La Sagrada Familia questions

[Pet Nit Noy]

I have every email i have written and the awful automated response.....see below.....

 

Due to a technical issue your tickets (PDF File) has not been generated. The problem is solved and you will receive the tickets in the next hours. If not, you should only give your locator number on the individual entry (Carrer Sardenya)

 

Needless to say...no tickets....and i have no idea what a locator number is

 

I'm not sure why you characterize the automated response as "awful." The wording of that message appears to make your protest with the credit card company a slam dunk. Specifically...

... The ticket company admits the problem was on its end.

... The ticket company admits you were not provided with a ticket PDF.

... The ticket company admits that although you "should" receive the tickets in the next hours you might not.

 

I realize you're upset. I realize you're busy getting ready for your trip and don't need one more thing on your plate. However, the behavior of the ticket seller doesn't even come close to cheating with all those admissions of its mistakes. You have a clear and almost-certainly happy path forward to recover your money.

 

Now, you have to decide how to move forward to buy your basilica admission tickets. Only you can decide which is more important to you: the convenience of having the tickets in hand even if it means using the Clorian web site again or the certainty of handing over your money at the basilica and receiving your tickets directly.

Edited April 26, 2014 by Pet Nit Noy

[Pet Nit Noy]

Needless to say...no tickets....and i have no idea what a locator number is

 

I'll take a guess about a locator number: When I do any shopping on line, at the end of a transaction, there's a screen that comes on saying something along the lines of "order placed" or "transaction complete." Somewhere on that web page is a number that is uniquely linked to my purchases.

 

Since Clorian uses the phrase "locator number", it appears that this company does what I've described above. By any chance, did you write down this number or, even, print out a copy of the screen with the transaction complete information? If you did, you won't have to purchase your tickets again. The company is saying that they'll be able to admit you even without your presenting a PDF of the tickets.

 

Of course, that won't be the case if you protest the charges with your credit card company. Having started the protest process, you'll receive a provisional credit from the credit card company. Under those circumstances, it is as if you never paid for the first set of tickets and the system will not recognize the original locator number.

 

Going forward, you might want to record the transaction number at the end of any online purchase. In an abundance of caution, I do a couple of things: I leave the "transaction complete" screen open on my computer until I receive the email confirmation or the PDF itself. And, I've even printed out a copy the "transaction complete" screen so I have hard copy proof of my purchase.

[riandei]

So did your credit card get charged the $55? I haven't purchased our tickets yet. What are you going to do about your tickets? I don't blame you for documenting everything.

 

 

Yes...my credit card was charged

 

Not sure how we will proceed with ticket purchase

[riandei]

I'll take a guess about a locator number: When I do any shopping on line, at the end of a transaction, there's a screen that comes on saying something along the lines of "order placed" or "transaction complete." Somewhere on that web page is a number that is uniquely linked to my purchases.

 

 

 

Since Clorian uses the phrase "locator number", it appears that this company does what I've described above. By any chance, did you write down this number or, even, print out a copy of the screen with the transaction complete information? If you did, you won't have to purchase your tickets again. The company is saying that they'll be able to admit you even without your presenting a PDF of the tickets.

 

 

 

Of course, that won't be the case if you protest the charges with your credit card company. Having started the protest process, you'll receive a provisional credit from the credit card company. Under those circumstances, it is as if you never paid for the first set of tickets and the system will not recognize the original locator number.

 

 

 

Going forward, you might want to record the transaction number at the end of any online purchase. In an abundance of caution, I do a couple of things: I leave the "transaction complete" screen open on my computer until I receive the email confirmation or the PDF itself. And, I've even printed out a copy the "transaction complete" screen so I have hard copy proof of my purchase.

 

 

Unfortunately ....there was no number given....which i believe is part of the problem

 

I have had correspondence with someone at sagrada but its spotty at best... The last email i got asked me how much was charged to my credit card and on what day....that was tuesday of this week....ive emailed her 3 times since with no response

[Pet Nit Noy]

Unfortunately ....there was no number given....which i believe is part of the problem

 

I have had correspondence with someone at sagrada but its spotty at best... The last email i got asked me how much was charged to my credit card and on what day....that was tuesday of this week....ive emailed her 3 times since with no response

 

Okay. This new information is certainly helpful.

 

If I were you, I wouldn't continue dealing with Clorian about the purchase that failed. This seems to be a continuing source of frustration with little chance of ultimate success. You have no PDF. You have no record locator. But you have wonderful documentation for recovering your original $55 through the credit card company.

 

So now you just have to decide whether to purchase via the web site or purchase in person. Admittedly, you've had a problem with the web site, but another poster has had a successful purchase in this same time frame. What matters more to you? Arriving at Sagrada Familia with tickets in hand with a known admission time or avoiding dealing with Clorian ever again and standing in line for day-of purchases?

[GrandmaHofmann]

Saying this inspired a flurry of Anti-GrandmaHofmann rants, but I have to say again that I did not think that this Cathedral was much of a much inside. We were there 3 years ago and the amount of construction mess inside did not make for a pleasant tour. I thought the outside was lovely, but I thought going in was a waste of time. Everyone has his own opinion. We didn't even have to wait in a long line, so that did not color my opinion. The construction mess did and the fact that the inside can't compare to any number of other cathedrals we've been in in other countries including Spain. This upcoming visit in November-- we'll return to Parc Guell, a wonderful area, and spend more time on Las Ramblas, always a pleasure to walk.

[timetravelers]

We went to La Sagrada Familia on 8 May. We purchased tickets online three days before at our hotel and printed off receipt/ e-ticket. We had the senior discount and never had to show anything.There were limited entry times but we selected 9-10 then a 9:15-9:30 entrance to the Basilica tower and audio tour. We were in line at the Nativity Entrance at 8:30 am and at 9:00 on the dot the line started to move. We were inside, 2 min to get our headsets/ audio and across the church to enter the tower. Very well organized. The inside of the church is completed and gorgeous!! The outside is spectacular also but still under construction for another 10+ years. Once inside you can spend as much time as you want in the church and the towers. The time you select for tickets is the entry time. I highly recommend a visit to the church. The architecture and "carvings" are amazing!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

[Cruise4Sunshine]

Having visited the Sagrada Familia many times I would definitely recommend the Audio Tour over a guided tour. You go at your own pace rather than being moved along at the guides speed and will get much more out of your visit.

 

As has already been said, sound quality is excellent.

 

By the way, we actually far prefer Barcelona Cathedral in the Gothic Quarter (entrance free and no crowds) to the Sagrada Familia. If you visit the Cathedral take the elevator up to the roof (entrance hidden in one of the little side chapels so look out for the sign) for stunning views.

 

 

Having visited both cathedrals, my preference was Sagrada Familia. Where else in the world are you going to see a cathedral "in progress" in our lifetimes? Having visited there 3 times over 40 years, I have seen progress, artisans meticulously working, and it has given me much greater appreciation for the scores of people who built every other major cathedral, castle and city wall everywhere else in the world.

[riandei]

Okay. This new information is certainly helpful.

 

 

 

If I were you, I wouldn't continue dealing with Clorian about the purchase that failed. This seems to be a continuing source of frustration with little chance of ultimate success. You have no PDF. You have no record locator. But you have wonderful documentation for recovering your original $55 through the credit card company.

 

 

 

So now you just have to decide whether to purchase via the web site or purchase in person. Admittedly, you've had a problem with the web site, but another poster has had a successful purchase in this same time frame. What matters more to you? Arriving at Sagrada Familia with tickets in hand with a known admission time or avoiding dealing with Clorian ever again and standing in line for day-of purchases?

 

 

 

 

 

Follow up

 

We repurchased tickets and i am disputing the original charges with my credit card company

 

We loved sagrada and are very glad we went

 

Beautiful....staggeringly so