TA won't file form for ES price drop!

[firefly333]

dustryrose, you might want to edit out your email.

[firefly333]

On the back of each statement that my TA sends me (when I make a payment etc) their 'contract' is printed. (at least with the TA I use) it says 'you never pay us extra --- we are paid by the Cruise line after your sailing is complete'

I guess each TA may be different... I would guess this may also vary with the size of the agency...for instance a home based individule vs. a national company.

Just my guess tho.

:)

 

I paid off early by about 6 months, and they said to me that they had already been paid the commission, even though it was well in advance of final payment date and I hadnt cruised yet, so some do get paid in advance. Mine was large. They also discount Carnival cruises, so its a gamble if I want to gamble on the price going down and them not getting me another price drop or I want the discount they give you when you book with them of 10%.

[G'ma]

There has been a huge price drop for our cruise (booked Early Saver), but since I booked through a travel agent, I can't apply for the OBC credit myself. The TA has to do it.

I called TA, but they've put me off for days.... "We'll check on it. "... They keep saying things like that the price given for "Pack and Go" last minute deal doesn't count (but "we'll check on it") or that I would probably have to upgrade my cabins to get the OBC. (but "we'll check on it.") Baloney!

 

I finally got them to admit that if they rebook me at the lower price, they will have to send Carnival some of their commission back and that they would be "upside down" and lose money. It's so frustrating since I can't file for the price drop myself, I'm at their mercy. They said that the only way they would file it is if I pay them an extra $200+ to cover their "losses". What can I do?

 

They are REQUIRED to tend to your reservation unless they have a written policy, given to you at the time you made the reservation,that says they will charge you for reductions.

 

If you are outside the cancellation time period...and if the TA doesn't have a cancel fee, cancel the reservation and rebook with Carnival.

 

Don't let them push you around........

 

If you are within the cancel period, call Carnival....ask for a supervisor and register a complaint. Take the name of the person you are speaking with and tell her about what they agency has done.

 

If the TA has no written policy or contract concerning lower fares and reductions, etc........then keep calling them and insist they get the lower fare for you...threaten a lawsuit.

 

If they do have a contract or policy...or "fine print" that you didn't read, you are probably stuck.

 

Find out if they are a member of a travel trade orgainization such as ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents) or CLIA (Cruise Line International Association)... If they are, tell them you will write a complaint to these organizations, call the newspaper, notify consumer affairs, theh BBB or a lawyer.......

 

Then, no matter what.....never, ever use them again.

 

And, make sure you thoroughly check out any travel agent you use in the future by asking lots of questions.....

[hlorac]

I booked with a carnival rep and the price dropped later. I could have gotten back $70. carnival turned down my request......

[KimberleyFL]

I wish, but you had to realize that this would effect the TAs bottom line and that it was only a matter of time until they started balking at getting these fare reductions. Heck, if I were a TA I would probably not have any business because I would tell my clients up front that any fare reductions would cost the som e fee (probably $50 pp).

 

Then the TA shouldn't book anyone with ES rates. If the TA doesn't want to honor the rules of the ES program, they should not book it for anyone.

[firefly333]

I booked with a carnival rep and the price dropped later. I could have gotten back $70. carnival turned down my request......

 

thats always a bummer huh? Sometimes they will upgrade you even if you didnt get the price drop, ask next time so you dont lose out completely.

[cruzn buckeye]

Early Saver bookings are specific Cabin (4A, 6C.....) - Pack-and-Go are Guarantee Cabins (IS, OV....) - not the same Category. ken

hmmmm....so I am wondering how does this affect me? Remember Ken? I have the ES rate but yet a gty cabin....does this mean that I will qualify for the pack and go rate???

[S.S.Oceanlover]

They are REQUIRED to tend to your reservation unless they have a written policy' date=' given to you at the time you made the reservation,that says they will charge you for reductions.

 

If you are outside the cancellation time period...and if the TA doesn't have a cancel fee, cancel the reservation and rebook with Carnival.

Don't let them push you around........

 

If you are within the cancel period, call Carnival....ask for a supervisor and register a complaint. Take the name of the person you are speaking with and tell her about what they agency has done.

 

If the TA has no written policy or contract concerning lower fares and reductions, etc........then keep calling them and insist they get the lower fare for you...threaten a lawsuit.

 

If they do have a contract or policy...or "fine print" that you didn't read, you are probably stuck.

 

Find out if they are a member of a travel trade orgainization such as ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents) or CLIA (Cruise Line International Association)... If they are, tell them you will write a complaint to these organizations, call the newspaper, notify consumer affairs, theh BBB or a lawyer.......

 

Then, no matter what.....never, ever use them again.

 

And, make sure you thoroughly check out any travel agent you use in the future by asking lots of questions.....

 

What's the difference? In your scenario you cancel and pay Carnival the $200 in chnage fees or pay the travel agent the $200 he is trying to extort.

 

Bottom line is you are still out $200 that you shouldn't be out.

 

Bill

[poobears]

I booked with a carnival rep and the price dropped later. I could have gotten back $70. carnival turned down my request......

 

 

Are you booked early saver?

[ubdkjrb]

My take is that the combination of the ES gaurantee and the "no transfer after 39 day" policy is a clear indication the even Carnival has grown tired of the TA's. Book everyone direct and save 15% off the top.

 

Peter

[firefly333]

My take is that the combination of the ES gaurantee and the "no transfer after 39 day" policy is a clear indication the even Carnival has grown tired of the TA's. Book everyone direct and save 15% off the top.

 

Peter

 

Or its to stop them from doing all the work of booking and then someone transfers at the last minute before final payment to get perks, and Carnival pays the TAs after they did all the work?

[skylock]

Or its to stop them from doing all the work of booking and then someone transfers at the last minute before final payment to get perks, and Carnival pays the TAs after they did all the work?

 

That is why I think Carnival has put the new rule in effect.

 

Too many people booking thru Carnival, calling Carnival, making changes, then at the last minute, switching the booking to a TA. The TA does nothing except bill Carnival for their "commission".

 

I think the rule makes perfect sense and should have came about long before now.

[travelntreats]

My take is that the combination of the ES gaurantee and the "no transfer after 39 day" policy is a clear indication the even Carnival has grown tired of the TA's. Book everyone direct and save 15% off the top.

 

Peter

You are NOT saving any money i.e. 15% by booking direct.... why would you even state that incorrect fact ? If booking direct it will be the same rate as the TA, and the cruiseline does not have to pay out the commission to the TA if you book direct. How is that saving 15% ??? :rolleyes::confused::rolleyes:

[travelntreats]

They are REQUIRED to tend to your reservation unless they have a written policy' date=' given to you at the time you made the reservation,that says they will charge you for reductions.

 

If you are outside the cancellation time period...and if the TA doesn't have a cancel fee, cancel the reservation and rebook with Carnival.

 

Don't let them push you around........

 

If you are within the cancel period, call Carnival....ask for a supervisor and register a complaint. Take the name of the person you are speaking with and tell her about what they agency has done.

 

If the TA has no written policy or contract concerning lower fares and reductions, etc........then keep calling them and insist they get the lower fare for you...[b']threaten a lawsuit.[/b]

 

If they do have a contract or policy...or "fine print" that you didn't read, you are probably stuck.

 

Find out if they are a member of a travel trade orgainization such as ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents) or CLIA (Cruise Line International Association)... If they are, tell them you will write a complaint to these organizations, call the newspaper, notify consumer affairs, theh BBB or a lawyer.......

 

Then, no matter what.....never, ever use them again.

 

And, make sure you thoroughly check out any travel agent you use in the future by asking lots of questions.....

Ahhh spoken like a true US Citizen.... when all else fails, threaten 'em with a law suit.... 1.800.WIN WIN1 ~~~ :rolleyes:

[KimberleyFL]

You are NOT saving any money i.e. 15% by booking direct.... why would you even state that incorrect fact ? If booking direct it will be the same rate as the TA, and the cruiseline does not have to pay out the commission to the TA if you book direct. How is that saving 15% ??? :rolleyes::confused::rolleyes:

 

By saying "Book everyone direct and save 15% off the top.", I believe they were speaking for Carnival ie.. Carnival might as well book everyone direct and save 15% (commission) off the top.

[firefly333]

By saying "Book everyone direct and save 15% off the top.", I believe they were speaking for Carnival ie.. Carnival might as well book everyone direct and save 15% (commission) off the top.

 

thats how I took it too, I think travelntreats, just misunderstood the post. (not that commission is a flat 15%, just that someone was saying Carnival could save paying the TA a commission, whatever it was).

[Ken076]

hmmmm....so I am wondering how does this affect me? Remember Ken? I have the ES rate but yet a gty cabin....does this mean that I will qualify for the pack and go rate???

 

cruzn - At this point I think ANYTHING is possible with your booking! I'd give it a try, since you're now in the same Category (Guarantee) as the ack-and-Go. In the application I'd make mention that under ES you were assigned Guarantee for a Price Match and that your booking notes show that you're still eligible for ES Price matches. As always, keep us posted!!! Ken

[halos]

Just another reason to book it yourself directly.

 

It's not too late.

You don't have to transfer the booking to anyone in particular...you can transfer it to yourself. I learned that last year. When my TA left her agency, and I wanted to keep her on, I had to call the agency and have them transfer the booking to me. (I wouldn't have been allowed to transfer it directly to the TA who left the agency for obvious reasons)...so they put me in charge of my own booking.

From there, I was able to choose whether I wanted to hold it myself or transfer it to whom I pleased.

 

I suggest the OP get that booking out of the hands of her current TA asap.

[cruisinfanatic]

Why post this mess?

You mean you didn't read it all?

[thelmalou]

OP here! Thanks to all of you for your input. I have learned so much!

By the time the TA finally submitted the form for the price drop, the price had gone back up. It was so frustrating.

I was finally able to get the TA, TA's supervisor, and 2 folks from Carnival all in a conference call with me. With proof that I made the original request when the lower price was still effect, Carnival allowed me to get the onboard credit with the price drop.

I LOVE CARNIVAL!!!!!!

Thank y'all again for all of your concern and suggestions.

Happy Sailing!

[abw2005]

OP here! Thanks to all of you for your input. I have learned so much!

By the time the TA finally submitted the form for the price drop, the price had gone back up. It was so frustrating.

I was finally able to get the TA, TA's supervisor, and 2 folks from Carnival all in a conference call with me. With proof that I made the original request when the lower price was still effect, Carnival allowed me to get the onboard credit with the price drop.

I LOVE CARNIVAL!!!!!!

Thank y'all again for all of your concern and suggestions.

Happy Sailing!

 

 

Glad to hear you got it worked out! :)

[FromHereToThere]

Most agents in any biz are paid a commission of some percentage of the total cost of a product. Once that booking is paid in a full, the cruise line will send the agent their commission. Anytime you have the agent lower your total to a lower amount, those agents are now only entitled to a percentage , again, of the total cost. So they must send back the differnece in the commission they now earn, on that lower fare, it's just economics, the es is bad for agents.

[rsinj]

Most agents in any biz are paid a commission of some percentage of the total cost of a product. Once that booking is paid in a full, the cruise line will send the agent their commission. Anytime you have the agent lower your total to a lower amount, those agents are now only entitled to a percentage , again, of the total cost. So they must send back the differnece in the commission they now earn, on that lower fare, it's just economics, the es is bad for agents.

 

So then it was the responsibility of the travel agent to either not do/accept the original ES booking or advise customer up front that they would not submit the price drop form when requested. Otherwise once the booking is done by the agent they have an obligation to the customer to abide by the rules of ES.

 

Why would anyone go to a travel agent in the first place if they aren't going to act in the customer's best interests?

 

It's just common sense.

 

Howard

[shumdit1]

Hi I'm almost affraid to admit this but I am a travel agent. What this agent did was very wrong.

She should do everything she can to work for you to get you your lowest price.

Also, travel agents do not make commission on the total package. They only pay commission on the base fare. That's before the taxes and fees.

Second, Carnival is good at sending you your commission before the sailing if it has been paid by a credit card. Paid by a check they keep it up front.

This travel agent was wrong but in today's world if she has a quota to meet and it's hard to do that these days maybe this was making her hesitant. But then she WAS wrong. I have had to return commission many a time.

But in defense of travel agents. I enjoy the cruise critic boards but I often think that if these people had booked thru a real person travel agent they wouldn't have to go online and ask all these questions.

[Ken076]

OP here! Thanks to all of you for your input. I have learned so much!

By the time the TA finally submitted the form for the price drop, the price had gone back up. It was so frustrating.

I was finally able to get the TA, TA's supervisor, and 2 folks from Carnival all in a conference call with me. With proof that I made the original request when the lower price was still effect, Carnival allowed me to get the onboard credit with the price drop.

I LOVE CARNIVAL!!!!!!

Thank y'all again for all of your concern and suggestions.

Happy Sailing!

 

CONGRATS!

What came of the TA trying to charge you extra to process this?

Did you Pay?

Will there be a charge next price drop?

Did their story change?

Was the TA's responsibility to submit ES Price Requests come-up in your conference call?

 

KEN