- Joined
- Jul 15, 2007
So, we booked with a Travel Agent in our area. I will skip (or censor) the name until told otherwise by a Moderator.
We're a party of 15 in 6 cabins on one of the Mexican Riviera cruises this summer.
Some of us were repeat cruisers, so we made sure we paid before the 90 mark, so that we could book excursions. We are now at 87 days and any payments made by check, including payments made in March are still being held by the TA.
My wife & I aren't too concerned because we aren't booking any DCL excursions, but my cousin wanted to book sport fishing, so I called the TA to see what was wrong.
Kelly (from the TA) called me back to let me that was just how they did things. They wait until closer to the cruise to send the final payment to DCL.
Well, I happened to be in the neighborhood, so I headed down to the TA's office. I proceeded to quote all the info I learned on DIS . That excursions could be booked at 90 days, that the reservation must be paid in full, that the excursions are charged to the room and that they must be booked for each individual in their name. They didn't seem to know any of this.
Before I left they agreed that they would make sure my cousin got his fishing excursion booked this by tomorrow (today) morning.
When I didn't hear back from them by 1pm, I emailed them this letter.
About an hour later I received this reply from Craig, the owner of the TA.
I know this is long, but don't leave me yet, it gets better.
So, next I call DCL to see if there is any liasson that can help me work this situation out. I speak with Melissa first, and she can't help me, but suggests I speak with a supervisor. So a nice lady named Rahj (sp) comes on the phone ands says that the only thing she can do is make a courtesy call to the TA while I held.
I thanked her and said, please, anything you can do.
Well, when the nice DCL rep came back on the phone she was nearly speachless. She said that when Craig came on the phone, he (her words) "went off on her." He said we would pay when he wanted to. He wouldn't use a company credit card. He wouldn't overnight payment.
Rahj said that if the TA was going to be that way, she couldn't do anything else. They have all the power.
I'm (to use my wife's words) flabbergasted about the whole situtaion.
If something can be done about this, I know DISers will have the answer. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
We're a party of 15 in 6 cabins on one of the Mexican Riviera cruises this summer.
Some of us were repeat cruisers, so we made sure we paid before the 90 mark, so that we could book excursions. We are now at 87 days and any payments made by check, including payments made in March are still being held by the TA.
My wife & I aren't too concerned because we aren't booking any DCL excursions, but my cousin wanted to book sport fishing, so I called the TA to see what was wrong.
Kelly (from the TA) called me back to let me that was just how they did things. They wait until closer to the cruise to send the final payment to DCL.
Well, I happened to be in the neighborhood, so I headed down to the TA's office. I proceeded to quote all the info I learned on DIS . That excursions could be booked at 90 days, that the reservation must be paid in full, that the excursions are charged to the room and that they must be booked for each individual in their name. They didn't seem to know any of this.
Before I left they agreed that they would make sure my cousin got his fishing excursion booked this by tomorrow (today) morning.
When I didn't hear back from them by 1pm, I emailed them this letter.
April 30, 2008
C***** A*********
#### N. B********* Ave
Fresno, CA 93720
Dear Craig,
I guess some things never change.
FLASHBACK TO JULY 2005
We booked 6 cabins with C***** A********* for a Disney Cruise leaving July 30. We tried to book excursions a few weeks before the cruise, only to find out that we were unable to because, although we paid off the cruise in April, DCL still showed a balance on the cruise. We were told by C***** A********* that it was due to a miscalculation of the travel agent commission. After a couple of days of the checks in the mail, C***** A********* finally charged the balance on their own credit card and we were able to book our excursions. We had a great time on our Disney Cruise.
JANUARY 2007
We heard that DCL was returning to the West Coast. Nervous about booking 6 cabins on our own, we turned once again to C***** A*********.
Now, we are once again nearing our Disney Cruise and we are once again having trouble with our reservations:
we convinced some friends to join us on the cruise, but their reservation didnt get cross-referenced with ours in the DCL system;
one of our original reservations had the wrong dining request in the DCL system;
and, C***** A********* is still holding money on a cruise that was paid-in-full more than a month ago.
The first two problems have been fixed, but not the third. Your policy to hold a customers money until the last minute still confuses me.
Thats why I visited your office yesterday and I was surprised with what I found out. Ive done a lot of research since we first booked this cruise, so I probably know more than the average customer you deal with, but for me to know more than half a dozen professional travel agents do is just astounding.
How could you not know that the reservation must be paid off in order to book excursions or that excursions for repeat cruisers can be booked at 90 days out or that excursions must be booked under each passengers name?
And Im still trying to understand the logic in withholding the reservation numbers from your customers until the cruise is paid off. Are you afraid well try to transfer the reservation away from you? After what Ive experienced, your fears may be warranted.
Travel agents should make the vacation process easier, instead C***** A********* is making it more difficult. With the ease of the internet, you would think that travel agents would be trying even harder to earn their customers business. I just dont see this from C***** A*********.
Why should we keep using C***** A*********? I know DCL doesnt allow travel agents to discount their cruises, so C***** A********* cant beat the prices elsewhere. The only thing that would really keep us at C***** A********* would be the customer service. However, based on what youve showed us the last two cruises, the customer service isnt there either. I just dont see any reason for us to use C***** A********* a third time. Do you?
Sincerely,
Tom Bell....
About an hour later I received this reply from Craig, the owner of the TA.
Tom:
Well as a matter of fact No maybe you should not use C***** A********* again, since you are so educated on the Disney product maybe your booking directly with Disney would be the best. Because then you could fly to Fl to walk in and speak to someone. Tom we have our own reasons for the way we do business, we have been doing this for several years and we are the last security left to the clients. My statement to you would be we are accountable for any mistakes, if you want the responsibility then take it, we handle our stuff in order and since you seem to have your own way you want things I am sorry. We discourage cruise line shore excursions as a whole as we do not get paid for all the extra work that we do, it only creates trouble and requires extra work and then we get the complaints about them.
Now I have received assurances that we will be able to book the Fishing trip under one of the other reservations then our Disney sales rep will see to it that the booking is moved to the proper person prior to sailing. Let me just point out to you that when you have a problem with a supplier much like the 3 airlines that went out of business in the last 3 months, or Sept 11th it is best to have a Travel Agent who is well versed in all suppliers not just one. Our value to you is when you have a problem, IE med emergency aboard the ship, or while in port, you should know the ship staff puts you off with all your luggage and sails away who do you call? Mickey? Can't tell you the number of times stuff like this has happened, and me and my staff jump to the rescue. Cruise lines leave clients in airports, standing at piers, and in hotels with no rooms all the time. These are the times when having a full service agency to call that is open 7 days a week are important. By the way clients really like it when they have to cancel a trip and learn that they are not going to have to pay a stiff penalty because we have not completed the issuance of payment to the supplier and we still have their money safe and sound. But I am sure none of this matters to you!
I do not see any real problem with your situation, when you are 90 days till sailing and can't get a print out of a shore excursion being ordered. Your problem is not an issue unless we fail to provide something, my advise would be relax, let us do what we do and if you fail to get something then you would have a problem. But yes if you feel you know Disney so well, and you have no concern of anything going wrong just go direct next time!
For now we have gone ahead and followed the instructions of our rep and will be moving the fishing trip to Mr. D***** at a later date. However it is confirmed on another person, and holding till it is moved.
Thank You,
Craig M*****
C****** V***** C***** A********
#### N. B********* Ave.
Fresno, CA 93720
559-###-####
559-###-#### Fax
I know this is long, but don't leave me yet, it gets better.
So, next I call DCL to see if there is any liasson that can help me work this situation out. I speak with Melissa first, and she can't help me, but suggests I speak with a supervisor. So a nice lady named Rahj (sp) comes on the phone ands says that the only thing she can do is make a courtesy call to the TA while I held.
I thanked her and said, please, anything you can do.
Well, when the nice DCL rep came back on the phone she was nearly speachless. She said that when Craig came on the phone, he (her words) "went off on her." He said we would pay when he wanted to. He wouldn't use a company credit card. He wouldn't overnight payment.
Rahj said that if the TA was going to be that way, she couldn't do anything else. They have all the power.
I'm (to use my wife's words) flabbergasted about the whole situtaion.
If something can be done about this, I know DISers will have the answer. Any suggestions would be appreciated.