Resolution to OP's "TA won't file form.......

[thelmalou]

Lots of folks had lots of questions about how this resolved.

My original post June 5:

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?

and then:

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!

Folks have asked if I had to pay the TA and if they admitted to not filing properly, etc. Yes and yes.................

I did pay the TA, but found it was not for the process of filing or even commission, but for the difference in the discounting that I was given in the original booking. I booked ES with the TA because the TA originally offered a lower price than the Carnival website. The TA did not want to file, because Carnival would be giving me the difference between the (higher) Carnival price and the new lower rate. That meant my OBC would be more than the difference between the new lower rate and what I had actually paid. This is so hard to explain, so it's easy to see how communication was a problem.

This hypothetical scenerio may help: Say Carnival is offering a cabin at $500 pp. The TA can acquire that cabin at $450 , and , in order to sell more cruises, offers it to the customer for $475. (I'm not sure how the whole process works between them.) Anyway...

Then Carnival has a price drop from $500 to, say, $375. They would give the passenger an OBC of $125. But $25 of that actually belongs to the TA since the passenger only paid $475 to start with. Does that make sense?

The TA should have been clearer in the beginning and filed for the price drop immediately. But by dragging her feet to "check on it" we missed the price drop. And she kept saying I needed to send them some $ to cover their commission.

Thankfully, during our conference call, Carnival was willing to accept email proof that my request was made while the Pack and Go price was in effect, and gave me the lower price.

My OBC is about $200 more than the difference in the new price and what I actually paid, so I paid that $200 back to the TA.

We're all happy.

The TA was wrong about a lot of stuff and how she handled it. But with prayer and polite tenacity (and a mention of the influence of Cruise Critic boards) I was able to get the TA to get together on the conference call. She admitted she mishandled it. I admitted that I was slow to understand that it was a discount issue and not a "commission" issue as the TA had called it. And even the Carnival folks were a bit apologetic for the confusion that the whole Early Saver program has been for customers and TA's.

I hope that explains it all............Happy Sailing!

[letsgocruz1]

That's a lot of explaining you had to do :p but I do understand exactly what you meant! I am glad you got it all straightened out. Now your Ta will know how to handle it in the future.

 

Congrats on the price drop!

[emmysmommy]

Wow! Glad it all worked out ok.

[Sherrybaby412]

If it were me, she wouldn't be my TA in the future.

[Traveler353]

Congratulations on your resolution. Another reason to cut out the middle man and deal directley with a Carnival PVP.

[DocJohnB]

If it were me, she wouldn't be my TA in the future.

 

Took the words right off my keyboard!!!!! :D

[tiyana4]

I don't normally advocate booking thru the cruise line, but in your case I would in the future. It has never taken my TA more than 24 hours to get back to us regarding price drops so I am sorry you had to endure this with your TA.

[Peaceful]

I also feel quite sure that "prayer and polite tenacity" were instrumental in your resolution. Nice job.

[UpstateCruizer]

OP I totally understand what you are talking about when you mention the original price you paid which was a discounted rate with your TA. Just to help anyone who may find themselves in a similar situation in the future it's important to keep in mind whatever price you pay your TA including perks such as OBC they opt to give you must be used when calculating the cruise price. If your TA gives you a "deal" you have to use that "deal" when checking for price reductions and forget about what Carnival's original price was. Your price point from that point forward is your "deal" price.

 

I'm glad you got it resolved and you are happy :) Enjoy that cruise!