TA loses 24 hour hold- price soars

[nenasmum]

I was looking at a 7 day cruise on the Radiance and realised that I could get and oceanview and a balcony for a great price. I decided that I could just afford the $1200 plus per person for Xmas presents- especially for my sister and her little boy who cannot afford cruising. I used a travel agent I had used successfully twice before, found 2 great cabins on the same deck and requested at lunchtime yesterday that they be put on hold while I checked with my sister. The TA had 3 of the parties info on file and did not ask for the names or birthdates of the other 2 at that stage.

This morning I emailed him to confrim that we would go ahead, gave him the extra details and then discoverd that the price of the cruise had almost doubled overnight and that my hold yesterday did not hold anything.

I am really upset, especially as I had told my 8 year old nephew that his cruise dream had come true and now it is dashed. We don't live in the US and it was in our school holiday times and there are no other options anywhere near the original price. I wish now I had just used the courtesy hold on the RCL website. Jennie

Edited March 13, 2014 by nenasmum

[Robinola]

Just can not understand why anyone needs a travel agent. Book online yourself and stay in control of your cruise. So easy to do!

[PCWalton1]

Just can not understand why anyone needs a travel agent. Book online yourself and stay in control of your cruise. So easy to do!

 

Well I guess no one can cry on your shoulder. Did you want to kick a little dirt in her face too. :rolleyes:

[Beeeeeford]

Just can not understand why anyone needs a travel agent. Book online yourself and stay in control of your cruise. So easy to do!

 

 

Rub a little salt in those wounds, why don't ya. UGH!

[bighairtexan]

I've been on 60+ cruises and I always use a TA b/c I get fabulous perks. I always get prepaid gratuities, usually an additional OBC, and dinner for 2 in a specialty restaurant and sometimes even more, like a spa treatment or beverage package depending on the cruise length, price and line. And I usually get it for less than what the cruise line is offering it. And the no discounting? Well the TA buys large chunks of cabins, and put me in a "group" of people I'll never meet or recognize so i get the group pricing.

 

So for the OP I totally "get it" that if you've used your TA before w/ good success, that you'd do it again. And I have NO good advice for you on how to rectify this except maybe talking to your TA's manager or the owner of the agency (armed w/ any emails you may have). And to tell you that I'd be royally TICKED OFF if I were you.

 

That didn't help much except for some empathy.

[FridaysChild]

I'm sorry that this happened to you. I don't really have any good advice either. Maybe just keep trying, and keep looking. It's only March. There is still plenty of time for prices to go up or (hopefully) down.

[Clarea]

I would check prices again after March 31. That is the end of the "Kids Sail Free" promo, and I would not be surprised if prices come back down on some cruises with astronomical prices for guests 1 and 2.

[bugsy43]

Something sounds fishy to me. If the cabins were in fact on hold, then they wouldn't have just been "lost". Either they were never actually held, or there is more to the story not being shared.

[nenasmum]

Thanks for most people's kind words. The cruises I am looking at aren't in a part of the world where they have the kids sail free promotion-if thye di we would be laughing! and I do not anticipate any price drops at that time of the year as it is our busy season- summer holidays. Different hemisphere from you guys.

[nenasmum]

Something sounds fishy to me. If the cabins were in fact on hold, then they wouldn't have just been "lost". Either they were never actually held, or there is more to the story not being shared.

As far as something "fishy " goes . I don't know. All I know is that I sent an email at luchtime on Tuesday asking for 2 specific cabins to be held for the 5 people involved. I was not asked to supply the names of the other 2- though of course I could have- at that stage. Three names were on file. I believed that the cabins were on hold till the next day. Apparently the TA just put TBA under our names and RCL refused to honour the price when the hold was made. At least that is what I am being told.

[mollyeilis]

This is the second post I've read just tonight about the "hold" option NOT working yesterday. And, of course, you don't realize it until the next day. The other person did it themselves; no TA involved. I think someone needs to follow up with RCCL, personally.

[Ashland]

This is the second post I've read just tonight about the "hold" option NOT working yesterday. And, of course, you don't realize it until the next day. The other person did it themselves; no TA involved. I think someone needs to follow up with RCCL, personally.

I used the 24 hour hold twice in the last few days and luckily didn't have any problem...

 

Given the booking #'s has assured me that they were indeed on hold...So glad I did because one cruise went up $500.00 by the next morning...and the other hold was to change from an OV to a FOV for less than I had booked it for and for less than the minimum number of guests that you were usually required to have...

 

Agree follow up needs to be done for the OP and I hope the TA used will do it...unless the TA failed to actually put the cabin on hold...as may have happened.

[leatonniu]

there is more to the story not being shared.

[nenasmum]

there is more to the story not being shared.

 

I am the op and I wish I knew what wasn't being shared. If there is something not shared it hasn't been shared with me either! What sort of things are you alluding to?

[molly361]

Sorry this happened. It sounds like your TA did not actually hold the rooms for you.

[CruisinCat31]

Hey Jennie,

Radiance 7 nights in Feb 2015 is on the Aus website now from $1269 per person for outside and balcony (same price, free upgrade) - Is that a lot more than what you were looking at? If not jump on now and put a hold on :-) They have a reasonable price on a 10 nighter in December too.

Good luck, I hope it all works out!

[Esmerelda]

Always, always, always hold the cabins YOURSELF. Don't rely on a T/A to do this for you. If you wish to transfer to a T/A after you book, you have 60 days to do so.

 

:o

[NorbertsNiece]

I am the op and I wish I knew what wasn't being shared. If there is something not shared it hasn't been shared with me either! What sort of things are you alluding to?

 

Oh there's always someone who has to pose a theory that an OP is withholding vital information.

 

TAs are human and slip up from time to time. Sorry this one let you down.

[Benita]

Sorry that happened to you. It is worth a shot to speak to the boss at the Travel Agency. It is pretty obvious that the TA did not make the "hold" booking that day as he or she would have needed the names of the passengers to do so.

Edited March 13, 2014 by Benita

[CoachT]

Unless you had a deposit on the cruise, a "hold" on cabins is meaningless. The prices can and do change are are not guaranteed until you have money on the booking. Sorry your price increased so much.

[nascar junkie]

I use a TA because they sometimes have access to people and numbers I don't. I always get confirmations in writing before I do anything else and I'm on that TA's neck until I do. In my situation, I was supposed to get both a military discount and 150.00 OBC. The first invoice she printed didn't have the OBC. I didn't leave that office until she got through to a supervisor and got a corrected invoice printed. Shouldn't have to be that way but that's the real world. :(

[Royalty X]

I see you're in Australia as well Nenasmum. I'm not sure if this is anything to do with it or not, but if the agent you used holds a group on RCI, they aren't able to hold cabins any longer. So it may be out of your agents hands. I won't mention where I got the below info...

 

As of 27 January 2014 Wholesale and retail agents are no longer permitted to hold "Options" on RCL Groups. This is a directive from Royal Caribbean not a decision by "agent name" or your groups team.

There is a work around coming that will allow "agent name" to guarantee you a cabin type and cost for 72 hours.

Edited March 13, 2014 by Royalty X

[geoherb]

I agree that the best way to do this is to put your own hold on a cabin through the cruise line's website. It's easy to transfer the booking to a TA after you've confirmed the booking, as long as it's before the final payment date.

[Shih-tzu]

Just can not understand why anyone needs a travel agent. Book online yourself and stay in control of your cruise. So easy to do!

 

We have learned from other vacations (have not yet cruised) things are a little different if you are not in the USA regarding insurance, which is why we now always use a TA.

 

If we book through US based carriers (airlines, Disney, cruises, etc) directly and take out their trip/travel insurance, the fine print indicates that any claim has to be made through the US, usually in the state where the head office is (we noticed this on Delta airline tickets). Not convenient to try to put in a claim, etc when in another country. Sometimes, if you read the really fine print, it will indicate US citizens or residents of the US only... Of course, they will SELL us the insurance, we just might not be able to USE it.

 

IF we use a TA and purchase our travel insurance here, then we deal with the local TA and a company in our home country following our laws and regulations.

 

If I lived in the US, I would probably book directly with the airlines, vacation destinations, etc too. When we were enroute to Disney a few years ago and there was a major weather issue in LaGuardia (where we had to change planes), our TA was right onto it (even before WE knew flights were being cancelled) and had us re-booked and called to tell us. No standing in lines trying to get flights sorted out through the carrier.....so they definitely have their value.;)

Edited March 13, 2014 by Shih-tzu

[JetsFanCruiser]

Just can not understand why anyone needs a travel agent. Book online yourself and stay in control of your cruise. So easy to do!

 

It does get tiring when people post crap like this that does not help one bit........