Choice air snafus

[bhughey]

Hello all!

So, I had booked a 16 night repositioning from FLL to Valparaiso on for Dec. 5th on the Infinity and purchased refundable airfare through choice air (less a $150 per ticket fee, $300 total, if canceled). Long story short, we ended up canceling the air, at which point, I was told by the choice air rep that I would be refunded less the $150 per ticket fee. So, choice air refunded the airfare LESS the $150 per ticket cancellation fee - I paid $1358 for the air, and they refunded $1058 to the credit card used to book the tickets.

 

We did not immediately cancel the cruise as we were still researching other possible itineraries in which to transfer that booking. Flash forward a week or so... we found another cruise and transferred the booking, but upon receipt of the confirmation and breakdown of costs - it's showing that I owe $150 per passenger for the choice air cancellation fee! Helloooo? Choice air? Is anyone home? ;)

 

I'd like to wrap up my rant by saying, I've been working with Vicki @ the captains club regarding this for 2 days and she has been SO helpful. In fact, more helpful than any other X rep I've ever had the pleasure of dealing with - so kudos to her - she is on it! However, she just called to say that, choice air is not quite understanding, saying that I owe the $300 cancellation fee, which obviously I've paid - because they kept $300! She promises that it will all be taken care of and I am 100% confident of that... but I just had to share, as I am baffled at how something so simple can be so confusing and time consuming (and frustrating for me).

 

Again, I want to reiterate that Vicki has been fantastic. In the meantime, we will see how long it takes to sort it all out!

Edited June 12, 2015 by bhughey

[jelayne]

Sorry for your inconvience. Glad to here the snafu is being resolved.

[bobsfamily]

Again, I want to reiterate that Vicki has been fantastic. In the meantime, we will see how long it takes to sort it all out!

 

So glad to hear you have someone in your corner... again Celebrity does so well onboard, how can they do so poor on land?

[GottaKnowWhen]

So glad to hear you have someone in your corner... again Celebrity does so well onboard, how can they do so poor on land?

 

I don't understand your comment. The OP was commenting on what good help she was getting from Vicki at Captains Club. That is on land, no? OP's problem was with ChoiceAir, not with Celebrity.:confused:

[rogfam]

You are lucky that you have Vicki. That's why I always book with an independent travel agent to have another person in my corner in case of a problem.

[bobsfamily]

I don't understand your comment. The OP was commenting on what good help she was getting from Vicki at Captains Club. That is on land, no? OP's problem was with ChoiceAir, not with Celebrity.:confused:

Who hires Choice Air?

[GottaKnowWhen]

who hires choice air?

 

rccl

[bobsfamily]

rccl

Which owns Celebrity... which completes the circle.

And now I am done, have a nice day!

[RickT]

So, what was the final outcome?

 

I've generally had a good experience with Choice Air but like you, have found when they mess up it takes a lot of work and patience to get things corrected. Glad you found someone at X to champion your issue.

[purpletequila]

Which owns Celebrity... which completes the circle.

And now I am done, have a nice day!

 

 

I love this place! Lol

[purpletequila]

So, what was the final outcome?

 

I've generally had a good experience with Choice Air but like you, have found when they mess up it takes a lot of work and patience to get things corrected. Glad you found someone at X to champion your issue.

 

While they have comparable prices to booking direct, the one time I used them, which was for my last cruise, they screwed up info on my reservation which caused me to stand in a huge line for over an hour and I almost missed my flight. NEVER again.

[CathyCruises]

As stated many times here, their prices for r/t flights are not that great. But their prices for transatlantic one way flights are generally unbeatable, and literally thousands less than booking on one's own.

 

Anything can happen at any time on any airline no matter how you've booked. We had a great flight from Oslo to Oakland for $639 for both of us, but a few days later I read about a flight that was delayed for 70 hours on the same airline. Stuff happens when you travel, you've just got to roll with the punches.

[jelayne]

We recently booked 1 ticket with the airline using miles and then used Choice Air for the second ticket, same flight for both of us. Airline canceled the original flight & moved everyone on that flight to the same flight a day earlier. So far all good. Then a few months later the airline moved me to a flight on the original date, multi-stop. When I tried to change mine, booked with miles, back to the direct flight which DH was on the airline wanted a change fee:eek:. Saying they were just honoring my original requested departure date so any change at my request would incur a fee.

 

I called Choice Air to see if they could move DH's flight, so although multi-stop we would depart and arrive together. The Choice Air Rep was great-she said there was no need to take the multi stop flight and coached me on what to say to the airline rep when I called-even gave me the details on under what conditions they could/could not charge a fee. She told me to speak to a supervisor if necessary not to pay a fee.

 

I called using the info she gave me & we are not both traveling together on the same non-stop flight.:)

 

I say all that to say that in every organization there are great employees, some not so great and some who just make an honest mistake.

[dodger1964]

While they have comparable prices to booking direct, the one time I used them, which was for my last cruise, they screwed up info on my reservation which caused me to stand in a huge line for over an hour and I almost missed my flight. NEVER again.

 

Details?

[waterbug123]

 

Anything can happen at any time on any airline no matter how you've booked.

 

True. And some people have found that having a middleman (i.e. Choice Air) has been a big help when it does, and others have found it to be a huge hindrance. There seems to be no consistency when CA is involved, so to each his own. :)

 

 

I called Choice Air to see if they could move DH's flight, so although multi-stop we would depart and arrive together. The Choice Air Rep was great-she said there was no need to take the multi stop flight and coached me on what to say to the airline rep when I called-even gave me the details on under what conditions they could/could not charge a fee. She told me to speak to a supervisor if necessary not to pay a fee.

 

 

For future reference, the Cruise Air forum can also be a big help. Lots of frequent flyers there who likewise can clarify for you about change fees on various airlines etc., and how to request changes.

[bhughey]

So, what was the final outcome?

 

I've generally had a good experience with Choice Air but like you, have found when they mess up it takes a lot of work and patience to get things corrected. Glad you found someone at X to champion your issue.

 

The $300 fee (which was already deducted from the ticket refund) was finally removed from my "balance due". So all is well that ends well. I would say that my experience with Choice Air has been about 50/50. Some good, some frustrating.

[patca]

One advantage of booking with Choice Air is that the airfare is covered under their cruise insurance if you must cancel. Other insurance companies cost more if you add the airfare to the cruise insurance. For us the airfare was the same as booking with the airline, but we saved money by not having to buy additional insurance.