Avalon Travel Documents

[Kriswilli]

Newbie to the boards here needing advice. We are leaving 2 weeks from tomorrow on a Rhine River cruise on Avalon's Tranquillity II. Have not yet received our documents. Travel agent has called them several times and been told they are "short staffed" in that dept. At one point she was told they were sent but most recently that they haven't. I am not interested in their internal process issues, just want my documents! I posted something on their Facebook page but got a canned response to have travel agent call. We booked a cruise last year thru Viking and got docs over 3 weeks in advance. Any suggestions about how to get ours? I have let the agent call but am thinking now that I should. All suggestions are welcome!

[Mark_T]

This is what your Travel Agent is paid to sort out.

 

Be angry with them as well as Avalon as it sounds like they are not owning the problem and getting a resolution for you.

[Kriswilli]

Thanks very much, Mark. I called Avalon this morning and was told they were shipped yesterday. Hoping this is correct info. Last cruise we didn't use an agent. This one has been calling Avalon regularly and contacting us but I don't think was asking for enough information or "pushing" enough. Appreciate your advice.

[JVilleGal]

Newbie to the boards here needing advice. We are leaving 2 weeks from tomorrow on a Rhine River cruise on Avalon's Tranquillity II. Have not yet received our documents. Travel agent has called them several times and been told they are "short staffed" in that dept. At one point she was told they were sent but most recently that they haven't. I am not interested in their internal process issues, just want my documents! I posted something on their Facebook page but got a canned response to have travel agent call. We booked a cruise last year thru Viking and got docs over 3 weeks in advance. Any suggestions about how to get ours? I have let the agent call but am thinking now that I should. All suggestions are welcome!

 

 

Go over to their Facebook page and see if you can get their Social Media team to help.

 

However, if it was me I would bypass your TA and call Avalon directly. Sorry this does not sound like the Avalon back office. Be pushy and tell them you are leaving in less than 2 weeks. Another issue is they may have you set up to send docs to your TA which will delay you getting them even further!

 

Call Avalon and be pushy, something is not right.

[JVilleGal]

Who did they mail them too???? I'm betting your agent!

[Kriswilli]

I did post something about this on Avalon's FB page 2 days ago and was told to go through my travel agent! They mailed my documents to the agent whom I've been in touch with. She knows I called Avalon and has assured me she will contact me as soon as she gets them. I am hoping for Monday. If not, I'm definitely getting pushier! So far this experience hasn't been great with Avalon. I am hoping the cruise is better.

[JVilleGal]

Sadly your TA could have arranged for those documents to go directly to you. She just needed to ask! I hope she is local and you can just run over!

 

Have a wonderful cruise and safe journey.

[YoungDubFan]

I'm very surprised to hear of this issue. When I have traveled with Avalon in the past, I always had my documents 3 weeks before the trip. If you don't have them by Monday, call Avalon directly and tell them to overnight you (not your travel agent) another set, at their expense.

[Got2Cruise]

You can get them as an email attachment. Did you register on the MyAvalon page?

[Hoyaheel]

Everything that was mailed to me hard copy was available as a pdf online and sent to me via email. And the other items (cloth booklet, luggage tags) I didn't really need and found a waste of money to be mailed. So....Check online for the documents and don't really worry about the luggage tags.

[DrivesLikeMario]

That's what I would do. Don't bother waiting for the paper docs. Get everything online! It's easy on their website.

 

Also, you should ask your TA where those paper docs are going. Most agencies will have them sent to their headquarters. There, they will sit for who knows how long until someone gets around to sending them to your TA. Then it's up to the TA to get them to you.

[webfoot]

If you registered through MyAvalon (even if you booked through a travel agent) you should find a .pdf of your travel papers.

 

I always download a copy of my travel papers before leaving on my cruise.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[stretchcruz]

I just got mine Thursday directly from Avalon, I booked thru a TA but Avalon FedExed them to my house. Our cruise is April 10 on the Impression, so we got them 2 weeks in advance. In the past we've always gotten them earlier. But that's OK, we have them.

[SEACRUZER]

But, the TA spotted a typo on the documents (Avalon had us flying back to the USA the day before we got to Amsterdam). She called Avalon and they Fed Ex'd the corrected papers Monday.

 

Now, I'm trying to figure out the luggage tag. There is a nice blue, plastic piece with the Avalon logo on one side and a place to write your name/address on the other side. Plus, there is a matching stainless steel plate (same size as plastic piece) with one strap. The stainless steel piece is HEAVY. I'm guessing that you are supposed to string them back to back and the stainless piece is supposed to protect the info on the plastic part. But, why a heavy metal piece? I don't need to add extra weight to the suitcases.

 

I used to backpack in my younger days; and, the saying used to be "take care of the ounces and the pounds take care of themselves".

[Kriswilli]

We got our documents through our TA exactly 2 weeks before our departure date. Were told that there has been a staff shortage in Avalon's back office.

 

As for that tag, Seacruzer, be sure you take the layers of film off the back and front before you try to write on it! DH discovered them when he tried to write with a pen on it and couldn't. We're putting that set of tags on our bags when we arrive at Schipol on Saturday along with the paper room number tags as we're leaving shortly after we arrive to visit Keukenhof Gardens for the afternoon. Getting so excited to be flying out Friday morning!!!

[Hoyaheel]

Ooh, that looks new - we did NOT get the metal tag with our Avalon paperwork in December. Unless you're in a suite or repeat customer or receiving other perks:p

[katrina1122]

Docs are still running late. We sail on the 21st and just ours last Friday. We are leaving for Paris tomorrow though, so they cut it super close. It took me 2 phone calls to Avalon (one with a very rude agent), 2 to the travel agent and several emails with her as well.

 

We got total run arounds. They were mailed, then they weren't, then they weren't printed at all. Not a great first impression.

 

I got the heavy metal luggage tag too. It seemed odd to me too, and I too didn't take the plastic off first. Those things need instructions, lol!