TA won't price match??

[greatful]

I know I can't say websites but the quotes were from one of the well known competing agencies for cruise (I think I just said it ;) )

 

When we use who you did we specify (in the area for comments) that we will only will work with agency that doesn't charge cancellation/change fees.

[tsj04]

Thanks again everyone!:) I will certainly let you know her response and will even post here for opinions before I decide. I'm just ready to be on the ship already!!:D

[tsj04]

LOL see!!

 

I got 2166..

 

 

Hmmm...I wonder how that happened? I put in W. Caribbean, FLL, Carnival Cruise Line, 3-6 nights...and got the same price as Carnival. I'm not expecting a HUGE decrease but a hundred or so would be good :)

[honeydog714]

wow that seems like a huge fee she is charging you, I change cancel all the time, my TA just laughs as she knows I am going SOMEWHERE at least three times a year, she has never charged me a fee once.

 

I do have a question though, did you mention to the TA you wanted them to handle everything? I tell my gal this is where and when I want to go and she finds me transfers, excursions, destination guides, hotels, air etc because she KNOWS I don't want to be bothered to look it up. I don't think she would just go ahead and do that though for everyone, some people might think she was trying to push business. As for price matching, she will do what she can, usually gives us a gift from her own pocket (wine, drinks, on board credit etc) but I don't expect her to compete with the discount brokers, but then I wouldn't get the service I ger from her from a broker......

[trock]

Hmmm...I wonder how that happened? I put in W. Caribbean, FLL, Carnival Cruise Line, 3-6 nights...and got the same price as Carnival. I'm not expecting a HUGE decrease but a hundred or so would be good :)

 

 

Search by ship and date

[tsj04]

wow that seems like a huge fee she is charging you, I change cancel all the time, my TA just laughs as she knows I am going SOMEWHERE at least three times a year, she has never charged me a fee once.

 

I do have a question though, did you mention to the TA you wanted them to handle everything? I tell my gal this is where and when I want to go and she finds me transfers, excursions, destination guides, hotels, air etc because she KNOWS I don't want to be bothered to look it up. I don't think she would just go ahead and do that though for everyone, some people might think she was trying to push business. As for price matching, she will do what she can, usually gives us a gift from her own pocket (wine, drinks, on board credit etc) but I don't expect her to compete with the discount brokers, but then I wouldn't get the service I ger from her from a broker......

 

 

Yup :) I told her once I realized it just wasn't going to happen. I'm going to see what she can come up with and go from there. I'll post again when she responds.

[cherylandtk]

Umm, I don't know that to be a fact..... my last two, the next one I am booked for are all suites and Valor is a 9A with the military rate. I have found that working direct with Carnival was the ticket for getting that rate though.

Just my experiance.

Ah, good to know...;)

[ManyMore]

I would tell the TA that they are right... it isn't the same type of service because their's is BADDDDDDDDDDD service!!!!!!!!

[SDPadreFan]

I feel like I am doing more work than my TA. She doesn't appear to be assertive and I've only talked to her on the phone or via e-mail, never in person. I had another TA in the same office but she was relocating and had to divide her cleints among her co-workers so that's how I got my current TA.

 

 

Just because someone is a TA doesn't mean they are a good one or that they know how to provide good customer service. Talk to the Supervising/Senior TA or Office Manager and let them know you are unhappy. Never be afraid to shine a light on poor performance especially when you are a paying customer.

[firefly333]

OK I get it, you asked for competing quotes, TAs who are willing to give up part of their commission to get your business. It could be your TA is not able to give up that much if she works for a agency that she only gets a little of the cut from.

 

sorry, missed that.

[trock]

It doesnt sound right?? You say you have found lower online rates than your TA who says she matches the quotes from the cruiseline.

 

TA cannot advertise a lower price....so confused how you are seeing a lower price online. I must be missing something here. Maybe you saw someone giving a $50 off coupon or a gift??? Or you are looking at a different category or the online TA gave a free upgrade you didnt get, something doesnt jive.

 

 

I found a lower price on line than carnival. .but it isnt an "advertised" rate per se, you email them what sailing and they email you back rates.. :)

 

I think she found a lower rate with carnival??

[UpstateCruizer]

I know I can't say websites but the quotes were from one of the well known competing agencies for cruise (I think I just said it ;) )

 

 

I got my TA from that same website. I still submit requests for quotes on each of the cruises I book because that's the only way they can offer the lowest rates. So far all 4 of my cruises have been booked through one of the agencies the responded. If your savings is more than the $100 I'd cancel and book with the competing agent that offered a better deal. If it's one of the lowest prices and an agency that has been ranked top then we are probably talking about the same one. I have nothing but positive experiences using the agency that competes for my bookings. ;)

[UpstateCruizer]

OK I get it, you asked for competing quotes, TAs who are willing to give up part of their commission to get your business. It could be your TA is not able to give up that much if she works for a agency that she only gets a little of the cut from.

 

sorry, missed that.

 

 

Part of the reason the compete agencies are able to offer the lower prices is they purchase blocks of cabins thus getting group rates. That's what I was told when I asked why Carnival won't price match.

[firefly333]

I found a lower price on line than carnival. .but it isnt an "advertised" rate per se, you email them what sailing and they email you back rates.. :)

 

I think she found a lower rate with carnival??

 

when I read you found the lower rate with an online agency, I was confused...now I get it. Yes I use one of the warehouse type stores who discounts carnival when you call them.

 

My TA quit....so Im back to looking.

[UpstateCruizer]

When we use who you did we specify (in the area for comments) that we will only will work with agency that doesn't charge cancellation/change fees.

 

I was told that the agents that offer quotes through the cruise compete site do not charge cancellation fees if you book through the compete site. If you book directly through the individual websites the agents work for then they consider that a full service agent and you are subject to cancellation fees. Every quote that I've received all say no cancellation fees. Now if I could just get those agents to understand that I don't want guarantee quotes regardless of how good they might be sigh :rolleyes:

[Karypunx]

I think you have time to shop around..

 

yes!

anddd.. shes not under cancellation fee...that means.. no $50.00 fee! u have till 11/13 to cancel w/o penalties! :)

[firefly333]

yes!

anddd.. shes not under cancellation fee...that means.. no $50.00 fee! u have till 11/13 to cancel w/o penalties! :)

 

Are you positive?? Some TAs have a cancellation policy and ANYTIME you cancel a booking you pay the cancellation fee, not just after final payment. I think you misunderstood what she said.

 

After rereading what you wrote, I think you are talking about the cancellation from the cruiseline...not a penalty imposed by the TA.

[tsj04]

yes!

anddd.. shes not under cancellation fee...that means.. no $50.00 fee! u have till 11/13 to cancel w/o penalties! :)

 

 

Unfortunately, that fee would apply now if I cancelled with the TA.

[Payd]

I am booked for a cruise on the Liberty Jan.'08. This will be DH and I's first cruise so of course I'm researching and learning as much as I can. From reading some threads on here some say that their TA has price matched other quotes that they have found for a lesser price. I found a couple of lower quotes online and e-mailed my TA saying that I found a couple of lower quotes online and this was her response:

 

We do not price match with online companies because it is not the same type of service. Our rates come directly from the cruise lines because that is who we work with directly.

 

What do you guys think? If I cancel with the TA I will incure a 100.00 fee total (50.00 cancellation fee per person). Thanks!

 

p.s. we are booked for a suite at the rate of 2423.00 total. final payment due in November. I tried to get military discount (DH is NAVY) but it hasn't been available since I booked it.

 

Sometimes the online agencies quote seems low~~but are you sure that you are comparing apples to apples. There are lots of taxes and surcharges and fees that the online agency might be adding after the low quote.

 

I sure hope your TA is working hard on your behalf.

 

It's your first cruise~~so have fun and don't worry about the little stuff. You'll know more next time.

 

Payd

[Cinderose]

One experience we had...

 

With a group cruise we set up with TA we told everyone if they canceled that it was a $25 non refundable fee, well come to find out if they paid the deposit or deposits with their credit card and the TA used it to directly book with Carnival and not applied to their company account, then when you cancel TA notifies Carnival and Carnival in return credits ALL monies back to the credit card directly. If TA used their own company credit card to book directly with Carnival on your behalf then yes they can impose the cancellation fee, otherwise if your own credit card was used then you don't have to pay the fee since you get refunded directly by Carnival and TA cant hold back any fee. Check your credit card statement and see if it was charged to you by Carnival or your travel agents company. If you paid by check or cash whole or part of it then your stuck not getting all your $$ back. Just my two cents...

Cinder

[MiamiSky66]

I find it best to deal with Carnival direct. In March 07, I went on the Spirit. After I booked the price kept dropping and I had a $400.00 onboard credit when we sailed. There were no questions asked. It was given to me very smoothly.

[travelagentgirl]

speaking as a travel agent this is my thought on the matter...

first of all..i dont know what kind of service you have gotten from your ta but lets be honest like everything out there there are good ones and bad..that said

 

- the reason she is probably charging a cancellation fee is that there is an amount of work that is put into booking a file, whoever it may be for. there is paperwork involved, talking with the client, talking with the cruise line, making sure that all of your needs may be met. and to be totally honest if you are a new client to her, she may not want to put all that work into it for you to wait for a better price to come up and just cancel and leave!! do we get a plumber to come to our house and install a toilet...then look in the paper two days later after we have already give plumber 1 our business and see someone who does it cheaper and then ask for him to take it all away and go with the cheaper even if we think we have gotten good service!! NO .. would the plumber not charge you to take the toilet back out?? people dont seem to think we are doing you a service and they expect it all for free...we need to get something for dealing with people like you who want the service and dont seem to want to pay for it!!

 

- also just to let you all know we barely get paid anything from the cruiselines any more to book these cruises. to a point where it is hardly worth putting the work into it

 

with that said maybe you should appreciate the work your ta is doing for you and realise she cant do things for free, and when your .com travel agent screws up and your stranded in miami with no cruise do me a favor and dont call her!!

 

and in the future stop wasting our time, just book it online..trust me one of these days you will pay

[Rolandtgs]

speaking as a travel agent this is my thought on the matter...

first of all..i dont know what kind of service you have gotten from your ta but lets be honest like everything out there there are good ones and bad..that said

 

- the reason she is probably charging a cancellation fee is that there is an amount of work that is put into booking a file, whoever it may be for. there is paperwork involved, talking with the client, talking with the cruise line, making sure that all of your needs may be met. and to be totally honest if you are a new client to her, she may not want to put all that work into it for you to wait for a better price to come up and just cancel and leave!! do we get a plumber to come to our house and install a toilet...then look in the paper two days later after we have already give plumber 1 our business and see someone who does it cheaper and then ask for him to take it all away and go with the cheaper even if we think we have gotten good service!! NO .. would the plumber not charge you to take the toilet back out?? people dont seem to think we are doing you a service and they expect it all for free...we need to get something for dealing with people like you who want the service and dont seem to want to pay for it!!

 

- also just to let you all know we barely get paid anything from the cruiselines any more to book these cruises. to a point where it is hardly worth putting the work into it

 

with that said maybe you should appreciate the work your ta is doing for you and realise she cant do things for free, and when your .com travel agent screws up and your stranded in miami with no cruise do me a favor and dont call her!!

 

and in the future stop wasting our time, just book it online..trust me one of these days you will pay

 

 

I agreed with much of your statement. Travel agents do deserve to make money if they do the work for thier client, which the OP's agent obviously is not doing a damn thing. I also have no problem with agents charging a cancellation fee. I am also in the service industry and if I went to an appointment for a client and they cancelled last minute, you are damn sure I am going to charge them for my time.

 

However, your snotty attitude has just done a huge dis-service to everyone in your profession. How many people on these boards are going to use an agent after listening to your ***chy tone?

As this is my first time booking a cruise, I was reading this post to try and decide if using an agent was in my best interest. You helped me make up my mind. Maybe I should give you my agents phone number and you can call her to apologize for losing her a client.

[gtalum]

BS.

 

There are plenty of agents who will price match and plenty who don't charge cancellation fees. As such, I absolutely refuse to work with an agent that won't match the lowest fare I find or one who will penalize me for changing plans. It's not my fault or any other customer's fault that the cruise lines don't pay you much, and I for one won't be penalized for that fact.

[gtalum]

Sometimes the online agencies quote seems low~~but are you sure that you are comparing apples to apples. There are lots of taxes and surcharges and fees that the online agency might be adding after the low quote.

 

Quotes from cruise compete include all taxes, port fees, etc. the only charge that may not be included is a cancellation or change fee charged by the agency. That should always be the first question you ask. personally i'll pay a higher fare to avoid a cancellation penalty.