Aussie booked with American TA

Hi - I booked my cruise on MSC through a US travel agent because I got the cruise $1000 per person cheaper in America than I could get it through an agent in Australia. That worked out to $4000 for our family and gives us a week in New York before our cruise. I have seen a post on another board where there was a discussion and they commented that people may have difficulties boarding in a US port. Has anyone else known of an Aussie booking through a TA in the US?:confused: Has anyone heard of or experienced difficulties when boarding :confused:. Im a bit worried :eek:

It hasn't been mentioned and is believed unlikely. There's a fuller coverage in this article on this site: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=3847

Please don't be worried. There has been so much said about this previously and I have booked through the US for some of our cruises and never had a problem.

No-one on any of these forums has ever said that they were refused embarkation.

Relax and enjoy the fact that you are going on a great cruise and have saved yourself many $'s

Was probably an Aussie TA spreading more wild innuendos.

Honestly, I only book our long cruises and most of our smaller cruises with a US TA and have NEVER been denied boarding (and I know of many others that have done so too). Stop worrying, enjoy your cruise and revel in the fact that you saved the equivalent of another cruise. :D

The companies that are most adamant about preventing the bookings (Princess, Holland America) have stated repeatedly that the passengers will be allowed to sail. The problem is that the TA's will not be paid. I personally know of one agent whose passengers residency resulted in a commission loss - clients had a great time!

Thank you all for your reassurance - I have read the article and I am much more relaxed about having bought in the US.

Kind Regards, Janet

As a US Travel Agent we are only allowed to sell to North America. I assume as the dollar gets worse it will get more strict. They usually punish the Travel Agent. Genius on your part.I would just not due it again. I personally won't assist a client unless they live in Canada or US.

As a US Travel Agent we are only allowed to sell to North America. I assume as the dollar gets worse it will get more strict. They usually punish the Travel Agent. Genius on your part.I would just not due it again. I personally won't assist a client unless they live in Canada or US.

Why should we? We are being unfairly treated and just wont wear it. We dont want to see any agents punished...but frankly you need to fill your ships with passengers...as your economy struggles I can't see any cruise line making it harder to get clients on board to fill their empty cabins.

"Genius on your part" what do you mean? The agent accepts our booking knowing we are Australian..their choice no one held a gun to their head.

The lines that do not want aussie bookings though north american agents would be smart to give aussie T/as the same prices and conditions and we would book here. Any line that takes a harder line on us...will find us taking our cruise dollars to another line and thereby losing a loyal fan base of cruisers who cruise often and long.

Up the rebellion!

"genius" because many people don't understand how calling a US agent can be cheaper. In my opinion prices should be based on where the cruise line is located. That's how hotels work.

Why should we? We are being unfairly treated and just wont wear it. We dont want to see any agents punished...but frankly you need to fill your ships with passengers...as your economy struggles I can't see any cruise line making it harder to get clients on board to fill their empty cabins.

 

"Genius on your part" what do you mean? The agent accepts our booking knowing we are Australian..their choice no one held a gun to their head.

 

The lines that do not want aussie bookings though north american agents would be smart to give aussie T/as the same prices and conditions and we would book here. Any line that takes a harder line on us...will find us taking our cruise dollars to another line and thereby losing a loyal fan base of cruisers who cruise often and long.

 

Up the rebellion!

My DH says "Here! Here!" and "Aye! Aye!";)

Am I correct in thinking that we communicated a few years back when my DS was a Navy Cadet here on The Central Coast and very keen to join The Navy when he left school? Well if so, just wanted to share with you that in 5 weeks he is off to Cerbrus to commence his training. He is very happy to have been selected for Electronic Warfare.

Jen

My DH says "Here! Here!" and "Aye! Aye!";)

 

Am I correct in thinking that we communicated a few years back when my DS was a Navy Cadet here on The Central Coast and very keen to join The Navy when he left school? Well if so, just wanted to share with you that in 5 weeks he is off to Cerbrus to commence his training. He is very happy to have been selected for Electronic Warfare.

Jen

Hi Jen, yes its me and I am moving back to the Central Coast imminently..haved bought a house in Yattalunga...looking forward to catch up with CC'ers on the Central Coast:)

Sue

"genius" because many people don't understand how calling a US agent can be cheaper. In my opinion prices should be based on where the cruise line is located. That's how hotels work.

But prices shouldn't be based on where the cruise has been booked. Do you know how much these cruiselines are ripping Aussies off, and from reports people from European countries? Why should we be disadvantaged with pricing when we don't live in America?

Lets hope our pricing starts to drop given that our dollar is so strong against the $US dollar.

From reports about America and it is economic crisis it looks like they will have an even tougher time selling cruises to the Americans.

As a US Travel Agent we are only allowed to sell to North America. I assume as the dollar gets worse it will get more strict. They usually punish the Travel Agent. Genius on your part.I would just not due it again. I personally won't assist a client unless they live in Canada or US.

Living in NZ, I have booked through an on-line US travel agency in the past, and intend to do so in the future. As I understand it, US TAs are allowed to book Australian and NZ passengers, if those passengers have previously booked through that TA.

Fortunately, we first booked with this US travel agency in 2003, before the ruling stopping US TAs from booking Aussie and Kiwi passengers came into effect. Consequently, when I phone now, I am asked if we have booked through this TA before. When we say yes, and give details, we are allowed to book again.

We pay with a credit card, in US dollars, which are converted back to NZ dollars by the credit card company. This gives us a more favourable rate of exchange than the cost in Australian dollars that is arbitrarily set by the cruise company, and which does not change even when the US dollars falls - currently, the Australain dollar is higher than the US dollar, but the prices quoted by the cruise line cost more in Australian dollars than they do in US dollars..

I like our NZ Travel Agent.

What we have started doing is only booking Carnival Cruises which do not discriminate with a NZ TA. If you take into account the currency rate the prices work out much the same.

I am hopeful things will change because I like being able to pay out TA weekly sums without having to LOAD up our credit card.

Living in NZ, I have booked through an on-line US travel agency in the past, and intend to do so in the future. As I understand it, US TAs are allowed to book Australian and NZ passengers, if those passengers have previously booked through that TA.

 

Fortunately, we first booked with this US travel agency in 2003, before the ruling stopping US TAs from booking Aussie and Kiwi passengers came into effect. Consequently, when I phone now, I am asked if we have booked through this TA before. When we say yes, and give details, we are allowed to book again.

..

Luckily we too fall into this category. :D The savings we make on some of our cruises is amazing.

But prices shouldn't be based on where the cruise has been booked. Do you know how much these cruiselines are ripping Aussies off, and from reports people from European countries? Why should we be disadvantaged with pricing when we don't live in America?

 

Lets hope our pricing starts to drop given that our dollar is so strong against the $US dollar.

 

From reports about America and it is economic crisis it looks like they will have an even tougher time selling cruises to the Americans.

Which means if they are smart they stop ripping off Australian and New Zealand cruisers and offer more competitive prices. Also we get much more annual leave than our US counterparts. From what I read about the American economy it is simply in the toliet. I keep hearing about a QE3. Yikes.

Hi Jen, yes its me and I am moving back to the Central Coast imminently..haved bought a house in Yattalunga...looking forward to catch up with CC'ers on the Central Coast:)

 

Sue

Fancy that - we are a few minutes away at Kincumber:D

Jen

Which means if they are smart they stop ripping off Australian and New Zealand cruisers and offer more competitive prices. Also we get much more annual leave than our US counterparts. From what I read about the American economy it is simply in the toliet. I keep hearing about a QE3. Yikes.

Just noticed your "waitlist". Sending you positive vibes so you make it on board as we are also on that cruise - all the way from Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco. :DWell as long as my health stays put and I can get my travel insurance sorted out.:confused:

Jen

As a US Travel Agent we are only allowed to sell to North America. I assume as the dollar gets worse it will get more strict. They usually punish the Travel Agent. Genius on your part.I would just not due it again. I personally won't assist a client unless they live in Canada or US.

Then it becomes your loss really isn't it - I would have thought that you would have wanted to get the business in these difficult economic times. :confused:The way I see it , US TAs would be keen to get their clients's business - irrespective of where they live and if their prices are competitive, all the better for them. At the end of the day, clients want to get value for their money and if it means booking with an overseas agent, that is what they will do. :)

The companies that are most adamant about preventing the bookings (Princess, Holland America) have stated repeatedly that the passengers will be allowed to sail. The problem is that the TA's will not be paid. I personally know of one agent whose passengers residency resulted in a commission loss - clients had a great time!

Perhaps this is why one very well known US cruise specialist will not take bookings from Aussies for a list of cruiselines. It seems strange to me that it appears that others will. Can't really quite make it out.

Barry

"genius" because many people don't understand how calling a US agent can be cheaper. In my opinion prices should be based on where the cruise line is located. That's how hotels work.

Yes - perhaps Aussies have fouled their own nest in the past - by insisting that Aussie TA's quote in AUD for a US based cruise instead of USD.

It is obvious why this came about - but this then involves an exchange rate, and the question then follows "which exhange rate??" If the cruises were charged in USD, then the obvious answer would then be "the exchange rate of the day". By quoting cruises in AUD, the agents and the cruiselines are using an exchange rate that may be far removed from the rate of the day. I have experienced this personally when trying to pay P&O AUS for something relating to a P&O UK cruise.

I believe that, we Aussies - have created this problem for ourselves. I note that, of all the cruiselines that will not accept bookings directly from Aussies - all of them appear to have an Australian office. Those that don't have an Australian office will take bookings direct.

Barry

Just noticed your "waitlist". Sending you positive vibes so you make it on board as we are also on that cruise - all the way from Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco. :DWell as long as my health stays put and I can get my travel insurance sorted out.:confused:

Jen

Thanks Jen. I don't think the spaces will free up until it comes time to cough up the cash. I hope you can get sorted out with your health insurance.