Travel agent problems

Hello. I was trying to book a cruise and found a well known travel agent so booked the cruise through them. My coworker put me in touch with her travel agent who offered some onboard credit that the original travel agent didn't offer. I would like to use the second travel agent for the onboard credit but don't know how to break it to the first travel agent that I got a better deal elsewhere. i am hoping I can get advise on how to handle this or should I just suck it up and use th first travel agent because I already made a pact with them. Thank you.

Hi there, and welcome. First of all we are not permitted to mention TA's by name (I know you didn't), so I just wanted to give you the heads up for future replies in this thread.

Not all travel agents give "perks" - ours doesn't but we trust her and always book with her. She helped us with a monumental problem two years ago and we will always be grateful for that. Of course we would like to have some on board credit or free gratuities or something, but for us it's not worth breaking that connection with her, so we carry on.

Having said that, have you been honest with your TA? Why not tell him or her that you found something elsewhere and is there anything they can offer you? It can't hurt to politely ask and you won't know until you do ask. What have you paid so far? A deposit? Or you have paid in full?

As well, perks usually come out of the TA's commission so we are somewhat reluctant to push the issue with ours. It's just how we prefer it.

Let us know how it goes. :)

.

I have paid the deposit. The first agent didn't offer anything and my coworkers agent offered the credit. i think i want to go with the second travel agent. My coworker really likes her travel agent and now I wish I had asked my coworker for advise first. I'm embarrassed to cancel with the first travel agent because I feel like i'm being flakey.

I have paid the deposit. The first agent didn't offer anything and my coworkers agent offered the credit. i think i want to go with the second travel agent. My coworker really likes her travel agent and now I wish I had asked my coworker for advise first. I'm embarrassed to cancel with the first travel agent because I feel like i'm being flakey.

In my opinion, you should have shopped around prior to deciding to ask a particular TA to spend his time on booking your reservation. Now that they have performed the service for you in good faith, it does not seem appropriate, at least to me, for you to either ask for a better offer or change to a new agent.

I would just treat this as a learning experience and apply your new knowledge when you book your next cruise.

Before you do anything you need to find out if there are any penalties if you were to cancel your booking. For example does the TA charge one as some do and some don't and would the cruise line charge a fee as some do and some don't.

If there are no fees and you can cancel then you just need to think this through as to will it be a problem with your co-worker.

Keith

You have three options: The first is to cancel the booking and rebook through the other agent. But if the first agent imposes fees for this then you have to take this into consideration as to what you have to give up and what you will get. Second would be to ask the first agent to either match what you have found or release the booking. This is not likely as with most perks coming from the TA's commission and the fact that they own your booking, they are under no obligation to do so. The third is to keep the booking as is and change TA's for the next booking.

The fact is - as indicated - extra TA perks are out of their pocket from their commissions or through block or group booking benefits. So this will vary from zero to something from TA to TA. There are also many who charge separate fees not imposed by the cruise lines for originating, modifying, or cancelling a booking made through them. Many do not. It pays to do your homework up front and ask these questions prior to making a booking through them.

One other thing to remember is once you place a booking through a TA they "own" the booking as your agent for the cruise line. It isn't so much a "pact" as it is a contract with stipulations. TA's provide a valuable service to their customers as well as the cruise lines and as a result 75% of all cruise bookings are placed through TA's. Extra perks are just one way of competing for that business.

I agree with Keith.

You need to find out if the first TA will charge you a fee for cancelling the booking. That fee may cancel out the shipboard credit that you were to get from the second TA.

Ditto Keith and Nantahala

I really don’t see it as a TA problem as much as it is a change of heart in your part- caveat emptor

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Just ask the first TA for what you want.

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Just ask the first TA for what you want.

 

 

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Start with that .

Failing that , original TA must release the booking to other TA ( not easy )

As stated , cancel if out of Penalty and rebook .

Future , be a shopper . If a TA suspects that you are not , why give up some comm. ?

Agree with MCC. Cancel (if no penalty) and then rebook with an agency who offers you the best deal. Trying to transfer a booking between TAs is a very difficult process (almost impossible with some cruise lines).

Hank

Options

1) cancel with the 1st TA then book with the 2nd

2) ask the 1st TA if they will match the OBC

Consider this a learning experience and stick with travel agent number one on this booking. At the conclusion of this cruise switch to travel agent number two for your next cruise, etc.

I have a TA that I always book with.But if after my booking I find another better offer I send her a picture of the offer that I see online and ask her what she can do. So far she has always been able to match it.

Laura

I will leave aside the process of changing TA's because that has been well explained. What puzzles me about threads like this is the reluctance of some to treat dealing with TA's as strictly a business decision. Forget feelings, yours or theirs. It's BUSINESS. Just like it's business to discuss financing a mortgage with several lenders and choosing the one that offers overall the best deal. Just like it's business to change beauty salons if your long time and friendly stylist isn't doing what you want anymore.

In this case, you have not signed a binding contract to do business with the first agent. (Some penalties may or may not be applied to switching as mentioned above. That is part and parcel of the process.) To quote (or misquote) the Godfather, "it's not personal, it's strictly business". Don't make it personal. You aren't the first, and you won't the last, to transfer a booking. If the first TA does not handle the news professionally, then you are well rid of her/him.

I have paid the deposit. The first agent didn't offer anything and my coworkers agent offered the credit. i think i want to go with the second travel agent. My coworker really likes her travel agent and now I wish I had asked my coworker for advise first. I'm embarrassed to cancel with the first travel agent because I feel like i'm being flakey.

Well, to be fair, you are a little flaky, as the normal sequence is research, then act, not the other way around. As others have pointed out, you may have some options. But they don't address the fundamental unfairness of using someone's services, making an agreement with them, and then wanting out because a better offer came along. Personally, I would not be comfortable being 'that guy'. For me, part of being a decent person is owning my own mistakes.

See if the first TA will match your friend's TA (let them know if they don't, you will cancel) and if not, cancel and rebook with the new TA.

See if the first TA will match your friend's TA (let them know if they don't, you will cancel) and if not, cancel and rebook with the new TA.

This all assumes that the current prices and promotions are the same as the original booking :cool:

Well, to be fair, you are a little flaky, as the normal sequence is research, then act, not the other way around. As others have pointed out, you may have some options. But they don't address the fundamental unfairness of using someone's services, making an agreement with them, and then wanting out because a better offer came along. Personally, I would not be comfortable being 'that guy'. For me, part of being a decent person is owning my own mistakes.

This. ^^^ It really boils down to how you'll "feel" about it at the end of the day, and if the OBC is worth not feeling good inside about it. I can tell from the fact you posted asking this question that you already know what will feel right to you.

This all assumes that the current prices and promotions are the same as the original booking :cool:

Very important !

Very important !

Sorry but I do not see this circumstance as a TA pro blem. If anything i t is a failure of cruiser to research prior to booking. A TA pro blem is when reservations get confused, failure to return phone calls, failure to advise client of issues concenring their cruise which might arise. JMO

I agree with most. The TA isn't the "problem" not doing proper research is the problem.

After a couple of bumps in the road I found that (what is best for me) is that I do all the research I can on a cruise. I usually start with a couple of ships that are doing the cruise I want to do. I ask questions here and then after "thinking about it for a few days" I put down a deposit directly with the cruise line. Then I go on line and do a tracking of the cruise I am interested in. That way if the prices go down I know about it. Once the deposit is down I keep doing research on things like the cabin and tours. Also keep an eye on cabins that may be I would have liked, but were on "hold" while I was "thinking about it" After everything is "set" in my mind and usually closely before final payment I will call a TA that I have worked with for a number of years and see what she has available. Sometimes she has a group booking or some further discount that she can offer above her usual discount. Then and only then do I turn over the booking to her. She also knows that I am pretty experienced (in some ways) to travel. I do my own booking for flights, hotels etc. I don't ask her for anything she isn't paid for. But sometimes (on longer cruises) if I see a high category cabin that I might like I will have her go to bat for me in securing a price that I am happy with. To date I have been happy with what she has done for me.

OP, consider this as a learning lesson and contact the first agent. Ask for what you want and let her know you have a better offer. I hope this is resolved to everyone's satisfaction.

I agree with most. The TA isn't the "problem" not doing proper research is the problem.

 

After a couple of bumps in the road I found that (what is best for me) is that I do all the research I can on a cruise. I usually start with a couple of ships that are doing the cruise I want to do. I ask questions here and then after "thinking about it for a few days" I put down a deposit directly with the cruise line. Then I go on line and do a tracking of the cruise I am interested in. That way if the prices go down I know about it. Once the deposit is down I keep doing research on things like the cabin and tours. Also keep an eye on cabins that may be I would have liked, but were on "hold" while I was "thinking about it" After everything is "set" in my mind and usually closely before final payment I will call a TA that I have worked with for a number of years and see what she has available. Sometimes she has a group booking or some further discount that she can offer above her usual discount. Then and only then do I turn over the booking to her. She also knows that I am pretty experienced (in some ways) to travel. I do my own booking for flights, hotels etc. I don't ask her for anything she isn't paid for. But sometimes (on longer cruises) if I see a high category cabin that I might like I will have her go to bat for me in securing a price that I am happy with. To date I have been happy with what she has done for me.

 

OP, consider this as a learning lesson and contact the first agent. Ask for what you want and let her know you have a better offer. I hope this is resolved to everyone's satisfaction.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought you only had 60 days to transfer a reservation to a TA - I know this is true for on-board bookings, so I assumed it was also true for those not booked on board.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought you only had 60 days to transfer a reservation to a TA - I know this is true for on-board bookings, so I assumed it was also true for those not booked on board.

Time frame for transfer from "onboard booking to TA" depends on the specific cruise line. For example, on Oceania, it's 30 days.

BTW, I've often recommended that folks looking for a good TA include a review of the occasionally published Condé Nast Traveler "best of..." lists which often includes some cruise specialist who, even if they don't handle your specific preferences, could point you in the right direction. Here's their most current article: https://www.cntraveler.com/story/travel-specialists-we-trust?mbid=nl_111617_Intel&CNDID=29512118&spMailingID=12374686&spUserID=MTMzNDgzMDA4MDkwS0&spJobID=1281529340&spReportId=MTI4MTUyOTM0MAS2

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