Transfer reservation? Need expert help, please!

[firstcruiserDB]

We have booked our very first Owner's Suite! We are really excited! I have always booked directly with the cruise line for all of our previous cruises with no problems at all. I have been reading here about the possibility of OBC when booking through a travel agency, so I thought I'd just give it a try. (I did tons of research on CC prior to doing this, so I think I know the advantages and disadvantages.) I know I can't name any agencies, but this was an online one that gives quotes.

 

Our sailing has sold out of Owner's Suites already, so they can't do anything as far as lowering our fare, but they all said they could offer us on board credit. The offers are better than I even imagined! But, you know the saying....."If it seems too good to be true, it's probably not."

 

Now.....I just don't know what to do! Why on Earth would a travel agency offer us $600 OBC just to transfer our reservation???

 

Can anyone ease my mind with a little expert advice? THANKS!

[JasonTehGreat]

It is very easy to transfer a reservation to a TA.

 

 

 

Just fill out this form from the Royal Caribbean website and send it to the number/address listed and they will update the reservation!

 

Make sure you call the TA and let them know as well. The Travel agent will be listed on your reservation when you log-in on the RCI website.

 

(I have done it before and it transferred with no problems!)

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/pdf/TA_TransferForm.pdf

 

 

 

You will keep the same cabin and booking number, it will now just have a TA listed. This does not in any way cancel and rebook your cruise, just updates the reservation.

Edited August 10, 2013 by JasonTehGreat

[JasonTehGreat]

Also I think the booking has to be less than 60 days old.

[cruisinfanatic]

We have booked our very first Owner's Suite! We are really excited! I have always booked directly with the cruise line for all of our previous cruises with no problems at all. I have been reading here about the possibility of OBC when booking through a travel agency, so I thought I'd just give it a try. (I did tons of research on CC prior to doing this, so I think I know the advantages and disadvantages.) I know I can't name any agencies, but this was an online one that gives quotes.

 

Our sailing has sold out of Owner's Suites already, so they can't do anything as far as lowering our fare, but they all said they could offer us on board credit. The offers are better than I even imagined! But, you know the saying....."If it seems too good to be true, it's probably not."

 

Now.....I just don't know what to do! Why on Earth would a travel agency offer us $600 OBC just to transfer our reservation???

 

Can anyone ease my mind with a little expert advice? THANKS!

If your cabin costs over 6K, it's very possible for a $600 OBC offer. Is yours about that? Edited August 10, 2013 by SeaUs

[firstcruiserDB]

Yes, our suite is just a bit over $6000. We are still wondering WHY an agency would pay us OBC for transferring a reservation.....What's in it for them???

[orville99]

Commission % is based on volume. It's entirely possible that the TA will make money on the booking even with that much OBC. If they see $$ in their pocket for doing absolutely no work, why not try to grab your booking. :)

[jchiefs13]

It might be easier to xfer from RC to another agency... but from my experience it was painful to get my booking out from under an agency back to RC (moving a next cruise booking that automatically associated with the travel agency we had used to book the cruise we were on when the NC was made.) It was around a month of calling and waiting, several faxes, way too many phone calls, and a ton of frustration.

 

If there isn't a chance for a price drop and you'd get that much... I'd consider xfering it and giving up control of the booking.

 

Judy

[JasonTehGreat]

 

If there isn't a chance for a price drop and you'd get that much... I'd consider xfering it and giving up control of the booking.

 

Judy

 

 

Even if you transfer it to TA and there is a price drop later, the TA can have the price lowered. Mine did. I booked my upcoming cruise directly with RCI, then transferred my booking to a TA and about 2 months later there was a price drop and I emailed my TA. She emailed me back the new invoice reflecting the price drop a few minutes later.

[varoo]

.........Now.....I just don't know what to do! Why on Earth would a travel agency offer us $600 OBC just to transfer our reservation???

 

Can anyone ease my mind with a little expert advice? THANKS!

Sorry, no expert advice here but just common knowledge.

 

The travel agency receives a hefty commission from the cruise line and is rebating part of that commission to you in the form of OBC for giving them your lucrative business.

 

They can afford to offer better perks to someone who books an expensive suite than to someone who books an inside cabin because they make considerably more money from the suite customer than from the inside cabin customer.

 

[firstcruiserDB]

Thanks so much for your posts, and for trying to help us to understand this. It still seems quite hard to believe....

 

Why would Royal Caribbean give up a reservation to a travel agent that's going to cost them a commission? Just doesn't make sense.

 

I don't know how we'd pass up $600 of onboard credit, but how do I know the agency I choose to go with (the one that bid the most, I guess) is legitimate? How do I check them out?

 

If you've transferred a reservation from RCCL to a travel agent, please, please help us understand this and know that it's safe! Thanks!

[JasonTehGreat]

Like I said in my previous posts.....I booked a cruise directly with Royal Caribbean then transferred it to my travel agent with absolutely NO problems. None at all, zero!

 

It's not very difficult to understand is quite common knowledge. Royal Caribbean is a travel company. People that travel use travel agencies and those agencies get a commission. How do you think the online search and compare sites for air travel work? You buy the ticket through them and they get a commission, but you pay the same low fare.

 

Let's say a big online cruise Travel Agency gives you $600 on board credit. That is 10% of you total cruise fare. Their commission may be 15 or 20%, meaning they are STILL making $300 to $600 in commission for doing absolutely no work at all.

[firstcruiserDB]

So............how do I know an online travel agency is legitimate? Is there a way to check on them? I prefer dealing face to face, but we have no agencies in our area that are any good.

 

Sorry to appear quite naive about this whole situation! It's just that this is A LOT of money we are talking about here.

 

Thanks, again, for any help you can offer.

[JasonTehGreat]

Travel agencies are usually members of IATA (International Association of Travel Agents {I think}) and cruise agencies are also members of CLIA which relates specifically to the cruise industry. You could call or email and ask if they are IATA or CLIA members.

[Guest maddycat]

I would do a google search of the travel agency. Read the reviews. Before you transfer your reservation ask about their policies. You want to make sure that your payments are posted directly to RCI. Ask if they charge fees for price drops or cancellation.

[firstcruiserDB]

Here's the questions I've asked so far......

 

What is the charge for transferring our reservation to your agency?

Is it still possible to get price drops between now and the final payment?

Will the final payment be the same date as with Royal Caribbean?

Where is the final payment sent…..your agency or RCCL?

Are there charges for any changes to the reservation?

Is the refund policy the same……..full refund up until final payment?

Will our reservation be part of a group?

Can we still schedule excursions, specialty dining, etc., through Royal Caribbean’s website?

 

Can you think of anything that I haven't covered that could go wrong?? Thanks so much for your help! This site is so awesome!

[39august]

You have only 60 days from the date you book a cruise with RCI directly to transfer it to a travel agency. So if you are still within that time frame, it is very simple to do. I agree that you should read reveiws of the TA in question. I have used a smaller agency and one of the largest cruise agencies. All was well with each.

[varoo]

Here's the questions I've asked so far......

 

What is the charge for transferring our reservation to your agency?

What charge are you talking about? There is no charge for processing the transfer.

The price of the cruise is usually the same to you whether or not you use a TA, but sometimes a TA can get you a lower price by booking you into a group.

 

 

Is it still possible to get price drops between now and the final payment?

It certainly is, but there are some TAs who charge a change fee for processing a price change. Most do not (at least not any of the TAs we have used).

That is something to find out up front.

 

Also be sure you can reach someone at the travel agency who can process the price drop for you, not just need to leave a voice mail message on a weekend, because price drops can come and go very quickly.

 

 

Will the final payment be the same date as with Royal Caribbean?

Many times the TA will set their own final payment date, which will be earlier than the cruise line's final payment date.

 

Where is the final payment sent…..your agency or RCCL?

The TA must make the final payment for you as the cruise line will no longer deal with you once you transfer your booking to the TA.

 

The way it is usually done is that you call the TA and give them your credit card info, they pay the cruise line and send you the final invoice from the cruise line showing that you are paid in full and there is no further remaining balance due.

 

Be sure that they send you the cruise line's final invoice, not just the travel agency's own invoice.

 

Some people will even give the TA authorization to make the final payment automatically when it is due, but we never do it that way.

We do not want them doing anything automatically that involves giving someone else access to our money. ;)

 

Are there charges for any changes to the reservation?

There may be or there may not, depending on which TA you use.

That is why it is important to find out the TAs policies up front, to avoid any unwelcome surprises later.

 

Is the refund policy the same……..full refund up until final payment?

Again, that depends on the policy of the TA you use.

Find out up front whether or not they charge a fee for processing a cancellation, and if they do, how much the fee would be.

 

Will our reservation be part of a group?

It may or may not be. If you care, ask the TA.

Sometimes a TA will put people into a group without their even knowing about it.

 

Can we still schedule excursions, specialty dining, etc., through Royal Caribbean’s website?

Yes, should be able to. There are some such minor things you can still do yourself on the website, but for any major changes or additions you need to go through the TA.

 

Can you think of anything that I haven't covered that could go wrong?? Thanks so much for your help! This site is so awesome!

Yes. Be sure to put all payments on a credit card.

That way you have the protection of the credit card company if anything should go wrong.

If you have a valid claim in a dispute with the TA, or with the cruise line, you do not lose even a penny.

 

[Merion_Mom]

Here's the questions I've asked so far......

 

What is the charge for transferring our reservation to your agency?

Is it still possible to get price drops between now and the final payment?

Will the final payment be the same date as with Royal Caribbean?

Where is the final payment sent…..your agency or RCCL?

Are there charges for any changes to the reservation?

Is the refund policy the same……..full refund up until final payment?

Will our reservation be part of a group?

Can we still schedule excursions, specialty dining, etc., through Royal Caribbean’s website?

 

Can you think of anything that I haven't covered that could go wrong?? Thanks so much for your help! This site is so awesome!

 

Yes. Be sure to put all payments on a credit card.

That way you have the protection of the credit card company if anything should go wrong.

If you have a valid claim in a dispute with the TA, or with the cruise line, you do not lose even a penny.

 

 

Um, she was listing the questions that she intended to ask the travel agency. She wants to know THEIR answers. :)

[cruisenfever]

Here's the questions I've asked so far......

 

What is the charge for transferring our reservation to your agency?

Is it still possible to get price drops between now and the final payment?

Will the final payment be the same date as with Royal Caribbean?

Where is the final payment sent…..your agency or RCCL?

Are there charges for any changes to the reservation?

Is the refund policy the same……..full refund up until final payment?

Will our reservation be part of a group?

Can we still schedule excursions, specialty dining, etc., through Royal Caribbean’s website?

 

Can you think of anything that I haven't covered that could go wrong?? Thanks so much for your help! This site is so awesome!

I would also add the question..... "if the TA that you select honors price reductions up until final payment.........will any price reduction lower that $600 OBC that you are getting"?

Edited August 12, 2013 by cruisenfever

[firstcruiserDB]

Thanks for your suggestions and advice! It has helped to ease my mind about transferring our reservation.

 

I have now talked directly with the agent, and I'm satisfied with his answers to my questions. It sounds like things stay the same as usual with the exception of receiving an ONBOARD CREDIT. :D

 

He did, however, say that our reservation MAY be part of a group. He said it would not change anything about the reservation, and that I wouldn't even know it was a group. Anything to worry about with this?

[Clarea]

Thanks for your suggestions and advice! It has helped to ease my mind about transferring our reservation.

 

I have now talked directly with the agent, and I'm satisfied with his answers to my questions. It sounds like things stay the same as usual with the exception of receiving an ONBOARD CREDIT. :D

 

He did, however, say that our reservation MAY be part of a group. He said it would not change anything about the reservation, and that I wouldn't even know it was a group. Anything to worry about with this?

Minor stuff. You can't get the bring-a-friend OBC if you're in a group. You can't link your booking for dining with someone else unless they are in that same group. The dining point is only relevant if you have selected traditional dining.

[JasonTehGreat]

Thanks for your suggestions and advice! It has helped to ease my mind about transferring our reservation.

 

I have now talked directly with the agent, and I'm satisfied with his answers to my questions. It sounds like things stay the same as usual with the exception of receiving an ONBOARD CREDIT. :D

 

He did, however, say that our reservation MAY be part of a group. He said it would not change anything about the reservation, and that I wouldn't even know it was a group. Anything to worry about with this?

 

 

I dont think it will make any difference.

 

Sent from my GT-P5113 using Forums mobile app

[FLACRUISER99]

Thanks so much for your posts, and for trying to help us to understand this. It still seems quite hard to believe....

 

Why would Royal Caribbean give up a reservation to a travel agent that's going to cost them a commission? Just doesn't make sense.

 

I don't know how we'd pass up $600 of onboard credit, but how do I know the agency I choose to go with (the one that bid the most, I guess) is legitimate? How do I check them out?

 

If you've transferred a reservation from RCCL to a travel agent, please, please help us understand this and know that it's safe! Thanks!

A couple more Questions to consider. Make sure the TA pays RCI with your credit card. What happens if the TA closes it's doors or goes Bankrupt before the cruise. It did happen to me.

[varoo]

A couple more Questions to consider. Make sure the TA pays RCI with your credit card. What happens if the TA closes it's doors or goes Bankrupt before the cruise. It did happen to me.

That is why I stated the importance of making sure you receive the cruise line's invoice showing that you are paid in full and have zero remaining balance due, not just the TA's invoice.

 

Once you are paid in full to the cruise line, it doesn't matter if the TA closes its doors or goes bankrupt or goes to jail or flees the country. :eek:

 

The worst that could happen to you would be that you might not receive the perks the TA was supposed to give you, but you would still have your cruise.

 

[Desert Cruizers]

I transferred one of our bookings to our TA since I had booked on the weekend, RCL sent our TA the notification and she handled it from her end. They had our TA on file.