How to transfer booking from Princess to outside travel agency

[bird4274]

Does anybody know how to get a cruise that was booked directly with Princess transferred to an outside travel agency. I have done this many time with cruises booked with Celebrity and then have transferred the booking within 60 days to another travel agent using a form provided by Celebrity, but can't find any form or information on Princess website on how to transfer booked cruises to another travel agent.

 

Robin

[beg3yrs]

It is done by your travel agency. Just give them your booking number.

[paul929207]

Find a TA and agree on all the detail (cost, obc, etc). They will give you instructions. You will just send a fax to Princess asking them to transfer the booking to the TA.

[bird4274]

Thanks for your quick response.

[dcruisers]

I have read on these boards that people do this but why? I usually book thru our local TA. Once I booked directly thru the cruiseline (not Princess) but didn't switch to our TA. What is the benefit to booking thru cruiseline and then switch to TA? Is it to save money? I am curious!

Thanks.

Edited January 10, 2013 by dcruisers

[casavaha]

Yes, certainly to save money. I always book directly thru Princess. I watch the website

continually for any lower prices. Each time I call and have my booking updated.

Then when final payment comes due, I call various TA and ask for their best price and

OBC and wine, etc. While the TA cannot discount the fare they can reduce their

commission. It works for me but I am sure not everyone.

 

Greg

[Pam in CA]

I have read on these boards that people do this but why? I usually book thru our local TA. Once I booked directly thru the cruiseline (not Princess) but didn't switch to our TA. What is the benefit to booking thru cruiseline and then switch to TA? Is it to save money? I am curious!

Thanks.

Sometimes, you just want to get a booking on the ship and aren't sure which TA you'll use. If you don't have a TA you know and trust, this can happen.

[pris993]

We booked a cruise while on the Ruby. The price booked with Princess and the TA were the same, so no benefit to transfer the booking to the TA right away. We are not sure we will take the cruise, may change our mind and do a different cruise. If we transferred the cruise to the TA and cancel we end up paying the TA a cancellation fee. If we cancel with Princess there is not a cancellation fee. We also get an OBC with Princess, TA may or may not give OBC.

[caribill]

Another benefit of switching to a TA is that a good TA will be your advocate for solving any problems that arise with Princess.

[caribill]

Then when final payment comes due, I call various TA and ask for their best price and

OBC and wine, etc. While the TA cannot discount the fare they can reduce their

commission. It works for me but I am sure not everyone.

 

 

Sometimes it is better to switch to a TA earlier. If you wait until the last minute to xfer the booking to a TA, you may miss out on a better price if the TA had a group pricing originally, but no longer has that lower price available when you make the switch.

[caribill]

Find a TA and agree on all the detail (cost, obc, etc). They will give you instructions. You will just send a fax to Princess asking them to transfer the booking to the TA.

 

I have never had to send a FAX or any message to Princess to xfer a booking to a TA. At best, the TA does it all. At worst, I send an e-mail request to the TA who then does all the rest.

[t60]

Well it didn´t work for me in UK. We booked onboard Grand in May for a cruise in March 2013. Princess told me it was easy to transfer to Travel agent...when we got home t/c to well known TA (who we had used before and were well known to Princess) explained I wanted to transfer booking, gave them all the details, they contacted Princess, who told them I had to cancel my booking with Princess first, then rebook with TA. I contact Princess Southampton directly as I was certain this was not the information given onboard, only to be told the same thing and that they would not be able to guarantee the same cabin etc....so our booking stayed with Princess

 

Sandy in Spain

[Shogun]

Hi tc60

 

No problem switching in UK done it a number of times,

 

used to book with Princess when cruises came out wait a year

 

price comes down move to TA,

 

yours Shogun

[paul929207]

I have read on these boards that people do this but why? I usually book thru our local TA. Once I booked directly thru the cruiseline (not Princess) but didn't switch to our TA. What is the benefit to booking thru cruiseline and then switch to TA? Is it to save money? I am curious!

Thanks.

We save 10 to 20% by switching the booking to a discount TA

[RAPM5856]

I have read on these boards that people do this but why? I usually book thru our local TA. Once I booked directly thru the cruiseline (not Princess) but didn't switch to our TA. What is the benefit to booking thru cruiseline and then switch to TA? Is it to save money? I am curious!

Thanks.

 

On our upcoming Trans Atlantic cruise in April, my usual TA couldn't find the flights I wanted (that I was able to see on Princess' website) so I booked everything with Princess and then transferred the booking to my TA, who was offering a lower cabin rate than Princess. Got the exact flights I wanted (especially coming home) and a lower overall cost.

[iwantsomesun]

We just did this a few months ago. Booked directly with Princess since I find it easiest to look around at cruises, flights, etc from home. I didn't even really consider using a TA. After talking with one for a bit though, they didn't have any discount options for our particular cruise but they were able to get us airmiles for the cruise cost so we switched. The process was simply to sign a form that she prepared and faxed to Princess. All of our booking info was retained so I am not sure why anyone would be told that they would have to cancel/rebook. A side benefit later was that the price dropped and I was able to get the discount by grabbing a screenshot, sending a quick email to her, and she took care of calling Princess, sitting on hold, etc.

[jeansaussie1]

On our upcoming Trans Atlantic cruise in April, my usual TA couldn't find the flights I wanted (that I was able to see on Princess' website) so I booked everything with Princess and then transferred the booking to my TA, who was offering a lower cabin rate than Princess. Got the exact flights I wanted (especially coming home) and a lower overall cost.

 

To confirm, if I book directly with Princess including the EZair discount they are currently offering - the whole booking (cruise, air and transfers) can be moved to a TA later on?

[caribill]

To confirm, if I book directly with Princess including the EZair discount they are currently offering - the whole booking (cruise, air and transfers) can be moved to a TA later on?

 

As long as it is before final payment date.

[tlittle]

Good grief, I have no idea what kind of experience some of you have had with travel agents but you need to look around. There is NEVER EVER a reason to book direct and then switch to a travel agent. If there is any benefit to that then you need to find a new travel agent. If your travel agent is charging you extra or cancellation fees that the cruise line is not charging, find a new agent. The good ones do not do that. When you book a cruise with an agent you should get the best promotional rate with all extras and OBC that is offered by the cruise line. There is no reason to book first and then switch it at final payment. That is ridiculous. If the price goes down on a sailing then the agent can contact the cruise line and get the price dropped. Often, if you book with a large cruise agency, they will have purchased a block of staterooms when the sailing was first announced and you get a lower rate and the OBC or amenities that come with being part of a group (even though you never really realize that you are part of a group on the ship) THERE IS NOTHING that the cruise line offers that the agent does not. There is no need for an agent to charge extra for a booking, there is no need for an agent to charge a cancellation fee of their own. At the very worst, an agent will give you everything that you could get from the cruise line at the exact same price and they take care of everything for you and you have a personal travel assistant that will help you through the process and if you have trouble during your trip. At best, you get all the help for more amenities at a lower price. This forum thread really made me laugh. I can't believe so many people are out there believing that they have figured out how to "game" the system. Just get rid of whatever drippy agent made you feel this is necessary and stop wasting so much time.

[goodie2shoes]

Another benefit of switching to a TA is that a good TA will be your advocate for solving any problems that arise with Princess.

 

This is my number 1 reason for transferring a booking to my TA. There are times when I discover a cabin that I want available on a cruise I was considering, but my TA is not available for some reason. I grab the cabin and then transfer the booking to him right away. If a problem comes up, and they do, he has spent hours on the phone with Princess getting it straightened out. When I thank him, or say I am sorry for all the inconvenience he tells me that is his job, and he appreciates me trusting him to do it right.

 

A good TA is worth his or her weight in gold!

[tlittle]

This is my number 1 reason for transferring a booking to my TA. There are times when I discover a cabin that I want available on a cruise I was considering, but my TA is not available for some reason. I grab the cabin and then transfer the booking to him right away. If a problem comes up, and they do, he has spent hours on the phone with Princess getting it straightened out. When I thank him, or say I am sorry for all the inconvenience he tells me that is his job, and he appreciates me trusting him to do it right.

 

A good TA is worth his or her weight in gold!

Believe me, I agree. I am a travel agent. Your reason makes sense. That is not, however, the reasons people were giving throughout this thread. I am glad you have an agent that works for you. The vast vast majority of agents are caring hard working travel experts. Nice to hear from you, enjoy your cruises (just don't go overboard ;)

[Pia1913]

We booked a cruise while on the Ruby. The price booked with Princess and the TA were the same, so no benefit to transfer the booking to the TA right away. We are not sure we will take the cruise, may change our mind and do a different cruise. If we transferred the cruise to the TA and cancel we end up paying the TA a cancellation fee. If we cancel with Princess there is not a cancellation fee. We also get an OBC with Princess, TA may or may not give OBC.

 

1. Princess price and TA price should never be the same

 

2. Discount TA always has better fare.

 

3. Never book with a TA who charges any kind of fee

 

4. OBC not important if good TA is saving you beaucoup bucks.

[goodie2shoes]

Thank you. You sound like another of the "good ones." Keep up the good work for your clients, and the best of success to you in the future. If I didn't have a "gem" myself I would be asking you for your email.

[tlittle]

1. Princess price and TA price should never be the same

 

2. Discount TA always has better fare.

 

3. Never book with a TA who charges any kind of fee

 

4. OBC not important if good TA is saving you beaucoup bucks.

Me thinks you are using an agent that is rebating. Good luck with that.

[Pia1913]

Me thinks you are using an agent that is rebating. Good luck with that.

 

Aren't you? If not, why not? I call it discounting.