TA charges for cancellation?

[MindiLou]

So in reading the fine print of my TA’s rules, ( I know I was bored one day LOL), it states they will charge $100 for any cancellations.  
I guess I don’t cancel that often, as I have never been charged.  But I have never seen this before?

Has anyone else?  Is this something recent since Covid?

 

 

[smokeybandit]

Time for a new TA if you have a TA that charges for anything above and beyond what the cruise line charges.

[steverk]

I had a TA that had the same policy. I don't have that company anymore. 

[Lovetocruise2002]

Any TA that charges for cancellations (there are some out there that do) are a red flag. Time to find a new one.

[Sharla]

Some TAs charge for their services, including cancellations. MEI-Travel never charges any fees at all, the only fees you would pay would be the supplier (Royal Caribbean) fees if they charge.

[MindiLou]

Yes, I thought that was suspicious.  
Considering she’s getting a free cruise because she booked 28 of us  

[PhillyLady]

Well, my Cruise TA (I only use a TA for cruises) charges a $100.00 cancellation fee as well, and only once did I ever have to pay it, when I just overbooked myself on too many cruises at one point in the same year. HOWEVER, if I cancel one cruise and rebook another one, then the fee is waived. 

I think it is a way for the agency to not waste their time on either drive-by customers (here today, gone tomorrow), non-serious customers, and those who are booking across a couple of different platforms to try to juggle prices. 

I think the cost is fair, because they are doing a lot of calling and paperwork, etc. on my behalf, and are available to assist with changes and issues  They often extend the payment process and will check out cabin choices. Once I had to wait on hold for a cruise line for more than two hours on the phone, so  I am happy to avoid that experience as well.

BUT, I will say that my TA offers me additional airline mile points that I cannot get with a regular TA, so that is the bonus. 

Some companies charge restocking fees when you return items, so fee-based practices are becoming more common. If I were a travel agent and I did a booking for 28 people and put in hours of time and then they cancelled without rebooking, I would be very, very unhappy (usually the free cruise goes to the group leader, not the travel agent.) !!

[MindiLou]

Well my TA is the group leader, as it is her 30th wedding anniversary.  Oh she has also stated that once onboard she is off the clock 

as my TA.  Well   I got news for her if I have a problem I’m calling her.

[AandD]

I called our TA once and he put our conversation on hold. Then he turned his phone around and did a live stream of the penguins playing in the snow in Antartica. I still have that TA.

[CruiseGus]

2 hours ago, MindiLou said:

Well my TA is the group leader, as it is her 30th wedding anniversary.  Oh she has also stated that once onboard she is off the clock 

as my TA.  Well   I got news for her if I have a problem I’m calling her.

When My MEI-Travel agent is "out of pocket" for whatever reason (and I think there are valid reasons) she has a fellow agent back her up..

The only time I have reached out to the backup, she was quick to respond and handled.

I am very pleased with @michelle and I know @Sharlaas one of the principles only keeps great agents in the group

 

 

 

[MindiLou]

I get there are valid reasons,but if I have an issue on the same boat as her,I’m not going to call an 800 numbers back home

i should be able to ask her.  

[ScottD]

16 hours ago, MindiLou said:

I get there are valid reasons,but if I have an issue on the same boat as her,I’m not going to call an 800 numbers back home

i should be able to ask her.  

Honestly I've never had to get in touch with my TA once on board, anything that I need dealt with on board, can be dealt with by the ship crew at that point. 

[RockerDom31]

Once upon a time, we had a travel agent from a local travel agency who we used for our honeymoon, anniversary trip, and first Royal cruise. Nothing went wrong so there were no complaints. Service was okay but questionable at times.

Then Covid hit, and all of the sudden, there were consultation fees (for putting together a quote), cancellation fees, and change fees (for changing cabins, dates, or re-pricing). For two of us, we had to pay a $300 cancellation fee for our Covid-canceled cruise of 2021 (which was clearly not our fault).

We left that travel agency and switched to MEI-Travel. We are much happier with the service and no-fee structure with MEI.

Shoutout to Daniel Wanderman at MEI for being an awesome TA!

[smokeybandit]

Covid obviously was a tough time for travel agents and some got desperate to keep some revenue flowing.

[tjcruisers]

I've never read my contract with my TA that close. Only had to cancel once (ok covid cancelled it for us), never got dinged. I wouldn't have an issue if there was a reasonable charge for a cancellation (as I am using their time to book everything)

[Sharla]

On 9/7/2024 at 4:29 PM, PhillyLady said:

I think it is a way for the agency to not waste their time on either drive-by customers (here today, gone tomorrow), non-serious customers, and those who are booking across a couple of different platforms to try to juggle prices. 

I do think there are valid reasons for TAs to charge- as the commission structures work, we only get paid if you travel. So if you cancel we do not get paid. Royal does not pay commission on change fees, cancellation fees, shore excursions, beverage packages, etc. Only the base fare gets commission. So sometimes it is a ton of work for less money.
However that is the nature of the job and the structure at MEI is currently (and no plans to change) no fees. Sometimes I do wish I could charge for my time! But I just get the flat percentage and that's how it works.

[Vancity Cruiser]

On 9/9/2024 at 10:12 AM, Sharla said:

I do think there are valid reasons for TAs to charge- as the commission structures work, we only get paid if you travel. So if you cancel we do not get paid. Royal does not pay commission on change fees, cancellation fees, shore excursions, beverage packages, etc. Only the base fare gets commission. So sometimes it is a ton of work for less money.

Not to mention the cruise lines are making more and more of the fare non commissionable