Disappointed in TA

[Tall-Cruiser]

2 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

A good TA is a prized asset

Absolutely agree.

We have an upcoming cruise on Symphony that RCI changed the itinerary completely that I booked via my former TA. Very disappointed in how that TA and Royal handled things. Bad customer service. My new TA would have gone to bat.

[3kidsncats]

11 hours ago, F27TW said:

In this day and age, why do people even still use travel agents? 

If you get a good one, it makes perfect sense.  I love my TA, although I didn’t used to like using one.  A friend raved about her so much, I finally had her handle a booking for me — now she handles all of them for me 🙂

[Iamcruzin]

9 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

$$$$$$$$$$$, it can add up....especially booking more expensive cabins.  I have bought a lot of gasoline, etc at a certain larger box store with the gift cards that come in the mail about 3-4 weeks after cruising.  

 

 

I used that same TA and received $250 OBC. It was a special promotion.  The price I paid was poor service and not being able to contact the TA when I wanted to confirm my OBC and ask a question about insurance. I would never use them for the store gift cards.

[GTO-Girl]

4 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

My last TA just did perks, but they did help with changes. 

 

A good TA is a prized asset

Sadly I have not been able to find a good one.  There are none in our town and I am not comfortable choosing one online.

 

I so wish sharing this kind of information was allowed…😢

[smplybcause]

50 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

I used that same TA and received $250 OBC. It was a special promotion.  The price I paid was poor service and not being able to contact the TA when I wanted to confirm my OBC and ask a question about insurance. I would never use them for the store gift cards.

 

Assuming it's all the same big box I had a different experience. They screwed up (booking agent didn't know solo group bookings needed double deposit) and missed the emails from royal. When I noticed they went to bat, got my reservation and room back, and talked with royal until all the booked things were reinstated (I did them all for the group) and then they gave me an extra gift card for trouble. 

 

But I'm as a whole a low maintenance client. Unless something goes wrong I just want the best price/perks. Wouldn't mind a good TA, but the only one I was recommended was meh, big box has better perks, and on a group booking they gave the wrong advice and the group sorta got screwed when they went with the TA over me who said they were wrong. 

[precious89904600]

Update: I spoke with manager of TA and things have taken a turn for better. The manager went above and beyond helping with my family booking even after hours . I guess we just got off on wrong foot. I hope things keep moving forward in our relationship

[denamo]

2 hours ago, precious89904600 said:

Update: I spoke with manager of TA and things have taken a turn for better. The manager went above and beyond helping with my family booking even after hours . I guess we just got off on wrong foot. I hope things keep moving forward in our relationship

This is great news. Glad you're able to get the service you need.

[Cigar King]

FWIW, I use one of the big cruise travel agencies.  Obviously they took a big hit due to covid.  We're on our third agent with them since that happened.  I am trying to be patient with them now, hoping they get back on their feet and things get better.  If not, we'll be finding someone else. 

 

For now the service is terrible and I am pretty sure the fault lies with both the agency AND Royal.  If I could handle things myself, I would.  Unfortunately if I call Royal they refer me to the agency.

 

Anyway, I view this as a first world problem, and if this is the worst that hits us we're lucky.

[graphicguy]

33 minutes ago, Cigar King said:

FWIW, I use one of the big cruise travel agencies.  Obviously they took a big hit due to covid.  We're on our third agent with them since that happened.  I am trying to be patient with them now, hoping they get back on their feet and things get better.  If not, we'll be finding someone else. 

 

For now the service is terrible and I am pretty sure the fault lies with both the agency AND Royal.  If I could handle things myself, I would.  Unfortunately if I call Royal they refer me to the agency.

 

Anyway, I view this as a first world problem, and if this is the worst that hits us we're lucky.

My long time TA (who is also with a big, but family run on line travel agency) also stuck it out during the "COVID months" of no bookings.  The agency actually furloughed ¾ of their agents.  Mine, said they offered her a little money to stick around, but nothing remotely close to what she was making previous to COVID.  Now, she's slammed.

 

She always gives me OBC, and a discount on my fare (which I'll assume comes out of her commission), advises me on discounts, close line ever changing policies and will confer with fellow TAs about ships she HASN'T sailed before.  She takes care of my flights and hotel arrangements when I cruise, too.

 

What made me stay with her mainly is her service.

 

When one of my sailings was cancelled (which was literally hours before I was boarding)  because of a hurricane, she had changed my flights to get back home.  She did this at midnight, once she heard the cruse had been canceled.

 

When I was on board the infamous "tilting cruise" where my ship listed violently while sailing (it made the news), she had contacted my cell phone (which I didn't get until we docked the next day) checking on my physical status (I was fine).

 

She's changed 4 sailings for me during the pandemic when the kept getting canceled.

 

That's the kind of TA you stay with.

[Baowen]

My TA saved me so much time lifting and shifting 2 cruises and getting a full refund on the other. I don’t know why people pass up hundreds of dollars in OBC to book directly. I always get special perks on top 

of the OBC like champagne in my stateroom and specialty dining.  She works for a large company so i always have someone to help me if I call on her day off 

[crazyank]

1 hour ago, Baowen said:

My TA saved me so much time lifting and shifting 2 cruises and getting a full refund on the other. I don’t know why people pass up hundreds of dollars in OBC to book directly. I always get special perks on top 

of the OBC like champagne in my stateroom and specialty dining.  She works for a large company so i always have someone to help me if I call on her day off 

That's your personal experience and certainly may not apply to others.  After trying three different US TA's and running into major problems each time we gave up.  It seems some TAs in the states have serious difficulty dealing with clients from europe.

[Toofarfromthesea]

On 6/16/2021 at 7:03 AM, F27TW said:

In this day and age, why do people even still use travel agents? 

Because we like money?  I get 7-10% off every cruise by using a TA.  That is in addition to the 4.5% I get from my credit card (Chase Reserve).