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Can I fire my travel agent?


Sophie&Rufus
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I know there are lots of threads about travel agents -- how to find one, how to find a good one, whether to use one or not...

But I haven't found anything to indicate what to do if you booked the cruise with a TA and later regret it. I don't have much cruise experience, so when I booked it seemed like a good idea to use a TA who could answer all my questions. But for a few months now I've been very unhappy. I won't go into the details, but there was an issue with my booking, which could have been corrected with a phone call from the TA to Princess. That was last August, and it has yet to be resolved. The only way to get her attention is to send multiple email messages, and leave multiple phone messages, ultimately topped off with a nasty-gram stating how dissatisfied I am with their service. Then I finally get a call filled with excuses, and an apology thrown in.

 

I tried to call Princess to take care of it myself, but it seems they will only speak to my TA. I tried to explain why I'm not happy with the TA, but the Princess agent simply noted this agency is a big organization and I should be able to talk to someone else there. (It occurs to me now the same could be said for Princess.)

 

Do I have any remedy, or am I stuck with this TA until embarkation? Or am I done with the TA once I make my final payment?

 

If nothing else, thanks for letting me vent.

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Something odd is going on. I thought that you could "fire" your TA prior to the final payment date by simply contacting Princess. As to it being a big agency...that can often be part of the problem. Yes, there are great agencies that are also large, but it is easy for a rotten apple to hide in those agencies. However, that shouldn't influence your ability to fire the agency and turn your reservation back to Princess.

 

Once you have made final payment, there is basically nothing that needs to involve your TA....unless a problem comes up, you booked insurance thru the TA, etc.

 

Be sure that the agency you used doesn't impose a cancelation penalty--you should have been required to sign a contract if they do impose something, or at least sign a letter that you are aware of their policy.

 

I'm also going to guess that it would not be possible to get the same deal you currently have (and are happy with) if you were to just cancel your reservation thru the TA and rebook it directly thru Princess.....that is certainly an option IF your "deal" is still available.

 

You are indirectly paying your TA (thru the commission they get from Princess). There is no reason to pay for unsatisfactory service!

Edited by moki'smommy
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Are you using a travel agent that is part of an agency? If so, I would by-pass the agent at this point and go higher up the ladder with copies of your correspondence with your particular agent. The other thing that you can do is find a different agent with a different agency and assign your booking to them. The latter might be a threat that you mention to get someone's attention. It has to be done before final payment.

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You are able to "fire your TA" and transfer the booking back to Princess prior to final payment date, I have done it in the past.

Call Princess again and inquire as to exactly what needs to be done. I had to have a form from Princess that I had to fill in all of the information and sign and fax back to them in order for them to take the booking back from the TA. You may also have to send something to the TA in order for them to release the booking, at least I did.

 

If your TA has a cancellation penalty, then you may have to pay that when you transfer it back.

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I had to have a form from Princess that I had to fill in all of the information and sign and fax back to them in order for them to take the booking back from the TA.

Somewhat similar for me. I faxed a signed letter to Princess stating that I wanted to switch. I've done it for two different bookings with no problems.

 

Don't stay with someone you're not happy with.

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I would say you have every right to "fire" you TA. IF someone has not done their job and that impacts your costs or perks. First I would call Princess...tell them of the problem..tell them what YOU want to do and what resolution you want. Then go back to your TA and ask for a supervisor, tell them of who you have been working with, what happened and you would like to move forward by transferring your booking to Princess. IF you have any emails pertaining to your problem ask for his/her email and forward it to them. AND IF there are any penalties by doing so, tell them IF they had given excellent customer service, you wouldn't be having this conversation.and see if you can get them waived....

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It is incredibly easy to move your booking back to Princess. From there you can either leave it with Princess or else move it again to some other TA.

 

Send email to: revenuesupportdepartment@princesscruises.com

 

I sent this one:

=============

 

RE: Booking XXXXX

Voyage XXXX

This booking is currently with a Travel Agency:

 

 

 

 

  • Agency: Agency Name

  • Agent: Agent's Name

  • Phone: (xxx) xxx-xxx

I would like to move it from that agency to Princess Cruises:

Thank you for your assistance.

==============

 

I was actually wanting to move the booking from one TA to another but Princess said I needed to move it to them first and then move it again to the new TA. After I sent this mail Princess moved my booking from the existing TA to their own system. It was changed quickly. Once that was done I sent a similar email asking them to move it to the new TA and provided the TA info. Again, it was quick and easy.

Edited by Thrak
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So, you found a new TA that offered more perks after the original TA did all the work??

 

Backstory?

 

Happy to provide my back story on whyI transferred. And that TA didn't really do any work since I found the cruise, picked my cabin and booked originally with Princess and they simply transferred it.

What they quoted me prior transferring the booking was not what at all what I ended up with. Their answer when i asked, "Oh, I made a mistake. Sorry about that". Even with the email proof of what I was offered, they wouldn't budge. So, they lost the booking and were none too happy.

Edited by Host CJSKIDS
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Happy to provide my back story on while I transferred. And that TA didn't really do any work since I found the cruise, picked my cabin and booked originally with Princess and they simply transferred it.

What they quoted me prior transferring the booking was not what at all what I ended up with. Their answer when i asked, "Oh, I made a mistake. Sorry about that". Even with the email proof of what I was offered, they wouldn't budge. So, they lost the booking and were none too happy.

 

I had a similar issue with a TA, I did the work and when I found a lower price or added perks, I would have to call them and normally have to wait until they called me back, which by then the price or perks were gone. They also had a email which I like because If I have a question, I can email, go on with my day, and wait for the response, but again, never responded, so when I sent a "firm" email about my account, it was sent inter office to another TA, which responded to me on that thread, which included the inter office "conversation" about me being a pest and constantly bothering them

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I had a similar issue with a TA, I did the work and when I found a lower price or added perks, I would have to call them and normally have to wait until they called me back, which by then the price or perks were gone. They also had a email which I like because If I have a question, I can email, go on with my day, and wait for the response, but again, never responded, so when I sent a "firm" email about my account, it was sent inter office to another TA, which responded to me on that thread, which included the inter office "conversation" about me being a pest and constantly bothering them

Ouch!

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I had a similar issue with a TA, I did the work and when I found a lower price or added perks, I would have to call them and normally have to wait until they called me back, which by then the price or perks were gone. They also had a email which I like because If I have a question, I can email, go on with my day, and wait for the response, but again, never responded, so when I sent a "firm" email about my account, it was sent inter office to another TA, which responded to me on that thread, which included the inter office "conversation" about me being a pest and constantly bothering them

Of course you are a pest...they want to punch a computer button and be done with your booking....and collect a few hundred dollars in commission. (or a lot more depending on your booking) If you find a lower fare and it is applied, you lower their commission.

I have a great TA now, but I did have to go thru several rotten apples over a series of cruises to get there.

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Of course you are a pest...they want to punch a computer button and be done with your booking....and collect a few hundred dollars in commission. (or a lot more depending on your booking) If you find a lower fare and it is applied' date=' you lower their commission.

I have a great TA now, but I did have to go thru several rotten apples over a series of cruises to get there.[/quote']

 

Yeah, it seems today the barrel is full of "rotten" apples, you have to dig through them to find the "good" apple

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Thank you all for the advice. I have waited on making the final payment until I get my issue resolved. At this point I just really want to be finished with these people. Live and learn, I suppose.

 

Just an idea....when your cruise is over, drop them a note, how your cruise was, that you just returned and give them the good points of their service and WHY you will not be doing business with them again...and wish them a good day!

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So, you found a new TA that offered more perks after the original TA did all the work??

 

Backstory?

 

No. (You are always so upbeat and complimentary...) I booked with Princess. Much later - very near to final payment - I gave the booking to the big box for lots of OBC. They did zero paperwork other than accepting the booking. I changed it to my usual TA and he gave me money off the top of the fare rather than OBC and I got to keep it local and with someone who offers round-the-clock service rather than a "ticket seller" such as the big box that does absolutely nothing other than offer OBC. I always book my own cruises and only transfer to the TA at the last minute. As for "more perks" the TA I use actually gave me less money off the top than the amount of OBC offered by the big box. I don't mind. I'd rather deal with him any day.

Edited by Thrak
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Just an idea....when your cruise is over, drop them a note, how your cruise was, that you just returned and give them the good points of their service and WHY you will not be doing business with them again...and wish them a good day!
Hmm, I think I like it.

 

Sent from my Samsung Chromebook 3 using Forums mobile app

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It's much, much easier to shift a Princess cruise from an agent you don't like (or who is super lazy) than it is to move Celebrity or any of the other cruise lines. They want big dollars in compensation but they call it a cancellation fee. You're keeping the booking so go figure. But, it is definitely possible and if you speak to the right person at Princess they should be able to solve your problems and handle the transfer with ease. Keep phoning until you find that Princess person who knows the ropes.

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I've been lucky not to have run across true incompetence with any travel agents with whom I've booked our cruises. I did run into the inability to transfer a booking after the final payment date. In that case, I booked a cruise with Princess over the weekend and then tried to move it to my regular TA on Monday. It worked out fine for me because we got a last-minute rate.

 

I did have one TA tick me off when I did not book with her. She noticed a price drop on a cruise I was interested in, but I had already found the price drop on my own. By the way she rudely handled the issue, I was glad I had not given her my business.

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It is incredibly easy to move your booking back to Princess. From there you can either leave it with Princess or else move it again to some other TA.

 

Send email to: revenuesupportdepartment@princesscruises.com

 

I sent this one:

=============

 

RE: Booking XXXXX

Voyage XXXX

This booking is currently with a Travel Agency:

 

 

 

 

  • Agency: Agency Name

  • Agent: Agent's Name

  • Phone: (xxx) xxx-xxx

I would like to move it from that agency to Princess Cruises:

Thank you for your assistance.

==============

 

I was actually wanting to move the booking from one TA to another but Princess said I needed to move it to them first and then move it again to the new TA. After I sent this mail Princess moved my booking from the existing TA to their own system. It was changed quickly. Once that was done I sent a similar email asking them to move it to the new TA and provided the TA info. Again, it was quick and easy.

 

Excellent explanation of the process. I'd copy and paste this in my Notes, but we always use our Princess vacation planner after being burned in the past by TA's who got too big.

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Excellent explanation of the process. I'd copy and paste this in my Notes, but we always use our Princess vacation planner after being burned in the past by TA's who got too big.

 

We use a small local TA who gives us a good percentage off the top of the cost of the cruise and who is incredibly responsive. Of course I do my own bookings and only transfer it to the TA at the end but he has still responded to questions even when he was on the other side of the country and it was evening where he was and has also called immediately when there were late upsell offers. You won't get that discount or responsiveness from a Princess vacation planner.

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Something odd is going on. I thought that you could "fire" your TA prior to the final payment date by simply contacting Princess. As to it being a big agency...that can often be part of the problem. Yes' date=' there are great agencies that are also large, but it is easy for a rotten apple to hide in those agencies. However, that shouldn't influence your ability to fire the agency and turn your reservation back to Princess.

 

Once you have made final payment, there is basically nothing that needs to involve your TA....unless a problem comes up, you booked insurance thru the TA, etc.

 

Be sure that the agency you used doesn't impose a cancelation penalty--you should have been required to sign a contract if they do impose something, or at least sign a letter that you are aware of their policy.

 

I'm also going to guess that it would not be possible to get the same deal you currently have (and are happy with) if you were to just cancel your reservation thru the TA and rebook it directly thru Princess.....that is certainly an option IF your "deal" is still available.

 

You are indirectly paying your TA (thru the commission they get from Princess). There is no reason to pay for unsatisfactory service![/quote']

 

However, if the agency is large it may be that they have received special rates from Princess. if you cancel and book directly with Princess you may not get the same rates. Why not approach the manager of the agency and voice your dissatisfaction with the agent you are dealing with. They will not want to lose a customer. Also, once you have made final payment and completed your pre cruise infomation on line you will be able to print out your boarding passes and luggage tags about 45 to 50 days prior to sailing directly from your cruise personalizer and thus will have no further need to deal with this agent.

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  • 1 month later...

I’m hoping I won’t have to transfer a cruise from a current TA. It all depends on how my issue is addressed. But if I do decide to transfer from a current TA to another (by first transferring back to Princess), would I be able to keep the same promo and pricing? I booked this cruise underneath last year’s 3 for free. Have not yet made final payment since it isn’t due until early 2019.

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