TA won't price match??

[UpstateCruizer]

I really don't understand how so many of y'all can think a TA is pure evil for not being able to meet any price you find out there at the mega TA websites. It would be the same as expecting a small local store to be able to sell items for the same price as Wal-Mart.

 

If the mega site bought cabins in blocks for a discount and the small TA doesn't sell enough volume to do that, you could be expecting the small TA to work for next to nothing or lose your business. How do you think they could meet that price without cutting out most of their commission? That seems more than a little unfair if he/she had done the work to help you chose the cruise, the cabin, answered your questions, etc... If the cruise line lowers the price, by all means the TA should pass the savings along to you, but how can you expect them to work hard for you and then take your booking elsewhere when you find a better deal?

 

No wonder some of them are bitter after reading the posts here. :rolleyes:

 

The highlighted part above is where the issue comes into play. If I had a TA (and remember I'm 100% a fan of using a TA and not a PVP ) that I transferred a booking to that refused to even TRY to get the lower price for me and did none of the actual work of the booking other than to help me switch to them you can bet I'd not feel guilty if I found an agent that was not only able to but willing to help me. You can't say an agents time was wasted if the OP is saying that agent did nothing for them. If I were the type of person that needed an agent to assist me every step of the way in booking and planning for my cruise I'd fully expect to pay more. The Op has stated here that she's paying more but receiving nothing in return. Is that fair to her? If I were an agent and I had a new client book a cruise with me I'd make sure to ask about hotel, air and excurision plans to make sure my client received the full benefit of booking through a TA. Even my discounted cruise compete agent still asks if I need any assistance in those areas. It sounds like there was a break down of communications between the OP and the TA. It can be overwhelming for a first time cruiser to realize all the things they must do to prepare for their cruise. Cruise Critic was the most essential part in my cruise experience. After finding this site I was able to make the most of choosing my first cruise and having a completely satisfying experience (only downfall is my addiction to cruising now). It's too bad that Cruise Critic can't get a portion of the comission for each cruise that it's members book!

[tsj04]

I think your concerns are misplaced, just my opinion. I cruised Carnival without a discount, it didnt occur to me I was due one. I used a well known site and was happy that my tickets were sent in 2 day snail mail instead of edocs and how well they took care of me. You seem upset that your TA wouldnt cut into their commission to charge you less and as I said before, maybe your TA works for someone and her share isnt enough she CAN take $100 out of it or she would. Once you are cancelling....not sure why she would want to sit on the telphone with you. You have already said you dont plan on using her again. She works on commission. Dont take it personally. Move on and hopefully you will find someone good to work with.

 

I'm more upset that she provided poor service than her cutting into her commission. As I have stated before I did not choose her. She was given my file because my original TA was relocating. So because I cancelled that gives her reason to be rude? I don't think so. To me it just shows true colors. Thanks for your opinion but I'm still calling the corporate office on Tuesday ;)

[tsj04]

The highlighted part above is where the issue comes into play. If I had a TA (and remember I'm 100% a fan of using a TA and not a PVP ) that I transferred a booking to that refused to even TRY to get the lower price for me and did none of the actual work of the booking other than to help me switch to them you can bet I'd not feel guilty if I found an agent that was not only able to but willing to help me. You can't say an agents time was wasted if the OP is saying that agent did nothing for them. If I were the type of person that needed an agent to assist me every step of the way in booking and planning for my cruise I'd fully expect to pay more. The Op has stated here that she's paying more but receiving nothing in return. Is that fair to her? If I were an agent and I had a new client book a cruise with me I'd make sure to ask about hotel, air and excurision plans to make sure my client received the full benefit of booking through a TA. Even my discounted cruise compete agent still asks if I need any assistance in those areas. It sounds like there was a break down of communications between the OP and the TA. It can be overwhelming for a first time cruiser to realize all the things they must do to prepare for their cruise. Cruise Critic was the most essential part in my cruise experience. After finding this site I was able to make the most of choosing my first cruise and having a completely satisfying experience (only downfall is my addiction to cruising now). It's too bad that Cruise Critic can't get a portion of the comission for each cruise that it's members book!

 

Thank you. Well said. :)

 

This post has taken on other issues than the one I originally wrote about :confused: I understand that everyone will have their opinion. I would have felt better if the TA actually made an effort to do something but the bottom line is she didn't. I wasn't satisfied so I cancelled. We can debate this forever and everyone still would have their own opinion. As far as I am concerned it's done but I will be calling the corporate office on Tuesday as I've already said not to complain about not getting a price reduction but about the service I received or shall I say didn't receive. Maybe they can provide the TA with some constructive feedback. Again thanks for all of your thoughts and opinions :)

[firefly333]

Thank you. Well said. :)

 

This post has taken on other issues than the one I originally wrote about :confused: I understand that everyone will have their opinion. I would have felt better if the TA actually made an effort to do something but the bottom line is she didn't. I wasn't satisfied so I cancelled. We can debate this forever and everyone still would have their own opinion. As far as I am concerned it's done but I will be calling the corporate office on Tuesday as I've already said not to complain about not getting a price reduction but about the service I received or shall I say didn't receive. Maybe they can provide the TA with some constructive feedback. Again thanks for all of your thoughts and opinions :)

 

The issue that you started with is that the TA would not match some price you got on a site where TAs compete right?? If she is giving you the same price as Carnival, to give you a lower price would be taking it out of her commission unless that TA is holding a block of cabins at a lower rate...

 

You say we are getting off the subject now and that the issue is she got rude...maybe Im mistaken but it seemed to me that was not the original post and the rudeness came in later. No, of course there is never a reason to get rude, even if she knew she will not get repeat business ever from you or ever deal with you again. Never a excuse to be rude.

 

Frankly, Im confused then what the issue is if its not that the TA wouldnt get you a lower rate than what Carnival published.

 

Just for the record I quit using a well known site because they dont discount and now use one of the well known warehouses that sell in bulk because they discount all of Carnival's cruises....but I dont hold it against the site I originally booked with...its just their policy.

[Cinderose]

I can tell you that I saw a very low price for a cruise sailing and I called my TA to see if she could match it. She said send her the site link then print it out and fax it to her, I did just that, and since it was in writing on the other site, (even though the other site may have bought in bulk) she sent it on to Carnival who in turn allowed her to get us the same rate. I know my TA well enough she would not do this for nothing or even next to nothing. She made a fair commission on this deal or she would not have done it for us. We always book at least 16 cabins at a time if not more. On our last cruise she told me she was only making $20.50 per person booked, we had 58 people booked -you do the math!!! Over $1,000!

She does what I want since I'm doing all the leg work or I wont hesitate to book with a PVP, or on my own elsewhere. I gather all the full names, bithdates, addresses, etc in a spreadsheet for her. Maybe 21 dollars isn't much for the time she put in for that cruise but it does add up or she wouldn't be in this line of work. And we have given her very generous gifts for helping us. She never has given us any gifts for booking with her as other state they have received.

Your TA didn't give you what you wanted but wanted to be compensated for the time they put in doing nothing. Maybe a Lawyer can charge you for the time, but TAs aren't lawyers.

[BlueJacketsFan1]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=blue]If you are unhappy with your TA. Caulk it up to experience and use a different service the next time. I have never had any problems with our TA. Both she and other TA's in the office have been wonderful to us in many different ways. There is nothing within reason that they would do for us.[/COLOR][/FONT]