Additional Fees

[Travelcat2]

Travelcat,

Can you tell us where you found the information about the new $200 administrative fee charge at cancellation between initial deposit and 121 days before departure? I have looked in several places on the website and only find the original schedule of penalties which begin at day 120 (except the PG which got a $100 administrative fee when the ship was sold).

Thanks, Debbie

 

I have read and re-read the website and the booklet we received from Regent. My brain cells must be on vacation -- I cannot find a penalty for under 120 days. What really confuses me:confused: me is the Administration fee at 121 days. (quoting from Regent 2008 - 2009 Grand Voyages)

 

"Grand Circumnavigation and Ring of Fire"

121 days prior to initial date *Administration fee

120 - 91 days prior to initial vacation date 20% of fare per person

90 - 75 days prior to initial vacation date 50% of fare per person

74 - 0 days prior to initial vacation date 100% of fare per person

*Administration fee for the following amounts:

Full Cruisers: $250 per person for categories C-H for Seven Seas Voyager and D-H for Seven Seas Mariner. $500 per person for categories MS-B for Seven Seas Voyager and MS-C for Seven Seas Navigator......

Cancellation charges are different for the Grand Asia Pacific and Discovery Collection.

When I first received the book this week, I felt the new layout was confusing (beautifully done -- just confusing). At the end of all of this, I do think you were right -- just wouldn't place any bets on it;)

[Ngaire]

All TA's use their own invoices in order to utilize a data base for information. However you should be able to request a copy of your Regent invoice and no TA should have any problem giving that to you. You get these on the ship when you do an onboard booking.

 

This new policy is really supposed to be between the agencies and Regent as I see it and not involve the passenger at all. Therefore it should not penalize any passenger who wants to transfer their booking. The fee as in the new business rules is clearly intended to be absorbed by the new travel agency. I was quite surprised when I saw this thread and saw that a passenger thought they should pay the fee. That is why I posted to clarify what I thought was a misunderstanding.

 

No one has any answers as to why individual agencies or people act in various ways and cannot imagine that an agency in getting a new client would pass on a fee that was clearly intended to be absorbed by the travel agency. Perhaps your transfer was before 12/01/07. It could have been different as I mentioned earlier.

 

Just trying to clarify the new policy as the question was raised. If this does not make any sense to you then you should consult your new agency. I am 100% confident of the policy as of 12/01/07 as it applies to 2009 bookings.

[JoAnne B]

Just my opinion, but....I can't imagine booking with one agent then "shopping around" for a better price. I shows a lack of respect for the professionalism of travel agents. Yes, it's fine to shop around before booking. We all want to get the best price, but I think the idea of bouncing agents after they've done the work of booking the cruise is tacky.

 

Having said that, changing agents because of poor service is another matter. I would be most upset to have Regent charge me, or my new agent, a penalty for dropping a bad agent. Does the charge apply if you simply drop the agent and deal directly with Regent?

 

JoAnne B

Houston

[DebbieH103]

I generally have the same policy as Ngaire on taking over a booking - call me for your next trip. However, the two exceptions (and unfortunately this did happen once), I took over a booking from an agent that died and was independent (obviously a rare situation) and do not have a problem taking over a booking where the client booked direct with the supplier and then wanted to add on my service, which is no additional cost to them. Most suppliers encourage this as a policy.

 

Regarding soliciting on a cruise - Silversea has a policy against it for any agent traveling on an agent rate (pretty impossible to get since SS is always full) or from group escorts. I've certainly been solicited by group escorts, but I did not turn them in.

[AtA]

This is not affecting DIRECT Regent onboard bookings. If you book onboard and make the booking directly with Regent (no agent on record) then you can assign that booking to any TA you wish, there is no fee involved.

 

If you book onboard and the booking is assigned to your old travel agent (as is always the case unless you request otherwise) and you then wish to change agents the fee would be incurred by your new agent.

 

It is only when one travel agency is taking a booking ALREADY MADE away from another travel agency. The travel agency who takes over a booking already made pays the $200 fee out of their commission.

Frankly I think that is more than fair.

[Leonid]

32 cruises and never once have we been solicited by a TA. Frankly, I don't ever remember talking to anyone who was is in cruise booking business.

I do shop around for each cruise we want to book. Once I book, that's it!

We have the PG booked for 09/2008 (14 days), an Oceania sailing for SA in 02/2009 (19 days) and are planing two more Oceania sailings in 2009.

Life is good!:D