oceanlovinmama

I enjoy doing independent tours over the ships.  I believe they are less crowded and usually better priced.  In Juneau there are a lot of tour operators right at the pier.  With that being said does anyone know of any good tour providers for a fishing trip in Juneau?

20 minutes ago, indygirl99 said:

You expect your clients to explain to you that they have  "clear monetary need" before you will go to bat for then?

 

Unbelievable 

You read into whatever you want..maybe I used the wrong words...jeez......I just said I give them all their options...when it seems like we are at the end of the line I reach out....if they’re asking me to...I don’t abuse the relationship with my business manager, but I will reach out after all other avenues have been exhausted.  Some clients are a lot  more patient than others, or perhaps I should say, not in dire need.

56 minutes ago, RETNAVY1996 said:

PPP rules are federal. If you are “

• Self-employed, sole proprietors, freelance and gig economy workers are also eligible to apply.”

Something is going on with your co-worker that has not really been explained, makes me wonder what the rest of the story is.

 

Just doing a chargeback on a cruise  they had not been on is not going to even be on the cruise company’s radar right now, unless other things were going on that have not been explained.

In her case, the client canceled and only paid the $750 deposit.  Because his trip wasn’t cancelled he was offered a FCC but didn’t want that...wanted his money, so he did a chargeback and the supplier is holding the rep liable unless she sends all correspondence plus cc authorization firm to supplier so they can contest chargeback.  That’s all I know about it.   I know I wasn’t eligible for the PPP because I asked my tax accountant for help.  I had to wait for Ohio to open the PUA...hopefully I’ll be approved.  Thank you for your service.  My son in law graduated from the Naval academy.  He’s retiring this year as a Lt Col from the Marines.  Flew the Ospreys among other things....picked a great time to retire😊

8 minutes ago, bbinz said:

I really wish her travel agency and her clients could see her posts. It’s still amazing she still doesn’t get it and is giving TAs a really bad look!!

What am I saying wrong?? I simply asked people to please give the cruiselines some time and reconsider doing a chargeback IF they used a TA...many did not know they lose commission and can be held accountable for the full charge.  I never implied anything else..I never said not to do it...you have to do what’s best for you, and many of my clients are on here because I recommend cruise critic.  This is why I got on to ask for time and consideration, because one of my clients did this and had no idea they would recall my commission.  I also told my boss about it and the posts I’ve been getting.  I never thought in a million years I would have opened up this can of worms by simply asking to please think twice.  Jeez..

20 hours ago, FiftyOnePlus said:

Im sure most people are understanding........definitely, at first, people were very understanding and supportive and also prepared to be patient.

But when does patience run out in your book?   3 months? 6 months? A year?
How long is reasonable to wait for a refund?

As far as I can see......there does not seem to be a progression of refunds happening.   Its at a standstill.
Noone seems to be getting anything.

If people could see .......'Ahhh, we are up to the end of March refunds now......April next'  and can see people posting  "Yes, I got my refund today for cruise on 1st April"   then perhaps there would be some faith.

But since March 12th, there doesnt seem to have been anyone refunded at all and that leads to frustration and disbelief.

Dont tell us "Your refund will be with you in 30 days"
Then change it to "Your refund will be with you in 60 days".....
Now 60 days is past.....and we are being told........."Your refund will be with you in 90 days"

And still people in March are waiting for refunds.

Enough is enough.

I agree there.  I don’t think they had a clue to the amount of refunds that were going to be requested. They should have stared on the high side, then if you received it earlier, great.  I do know a client who was suppose to sail May 6 th received her refund with Celebrity.  I know the first rounds of refunds I did with NCL and Royal and Princess have all been received...60 days is fair, I think given the number of returns, 75 maybe, but then it is getting in the ‘this has been long enough’ phase.  Then I’d say do what you need to do...a chargeback, a letter from an attorney..sometimes if there is a clear monetary need I will reach out to my sales rep to see what, if anything, they can do.  

On 5/17/2020 at 12:43 PM, NameThatFunnel said:

I'm not saying that commission should not be paid to travel agents, but the customers who actual paid to go on the cruise (and put that commission in the pocket of the TA), should be refunded first. What not make a TA wait 60 or 90 days for their commissions!

That is totally fair.  Most of the time we wait 6-9 months or more since we book so far out.  But I agree with you, the clients should get their refund and then the TA.

2 hours ago, ceilidh1 said:

Not 100% correct. Pre-COVID, if a client has Princess vacation protection, you still get paid commission on the cancellation fee when in cancellation penalty phase. If a client cancels when in 100% penalty, you still get commission on the cancellation fee.

Possibly, but we usually sell Nationwide insurance.  Perhaps it’s different for CAN vs US? 100% cancellation yes, but in the first 3 phases after final payment, we get nothing.  

5 minutes ago, RETNAVY1996 said:

your safe, they can’t come after you if I do a chargeback.  Your just the agent and dispute is between me and them.  I also think the online company you are under gives you protection looking at your web page.   Also I wonder how many TA’s applied for the PPP, they are allowed.  

They have come after another rep in my office.  I act as your representative to the cruiseline, like the go between and I give them your credit card in good faith.  I applied for unemployment but did not qualify.  I also don’t qualify for PPP in my state but I have applied for the PUA once it opened last week.  

1 hour ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

If I understand correctly you are basing this over they could theoretically come after you, right?  But they haven't, right?  They have guaranteed your commissions, right? There are other TAs on this forum that are not complaining at all.  What gives?

 

If you've read through this whole thread, there are many politely asked questions you haven't answered.  

I was answering the questions to the poster on this, saying I really wasn’t working for free since commission was protected,  but our commission is only protected IF final payment has been made, but if there is a chargeback, it is recalled.  There are a lot of other things besides booked cruises.   I honestly didn’t want it to sound like I was complaining ....I honestly was just asking people to give the cruiselines some time and to think twice about a chargeback IF you used a TA...in case they didn’t know the downside to it.  I never thought it would blow up like this.  
as for the other questions...I may go back and read some but so many comments have been hurtful..and most were from people who didn’t use a TA...like I said, I was only asking to think twice.  I don’t know about the other TAs...I didn’t begin by complaining...I was again asking to give the cruiselines some time and think twice.  I’m a million+ seller so maybe the others don’t have as many to deal with as I do.  I’m also a single woman who depends on this as my income. I don’t want to lose my commission, who wants to lose their paycheck, but that’s not what worries me...it’s the $5000 cruise that you got your money for, but now the cruiseline is coming after me..yes, theoretically speaking because they have not come back to me yet, but they have another rep in the office.  I give my clients options...I’ve told some not to pay their final payment, even though I knew my commission could be protected, but I didn’t want them to be waiting on their return, knowing Europe wouldn’t be sailing.   I’ve never advised to do a chargeback, unless it was a case where they weren’t being offered any compensation. The cruiselines have offered refunds or FCC in these cases.  In the end, you have to do what is best for you and I totally get it.  

On 5/17/2020 at 4:07 PM, kastke said:

Actually, since the cruise line is protecting your commission, you are not working “for not a penny”.  You are just doing more work to earn your money. 
 

I was a salaried employee before I retired. My pay was the same, whether I worked 40 hours or 60 hours. Too many of those 60 hour weeks might have made it seem like I was working for nothing, but I was not. No different for sales reps/travel agents. Some commissions are easily earned, some you have to work your tail end off to earn. 

Sorry but you are wrong...when there are chargebacks, I lose money...when I’m moving cruises to next year that is work I’m doing now, but again won’t get paid for until next year IF they still take the cruise.  The hours on the phone checking on refunds and FCC’s...all the land tours that were cancelled I get nothing for...the cruises that were only deposited and wanted cancelled...work, but again, no pay.  Look...I honestly never thought this would blow up like it did...I was just sayin please to think twice...I don’t mind losing my commission, it’s the thousands of dollars they can come after me for because I used your credit card...I’m the rep for you, but when you chargeback, you get a credit and the cruiseline comes for me...we are hoping since the cruises cancelled they won’t, but they can...other suppliers are going after others in my office for the deposits etc.  

10 hours ago, Aulanis said:

I dont really/fully understand the point of this thread - Maybe things have changed but on the original 

60 day suspension video ( among the other lies)  it said

" For our Travel Advisor partners, please know we will protect your commissions on bookings

paid in full for the cancelled cruises as well as on the future cruise credits in respect of your

critical role in our success" 

As it was a 60 day pause would all cruises not be fully paid?

Would that not imply that if I had paid in full and a cruise was cancelled by Princess  TA commissions would be paid whatever? and even on new cruises booked using FCCs. irrespective of If and When or How  I got may refund.

Perhaps the OP should be having a go at Princess rather than those who have been waiting 60 days

and longer to get a refund or in my case even a sensible update as to where they are with my request.

Actually they are protected at this time if they are paid in full, and Princess cancels...if there is a chargeback however, they recall commission.  If you cancel in penalty phase during non Covid times, you get part of your money back, but no commission is paid.  

55 minutes ago, leisuretraveler223 said:

 

What a selfish excuse for a travel agent you are.  If I pay for something, and it's not delivered, and I'm having trouble getting a refund processed, I ABSOLUTELY will do a chargeback. That's the reason to use a card.  Who are you to say you need to keep the commission for a trip that never happened? Do you think you're the only person being affected by this?  I'm hemorrhaging money as I keep my business going, and you sit at home selling cruises over the internet and think ANYONE here is going to feel bad for you?  Pathetic.

First of all you do not know me, I'm anything but selfish or pathetic.  I agree you should get your money, but...can't you wait 60 days or so?  These cruise lines are faced with hundreds of thousands of requests and not one is more important than the other, but you all seem to think yours is.  If it were just the commission I would care less, but to pay for your cruise that you never got, but got your money for, to me is unacceptable.  It happens....perhaps because the cruise is cancelled it won't, but another supplier just went after another rep in our office...yes, office, I don't sit home booking just cruises on the internet, and she has to come up with the $750.  Luckily we have insurance in the office, but it's got a limit.  Your cruise is $7000 and I pay for it with your credit card, on your behalf, but you chargeback and get the whole $7000 and I'm out $2000 because our insurance only pays $5000 per claim IF it even will pay since this is a pandemic.  I have gone to bat for a lot of my customers to get their refunds back.  I've called and waited on hold for 2 hours, I've checked online, I've sent them their invoices and made ones that said cancelled so they can have proof....so don't tell me I'm not a good agent.  All I was asking is for people to think twice.

14 hours ago, bbinz said:

Doesn’t sound like she’s much of a TA anyway. 

Seriously?  You do not know me and have no idea who I am.  I can tell you that most of my business is from referrals because I care about my clients and pride myself on my customer service.  I have worked more, for not a penny, in these past 2 month because of all the refunds, FCC's and lift and shifts, than I did before.  I'm 6th in my company countrywide in sales and have been a Million + sales rep for the past 2 years and was on my way to the best year ever when this hit.  All I was saying is to THINK about it IF you used a TA.  I get it...you want your money, but so do I AND I don't want to give it back or be on the hook for your cruise that you got refunded for.  It happens.  It happened this week to a rep with a land supplier.  Now they are coming after her for the deposit of $750.  Maybe in this case, where the cruises were actually cancelled, they wouldn't come after us for payment BUT they can...we act as a representative of you when we pay the supplier.  The supplier takes your credit card from me in good faith.   I have 2 cruises cancelled as well.  I get it.. but all I was asking was to have some patience for the cruise lines.  I want my clients to get their money in a timely fashion, but I do not want to have to give money back, IF I received my commission, and I do not want to be held accountable for the cost of your cruise, when you were refunded your money.

11 minutes ago, SCOOTERNINJA said:

If Princess does not pay the refunds and goes through bankruptcy...are you going to personally guarantee and reimburse your clients for the many thousands of dollars that they could lose by not going through with a credit card chargeback?

 

I’m sure your clients would like to know this.  Perhaps you should offer a secured interest in your house as collateral to your clients.  

As I said before, I think my clients should do what they have to do, BUT I think they and anyone could wait 90 days.  If at 90 days nothing, then by all means.  I had 2 cruise cancelled personally....I GET IT... All I was saying is that you should think about it.  I truly didn't think it would be this big of a deal.  I just thought that people who booked with a agent didn't know the ramifications, that maybe they would think twice, or wait a tad longer.  

1 minute ago, leisuretraveler223 said:

 

Good grief, you don't just LOOK like a Karen, you talk like a Karen too!

You know.....people are cruel.  Look at you.  Being a big bully and all.  I'm just saying to be patient with these cruise lines.  I've not heard of one refund going over 90 days.  They are coming in around 60 or so.  These are unprecedented times, those times call for different measures.  I bet when the price goes down,  you demand they do that immediately, or you want that on board credit they promised  you to show up NOW on your account.  It's different when it's the other way around isn't it?  All I was saying is to think of your TA IF you used one and to be patient with the cruise lines.  Wow....that is all.

11 hours ago, SteerageJack said:

Be patient with Princess and be mindful of your TA’s commission?  What other companies would you extend patience to if they had thousands of dollars of your money? 
 

If your electric company accidentally took $10,000 from your autopay instead of $100 and when you called them they said it would be 90 days until you got your money back, would you shrug your shoulders and take the attitude that they are pretty busy down there at Acme Gas and Electric?  Not a chance.
 

We are among those awaiting a refund. We have disputed the charge with CITI Bank, because despite having cancelled with our TA in mid-March and despite having requested a refund, not FCC in response to the Princess letter we all received, Princess still shows as booked, not cancelled. Mysteriously, they did cancel our EZ Air reservation, though. 
 

In fact, when I spoke with a Princess rep, she said their system didn’t show us as cancelled. Never mind that Princess had cancelled the cruise already.

 

In February, the Princess computer systems magically collected final payments for every one of the thousands of booking for our cruise,  in one fell swoop.  Refunds ought to be as simple. Push the button and reverse the charges for initial deposit and final payment. I get that other charges for excursions, prepaid, etc. are trickier and might need extra time to reconcile.
 

Make no mistake, the delay in Princess refunds is about cash flow management, not logistical problems in processing refunds.

 

Banned from Princess for filing a CC dispute? I doubt it, but the world is full of vacation options and we will be fine. I’m not operating a bank here.

 

 

Your cruise will show booked not cancelled so that accounting does not get confused when issuing the refund or FCC.  If it was showing as cancelled, that would mean you cancelled within your penalty phase and that could keep you from getting your full refund.  Be thankful it showed cancelled!! 

There is no way any cruise line will ban anyone that files a CC dispute.

14 hours ago, cruzsnooze said:

After reading your post which shows your  conflict of interest it made me realize I should never use a travel agent again. Maybe to save money and become profitable Carnival Corp should reduce and eliminate TA's altogether.

It doesn't cost you a penny more to use us.  We get paid from the cruise lines for 'recommending' them to you.  You could call me today, and call whoever, lets' say Royal and the price would be the exact same...EXCEPT...maybe we have group space where we can save you some money or offer amenities.  Everyone has taken what I said wrong.  I'm not saying you shouldn't do it if you really feel you have been wronged, I'm saying PLEASE think about it when you using a TA.  I care for my clients...a lot!  I've checked in with them, I send gifts, I am concerned about their refunds as well, but I also know the cruise lines are trying!  I'm on a webinar everyday with one of them.  For me personally, I've had 92 clients that I've had to request a refund or FCC for or move them to another cruise.  That is just me so think of all the people out there.  All the agents and the clients requesting the same thing.  I just think if they have said they will give you your money back, they will.  Call me naïve but I trust them.  I've been doing this a long time and for the most part these companies, at least, Royal, Celebrity and Princess are great suppliers to work with.  Just give them 90 days....if they can't deliver by then, then by all means do a chargeback.

20 hours ago, bluesea321 said:

 

You have posted the same message all over Cruise Critic, not nice.

No, I posted it with 3 cruiselines and under General.  My clients said they did this because they read on Cruise Critic that people were doing it.....some people don't book with a TA.  If I posted it all over, I would have done a lot more than 3 cruiselines!!

5 minutes ago, indygirl99 said:

Cruise lines are NOT doing the best they can. They are NOT refunding the fares they said they would refund.

 

Princess told me that if I wanted my money back "you will have to do a charge back to your credit card".

 

I have to make my house payment and feed my family so I will do what Princess recommended.

 

My sister works from home processing credit card refunds and told me that what Princess claims is a  crock and that I should do what Princess themselves told me to do and contact my credit card company and do a charge back.

I find that very hard to believe...unless they were a uncaring agent, no supplier would tell you to do a chargeback.  

But in their defense they had no idea the number of refunds they would be dealing with, and not all reps can do refunds from home, but that’s another story 😊  They didn’t realize the world would be brought to their knees with this virus.  I have other suppliers that are saying from the beginning, 60 days from your date of travel...not cancel date, date of travel.  While I sympathize with people wanting their money, I just feel we need to cut them some slack as they are hurting like the rest of us.

Some travel agencies only have to pay net so they keep their commission..therefore they would need to refund the difference.  Not a good way to do business.  We pay the cruiseline directly from your credit card then after you travel we get a small commission...our commission is usually protected if the cruiseline cancelled the cruise and final payment had been made.  The charges everyone is seeing is because it’s coming from different departments, so one is the sales tax and port fees, one is the cruise fare and one is the commission.  Some are getting 3 while others 6 refunds...guess it depends on who is doing it!

Wrong....you should be though.  They have promised you your money back, but you aren’t giving them the time to follow through.  Do you know how many people they are dealing with, and with a reduced staff? Give them a break...but my agency may not allow us to do business with clients who do this.  It takes away any protected commission and technically the supplier(cruiseline) could come after us for payment.  It’s a huge headache for people who can’t be understanding and patient.