"Agency issue"....???

[alsas]

I am overwhelmed by all this support and this sense of community here. I feel I have really bonded with all of you over the past week and it is really touching me. I will continue to put updates on here.......there is one more potential.....but I will wait on that 'til I am sure.

Thank you all again SOOOOOO much.........I have been pretty much glued to my chair here just like the rest of you.

WHAT A RIDE!!!!

 

Karen like all the other cc members we are happy for you. THE OTHER THING FROM THIS IS DISASTER IS HOW AMAZING OUR MEMBERS ARE. The empathy and love has been amazing.Happy sailing ALSAS

[off2ctheworld]

Oh my gosh Karen, I have been following this thread and am so HAPPY for you that HALe worked things out and you will soon be on your dream CRUISE!! Just wanted you to know that other Washingtonians were rooting for you!

 

HAVE A WONDERFUL CAREFREE CRUISE!!!

[SISer]

Well, I add this in addition to how happy I am Karen's problem is resolved. CC is a great website. I have only joined CC recently, what a great website to be a part of.

 

I hope nobody else has to deal with the problems Karen, Sherrie and jonmar (the cunard thread) have dealt with.

[LVSue]

Likewise, Mighty Quinn! It didn't take too much effort to google the situation and find the Trip Advisor thread about the culprit.

 

Karen, I can't tell you how happy I am for you! I just had a feeling that HAL would get things resolved somehow since the TA is still in operation (though I hope not for long). As many have said, FINALLY, I can take a breath and do something other than check CC every 15 minutes!

 

I would encourage all of you who have experienced troubles with this outfit to file complaints, whether with the FL Dept of Agriculture or the BBB.

 

As for credit cards, yes it will be a pain to have to change CC numbers with your autopay people (have had to do it), but I should think the peace of mind would be worth it. Just for simplicity's sake, I would report the cards stolen and they will be replaced quick as a bunny with new numbered cards. If you cannot tell a lie, then contact the Fraud department and explain why you need a replacement card with a new number.

 

As Sail and others have said, don't cancel your cards because that does affect your credit rating. But I would definitely get new numbers and not simply trust to luck. Be proactive!

[ger_77]

Thank Goodness ! ! ! ! We went out for the afternoon and evening and it was killing me not knowing if anything had happened to you, Karen. I'm so glad the money went through and bless the gal at Holland America - it sure says something about their employees and customer service, doesn't it? Sit back now and enjoy the fact that you are soon going to be on a Dam ship having a good time and all of this will be behind you.

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

Gerry

[Cruzin Terri]

Karen,

After reading the TA forum I would encourage you to call your credit card companies TONIGHT and have them issue you new numbers. You have no way of knowing if they will charge more to your cards. It is worth the hassle in this situation.

Terri

[Goldryder]

I am cruising!!

My cruise is paid in FULL!!

 

The very nice HAL lady called me and was beside herself with the good news. The money wire came through.....and my cruise is paid in full. She was very surprised......she didn't expect it to come through today. She said this could have taken weeks and had fully expected that. She was so happy for me....made me feel really good.

 

I will give more details later.....just wanted to pass this news to you all who have given me so much support during this ordeal.

 

I am cruising on my DREAM trip September 26th WOOHOO!!

 

Nice one Karen!!!

 

So pleased that it's all worked out for you, now you can REALLY work off the stresses on your cruise and enjoy yourself :D:D:D

[Rassa]

Firstly, to Karen - glad it has all worked out, you will love your holiday in the Pacific.

 

Found the rogue TA - thanks to all you detectives, I am so grateful. I had a quote for a cruise from the rogue TA and it was a fantastic price BUT not with the added worry to go with it.

 

I would rather pay a little more and have peace of mind. They are not all like that. I am from Oz and booked my HAL cruise through a UK agent. I printed out my boarding pass on the weekend - yaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

 

And ya to Karen again. We are all on your side.

 

Rosie

[Spinner2]

Karen, I'm so happy this huge weight is off your shoulders.

 

Just to tidy things up, you're planning on checking carefully for the next few days to make sure that one of your credit cards wasn't double-billed to cover today's payment, won't you?

 

Just as a precaution!

[welly world]

Karen,

I couldn't be happier for you! Enjoy your trip... you REALLY have earned it!

Maria

[K&RCurt]

Wow! I am so happy to hear your issue was resolved and you can now go on your dream cruise!

 

I am one of the masses who have been following this from the first post. I really had no advice to add that hadn't already been given so I had not posted perviously.

 

Now, however, I must join in with those urging you to get your Credit Card numbers changed and have new cards issued. We went though a situation with a different unscrupulous TA for a land based vacation. It was a "group" vacation - a bunch of people from a different website decided to get together. We had given the TA our credit card info for teh deposit and before the final payment was due she took it upon herself to charge the same card for the total due without authorization. There was just enough credit limit on that card (A card with a fairly low limit we keep for online purchases) to clear the payment. We ended up disputing the charge, getting the money back and cancelling the trip, but only because I am vigilant on checking account activity every day or so. We ended up having to change the account number at the reccomendation of the card issuer to prevent this happening again.

 

Remember the old saying..."An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"!

[lvtotrvl1]

Congratulations! I'm so happy you got this worked out...noone should have to go through this in planning a vacation!

 

Have a great cruise!!!!!

[cusyl]

Phewwww, I am so happy for you. We have all learned a lesson here. Look forward to following your blog on your dream voyage.

[Ichiban Nekko]

Congratulations Karen!!! What a thread! What a story! Thrills! Chills! You certainly have earned this wonderful voyage of a lifetime.

 

May I join others who are urging you to

1) Change that credit card number - pronto!! Reorganizing your autopayments will be a pain, but the thought of dealing with identity theft is overpowering. Please, please, please.

2) When you have time to breathe normally, send off a "Kudos" note to HAL. The agent you were working with sounds like an absolute gem.

 

You have provided many of us with an instant education about less than stellar travel agents. Thank you so much for sharing this experience with us.

 

I am absolutely thrilled for you that this has worked out and wish you Bon Voyage.:D

[janetlm]

Karen,

 

This is truely a happy ending. I know that you will have a wonderful cruise.

 

Congratulations :D

[arasg]

Karen, so happy to hear things worked out. My only thought is who is the poor other client they just got to pay in advance for the discount to get cash to pay off your cruise??? (hence why it took all this time to wire...)

 

I would definately have my CC #'s changed....worth the hassle in the long run as is peace of mind.

 

When an agent makes a final payment on a cruise they receive an agency copy & guest copy from the cruise line (pretty quick) showing "Paid in Full". My wife then emails or faxes a copy immediately to the client so they have a copy in hand. Any good TA should be doing that.

 

Have a great cruise....I know now, that you will enjoy it!!

[scottjeanne]

Congratulations Karen.

 

I am one of the ones caught in the Central Florida TA fiasco. We leave tomorrow for a Silver Seas cruise. The agency owes us almost $4000 since the price has been reduced and the cruise line honored the new pricing and we paid in full in January. I disputed the charge on our cc since the TA would not give us the credit. They have threatened me saying they will cancel the whole cruise if I contact my cc. Beware all cruisers who are booked with them.

[Kween Karen]

I am awake now......kind of early here for a retired lady!! (6:45) Didn't sleep as well as I thought I would.....must be the buildup of the last few days or just the excitement of having it over.

 

I will be speaking with HAL again this morning....I have another question and am hoping for the answer I want. Will let you know.

[Big Al B.]

Congrats on having your problem solved. I was glad to see that.

 

A note on the CC thing. I had a Visa card which the company said might have been compromised (at their end). They issued me a new account number, sent me cards, and automatically transferred all auto payments to the new number. Perhaps your companies could do that.

[arlenez]

I am overwhelmed by all this support and this sense of community here. I feel I have really bonded with all of you over the past week and it is really touching me. I will continue to put updates on here.......there is one more potential.....but I will wait on that 'til I am sure.

Thank you all again SOOOOOO much.........I have been pretty much glued to my chair here just like the rest of you.

WHAT A RIDE!!!!

 

That was some roller coaster of a ride, but I am so glad it all worked out in the end. Enjoy your cruise.

 

Regards,

Arlene

[coolcat12]

Congrats for the resolution Karen.:)

 

Is there anyway for you to "fire" this ta and have your booking held by HAL? I understand an agency's fiduciary ownership of a booking...normally... but this agency is criminal. Holland America seems to be treating you great and perhaps they can do this for you.

[denver luv to cruise]

Great news Karen!! Have a wonderful trip.

I have just recently been involved with this agency. I beleive they were trying to do the 'bait and switch' with me. I kept getting bad vibes with these people and stopped my booking before giving them my cc info.

How can the general public be made aware of these people?

[LHT28]

How can the general public be made aware of these people?

 

There are several RED FLAGS that should tell you to RUN

 

1)if a TA offers a discount for paying in full well ahead of final payment date RUN

 

2)If they ask you to pay cash or cheque to the agency..RUN

3)if the payment you make goes to the agency & not the cruise line RUN

4)check your cruise line account & if the payment does not show in 2 days after payment is made...CALL the TA & the cruiseline TAKE ACTION RIGHT AWAY

[catl331]

What I can't quite understand is why someone at HAL last year gave Karen a noncommittal reply (something like "we do a lot of business with them" IIRC) when she asked, instead of a warning of some sort. I wouldn't trust a stockbroker who gives "buy" advice on every single stock, so why can't HAL give an advisory on TAs that have clearly caused problems in the past?

 

What could the agency do if they learned that HAL was warning people away? Stop booking HAL cruises? Would that be a bad thing for HAL? I think NOT!

[TTFromSommersTown]

Double Post