"Agency issue"....???

[skankycat]

This is scary. Am I right to assume that if an agency bills you , and it says HAL on you credit card, you are A-OK? Sending you best wishes Karen.. I bet it all works out for you!

 

If your credit card debit says HAL, then HAL got your money. When in doubt call the cruiseline.

 

I'll bet lots of us dug out those statements and rechecked our billing.

[TMWeddle]

A few days ago I asked a question on these boards as to advantages of booking with HAL or a TA. After reading this thread I am very happy that I booked with HAL for my next cruise! I am following this story and certainly hope and actually am optimistic that all will end well.

[Paul123]

A few days ago I asked a question on these boards as to advantages of booking with HAL or a TA. After reading this thread I am very happy that I booked with HAL for my next cruise! I am following this story and certainly hope and actually am optimistic that all will end well.

 

TMWeddle.....this is a bit of an exception, I do believe, where the TA has taken the money and not have the credit card charged directly to HAL. I think the vast majority give the card details directly to the cruise company or else they, the TA, have the hit for the CC charge that is made to the 'merchant' on all transactions. My own TA, who I deal with incidentally on line, have no credit card facilities of their own.

 

The advantage of using a TA is that normally you will enjoy a much better price than you will receive from HAL direct. This may be in the form of discount and or on board credit. If money is not important then off course it is no skin off your nose to deal direct. But my point is that the vast majority of TA's , in my experience, don't handle the credit card payment through their own financial system but give the card details to the cruise company.

 

Of course by checking the CC statement it can quickly be ascertained if everything is above board. I know this is no consolation to those that find themselves in a difficult situation where things are not above board.

[whogo]

Worriers can also worry that the cruise line will go out of business. Regency Cruise Line went out of business, stranding passengers and crew, a few months after we sailed on the Regent Star.

[cp556]

I would be out of my mind with worry, you are doing the best thing talking on CC...its got to help. Everyone feel this in their gut.

 

BUT.... I have one question...and maybe I missed something along the way since i started reading this over the wkend...

 

BUT .... did the charges not show up on your credit card when payment was paid in full? I haunt my CC statement on line until I see the charge has posted and have called my TA to inquire when it did not, but it showed almost right away and was not related to my call I am sure....I had just waited long enough that I was out of my comfort zone and started calling.

 

I have great confidence this will work out....switch TA's for the next time, after all HAL wants their money ;)

 

 

I think the thing is that YES, the charges showed up, but the agency physically processed the charge and kept the money, instead of allowing HAL to process the charge. In other words, Karen's bill showed "XYZ Agency" instead of "HAL" for the amount charged. The problem is that XYZ didn't ever send the final payment to HAL.

 

(If an agency processes the charge, they absorb the credit card processing fee BUT they get to keep their commission immediately from that money, instead of waiting for the cruise line to send the commission back when they process the charge. The agency should have sent the full net payment (less their commission) on to HAL via check or wire transfer, but what seems to have happened here is that the agency sent only a deposit and kept the rest of Karen's monies floating in their account for whatever purpose...)

[Raihi]

A few days ago I asked a question on these boards as to advantages of booking with HAL or a TA. After reading this thread I am very happy that I booked with HAL for my next cruise! I am following this story and certainly hope and actually am optimistic that all will end well.

 

I have saved a TON of money with online TA's. I do check that it says what ever cruise line on my bills. If that first deposit did not.. I would stop right there, and cancel with them.

[aussieoz]

GOOD LUCK TODAY to GETTING ALL the ANSWERS!

With EVERYTHING put RIGHT!

 

Thinking about you .....

Jean & Doug :)

[Route6A]

I certainly hope you are successful today in resolving the problem. Because my final payment is due this week, and I book with an online agency, I called HAL to check and see if my agency is in good standing, and it is. In the current economy, things can change quickly. For about six years, I have been using online agencies to book cruises at significant savings. So far, so good, but it's been a bit of a worry since the slide began last October. I was actually on a HAL cruise when the Wall Street meltdown hit. I'll keep my fingers crossed that your payment reaches HAL today. Good luck!

[GatorV]

My credit card statement better always show HAL or heads would roll right away. It always has....never the TA's name.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

TMWeddle.....this is a bit of an exception, I do believe, where the TA has taken the money and not have the credit card charged directly to HAL. I think the vast majority give the card details directly to the cruise company or else they, the TA, have the hit for the CC charge that is made to the 'merchant' on all transactions. My own TA, who I deal with incidentally on line, have no credit card facilities of their own.

 

The advantage of using a TA is that normally you will enjoy a much better price than you will receive from HAL direct. This may be in the form of discount and or on board credit. If money is not important then off course it is no skin off your nose to deal direct. But my point is that the vast majority of TA's , in my experience, don't handle the credit card payment through their own financial system but give the card details to the cruise company.

 

Of course by checking the CC statement it can quickly be ascertained if everything is above board. I know this is no consolation to those that find themselves in a difficult situation where things are not above board.

 

Paul this is all very true I myself have used 3 ways of purchasing my cruises. I have bought from a Brick and Mortar agency with local offices, I have bought on line (but only once) and I have purchased direct from HAL. All have pros and cons. But it is very true that other TA's can offer a great savings some time in the thousands. So why not take advantage of the discounts and special offerings that they offer. To me it is only money smart to be saving money in these economic times if you are getting the same thing ;)

I ended up working for my brick and mortar company that also owns and on line agency and I work on the on line agency side but nothing is really done on the computer our clients talk to us direct. But like I mentioned before our company has no way to charge it to our company it all goes directly thru the cruise line. So the learning for many is.... When in doubt ASK!!!

You need to talk with a human being not just type in your credit card info in the computer and hope it is going to the cruise line. Call and talk to someone and if they hesitate as to who is receiving this money directly and what merchant will show up on your credit card statement then do not make the charge. Then also check with you credit card company immediately. DO NOT wait for your statement. Within 48 business hours that charge should show up and you can call your credit card company to see who the merchant was that made the charge. If it is not the cruise line then immediately file a fraud claim against that charge with your credit card company.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Karen I am hoping everything gets straightened out today and that the TA in question wires the money to HAL. I have to admit that if they do not you will have an up hill battle with your credit card companies since the charges did occur over a year ago. The only one that may work with you is Amex but like mentioned because the Full amount of the cruise was not placed on the Amex it seems I remember that can also pose a problem :o But I also suspect HAL will also go to bat for you because they do want you on the ship because they too want to fill those cabins.

 

Good Luck and keep us posted :)

[Himself]

Lisa, you give good advice. You are very wise.

[KAKcruiser]

We don't know if HAL is having problems with other bookings made with this agency. If this is the case, they might get even more involved.

[kryos]

But like I mentioned before our company has no way to charge it to our company it all goes directly thru the cruise line. So the learning for many is.... When in doubt ASK!!!

Same here. In fact, we are NOT PERMITTED to maintain merchant accounts for our travel agency business. The first thing we were taught in training was NEVER to "hold on" to a client's money. IMMEDIATELY process the payment directly with the vendor. Then the vendor pays the commission after the client has taken their trip. That's how we get paid.

 

I just had a final payment come due on my HAL cruise for October, and I went online just to double-check my payment. That's the last cruise I had booked using a travel agent. Yes, the payment shows up as HAL RES SEATTLE ... so I know the payment went directly to them. I too would be very suspicious if a charge were made directly to the agency, but then I hear that some agencies booking groups will pay the final payments for the whole group on one check ... though I hardly see why that would be necessary. Frankly, with a group, I tend to think I'd still like to keep everything separate.

 

I too hope everything works out here for Karen ... though I still say even if it turns out that this agency is not on the up and up, she can still refute the charge with her credit card companies ... she did not receive "service," and therefore there should be no problem getting the charges reversed. The only problem she may have in that case is if she has to transfer the booking to another agent, they won't necessarily have to honor any special "discounts" the first agent gave her ... which could cause her to wind up paying a bit more for the cruise.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Kween Karen]

I just talked with the TA. He assured me that "they are doing whatever they need to do to make sure things are handled". He put me on hold....came back and said "Yes...the funds are being wired out to HAL" He cautioned me that this process takes 1 or 2 days to actually show up in the account. He said he would call me when he knew it had actually called. He told me the business office had been talking directly with HAL (Duh! Like I didn't KNOW that!)

 

I asked for a tracking number of some sort so I could see that it was actually moving.....he said there wasn't anything like that available.

 

I will call HAL and convey this conversation as soon as they are open.

[momatibm]

Karen, he should be able to provide to you and HAL a 'transaction number' -- which can be used by HAL's bank to verify it's been executed. These numbers are also used when the money is sent erroneously to the wrong place -- so they can find it and get it to the right place.

[operafan]

Karen, he should be able to provide to you and HAL a 'transaction number' -- which can be used by HAL's bank to verify it's been executed. These numbers are also used when the money is sent erroneously to the wrong place -- so they can find it and get it to the right place.

 

Nor should it take 2 days.

[RuthC]

I just talked with the TA. He assured me that "they are doing whatever they need to do to make sure things are handled".

That is way too vague for my comfort. Yes, you are right to let HAL know immediately what was said. But do keep your fingers crossed, and a prayer on you lips, too.

I'll do the same.

[dandro]

It would be great if they could give you a transaction # that you can confirm with HAL. It shouldn't take 1 - 2 days, when you wire money, it is quickly processed, like when I pay my credit card online using our checking account funds. I can go online and see the cc company received it immediately. Same should go for the payment from the TA to HAL.

 

I'd be calling them every hour on the hour until I received some sort of proof that they transferred the funds to HAL.

 

I am so sorry all this is happening, Karen. Hopefully soon you can put this all behind you and look forward to a beautiful relaxing cruise.

[sail7seas]

Worriers can also worry that the cruise line will go out of business. Regency Cruise Line went out of business, stranding passengers and crew, a few months after we sailed on the Regent Star.

 

 

Rennassisance Cruise Line left ships docked in ports and crew had to find their own way home. Passengers lost tons of money.

 

 

 

I just talked with the TA. He assured me that "they are doing whatever they need to do to make sure things are handled". He put me on hold....came back and said "Yes...the funds are being wired out to HAL" He cautioned me that this process takes 1 or 2 days to actually show up in the account. He said he would call me when he knew it had actually called. He told me the business office had been talking directly with HAL (Duh! Like I didn't KNOW that!)

 

I asked for a tracking number of some sort so I could see that it was actually moving.....he said there wasn't anything like that available.

 

I will call HAL and convey this conversation as soon as they are open.

 

Hope this line about it taking one or two days to show up isn't just a stall. They are probably scrambling to scrape up the money by pushing new customers to book. They take their money and send it to HAL for your payment...... IF they (and you) get lucky and they actually get this new business.

 

 

Time to mention police IMO This TA could be busy packing boxes and getting ready to shut down and be gone. That wire transfer should be done now. IMO

You shouldn't have to suffer more days of this agony.

I didn't think it should take two days for a while transfer to be received.

 

 

[cp556]

Methinks this agent is talking fluff to you ... thinking you're less aware of the situation than you are.

 

I agree with the others to talk to HAL ASAP, and ask them if you should call the agent back and push for more facts. (Wire transfers do NOT take 1-2 days ... only if it takes the sender 1-2 days to send it in the first place...)

[Queenk2]

As others have cautioned, an electronic transfer is immediate! Please call Hal and perhaps have a three way call. I would have Hal on the line with the agent and/or their business office to get confirmation that they indeed have received your payment.

[Copper10-8]

Sorry to say but this guy is trying to sell you a bill of goods/string you along. Make sure you advise HAL of this latest conversation

[kenevenpar]

Karen:

 

Every wire has Fed reference number, which allows the wire to be tracked. If they are not willing to give you the number, they did not send the wire, IMHO.

 

Ken

[scapilot]

:cool::cool:Karen:

 

Contact Consumer Affairs. They will be able to help you look into the company and get you your money back or get it to Holland. :cool: