Need experts on TA charges!!

[mringenoldus]

I strayed from my trusty TA and have been paying the price ever since.

 

All I have asked this crummy agency to do is move one of our cabins from one side of the ship to another. No category change - nothing.

 

They want to charge me $25 to make the move although the trip is 5 months away.

 

I have fessed up to my good TA and have asked what might be involved in transferring the booking to her.

 

Would a charge like this be typical??

[Coral]

Hi there,

 

Yes - some agencies charge for every single change - even ones that don't require any additional costs (except for their time). And they can do this - it is in the fine print on their website usually.

 

If it is any consellation - I strayed once from my trusty TA and regretted it the entire booking experience (the booking from hell is what I refer to it as). This was 5 years ago and I have been extremely faithful since then.

 

Tell your husband "hi" from me! Hope your son is doing well - we saw my brother this week, he was able to come home from Mississippi.

 

Theresa

[JLC@SD]

I strayed from my trusty TA and have been paying the price ever since.

 

All I have asked this crummy agency to do is move one of our cabins from one side of the ship to another. No category change - nothing.

 

They want to charge me $25 to make the move although the trip is 5 months away.

 

I have fessed up to my good TA and have asked what might be involved in transferring the booking to her.

 

Would a charge like this be typical??

 

I would think that it is fair. My experience is most business are profit oriented businesses including Travel Agencies. If they don't charge for extra services, people would quickly abuse the agents asking for all kinds of changes.

[pcsanity]

IMHO $25 is out of line...they invest what 10 minutes in the work. Pretty hefty hourly wage.

[mringenoldus]

I agree that a simple phone call is what I would expect as customer service ...especially since this TA upped the original quote by $120 citing inexperience by the booking agent. I should have cancelled right then!

[Coral]

Has the price went up on the cruise?

 

Anyway to just cancel the whole thing and rebook under your usual agent? Though, this agency may charge a cancellation fee also.

[Toto2Kansas]

Just be very careful if you try to transfer the booking. Sounds like this 'bad' agency may try to charge you a large fee for transfering the booking too.

Best of luck with this mess, or at least it sounds like it is. :(

[ctipton55]

Changing cabins should NOT incur a fee from your agent. It doesn't cost her a thing to do it.

 

You can move the booking to your old travel agent but you have to be the one making the request, not your agent.

[mafig]

I move cabins all the time, especially if I book early.

 

Sometimes something comes up that's in a better location.

 

Sometimes the rate drops and I self upgrade.

 

My TA(s) have never charged me. Once I felt a little guilty about doing it alot on one particular cruise, and my TA said it involved not much more than a keystroke, and she "wanted me to be happy.";)

[niborHS]

I have also changed cabins at least once the past few years. I book one cabin, then my husband wants a bigger one, books it, then when we go to pay, I move it back. 5 months in advance you should be able to cancel and get a refund with no charge. What you may have to do is book under a different name (the other spouse). Last year I held 2 cabins, 1 with my name, one with my husbands, to make sure I had what I wanted, then cancelled 1 when final payment was due. Should not be any charge.

[Coral]

Princess is not charging for these changes - the online agency is creating this charge and charging the client.

 

Unfortunately - it takes a situation like this to realize how good our regular agents are.

[mringenoldus]

I appreciate this feedback - I am still hoping to transfer the booking to my regular TA.

 

I also intend to let the current agency know the response I have received on CC. I know that no agency would like to have negative information being communicated about them by this Board (even without their name being directly stated).

[griswalds]

Not all the TA's charge the same. We now use online booking and save considerable money. However many online places do charge for changes as they charge lower commissions up front. The fee being requested is not that unreasonable unless you paid normal TA rates. A little research up front always pays off.

 

It is common for most of us to miss these little extra charges when we book. It is not so easy to switch TA's once they have your booking. I have done it once and I had to send a letter requesting the change. My TA gave me permission to switch although it was not a pleasant experinece. A number of TA's now charge a cancellation fee as well.

 

If $25 is a lot of money, then you probably should not be cruising. The travel channel would be much cheaper.

 

Griswalds

[Ethel5]

If $25 is a lot of money, then you probably should not be cruising. The travel channel would be much cheaper.Griswalds

 

Maybe it's not the money but the principal of the thing.;)

[mringenoldus]

Thanks, Donna.

I thought the other response was inappropriate. Why do people need to make such unkind remarks to posters. I am a Special Education teacher who watches her money quite carefully.

 

I mentioned the response from the CC board and while the TA was still complaining - she is apparently willing to make the change.

[Lynda90]

If $25 is a lot of money, then you probably should not be cruising. The travel channel would be much cheaper.Griswalds

Extremely rude and inappropriate comment. OP has some legitimate questions and concerns that others probably have as well. It is not up to you to decide whether or not OP should be cruising.:confused:

[Ethel5]

Thanks, Donna.

I thought the other response was inappropriate. Why do people need to make such unkind remarks to posters. I am a Special Education teacher who watches her money quite carefully.

 

I mentioned the response from the CC board and while the TA was still complaining - she is apparently willing to make the change.

 

Enjoy all of your cruises and don't stray from the good TA that you had!! :D

[JLC@SD]

I have also changed cabins at least once the past few years. I book one cabin, then my husband wants a bigger one, books it, then when we go to pay, I move it back. 5 months in advance you should be able to cancel and get a refund with no charge. What you may have to do is book under a different name (the other spouse). Last year I held 2 cabins, 1 with my name, one with my husbands, to make sure I had what I wanted, then cancelled 1 when final payment was due. Should not be any charge.

 

What if everyone did this while booking. It would overload the booking system..............:mad:

 

And on behalf of all us fellow passengers, thanks for tying up cabins you don't intend to book.........:mad:

 

People like you cause problems for everyone else, TAs, Cruise Lines and Your Fellow Passengers.

 

Why don't you and your DH just make up your mind in the first place, book it and then be satisfied.

[Ethel5]

What if everyone did this while booking. It would overload the booking system..............:mad:

 

And on behalf of all us fellow passengers, thanks for tying up cabins you don't intend to book.........:mad:

 

People like you cause problems for everyone else, TAs, Cruise Lines and Your Fellow Passengers.

 

Why don't you and your DH just make up your mind in the first place, book it and then be satisfied.

 

 

OMG .... There are some cranky folks on the boards today! Must be post holiday let-down.:)

[jlp20]

Company "A" does not charge, company "B" does. You contract with company "B", you pay the fee.

 

It does not matter how much or little extra work they do, you booked with them.

 

It does not matter if some other company does not charge, you booked with them.

 

It does not matter if you feel the charge is unjust, you booked with them.

[Ethel5]

Company "A" does not charge, company "B" does. You contract with company "B", you pay the fee.

 

It does not matter how much or little extra work they do, you booked with them.

 

It does not matter if some other company does not charge, you booked with them.

 

It does not matter if you feel the charge is unjust, you booked with them.

 

So, the answer to that is don't book with them-which is the conclusion the Op has reached.