transfer your booking.

I wonder if there is a difference between the "Future Cruise Consultants" and reservation agents a the regular call in number and FCC re like true travel agents, versus just a reservations department accepting reservations?

I kind of got that vibe here, as after my 2nd cruise, I got a call from someone introducing themselves as a FCC and gave me their particulars, much like a traditional TA would do.

Exactly. We've booked on board and have gotten a great deal and have always transferred to a TA to get extra on board credit. In one scenario our TA was able to upgrade us from balcony to concierge and lower our price by 25% all while increasing our on board credit and keeping our drink package because her company had a handful of promotional rooms they bought from Celebrity.

 

We always book through on of the big online cruise dealers but we have a specific agent at the company we've come to trust and refer to all of our friends and it has made all of our travel planning smooth and easy and no dealing with the crazy celebrity website! :eek:

Hi chicagopaul, I know naming TAs is a big "no no" on CC but wonder if you could please email me details of your TA on geeta_ravikumar@yahoo.com Thanks in advance:)